HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor axd Publisher vol; i. RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1872. NO. 51. I1 OUT BY. LITE. When SLoe I questioned of my spirit thus " Oh, wlut Is Life t ay, truly, vehal U Llfo ?" tt answered mo from out 1U stormy depth? " A poor, .lack tlssno full of rants i A rUinim; cup, that often holds but conlt AH blacUenod, and the heat Ions tlnce dlfd out ; A play in which the actors wear thick mckf, I,3t curious eyes rhould look loo deep and fco The spethliift, boiling pi.-ions of tho heart, In wlldc, t tumult and confusion dire i A solemn chant that r!-,;.-s unceasing out, I.iUo chant of priests r friar's funeral ; Or yet like mu?ic m?' ting into wails. As some sad occau rl;rg forever melts ; A rplendid pagi-ar; oil made up and false, That irllilers while it lasts, bnt does no Rood; A sort of compound, into which are thrown Such bitter mixtures as aro found at hand : A wild mid dnrnry wasto of desert sand Tossed in terrific masses by the wind ; A weary vaste of wators, whero there's nanpht But drift, nj? sca-wced on the foamy waves ; A fitful, lurid glaro, that flashes up A single instant, then dies out agniu ; 'TIsany;Utng that's pitiful or sad. But naug'it that's Joyous, full of happinefs; That comes beyond our poor life's narrow range." Then Conscience cahn and clcarlts warninr; spoko "Oh, Human Soul, torat sudden bitterness Iliit'.i warped end. crtt'hod theo with its heavy wcuut; Some (tri ivous wrong thy better feolinn hushed, And thoi been mado to drink somo cup of call That wrought a swi'.t reaction on thy joy, O.- tLoa iiadst never spoken thus of Life. When pa- sion'i billows sink to calm a-ratn, Emotion of a better sort shall come ; 'fine ciimci and errors of the Crld will not Thon drl-o theo from it with a hatred deep. Not harth, but grieved, a pitying Uudciutitt Will toacu. thco Life is not for self alone. Since others claim thy sympathy and aid. The wond'rer needs a kindly spoken word To lead him back to duty's one straight path ; One, dou'jting If there may exist a spark Of truth or justice in the outer world, And finding in ouo heart, receives sweet faith. If Life to thco is but a shadowed way, It (rives r.o right to shrink within thyself. Thy grief repressed, repugnance overcome, And outr.-ard seeming calm and poised, go meet Those wl o have need of thee, as they pre on To final goal, the same as thine own aim ; Nor o'er i jrgot thy Life's for them, not thee. And blowing others, thou shnlt be thyself Moro Mc-1 and Joyous than thou dared to hopo." J. J. OWBS. Til E S TO R 1 - TELL Eli. I) AX FLUE'S STORY. II Y EDWARD EGOLKSTOX. It was not often that a gentleman of culture and a lawyer in successful prac tice commanded an Ohio rivor flat-boat, hut Mr. Churchill was out of health, and so, taking his brilliant nephew, Dudley Churchill, alcng for coinpui!y,ho embark ed on the boat wliich wan to iloat tho pro- duco of his farm to New Orleans. It was Saturday night, and Mr. Churchill, beinga scrupulousman, would not let his boat float on Sunday ; so she was mado fast in a secure landing-place, her long, swooping oars, each of which took four mon to swing, wero folded at her side, imd tho rough Jloosicr crew set themselves about finding sonic amuse ment for tho evening and tho idle day that was to follow. Tho river was fall ing fast, and Hill McKay, the good-natured champion of his county, was or dered to stand watch for tho first half of tho night, lest tho boat should ground. "With a rueful countenance, the burly giant climbed tho stairway, sorry that ho could not stay below and hear the yarns which only a ilat-boat cabin ever hears. " Coujo, Dan I tell U3 a story," said Dudley Churchill, who enjoyed nothing so much us tho society of tho rough hands, with their fresh originality of character and their rude wit. Dan Flue, who was addressed, looked up slowly. - I don't think of no story. But cf you'd liko to hear a little scien tific fact with a high moral tendency, I think I inout relate somcthin' of that sort," " First-rate," said Henry Turner, tho cook, washing dishes ; " a fact from you would bo delightful, especially a fact with a moral tendency." "Well, then, I shan't tell it !" said Flue. ' You han't got the sperret n man orter liavo when he hears a- fact, espe cially a fact told of a Saturday night and good enough fer a sermon for Sun day morning." 'Fshaw! Dan, tell it for ran," said Dudley. " I am prepared to believo ev i vry word you say, and to profit by the moral of tho story." " Well ! it's a right smart story to be lieve, and I don' know ns I should havo swallered it myself cf anybody had told it to me. It docs seem a little juborous to look at it. ' But I seo it with theso ero eyes, and I'll swear to it on a stack of BiUles as high as a sycamore." " Wouldn't yon put" a Testament on top of that, Dan r " aid Ferry Raymond. " Yes, ton . on 'em ! When I tell a yarn I toll a yarn, but when I'm talkin' in tho presence "of a lawyer and ft Chris tian like Mr. Churchill, find when I'm tellin' a scientific fact, and a hopin' to maki a moral, un i, may bp, a religious impression, 1 stick to tho facts as saw by theso orbits of mine." "What do you proposo to call this story r" asked Ferry liaymond. " Why, I should call her ' Positively A Fact,' ef 1 named her; but Dudley's a man of literary parts, and I'll just hint to him that it's true, .and that it's got a solemn moral, and that it's" about a bar that got to gettiu' tight. . May bo ho can givo tho fact I'm going to tell a name of flio sort you see in books." " Let's see'said Dudley. ; How will this do V. Lets call it - , ... ., Tun Inebriate Beau. A BotXXTIFHi FACTr-Wint A MonAJ.. " First-rate. 7And now"' hero goes. I think when ! you ' was'lectioneering fer Congress last year, Mr. Churchill, you must a boon to Jericho, in Ripley Coun ty?" . - Ye3," said Mr. Churchill, gravely. " You must a seen tho place where the road crosses tho Lougliery Creek Y" "Yes." "D you happen to know whero Bun Samson lives '(" " Yes ; I staid with kim in a roil house at the top of the big hill." " Precisely ! Well, I wanted to fix tho jognphy of my fact, so that theso in credible fullers laight know as I was statin' facts." And here Dan looked round in triumph, i' I lived 'jinin' farms with Ben Samson. My house was in the hollow beyaud." " Hard set lived there in those days, Dan,'; said Mr. Churchill. " Wal, yes," said Dan, with good-natured impudenco; "that was nateral enough, secin' as how your father-in-law made tho very first settlement at Jeri cho, Mr. Churchill. But that's neither hero nor there. I lived in that holler. Ben Samson and mo was at outs. So, one night, I saw a bar a-cliinbing tho fence with his arms full of roas'in yeors. They warn't nono of mine, and I just let tho old chap go. Ef my gun hadn't a been out of kelter, I'd a shot the thief and treated myself to somo bar-grease for my hair. " Well, tho nex' day I got tho gun fixed. An' tho nex' night I watched for Mr. Bar. 'Long ho conw ; but 'stid of comin' my way. ho went nosiu' round Ben Samson's cider mill. Thero was some cider let" in tho bottom of tho mill, you know." " Cider an' roasting ears at tho sam9 time, Dan'r" inquired Mr. Churchill, gravely, while thero was a general titter. " Yes !'' said Dan, utterly unabashed ; " and that there is tho curiouscst thing of all. I was jiiit goin' to call your 'ton tion to that, Mr. Churchill, 'kaso I know you kin explain it, boiu a colloge-cdi-cated man. The cider hod stood in tho box of tho mill nino months er so, and 'stid of changin' to vinegar it had took t'other road and gono to apple-brandy. I don't know much about science, boys, but Mr. Churchill can oxplain it. "Twits a curious scientific fact, though." Dudley remarked that it was very cu rious. " Well ! they was a old tin pan left in tho mill, and that thar bar he must a been sort a thirsty-like. Ho up with the pan, and took !l long, comfortable swig at that apple-brandy. I think he must a put down a quart. And in live minutes or so he was as drunk a bar as you ever sot eyes on. He danced, and staggered and laughed ho did, 'pon my honor and then sot down and aried. Then ho went olf a f-ingin' and a hol lerin'." " Why didn't you shoot him':" asked Hciivy Turner. "Shoot him! That's what you'd a ittine : lhats all the sense vouvo got. Do you think I hadn't no enthusiasm let science 'i I'd ruther shot you than to a shot that bar. I wanted to sec tho cft'ec'' of apple-brandy on a varmint of that sort. " Well, r.ir, cf you'll believo it, fer ten nights I watched that bar. Every night ho comoulougmopin'. And every night ho went homo beastly drunk. Well, tho 'leventh night come. "Twas a Sunday night, iuat bar uidu t no more regard the Sabbath day than notliin'. lie conw agiu. But this time ho warn't alone. Thero was Mrs. Bar aiid tho cubs. Thev seemed to bo demonstrating with him. !he pulled at his 8'uoulder. Ono of the little fellers got tt hold of his tail and pulled." " Bears ha n t got no tail, said old Wood, the red-nosed pilot. " ell, may be they ban t, said Dan, angrily ; " but when a felier sticks to tho solemn truth in the main, you don't want to quarrel with him about o leetlo a thing as a bar a tail. As 1 was sayin , the rest stood and boo-hooed. It was the most techin' sight I ever beheld. But that beast never stoppeil drinking till he was so beastly intoxicated that his wile had to help him home. " ihen como tho twell night. 1 than t never ferget that. Fer you seo tho bar didn't come at the usual time, ail 1 found there was only ouo bottle of that brandy left, so I couldn't X'esist the temp tation to draw that oil in a bottle that I carried in my pocket. I used tho bot tle generally for milk." Hero Dan looked apologetically at Mr. Churchill. "I thought it might bo good ia case of sickness or mince pics, you know, and I knov.'ed Ben Samson wouldn't nover miss it, for ho didn't know that 'twas there. But I was awful sorry that I tuck that brandy afore morning. Fer bruin came along mora down-hearted lookin' than T ever see. Smelt tho tank tdl over. Didn't find nothin'. Then he looked tho very picter of despair. He climbed up on tho feiico and sot down, a leaning his elbows on the rider of tho fence, and his head on his paws. I de clare I shed tears. I would' willingly Lev givo him that bottle cf I'd a thought ho'd knowed tho use of a bottle. But you seo u bar a'u't so civilized as that. Well, ho sot thero an hour. Then, I Vposo ho began to seo snakes. Ho fit this away, and ho fit that away. Ho snapped, and bit, and growled. 'Twas awful to seo his age.rny. And ho hadn't no doctor by to call it apperplexy. It was deliruni triiublnns, and nothin clso. I got so all-fired interested that I como a leetlo to closto. I sposo ho thought I was tho ole boy, fer ho chased mo. I run fer tho woods, und he follerod closto. I dim a tree a ash with tho lowest limb a hundred feet from tho ground. And that bar climarter mo. I cluin and ho clum. I cluin and he clum. About thirty feet up ho cotch my boot. I usod him for a boot-jack and wrenched my foot out of tho boot. Down went the bar and tho boot. Thon ho como artor mo agin. Jist as I got up to tho lowest limb, which was a hundred and fifty feet up, ho cotch up to mo. They warn't no chanco fer a feller. I toll you I did fool as ef tho uay of jodgment had come, and I did wish I hadn't stold that bottle of Itraniy from from tho bar. For scttin up thar waitin ter a bar witn tlio trim Wins to 8 waller you, and remembering that the solid terry firiuy is a hundred and soventy-five feet down, makes a man think of his sins agin' his fellow man, and 'specially gin the bar that's about to arrest him." Hero Henry Turner laughed, and Dan relapsed into an obstinato silenco, de claring that b'd bo blumed ef he'd fin isk that Btory, It was the solemn truth, and was the solomnust time of his life, and ho didn't choose to hev it larfod at by fools, ho didn't. And he pulled off ono boot, and bogan to get ready for bed." "But you'll finish it for mo, Dan!-" said Mr. Churchill. "Wll, I don't in'v. 1. Yuu can jedge of tho science ::i itiy ctory, and you can realizo tho moral tendency of it. That bar was about to eat me up, ns I was a sayin', me aettin' up thar two hundred feet from the yurth. But I nllara had a way of getting out of scrapes. I jest happened to think that it warn't me tho bar wanted. Ho warn't hungry he was dry. He was hankorin' arter that black bottlo in my coat-tail pocket, and and so I jest whisked it out and pulled the cork and stuck tho neck in his mouth as ho come up towards me. You ortcr a a seo how comfortablo his eyes looked ns that brandy went clown his gullet! Ho suckod nway till ho had dreeued tho last drop. Then ho let go, and fell that two hundred and twenty feet on to tho ground. I slid down, and it seemed ns ef I never would reach tho ground, which was two hundred and fifty feet ef it was an inch, and I found his neck broke. Ho had como to the drunkard's ontiincly rend." Hero Dan looked ominously at old Weed tho pilot, who30 nose was fearfully red. " I skinned him and hung the skin up to dry. Mado somo hair-ilo outen tho fat. "'Twarn't wuth shucks. Smelt liko apple-brandy, and when I put it on my head I pot the sack from tho gill I wa.o goin' with, bekaso I smolt of liquor liko pizen sho said. But tho tochinest sight was to come. Tho night arter his death I found Mrs. Barr and her cubs a standin' by tho hido of the boastly ole drunkard. a cryin'. They's no limit to tho affection of tho female cox. Sho rubbed her eyes with her left hand, and pinted to the hide with her right. And too young bars looked on kinder solemn, and then they all marched oil' in a pereefsion." "Why didn't you shoot 'em, D.m:" said liaymond. "Shoot 'em'." exclaimed Dan, draw ing Ids other boot, and looking furiously at tho questioner. "Shoot 'em! You onfeelin' Virute you ! You ha'u't got no heart ! Do yon think I'd shoot a wid der und her poor fatherless father less " " Cubs," suggested Dudley. "Yes, cubs," thundered Flue, and turned into the bunk and snored in ten seconds. Whethor Bill McKay had kept watch over tho receding water I can not say, but when Dudley climbed to tho dock ho found Bill rolling in an agony of laughter, a id Dudley himself, insen sible alike t Dan's science and to his moral, lay do w n on tho dock, and looked up at tho con lellation of Ursa Major and well, lot us say for tho sake of hu manity, that ho wept over tho tragic end of tho father of a family. Hearth and Home. Alcohol in Eiseasp. Tho question cf tho uso of alcohol in medical practioe is having a fresh discus sion in England, where a strong medical declaration has been published, in which tho names of greatest worth in tho pro fession authorized the statement that in tho present day tho vnluo of alcohol as an article of diet is immensely exagger ated ; that its prescription in disease is not to bo interpreted as a sanction for the continuance of its uso when tho oc casion is past, and that they will gladly support any wise legislation tending to promote temperance among the working classes, and undoubtedly among all classes. It is observed in England, as it has been here, that tho medical prescrip tion of wine and spirits is made un ex cuse for indulgence in tho same after tho necessity has past, tho patient being ready to assume that this " medicine" is needed us a tonic. Of all tho drugs ad ministered in disease, alcohol is the only one which is adopted in daily uso after ward, and tho cheerful resignation with which it is taken for " medicinal pur poses," is a tribute to tho unwavering confidence which' men como to reposo in their medical advisers. Tho Jill Mull Gazette notices that tho habits induced by our " fashionable medical patronage of alcohol" havo spread into tho drawing-room and the nursery. Wiuo is or dered for tho little folks as well as for tho grown ones. As tho Gazette remarks, " port wine has been a great panacea for paleness and lassitudo in tho nursery und in tho school-room. Fashionablo board ing schools keep an approved cellar, and indulgent mothers are apt tc think high ly of tho considerate doctor who agrees that tho child would bo all tho better for a littlo wiuo at dinner." Now, however, the fashion is to chango, and that thero is a " fashion" in niodicino is well known to all observers. Tho English protest cannot fail to have a powerful influence, not only thero but hero. It is not mere ly that liquors are impure or drugged, that tho really nourishing element in them is overlaid by adulterations which may do positive harm, but tho very fundamental question of the " food and fuel" qualities f alcohol is agitated. Tho result will certainly bo a reform in practice" which has in it the elements of pernicious mischief. Tho Only Difficulty. Undo Feter, who flourished in tho mountains of Vermont, as a horse deal er, was called upon tho other day by an amateur of " cquino" who was in search of something fast. Tho result is told as follows : " There," said Undo Fetor, pointing to an animal in tho meadow boforo tho house ; " there, sir, is an ani mal who would trot her milo in two minutes and seventeen seconds were it not for ono thing." " Iudeod I" " Yes," continued Undo refer, " sho is four years old this spring, is in good condition, looks well, is a first-rate mare, and she could go a milo in two seventoen if it was not for ono thing." " Well, what is it '(" " That mare," resumed the jockey, " is in every way a good piece of proper ty. Sho has a heavy inano, a switch tail, trots fair, and yet thero is ono thing only why sho can't trot her mile in two minutes and sovontoen soconds." " What, in conscienco, is it, thon'r" criod the amateur. " The distanoo is too great for tho timo," was the old wag's reply. OAio UtaU Journal. A Scrlons Mlstalo for a Married Man to Make. A little incident occurred in front of tho International Hotel, Virginia City, a few days tgo, which is worth tho room of a local to relate. There reudos in GolHill a married mana tall, good natured Scotsman whoso wifo went on a visit to tho East some eight months ngo. A couplo of weeks aaro she wrote him a letter that she would leavo for home, nnd that ho might, expect her to arrive in Virginia City on a certain day. At the appointed timo our Gold Hiller, (who had scarcely talked to any living woman since his wifo left for tho East), anxiously waited on tho sidewalk in front of tho stage office to embrace his long-absent wife; and several of his friends noticing his impatience, inquired tho cause, whrm ho enthusiastically in formed them that ho expected his dear wife, who hnd been absent for eight long months, and ho would bo so happy when she arrived, that it would bo equal to getting married again, and ho was suro sho was on tho in-coming stage, as sho wrote exaetly tho day sho would start for homo, and it took just so many days to come on tho cars, and tho timo was up, etc. The stago arrived and drew up in front" of tho International Hotel, whero our friend had already engaged a com fortable chamber, as he knew his wifo must bo tired and sleepy after such a long journey, etc. Tho passengers all got out of the coach except one lady on tho back seat, who was deeply veiled and had on a thick, chocked shawl. Our Gold Hill friend mado a rush into tho stago to embrace nnd kiss his wife ho knew it was her by tho chock shawl sho had on, as it was tho ono she left home in and just as ho was about throwing his arm1! around her nerk, anil pushing the heavy brown veil aside to get a good smack r.t her lips, a deep, sonorous voice from under the veil exclaimed : " Never mind chile, I kin get out myself, I kin '" Horror of horrors . could such a thing be that it was not tho lon-expocted wife!' Tho would-bo husband withdrew from the stage, and out bounced a big, fat colored woman, of at least two hundred and fifty pounds in weight, and, throw ing asido her veil, she cast a terrible pair of black eyes nt the intruder, with this remark : " You can't fool dis gal afore all dis crowd." Tho disappointed hus band asked tho crowd into Captain Vo sey's saloon to take a drink, provided tho wholo thing was kept a secret which has been strictly observed. His wifo has since arrived, and ho is happy, but ho swears ho will burn up that clu ck shawl she wore when sho left homo. Xo more check shawls for him. Gold Hill (Xcca ,() Xein. $ Au Exciting Adventure at Sea. A disngreeablo incident seems to havo in somo degreo interfered with the com fort of throe hundred passengers on board tho vossol Glenarvncy on its voyage to Calcutta. Ono night when they wero slumbering 'tween docks in the Straits f Malacca, thoy were disturbed by tho gambols of a black panther who had es caped from a cago in which it was con fined, and amused itself by making springs overtheir prostrate bodies. Their screams having uttracted attention, ev ery available Means of exit was thrown open, and all tho passengers reached the deck in safety. One man alone appeared to have suffered from tho claws of the animal, a large strip of skin and Mesh be ing torn oil" his back. As tho panther could not be found, it was concluded that ho must havo jumped out of the port into the sea, and tho next evening tho passen gers settled down in their quarters as before. During tho night, however, tho panther turned up again. Smo boat swain's stores being required from for ward, ono of tho Chinese lascars was sent down to get them, when he presently returned, exclaiming in trembling ac cents, "Tiger gotee down there." Tho captain, determined to stand no further nonsense,immediately sent for his breech loading rillo nnd cartridges, and went down irao hatch by himself, and ordered it to bo closed after him, for fear the beast should ugain get on deck, and cause further nnnoyanco and alarm to the pas sengers. On reaching tho dock of the storeroom and looking around, tho largo yellow lit eyes of tho animal glared down on him from tho top of some spars stowed along by tho ship's side. Taking advan tago of tho dim Ught admitted by tho port, tho captain took a steady aim at what he considered tho oenter of tho ani mal's body, and fired. Still tho yellow eyes glared on, until a second shot being fired, tho panther, measuring seven feet eight inches in length, rolled dead at tho captain's feet, to his great relief, and no doubt to that of his passengers also. Oplilhaluiaseoplc Explorations. An instr anient for examining tho in terior of tho eye for tho purposo of as certaining its condition is ono of tho ex traordinary aids which modem suience has furnished oculists for deteruiining with considerable accuracy what partic ular part cf innermost tissues aro ilo ceasod. But it is a dangerous practico to il luminate the organ in its normal state as n mero matter of gratification to seo how delicately it is constructed, because tho necessary amount of light thrown in to givo a distant view might prove extromely injurious to tho retina. So many eyes are permanently do stroyod by being subjected to intensi fied, or, as it might bo hotter expressed, by saying concentrated rays, in the prac tico of various arts, that all unnecessary excitomont of the optic nerve should be avoidod. Fresidont Smith, of Dartmouth Col logo, used to Bot typo in a priutiug office in Windsor, Vt. Ho say that tho ex perience was Cjf great uso to him, as it taught him to spell correctly, and ho thinks ho is o bettor college president for having boon a printer. Hero is a double moral : If you want to learn to spell correctly or boconie the president of a college, begin your career by sot ting type. A (jSaiiiller'g Trick. A gambler in his confession says : " I onco knew a Southern gentleman who, although not ostensibly a professional gambler, really mado short cards a' business. He was a man of education and a fino conversationalist, and a very elegant gentleman. Iio was very fond of a little gamo of draw, just to lull time you know ; but the result was that ho always got tho best of it, and mingling with moneyed i:ien, his winnings wcro largo. I got into a series of games with him, nnd as well as I understood cards myself, I invariably got tho worst of it. I knew thero was something, and I ro solved to discover it if possible. I care fully examined the backs of tho cards, and understanding how this sort of work is done, I very soon satisfied myself that tho backs wero all right. I watched his deal. Ho threw them around with gre.lt rapidity. His shullling was squnre. Ono day I procured a powerful mag nifying glass, and went carefully over a pack of cards that ho had won with tho night before. A long nnd careful search revealed in tho aces nnd faco cards a series of trifling concavities. Tho punches wero so slight as to bo in visible to tho naked eye, but in passing my fingers over them I could feel them. A gambler's fingers aro, or ought to bo, soft as velvet. Subsequent investiga tion revealed his work. He had on tho inside of his finger a minute punch. ; -i In the beginning of a game he would manage to turn the faco of the aces and faco cards ono at a time, so as to bring them against his punch, and then ono indention, or two, or three, in a certain locality would designate tho cards. So nice was his sense ot touch that, when dealing, ho would naturally pass tho faco of each card over his left middle fingers ; and, no matter how rapidly ho dealt them, bo would know tho posi tion cf all tho face cards in tho pack. Of course this gave him a heavy per centage, and the result was that ho in variably won. An Indiana Story. . It is not often that a lady sues a form er lover in order to recover the presents that sho has given him. About seven years ngo a raunc-teachor appeared among the denizens of Lafayette, Ind., and among his pupils were tho daugh ters of a lovely widow. Soon tho musi cian began to touch tho chords of tho widow's heart instead of those of tho piano, and so successful was he that the lady, with her confiding nature, placed a gold watch and chain and a fino gold ring in his possession. Finally tho mu sician migrated to Danville, and there ho received fifty dollars from his fascin ated widow. Timo wore on and tho widow married an estimable gentleman, nnd tho music teacher was apparently forgotten. But the latter, rash youth, took it into his head to call on his form er "true love," and having called onco and been kindly rceoived, choso not tc " want to be nn nngol," so far ns tho number of his visits was concerned. But ho went onco too often. Tho last visit ho mado ho was confrontod with a bill for tho alleged valuo of tho watch, chain, ring and greenbacks, with seven years' interest added. Ho had a difficul ty of vision, and a justicn of thn peaco was appealed to to open his eyes. Judg ment for tho plaintiff for the sum of $1118. An appeal was taken, and tho re sult is as yet unknown. Vicissitudes of a Russian Nobleman. Omaha. XebritKkii. it a fjivnrnd lonidi- Ry, since it possesses a real live Russian nobleman who plays a piano m a lager bier saloon for a living. His story, whether true or false, is a singular one. He belongs to a family of the lower no bility, and when quite young was placed in tho army. But he had tho bad habit of spending more money than ho ac tually possessed, and notico of his debts was conveyed to his father, who cut off his allowance. This so disgusted him that ho deserted and entered the Prus sian service. Hero, too, his expensive habits got him in disgrace, and, being dismssned from tho army, ho came to America. Xot being able to procure anything to do ho wrote to his family, who sent him a largo remittance with a promise, which has been faithfully kept, to seud a certain sum at stated intervals. Whilo ho has money ho lives liko a prince, and when it is gono ho plays the piano for a living. Ho is said to bo a lino musician, and since leaving Xew York has boon a hod-carrier in Chicago and a teacher of inusio in othor places. Here is a fino chanco for somo young lady with nobleman " on the brain." Moreover this man is said to bo really fine-looking, and a " genial companion ot all times." Animal Sagacity. Tho workmen in the: engine-house sf tho Xew Haven Railroad wero greatly amused, a few days ago, by tho move ments of a weasel that had killed a rat noarly as largo as himself, in ono of tho engine-pits. Tho sido of tho pit being porpondicular, and tho rat too heavy for tho weasel to carry up in his tooth, tho question arose how ho should get him out. It looked like a difficult task, but the weasel was equal to the emergency. After several unsuccessful attempts to shoulder tho rat and climb un the side. ho laid him down and went about to tho different corners of the pit on a tour cf inspection. finally selecting one in which sufficient dirt had accumulated to mako an elovation of several inches, ho wont back, dragged tho rat to the cor ner, and stood him UDon his hind less. Ho then clambered out of tho pit, and going to mo corner wnore ho Had lelt the rat, let himself down by his hind foot from above, clasped tho rat around the nock with his fore Daws, nulled him up and trotted off with him to his holo. The woasel is ono which mado his ap pearance at tho shops some timo azo. and which, by boing unmolested, has become quito tamo. tynnqjield Republican. Forty-four thousand three hundred and ninety-nine years from now tho sun will bum out, says tho Monthly BcUntht. Marriage. At ths present timo, when tho mar riage relation occupies so much of the publio attention, tho following views of tho late Theodore Parker on this subjsot aro not without interest : Men and women, and especially young people, do not know that it takes yoars to marry completely two hearts, even of tho most loving and well assorted. But nature allows no sudden change. We slopo very gradually from tho cradlo to tho summit of lifo. Marriogo is gradual, a fraction of us at ft time. A happy wedlock is a long falling in love. I know young persons think lovo belongs only to tho brown hair, and plump, round, crimson cheeks. So it does for its beginning, just as Mt. Washington begins at Boston Bay. But the golden marriage is a part of lovo which tho bridal day knows nothing of. Youth is tho tassel and silken flower of love, ago is the full corn, ripe and solid in the ear. Beautiful is tho morning of love, with its prophetic crimson, violot, purple and gold, with its hopes of days that ore to come, iicautiiul also is the evening ot love, with its glad remembrances, and its rainbow sido t.imcd toward heaven as well as earth. Young peoplo marry their opposite in temper nnd general character, nnd such ft marriage is com monly a good match. They do it in stinctively. The young man does not say, " My black eyes require to be wed with blue, and my over-vehemence re quires to bo a littlo modified with some what of dullness and reserve. hen theso oppsites come together to bo wed they do not know it ; each thinks the other just liko itself. Old peoplo never marry their op posite j they marry their similars, and from calculation. Each of theso two arrangements is very proper. In their long journey, theso two young opposites will fall out by tUo way a great many times, and both get out of tho road ; but oach will eh trin tho othor back again, n-v. .iy-anu-by they will bo agreed as to the phieo they will go to and tho road they will go by, and bceomo reconciled. Tho man will bo nobler and larger for being associated with bo much humanity uniiiio luniselt and she will bo a nobler woman for having manhood besido her that socks to correct her deficiencies and supply her with what sho lacks, if tho diversity bo not too groat, nnd thero bo real piety and lbve in their hearts to begin with. Tho old bridegroom, haviag a much shorter journey to make, must associate himself with ono liko himself. A perfect and complete marriage is, per haps, as rare as porfec personal beauty. iuen and women aro married iractional ly ; now ft small fraction, then a largo fraction. Very few aro married totally. and they only, I think, after somo forty or fifty years of gradual approach and experiment. Such a largo and swoet fruit is a complete marriago that it needs a very long summer to ripon in, and then a long winter to mellow and season it. But a real, happy marriago of lovo and judgment between a noblo man and woman, is ono of tho things so vory h.ndsomo that if tho sun were, as the Greek poots fabled, a god ho might stop tiki world in order to feast his oye on suoh a spectacle. A Daring Deed. The Xushvillo Union account of tho recent conflagration in that city contains tho following : While the flames wero darting liko tho fiery fiends through the building, and the whiskey in tho adjoining house was exploding, a party pf firemen entered ono of tho buildings. A keg of powder was seen u lew inches troni the lire, in fact, other articles of merchandise wero ulroady burning, and notwithstanding it was hard enough and at some risk the firemen had ventured, a still greater danger was imminent-. In less timo than it takes to tell it, the flames would reach tho powder, tho explosion of which would have been fraught with horrible consequences. Seeing tho danger of the situation, yet with a presenco of mind seldom preserved, Mr. Alfred McWright, of Dolage Fire Company Xo. 3, quickly seized tho kecr of powder now onveloned with flames, and boro it out of the building into tho street. Thero are few men in such moments of danser that would tluk of undertaking such a haz ardous deed, nnd not ono in a hundred would havo sufficient control of their fears in similar situations to have accoui plished this removal. Such conduct is deserving of the highest praisa of every ono. A Poor Speculation. Last spring somo $10,000 wero sub scribed by the Troy admirers of baso-ball to lorm tho Haymaker Baso-ball Associa tion. The season was a most unprofita ble one, and after one or two calls upon the stockholders it was found that tho liabilities of the club would oat up not only tho earnings but tho entiro capital subscribed. The stockholders wero ask ed to remit the balance of their sub scriptions to tho treasurer, but having tailed to do so tho claims wero placed in tho hands ot rlagg & Xeary for collec tion, and thero is considerable swearing in consequence. One gentleman is out $1,000 and several others from f 300 to $300. If base-ball was unprofitable last year, wo think now that noxt season it will bo tho deadest kind of a failure. Troy Times. i They raise somo very " smart" womon in Vermont. Wo frequently read of tiieir tamng cnargo ot tarms, chopping fabulous amounts of cord wood ana per forming other foats that would excite the astonishment if not tho envy of their weak sisters in tho cities. Tho last and mattest of whom wo havo road, and the ouo most likoly tg excite astonish ment and least likely to rouse envy in tho "weak sisters aforesaid, dwolls in Rut-, land. She ia thirty-eight years old and has buried two husbands, been divorced from a third and is living with the fourth. Her children already number fourteen. She ia still in tho prima of life and no one con guegs tho greater triumphs that await her in the future Facts and Figures. Threo times throe for the town whioh owes no money I This is the town of Hancock, N. H. It hag paid up every thing war bills and all other bills and tho stocks which it holds now de fray all tho municipal oxpouses. At tho last town moeting it was voted to raise tlio sum of ono . dollar, and it hns been done, without issuing any proposals for a loan. At Mineral Point, Wis., last week, a stranger called at tho bank and request ed to see a noto held against him. Re ceiving tho slip, ho remarked that ho could not rend without his spectacles, and walked toward tho door, whon it was discovered that ho was energetically chowing up tho note. Tho fragments were iorced Irora his mouth by a vigor ous choking. A novel suit has just been brought in an Indiana Court. A Mrs. Miller had sued for ft divorce, but failed to got ft decree, and it was shown on tho trial that her husband was kind and affec tionate and had provided liberally for her. This result left tho parties nioro estranged than ever, and as tho evidence produced in tho divorce suit went to show that the man's mother-in-law was at the bottom of all the troublo, the ag grieved husband has sued tne father and mother of his wife for enticing her away from him, laying his damages at the sum of $2,000. A unique and rather sensational per formance is that of Kerr Holtum, tho Prussian Hercules," at tho Holburn Amphitheatre. A siege gun, drawn in the arena by two horses, is loaded by nn artilleryman in sight of the audience with a twenty pound ball. Holtum faces tho muzzle, gives tho order " Firo," and after a flash and ft boom which shakes tho building, the cannon ball is caught by him. On one occasion tho cannon ball passed over his head in stead of into his hands, and as if to prove that " thero was really no de ception," carried away a portion of cno of the pilasters. Two cities, Council Bluffs and Omaha, havo been engaged in ft sharp contest to seo which of tho two should possess tho eastern terminal depot of tho Union Fi cifio Railroad. At last Omaha has tri umphed and Council Bluffs is left out in tho cold. In return for tho favor ob tained Omaha gives 230,000 in county bonds and ft deed for the depot grounds, and tho railroad" company agrees to bridge tho Missouri river and to mako Omaha its freight and passenger trans fer ground. Of courso, Omaha is jubil ant, and proposes to hold a grand iesti val in honor of tho threo gentlemen who have-so successfully presented the claims of their city before, tho "powers that bo." Work on tho new building is to . bogiu nt once, and it is hoped that the depot and general offices will bo com pleted by the first of October noxt. A horrible story is told in a letter from tho district of Flctsk, Russia, giv ing tho particulars of ft murder com mitted last November. A landed pro prietor of tho district, while return ing to his homo with 5,000 roubles which ho had borrowed of ft neighbor in his possession, was overtaken in a forest by a masked man, who demanded his lifo or his money. Tho money was givon up, and tho man returned to his credi tor's house to relate tho misadventure, and was induced to spend the night thero. On tho next morning tho host entered his son's room, and to his con sternation saw, half hidden beneath tho pillow of the sleeper, a loaded revolver and tho stolen packago of 5,000 rou bles. In a transport of fury and shanio tho unfortunate father seized the revol ver and killed his son. Some time ago tho city of Providence put forth a claim, which wns admitted to bo a perfectly just one, but which was rather novel coming from a member of so staid and respectablo a common wealth as that of Rhode Island. Frovi denco challenged any other city to pro duce an individual who could tumble out of third-story windows, fracturo iron bars and fall through a window without being hurt. Tho gauntlet thus thrown down has recently been picked up by tho city of Bangor, Maine, and if tho latter place has not established its super iority over, it has at least placed itself on an equality with, its more fortunate rival. A chambormaid of Bangor, while shaking a rug out of a second-story window, lost her balance, turned a com plete somersault and landed upon the pavement. An involuntary spectator of tho scene rushed ovor to assist in remov ing tho dead body cf the unfortunate woman;" but to his utter astonishment, after a moment's rest in a recumbent po sition tho maiden jumped up, ran into tho houso and . resumed her work as if nothing had happened. Gallantry ought to prompt PrOvidenco to acknowledge itself vanquished. ' That chambermaid is entitled to a tote. ' -"" The news that Mount Hood, in Ore gon, is throwing out a denso column of smoke and threatening an active volcan ic eruption surprises most Eastern read ers, who know the mountain only as thoy have seen its sjiowy crest in tho back ground, of Bierstadt's canvas. Mount Hood is one of several peaks of the Cas cade" Mountains (known as tho Sierra Xeyada in California,) eveiy ono of which is an extinct ;volcano jmless the present manifestation of lifo makes the werd " extinct" inappropriate Tho other important peaks are Mount Jeffer son, tho Threo Sisters and Mount Pitt, ranging in height from ten to eleven thousand foot ; the height of Mount Hood is about thirteen thousand foet. Thero are Indian traditions which indi cate an eruption of Mount Hood; but there exists no other evidence on tho subject except that of scientific observa tion. Tho natv ral desire of every Amer ican citizen is that if Mount Hood is about to return to active life as a vol cano, it will do so on a scale worthy of the nation which has arisen around it since the last eruption. The eyes of a great people ar up ju it, and if It shows proper spirit Mount Hood may become a nation s pride. .
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers