J 1 mm el a Bi
Z LOCAL AXD FA MILT JOURNAL.
Turns $2.00 a Year, i Advaxce.
J. C. LUTHER, Editor axd Pcblisueh.
RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1870.
ISO. 8.
VOL. II.
Air II U HIT AND I.
BY F.MZAHETJ1 BAKRKTT imOWNIXO.
Enonph! we're tired, my heart and I ;
We r!t beside the headstone thus,
And wish the name were curved for. us.
The moss reprints more tenderly
The hard types of the mason's knlfo,
As Heaven's sweet lile renews earth's life,
With which we're tired, mv heart and I.
Ton see we're tired, my heart and I ;
We dealt with books, we trusted men ;
And In our own blood drenched the pen,
As if such colors could not tly.
We walked too straight for fortune's end,
We loved too true to keep a hicud;
At last we're tired, my heart and I.
XIow tired we feel, my heart and 1 1
We seem of no use in the world ;
Our fuuclcs bans gray and uncurled
About meu's eyes indifferently ;
Our voice, which thrilled you so, will let
You sleep ; our t nrs are only wet J
What do we here, my heart and I ?
IV.
So tired, so tired, my heart and I !
It was not thus iu that old time
When Kalph sat with me ucath the lime
To watch the sunset from the sky.
" Dear love, you're looking tired," he said ;
I, smiling tithim, shook my head ;
'Tis now we're tired, my heart and I.
So tired, so tired, my heart and I !
Tuouuh uow none takes me on his arm
To fold me close and kiss me warm,
Till each quick breatu end in a lgh
Of happy languor. Now, alone,
We lean upon his graveyard stone,
Cnchcercd, unklssed, my heart and I.
Tired out we are, my heart and I.
Suppose the world brouuht diadems
To tempt un, crusted with loose gems
Of powers and pleasures f Let it try j
We scarcely care to look at even
A pretty child, or God's blue heaven,
We feel so tired, my heart and I.
Yet who complains ? My heart and I ?
In this abundant earth no doubt
Is little room for things worn out ;
Disdain them, break them, throw them by !
And if, before the days grew rough,
We once were loved, used well enough,
I think, we've lured, my heart and 1.
AS ODD FIX.
When it came at last to asking Samu
el Rowley's consent to pay my addresses
to bis wurd, I knew it was all over with
me. I felt that it was all over directly
I was shown into the library, where
Samuel Rowley sat before the fire, toast
jjy.hgotity feet, and reading his Timet
all over with mo thut I would very glad
ly have backed myself out of the room
without entering into any particulars as
to the object of my visit. would have
cheerfully informed him that I was un
agent for Boshiter's hair-restorer, -and
had called with a sample, which might
be returued if not approved after one
day's rubbiug. But he know me, and I
knew him. He understood perfectly
well why I had solicited the honor of au
interview with him at twelve o'clock A.
M ; he was a sharp old gentleman, who
had his eyes on me ior some time, and
was not to bo imposed upon.
He said, " Take a seat, Mr. I for
get your name ;" and then he fumbled
with his glasses, and referred to my po
lite epistle, which lay on the table neur
him.
I took a seat uud nursed my hat. I
perspired a little. I had a tremulous
motion of my knees come on, which
made me look ridiculous. I waited for
him to begin, but he did not. I began
myself, alter one or two secret encoun
ters in my throat with a something
which felt very much like a cork out of
a soda-water bottle.
" You are not aware that is, you can
not but be aware that I have long re
garded your ward Clara with Did
you speak, sir r"
" No, sir, 1 did not speak."
He had given an awful cough of a
double-knock character, that was all.
He kept his glasses on his nose, and fo
cused me, aud the operation was un
pleasant. He was not pleasant in his
reception of my statement either; he
was decidedly unpleasant, not to say
desperately disagreeable. But then he
was a cross, ill-grained old fellow ;
everybody knew it in Wolverstou, and I
have no particular reason to disguise it
here.
I recommenced my statement ; I
poured forth the best feelings of my
heart, and with an eloquence that might
have melted adamant 1 confessed to him
thai Clira wag my one ambition. As I
have said already, I knew that it was all
over with me, but I was poetic even in
the midst of my despairing conscious
ness. Mr. Rowley set asido his newspaper,
draw his chair an inch or two closer to
mo, put his great hands rathtr dis
posed to be gouty like his feet upon
his knees, and surveyed me from head
to foot contemptuously.
" May I ask your age, young man ?"
he said.
This wns my weak point of defense,
but I told him.
" Seventeen."
"And how did you first become ac
quainted with my Clara, who is a year
your junior, the hussy ?"
" Well, Mr. R iwley, it has been a long
attachment. My finishing school at
Beesborough was situated opposite her
finishing school, and we saw each other
'at church ; and I think "
' I think that yon both ought to be
horsewhipped 1" he said, fiercely, inter
rupting me ; " and as for my consent to
Clara's engagement to a boy like you
J will even go so fir as to say a whipper
snapper like you "
" A whipper-snapper, sir !"
'I repeat it, a whipper-snapper!"
cried old Rowley, becoming very red
and apoplectic in appearance. " I de
cline to listen to your preposterous pro
posal for one instant. Clara is only six
teen, and does not know her own mind
she is a mere child."
"But we shall both grow older, Mr.
Eowley."
" Ah, and more sensible, I hope. Good
morning."
" Good morning, sir."
I did not wait to tell him of my ex
pectations from my grandmother, or to
reason with him on his want of justice
and consideration. I went away crest
fallen and heart-broken. I dashed from
the library in despair, nnd brought lny
forehead tigainst that of my beloved
with a concussion that was nearly the
meaus of stretching our senseless forms
outside the tyrant's den, the victims of
his cruel obduracy. Clara, naturally in
terested in the result of my interview
with her guardian, had forced her pure
but anxious soul to listen at the library
keyhole. I had retired in haste, aud
lloored her.
" Oh, my gracious 1" she sobbed forth ;
"I did not know you were coming out
like that I Oh, my head! Oh, how
dreadful 1 Oh, Alphonse, we must part
forever !"
She rested her head on my shoulder,
aud shed many tears. 1 kissed away
tier tears; I patted her head fondly,
keeping clear of the bumps which I had
rais:d there. I could scarcely see her
gold, n hair for tears myself the water
uad risen into my eyes immediately we
had met each other. I sought to calm
her emotion. I bade lit r be firm, aud I
recommended vinegar and brown paper
for her damaged brow. I said thut I
should try them melf when I got
home. I told her that I would die rather
than relinquish her; i-be said the same
thing in a burst of uncontrollable emo
tion ; we renewed our vows of eternal
fidelity, and tore ourselves from each
other's arms, crushed in spirit, but strong
yet to resist much oppression.
I told all my troubles to Jack Ed
wards, my bosom friend and adviser.
Jack and I had been school-fellows to
gether; we were going into the medical
profession together presently ; my father
had resolved that I should walk the hos
pitals instead of the rosy path of love.
Jack heard my story, and said that he
would not have ttuod half of old Row
ley's nonsense; but what he would have
done uuder the circumstances he did not
impart to me at the time, and I forgot
to ask him afterward.
Clara und I met clandestinely. We
were lovers; wo had been lovers from
our" youth; the flinty heart of a guar
dian who had outlived mortal passion
was not to htand between our fresh
young souls.
I met Clara in the village ; I scaled
the park fence, and met her in the groen
wood; and Jack, good fellow, kept
watch on the door of the Hall and o'd
Rowley's library windows with a tele
scope, lest we should be surprised at any
moment. Clara and I passed much of
.nir tinm talkinsr "' what we should do
when she came into uer piupeitjr
twenty-one, and my grandmother fa
vored me by departing from this earth
ly sphere; but it was a sharp winter,
und our teeth chattered cvt r our pros
pects. Clara and I used to arrange our
meetings in this wise. Clar had a con
fidant in the game-keeper, Peter Stokes,
an invaluable man, with a weakness for
tobecco, und with a heart all charity to
ward his fellow-creatures. Peter was
always getting up subscriptions for his
fellow-creatures in the village; and
what with his subscriptions and his to
bacco I kept him entirely in tobacco
my pocket-money knew but little rest.
Still he had a good heart, and was kind
to us. He took charge of our corres
pondence, which was carried on by a
circumlocutory but sure process. Clara
gave it to her maid Selina, another con
fidante who, alas ! proved herself a per
fidious snake and Selina intrusted it to
Peter, who took it to a gnarhd monarch
of the forest un oak-tree in fact anil
conceah d it from all human gaze in a
small hollow cavity some ten feet from
the ground, where, at a later hour, 1
found it, and deposittd my answer, to
bo conveyed by tho same process into
my dearest Cl ua's hands.
Peter was a la-jk old man, and very
wiry ; he could cliib a treo like a &quir
lel, and I was agilo uyself. The whole
conception was romaij0( jf vou Wiiit
but grand! I thought Ko.ciara thought
so, Peter thought so. The n,;a Wrts troin
Millais's picture, which we ua!i hoth
carefully studied ; and if ljtei,adnot
generally deposited his small iinca i0
mysolf ut tho same time, asking my
"kind eonsideruskun, as a gentlou,.u
born with a warm hart, to an allictiiu
kase in the parissh," the romance would
have been pure and unalloyed.
Clara defied the obdurate guardian
for two months ; it was February when
Selina Muggins betrayed us. I was ad
vancing, in an innocent and unsuspect
ing manner, t the secret post-ollice in
the wood, half a mile from Mr. Row
ley's house, when 1 became conscious of
the whole perfidy. 1 was close upon the
tree that brave old oak which had held
so many sec Ms when voices in another
direction tilled my soul with horror.
They were the voices of Samuel Rowley,
Esq., J. P., and Peter Stokes, my Mer
cury. I sank down in the long grats
there was a rapid thaw that morning,
and the damp struck to mo at once
and trembled for my love. I was not
au instant too soon ; their footsteps were
upon me. Mr. Rowley's right foot was
nearly upon me also; he shaved my fea
tures by a hair's breadth, and passed on.
The harsh tones of his voice rang in my
ears an instant afterward.
"You dou't consider yourself an
abominable scamp, I suppose," Mr. Row
ley said, "an unprincipled old vaga
bond, to act as a go-between to a filly
school-girl and that idiot of a boy ! You
never thought of the harm of encourag
ing this, did you ?"
"I'm werry sorry, sir," whimpered
Peter.
' Teaching my ward to be deceitful
for the sake of a few sixpences, I sup
pose ?"
" I've never had a ha'penny, your hon
or, much more a sixpence."
Neither had he. They were generally
half orowns he was in the habit of re
ceiving from me.
" You deserve to be kicked out of my
service, Stokes drummed out of the vil
lage, for a winked old hypocrite !" '
" They was werry fond of each other,
sir, and Miss Clara used to ask me ao
beseeching; and when I told her there
was harm in writing to Master Huskis
son without her dear gardewan's know
ing anything about it, she allers said it
was for tho lust time, sir really."
" If it was not for your age, Stokes,
I'd send you about your business this
very day."
"I'm werry sorry, sir," Stokes eaid
again, hhedding many tears.
"Is this the tree'r"
" Yes, sir, that's the tree."
" And Clara's last letter if up there
now, eh? In that hole? Now no more
lies!"
" Yes, bir, in that hole." f
" How on earth do you get at it ? '
"Master HusUisson climbs up there,
sir, for his answers. I'll go up and
fetch down Miss Clara's letter in a min
it." There was a Fmall epistle of his own
ho wished t obtain as well, perhaps ; or
it was possible that his noble mind had
suggested some tcheruo to Bave dear
Ciara's missive from sacrilegious eyes.
But Mr. Kowley suspected this old serv
itor. "Stop where you are, Stokes!" he
roared forth ; "I'll havo no more of your
monkey tricks. Give me a back."
" Give you a wot, sir?"
"B;-ndyour back, you rascal, aud I'll
jump on it, and get tuo letter myself."
"jump on it?" repeated Stokes, with
a look of dismay at Mr. Rowley's portly
figure ; " it don't strike mo that I can
bear your weight, master."
"It will be only for a minute," said
Mr. Rowley, quite brutally; "and if I
break your back, it will serve you right
enough. I m not un elepnant, man,
und 1 will have no more of this non
sense." Mr. Stokes resisted no farther. He
made his back us if about to com
mence a game at leap-frog with a jus
tice of the peace ; and, with more aszility
than 1 had given Mr. Rowley credit for,
the guardian was aloft, and within an
inch or two of our letts r-box.
"Ob. lor! shall vou bo long, sir'f"
asked Mr. Stokes, groaning softly to
himself.
" Raise your shoulder, you rascal, a lit'
tie more," cried his employer.
Stokes did so, and from my hiding-
place I saw the hand of Mr. Rowley
strive, with some difficulty for it was a
fat, gouty hand, I have already said to
force itself into that casket, which had
contained so many of dear Claras epis
tles. Samuel Rowley wag an excitable
man ; for he swore a little in his efforts,
and turned very red, and moved his feet
restlessly upon poor Stokes's back.
" I have got it 1" he cried at last. "The
artful jade the cunning, plotting little
minx, to serve her own guardian in this
Oh 1"
" Wait a momeDt. Stokes don't thake,
Ob, lord, have mercy upon us ! Oh,
damn it! Oh, dear, what is to bo done?"
"I3 anything pat tickler the matter,
sir ? Not a hadder, I hope, or a nest of
sarpents, or anything r and old Stokes
hid his head a little more tucked in his
tuppeny we called it at school to con
ceal his laughing and sardonic counte
nance. "No, Stokes; it's something much
worse, I'm sorry to sayv'
" Wuas, sir ?" sttid Stokes, who left off
laughing immediately.
" Yes ; 1 I can't get my hand out !"
" Tho devil you can't, sir !" cried
Stokes, in dismay.
"It's twisted somehow, or swollen, or
the wood has gripped me. Wait a mo
ment, Stokos Oh, it' ull up with me!
I can't !"
"Take it quiet, sir. Keep cool, or
you'll never do it don't hagitate your
self; but for Gord's sake look sharp. I'm
a-cracking."
"Don't move, Stokes as you are a
man, don't move ! If you were to drop,
I cannot imagine what would become of
me. It will be ull right in a minute."
" Make it less, if you can," groaned
Stokes; "ull tho blood's got iuto my
head, ciful. Ob, lor, what is to be done ?
Are you out, sir ("
"No, I'm not; I'm fixed. Stokes. I'm
a dead man if you move ; I am indeed."
Stokes burst into tears, aud howled
with all his might; and Mr. Rowley
shouted a great deal, and swoio a great
deal too. Stokes would have run for it,
probably, ior he was succumbing fast
to the dead weight abovo him, had not
Mr. Rowley held him by the throat with
bis boots, and hxed him too. In anoth-
fcl moment I had sprung to my icet, and
wtk rushing to the rescue.
" 'tin realiy very sorry, Mr. Rowley ;
can I of any assistance?"
" Assistance, -u you young dev-!
Yes, you tan, mydear chil.i. Run for a
ladder, and sa w, r something, as quick
as lightning, to tho0use."
" Hi hi hollo !" hrieked Stokes, as
I prepared to obey 1., Kowley'a com
niuuds ; don't run ; col nere( Bni iet
me run, or bust up I uust! Oh, lor,
Muster Huskisson, dou't leave me any
longer do come and tuke turn. He's
not so heavy when you're ud to him
ho isn't indeed."
I saw tho necessity of adv.nuinT to
tho rescue at once, and so did &r. Row
ley. I was tall for my age auutolera
bly strong, and I hastened to tau the
plaoe of Mr. Stokes, which I did with
great caution on all sides. Beholc. me
at last bearing the guardian of Clarnou
my shoulders, and feeling terribly tiy
weight of my responsibility as he stood
with his face to the tree, still exercising
his ingenuity to get big hand out of the
trap.
"I hope I'm not too heavy for you,
Master Huskisson," he condescended to
say, politely, for the sight of me was
even pleasant to witness.
"Not at all," was mv cheerful answer.
" You'll make yourself as light as you
can to oblige me, perhaps '("
I had not quite done growing, and
man is fragile during that process. Mr.
Rowley was very heavy, and Stokes
wag wrong in his assertion wickedly
wrong.
" This is all your fault, mind you,
Huskisson. This might have been my
death," he said, reproachfully.
" Yes, Mr. Rowley, if I hadn't been
in the way," was my happy rejoinder.
"Ah! but" he looked round with
difficulty, nnd found Stokes still there,
making every human iffort to straight
en hi9 back before flying on his mission.
"Curso it, Stokes, run for your life!
don't stand there, you wretched lunatic,
another instant !"
Stokes ran away, nnd I was left as the
one support of Mr. Rowley. Stokes had
not been gone more than a minute and
a hall, whin I wished that he had re
mained and shand the weight with me.
I tried to keep firm, but the difficulty
was immense.
"By, you're giving! Don't shake
so. Ko-p yourself more against the tree,"
Mr. Rowley called down.
' All right. I'll do it for Clara's sake,
if it's possible ; but if I snap "
Then I remembered that he had called
me a whipper-snapper ; and so did he,
too, I thiuk, and was Borry.
" Oh, you'll keep up," ho said, offering
me evety encouragement in his power.
" You're a big boy for seventeen, and
I'm only nine stone tun not a great
weight. I've seen people in a circus do
this kind of thing for hours, you know."
It was a gross exaggeration, and I
folt it to be one. I was getting faint
also. I had undertaken too much ; and
his language at times was still violent,
as he endeavored to extricate his hand.
" If I should die, sir," I said, feebly,
" will you please give my love to Clara ?
Tell her I did all I could to benr up
and to bear you up. Oh, dear! Did you
say nine stone ten
"I did."
" I should havo thought you had been
ninety," I murmured.
"You're giving!" ho roared again,
with a vehemence that revived me.
" Keep up a little longer, my dear boy.
I can hear them coming in the distance."
Which was another f ilsehood ; but no
matter. Mr. Rowley was not a truthful
man. I set myself firmly against the
tree, according to his instructions, but it
was of no avail. My heels, in a few
more minutes, would slide gracefully
away from me, I was certain, and the
guardian of my Clam would be swing
ing about by one arm, like an early
Christian martyr. Eis blood would be
on my head, and bo would he, if ho came
down with his whole weight perhaps
armless on the top f ,1110.
" Keep up !" he cried, in a great fright
now. " You shall sea Clara when you
like, my boy. 1 wSl not say a word
against the match any more. You're a
fine, strapping, bravo fellow, that you
are a yourg Hercuhs !"
" Thank you, Mr. Itowley," I answer
ed ; and his words (IU sustain me a lit
tle, and helied me tc sustain him.
But 1 was sliding.slowly but surely,
from under his feet vhen assistance ar
rived men with ladlers and saws and
chisels ; and Clara, toi; wild with fright,
and with tears stmniing down her
cheeks.
" Oh, my poor gardy'." the cried. " Oh,
you wicked Alphonse! it's all your
dreadful fault."
This was the last fea'her on the cam
el's back. I fell forward, and a grand
rush of the servants at Mr. Rowley's
legs only saved the gutrdiau from sum
mary dislocation on the spot. He was
got down with difficulty ; and once down
he was not grateful.
"A pretty fool you haw? made of me!"
he said to Clara us he waked away rub
bing his wrist; "and a pretty pair of
fools you and that boy aie, too !"
Still, after all, he was sot so bad as I
had expected to find him. He was a
man who kept his word, and for that I
have always respected old Rowley. Cla
ra and I saw each other iu a more ra
tional manner. I went to the Hall once
or twice ; the was at my house on my
eighteenth birthday, at littlo party
which my mamma absurdly called "ju
venile " in the invitations; and there
Jack Edwards was too attentive to Cla
ra, and raised a jealous demon in my
breast.
I went to London shortly afterward.
Clara and I wero to be engaged when I
" passed," and if we were of tho same
mind, her guardian Buid. But we were
not. While I was walking the hospitals
a fellow in the tallow trade walked off
with Clara, and I do not think she re
sisted in the least.
It was an excellent match, though he
was forty-seven, aud very stoat. 1 went
down to the wedding, and returned
thanks at the breakfast for tbo brides
maids, one of whom has promiied to be
mine when I set up in business for myself.
Iudl.fRuhber.
Considering the many uses to which
India-rubber is now applied, one of the
most important being its recognized
superiority over gutta-percha for deep
sea telegraphs, and reuie'nbering the
fears entertained some time back of the
probability of a decrease in the supply,
owing to the exhaustion of the forests
consequent upon the immense demand,
it is gratifying to learn that the quantity
of rubber exported from Para during
the past year exceeded that of the pre
vious year by 22,731 arrobas (an arroba
is equal to about twenty-five and one
half pounds), and by211,2jO in mar
ket value. It is true that the more ac
cessiblo rubber districts are becoming
exhausted, and give a smaller yield than
in former years, but the rubber-bearing
country is so extensive, and its rivers go
incompletely explored, that the newly
discovered sources will, no doubt, more
than make up any deficiency arising
from tho exhaustion of the old. - It is
difficult, however, to obtain accurate or
tellable information from those engaged
in the collecting of the rubber. The
continued demand for rubber, which is
collected with comparatively little labor,
and requires but little skill and experi
ence, absorbs all the attention of the na
tives over other products, and the con
stant rise in its value so stimulates its
production that it is more than probable
there will be for some years to come an
annual increase in the quantity im
ported of at least ten per cent. Naturt.
An Ohio widow was requested by the
llouv itiitufii.lla ariutnn.mttA rulH.t.ivAH rt
give a false name when she went out
L- 1. ... a: r. :
wasuing, go as uoi to uisgraoe tuo mini
ly. Such thoughtfulness is touching.
TIip Chinese 'cw Year.
Tho Chinese New Year is always an
occasion of unbounded festivity nnd hi
larity, as if tho whole population threw
off the old year with a shout, and cloth
ed themselves in the new with their
chango of garments. Preparations go
on for five days before, but evidences of
the approach of thiscbiet fe.-tival appear
some weeks previous. Tho principal
streets are lined with tables, upon which
articles of dress, furniture and fancy toys
are disposed for sale. You see monster
frogs in colored paper, horses, birds, croc
odiles, some of them showing contider
able artistic design. The expense incur
red is considerable, and often curious
relics aro brought forth to turn into
money. Superiors give presents to their
servants and dependants, und shop-keepers
send an acknowledgment of favors to
their customers. We received sugar
candy and sweetmeats. One of the most
common gifts of the lower order is a pair
of slippers.
Among the stands for presents, ore
other tables at which persons are seated,
provided with pencils and gilt red paper
of various sizes, on which they write ap
propriate sentences lor tho season, to ba
posted on doorposts and lintels of dwell
ings and shops, or sutpeudtd from the
halls; to which I shall presently refer.
Small strips of red and gilt paper,
somo beai ing tho word J'uh (happine.-s) ;
large and small red cundlts gaily paint
ed, and other things used in their wor
ship, ure likewise sold in stalls and
shops. As if to wash away all the un-cleunline.-s
of the past year, water is ap
plied profusely to every thing in tho
house.
But a still more praiseworthy custom
is that of settling accounts and paying
debts. The shopkeepers wait upon their
customers, creditors and debtois, to set
tle matters.. No debt is allowed to over
pass tho next now year without settle
ment or arrangement of some sort, if it
can be avoided. Many wind up by
bankruptcy, and the general consequence
of this greet pay-day is scarcity of
money, resort to the ptwnbrokers, and
low price of all kinds of goods nnd arti
cles.
As the old year departs, all the ac
count books iu Chinese shops are burn
ed. Devout port-ous, of whom there are
but few, also settle with their gods, and
during a lew days before the new year
the temples are usually thronged by de
votees, both male and female, rich and
poor. Some fast and engage prie.-ts to
pray for them, that their sins may be
pardoned, while thoy prostrate them
selves before the images, amidst the din
of gongs, drums, and bells, and thus clear
olf the old score. Crackers are iired
oif to drive away evil spirits, and the
worship ot their ancestors, as usual,
takes the precedence
On New 1 ear s luvo the streets are full
of people, all hurrjing to and fro to
conclude any business still left undone.
borne are busy pasting the nvo papers
upon their lintels, signifying their de
sire that the five great blessings which
constitute human happiness may be
theirs namely, long lite, riche3, health,
love of virtue, aud natural death.
Above these are pasted sentences like
these: "May the five blessings descend
upon this door." Or, "May rich custom
ers ever enter this door." Or, " May
Heaven confer happimss." The door
posts of othtrs are adorned with plain,
or gilt and red paper.
In the halls are suspended scrolls,
more or less costly, containing antithet
ical sentences carefully chosen. A lit
erary man, for instance, would have
distiches like the following:
" May I bo so learned as to secreto in
my mind three myriads of volumes."
" May 1 know the uif urs of the world
for six thousand years."
Other prolessions and tastes would
exhibit sentences of a different charac
ter. Boat people ore peculiarly liberal of
their paper prayers, pasting them on
every board and oar in their boats, and
suspending them from the stern in
scores, making the vessel flutter with
gayety. The farmers paste them on
their barns, trees, basnets, and imple
ments, as if nothing should remain with
out a blessing. The house is neat and
clean to the higheat degree, and puri-
ncd more than seven times by religious
ceremonies qr lustrations, tiring oil'
crackers tho last of which being meant,
as already named, for the expulsion ot
evil spirits.
the stillness ot the streets and closed
shops on New Year's morning is strik
ing, ihe red papers on the doors have
been removed. You now read sentences
like these :
" Yesterday, in the third watch, the
old year passed ; to-day, with music and
drums, the new year begins." Or, "Look
where you will you witness festival ar
ray ; tverywhere thero is bowing and
salutation." Or, " Heaven grows in
years, niaa grows in age." Or, " Spiing
tills the wVole woild, and fortune the
house."
These gay papers are interspersed with
blue ones, announcing that during the
past year death has come among the in
mates of the house a silent admonition
to the passers-by. In some places white,
yellow aud carnation-colored papers are
employed with the blue, to desiguate the
degree of deceased kindred. Etiquette
requires the mouruti to remain within
doors.
In a few hours the streets begin to be
tilled with well-dressed persons, hasten
ing in sedans or on foot, or here and
there in carriages, to make their calls.
Those who cannot afford to buv a new
suit, hire one for the occasion ; go that a
Uhinese master hardly knows his own
servants iu their finery. Much of the
visiting, however, is done by card, on
wnicn is stamped an emoiematio device
representing the three happy wishes
for children, for rank, and for a long
life.
Towards evening the crowds are so
dense that it is with difficulty you can
make your way through them; as then
the extraordinary Chinese show, called
the Jeneeh, is carried about on mt n's
shoulders. It consists ot a wooden plat
form, oblong or square, like a huge tray,
on which a scene is erected, fairv-like
I and fragile in appearance, with living
children perched in the most startling
and seemingly impossible positions
imnginablo.
(ciilleness.
It is rare to find a person uniformly
gentle, to whom the world does not ns
cribo all other good qualities. Gentlo
ness is, in itself, such a recommendation,
that it is a marvel the virtue is not cul
tivated from self-interest if a sense of
duty, and tho promptings of religion.be
not sufficient to make the practice of it
obseived. The influence of a person
habitually gentle is felt by all around,
like the sun s rays which clear the at
mosphere by dissipating noxious vapors,
and impart life and genial warmth to
objects that have languished and become
shriveled up under the influence of
clouds and chilling winds. The whole
face of naturo seems transformed when
the sun bursts forth and gloom departs.
Thus, a geutlo disposition, appearing
among morose and gloomy natures, re
flects something of its own serenity and
brightness ; others seem to partake of
that inward tranquility which it pro
motes, and, tor the time, to shake on the
muntlo of surliness, opposition, or harsh
ness, in which too many allow them
selves to be wrapped.
A person of untaihnc; gentleness of
manners, benignity, and cheerfulness,
will disarm the ill-disposed, and melt, in
niauy cases, f iose stubborn natures upon
which harshness has only the effect of
confirming in opposition. Gentleness
persuades when loiciblo arguments tail;
hearts are won by the soft word and
pleasing manner, where severity and
jarring tones would create only enemies.
the reverses 01 the gentle are sure to be
regretted; his prosperity is viewed
without envy, und his tailings are easily
foreiven.
Habitual gentleness is a safeguard
against outward annoyances. A mind
that is calm and serene beholds every
thing in the most favorable light, and,
like a smooth stream, reflects every ob
ject ia its just proportion aud fairest
colors. A spirit always in agitation,
communicates something of its turbu
lence to those with whom it comes in
contact, and is a disturbing element in
whatever society it may be thrown.
A nature alwnys ready to pick Haws
sees everything in a distorted form, find
ing nothing pleasant or agreeable, and
considering it a personal insult that
others, more amiably disposed, should be
happy and contented under the same
circumstances that render itself so mis
erable. Misinterpreting too often,
alas ! misrepresenting every act and
word of companions and acquaintances,
repeating remarks, trivial in themselves,
but receiving importance from significant
shrugs and dubious tones, and tho sub
stitution of more forcible words, thus
sowing tho Seeds of discoid, even sever
ing long united friends, is but one of
the many miseries an ill-natured person,
perhaps almost insensibly to himself,
tails iuto. He feels illy-disposed toward
the whole world, and proportionately
dissatisfied with himself, a state of mind
exhibited in every line of the counte
nance ; grum looks, impatient motions,
and snubbing words, arefreely bestowed,
causing the recipients to shrink und re
treat as iroui a porcupine, whote pene
trating quills are thrown in all direc
tions. But, even upon such a nature, a
person of well-known, uniform gentle
ness will exert a beneficial influence, aud
though inwardly distressed at the black
looks and snubs direct, will, by quiet
and gentlu tones, soothe the rufiljd
spirit, aud cull up a blush of shame to
the cheek that is wont to color only in
anger. Since gentleness is so uuiversally
loved, so much admired, why is it not
more generally cultivated ? Since so
much is to bo gained by its practice,
why do we not find more of it in a
world ever ready to iissumo even the
most austere virtues to obtain selftVh
ends ? Leisure llonra.
How ti Setlle the Attorneys.
Din. trio is a small town iu tho south
west of Ireland, on tho peninsula which
forms 0110 side i f the Dingle Bay. Lady
Un itterton.iu her I ravels in tbeboutn ot
Ireland, kives us the following amusing
specimen of the primitive manners of
the people.
" Law, sir!" repeated the man of Din
gle, with a look ot astonishment ami
affright " Law, sir ! we never mind the
law iu our court. We ludge by the
hone.-ty of tho case that comes before
us : and let me tell you, sir, that it every
court were so conducted there would be
but few attorneys, and the country
would be quiet and happy.
" But what would you do if any per
son brought an attorney these twenty-
two long miles aud hilly road (from
Tralee), and introduced him into your
court, aud that he started some points
of law, which required professional skill
to reply to r
" I II tell you what I did myself, was
the reply to this apparently perplexing
question. " When I was deputy sov
ereign two tools in this town employed
each of them an attorney, whom they
brought at a great expense trotu Tralee,
When the attorneys went into court, and
settled themselves with their bags and
papers, all done up with red bits of tape,
and one ot them was getting up to
speak, Crier,' said I, command silence.'
' bilence in the court 1 said he. So 1
stood up, and looking first at one attor
ney, and then at the other, I said with
a solemn voice, ' I adjourn this oourt for
one month.' ' God gave tbo Queen I' said
the crier : and then I left them all. And
I assure you," he added, " that from that
day to this no attorney ever appeared iu
our court; and, please God, we nevir
will mind law in it, but go on judging
by the honor and honesty of the casus
that come before us.
A good story is told of a man who
having, after a long struggle, worked
himself into good society by means of
the aristocratic alliance of his daughter,
gave a grand dinner party to his newly-
acquired circle. He didn't invite his
own brother, for the reason that " society
ii getting go mixed one must draw aline
somewhere.
I'iCELLAXEOUS ITE.1IS.
M-iB?achusetts is making large quan
tities of cartiidgo paper for Franco.
Four more men have been lynched in
Kansas for horse stealing.
Iu Lawrence, Kansas, buffalo meat ie
as plenty and cheap as beef.
Tho German ormy is officered almost
exclusively by the aristocracy.
Connecticut papers say that in some
parts of the State cider is more plentiful
than w nter.
A couple of farmers in Hardin county,
Towa, went to law five years ago over
$45. The suit has just ended, and both
farmers had to sell their farms to puy
the costs.
The American Tract Society has issued
4 -12,000,000 tracts in 141 languages and
dialects during tho last forty-five years.
Tho latest thing in funeral processions
in the West in a wagon to precede the
hearse, bearing a bell, which is tolled
cn route to tho grave.
Gloves are now mado in England with
a pocket on the inside of the palm, to
suit the habit indulged in by the fair
box of carrying money in that position.
Tho latest thing out is fho proposal
to eclcbrato " leather weddincs." To the
tin and wooden weddings it is proposed
to add the leather-wedding celebration,
fifteen years after marriage, every pre
sent to hare leather in its composition.
On consideration, it will bo perceived
hat the range ot choice will be quito
large, though at first it may soon other
wise, liooks, ot all kinds, in leather
bindings, would come within the class
of goods we presume.
Just as a traveller was writing his
ntinie on tho register of a Leavenworth
hotel a bed-bug appeared and took its
way across the page. The man paused,
und remarked : " I've been bled by St.
Joe fleas, bitten by Kansas City spiders,
and interviewed by 1'ort buott gray
backs ; but I'll be shot if I was ever in
a pluco before where tho bed hues looked
over the hotel register to find out where
your room wa3 1"
The State House at Lincoln, the capi
tal of Nebraska, is built of magnesia
limestone, and will cost when completed,
$200,000, The main building is now
completed, and occupied by all the State
officers. The Insane Asylum is just com
pleted, and will cost the btate 100,000.
The Penitentiary is now building, and
will cost 8200.000. It is located threo
miles south of the city. The State Uni
versity will be ready for occupancy in a
few weeks. It is a modern building, is
very haudsomo, and will cost $150,000.
A correspondent of the JVeto Mexican,
of Santa Fe, New Mexieo, writing from
Chihuahua, Mexico, says the people of
that Stuto are excited over . a new dis
covery of placer gold about seventy
five miles from the city of Chihuahua.
Dju Pedro Gonzales, the discoverer, with
three other men, washed out twenty
three ounces of gold in nine hours. Tho
particles found are round and plump,
from tho bize of a grain of wheat to that
ot a hu.lenut. One nugget weighed an
ounce. The place is situated in a deep
arroya two thousand or three thousand
yaras long, and is supplied with water
from Fpriugs in all parts of the airoya.
The dirt yields from $1 to ?3 to the
pan.
We learn from tho Washington lie-
pnbliain that the . meteorological record
collected by the War Department in
order to learn the couiso aud move
ments of Btoruis, is likely to come to an
early end. Tho appropriation for tele
graphing was only $K,000, aud the col
lecting aud distributing ot several hun
dred messages daily has already con
sumed the amount. The Western Union
Telegraph Company will continue to do
the work, however, until Congress gets
time to act in the premises. As the mes
sages must be given precedence of all
other business at certain hours, the com
pany will probably require several hun
dred thousand dollars per annum to give
tho proper amount ot telegraphic facili
ties to maintain the rccot d and make it
a success. It is believed that Congress
will decline tj niako au appropriation
adequate, to the maintenance of the en
terprise. The Now York Bulletin says : The
business of knitting by machinery is
uow being prosecuted on a very large
scale by one or two bouses in this city.
The factories aro located on the line of
the New Haven Railroad, and are very
large ; one in particular employing 400
men, women and children, and repre
senting a united capital of about $200,
000. This new branch of the manu
facturing business will be of very great
benefit in reducing the cost of first-elats
underclothing, as this one cjneern can
turn out more work than can be done by
7,000 hand knitters. All kinds of useful
and ornamental work can be done by
the improved machinery, which cannot
be distinguished from the finest kind of
hand work. This is a new enterprise,
and one which must eventually pay very
handsomely on the money invested, be
sides opening a new branch of industry
ana truue.
Away up in Maine, where it wag to
be supposed the follies and crimes of
fashion had not yet boen introduced, it
is charged that women even in the small
est towns and villages have adopted the
practice of arsenic eating. This is a
European custom which bag obtained a
pretty btrong hold iu some of our large
cities, but which we bad presumed wag
interdicted in the rural district where
the cosmetics of nature, fresh air and
exercise, abound on-every band. Its
object, as most of our readers must
know, is to give whiteness and clearness
to the complexion, and for imparting, in
the language of the advertiser, " a beauti
ful and everlasting rose-tint to thethetkg
of the fair." The only arguments against
its general use are, that in a bhort time
it gives a deadly pallor to the counten-
ulllia rir ito ri ntiiiko an1 nn 1
brilliancy to the eyes, that it is impos
sible to give up the practice when once
commenced, and that it will eat up the
vital powers quicker than alcohol or
opium.