GRASSVALE, Grastvale lay hidden in the hills tn idolent repose, It lay there, like a snowflake, in the bosom of a rose, Against the mountains on the Bast, the East winds vainly pressed, And the mountains stopped the fury of the storm-burst from the West. But the Grassvale people waited for a rail road to come down, And tunnel through the mountains and wind grandly into town; Through the weed-grown streets of Grassvale men would saynter to and fro And tell how, when the railroad came, the little town would grow, Every night to Durkee's grocery came . crowd of men to talk it | With big empires in their fancy and two | nickels in their pocket; | But the crowd trod down the dahlias in each housewife's small front yard, | And whole droves of pigs went rooting down | thy village boulevard. Every morn the magic sunrise all the eastern hills would streak, And God flung His sunset banner from the topmost western peak; But moss grew on the houses where no paint had yet appeared, As the face that has no beauty is the first to raise a beard. The chimney of the old town hall was thrown down by the rain, And they stuck a rusty funnel through the bottom window pane; At the little church the steeple blew off one tempestuous day, And they left it as a rendezvous where hens could go and lay. The great dream of the railroad banished their uneasy fears, Although they had a suit of clothes but once in fifteen years; For they reasoned when the railroad should come winding down their way They should have a pair of trousers almost every other day. And we all wait for our railroad, while our front yards grow with thistle, Lay and listen in our valley for the locomo tive's whistle Yes, we build up mighty railroads in our superhuman brain, While we ought to climb our mountains and Just foot it to the train 8. W. Foss, in Yankee Blade LOST IN THE SWAMP BY BH. H. LEWIS, ‘‘Halt thar!" At the startling command, delivered in a voice harsh and peremptory, I stopped and peered uneasily into the semi-obscurity ahead. “Throw up yer hands, quick, tool" The ominous click of a rifle furnished the exclamation point, and at the sound my arms elevated themselves almost in voluntafily. A man clad in a tattered suit of butter. nut stepped out from behind a clump of draggled bushes and limped toward me, bolding a cocked rifle pointing directly at my head. Scen by the dim light filtering down through the thick overgrowth he ap peared a commonplace camp follower, some straggler from the adjacent forces who had, like myself, lost his way, but gs he drew mearer I noticed that h seemed laboring under some strong emo tion. It was evident by the peculia: movement of his body, a convulsive heave of the chest, and deep respiration, like that of a feeble person after great physi. cal exertion. “Stranger, hev yer seen my Martha ‘round here? My Martha, an ol' woman with gray hair an’ wrinkled face! Tell me or I'll plug ye!” His voice ended in a scream that echoed through the woods like a wild beast's howl and curdled the very blood in my veins. Stepping hastily back from the too close proximity of that rifle I hurriedly replied : **No, my good fellow, no, I haven't met a living soul since I lost myself in this cursed swamp. What is the matter?” The evidently half-crazed wretch hesi- tated for a moment, then grasping me by the arm, said flercely: “I believe ye know, ye hell spawn! Tell me what yer done with my pore ol' woman, or I'll" Then letting his voice sink to & whispering sob, “Oh marster, of ye'll Just give her back to me; we've been nigh thirty years together, her'n me thirty long an’ happy years—an' she would never rest easy of I wuz gone even over night. We uns never had no children, an’ the love af ‘em wuz added to my share. Oh marster, won't ye obleege a poor ol' man that jest wants to go down the hill in peace with Martha an’ bother no 'unt” He fell at my feet and grovelled in the mud, shaking with an lotersity of an’ mighty Here was a quandary indeed, and | caused by my own carelessness, too, It was the day before the memorable 1st of June, 1863. Company B, First Now | York Light Artillery, of which I was » distinguished private, had been on. Samped for two weeks on the Chicka. hominy about five miles from Grapevine | Brid ge. Casey's division had crossed early that morning, and along in the afternoon we | heard the sound of heavy firing in the direction of ¥airoaks. About five o'clock a staff officer gal. loped up with orders for ws to broak | eamp immediately and proceed to Savage | station. Whils en route through the! swamp [ suddenly remembered having | left a couple of chickens hidden near the old camp, which I had confiscated while | out on a foraging expedition the night before, Anything in the shape of edibles wis worth its weight In gold in those “days, and without more ado 1 dropped slyly to the rear and started back, think. ing 3 houd be an easy nite ey eateh u company before got p wih 4 ng the fowls 1 set out my way, became en. | tangled in the swamp. The more I tried to extricate myself the deeper I got and at last giving up in despair, sat down on an old rotten log to think it over, Beeing that a night's lodging in a minsmatic bog would be my lot if I didn't bestir myself, I arose and again commenced feeling my way through the mass of noisome weeds and miry clay that threatened to engull me ut every step. Just as I had joyously discovered a clearing of the undergrowth ahead and could catch faint glimpses of a patch of gray sky I was summarily halted in the manner described above. The lunatic, for such he undoubtedly was, soon sprang to his feet, and I could see that his violent mood was again coming on. I bitterly regretted not hav- ing seized him while off guard and run the chances of measuring strength, but he at that moment seemed so broken and in such deep trouble that I could not for | the life of me do it. Now it was too late, and the situation was getting desperate. A manaic is a dangerous person at any. time, but when he is in possession of a loaded rifle and | looks upon you as an aggressor, then you are in deadly peril of your life. My uneasiness increased, and it was | with a very faint heart that I asked him in a sympathetic tone if I could help { him in his search. “Help,” he grimly replied; ‘yes, ye kin help, an’ it won't be long before ye find her, or I'll kill ye like a fetted dog. Come along o' me!” Motioning me to lead the way he placed the muzzle of his rifle against my | back, and then we started. The moon had risen and her silvery light penetrated through the overhang- ing branches, lending a weird and grue some aspect to the scene. Afar off the plaintive hoot of anowl sounded to my overwrought nerves like an aogury of | death, We had proceeded about two miles in | I this highly disagreeable manner when 1 noticed that the ground was getting firmer and the trees more scattered. Suddenly we stepped into a small clear- itre of which stood an old was evidenty inhabited, for a faint trail hovered around the top of the old plastered chimney and on a line stretched near the house hung several well.worn hickory shirts. I had only time for one hasty glances when my captor gr wped me by the shoulder and rushed up to the open door As we stepped inside I stumbled over soft, yielding object and almost Toe interior was but dimly illumi ¢ the eo ing, In the « loo bin: it og cabin; i of smoke some fell. nated by a few smoldering logs on the | hearth. Releasing his grip the old man shouted in my ear: “Stand whar yer air while I light the dip. Don't try to skin, "causc I her the gun a-pintin’, and will shoot quicker’n lightain’ if ye move a finger!” I heard a fumbling in the gloom and the sound of a foot kicking against some piece of furuiture The idea st jock me that now would be a good chance to escape. If Icould only get through the door wind across the clearing in safety it would be a comparatively easy matter to secure shelter in the friendly depths of the for Moving silently toward the square patch of light near the door. I braced myself for a sudden dash, and tripping fell full length on the door. Bang! spat! a bullet struck just above m* head, sending a cloud of dust into my face. For the space of a minute all was still. I was afraid to move after the warning. It was too close a shave to run | any more risks, Suddenly a faint gleam lighted up the room and I saw him standiog a few feet away holding a tallow dip above his head and peering in my direction. He held the gun in one hand, and had evidenxiy reloaded it. Shambling over towards me he viciously poked the muzzle into my mde, muttered some incoherent | words in a sing-song voice, I lay still as death, not daring to move a muscle; and the cold perspirrtion started at pore. Apparently satisfied, he moved away | and stood his gun in a corner; then, with tears running down his checks, he burst into a paroxysm of grief awful to behold. Striding up and dowa the little room, his arms raised in an attitude of prayer, he moaned : ““O Martha, why hev ye left your ol’ man! Hain't I alius been kind an’ faith. ful, au’ hain't I love ye from the time 1 first saw yes purty face! Won't yer come back dear an’ liven up the ol sgnint It isso lonesome now. The fire is a burnin’ in the chimney, an’ I done got everything reddy, jest as ye allus | like it." His voice was as a little child's in its pleading monotone, Seeing that his attention was still at. tracted, I cautiously regained my foot and, glanciag to one side, looked down upon the body of the dead woman lying in a pool of blood! A dark stream welling from a hideous wound in her breast showed how she had met her death. It flashed upon me that this must be the lost Martha, probably kilied by a chance bullet from the battlefield. It was all plain now. The old man, crazed by his terrible loss, had, with the | vagary of sudden iasavity, refused to recognize his 0'd helpmate in the disfig. ured remains, and had gone to seek her in the trackless swamp. It was pitiful indeed, but I had to look after my own saloty, and not waste any time about it either, There wa something ridiculous In the idea of being shot by a lunatic after passing unscathed through the flery or. deal of several pitched bottles. The thought nerved me to action, Creeping quietly over the hard clay floor to where the manise stood basing into the fire, every | house | first T had the upper hand, then my ad. versary, with almost superhuman power, wrested himself free and grasped me around the neck with a death-grip. 1 could feel myself growing weaker and weaker, and knew I must conquer soon or give up. Resolving to make one more effort, and, having noticed that in our furious strug- gle we had neared an old iron pot, I grasped his hair with both hands and dashed his head with violent force agwinst the iron; His arms relaxed, and I rose to my feet trembling in every limb! It was enough. There only remained one idea, and that was to leave such dan- gerous quarters without loss of time. In a second I was at the door, and, not looking backward, passed out into the free air, thanking God for my escape. Dashing rapidly across the clearing to where an opening showed the presence of a road, I hurried from the fatal spot expecting to hear the sharp ping of a bullet at every step. | After running a mile or so T had the | great good fortune to stumble on the | bridge, and feeling myself safe at last, passed over and rejoined my company | just as the first gray streaks of dawn gave the signal for recommencing hostilities. The next day I told my story to the Captain, and he sent me back with a squad to find out what had become of the old man. On reaching the clearing { the only thing that met our view | heap of still smoldering ruins, in | we discovered the charred the old couple, He had found his Martha! New York | World, Was a which remains of Lassolng a Grizzly. One of the most exciting hunts had by Mr. Pacheco, the rec ently appointed | Minister to Central America, occurred during one summer night off the Cali fornia seacoast where the seals were in the habit of going. The bears came | there for the purpose of feeding upon the seals. capturing and Mr. Pacheco station at the top and his riders took a {of a high bluff to wait for the return of the hugh grizzly that they had seen go down below to feed, He came back about 11 o'clock, and when he was fairly upon the top of the cliff the four lassos whirled and the bear was caught. successful in a ar lassos were thrown as if directed by one hand. Each paw was caught, but the bear was greasy { from his seal feeding, and one lasso af- ter another slipped off. Of course, in such hunting cach rider has two or three larints in reserve. As the lariats slipped off the bear charged. To protect them selves it was necessary to throw new | ropes and upon the instant, This fight kept up for nearly sn hour, when the bear and his hunters both gave up the contest. He was too slippery to be held, but the persistence of the hunt. ers had so daunted his spirit that he was very glad to run off at the Inst, when the hunters became convinced that it wasa hopeless case. Mr. Pacheco has killed many grizzlies. In one instance he had a very narrow escape This was when he was riding along upon the banks of a dry bed of a stream, he grizzly he was after was thirty feet be. low him. Asa proof of the wonderful agility of this animal, Mr. Pacheco says that this particular bear, without the elightest warning of attack, bounded from the bed of the stream clear and clean to the flank of his horse. It was the sudden bolt of the animal which saved the rider The other hunters came up in a moment and in three minutes afterward the bear that had made such a courgeous charge | was lying helpless in the nooses of the hunters, — Chicago Tribune. co A Peculiarity of Russian Customs. Our 8t. Petersburg correspondent, says the London News, sends ws a curious story of the operation of the customs laws in Russia. It appears that the British and American Congregational Church, to celebrate the jubilee of its foundation, resolved on getting a new organ, and at the expense of $2500 ob. | tamed from London an instrument which duly arrived at Cronstadt. But here the | difficulties began. There were forty | cases and these happened to come in two { ships, thirty-two in one and eight in an. {other, Church organs are practically | unknown in Russia, where church mu- | sie is entirely vocal. The only instru. | ment known corresponding to the organ [is one which is found in every trakteer or tea house and is of the nature of a | musical box with a few pi The custom house offi ziale claimed | the duty on six organs, saying there were pipes enough for so many. After long They were never more first effort. The f — i — | pass through under protest and mw now | being erected under the supervision of the custom house authorities. Two of- ficials, with swords, are on duty at the door and watch every one going out to seo that he does not take an organ away with him. During Divine service the guards take an ocomsional peep to see | that everything is above board. Making Artificial Rubles. What is the use of exploring unknown and dangerous countries for rubies when the secret of their artificial production has been discovered! This was the uestion which the Academy of Science iscussod on the report of MM. Fremy and Verneuil, who, for some time past, have been making chemical experiments in the manufacture of these stones, More valuable than mere thoory was the fact that the two chemists exhibited some hundreds of specimens of the glit. tering red crystals they had succeeded in producing. The rubles were admitted by all to be much Aupatior to anything hitherto manufactured, No little | peak, 2300 feet high. | curious than the | government, | sixty members, elected for life, equally The | little Republic is amply provided with | There are two chosen every | likewise two | negotiations the organ was allowed to | I'WO MINIATURE REPUBLICS ANDORRA AND BAN MARINO, AND HOW THEY ARE RULED. Doe, With Thirty-Three Square Miles, Enjoys the Luxury of Two Presi dents—Their Governments, Until France adopted her present form of government, modern European re- publics were all tiny bits of territory ‘hat seemed hardly worth a monarch’s sonquest. In all cases, too, they have been mountainous lands. Indeed, in several instances, they have been little more than a mountain or a range of mountains, Switzerland's centuries of republican freedom are known to all the world, and this many give the geographical Andorra or of Ban Marino? to these tiny republics, It was a German princeling that is sald to have declined a gift of a long position of A word as range rifle cannon, upon the ground that | there was not room in his principality to | { give the weapon a fair trial. Small terri | tones and scant revenu have made even | some of the more conspicuous German princely houses famou: for and But must prioecipality, indeed, that simplicity be a small in aren or population than the Republic of Andorra This tiny State lies on the south side of the Pyrenees, the Bpanish Province of Lerids and the French De. partment of Ariege. Its area 160 square miles, not very much than p pain mostly the not thus economy. it is smaller between is more Its are than that of tion is 7000 Philade Iphia The busied in smuggl manufacture of tobacco nle 3 got mining, Th a The country ing, and employed are shepherds, has fre schools. The speak a Bpanish dialect. TI is a survival of many such once flourishing in the valleys of the Pyrenees It has maintained ndependence noes year 1275. The country six parishes and each paris suls, who, by the aid of local decide all questions concernit parish people tepublic ita Councils g roads, , taxation and nally, there four mem police, public light the division of pasture is I is a general council of twenty bers, four from each parish 0 1866 these officers have been elected by all heads of families. Before that the elec- tive franchise was confined to an aristo. cracy maintained by primogeniture, The army of Andorra consists of 600 men, under militia organization. These men hold themselves ready to be called out at the wish of the State. The com- mand of the militia is intrasted chiefly to two officers, one nominated by France and the other by the Bishop of Urgel, a Spanish See. The army is exempt from foreagn service, and the chief business of the two officers, or Vigniors, as they are criminal justice, Sin called, is to administer Civil cases are tried be Alder. men, deputies of the Viguier. A Civil Judge of Appeal, however, may set aside the judgments of the Aldermen. This Judge is nominated alternately by France and by the Bishop of Urgel The final appeal is to the Court of Cassation the College tween two at Paris, or Wo al at Urgel The little Republic pays an annual tribune of $194 to France, and in con sideration of this payment free trade prevails between the two coun'ries A like sum is paid as a tributs to the Bishop of Urgel. This tribute and the expenses of government are pud by a species of tax levied as rent fo the use of pasture land. ‘he people live the simplest sort of lives, and are scarcely conscious of any government beyond the neighborly understanding neccesary to the existence of a civilized community Andorra, the capital, is an odd little town of 1000 inhabitants. Far smaller than Andorra is tha! other mountain republic, San Marino. 't lies upon the Adriatic, surrounded by Itylian provinces, The area of the country is only thirty-three miles square, and, in fact, the republic is merely one mounta’'n On the sides of this mountain stand the town of San Ma. rino, founded in the year 441. The place is accessible by only one road, and is not only walled, but has three forts. It con. Epis P | tains the Governor's palace, six churches, | & theatre, and two great cisterns for the supply of water. Nothing could be more Republic's The Legislature consists of from nobles, citizens and peasants. Presidents. six months, There are Judges and twe Secretaries of State. The army consists of 950 men, or about one cighth of the entire population. The town has a population of 1800, The court of last resort is a council of twelve, elected by the Senate, The town, or capital, is curious in more ways than one. Not only does it lie impregnable on the hillmde, but it proudly proclaims its independence by means of a statue of Liberty in the pias. ga. The houses are of dressed stone, and the streets, bobbing up and down, as they do, are charmingly picturesque. San Marino has no customs tariff against Italy, and obtains foreign tobacco duty free, through Italian territory, by reason of a promise to abstain from raising to- bacco. To avoid any difficulty over the troubleseme question of international copyright, San Marino forbids tho use of the printing press within her borders, According to tradition, San Marino was founded in the third century by a mason named Marinus, It first figures in European history in the year 885. Since then it had varying fortunes in and wir, Time again the tiny t of territyry has beon the subject of ve dispute, and for brief periods it Be lost its autonomy, in 1631, however, pe (luarantesd five year fins per First RE DLR ThE Og is Jh8 cr LAL poor Un Kuan Cliy, Mo Wide for par iodine: Leo Wa's Chinese Headaohs Cu Harm. H Jers iu eff quick and positive in sction, 3 t of $i ¥ St Piepaa, o recaivs SF pl por boul : Tipher, Mingtal, far sands and Ranches in Missour “1 Kansas, bouglitand sold. Tyler & Co. Kansas Clty, Ma. Money invested inoholca ons hundred dol. iar bullding lots in suburbs of ity will pay from five hundred to one thousans 4 cent. the next few years under our plan, ©oash and $5 month withoyt interest con. Iittle country is the | largest of the mountain republics in which Liberty has long made her home, | Two others there are of which the world | knows little, and perhaps cares less. How | men, ten years out of school, can | system of | Di Po he i a Both the method and results when Byrup of Figsistaken; it is pleasant and refreshing to the taste, and acts gratiyyet promptly on the Kidneys, diver and Bowels, cleanses the sys. tem effectually, dispels colds, head. aches and fevers and cures habitual constipation. Byrup of Figs is the only remedy of its kind ever pro duced, pleasing to the taste nl hs ceptable to the stomach, prompt in its action and tru! beneheial in its effects, prepared only from the most heaithy and agreeable substances, ite. many excellent qualities com mend it to all and have made it the most popular remedy known. Syrup of Figs is for sale in 500 and $1 bottles by all leading drug. gists. Any reliable druggist who may not have it on hand will pro cure it promptly for any one who wishes to try it. Do not accept any substitute, CALIFORNIA FI6 SYRUP CO. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, COWEYILLE, Y SEW TORE. BY. -VASELINE- FORA ONE-DOLLAR BILL sent as by malt wo will deliver, free of all charges, 0 any persos ia WY WUes Ary 5H One twooanse bottle of Pare Vaseline, Une twooueoe hottie of Vaseline Fomads, £1 One Jar of Yassline Cold Crean, + + + +» « 38 One Cake of Vaseline Cam pluor loa, « =» 13 wn One Cake of Vassline soap, unscented, . + 8 Ome Calor of Vaseline Soup, »xquidiely song ted, 5 Une tweounoe bolts of W nile Vaseline - 0 $1 Ow fow postage stamps any stwyte artisie al {he price named. Om no account be perewaisd to aooep 1 from Wal hin any Vassline ov preparation there fr wm a VLA OW Ra, DOG Wse pou wel ner Laindy receive an bm alion whieh has Kile or wo as Chasebrongh Mig. Co. 34 State Se, N,V, fron Sues TONES | $60 (BINGHAMTON) \ Beam Box Tare Beam \%, lL _——i / NY for 1% FRAZER BEST IN THRE WORLD EF” Ost the Genuine. fold Everywhere, fe inventors, Write al onoe PATENTS! i= lormation, JB CRALLE & CO, Washington, 0, YY. a instrotions rey - K EE POSITIVELY REMEDIES, Greely Fant Streteher, fl students al Marvard, Amber, and other Oe inges, sien, By professions] and besitess mes ev ye wher, IT not for sale In your town send B8e to BJ GREELY, TH Washington Sirvet. Boston DR Fas SITENALENE LB Bo for the certain cure | 4 [hd GSS wo, We have sold Wig © for and 1% hae the of satis D. DYCHE & C0, : test burdens FES GREASE ASTHMA prHNA LEN Hii Trea Re oer FREE | ’ #S0RETHROAT Wobnps, Cuts, SWELLINGS THE CHARLES & “Ane: £n £n Rattimors, Md, W. L. DOUCLAS 83 SHOE cenf When SE. .080 Genulse Havndesewed, an ole i and sty lish dress Shoe which oo " $4.00 Handwewed Welt, equalled for style and durabiiin 83-30 Giendyenr Welt kk the standard dros Nhe at 8 popular prio 854.50 Policeman's Shoe Is sspocially sdspted for raliroad men, 1 ers, ex Button and Lace nly handesew ed hos Lun ir A made In ¢ $9.00 tor Ladie sold at this popular price 82-30 Dongola “hoe for Ladies, ix a new de pasture snd promises U0 beoorne ve ry pogpisr $9.00 Shoe for Ladies, snd 81.75 for Misses still retain thelr exoelion for style wis warrantisd and stampe on f advertised loos] agent cans Ply you, i direct Ww factory enclosing advertised price of postal for order blanks WW. L. DOL GLAN, Breckien, Mass, XY NU-4g (CoucH DON'T DELAY | 2% Cowre pes Box, PURELY VEGETABLE. | 3 Boxes ron 65 en, THOROUGHLY RELIABLE. > 0 0 nell som ABSCLUTELY Sarg ) san tren, on reveiyi ol FOR BALE BY ALL DRUGGISTS. DR. J. H. SCHENCK & SON, PHILADELPHIA, PA “HE DID IT." “Ty using the K- WHEN Remedies I have cured all the olds in my family, and In the vicinity for mile around, nciuding balvdes thread EWREN Cough Palsam nd Troches cure boarsoness in a few i minutes, bad oo over plight. Bal BR 10 and Be. By mall or 4 MB RP & O08 18 ask A per | EWIS' 98 = LYE Powdered and Periamad, PATENTED The strongest and purest Lys made, Will make the desl par fumed Hard Soap in 2) mine utes without boiling, It isthe best for disinfecting sinks closets, drains, washing bottles, Larrels, paints, ete. PENNA SALT X'FG CO Gon, Agta, Phila, Pa. F. A, LEMM ANY 4 PATENTS bain not the gainfulleg gre You. can tom oar URDEN byusing PS APO LI O#~ wi Itis a solid cake of scouring soap 2 used for cleaning purposes: -EOPVR Ane What would you give for a Friend who would take half your hard work off your shoulders and dc it without a murmur ? What would you give to find an assistan: viv your housework that would keep your floors and walls clean, and never grow ugly over the matter 18 just such a friend and can be your kitchen bright, and yet “hard work ? Sapolie at all grocers. CAT RR H %
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers