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. .