ILL: HENEY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. ELK COUNTY -THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. Two Dollars the AmruM. VOL. I. RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1871. NO. 38. ( . -i 1 WORKS AND DAYS. nr ions w. cuadwick. To break the gently undulating tea With oars that seem to kiss it lovingly, And watch the eddies as they circle back Along my winding track. To rest upon my oars, and, ns I glide With wind and current, in the coollnir tide To dip my bauds, while something seems to say Within me, " Let us pray." As near as may be to the fringed shore To keep my boat, and lean her gunnel o'er, Watching the many-colored floor, nntrod 8ave by the feet of God. His ways are in the deep ; His sunlight, too, Pierces Us coldness through and through, And touches many a wonder that abides below the lowest tides. flow beautiful the snnllght on the sea, When waves by millions twinkle as in glee; But 'tis the sunlight in the sea whose gleam To ine doth fairest seem. It glorifies the pebbles with its rays ; It turns gray sand to perfect chrysoprasc ; l'lays with the amber tresses of the rocks As with a maiden's locks. Anon in some sequestered nook I lie. And see the yachts, white winged, go sailing "7. And feci, which ever quickest onward flics, Mine is the truest prize. I watch the race with neither hope nor fear, Since none than other is to me most dear ; ily prize the perfect beauty of the sight Unselfish, pure delight. I sit and wonder what the cliffs would say If they could speak, remcmberine tho dav When first, "Thus far, no farther," It was saia; " Here thy proud waves be stayed 1" Since then what laughter and what cry aud moan Tho sea has offered up to them alone t What suns have kissed, what storms have left tneir ongnt, What silence of the night ! So wondering, how strange It is and still, Suvc where, u mile away, the drogers fill Their battered dories with the shingly store Of the long-hoarding shore 1 That far-ofT sound is but a gauge that tells Ilow deep the silence is: like Sunday bells Which, ringing, tell the resting village o'er How still it was before. These are my works and days : In these I drown The cares and troubles of the noisy town, And let it seethe and rumble as it may, Day alter weary day. But when the summer days are sweetly fled, And great tall clouds go lloatiug overhead ; When asters lurk along the pleasant ways With golden rod ablaze ; Then I will back again to faces see Thau all these sights more beautiful to me ; Where friendliest voices wait for me to hear, Than all these sounds more dear. Old and yew. A DEAD-LOCK, AND ITS KEY. " A note for you, ma'am. No an swer." I was resting iu my own room, after riding it was six o'clock, too early to dress for dinner, too late to dress twice after talcing off my habit Bleeping over a book, and comfortable in my white dressing-gown. I was bored by the in terruption. The note was no more than this: " Dear Saleen : I must stay where I am ; aud you must go by yourself to the Lesters' you won't miud. I saw Jack, and be said there was no party, as it would be troublesome with the wedding to-morrow, and the dining room is given up to the breakfast. I've seut back the brougham. Thine, Fred." Fred is my brother, and was invited, like myself, to dine quietly with these Lesters, whose pretty daughter was to be married next day to a friend of ours especially Fred's and mine Sir John March, commonly called " Jack." " What keeps Fred ?" was my passing thought; then I read a little longer, dressed, and drove to Portman Square. As I turned the corner I saw visible pre parations and signs of the morrow's wed ding at the Lesters' door. A cart with flowers was unloading ; an awning was being put up over the balcony and hall door ; men in white aprons came and went. As the brougham drew up, I could see through the open door the bus tle and stir within. At home in the bouse, I opened the dining-room door, to see what progress was being trade with the tables. Several maid-servants and gome of the confectioner's men we' e arranging the ornaments and flowers; the cake, with its conventional erection, stood conspicuous. My friend's maid was putting moss into the no wer-baskets, and decorating the high dishes con taining the most durable part of the feast. " Well, Barker," I was beginning when I caught the woman's eye. She a was doing; her work with a strange grav ity, and her face was full of horror and paiu. When she saw me she let fall the flowers in htr hand. "O ma'am! O Miss Sarah I You've come." " Of course I've come," I answered. "What is the matter ?" " You haven't see them, ma'am, havo you ?" "Seen whe? the ladies? 'No; I came straight in here to look at the tables. Is there anything wrong ? I suppose we're to dine in the library for to-day ? How nice it all looks 1" " Nice 1 O ma'am, it's a mockery, it's awfu! ! To see it all, and to go on as if as if O Lord !" and the woman sat down, and looked herself to and fro, with the tears running down her face. I was thoroughly alarmed now. "Barker, i there anything wrong ? Is any one ill, or dead ? Don't frighten me like this. I'll go and see them if you won't speak out;" and I went to the door. I just saw that Barker had de scended to the floor, and that her head was on the chair, which she clutched, sobbing aloud. ' I met the butler and another man crossing the hall, both with scared, sol emn faces, and went on to the morning room on the same floor. There all look ed much as usual. The pride of the house and of my friends' rather valuable collection of antiquities stood facing the door a huge cabinet, with massive clamped doors, aud ricbly-out brass work ciule as only genuine brass-work of old-time can be ; curiously inlaid wood-work ; marvellous locks, which no one but its owner understood, and no one else dared meddle with it. It was a very old friend, the great armoiro : ilav ing with the children of the bouse in my own childhood, I knew it, inside and outside, by heart. A mystery and a wonder then an interest later al ways a thing to admire and wonder at even now. It had three doors. The centre one. about fojr feet wide, and certainly six inches thick, shut in another, which again enclosed, with a space of about eight inches of waste-room, a set of six drawers, of different siz?s, and a sort of cupboard above them. We UBed to stand as little children between the drawers and the inner door, and wonder, suppos ing we were shut in, whether we could breathe long in that narrow enclosure, or be Beard by any one without, buddos ing awful thought ! we were forgot ten, or me outer aoor were shut. I re member thinking of it in bed at night, as netvotiH children will think of such thingB, till I was cold with horror. Both these two doors shut with a catch which was not a lock ; but we children were forbidden ever to open or shut them, except when Mr. Lester was present. It was doubtful if any one else knew how to open them, for no one ever tried. The two side-doors opened with curious keys, which stood in the locks, chained to the armoire. They were valuables in themselves. Tho great key of tho centre door, worth a hundred pounds or more, was considered too sacred for common eyes, and lay in a velvet-lined ease in Mr. Liesters own keening broueht out uuiy occasionally 10 snow to those who could appreciate such things. It stood there in the summer twliclit. looming darkly in the quiet room, dark er than the rest of the house, as back rooms in London often are chilly, it seemed to me, in my thin white dress, coming ironithe hall full of sunset light. Turning to leave the room, I saw a man lying prone on his face upon the sofa : so still, and so straight and so strange in ms aiuiuae, mat i could only stare for a minute, and wonder whether he was fi sleep or dead. His hands were over his ears, grasping his hair as if in pain ; and I noticed the soles of his boots turned quite up, as one notices trifles in the midst of alarm or. bewilderment. The nails in his boots showed he was not dressed for dinner. His hat was lying on the floor on its side. His face I could not see: but I knew it was Jack March, and I touched his arm in wonder. Jack, are you awake ? Are tou asleep ? What is it ?" I asked, with growing alarm. Was I to find some thing strange in every room I entered in this house? "Jack!" I said again. He turned, and I saw his wild, haggard face, that looked at me with vague eyes that seemed not to see ; and then he put hiB head down with a moan, and covered his ears once more, as if to shut out sight and sound. The room felt darker and chillier for this silent figure ; and the gaunt old armoire seemed big ger and more oppressive. I ran out of the room in a sort of panic. Up stairs the drawing-room door stood open. The glow of the sunset was over the room, bright with flowers and pictures ; and the open windows showed the balconies lined with red cloth, and ready for the guests next day. Silence here, and si lent figures, two ot them, one crouched upon the floor, with arms outstretched upon a sofa ; the other lying half across an ottoman the bride's mother and sister. As I came in and spoke, now fairly bewildered and frightened, Mrs. Lester rose up with a despairing wail " Saleen, Saleen !" She stood shaking and crying out my name. " Ldar Mrs. Lester," I Slid, taking the woman's cold hands, " come and sit down, and tell me what has happened Kate !" I called to the girl on the floor, " come and give me that cushion." She came mechanically, and helped Ler mother to the arm-chair. " Now, tell me, if you can " But Mrs. Lester's head had fallen back upon the cushion. and she had fainted. The girl roused herself. " No wonder," she said ; she has eaten nothing all day ; and then all this. It's too awful, SaUen. I shall go mad if I think ; and papa has never come back !" " Where is your father t " I don't know. We sent down to the olub and to the house ; they can't find him. And we ve searched bis room, and it's not there. It's nowhere. And Jack is nearly wild ; and we daren't break it open. "It! What, child? Can't you say what you are talking about ? I shall go mad next. What can't you find ? And what ails you all ?" " Saleen, it's Mary. Mary is in there ; and the key is gone, and papa is away ; and she's dying there suffocating ;" and the girl flung herself on the floor with wild sobs and tears. Mrs. Letter lay forgotten in her swoon ; Kate rolled in unavailing misery on the carpet. I fled down stairs. The servants were as busy as ever. I knew it all now. " Good God 1" I said to the butler, who was carrying in a tray of glass, " are you going ou with all this useless folly, and that girl dying in the next room ? Is no one going to try to Bave her?" Davis stood still, and look at me pity ingly ; he shook his head sadly, and went on. I rushed into the street ; a policeman was standing near the carts. M Come hero," I said. " You" to another man " go and get a blacksmith. Bun for your life ! Tell him to bring tools to open locks and unscrew every thing. Bun. And you get a hatchet ; get any thing ; come and break open the great cabinet." I gasped to the servants, who came out to see what it all meant: " Don't lose a moment. Great heaven I the time that hat been lost already I" They obeyed me, dispersing hither and thither. It seemed hours before the men came back with tools. "Try the hinges first. Are there screws ?" There was that chanoe ; and thoy worked at them, removing several heavy curious nails and sorews, but seeming no nearer to the object ; the door was fast and firm " O, break it down I" I screamed at last ; " break it with the hatchet. What does any thing matter, but her life her lite 1" . " Her life I" said some strange voice close to me, and there stood Jack March swaying . like a drunken man, with scared eyes and wild hair. Was his re a son gone or going?' " Don't 1" he shouted to a workman who was lifting the hatchet to break in the deor. " Not up there. Her head." And then he stooped bis ear to toe key hole, listened intently minute, raised his hand, as if to demand silence, and the intelligence fading out of his face, he rose with a discordant laugh, and walked away. " Hah I" he said ; " her life against Lester's cabinet her life against a key. We did not even look round to see where he went stumbling through the ball, whore he fell in a fit upon the floor. Fearing to injure the imprisoned figure living or dead, who could tell we left the door, ana proceeded to break into the middle compartment from the wings. The grand old workmanship re sisted ; there seemed no weak point, no crevice, no possibility of breaking into the huge thing without tear ot harm to that which it held locked and fast, with in a few inchi s of our light and air and living life, done to death by a bit of clever machinery, the work ot a dead hand. I would not think of beautiful Mary Lester as she might be, if another hour went by. All this time no ques tions were asked. I never knew till afterwards how it all happened ; how her father, only an hour or so earlier exhib iting bis wonderful cabinet to a connois seur in such matters, had gone up stairs with his friend to show the key he prized so much, leaving the cabinet door open, intending to return how Mary and the children, a younger brother and sister, had come in and how the un usual sight of the open door had at tracted them how she looked in, and told the little ones she had not stood in side it " so" since she was as little as they were ; and laughing, tried to stand in the old place. " I am not too big even now, am I ?" she said ; and the children ran to see, and pushing the doors against her, the spring caught, and shut her in with death and suffocation ; while they went shouting to the others that sister Mary was " iu there shut up, and " they couldn't let her out." No, they could not 1st her out. Mr. Lester and his friend had gone off with the key, to show it to some one who had doubted its date so it appeared from one of the boys who now came in ; he had heard them talking on the stairs as they went out. 'lie said: "Jarvis knows nothing about it ; he has never seen it,' " said the boy, sobbing. " I heard him. I know he said Jarvis." " That will be Colonel Jarvis, in Charles Street, ma'am," said Davis. Maybe, if we sent there There were voices outside, and Bar ker looked in with a white face of hor- r. " It's master coming in," she said, in a sort of whisper. We all stood back. Who would tell him ? Who was to say, your girl is be hind that immovable door ? But the boy, frightened enough at his father at other times, went up to him, trying to speak quietly : " The key, sir. Quick, Tor God's sake 1" "Key! What what's all this? Good God ! sir" seizing a servant by the collar, and flinging him to one side, like a cat " do you know what you're doing meddling with that cabinet? Why, its worth thousands) Uod bless me ! what does all this mean ?" He was purple with anger. " Don't stand star ing. Sarah Heriot," he thundered, " you are not a fool ; be good enough to ex plain this this " I went up to him sick with horror. " The key is wanted," I managed to say. " There is some one inside dying." "Some one dying in there ! Who ? What ? Who is it, girl ?" He shook me by the shoulder till I winced with pain. " u, the key, the key I never mind any thing elsu, sir. Only open it quick, and lose no more time." He looked sharply round Mrs. Lester and Kate were standing at the door, with their terrified, miserable races, lie took in the rest of us with a glance. " Where s Mary r be said, suddenly. No one spoke. " Why the devil don't vou auBwer me ? Who is shut in there ? How could any one be there? Trash I" But bis face was growing ashy gray, and his lips whitened as he spoke. " Ah, my God ! I never shut the door. It is not Mary, not my girl that's " He pointed, with a shaking hand, to the heavy door. "And 1 haven t the key." He made one rush into the street ; the servants standing about were swept right and left, as he tore past them, down Orchard Street into Oxford Street. They could see the hatless, fleeting figure disappearing in the distance. Mrs. Lester came into the hall. The doctor and others were busy about poor Jack March, who lay on the dining-room sofa with closed eyes, happily uncon scious. The timid mistress of the house stood by the staircase, her face, her voioe, her whole appearance changed aud aged in the last hour. " He has gone for the key ; he can't be back," she said, speaking like a wo man in a dream, " not for half an hour." She looked around stupidly and smiled. "He will kill me, you know, but the cabinet nhall be broken open broken to pieces. Never mind. Fancy waiting for the key," she laughed. " Break it down, l teu you I J give the order. Vo you hear me ?" Two workmen came from the side- door, where a fresh and useless attempt had been '.made to remove the panel without injury to the front or to the imprisoned girL' u We might loosen the wood-work, and strike it out, mum, and go on taking out screws same time." " Do it" . Sharp blows upon chisels now, and several screws removed from lock and hinges. " Strike at the hinges with the hatch et," came Mrs. Lester's altered voice, and wiry, usually so low and hesitst hard ing. " Cutthem through ; it can be done it dalL". They struck with a will ; the hatchet edge was pressed to the weakest part, and heavy blows from a mallet upon that. The hatchet edge was turned, and a dint made ; some of the work in jured and broken. but no more. "Cut through the panel," suggested Kate. " Surely wood can be broken." It's all lined with iron, mum," said Davis ; " it is as good as a safe. But we might try." Three telling blows. The room sud denly darker, a chill sough of wind from the window, and the door swung to with a bang. Every one looked round. A growl of distant thunder, and a faint flash of lightning accounted for it next moment. Mere blows, and a long, ominous roll, and the lightning playing across the great armoire ; then an aval anche of rain and hail all strange and incongruous on this fine evening. The room was nearly dark. One of the men spoke. " Is there a step-ladder in the house?" It was brought. "I'll try the top, with your leave, ma'am. Ah, if I had a light now." He was given a taper from the library table. " Bill" to his companion "look here; hold the light, and keep a hand on the side." He lilted the hatchet, and gave a swinging blow another an awlul clap of thun der, and the next flash showed every white face to the other. Quick steps in the hall, and the uoor flung wide; a wild, wet figure threw the key amongst us, and fell iu a heap upen the floor. With a wrench the man on the ladder tore off the upper moulding, and half the roof of the armoire. Mrs. Lester took up the key, fumbled with the lock, let it fall with a shriek. Baker caught it from her, put it in, and turned it. " Open it,1' she whispered to one of the men ; " 1 can't." She turned away, sick with dread. It was opened, showing nothing but the terrible inner door, whose spring was only known to the master lying senseless on the floor. "Take oil more here," one of the men shouted ; " it will give air till the door's got open." Good thought. They worked savage ly' Mrs. Lester was on her knees by her husband. " O, get brandy ! Get him to speak ! He could tell us how." They did what they could. " William ! O, speak to me I How can I open it the spring the inner door ?" The white lips moved, and the bead with its dripping hair rolled to one side, but no sound came. The men worked wildly now. All thought of aparing the beautiful front and brast-work was for gotten. They tore and hammered at the inner door, whose smooth polished surface presented no crevice or jeint where to strike first where insert a chisel or direct a blow. As they work ed, consciousness returned to Mr. Lester : he half sat up, supporting himself against the door ; but no words came, though bis lips moved, and his eyes looked with intense eagerness at the des truction of his precious armoire. He lifted his head and looked mutely at his wife. She put her head down to his lips. "What is it? What shall I tell them to do '(" He beat his hand upon the floor. Kate sprung forward. " I know I I know ! Strike on the floor at the foot of the inner door. O, I remember, it was there." Davis felt with his hand all alone the polished surface of the lowest shelf. " Here, press here ! give me a hammer." He felt a slight rise, and struck grad ually an aoout the spot Jtate showed him. A deafening clap of thunder, and a flash, blinding us for the moment, and we all crowded close, and then came a creak, drowned in the awful thunder. " It's open," said one of the men. Hate slid to the floor, twisting mv dress about her head. Davis turned from the door. "I darn't look," he said. " Do you," to the car penter's man. " Open it gently." iiaker stretched forward, turned round. tried to say something, and burst out crying. " 1 can t see," said the man, with a strange, thick voice. " Bring the light, some one." For ten awful seconds there was silence in the dim room, then acrv. and a heavy fall. " Saleen," said a voice close to me, " do you know it's a quarter past seven, and you are due at the Lester's at half past, and not even dressed ? Here's your book fallen down." I had been asleep over an hour. If I felt like a conspirator at the Les ter's pleasant dinner, it is not surpris ing ; but I did not mention my dream. An Euterprlsiug Pliutugrapher. An ingenious photographer has lately come to grief in Paris in this wise : Business being slack personal vanity not having revived sufficiently, since the Commune, to call for hi aid and the sun's he looked up hiscollection of neg atives, and, selecting those of the least well favored of bis lady clients, he took oil impressions of the same, and sold them as portraits of the petroleum, or women arrested for firing houses with petroleum. A collector of these curiosi ties waB astonished one day to find the counterfeit presentment of his respected mother-in-law among those of the fair incendiaries. Some men might not have found fault with this disposition of that particular relative, which seems to be the lete noirt of English and French hus bands. This son-in-law, however, did not belong to that category ; and forth with looked up the offender, and bad him arrested and punished. In mitiga tion of sentence, he pleaded that he was by no means the only sinner of his class, the same industry being profitably pup. sued by others of his profession. A Wisconsin Justice of the Peace granted himself a divorce. Double Suicide in Lcvtlston, Ale. FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE TRA GEDY SPECULATIONS AS TO THE FIND ING OF THE BODIES. The Lewiston (Me.) Journal gives some further particulars of the fearful tragedy in that town. The details are as follows : Friday morning a gentleman noticed two girls Bitting on one of the piles of boards in the rear of Lisbon street, just south of Ash street. Their conduct seemed so moody and strange as to at tract attention. They answer to the description of Ada and Anna. When these girls left their resting-place on the lumber thoy proceeded to Cook's drug store, where the shorter of the two Anna, if she was either inquired : " I want some chloroform for a girl that's got the toothache down on the Bate's corporation." "Would you like about half an ounce ?" inquired the clerk. " Oh, no," replied the tall girl, " we want a lot of it." " We can't sell you over half an ounce," replied the clerk. The tall girl turned quickly, and with a pout of the lips, said : " Well, I guess we can get it somewhere else." This was about 10 o'clock, three hours before the suicides. The taller girl wore a heavy shawl when at Mr. Cook's store. Anna wore a heavy shawl, and such a shawl was left on the West Pitch Bhore. MR. AND MRS. STARBIP.D'S STATEMENT. We have already stated that the two girls ate apparently their last meal at Mrs. Starbird's, on Hampshire street, Auburn. Mr. and Mrs. S. make the fol lowing statements: They had known Ada and Anna Ada more than Anna. Ada was Mrs. S.'s cousin by marriage. Ada, says Mrs. S , had brown hair, brown eyes, very tall for one of her age (14 years) ; quite smart. She wore a blue turban hat that found on the rocks identified as the same a water proof, a light shawl the same found on the West Pitch shore and a dark print dress. Anna Wood wore Thursday af ternoon a heavy shawl, black overskirt, and red and white dress, with coarse straw hat. Part of the outer-clothing found on the rocks she identifies as An na's. The two girls came to Mr. S.'s house at 4:30 P. r , Thursday. They seemed wearied, and said they had been searching all day for work, without suc cess. "I'm quite dead broke,'' said An na, and she showed two ten-cent bills as much as to say, " that's my all." " The two girls carried on viry lively," says Mrs. Starbird moaning they were un usually chat rful. At Mrs. Starbird's ur gent invitation they remained to supper, though Anna seemed loth to stay. Both ato heartily, and each poked fun at the other for eating bo much. " We shall eat you out of bouse and home, if we stay here long," said Anna. The two girls spent nearly five haurs at Mrs. Starbird's. "The last thought I should have had that these girls intended to kill themselves" is Mrs. S.'s deduction from their gay bearing. Once in a while during the evening Anna made remarks in a laughing way like this: ''I've been coaxing Ada to jump into the canal with me, but she says the water is too cold." Anna said to Mrs. S., showing her a brooch she wore the same found on the shore " This is a pin 1 gave me." He was " paying attention" to her, they said. She was not engaged, Anna said. " There," she interjected it being 8 o'clock " I promised to be at my boarding-house at half-past 7 ; he was going to call and see me ; I guess be will think I'm a queer girl." Anoth er young man was spoken of as " Ada's fellow" a young man now living in Boston. Anna said during the evening that she had been over to West Pitch. In fine, the evening's gossip was pleas ant, ordinary with here and there a word which, in the light of the suicides, shows that Anna had meditated the act. Mrs. S. could see that Anna had an al most magnetic influence over Ada she seemed to be completely in her power. Ada was the taller. Mr. Brown adds that Anna was only 14 years of age the same age as Ada. Both were "very good looking." Ada wore short hair ; Anna long hair. The false hair left on the shore was Anna's. At 9:13 the girls left Mrs. S.'s. She urged them to remain, but they declined, and went off appar ently very cheerful. Before leaving Anna said to Mrs. Starbird in a half earnest ind half jocose tone : " I wish I was married and bad a home and some body to care for me." ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS. Ada Brown's elder sister, Ella, states that Anna had an aunt who was said to be insane " but I think she makes it" said Anna. Anna had said to Ella, many times : " I have no friends, or home, and no one to care for me. I am going to kill myself." Ella says: "I talked her off the notion of it, always." Mrs. Starbird went into the Bates Mill immediately after hearing of the tragedy, and sought out Ella to inform her. As soon as Ella saw her, she screamed : " O, my God ! don't tell me that's Ada." She was quite frantio with grief. " O ! what will my poor mother do ?" she said. " I was just going to see who it were that had drowned themselves. I feared who they were." She but just glanced at the clothes the suicides left behind, and ut tering a shriek of horror, left the place. " I cried all the forenoon," said Ella. " Ada promised me, faithfully, she would come over to the mill to see me at 8:30 o'clock, Friday morning. I knew she was out of employment and had decided to send her home in the afternoon. I thought when she did come that some thing dreadful was going to happen." There are slight proofs of the movements of the two girls on Friday morning. Wherever they appear, they seem moody, brooding over their lot apparently meditating suicide one moment and hoasework the next Anna evidently the ruling spirit of the two, both dis heartenednot caring to go home, not liking the mill, and finding housework burdensome.' At 0 o'clock on Ash street they are seeking chloroform at the drug store, then wandering through the streets. Soon after noon they appear on the rooks beside West Pitch, where their moody and morbid state of mind became wrought into insanity, and whence, doubtless, in a rash moment, they plunged into the terrible fall and into terrible death. We have carefully reported the last few days of the suicides that a better understanding might be had of the case. Enough appears to indicate that Anna Wood was of a de sponding, moody temperament, perhaps tinged with hereditary insanity ; that she had wonderful influence over her as sociate, Ada ; and Anna thought she was without friends " nobody cares for me," she said and she had conoluded she could not find employment; that Ada was made to feel similarly by the influence of Anna and by unsuccessful attempts to obtain employment ; that at last by West Pitch, Anna succeeded in bringing Ada to her mind, and both plunged into suicidal death, locked in each other's arms. It has been suggest ed thit the bodies might be recovered from the undertow of West Pitoh by drawing down the water in tho river, but Mr. Straw and others acquainted with the facts, state that not more than one-third the volume of water now flow ing over the dams could be drawn through the gateways as there are now two feet of water on the dams. Persons who investigated tho foot of West Pitch in last summer's drought, report a deep opening in the rock under the fall. Here, it is thought, are the bodies of the sui cides, aud if so their recovery is exceed ingly doubtful. Beethoven's Experience as a Cook. The great musician extended his gen ius to his household, producing chaos. He strictly forbade the things in his room to be put in order. Only with his special permission was the broom used to sweep the floor. He used this as a waste basket, throwing all envelopes on it, and sometimes the torn letters too. Books or notes were lying on every chair. The dishes, even from breakfast, were sometimes left in the room till the next morning. When he was searching for something the chaos became alive. Loosened manuscripts fell in their sev eral ways to the floor, and wine bottles came rolling from the corners. But what be was searching for he could not find, because the confusion grew still worsi by his impatient, unsystematic searching. He frequently mislaid some thing, however, and searching was therefore a common occupation of his. The active composer on such occesions often chided his housekeeper, whom be strangely called Mrs. Schnapps. He as serted that all the trouble, all the disor der was hor fault, stating that he him self was strictly orderly and could find even a pin again at night-time, if every thing in his room had not been changed by her. The principal cause of this dis order was the discontented, morose com poser's frequent change of residence. He frequently changed his residence,but never took necessary time to fit up his new home properly. Once he missed a most precious manuscript, the score of his favorite symphony, copied complete ly and neatly. Poor Beethoven search ed for it over a fortnight. Finally be found it. But alas, where? In the kitchen, where it was placed under but ter, bacon, and other provisions ! Quite beside himself from ire, he threw all the eggs at hand at his cook's head and turn ed her out of the house. He determined not to admit such a person to his kitch en again. The meals moreover, he said, for a long time had not been to his taste, remarking that cooking was not more difficult than composing, that he de termined to tend his kitchen himself. He went to the market and made his purchases. Glad of the choice and cheapness of the provisions, he invited several friends to dinner, and went to work to prepare all the dishes himself. When '.the guests came they were aston ished t J see their host in the kitchen. He wore a white cap and apron like a cook by trade. The fire on the hearth blazed, the pots seethed, the butter in the pan sizzled, but nothing was ready at the appointed time. Beethoven stood in despair, menacing now with the la dle, then with the carving-knifehe un governable pots. He overset and set them up again ; he burnt his fingers, but he burnt the roast meat far more. The guests waited impatiently for the re sults of Beethoven s labors as a cook. At last he came triumphantly from the kitchet,, like a warrior from the battle field. But his victories were not great. The soup looked thin and poor. Bee thoven did not knew that it had to be skimmed, and let it boil too long, con tinually adding water. The vegetables had not come in contact with the water. They were covered with sand, and swam in grease. But the most horrible of all was the roast meat. Nobody could eat anything, except Beethoven himself, who did full j ustice to his cookery. The guests asked for some bread, butter and cheese, and drank of the good wine which had just been ordered in addition to the dinner. On the day following, Mrs. Schnapps entered into Beethoven s kitchen again. He bad seen that cook ing must be learned, like his own sub lime art, and he thought best not to meddle with it any more. Who is Old ? A wise man will never rust out. As long as he can move and breathe he will be doing for himself, his neighbor, or for posterity. Who is old ? Not the man of energy, nor the day la borer in science, art or benevolence ; but he only who suffers his energies to waste away, and the springs of life to become motionless ; on whose hands the hours drag heavily, and to whom all things wear the gaib of gloom. In an Iowa town a citizen had render ed himself obnoxious to the rest of the community, so he was placed in the hands of a Vigilance Committee for treatment. The Chairman of the Com mittee made the following report : "We took the thief down to the river, made a hole in the ice and proceeded to duck him, but he slipped through our hands and hid under the ice. All our efforts to entice him out failed, and he has now retained his point of advantage some hours." MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Whiskey distilled from Canada thistles is said to induce a penetrating and ex- ' hilarating effect, the sensation being the same as if a jewsharp in full tune was attached to every nerve. About two-thirds of the metal of tho Chicago Court House bell has been cut off with cold chisels and converted into relics by the venerating inhabitants of that city. The ex-Emperor Napoleon's income is stated by a German paper to be $25, 000 per year, which will be increased to 180,000 by the proceeds of the property recently sold in Spain by the Empress. People in Troy, N. Y., who don't want to pay their bills, ask the collector to congratulate them on being so nearly recovered from the small-pox. A con tinuation of credit is the invariable re sult. The Eacine Journal says a thief was caught with ten express horses a few miles back of Kenosha last week ; that the horses were brought back, and that the attendance at the funeral waB very light. The ladies of a town enjoying the classical name of Arcadia, in Wisconsin, went around in 18G9 and demolished several drinking saloons. The liquor dealers have prosecuted this feminine syndicate, and the latter have to pay forty-eight dollars for their fun. A table just printed of tho daily wages paid in this country for mechanical la bor shows that for nearly till kinds of handicraft work the average rate of wages is higher in the New England States than in the Middle, the Western or the Southern States. A Grand 'Jury at Washington havo found seventeen indictments against a counterfeiter. The punishment for each offence is fifteen years in the State Pris on, making the aggregate imprisonment 225 years. Serious effort will be mado to have it commuted to imprisonment for life. The Milan (Texas) Telegram says : " We have been asked why we stopped publishing the list of marriage licenses issued by the clerk. Because a great big stand-up-in-tbe-mud, out there iu the sand-hills, said we published his daughter as married when she wern't, and that he would hit us on the head hard enough to knock our ankles out '. of joint for it. Is the explanation satis factory ?" It is hot perhaps generally known that what is now a favorite summer re sort for eitizonB of New York was once sold for a barrel of cider. Yet it is a fact that in 1670 the tract of country including what now are Long Branch, Shrewsbury and Eatontown, was in the possession of the Indians, but was pur chased of them by one Lewis Morris for that consideration. Millions could not purchase the land now. To the long list of fires, tempests, earthquakes, tornadoes and volcanio eruptions for which the year 1871 is al ready distinguished, is now to be added the fall of a thunderbolt, which occurred near Ihangara, in India. We are told by the J n lit 'Times that " the ground was literally cut up in consequence, and all the huts standing there, as well as their inmates, were swallowed up in the chasm." It is the first time such a thing has occured in the land. A novel scheme is proposed by the Milwaukee Volksfreund. This is an or ganization of single men for the purpose of establishing a joint-stock hotel for their accommodation. The management of the institution is to be in the hands of a board of trustees, and the great ob ject of the association is to furnish an economical home for unmarried men, securing for them also an asylum in case of sickness. The movement is a good one and, if successful, worthy of imita tion. Do not be above your business, no matter what that calling may be, but strive to be the best in that line. He who turns up his nose at his work quar rels with his bread and butter. He is a poor smith who quarrels with his own sparks; there is no shame about any honest calling ; don't be afraid of soil ing your hands ; there is plenty of soap to be had. All trades are good to tra ders. Above all things avoid laziness. There is plenty to do in this world for every pair of hands placed upon it, and we must go to work that the world will bo richer because of our having lived in it. A Kentucky journal tells of an extra ordinary mother-in-law, dwelling in the neighborhood of Louisville, who must be a peculiar member of that much ma ligned class. Her diminutive sen ia-law desired to witness the parade of a Ger man battalion, but she forbade his leav ing his business. However, he eluded the old lady's vigilance for a moment, and stood g zing at the warriors, when he was suddenly seized by the left ear and made the recipient of a fearful chas tisement, ending in bis being laid at full length upon the street, while the virago took a seat upon his prostrate form, and edified the amused crowd by fanning herself with her sun-bonnet. Mr. Spillman had just married a se cond wife. On the day after the wed ding Mr. Spillman remarked : " I in tend, Mrs. Spillman, to enlarge my dairy." "You mean our dairy, my dear," replied Mrs. Spillman. "No," quoth Mr. Spillman, " I intend to en large my dairy." "Say our dairy, Mr. Spillman." "No, my dairy." "Say our dairy, say our " screamed she. "My dairy ! my dairy I" yelled the husband. " Our dairy I .Our dairy 1" screeched the wife, emphazing each word by a blow on the back, of her cringing spouse. Mr. Spillman retreated under the bed. In Eassing under the bedolothes his hat was rushed off. He remained under cover for several minutes, waiting for a lull in the storm, h. At Jast his wife saw him thrust his head out at the foot of the bed, much like a turtle from its shell. " What are you looking for ?" exclaimed the lady. " I am looking for our hat. my dear," said he,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers