(I 7V i L S J V V- .'I J iT' r ,-i .4 ,t- 7'tl HENRY A.-PARSONS, Jr., Editor akd PuBLisnER. ELK COVNTYrJ.U "RErVBLlCANPAItTY. O 'Cf(4il.' V I Two Doixass HR AKHnM."..""" RIDGWAY, PA.,S THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1871. '.v: ' ,,":;v.:; ;",ri,7I",J .cPW. VOL. I. - I' ' ' '' 11 ' ' ' l l 1 ' Tin , .' i ! L..' , , 1 ii. '. ... u.'.i b.I ' 'n. ..i THE BOTKNT HANDS THAT AM KB GOOD BREAD. BT jonw cm. AtrcnKso. ' ' . v i T own the chnrnn of rounrtwl rm. Of eye. that love's soft lneti e aliecL " -; Of raven hair, and t eae. fnlr, Of cheek tliat coy with wlife and tei -Of poiitliiR Una wliore Cnplrt din. ' The rrow. thtt to heana lire r-ped ; Yet, nfme of thene my funcy please Like the bonny hands that make good bread. " Nome hand, have art tn move the heart, " By wakliiK muaic'a aireet appeal : Home borrow il es from p rfeot aklea, Atid, through the c.nvans, make u. leel ; Home make the lre fiilrform. rariaa To win the heart and turn the head : For me, more rare beyond compare Are the bonny hand that make good breid. Gay ma den, vain the mailing train, . Thoae Jewell4Ml bauds ao idly crossed, That till r mind can pleasure And In every honr iamubly loatl Your Jewel ehiue, t our hmk. are fine, But I'll not aek, whene'er I wed, ' Ft,r Jewelled banda, 4ir gold and lands, But for bonny nanus that make good bread. MABEL'S STORY. We lived far away in the country in a rustic district. My father was postmas ter of the place and kept a few groceries for sale. But he had enough to do to maintain his family scantily and clothe them decently. I was sixteen, and a housekeeper; my mother was dead, and I was the eldest of us four children. The rest being younger, I strove to do iny best for them. My one great trouble then was my clothes. Other young girls of our sta tion that I associated with dressed better than I could, and it grieved me. Vanity begins earlier than that in the female heart. I had made up and remade every article of my mothor's wardrobe for the children or tor me, had worked up every shred . to the best advantage ; aud now that was all gone, and I did need a new dress for the coming winter. I made my shoes last as long again as other girls did, for I knew my lather needed every sixpence he could tarn, and I dreaded wanting anything. Not that he ever was cross, bu he often sighed, and looked so pained and sorrowful when I asked for money, that I tried to do with at little as possible. But here it was the last of October ; my summer dresses, poor enough at all times, looked very thin and paltry now. One Saturday afternoon I shall never forget. It is what I am going to tell of. My work all done, the children at play in the orchard, I combed out my long, brown hair, put on my best cotton frock, selected a plain linen collar of my own making, and pinned it round my neck with an old breastpin, the only bit of jewelry I had ever owned. With me I think it was an instinct to dress well. Not fine ; only neat. Then, taking out my last winter's best frock, I sat down by the window to see what I oould do at renovating it. It was a light blue me rinovery light indeed now and t knew it was too short for me, as I was still growing, and was very shabby. But by turning and putting in a wide band of ribbon which I had, I thought it might be made to answer ; so I set to work with a will. The work was vexing. I was trying to do what scarcely could be done, and as I sat sewing and oontriving, I felt fit to cry over our poverty. J ust then the dog on the shop-sill set np a loud bark ing, and I looked to see what it was at. A man was coming in at the gate with a pack on his back ; a travelling pedler, I knew. He smiled and came in, al though I said I did not want anything, and the children, seeing him, came run ning in too. " I cannot afford to buy, indeed I can not," I kept saying. But the man only kept on smiling, and opening his pack on the parlor tioor. And it was too great a treat to me to see the things, to make great opposition. The first that came out wag just the very thing I had most longed for a beautiful fine French merino, of a dark crimson color. I had onoe seen a dress of this kind, but none had ever been of fered for sale in our little place that could equal this in shade or texture. The pedler looked at me with his keen black eyes as I knelt down to feel the prize I had no hope of winning. " The lady will buy," he said ; but I shook my head, and crossing my hands behind me, stood up resolutely, trying hard not to long for the much-di-sired piece of goods " Not buy !" he exclaimed, in a broken language of some sort, I could not tell whether French or German; and he looked so astonished, even pitiful, that I felt sorry at once, and confessed that I had no money, and could not purchase. " But the beautiful young ladv have some old silver old jewelry old silk dresses just good as money said he. I laughed at the idea, but be only opened another package to display to the boys some dumb watches with very gay chains, and handing them each one, he took out a small doll, for my lit tle tUter, and told them to run away now, till sister bought her dress." I motioned to the boys to stay near the door-step, and then taking up the much coveted dress-piece, I again examined it. Satan was tempting me, or some vexa tious spirit that does duty for him, and never had I been so sorely bi-set. How could I let it go, yet how pay for it 't The black eyes never left my face, but the fallow was respectful, only bowing lower as he said, "You think it good i" "Oh, yes," I replied, "too good for me." - " Not so," he said. " It suits you much, and you shall have cheap." " 1 tell you 1 have no money." "No matter, I trust, You give me something to keep for you, and 1 come again," he said. I " But I have nothing," I insisted. Btill he only seemed more eager said something of hard times, of having to stay at the tavern, and expenses over Bunday, of being so " very tire "and I with the merino in my hand all the while. ' - " Suddenly . he stepped close to me, pointing to the poor brooch I wore. I could r give him that, he aaid t that is, lend it to him in trust until he came gain. Did I think much of it. he aked. I laughed as I undid it I did not think much' of it, but it was ail the jew elry Ijpossessed in the world. I showed him my name on the back, Mabel." But it was worn nearly illegible now. "Nearly quite," said he, turning it about in bis hands, " It very poor, f And this was true; the poor thin gold, if it was gold, was all dinted and mashed flat, the original pin gone, and a needle tied in by the eye with a thread served to fasten it. One large stone was set in the centre a large as a pea, surrounded by nine smaller ones, but one of these wag lost out long ago, aud I had often -tried to fin J a piece of white glass to fit the cavity, but had failed. The stones were all glass, as I believed. Some of the girls in the village would ask me why I wore the old-tasiiioned thing; and then I would show them the dim " Mabel " on the back, and tell them I had been named after thS J)nm there. Some one had given my mother the pin for me when I was born ; and she,tnoth er, said 1 Bhould bear the game name. The pedler kept it in his hand, and I no ticed that his fingers trembled. " I'll bring it you back in three months time," said he ; 'twon't be o no good to me, but I'll take it on trust. Or, if you can pay sooner, I shall be about the neighborhood all next week, and shall sleep each night at the inn." Be you very sure I did not hesitate long ; the temptation was too great ; so, thrusting the old pin carelessly into his breast pocket, he tied 'up his bundles, aud with low bows left the house. I could scarcely believe in my good luck. I spread out my new frock on the bed, and held it before me to try the effect. And then I began to repent. My father, I knew, would not give me one cross look ; but still I did hate to tell him of the twelve shillings I owed the peddler. I would be so saving for the next three months, that he would lose nothing by my bargain, for I'd scrape it together myself. When I picked op the linen band to put it round my neck, I did not know how to fasten it at first without that f tiniliar old pin ; then I recollected how often the gins had told me that a bow of ribbon would look so much prettien So looking up a small piece of black velvet, I formed a bow, and felt more than satisfied. My father did not get home to tea or to supper. I put the children to bed after their slices of bread and treacle aud a good washing. At ten o'clock a note came, saying some business had detained my father; that I had better cloBe the house and re tire. This was nothing very unusual, as his business matters often kept him late. I was quite a staid little woman in management, aud did as I was bid. My father would come in with his latch-key. On Sunday morning at breakfast the children showed him their watches and doll. 1 said nothing about the dress, for it struck me he was look ing anxious. "Where your breast-pin, Mabel r he asked, es the children ran out before the door after breakfast. The breast-pin 1 1 was frightened at once. He bad never asked after it or noticed it before. He must have heard of what I'd done and was angry. " Father, I have not got it 1" I ex claimed at once, ready to cry. "Not got it I What do you mean, child ? You surely wore it yesterday !" "Yes, Sir," I replied, "and it's all safe. I was just going to tell you about it when you lrightentd me." " Well, I don't wish to frighten you, my dear ; I had no thought of such a thing. Calm yourself, Mabel, while I tell you of a letter I received yesterday, and then you can get the pin at your leisure.. You can get it I" " I can get it, father. Or, rather you can. But I hope you will not blame me. What have you heard about it '(" "Well, my dear, listen. We have never attached any value to that old pin, only that a good, kind woman gave it to your mother to keep for you, and so we did keep it because of that. She was a stranger to us, poor lady, and was in distress, and your mother was kind to her. But she left the place soon after you were born, and we never heard more of her. Yesterday, however, I got a letter from a long distance, asking about that very piu, aud describing it, even to the name on the back. It is very valu able, Mabel." . My heart was beating ten strokes where it should have beat but one. " The pin we have set no store by is of great value, MabeL The centre dia mond alone is worth what to us poor people would be a fortune. And it is all yours, my dear; you can convert the diamonds into money and be at ease for life." What with the overpowering surprise and what with fear of my father's anger, I fainted. When I came to myself on the sofa in the parlor, the children were there, and it wag too late to go to church. I felt bewildertd, and trembled yet, but listened attentively to my father as he read the iinportaut letter from London. Then I sprang up wildly. . " Oh, father, father, go down to the Black Horse 1" I exolaiimd. " The ped dler is there, and has my pin." My father's first thought was that the good fortune had turned my brain. I explained all to him. He was very kind, never scolding me; but, as to find ing the pin aud the peddler, he knew more of the world thau his foolish child, aud was not bo hopeful. However, he thought it best to go, and for me to go with him. So in a few moments we were walking down to the Black Horse. The landlord wag sitting alone in his front porch, smoking quiet ly. He looked surprised when we walked up the front steps, but very politely invited us into the parlor, ex plaining that his women folks had gone to church. . - " Is there peddler staying with you, Mr. Ford '(" began my father. "A peddler r-no," exclaimed .the landlord, as if the question vexed him. " I have not seen a peddler for three weeks, and the one that was her then did not pay bis bill." . Z: i . I must have' turned very pale at this, and felt faint again. Mr, Ford wanted me to take a oordiaL My fatner turned it off, saying I was tired. Then he said that I bad made a little bargain with a peddler the day before, and that we wished to settle with him. " Got cheated, I warrant," said the bluff old landlord " but no euoh man came to this house yesterday, I do recollect now that Joe, my ostler, said he saw a fellow with a big black box or bundle come np the bank from the creek just after the stage passed: but I didn't pay any attention to him. , 1 , My father gave up all hope at onoe ; but I could not believe my fortune was gone. He tried to comfort me, saying I was just as well off as before, and had a new dress into tha bargain. How I hated the thought of my beautiful merino 1 Well, it is of no use to prolong my story, or tell yon of all the efforts made to catch the adroit thief. He was no peddler, but a clerk in that very law office from which the letter was sent tell ing us of the diamonds. He managed to delay the letter to my father for a post or two ; hastened away himself, and obtained my pin. We never found him ; we never heard of him. He must have got off some where over the sea with his prize. My poor, toiling father, always gentle, did not reproaoh me ; but ever to this day the regret lies heavily on my mind ; for what might I not have done for him and the dear children with all that money ? And the lady who had given me the piu did not know until she was dying the value it was of ; and that caused the stir. All me I it was one of those chances in life that perhaps we all miss on occa sion ; " the tide in the affairs of men that taken at the flood leads on to for tune." And about my crimson dress? For a long while, shabby though I was, I could not look at it or let it be made up. But time smoothes troubles. ' ' And I must say that it made a charming gown ; and one who was an artist saw me in it and made me his wife. ' So per haps it all happened for the best. But I'm sure I hope that wicked ped dler who made believe to speak like a foreigner the better to take me in came to be hanged. The Argosy. A Man Blows Himself up with a Erg of Gunpowder. The town of Norwalk was aroused Thursday morning at 6 o'clock by a loud explosion on the premises of Mr. William J. Mills, on James Btreet, near the Silver Mine road, and occupied by Horatio T. Cook. On proceeding thither a most horrible eight presented itself. The house was literally rent in twain, its east end blown out, the roof lifted, win dows gone, ceiling demolished, and all on fire. But the most sickening sight was the blackened and disfigured corpse of poor Cook, which lay thrown back, buried in the burning debris. Mrs. Cook was also found seriously injured aud in ' a most pitiable condition. Crazed by the concussion, she was fran tically throwing' herself about in her night clothes screaming for aid. The first effort was to extinguish the flames, which was soon done, when Mrs. Cook was removed to the house of a neighbor. She furnishes the following account of the circumstances preceding the affair : Mr. Cook belongs to a family predispos ed to insanity, and Horatio, when a lad, was kicked in the head by a horse, from which he has no doubt specially suffered. He was in the insane asylum at Hart ford two years gome five or six years ago. During the last few weeks he has been ill from intermittent fever and conges tion of the brain. In consequence of this illness he had occupied the largest of two adjoining bed-rooms, and Mrs. Cook the smaller one. Just before day light he, having a chill, called his wife up and desired ber to lay down beside him. This she did, and, falling asleep, he quietly arose and went into her Tooin, where, at tbe toot ot tbe bed, tbere bad been stored a keg about half full of blasting powder, which he used in his business as a rock-blaster. It would seem from the position of the remains that he moved tbe keg trom the bed, laid himself over it, and touched it off. Previous to exploding the powder he had carefully gathered up all Mrs. Cook's clothing in the upper part of the house and thrown it down into the cellar, with a view of preservation, thug show ing entire deliberation in planning his own destruction. To the fact that the house was very slightly built, the win dows up, and the bedroom doors open, may be attributed tbe almost marvellous escape of Mrs. Cook the only other oo cupaut of the house at the time. The remains are shockingly blackened and burned, but not so badly mutilated as would be supposed ; but nothing bo hor rible aud sickening to behold has ever transpired in tnis community since toe shocking drawbridge accident at South JN or walk; in May, 183J. Uartfom lour- ant, September 23. The Patas;oiilttH8 and Their Infants. Their superstition makes them regard as divinities all phenomenal children, principally such as are born with a larger number of fingers or toeg than is natural to them. According to their be lief it is a presage of great happiness to their family. As to those that are alto gether deformed such cases are very rare or whose oonstitutioutdoes not ap pear to fit them for the kind of life they would have to lead, they make away with them, eitbor by breaking their limbs or smothering them; they then carry them to a distance and abandon them, without burial, to the wild dogs and birds of prey. If the innocent little creature is considered worthy to live, it becomes fro'm that instant the object of the whole love of its parents, who, if ne cessary, will submit themselves to the greatest privations to satisfy its least wants or exactions. They place their new-born on a small ladder, which serves it instead of a cradle.' The upper por tion of it little body rest on the crou pieces or rounds ranged close together, and covered with sheep-skin, while the lower part is encased in a sort of hollow formed by the other cross-pieces below the upright. ' The child is held in this position by oft cords wound above the skin which serve it instead of linen. Three Year of klavery among the Patago- man. THE GRAlU TRADE. . 1 - - ' ' Old and Kew Methods of Measnrlnjt-Tlie Number of Laborers Keqiilred The In novation of Machinery. - 1 j FromlMlT. T. Svtnint PoA ' Bv the nresent svstem of handling "iu the bulk," instead of the former "bag and half-bushel" process, one hundred bushels are weighed at a time, the scale-hopper being situated directly underneath the receiving hopper, both of which are fitted with suitable dis charge valves, the former having a rate of about a hundred bushels per minute, and the latter twice that amount. The rule for measurins is an allowance per bushel of sixty pounds for wheat, fifty six each for corn and rye, thirty-two for oats, forty-eight for barley and sixty for peas. ' To check the weieh-naster in his tal lies a representative of the boat or vessel discharging is always present, and as a further check an infallible register is automatically acted upon by the scale beam. This potent little device resem bles the clock shaped metallic barometer used by meteorological observers. . Formerly the custom wag to measure by the half-bushel. To accomplish this a large force of laborers was employed in shovelling the grain to the hatchways, in passing tbe empty measures to tbe " striker," and again from him to the baggers and sewers, while another force was busily employed shouldering the plethorio bags and hoisting the game upon tbe dock or vessel s deck. The " striker " was so named, not from his pugilistio tendencies, but from the nature of his duty, which consisted of Btriking or levelling off each balf-bushel measure, that the quantity should be exact. Previous to 1859 this post wag filled by a negro, but the strike at that time by the Irish laborers against tbe eleva tor system deprived Othello of his occu pation. The size, shape and make of the striker's rule or scraper wag prescribed by law, as wae a'so the manner of his using it, one-tnird down ana two-tnirds up being the rule. Previous to 1849 under an act of May 14, 1840 the weighing of grain here was a matter of State appointment and supervision. A measurer-general, with his twenty deputies, was equal to the trade requirements. This law re quired an annual report of the number of bushels measured by the several dep uties, whence received, the amount, as well as the destination of shipment, monthly aud yearly average prices, and other particulars. In compliance with this old law, all grain was sold by measure and not by weight, for which the balance scale was used a' long time and until the introduc tion of the beam scale, such as is now used to weigh cotton. To ascertain the quantity of wheat, allowing sixty pounds to the bushel, it was then customary to tally off lots of fity bushels, taking from them each a half-bushel, and weighing the same by pounds and ounces. This weighed bushel was then deemed the average of the one hundred measured, and the quantity of the entire cargo be came a question of lengthy mathemati cal calculation. Under the bag and half-bushel system twelve hours constiuted the working day. Now steam and machinery work on until the task is finished. Six hund red bushels per hour for five hours, or 3,000 bushels, was considered a good half-day's work, though the average per day was below 5,400 bushels. Now the elevator disposes of 3,500 bushels per hour from the boat, screens, weighs, blows it at the same time, and deposits it in the warehouse. Comparing the old facilities of 6,000 bushels per ten hours with the 35,000 bushels capacity to handle at the present day, we easily deduce an increase of nearly 600 per cent, in favor of machinery. Of oats, 600 bushels per hour was the average, but 700 bushels have been weighed by the old system. From 1848 to 1861' the weighing fee was reduced to 50 cents, the striker re ceiving 12 cents per 100 bushels. The shovellers and other men were paid by tbe consignees according as demand and supply regulated it, 10 cents, 12 cents, or may be 15 cent per 100 bushels. Sometimes, though rarely, the measurer furnished one of the laborers. Formerly there were employed, in ad dition to the striker and shoveller, three to five trimmers, whose duty it wag to shovel or trim the cargo to the hatch way; an additional man was provided if the grain wag screened. This screen was a rude wire sieve, upon which each measureful was thrown, depending upon a gusty day to remove the chaff a work now performed by the blowing process in one sixth of the time. Subsequent to 1848 five-bushel tubs were used in lieu of the half-bushel measure when the screening was performed upon the deck of tbe receiving vessel ; but if screened aad bagged also, a much narrower sieve J wm iu vogue u lacuna i3 lua umug, aim was erected muoh after the manner of the sand-screens used by masons and builders, but standing at a less angle. Under the old law the purchaser was not allowed hi choice of the deputy measurers without the approval of the measurer-general. At present the per son buying has the sole right of choice, by commercial usage. The shortage or deficit in the cargo was formerly borne by the consignees of the grain, but now it is made good by the agents ot tbe line transporting it. The furnishing of bags waj generally by tbe vessels, when the grain was for English and northern European ports, and by the shipper. wben continental orders were nlled, though it often was subject to specific contract at the' time of purchase. Upon the adoption of our present Statd Constitution in 1846, the grain inspection law were abolished, and the duties before that date performed by the measurer-general and his deputies, be came open to private enterprise and pub lio competition. Many of these ex- officials organised themselves . into a board of measurers, with T. S. Timpson resident, who was succeeded by Andrew iuke, both formerly deputies under Mr. Paul Grout, the last measurer-general. A Scene in an Editor's Sanctum. , The Philadelphia Ditpritch condescends to perpetrate the following : " A week or two ago one of our report ers had occasion to refer to a certain woman, whom we will call Hannah Smith, as a denizen of the Tenth Ward. A day or two afterward a huge man en tered the office with his brow clothed with thunder. : In his hand he carried a tearful club, and at his side trotted a bulldog whom hunger evidently had made desperate. With that quick appre ciation of the situation which is credit able to the superior intelligence of edu cated men, the editor of this paper and the proprietors darted to the window, climbed outside, slid down the lightning rod, and went across the street to watch the bloody fray "through 'a spy-glass. With the fearlessness of conscious inno cence, we sat still, merely inserting our legs in two sections of stovepipe, to guard against misapprehension of facts on the part of the bulldog. .The man with the club approached. " Are you the editor?" he asked, spit ting on his hand and grasping his Club. We told him that the editor was 'out ; that he had gone to the North pole with Captain Hall, and that he would not re turn before 1870, in time for the centen nial celebration. , ' " Are you, the proprietor i asked the man. ' " . . We explained to him that we were not, that the proprietors were also out ; that they ' had gone to South America for the purpose of investigating 'the curative properties of cundurango, and they expected to remain there for sever al years. , ; - . r , . " Well, whoever you are," exclaimed the warrior, "my name is Smith !",. ' ' We told him we were glad ; because, if there was one thing better than the possession of the name of Smith, it was the privilege of knowing a man of that name.. "But, Smith," we said,. "Why this battle array V It is absurd for a man to put on the panoply of war, aud frisk into editors' sanctums fumbling a club and accompanied by a disheartening bulldog, simply because his name happens to be bmitb. He said he had called in to burst the head of the man who had insulted Mb Bister. " " It is impossible, Smith, that such a thing could have been done by any one in this office." " Is, but it was, though ; and her name was published, too. Miss Smith Miss Hanner Smith." . , " May we be permitted to inquire, Mr. Smith, what was the precise charac ter of the affront offered to Hannah V"' - " Well, you gee, said bmitu, , " the blackguard said she wag a denizen. And I want you to understand," ex claimed Smith, becoming excited, and brandishing his club in a wild manner over our head, while the bulldog ad vanced and commenced to sniff up and down our stovepipe ; ' I want you to understand that she is a decent young woman, with a good character, and none of your denizens and guch truck. The man who says she is a denizen is a blackguards and thief, and I'll smash him over the nose if I get a chance. They may say what they please about me, but the man who abuses my sister has got to suffer. And bmitu struck the table in a violent manner with his club, while the bulldog put big fore legs on the back of our chair. We pacified Smith with a dictionary. We pointed out to that raging warrior that the Websterian definition of the word " denizen" gives such a person an unoffending character, and deprives the term of everything like reproach. Smith said he was satisfied, and he shook hands and kicked the bulldog down stairs. The editor and proprietors, see ing that all was safe, immediately climbed tbe lightning rod, and soon ap peared at the window, where they were introduced to Smith, with the remark that they had returned from the North Pole . and tbe clime of the cundurango somewhat unexpectedly, in order to sur prise their relations. . And now we suppose Smith will be mad becanse we told this story about him, and he will be coming down to in terview us again in war's magnificent stern array with a fresh bulldog. But it will be in vain. We have rented an office in the top of the shot-tower, and have planted torpedoes and spring guns all the way up stairs. We warn this in cendiary Smith to beware. Exercise and Rest. Exercise can kill as well as cure. To be taken advantageously, it should be done with judgment. Sometimes a par ticular part of the body needs exercise, but the whole body is too weak to give it. In guch cases only the part needing it should have it. But there is one rule which is applicable to all never go against the instincts. Many persons have hurried themselves into the grave by endeavoring to keep up when they ought to be in bed ; and they do keep up, too, for so long a time that when they take to their beds their strength is so completely exhausted that the system has no power to rise, and they fall into a typhoid condition and all is lost. W'hen anything serious is the matter with domeetio animals they court quie tude and perfect rest. Sometimes we feel indisposed to exercise from sheer laziness ; in all loose conditions of the bowels, debility, an instinctive desire to sit down and stay there, is universal. In most of such cases quietude is cure. But there is one safe cure for all under all circumstances ; if every step yon take is with an effort, do not take another go to bed ; tf you feel the better for a walk, then walk, but stop short of great fatigue. Dr. W. W. llaU. . . A girl of seventeen located a farm in Kansas some three years ago. The land was perfectly wild, and she employed no male help, but her success has been guch that, on Tuesday of last week, she was offered for her farm ten times the amount she paid for it She refused the offer, and sayg that in five years more she will retire to the East and live on trie inter est of her property. . Black Mahommednns In Brazil, v (, ' An interesting contribution to modern travels is furnished by a little work by Abdurrahman Effendi, called a "Jour ney to Brazil," and written in Arabic m A few years ago, before the existence of the Suez Canal, the Turkish govern ment had occasion to despatch a man-of-war to Bassra, which thus had to make the long journey through the Med itterranean and the Atlantic around the oape, through the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. The vessel wag forced by stress of weather to run in for shelter at Rio Janeiro. There, to the intense sur prise of the author, a number of Mahom tnedans were found among the black population of the capital. Their Islam ism had indeed suffered greatly' by the length' of time and the distance from their co-religionists. Thus, they ' no longer fasted in the month Ramadhan, but in the month Shaban ; they knew nothing as to the times of prayer ; none of them knew Arabio ; their marriages and their funerals were consecrated by Catholic priests, by whom, also, their children were baptized. Strangely enough, these priests did not seem to care for anything further. Thus in their place of worship they had a Jew, from Tangierg to officiate for them, who wore a high turban, and therefore called him self an Imaum. This man also served as interpreter between his flock and Ab durrahman, to Whom he told without any ceremony that from what he had seen in his youth at Morocco, he felt ful ly competent to serve as Imaum. Nor was the astonishment all on the side of the new comers. Tbe black Ms hommedans were not a little surprised to see any faithful of a white complex ion. ' According to their experince, all the white people were Christians, while all the Mahommedans were black. ' With the permission of his authorities Shiek Abdurrahman now left his vessel, aud sojourned for some years at Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, and Pernambuco, in or der to instruct his co-religionists there in the elements of their common faith, and to educate some of them sufficiently th enable them to read the Koran in the original, and to Berve as teachers and Imaums to their black countrymen. He further made them give up pork and wine, and their wives had to veil them selves before strangers. : t There is a good deal of information also of the Munchausen type to be found in the little volume written by the mis sionary at his return, but he only tells what he has been told bimself. ' lie also proves learnedly that witchcraft is wick ed, and opposed to the laws of Islam ; but the inhabitants of those regions are, in spite of all his efforts, yet very much given to that practice, as well as to pro phecy. The number of these black Mus sulmen at Rio he estimates at no less than 19,000 ; but we fear, in anything approaching to numbers or exact scien tific information,- our author is not ex actly the best guide imaginable. Who are Benefited by Sea Air. Sea air often exercises most beneficial effects, where sea bathing would be equally injurious. That a residence at the sea side is generally healthy cannot be doubted, from the fact that, even during the most sultry heat of summer, the air is constantly in motion, it is, moreover, free from fogs and vapor, and the particles of salt with which the air is impregnated greatly tend to lend tone to the system. It is particularly bene ficial in cases f disposition to consump tion and scrofula, intense nervous sua- ceptibility evinced by hysteria, and such like nervous affections, disarrangement of the bronchial organs, dyspepBia, and like complaints, which are more rare on the sea coast than in the inland parts of the country. The exhilerating influence of the sea air is proved by the fact that those who indulge in extra quantities of wine and spirits lor tbe purpose ot main taining a comtortable condition ot con stitutional force for the discharge of business, dispense witb tbe same when at the sea side the excitement produced by fermented liquors being compensated by increased appetite, induced by the extra amount ot air and exercise taken, The rosy, healthy appearance of the face after a sea sojurn is greatly attributable to particles of salt adhering to the skin, and exciting to action capillary blood vessels and cutaneous nerves, in word, feebleness of the constitution and impaired state of health are generally indicated by palloi and fiabbineas, upon which condition the action of the salt water exercises more influence than even change of temperature, as it acts pow er fully on the museular fibre. Breaches of Promise In Japan. The curious hold superstition has on the mind of tbe Japanese is well ill us- trated by the proceedings taken by a Japanese damsel when her lover proves false to his vows. When the world is at rest, at two o'clock in the morning, the woman generally rues. She dons white robe and hizh sandlans or does. Her coif is a metal tripod, in which are thrust three lighted candles; around her neck she bangs a mirror, which falls upon ner bosom ; in ner lett nana sbe carries a small straw flgure tbe emgy of her faithless lover ; and in her right the grasps a hammer and nails, with which she fastens it to one of the sacred trees that surround the shrine. Then she prays for tbe death of the traitor, vowing tbat it ber petition be heard she will herself pull out the nails which now offend the god by wounding tbe mystic tree. Night after night she comes to the shrine, and each night she strikes in two or more nails, believing that every nail will shorten ber lover's life ; for the god, to save bis tree, will surely strike him dead. ' It is assested as a positive fact that recently an exuberant bridegroom ac tually applied to one of the officers of the JXew Orleans militia artillery regt inent, to fire a salute in celebration . of his nuptials. The officer declined tho E reposition until the " first-born " shall ave been elected President of the Unit ed States. Hi MISCELLAEOUS IIEHS. A .delicate female rmrtook of twenty- eight different dishes at a Chicago hotel dinner. "'w .J h Only twenty-six Chinese wdnien have arrived at San Francisoo .during the summer. , , . . Th vonriff ladv in the ijlriiRod'Oal Church at Springfield,. 'Mass.," who ful fills tbe duties ot tne Assistant minister, is paid a regular salary. ' According to tbe news trom wick, m Scotland, the catch of herring "during a stated period of four days, . has been ex traordinary. It is . computed that 900 boats landed about ou.uuu.uuu Herrings, which are valued, when cured, at about 100,000. .,; , ., .... r , . A gentleman living near Raleigh, N. C, while hunting one night last week, the Sentinel says,: killed, three young opossums, all of which , were blind and evidently born so ; two of the three were also entirely destitute of hearing, having f no signs of ears." - . m-, ,a A much bereaved widower in Zanes-C ville, Ohio, who has just attended ' the funeral of his third wife, has the photo . graphs ot the three departed in a group, , . within which his own picture is the cen- tral figure, and underneath is thistouoh-' '- ' ing inscription! "The Lord will prorw , i vide." .-i - , .,.,, .. .. . A Western paper complains of a new pest, a worm m the flour intended for" ' family use. ' ' A black bug, a quarter of i j an inoh long, lays eggs in tbe flour, . which are hatcued in ten diy. Tne home consumption of that flour must be ' ' as interesting as that of Springfield, ; aqueduct water. Terrible stories are told of the savage- ness of musquitoes in Florida this sea- " son. Field hands are driven from work . 1 1 by them. A Government surveying party was stampeded, cattle and horses " ' are nearly worried to death, fowls have ' their sight destroyed, young obickeus .... are killed, and cats and dogs driven . , nearly mad by the fierce insects. ' " 1 A number of Newark ladies have' ' formed themselves into a "Pedestrian , Club," the constitution of the order re quiring each member to walk at least ' two miles a day, and as many additional c as necessity or convenience may require. , , Some of these ladies, who were greatly . emaciated before joining, have since con- " ' ' siderably increased in weight and mus- . ,. A curious observer of men, women and . things in St. Louis, has made the dis covery that men and boys invariably' ' run the heels of their boots and shoes n over outwardly, while women and girls . , always run theirs over inwardly. Uut of 147 men and boys that passed the ob-' server at a given point this fact, was , , true xn every instance ; out ot b7 women tbat passed, it was true in every instance '" butone. ' ' u. ft o: The Hillsboro (N. CO Jtecorder sayg , that during the war an accomplished , , lady, then residing in Goldsboro, N. C, dreamed a piece of music and awoke with 1 ' tbe melody fresh in her mind. She got up in her night dress, went to the piano. ( and played it off. A lady friend ar ranged the notes to suit it, and it is now ' sold by our music dealers under the title Of " Voices from the South, and bag be- ( come quite popular. All beauty is not monopolized by the " Caucasian race. In Keokuk the other -day, at the State Fair, a baby-show was . . , organized, and out of 12 competitors the bouncing ebony image of Mrs. Chloe Franklin, a black women, was unani mously awarded the prize as the hand somest infant in the group, and a card was pinned on the victorious one, stat- ' ing that his parents were of the Ken tucky s took, -owned at one- time by Hepry Clay. A man named Russel has for several years inhabited an island near the mouth of the Sacramento river, and is known , " The Lone Man of Twitchell's Island." He is without neighbors, has neither kith nor kin, but is fascinated by . the beauty of the spot. , By occupation . he is a trapper, and has built for himself ' a substantial and convenient domicile. '. He varies the vocation of trapping by . , cultivating bees, . and annually ships large quantities of honey to San Fran- -cisco. ' At the recent anniversary of the Onei- 1 da Baptist Association, a visiting clergy- -. man, old enough to be gray, but with . raven locks and beard, offered several ' resolutions touching questions of reform. '' Dr. Pat ton, of Utioa, aaid he saw no ob jection to the adoption of the resolutions, but he wished the one on the use of to- bacco might be followed by one depre . eating the use of hair dye. Tbe reform er stood speechless, completely squelched, and the Association was convulsed with ' laughter. - i v-vt -t ' ' J , , A man was brought before an Illinois magistrate and fined $0.50 for being drunk. He smiled blandly, and draw- 2 ing out a dollar bill, said : " All right, Mr. Magistrate ; I suppose you remem ber when I sold out my saloon at Pekin, , I had f 5 50 on the slate against you.. , With this dollar tbat will exactly, pay my fine. You must excuse me, 'squire,' ' for this little spree of mine; but I didn't 4 see any other way of collecting my bill ' against you than this." Exit inebriate.'! Audible smiles among the audience, t , Grace Greenwood, writing from Den- ; ver, says ; "Nature did antelopes an ill-'1 turn originally, in affixing to them a ' mark by which they can be seen and 'a bead drawn on them ' at a great distance. . It renders, them especially liable to at tacks in the rear, which reminds me of a ' little story. A small Colorado boy, who ' had been out playing, ran into the bouse in a state of great excitement, saying' that he had seen some antelopes in aj gulch near by. At his entreaty bisu mother went out to . look .at them, but nothing of the kind was to be found. She became incredulous, and said at last, -' I don't believe yot saw any axUelcpes it must have been your imagiuatiqn, my( child 1' To this the little mountaineer indignantly responded : 'Humph 1 I guess my imagination isn't white be-indl'" v
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers