v.
Xl4NBY A. PARSONS, Jr Editor and Publisher.
ELK COUNTY THE REPUBLICAN PARTT.
Two Dollars per kirsxm.
VOL.1.
. RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1871.
NO. 40.
1
SUNDAY urgtMHS,
lRnllT',MelAl Co,ne '''' friends I
Ho if r wit tn mv One .
- o J J vmi ttiuui BUUUB.
i I Hflilt tn Bliara ,,Ul. 1
i uuia maae tno blind receive
urae, nem me to believe
t TnlrMltl.i la
v Hi 1 uc,
ftt the Jov t nnd when thn hejim.
liKhtsjflflj looks as with the glenm
VifTaln lT!K waste f"
Htneel bv mTMl bended knoe :
le must stoop low II ye?1110
j.uwer, u je would taste I
i fo which my henrt would crawl, and crave,
As 'twere a worm o' the dustf
I wrltbed so low, it rose so high,
Tbe mound tbnt sbut out all tbe sky :
So broken was my trust.
This morn I sought it! hardly one
Ol all my nnshed tears would tun ;
Instead Iroin out the sod
A spring had gushed through dust and weeds
Ana in me lignt ot uod it leeds
My lile, direct lioin God.
II.
We are not only where we seem,
But, lighted by some mystic gleam,
Live also in a world of dream !
Some heavenward Window opes above
Tbe sbut-np soul, to lean out of,
Or let in waiting wings of love.
Anil thence we pass out ol onr night
A little nearer to the light ;
Transfigured in tbe eternal sight.
And oft when darkness tills the place,
I kneel with dawn upon my face ;
I leel the infinite embrace.
Beyond the clou3s 'lis golden day,
Soli airs ot heaven about me pln.v,
Tbey waft all weariness away.
Dear friends I sec no longer here
Are with me ; I can feel them near;
Bo tenderly tbey come to cheer !
And there in secret life is fed,
Till full in tlowcr it lifts the bead,
With all its leaves to heaven outspread.
And by tbe peace within my breast ;
All stormy passions roekt to rest ;
I know tuat God huth been my guest.
Gerald Masiey, in the Sunday Magazine.
MR. AXOXYMOUS.
PRESENT.
One afternoon toward tho end of Sep
tembur, the clocks in the City of Lon
don struck four, and the daily routine of
business in tbe house of Pucnkin Broth
ers came to a close. These events were
not peculiar to that particular day, but
a story must have a beginning. The
numerous clerks closed their ledgers and
stowed away their papers with tar great
er uliority than they had shown in
bringing them out some six or seven
hours before ; and as they put on their
overcoats, hats and gloves, they begun to
chat with each other. Une bad got an
order for the theatre for two, and asked
another to have a chop with him some
where, and then go thither ; others were
members of a volunUcr corps, and were
in a hurry to get on their disguises and
go and be half-right turned somewhere.
All had some personal object, pertaining
to love, war, pleasure, or dinner in view;
in short, the striking of the clock had a
ruagio power, and turned, them from me
chauical cogs into men.
Une youug man went up to the head
of a department, and from him received
papers, which he put into the breast'
pocket of his coat, and then walked off
without speaking to his iellow-clerks,
beyond bidding good afternoon to one
or another, and assenting once or twice
to the fact of the weather being tine.
" A mean beggar, that Mapleson," said
Jones, as he arranged the flower in his
button-hole."
"Ay," replied Brown. " He dines for
a shilling."
" And inks the rim of his hat."
" Perhaps he is poor," suggested the
charitable Rjbinson.
"Poor!" cried Jones. "Who isn't?
Millionaires are not commonly found on
clerks' stools. He has his salary, and he
is not married ; and yet, he stints, and
never goes anywhere, or does anything."
"Perhaps ho has a vice," suggested
Kobinson, who always fought the battle
of the absent.
" Ah ! he may have, certainly," re
plied Jones the J ust.
" But it isn't only his meanness," said
Brown, who had made overtures to Ma
pleson, which had been met with more
politeness than cordiality ; " he is so con
foundedly stuck up. Now, of all pride,
I hate a mean pride."
The unconscious subject of all this dis
paragement walked down Cheapside to
St. Paul's Churchyard, where he stopped
before a bonnet-shop.
"Still thtre," he muttered: that is
lucky. How well it will become her I"
He entered, bought the bonnet which
had taken his fancy, aud with the little
cardbox in his baud, started off in the
direction of Islington. In vain did
Hansom cabbies raise their whips, and
omnibus cads cry " Tom ! Tom !" He
walked every step of the way home.
Home was a parlor on tbe ground
floor a bright aud cheerful parlor, the
ornaments and furniture of which,
though not costly, wire ia perfect taste.
There were flowers ; there was a piano,
open : music and books lay about in a
comfortable, but not untidy way. Home
presently, tea treated as a meal, not the
meaningless supplement lute diners un
derstand by the term.
"What do you think, Harry!" ex
claimed the young lady in the course of
the meal.
" Think '(" replied Henry Mapleson,
with his mouth full ; " why, I think that
if there were many men of fortune who
knew that I had a sister who could
make such anchovy toast as this, they
would soon carry her off from me."
" Young men of fortune do not marry
their cooks; the new bonnet is much
wore likely to rid you of me. But what
1 was going to say was, wa have got a
oose.
" It isn't you, pussy, and It is not me."
quoted the brother, turning to the cat.
" Oh, what grammar 1" ,
" The verb to get' takes an accusa
tive, Busan. Bat about the goose. How
did you steal it r"
J
" Nohow ; it came ; together with its
giuieis, aim nan a aozen ot merry. '
" What! Mr. Anoymous again ?"
"Yes."
" He is very rood." said Harrv. a sari.
ous expression coming over his face,
" But there is one thing that I do wish
ne wouia send nis name. 1 hate mys
Wry."
"Hit you like goose," added his sister.
" Weil, yes : frankly, I do sherry like
wise. He bivs that he is an old friend
of our parents ; but if he is ashamed to
acknowledge us no-v, I had sooner be
without his charity. However, it is un
gracious to say so : and after swallowing
a twCPty-pouud note it would be absurd
to strain at a goose and giblets. We
will eat the bird on the day set apart by
the church. Shall we invite our fellow-
lodger r
" Mr. Nicholson ' Oh. certainly."
When the tea-things were cleared
away, and the lamp lit, Susan Mapleson
set to work upon her brother's buttons
and socks, and while she sewed and
darned, he read a novel aloud to her;
equitable division of labor I
Just as he had finished a chapter, the
hall-door closed, and observing that
Mr. Nicholson had come in, and that it
weuld be a good plan to give him his
invitation at once, Harry Mapleson rose
and went out, returning presently, fol
lowed by the fellow lodger, an elderly
man with a slight stoop, who placed his
hat and umbrella on a chair, and came
forward to greet Susan, who took off her
thimble to shake hands with him.
"Have you been to tbe British Mu
seum to-day '(" she asked.
" YeB, my dear ; yes, as usual ; I am
a leech applied by tho publishers to old
books.
" A leech 'r No ; a bee."
"Well, that is perhaps a prettier way
ot putting it, and more complimentary
both to myself and the venerable authors
1 draw from ; they are flowery enough
sometimes too. But tbe bee skips from
bud to blossom iu a gay, coquettish
manner, which would never draw the
honey out of a black-letter volume, let
alone a ruediicval manuscript. I fear
that leech is more literal.
" But then, what term would you have
lett to apply to the publishers t asked
Harry,
"Nay, nay," said the old man; '
cannot complain. They pay me very
well; there is not much competition in
my musty line.
A tyro in physiognomy might have
pronounced Mr. Nicholson to be intel
lectual and benevolent, but it would
have taken an adept in the urt to deci
pher the expression which habitually
spread over his teatures. There was a
weary, hopeless, hunted look which told
of great suffering, eithtr mental or phy
sical probably the tormer, lor the deep
Hues about his mouth and eyes were of
that character which is worn by sus
tained rather than spasmodic action ot
tbe muscles, tie was a man with a ter
rible, because a secret, sorrow. I do
not say that you would have gathered
all this on the prest nt occasion, for when
he was in the society ot toe Maplesong
he was a different being. He was a
lonely man ; most workers have two
lives, a professional aud a natural one,
but until quite lately he had been a
student and nobing else ; studying for
his livelihood; studying tor companion
ship, even at meal-times; studying to
hnd an opiate. But since he had termed
an acquaintanceship which soon ripened
into friendship with tke brother and sis
ter, life had acquired a new interest for
him, and that little parlor was an ark
on the salt waste of his existence.
He promised to dine with them on
Michaelmas Day; and then Susan gave
him his greatest treat some of Men
delssohn's music. He would sit and lis
ten till the water came into his eyes ;
and this was not such a very curious
phenomenon, for though the girl was
not any very brilliant performer, treat
ing her instrument like a musical tra
peze, and going through all sorts of
wonderful gymuastic feats upon it, she
played witb rare feeling and expression,
sending the notes into the heart, as it
were. At half-past ten the party broke
up. Harry Mapleson considered that as
his sister rosa early to look after domes
tic matters, and get his breakfast for
him (for even a very small establishment
requires considerable attention when you
have only got tbe third part of a servant
to " do" for you ) she ought to be early
at the other end of the day, too ; so he
invariably yawned and went up to his
room at the top . of the house before
eleven. But when he got there he made
no preparations for going to bed, but
put writing materials out on a table,
and drawing from his pocket the papers
which be bad received trom one ot tbe
heads of departments before leaving the
office, he sat down to work. It was three
o'clock before his task was accomplished.
" A slice ot luck this, be said to him
self on turning iu at last; "just as I was
wondering how I should meet those pay
ments I had overlooked without cutting
off some little expense, which could
show Susan that I was bard up, I get
this extr.t job ot work, which will set
me straight. What a manager that girl
is ! I am afraid she stints herself in
dress and that, though, which must not
be ; it shall not be, mother, it 1 can help
it." And thinking of her who was gone
he fell asleep.
Susan s bedroom communicated witn
the parlor, and when her brother and
Mr. Nicholson went up stairs, sbe passed
into it. returning again soon with a
quantity of millinery materials, from
wbicb she proceeded to conooct one ot
those articles of feminine adornment
which fathers and husbands pay so high
ly for.
" Poor old Harry I her thoughts ran,
as her nimble fingers worked. "He
thinks that I do not see that bis salary
is too little for our expenses, and I durst
not remonstrate with him when be
wastes his money upon things I really
uu not want; it would disappoint mm
so t How little he thinks that I dften
follow him into London, carrying my
wcrk to the shop when it is oempleted I
Tbe ordinary seamstress' work I tried at
first was not worth while, but they pay
well for this. I wish Harry would
spend a little upon himself; I durst not
give him a new coat or hat in return
for his mantillas and bonnets. The idea
of his getting me that bonnet; how
surprised he would be to learn that I
made it!"
I'AST.
The air of Harrow-on-the-Hill must
be particular bracing, if the proverbial
Bentiment about the bird of St. Michael,
attributed to the boys educated there, be
tounded on anything like practical ex-
perience. The goose, tbey say, is an
awkward dainty, being too much for
one, and not enough for two. 1 know
that if I had two sons who " asked for
more" after finishing a goose at a sit
ting, I should write to the Timet. It is
true that there are geese and geese, and
the specimen sent to the Maplesons may
nave been exceptionally fine ; but though
they had gone into training as it were,
by dining at six instead of at one, and
though they had the fellow-lodger to
help them, they left pickings; and if
some Harrovian curls tbe lip ot scorn, 1
cannot belp it; truth is my bobby. .
Wl en they had got their first glasses
ot sherry alter the meal, ilarry said :
" We must drink the health of Mr. An
onymous, please."
" Mr. Anonymous," repeated Susan,
sipping.
" Mr. Anonymous," echoed Mr. Nich
olson, who drank, and then added, ".home
relative t
" I don't know," replied Harry. " He
is a deed, or rather a succession of deeds,
without a name. He sent us the goose :
he sent us this sherry ; he has made us
more valuable presents. Do you think
I ought to receive benefits without
knowing from whom they come ?"
" Certainly," said tbe fellow lodger
" I think you have told me that in one
ot bis brst letters this unknown profess
ed himself a friend of your your moth'
er's. Am I not correct 'C
" Yes. But why such mystery ?"
" Oh, there are several probable rea
sons for that ; he may be ashamed of not
doing more, You may have substantial
claims upon him as a trustee of those
tunds which 1 think you said had been
unwisely invested, or ho may have a
morbid dislike to being thanked.
" It is strange, anyhow," said Harry,
" that our mysterious benefactor should
not have come forward to assist us when
we most needed it."
" When you lost your mother?"
" Yes."
" Perhapi,'' said Susan, " he was not
in England then, and knew nothing
aooui wuat baa happened.
" That is very likely, said Mr Nichol
son, " especially as you were supposed to
be well provided for. Have you not
said so r
" Yes," replied Harrv : " our poor
mother's little property was in a bank
which broke, but, thank Uod I she did
not know what had happened. She
died in the belief that her children were
beyond tbe reach of sordid cares."
" It was about two years ago, I think
you have said 'r"'
" 1 es, two years last August. I was
at college when summoned away to her
bedside, for her illness was sudden and
short. And just as we were recovering
a little trom the shock, ruiu came. If 1
had been alone in the world I think
that I should have enlisted or emigrated,
tor l leit very desperate : but fortunate
ly I had Susan to look after, and that
steadied me. Well, we must net com
plain. I was fortunate to get my clerk
ship, and we managed to save that
piano, and a few things which were
sacred in our eyes, from the wreck."
"it was a sad blow ; and the cares of
life have fallen upon you early, my
young friends," said Mr. Nicholson. "But
pardon me for having led the conversa
tion into Buch a melancholy channel.
he added, seeing that Susan had much
ado to restrain her tears. " I do not
know how it happened."
" Uh, Harry and I often talk over old
times; I like it," said Susan. "It
would be a dreadful thing to avoid
speaking of mamma because she has
been taken from us ; it seems to me that
those we love are only really lost ' when
we banish tbem Irom our memories.
The old man bowed his head and
sighed deeply. " Have you any likeness
of her '(" he asked, after a pause.
" u yes, replied busan ; and she rose
and placed a minature in his hand. He
gazed at it in silence for some time, and
then murmured : " How like I"
" You knew our mother !" exclaimed
Harry in surprise.
i mean how use your sister, said
Mr. Nicholson, handing the minature to
him.
" O yes ; there is a strong family re
semblance," said Harry. " But since
you will not have any more sherry, sup
pose we go up to your room and smoke
a pipe while Susan makes tea."
W hen the old man and the young one
had settled down to the mutual absorp
tion of nicotine, tbe latter referred
again to the subject of his personal af
fairs. " The only thing I regret," said
he, " is the way in which my sister is
shut up. It must be a dreadful thing
for her, poor girl, to be alone all day ;
and it is bad for her to be entii ely with
out any companion of her own sex."
'Have you no relatives or friends i
asked Mr. Nicholson.
"Our relatives cast us off many years
ago, on account of a family inistorune.
But there were some friends, who got
me my present appointment, aud who
would have taken charge of Susan. We
declined, because of that family affair,
for Susan thought, and I thought, that
it would perhaps be brought up against
her if she mixed in the society to which
these friends would have introduced her.
Ot course we did not put our refusal
upon that ground ; Susau said she
would not leave me, and, I believe
they think me very wrong and selfish.
I am quite confident that I am right
myself, and yet the pride which shrinks
from raking up an old shame can hardly
be a false pride can it V"
It is not an easy thing to decide in a
moment the degree of pride which every
man ought to allow himself to point
out where the proper ends, and the false
begins to beat the parish bounds be
tween self-respect and vanity. No won
der that Mr. Nicholson puffed bard at
his pipe in silenoe. It was evidently no
lack of interest that held his tongue,
however, for he turned away his head,
and his hand shook as though it were
palsied. And probably Harry did not
look for a reply ; he was thinking aloud
as much as talking to the other ; and
presently he perceived this, and said
with a laugh : " A pleasant sort of com
panion I must be with my sentimental
egotism I My excuse is the relief it af
fords me to speak out, and there is no
one else upon whom lean inflict the ideas
which sometimes plague me ; for, of
course, I want Susan to think me as free
from care as a lap-dog. And. then I
seem to have known you all my life ; I
forget that it is hardly six months since
we left tbe house together one morning,
and both walking city-wards, fell into
conversation. But I know that you
will pardon me."
" There is no need for pardon," said
Mr. Nicholson. " You do me a favor
by taking me into your confidence. I
am a lonely old fellow, who has Bpent
the better part of his life away from his
country."
"Ah! where r"
" The last few years at Simancas ; be
fore that, in Paris ; before that, at Got
tingen. I am little more than a musty old
book-worm crawling from library to
library ; living so much in the past as
t have lost all connection with the
present. You have recalled feelings,
tympathies.associations, which I thought
were lost to me forever." He paused
for a while, and then said abruptlv :
" How you must hate that member of
your tauiily who brought upon it the
shame of which you speak !"
" O no, no, no 1" cried Harry. " You
little think But I will tell you all
about it some day. I see that you have
finished your pipe ; suppose we go down
stairs again."
Sad subjects of conversation did not
crop up again, and the rest of the even
ing, though " musical," was not " mel
ancholy." FUTURE.
One evening in October Hirry Maple
son came home at tbe usual time, but
not in Lis usual state of calm composure.
His face was pale, his eyes were spark
ling with excitement, his forehead was
bathed ia perspiration, and he flourished
an evening paper about.
" What is the matter?" cried Susan.
"Djn't be alarmed it is good news.
We can look the world boldly in the
face, my dear; our father was innocent 1"
"I know it; dtar mamma always
said so."
" Ay, but it is proved ! See here. I
don't think you ever knew the details of
the matter 'f" .
" No ; I never wished to do so."
" Well, then, I will not enter into them
now. It is sufficient tor you to under
stand that our father was a man of con
siderable talent, who tcok a high degree
at his university, and was considered a
rising man by the political party whose
cause he espoused. Indeed, for sometime
he was private secretary to a Minister,
and it was only because of his desiriug
a more certain income upon his marriage
that he resigned that unstable office, and
accepted an appointment which was not
dependent upon one set of men going out
of office and another coming in. It was
a position of trust, and large sums of
money passed through his hands. Well,
there was wrong-doing embezzlement,
downright theft, in the department.
Our father could not clear himself ; his
name appeared to fraudulent documents
which could not have been used without
his signature in short he was condemn
ed sent across the sea lost ; for from
that time our mother could hear no more
of him. " I am innocent," he said when
they parted ; " but what does that matter
the disgrace is the same. I hope to die
soon ; but if this blessing is denied me, I
desire to be forgotten, as though I had
really escaped from this den of thieves.
1 will not drag you and mv children
down any lower. Do not speak of me to
them never seek for tidings of me."
Our mother prayed, remonstrated, wept
in vain he was firm, saying that he
knew it was for the best. That was
eighteen years ago, Susan, when you
were quite a baby, and I so young that I
have only the vaguest remembrance of
calamity and change. Well, our father
had no more to do with that crime than
we infants had : a man in the same de
partment forged his name, and embezzled
the money ; he is dyiag struck down
with a painful disease, which leaves him
in full possession of bis faculties ; and in
his terror he has confessed, and he ap
peals to the family of the man he has
worse than murdered to us for for
giveness ! Here it is see 1 Can you
forgive him, Susan? I can't. Forgive
him ! I wish him well and strong, that I
might have my fingers round his throat,
and my knee in his chest, and watch his
black soul stifling in his black heart !
Soul I I hope "
" Harry, liarry I '
" Well. well. I forgot myself : don't look
frightened, Susan. It is well that the
wretch has spoken at last, at all events :
our father's memory will be cleared from
reproach; and you can stay sometimes
witn those good Poynter people, and see
a little society."
ftusan was protesting that Bhe was
quite contented and happy under present
circumstances, when she was interrupted
by a knack at the door, and the fellow
lodger entered the room. He too held a
newspaper in his hand ; he, too, was evi
dently under the influence of strong emo
tion, for he stood glancing from one to
the other with a strange, yearning ex
pression in his eyes ; twice he essayed to
speak, and twice his voice failed him.
" You have seen th-s account in the
evening papers, and have conoluded that
we belong to the family of the Mr.
Mapleson whose cruel story is told
there '"' asked Harry.
ihe old man nodded.
" You are right : we ara his children.
This sympathy is indeed kind."
" Perhaps you yourself are a connec
tion V" said Susan, with a woman's pene
tration. The fellow-lodger at last forced words
to his lips ; Yes," he sid, " I V
" Liook to him. Harry I cried Susan :
and if they had not run forward to sup
port him, the old man would have fallen.
'i fiey got bim into a chair, bathed his
forehead, gave liitn sherry, and he soon
camo out of his faint. "The emolbn
was too much for me," he said presently
" I am myself again now. No, no, do
not go for a doctor. I am not ill. It is
nothing but an overdose of happiness ; a
medicine," he added, with a sad smile,
" that I have not been much accustomed
to."
"You were a great friend of his, per
haps V" asked Harry, who looked puzzled ;
but Susan glanced rapidly from the
youthful features of her brother to the
time and care-worn faoe of the other, and
u light flashed upon her.
"Father!" she cried.
" My girl I My children !"
In the course of that evening he told
them all. How that, when a few years
of his sentence had expired he was allow
ed to live as a free man within the bound
aries of the colony ; how his book -craft
had gained him the situation of librarian
to a wealthy settler, who had a touch of
bibliomania, which it was difficult to
gratify out there ; how he nearly died of
the gnawing desire to communicate with
his wife, but fought the battle out with
what he felt to be self, and conquered ;
how at length, when free to return to
Europe, he had engaged in certain liter
ary pursuits, which there is no occasion
to specify, but in which he was event
ually so successful, as to be in receipt of
an income far beyond his wants ; how
that, hearing of his wife's death, and
certain that his children could not recog
nize him, he had come to England and
had contrived to obtain lodgings in the
same house, and to make their acquaint
ance. " And if it had not been for this happy
ooi fession, would you have never told
us who you were, papa V" asked Susan.
" After the trial I have gone through,"
replied her father. " I think I may boast,
never !"
It is felt in certain influential circles
that " something should be done " for
"poor Mapleson;" something is also to
be done for his so a Harry. This vague
announcement sounds, I grant, woefully
like " chops for two !" but I am in a po
sition to stato that Mr. Mapleson will
have a pension, and that Hrry will get
a nomination; and when it comes to
competitive examination, within certain
limits, I'll back bim. Meantime, father
and son and daughter are settling down
into their relationship, and Harry has
been relieved of a nightmare. It was
this: He fancied that perhaps the man
since dead by the bye who committed
the crime his father suffered for, had
made him the various presents he had
accepted; and one evening when the
three were together, he owned that this
suspicion made him wretched.
" Silly I" cried Susan ; " why, of course
Mr. Anonymous was papa !"
" Is that a fact father 'f "
"Susan is right, my boy."
. Chumhen'it Journal.
Boston Rich Men in Disguise
The Boston correspondent of the Roch
ester Democrat writes :
The old a J age that " you can't always
tell what a man is worth by the clothes
be wears," is true in more senses than
one. One of the most poverty-stricken
looking men that searches our business
thoroughfares for old paper is worth
half a dozen brick buildings at the
south end, and an old apple woman in
the vicinity of Kilby street pays taxes
on a f30,000 house in the same part
of the city. The foundation of the
wealthiest foreign fruit house in town,
Draper & Co., was laid by selling
domestio fruit on a street corner
thirty years ago. Some men have a
knack of turning everything into green
backs which they touch. Opportunity,
too, is one of its elements of success.
The head waiter of the Parker House,
Barrett, understands his business, or he
would not be able to erect a handsome
granite building, which he is doing.
This same person has real estate in Cam
bridge, but continues to be a head wait
er, and is happy. There is also another
character rich in disguise. He is a porter
in one of the State street banks. At the
close of business hours he is disguised in
overalls and an old hat, and sweeps out
and dusts down. During business hours
he acts as messenger, thus drawing two
salaries. He owns eight houses, and al
though worth $25,000 he is not above
the menial service of an Irishman armed
with a broom. One of the wealthy men
of Newburyport rides into Boston every
morning, except Sunday, and stands be
hind the counter as faithfully as though
he had a large family to support on a
small salary ; but he is not happy. A
Cape Coder, doing business in the city,
and worth $000,000, works Bide by Bide
with his help in the store, and does not
dress so well as his salried clerk, who
would not contaminate his hand with
tarred rope undar any circumstances;
which shows the difference in people.
To Develop TnlcnU
Place a man in a position that will
fearfully tax him and try him, a posi
tion that will often bring the blush to
his cheek and the sweat to his brow, a
position that will overmaster him at
times, and cause him to rack his brain
for resources. Place him in a position
like this. But every time he trips go to
his rescue ; go not with words of blame
or censure, but go with manful words of
encouragement ; look bim boldly in tbe
eye, and speak them with soul and em
phasis. This is the way to make a man
of a boy, and a giant of a man. If a
man has pluck and talent, no matter
whether he ever filled a given position
or not, put him in it, if worthy, and he
will soon not only fill it, but outgrow it.
But put one in a position with a faint
heart. This is the way to kill him.
Put him in grandly with most unmis
takable confidence. Drop no caveats,
but boldly point the wav. and then
stand by with a will and countenance of
a true friend. Thus try twenty men,
such as have been named, and nineteen
wiu succeed.
Methodist churches were built in
America last. year at tbe rate of four
per diem. .
Snnllnes, where They Come From nnd
How Preserved.
There are few delioacies so well-known
and so highly esteemed as the sardine.
The deliciouB flavor of the fish when the
tin is. first opened, and tbe sweetness of
the oil (always supposing a good brand)
print their charms upon the memory.
It will be unweloome news, however, to
many to be told that anything good in
this way is exceedingly scarce this sea
son. Unfortunately, it was the same
last year. Then the destroying demon
of war took the fishermen from the vil
lages, and, added to this, the fish were
scarce, so that more was contracted for
than could be delivered. This year it is
worse. Few fish of any size have been
caught (except some very large), least of
all those of the finest quality. The con
sequence is, that the French manufac
turers jire again unable to carry out
their contracts.
The fishery, says the London Grocer,
is carried on generally from July to
November, all along tbe west coast of
France. Two of the largest stations are
at Douarnenez and Concatneau. Fleets
of boats go out some few miles and spread
out their nets, by the side of which some
cod roe is thrown to attract the fish.
The nets are weighted on one end and
have corks attached to the other bo that
they assume a vertical position two
nets being placed close to each other,
that tbe fish trying to escape may be
caught in the meshes. Brosght to land,
they are immediately offered tor sale, as,
if staler by a few hours, they become
seriously deteriorated in value, no first
class manufacturer caring to buy such.
They are sold by the thousand. Tbe
curer employs large numbers of women,
who cut off the heads of the fish, wash
and salt them. Tbe fish are then dipped
into boiling oil for a few minutes, ar
ranged in various sized boxes, filled up
with finest olive oil, soldered down, and
then placed in boiling water for some
time. Women burnish the tins ; the la
bels are put on, or sometimes enamelled
on the tins, which are afterwards pack
ed in wooden cases, generally contain
ing 100 tins, and are then ready for ex
port. '
It does not always seem to be remem
bered that the longer the tin is kept un
opened the more mellow do the fish be
come ; and, if properly prepared, age
improves them as it does good wine.
But if they are too salt at first, age does
not benefit them they always remain
tough. The sizes of tins are known as
half and quarter tins. There are two
half tins, oue weighing eighteen ounces
and the other sixteen ounoes gross. The
quarter tin usually weighs about seven
ounces, but there is a larger quarter tin
sometimes imported. Whole tins, and
even larger ones still, are used in France,
but seldom seen here.
As is wtll known, the sardine trado is
an important branch of industry, very
large quantities being consumed in
France ; and the exportation to Eng
land and America is truly wonderful..
Sayings of Prentice.
" An editor in Michigan, talking of
corn, professes to have two ears fifteen
inches long. Some folks are remarkable
for the length of their two ears."
" ' Doctor, what do you think is the
cause of this frequent rush of blood to
my head';'' O ' it is nothing but an ef
fort of nature. Nature, you know, oi
Jiors a taeuvm.'"
" The editor of the G saj'B he
hopes to reach the truth. He is laying
out for himself a long journey. II had
better make his will before he stai ta. '
" Will you have the kindness to band
me the butter before you '(' said a gen
tleman politely to an ancient maiden.
I am no waiter, sir.' ' Is that to? I
thought, from ycur appearance, you had
been waiting a longtime.'"
"A Western rhymer says he writes
only when an angel troubles his soul.
We don't know that the fact of his own
bouI being troubled gives bim the right
to trouble the souls of other people."
" ' You seem to walk more erect than
usual, my friend.' 1 Yes, I have been
straitened by circumstances.' "
"A well-known writer Bays that a fine
coat covers a multitude of sins. It is
still truer that such coats cover a multi
tude of sinners."
" ' Landlord, you do me too much
honor ; you let me sleep among tbe big
bugs last night.' 'O! don't be too mod
est, my dear lodger ; I doubt not tbey
have your own blood running in their
veins.' "
Pensions, and to Whom Paid.
The Soldiers bixce 1773. The fol
lowing facts in relation to pensions have
been compiled from data prepared for the
report of the Commissioner of Pensions :
" The aggregate annual amount of pen
sions of widows and dependent relatives
upon the roll J une 30, 1S7 1 , was lees than
on the 30th June, 1870. This was owing
to tbe lessening of individual pensions
by minors reaching the age of sixteen
years. There were 57,023 Revolutionary
soldiers pensioned for services, 11,308
soldiers of the Mexican war, and 103,791
soldiers of the war of the rebellion pen
sioned as invilids. It is thought that
the annual expenditures for pensions for
other than the latter class have nearly
reached their maximum, and that during
the next ten years they will gradually
and materially decrease1."
The following is a statement, com
piled with great care in the Pension
Office, of tbe total number of soldiers
serving in tbe wars, and so forth, which
the nation has engaged in since 1773.
It will appear in tbe forthcoming re
port of the commissioners of Pensions :
Soldiers ot the War ot the Revolution 270 000
(Soldiers i-l the War of 112 bn.ti-il
Koliiiai ul the Seminole War ot 1817 6, Hi I
Kolitirrof the Hlack Hawk War of MX! 6,031
Holiliem of Hie Florida War ot ltOS to Mil SS.Saa
KaldteiH ol tle Crek dimurbaucitof l&lti li.ioi
boldicn ot the BoutUweitieru dutturbaucr ol
la) 2,803
8oliUers of the Cherokee Country du,tubuicta
ot ism S.ssO
Soldiers ot the Now York frontier dmturb.
anoe. and of the Canadian Ho-
bul Ion of 1888 1,128
Holdirra of the Mexican War of 14 7-i::u0
bul.UeiK of the War U the Reuelllou of ltfl.2,t8,W3
Boston is contemplating the annexa
tion of a dozen or so of the neighbor
ing towns. '
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
The name of a London street has been
changed to " Charles Dickens avenue."
An Iowa court" has decided that a
woman can bub her husband for .money
borrowed of her.
A young convert down in Maine de
monstrated the force of habit by re
marking in a conference meeting that
some of the proceedings were not " ac
cording to lioyle."
A young blacksmith in London has
undertaken to earn money in thn last
two years in a rather novel way. Half a
crown fee is paid to the individual who
gives the first intelligence of the break
ing out of a fire. This diligent youth
has set fire to 109 different buildings,
with no other purpose than obtaining
the 109 half crowns. The last time he
was detected, and is now on trial.
A "jour " tailor named Jimmy Yolk,
ninety-four years old, is now traversing
Ohio as a professional " tramp." He has
been on the tramp for seventy-five years,
and has visited evory State in tbe Union
many timeB, walking on an average 3,000
miles every year. He has good eye
sight yet, and professes to be able to
work at his trade. He has just returned
from a little walk into Nova Scotia, and
is now en route for Texas.
Tbe Speaker of the House of Commons
enjoys a magnificent residence, finished
and kept in repair at the public expense,
and containing one hundred rooms. He
receives a salary of $23,000, and on re
tirement is always created a viscount
and has a pension of $20,000, which cn
his death passes to his eldest son. Oddly
enough neither the late nor tho present
Speaker, although married men, have
any son to inherit theBe good things.
Alarm bells of a new style have re
cently been attached to thirty-four loco
motives of a railroad company in Michi
gan. The bell is placed immediately in
front, and is so attached that at each
revolution of the driving wheel it is
struck once by a hammer. It is claimed
that tho position of the bell causes the
sound to be thrown forward and con
ducted byhe earth and railroad track
so that it can be heard a considerable
distauce ahead of the train.
A professorship of Chinese is mooted
in California, aDd from theiuterest taken
the idea may really before long find form.
The English have long bad professor
ships of the Oriental languages and
literature with singular advantages to
their sway in their Eastern possessions,
aud from some popularization of Chi
nese and its twin-brother, Japanese, we
of the United States might derive no in
considerable benefit in our commercial
intercourse with the coming man.
The records of the American whale
fishery tell the story how petroleum ia
driving other oils from the market.
Only four years ago the whale fisheries
of this country employed three thousand
two hundred and eighty vessels, but
Bince that period the number of the fleet
has been continually decreasing. In a
single year after the time named over
two thousand nine hundred vessels went
out of the trade. In the succeeding
year there was a diminution of twelve
ships, and this year there are fifty ships
less. In four yenrs the entire whaling
fleet of the United States has been re
duced to one-thirteenth of its former ex
tent, there being but two hundred and
forty-nine vessels engaged in that trade
in 1871.
A Chicago lowr went to visit his girl
one evening recently, but for some rea
son, possibly that the fire had materially
changed his condition in life, she re
ceived and treated him coolly. He re
mained standing in the parlor a few mo
ments, but finally made a movement to
ward the front door, remarking that "ho
guessed he'd go." " Oh I" she remarked,
starting from a beautiful condition of
semi-unconsciousness, "won't you take a
chair r" "Well, I don't care if 1 do,"
was bis reply, and he took the chair,
thanking her kindly, and carried it
homes He says it is a good chair, made
of walnut, with stuffing, and green cover
just what he wanted. But he is down
on that girl, and declares he wouldn't
marry her not if her father owned a
brewery.
Gail Hamilton recently attended a
meeting of the woman's branch of the
American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions. She found it decided
ly tiresome to stand in the aisle for two
hours to listen to feminine oratory, and
openly professes that if she is obliged to
stand to hear anybody speak she prefers
that the speaker should be a man. In
the course of the meeting a small dog
entered the hall, and after listening to
the speeches proceeded to have a fit.
The ladies present shrieked in fear, and
called upon a man to put the dangerous
beast out. Wherefore Miss Hamilton
laments that women will never be true
to themselves, but that after clamorous
ly demanding an equality in all things
witb men they seek refuge behind the
latter whenever a small dog inconsider
ately barks. That malicious,little brute
furnishes her with a conclusive argument
against tbe equality of women.
Tbe Illinois Legislature has taken up
the subject of abolishing Canada thistles.
A bill has been introduced providing for
a Canada Thistle Commissioner in each
town, whose business shall be to extir
pate them in the roads, and when he
finds them growing upon any person's
land, to place tbe infected spot iu quar
antine immediately, and devise measures
to prevent the spread of this botanical
Ku-Klux. The Chicago Tribune says
this is a matter of very serious moment
to tbe farmers of the State, and may in
volve thousands, even millions, of dol
lars if the thistle is allowed to go on
sowing itself unchecked. In one county
alone there are two thousand acres of
these noxious, purple-headed weeds and
the flight of their winged seeds this fall
will probably still further extend their
area next year, and choke out all useful
vegetation. The I'ribune is not inclined
to envy the commissioner whose lines
are cast where thistles are plentiful.
His lot will be as thorny as that of Theo
philus Thistle, the suoceesful thistle-sifter,
whose mibhsp it hat perplexed so
many school-boys to pronounce.