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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