3
THE BEOTEEB'S FAREWELL.
0 4
"KAi:Ki: to mo l.rothcr. hearken, I
liiivi! somclhiii;! I would s;iy
I'.rc the veil ijiy vision darkens, and I r,o from
earth away:
I mil ilyiiiji ! lirotlior dying! Soon you'll miss lile
from my berth.
And my I'm in will soon 1-c lyini; 'iicath Hit; ocean's
Iiu.sy surf.
Lie in.) nearer ItoIIici, nearer, for my limbs arc
j'rnwlm: cold.
And thy presence socinoth dearer when thiner.rnis
around iih; fold.
Iam .m;pi;;, brother, goim1; Yet my hope in Cod
is slron;;;
1 am willing. hrotli'-r, knowing that I Icrtoptli noth.
iiii! wron;.;.
Tell my father when you pivot him, that in dentil
i prayed for him
I'rayed thai I one day nii;;ht meet him in a world
that's Tree from sin;
Toll my mniher. Cod will help her, How that she is
crowing old
Thill her child did yearn to kiss her when his lip
were .rowing cold.
Listen, brother, en Mi each whisper, 'tis my wife
I'd peak of now;
Tell. le'.l her. how I missed her, when the. fever
lir.T.cd my brow.
Tell her. brother closely listen don't forget a sin-
i:!e word.
That in death my eyes did glisten witli the, tears
her memory stirred.
Tell her she must kiss my children, like the kiss
1 last improved ;
Hold them, where, as last lieldthein, folded close
ly to my breast,
Civc them early to their Maker, putting; all licr
trust in Cod.
And lie i.eer will forsake her, for He says so in
J lis Vi'ord.
O, my children! 1 leaven bless then; ! They wore
all my life to me ;
AVoiild I oiwe more could caress them, ere I sink
beneath the sea ;
Twas for them I crossed the ocean, whatmy hopes
were I'll not, tell.
For they've pained ;in orphan's portion yet Ho
(loe'ili all things well.
Tell my sisters I remember every kindly parting
word.
And ray heart hai been kept tender with the
tho;.;hl their memory Kiirred;
Tell them 1 ne'er reached the haven where I sought
t'ae precious dust,
I'.ut I've pained a port; called Heaven, where the
i;old will never rust.
Tel! tlieni to secure an entrance for they'll find
their brother there,
Faitli in Jesus and repentance will securo for
each a share.
Lark: I hear my Jesus speaking 'tis His voice I
know so well ;
When I'm gone ), don't lie weeping! Brother'
here's my last farewell,"
MY SKATING EXPERIENCE.
rp;ni GLABE of many colored lights
JL above, ami tlio glares of the sheet of
ice below, dotted here ami there with
scores of swift gallants and graceful las
sies, undo an entrancing jiieture. I found
my way down to the ice, and stood on the
brink of this intoxicating delight, fully
enjoying it. My early education on skates
had been wofully neglected. I never so
fully realized this as when I stood on the
cdi;o of the. pond with my foot firmly ini
hedded in the kikiw on that December
evening, and looked at the people and
the fun. Very lean - legged men whirl
ed and skimmed before me.
A very short squatty looking boy bore
down from somewhere and took a posi
tion in front of inc. lie had a pair of
skates dangling from his arm, and some
thing else not quite so largo dangling
from his nose. He was a queer looking
boy. "When he stopped, ho seemed to
shut himself up like a telescope. IT is
head settled down between his f-houlders,
and his body came down upon his. legs,
as though they had an intention of break
ing down those valuable members of so
ciety, lie evidently had something heavy
mi his mind. 1 le drummed his heels on
the iee before me, and looked absently at
the gayety allaround him. Whilcstudying
him, I commenced to feel an overpower
in,;; desire to get nut on the pond and distin
guish myself although I had no very well
defined idea how I was to do it. My gaze
alternated between his skates and the ice
for some time. I have since thought the
boy wan hired by somebody to take up
that position, but I had no thought of the
kind at the time. Such a thought, then,
would have been worth two hundred dol
lars; coming when it did, it was a dam
age to 1110.'
Finally, I hailed the young man, with a
view to mounting his skates. Ho was
corrupt to the core, and a twenty-five
cent stamp overcame hini like a summer
rain, lie threw down the skates at my
feet, and turned his attention to the stamp.
Ho held it up to the light, and then ho
rubbed it between his fingers. Its gen
uineness satisfied him, and ho put it care
fully away behind his clothes somewhere.
" Is your heels bored ?" he asked.
" What do you mean by that ?" 1 said.
" Why, for the corks on the skates,"
he answered, looking at me curiously.
I felt that I had said something I ought
not to, but I told him to put them on, as
I had the rheumatism in my wrist.
I sat down on the snow, and he went
to work. He was a long time doing it.
The snow was uncomfortably moist, and
my coat was too short to be of any use.
I sat there long enough to have absorbed
all the moisture for a yard around me.
When ho got through he told me to get
upon my feet. I got part Way up, and
then it happened to occur to me that, this
was the fii'.-t time I had ever been har
nessed to two skates at once. The reflec
tion was weightier than would seem possi
ble and I sat down.
' G ucss you never skated for a living ?"
remarked the boy, taking hold (if my
hand.
"Not that 1 remember," 1 said faintly.
I let him assist me to my feet just ns a
party of young people went skimming by.
The owner of the skates was a philan
thropist in his way. He pointed to the
party, and said that they were skating
round the pond on a wager, and asked
me not to run over them. I had all I
could do to resist a desire to shirt in chase
of the party and run over them but, I
managed t repress it. It felt so nice to
bo on my 1'eet that I told him I guessed
1 would start out. I was disappointed in
one particular. I thought it would rc
uire an effort to start off. but it didn't.
While 1 was about deciding between
shooting across the pond like a comet,
and marking out a spread-eagle in the
very centre of the ice, a sudden move
ment of the left skate diverted my atten
tion, and the next moment I was looking
at the lamps through my legs and bump
ing my head ferociously against the ice.
This surprised me and it interested the
boy. The more so, as I held in my out
stretched hand, a portion of the hair that
a moment before adorned and protected
his scalp.
" Why what on earth did you that for ?"
he asked, looking at mo with considerable
uneasiness and holding his baud on his
head.
I didn't make any answer. 1 saw that
I had created a sensation besides, my
head ached.
JIo helped me up, but I noticed that
he didn't show the enthusiasm he brought
to the first effort, and also, that when he
got mo to a perpendicular, he showed an
inclination to avoid me.
He kept one eye on me, and the other
revolved toward the shore. This angered
me.
" I won't, hurt you," I said.
" I don't want you to," he answered.
" Why don't you stay by me, then ?" I
asked.
" 12ecau.se, I ain't got much hair and I
ain't old enough to wear a wig."
It was useless to argue with him, and
besides, the skates were acting a little un
easy. My knees were wobbling back and
forth with increasing speed, and didn't
know but they become unhinged.
" What are you trying to do nuw ? take
yourself apart?" ho asked.
This query exhausted my patience. I
braced my knees up, and moved off.
I was again too ruffled, I felt very damp
where 1 didn't want to. The owner of
the skates was pleased with this move
ment, but was not quite so intoxicated
with delight as to forget bin caution. I
moved oil' about two yards, then I brought
up so quick ns to wrench my back, but
I kept on my feet. However, that cramp
in my back troubled me, and. 1 concluded
if I had to crack my spine whenever I
stopped, i wouldn't stop again. I got
along for a couple of rods very well, as
the ice was cut up hero. Then I sat
down to rest. I didn't really intend to
rest there, but as I sat down, I thought I
might as well rest. Like many amateurs,
I was careless in my sitting place, other
wise I would have went an inch further,
and avoided a small paving stone.
1 felt quite contented here; there did
not appear to be any danger. The pro
prietor of the skates didn't share my sat
isfaction, however:
''Ain't you goin' any further?" he
asked.
" Not yet," I said.
"But suppose it commences to thaw?"
I couldn't answer this, and didn't want
to. A little ahead of us was an old gen
tleman and a young lady. Tho young
lady was on skates, and tho old gentleman
was helping her along. The young lady
was very handsome, and I became inter
ested in her progress. I concluded to
help her. '
" Come here Mr. Hinckley, and help
uio up ngaiu," I said to tho boy.
" My name ain't Hinckley, though I
don't know what it is; my head is so
sore," he said as ho pulled mo up on my
feet, I had him to hold inc while I straight
ened my necktie, and then I told hini to
let go when I said "ready." I laid back
for a stunning movement, and opened my
mouth to give the signal when ho abrupt
ly let go. I made an effort to catch my
self, but it was abortive. I come down
with force sufficient to split the pond wide
open, and to send the damp part of my
pants up into my throat. The young man
made all haste to get me up again. He
said : I wouldn't do that again if I was
you."
I assured him I would try my best to
suppress any desire to do it again ; but
I ventured to affirm that I wouldn't try
to control an inclination to knock his
head off, if ho repeated his carelessness.
That sobered him.
He hung to me this time till I was
ready, and when I gave the command he
let go, and I bore down on tho old gen
tlemen and tho young lady. They were
pretty close to me, and I had but little
distance to bore, which was just as well.
I came up before them, scraping the ice
with vigor.
"Learning to skate?" I remarked
moving about to keep on my feet.
" Yes, sir," she said clinging nervous
ly to her companion's whiskers.
' Why don't you try it alone?" I asked ;
" that is the way I learned." '
" Ain't it hard ?" inquired the old gen
tleman. " Not at all," said T, continuing to
move about to avoid both of them.
" Just look at me now, and see how I
do it, and then you try the same
way," I added, placing my back to them,
and preparing to do something to take
away their breath
"Are you looking?" I said with
confidence, but not daring to turn around.
"Oh, yes" they both cried.
" Then here I go," I said. And the
words were no sooner uttered than verified.
I felt a sudden, rapid movement. I
heard a rasping sound beneath mo and
and then right ahead. The lights gave
a sudden whirl and disappeared, and the
next minute I struck the ice a tremen
dous blow with the back of my h:ad. I
never had anything interest me like that.
It had absorbed all my attention. I was
confident nobody ever had such a fall.
Not even our first parents, nor the
Niagara river. It was worse than
fall. This consoled mo I made no
quires for the young lady. I told
last
i li
the buy to come and unharness me. There
was not enough variety about skating to
suit my liery nature. Besides, the owner
of the pond was a poor man and had a
large family, and this was his only pond.
Silvering Mirrors.
rjlIIE PP.OCESS of coating glass with
S an amalgam of quicksilver and tin
is intcrcstng.
The process is as follows : Tho size of
the glass being known, a sheet of tinfoil
somewhat larger than the glass is spread
upon the silvering table. This table is a
slab of stone, with as perfect a plane sur
iace as can bo made by mechanical means.
When tho tin foil has been sufficiently
smoothed, it is brushed over with quick
silver until its surface is uniformly cov
ered. Quicksilver is then added in larger
quantity until the fluid metal lies upon
the foil to a depth of from two to three
twelfths of an inch.
Tho plate of glass is now gently and
slowly slid, its longest side foremost on to
the foil, care being taken that its edge
dins beneath the surface of tho (iuick-
silvcr, so that no air may be retained be
tween the latter and the plate.
The glass being thus slid upon tho
quick silver floats upon it, and the excess
of the latter is now squeezed out by the
application of pressure to the glass.
This is done by placing heavy weights
upon the plate ; and the table being now
inclined, so that tho quicksilver flows to
one side, tho hitter is received in a
trough provided for that purpose.
Notwithstanding the process is simple
enough in its general principles, it re
quires much skill to successfully silver
very largo plates, and there aro many
things connected with it which it would
bo very desirable to avoid.
llcnee.iiiaiiy processes for silvering have
have been devised. Of these, wo believe
Drayton's has been the most successful,
but it has not superceded tho uso of
quicksilver. Mr. (Jrayton's method con
sists in depositing a film of pure silver
upon tho glass, the silver being reduced
from a mixture ' of nitrate of silver,
ammonia, and oil of cassia. Scientific.
American, J
What Peter Said.
ABOUT forty-five years ago Parson
Isaac Milroy was vicar of a small
living in the west of Ireland, nnd had his
residence in the village of Crossinolina,
at the foot of Mount JNephen, in the
county of Maye. He was Tcry poor,
though reputed one of the best preachers in
that, rude section of tho country. Witli
an accomplished lady for his wife and a
numerous family of small children to
maintain in a style befitting a clergyman
of tho established churgh, his income was
only seventy-five pounds a year. No
wonder, then, that the good man was al
ways in difficult circumstances, and al
most never out of debt. At the time of
which I write, ho owed considerable
sums of money to his tailor, butcher
and baker, who almost every day might
have been seen dunning the poor priest,
even at the very door of his little church.
To all of this class the poor curate made
the same apology, when he had not the
money to meet tho demand, "Wait a
few days, have patience with me, and I'll
soon piy you all." One Sabbath morning,
about 10 o'clock, two proud and fash
ionably attired gentlemen called at the
parsonage to wait over Sunday, and hoar
one of his sermons on Salvation by Grace,
which had been announced some time
before in the weekly newspapers. One
of these gentlemen was 'Squire Balder,
a wciilthly landlord of Mayo; 1 ho other
a Scotch merchant, from the town of
Glasgow, then on a visit to his friend.
Poor Parson Milroy was ill-prepared to
entertain guests so distinguished, with so
little time to provide. Hastily calling
his man of all works, Jack Mulroony, a
a stalw art, thick witted ignoramus, he
bade Ii tin hasten to the house of Peter
Purecll, the butcher, and beg of hini to
send a shoulder of mutton and a joint of
good roasting beef for the occasion,
stating the necessity, and assuring him
that his master would certainly pay all
in a few days.
The church was that day unusually
crowded; the two strangers in the minis
ter's pew, near the reading desk, and the
whole congregation profoundly interested
in the discourse.
The Parson had his own peculiar stylo
of oratory; he put questions, as if it were
to the audience, and after a suitable
pause; answered them from some clear,
convincing text of Scripture, lie was
dealing with his subject in this way
when the clown Jack Mulroony entered
the church door, advanced a few steps up
the aisle, and there stood, hare-skin cap
and basket in hand, with mouth wide
open, and eyes fairly starting out of their
sockets. Jlio preacher was so- com
pletely filled with his subject, that he
did not observe his servant, though
every eye in the congregation had been
turned to hini. Tho preacher went on
thus: " What did David say ?" and he
paused before quoting from the Psalmist.
" What did Paul say in his epistle to the
Galatiaus?" pause the second, and the
passage from Galatiaus was recited. But
as if to ca j) the climax in the way of
proof, he asked with grave emphasis,
looking towards tho door, "What did
Peter say ?" ' By jabers, Crips, your
reverence, ho said that you would not
get another mouthful until you paid him
all you owed five pounds, ten and six
pence, over the nail;" and swinging his
basket aloft, to let the '.man of God see
that it was empty, the clown straddled
out of the church, with the satisfaction,
no doubt, that he had done his duly.
Tho effect was amazing some tittered,
others laughed right out ; the two gen
tlemen stood up in their pew, to get a
better look at the servant as ho was re
tiring, while tho poor Parson, perplexed
and dum founded, lost the thread of his
discourse and actually had to sit down in
his pulpit. After going homo the
strangers begged of tho minister to give
nu explanation ot tins luuicrous inter
ruption. He did so with such simplicity
and grace, that tho kind-hearted Scotch
man gave him fifty guineas to pay his
small debts of honor, while tho wealthy
31r. Balder presented him with a check
on tho Bank of Ireland for ono hundred
pounds.
The clown Jack Mulroony, still re
tained his placo at tho parsonage, but was
ever after known in the parish by tho
uicknamo of " Pive-pound-teu."
BThe prohibitory liuqor law has
proved to be a dead failure in Massa
chusetts. Two thousand ruin shops havo
been kent runniii'' in Boston in spite of
it, and movements are being niado to
effect its repeal by the present Legislature
JK-jy Thcro were five thousand Smiths
in tho Federal army during tho war.
SUNDAY EBADI1IG.
fcriflt is not well for a
cream and live skim-milk.
man to pray
ff- Good company and good conver
sation are the vcrv sinews of virtue.
Eey" If any one speak evil of you. let
your life be so virtuous that none will be
lieve him.
JMr Sellishtiess is that detestable vice
which no one will forgive in others, and
no line is without himself.
Let us shun everything which
might tend to efface the primitive linea
ments of our individuality. Let us reflect
that each one of us is a thought of God.
rtS?4It would be more obliging' to sa
plainly wo cannot do what is desired,
than to amuse people with false words,
which often puts them upon false meas
ures. Bvv?"Thc coming of the Lord is one of
tho principal articles of our faith, and
resting solely upon a promise. Scoffers
attack it till the very day of His ad
vent. J5o?Tlic depths of the soul are a lab
yrinth, and dark without the torch of re
ligion. Loft to ourselves, we aro like
subterranean waters wo reflecConly the
gloomy vault of human destiny.
fifiyy Two negroes were one day loading
goods into a cart. One of them was dis
posed to shirk his part of the work; the
other stopped and looking sharply at the
lazy one, said:
"Sain, do von expert to go to Heaven ?"
" Yes" was the reply.
" Then take hold and lift!"
So Christians might often strengthen
their hope of Heaven by helping to lift
some of the burdens which thcy'let their
brethren bear alone.
A Cheerful Face.
The secret of the happy heart is in
keeping near the 31 aster. Christ in the
heart a constant gi'tst, can it help rejoic
ing? Christ holding the baud, Christ,
making the path. Christ leading the dis
ciple, can there bo room for melancholy?
Can (roubles press heavily that arc day
by day and night by night rolled into the
open sepulchre beside tho crus:j? Some
times, alas ! we forgot to pray. Our
prayers degenerate into forms of words.
Our Bibles gather dust. Oar faith burns
low. Our love becomes cold our zeal,
alas! noithrr cold nor hot, but lukewarm,
and hateful to the Master. And we
wonder thai: we c:.:.not be happy'. There
is i'.o happiness possible for the Christian
except in the shadow of the morey-seat.
The lamps must be trimmed every day.v
they will refuse to burn clearly and stead
ily. Let us try to be more than ever
cheerful, that so we may be more than
successful in our vocation. Winners i f
souls "rejoice evermore."
O" Why is there so little sympathy
with fellow-Christians? T'o we fear thar
our own light, will shine the more? Aro
we anxious lest our joy will be the less
sweet when he tells us, Every man re
joices twice .when he has a partner of his
joy." 3Iy friend shares my sorrow and
makes it but a half sorrow, but he swells
my joy and makes it double. Two torches
do not divide, but increase the flame.
And though my tear.; are thesouner dried
when they rail on i.iy friend's cheek, yet
when my ilame hath kindled his lamp, we
unite the g'oric; and make them radiant,
like the golden candlesticks that burn bo
lero the throne of God, because they
shine by numbers, by unions, and confe
orations of light and joy.
The sunshine of life L: made up r.f
very many little loams that are bright ail
tho time. In the nursery, cm tho play
ground, and in tho school-room, there is
room all the time for litvle acts of kind
ness that cost nothing, but arc worth
more than gold or silver. To give up
something, where giving up will prevent
unhappiuess; to yield, when persisting
will chafe and fret others ; to go a littln
around rather than come against another ;
to take an ill word or a cross look, rather
than resent or return it ; these aro tin;
ways in w.hich clouds are kept off. and u
pleasant, smiling sunshine secured even
in the huniblo home among very poor
people, ns in families of higher stations.
Much that wo term tho miseries of life
would bo avoided by adopting this rule ot"
conduct, v ,,;r,oio.- :