HENRY A. r ARSONS, Jb., Editor and Publisher,
ELK COUNTY T 11 niSPVItLlCAN PARTY.
Two Dollars riR Annum.
VOL. I.
RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1872.
NO. 52.
poiJTit r
THE TWILIGHT.
BY RM1LY IirNTINOTOIf MIM.KR.
Whenever I Pit In tho twUlplit,
At rest from tho toll, of tho day.
And tho littlo ono gather arotind mo.
Too weary for laughter or piny,
I think, with tho longing of sorrow imd.love,
Of tho one little child that's away.
Away from th. arms of the mother.
And sometime it grieves me to know.
Content with the lovo the.: surround Ulm,
Ho will never mips us Wlow ;
For he looks in the face cf the Father above,
And walks with the mints to and fro.
I love In my fancy, to follow
Their steps by the river fo fair,
And list to tho wonderful stories
The angels aro telling him there
Tho beautiful angels of paradise.
And dear littlo Silvorbalr.
There's tho angel that spoke unto Hagar,
44 Fear not, for God hearoth thy moan ;"
And the ono that came flying to Mary,
All shining with light from the throne i
And tho strong blessed seraphs that soothed tho dear
Lord,
When tempted and fainting alone.
But grandest of all Is tho angel,
Whoso story I often havo rend,
Who come to tho tomb of tho Saviour,
And rolled back tho stono from his head.
And said to tho weepers that trembled to hear,
" Tho Lord Is gone up from tho dead."
Oh, angel of lito and glory,
Come, whisper tho message to me,
When PU'lly I sit and remember
Tlio child that is pone from my knee ;
For I know in the mansions whero Jusus has gone,
HIp little onei surely must be.
Till STOllY-TELLER.
THE SEW WITNESS.
A 8TOHY OF TWO WILLS.
An odd sort of personage, as regarded
his pets, was old Mr. Ovington, and lie
had indulged in his peculiarities to his
heurt's content in these latter years, and
there, on tho head of ono gate-post,
while John Grapley leaned against tho
other, perched tho most disagreeable fa
vorite of them all, except, perhaps, the
newly-discovered grandchildren, whose
inopportune arrival had so wrung what
ought to havo been John Grapley's
heart.
On tho top of tho gate-post, as wo
have said, sat tho pet crow, with his
dark, brilliant, satirical eye turned know
ingly sidewise, now at John's moody
face, and now at tho doctor's bugjry at
tho roadside, as much as to say :
" I know all about it. Don't you wish
that you did i"
John would havo thrown a brick at
his stc2father's tamo crow, if ho ha3
dared, and silenced its irritating cow
forever.
"The old man isn't sick," muttered
John ; but ho always consults with Dr.
Prindlo on money affairs, as much as on
physic. It was tho doctor who drew the
other will, and I know what was in
that."
" Ca-a-a-caw !" emphatically remark
ed Martin tho crow.
" It's moro than likely," John contin
ued, with a petulant glanco at Martin,
" that tho old man has got tho doctor
hero now to cook up some confounded
chango in favor of that white-faced girl
and her brother. To rob mo for tho
children of a scapegrace whom ho disin
herited a scoro of years ago. It's a
shaino I"
" Ca-a-a-caw," philosophized Martin.
" Shut up, you ill-natured croaker !
Anyhow, I can loungo around uuder tho
window, and seo if there's a chance of
knowing what thoy'ro at."
Tho low and vine-hung window of old
Mr. Ovington's "study" was open wide
that summer afternoon, and a man who
chose to crouch under it, as John Grap
ley did, could hardly fail to hear most
of what might bo said, in any ordinary
tone of voice, by thoso within tho
room.
John had slipped noiselessly away
from tho gato, leaving tho tamo 'crow to
his own meditations ; but Martin was a
social bird, and had already completed
his observations of tho doctor's horso
and buggy. Ho was morally suro that
ho could steal neither, and they were
therefore matters of indilForenco to him.
But wo must go a littlo ahead of Mar
tin. Wlien, somo twenty minutes earlier,
Doctor Prindlo had entered tho house,
ho had boon ushered into tho study by
sweet Alice Ovington herself, daughter
of that Adrian Ovington, whoso runa
way love-match had embittered so many
years of his father's existence.
A lovely girl, indeed, was Alice, of not
yet eighteen summers; and it was no
wonder that her stern grandfather had
opened his heart to his son's dying peti
tition in behalf of her and her brother.
Doctor Prindlo was ono of thoso brisk
but dignified old gentlemen who know
almost everything, say very littlo, and
aro exceedingly valuablo members of so
ciety. Alico tuld him that her brother
Georgo was well, and would soon bo
homo from collego, to spend tho vacation
with his grandfather.
" Yes, Alice," said tho doctor j " let
him spend it all here. It will bo bettor."
And then ho disappeared through tho
study door, closing it fast behind him.
Alico hurried away, to attend to house
hold affairs, and tho muffled sound of
voices from tho study died quickly away.
Very few words passed at first between
Mr. Ovington und his counsellor, and
tho old man's rod and cholerio visage
betrayed no atom of emotion, as he took
from its envelopo a paper of very mod
erate dimensions, and spread it on the
table, saying :
" There it is, doctor. I guess you'll
find it right. That's tho will."
" -Sensible thing. Glad of it," growled
. tho doctor, as ho settled himself in his
chair.
A moment more, and ho was deeply
engaged on tho precious documents.
Slowly and carefully ho read it down,
as if ho did not mean to do it twice,
and when ho had completed it ho only
said :
Correct. And now what '("
' Ca-a-a-caw I" croaked a doubtful
voice at tho window ; and then Martin
himself flapped heavily in, and perched
on tho table beside his master.
" Martin, my boy, it's all right. 1 on
ly wish you could sign ns ft witness."
" Ca-a-a-caw," said Martin.
" I wish ho could," said Dr. Prindlo ;
"but n"s you've only got old Hector's
11:11110 here, I suppose you will want
mine. It's all right otherwise."
" Of course it is," replied tho old gen
tleman. " It's a copy of tho ono you
drow, in all but tho names and tho di
vision. It's no injustieo to John Grap
ley. Ho is well taken caro of, and, be
sides, ho had property of his own, from
his mother, ami ho has no claims of
blood on me."
" Still, it cuts him out of ft very com
fortablo pile," said the doctor. " Whore's
tho pen ' That rascally bird ! Look at
him. There ho is on tho top of tho
bookcase, with tho pen in his mouth."
" Martin, yon scamp," laughed his
master, " como down with that pen, or
I'll disinherit you. Never mind, doctor.
Don't look at him, and he'll bring it
back in a minute. He's fond of stealing,
but ho never keeps anything long."
Suro enough, in the courso of two or
three minutes, tho pen was on tho table
again, and meantime the two friends
talked on.
"John will hardly be ploasod with
this," said tho doctor.
"I shan't care, then, whether ho is or
not, and I don't care much, anyway."
" Havo you destroyed the other will i"
" No ; but I'm going to. It's over
thero in the secretary. You will know
where to find this one, if you outlive
mo."
" All right," said tho doctor. " Martin
has brought back tho pen."
It was a slow and crabbed signature
that tho doctor affixed, but it was good
enough for tho purpose.
When ho had signed tho will, and put
it back in its envelopo, ho looked around
over tho table, ' only to find that Martin
was again on tho top of the bookcase, and
this time with the little negro-headed
penwiper in his beak.
" That rascally bird ! " laughed tho
doctor. " Well, tho pen can go unwiped."
" He'll bring it back again. Martin is
a good bird," said Mr. Ovington.
" Ca-a-caw !" exclaimed Martin, and
tho penwiper dropped lightly on the
floor.
" Como, doctor como ond take a look
at my new Dovons, before you go. I'm
half-minded to drive into town with
you. Tho walk back will bo good for
mo help keep down this too heavy car
cass of mine. I don't got half enough
exercise."
" No more you don't," growled tho
doctor, with a sido glance at his friend's
plethoric proportions, as they made their
way out of tho study.
Their conversation had not boon in
whispers, and John Graploy had lost
nono of it sinco ho took his stand by tho
window. Nor was it many minutes
after the departure of his stepfather bo
fore John, with an unaccountablo pallor
in his face and a hesitating step, was pas
sing through tho houso from room to
room. All was deserted solitary. Even
tho fair faco of Alico Ovington was
brightening some more distant corner of
the mansion.
Tho young man's step became even
moro stealthy, and his thin, white lips
shut moro closely on each other, as ho
laid his hand at last on tho knob of tho
study door. It turned in his grasp, and
he stepped within.
Tho room was empty of human forms,
nnd John Grapley's eyes wandered in
vain search around tho room not find
ing something they expected. A few
loose papers on the tables wore hurriedly
turned over, and as hastly thrown down,
with a sharp exclamation of angry dis
satisfaction. Tho key was in tho secretary, but John
Grapley's hand shook more than a littlo
as he turned it in tho lock. Ho did turn
it, however, ami then at last his search
seemed to bo successful ; for from ono of
tho littlo pigeon-holes he drew and open
ed a long yellow envelope.
John gave tho paper which ho held in
his hand but ono swift, koen, eager glance,
and then thrust it into an insido pocket
of his coat, muttering :
"At all events, he shall not destroy
this. Ho has got tho other with him
now, and I must trust to luck to get it
out of tho way. Now, I must get out
of this."
He put tho empty envelopo back in
tho pigeon-hole, locked tho secretary,
loft tho key as ho found it, and hastened
away. Ho did not make his appearance
near homo again until tho next day at
noon.
It was lato that evening beforo old
Mr. Ovington returned, from town, weary
with his unaccustomed walk, and anx
ious only to get straightway to bed. It
was lato in tho morning when ho arose,
and then his Dovons and his other muto
favorites kept him for a timo from his
cosy study.
Alice Ovington had looked at the
cattlo with him, and Martin had cawed
graciously about them, as if ho considered
himself a good judgo of both brutes and
human beings ; but John Grapley did
not put in his customary appearance
When ho did return, however, half nn
hour later, ho was met in the gateway
by tho form of his stepfather, looking a
foot taller than usual, being literally in
a " towering " tit of anger.
" John Graploy, do you know "whero
they aro do you '"
" Whero what are ? What on earth's
tho matter '(" gasped John, with a well
assumed look of bewildered innocence.
" The will, you scoundrel, tho will !
Both of thorn ! Givo them up, or I'll "
Alas, for swollen veins and hasty pas
sions! For as John Grapley quailed and
trembled before tho wrathful face of his
stepfather, suddenly tho old man put on
a strange and set expression, his tongue
ceased to obey his angry will, his limbs
failed under him, and the old gentleman
sank helpless on the grass 1
John Grapley's face wore for a moment
the look of a reprieved criminal ; but he
retained his self-possession, and no alarm
eould have been more prompt and loud
thun that which he sounded.
Mr. Ovington was borne into the houso,
and medical aid was summoned.
John went himself for Dr. Prindle;
but could hardly simulato vexation on
learning that that gentleman hod been
called away to an important consulta
tion, and would .iot bo home under two
days.
Physicians were to bo had in abund
ance, however, and they came J but they
camo too lato to do anything for Mr.
Ovington. Tho silver cord was loosed,
and his pitcher was unterly shattered
at tho fountain of life.
Great was tho consternation of poor
Alico Ovington, and it was groat help to
her that her brother George camo homo
next day, in tho midst of tho funeral
preparations. Still, both Georgo and
Alico found themselves of small account
in tho houso of their grandfather, for
John Grapley had taken all matters in
chargo at once, and issued his orders
with tho air ond manner of a well
assurod proprietor. At first they did
not mind it much, though George
Ovington, moro selfish than his sister,
remarked to himself that it augured
littlo of good for their future prospoots.
Poor Martin had not seemed to com-
irehend tho terrible change in the houso
lold affairs, and perhaps his instincts of
self-preservation taught him to do his
ollowanco of discontented cawing at a
safe distanco from tho spirited hands of
John Grapley.
Tho succeeding day had been set for
tho funeral, and tho coffin lay in
tho old, deep-windowed drawing
room, which was, perjiurce, all thrown
open for tho circulation of tho warm
summer air, and tho entrance of tho un
sympathizing sunlight.
Moro than an hour beforo tho timo
fixed for tho fnneral, Dr. Prindlo drove
up to the goto, threw his reins on his
horse, and strode into tho houso. He
gave George Ovington a hasty grasp of
tho hand, spoko to Alico a few kindly
words, and then went on into the par
lor. Hero ho was standing in sorrowful
silenco, his usually firm features work
ing slowly as he gazed down upon the
faco of his old friend, when ho heard a
step besido him, and tho voice of John
Grapley said :
" Ah, doctor, I am so srry you were
not hero I I fear you could havo done
nothing for him ; but just beforo ho was
taken ho was wishing to seo you."
" To seo mo ? What for '("
" Something about a new will. Ho
said ho had mado ono, but destroyed it,
and wanted your help in framing
another. II ! led mo to beliovo that ho
intended making somo liberal provision
fer Georgo and Alico."
"That, ind.-od ho did," replied the doc
tor, but somehow ho did not feel called
upon to say any moro.
" C-a-a-w," added a coarse, complain
ing voioa at tho window ; but tho flap of
departing wings told that Martin's
policy was still ono of dobbt and pru
dence. " Hero," said John, " is an envelope
addressed to yourself, which I have taken
tho liberty to open, as it is unsealed, ond
as I havo long known it contained my
step-father's will."
" You know its contents, then V"
" O, yes, of course. They are in ac
cordance with his repeated assurances to
my sainted mother and myself. As it is
in your own handwriting, I can tell you
nothing, except that I shall tako pleas
ure in carrying out what I believo to,
have been Mr. Ovington's intentions to
ward the children of his disinheited son.
They shall always havo a home and good
provision while I live."
." Ayo yes, indeed, I hope so," ab
stractedly returned tho doctor. " Aro
you sure thero is no other will "r"
" Quito sure. I havo searched every
where," replied John.
" Well, us I am named an executor
under this instrument, I shall deem it
my duty to tako a look on my own ac
count," half curtly rejoined tho doctor.
" I might have something to say as to
what is dono in my own house," replied
John j "but I havo no manner of ob
jection. Let us go to the study."
John Grapley might well havo waived
all objection, for his search had boon
most thorough, and he was altogether
suro that no subsequent searching would
reveal more. Ho had boon haunted by
a fear that tho doctor himself could ac
count for the paper whose absenco had
so excited Mr. Ovington, but tho droad
had now vanished.
Straight to tho secretary wont tho
doctor, and John Grapley showed him
whero ho had found tho will.
" I knew it would bo just there," said
tho doctor ; " but thero is something "
" Ca-a-a-caw !" croaked Martin, from
the window-sill.
" That roscally bird !" exclaimed John
Grapley ; but, if ho had any present no
tion of doing harm, ho was defeated by
the bird's quick, flapping dash for his
citadel on tho top of the high, book
case. " I think thero will be no uso in seek
ing further," said John, " especially in
view of what Mr. Ovington said tome
just before he was seized with this sad
attack of apoplexy."
" I fear not," muttered tho doctor, as
ho bent his eyes for a moment, musingly,
on the floor. Slowly ho raised them,
still evidently in deep thought ; but,
as ho did so, they flashed with a sudden
light.
" That rascally bird ! What is that ho
has got in his book i"
" Ca-a-a-caw !" vigorously croaked
Martin, and as his thieving mouth open
ed, a long yellow envelopo fell at tho
doctor's feet.
John Grapley gave a couvuhrivo start,
and essayed to pick it up, but tho doctor
was too quick for him.
" It is addressed to me," ho said ; "and,
as for its contents, I put.thein in myself,
in Mr. Ovington's presenco, tho day be
foro he died. This, John Graploy, it
your step-father's last will and testa
ment, and Martin lias proved himself a
good witness to it. I am more than
half inclined to think that he has been
a most valuable friend to George and
Alice. Martin, niy boy, you aro " a
trump I" .;.-
Ca-a-a-caw !" said Martin.
"That rascally birdl" faintly gaspod
John Grapley, aa ho stole out of the
Btuay,
A Distinguished Burglar.
For a real, racy, romantic sensation
commend us to that country of marvels
which spreads indefinitely each sido of
tho boundary lino between Kansas and
Missouri. That truth which is stranger
than fiction flourishes most at its centre,
fading gradually in luxurianco as yon
pass outward, ond finally it blends with
tho niattor-of-foct region beyond. A
local editor in that wonderful strip of
country needs only to keep ono rye and
ono ear open, and his columns fill them
selves with a sort 01 perpetual motion.
Tho marvels of Munchausen, the situa
tions of Dumas, ond tho plots of Brad-
don ore eclipsed there in matters of eve-
ry-day hfo, and tho pcopio do not seem
to mind it much, cither.
The last incident which awakens our
admiration is from Fort Scott. Ono
Henry Prunell wending westward from
our beloved Buckeye State, brought up
at Fort Scott as a young gentleman oi
literary leisure. He was eminently a
ladies' man, but withal, a littlo modest,
as becoming ono knowing Ins own fail
ings. Ho sang well, ho played divinely;
ho wroto musio and read poetry ; 111
fact, he was rated o " nice young man,
and allowed freo entreo to tho pleasant
drawing-rooms. Thero was to bo suro,
a littlo talk about ins lack ot employ
ment ; but it quieted upon learning that
ho was o gentleman of considerable
means, and had como west to complete
tho manuscript of o book which ho was
writing. Ho had also in preparation a
lecture, with which ho was to entrance
Fort Scottians as soon as it could bo
completed.
About this timo tho chattels personal
of this young city began to tako to
themselves wings in a very peculiar
manner. Watches laid down at night
would bo missing in tho morning. Purges
heretofore staid would wander liko pro
digal sons and never como back. Silver
plate, rings, necklaces, everything porta
ble ond of value passed away like tho
breath from tho body, and loft their de
serted owners burdened with grief.
The reader, of course, scents tho de
nouement. Prunell might have boon con
tinuing liis pastime to this day, making
lovo to ladies in tho evening and steal
ing their jewelry at night, had ho not
been so unfortunate as to exposo a dia
mond ring in his possession to its former
ond aggrieved possessor. Tho literary
gentleman was arrested, and in his rooms
were found trinkets innumerable, from a
gold thimble to a gemmed necklace, and
from a salt-spoon to a silver swrvico Ho
will go to tho penitentiary on o dozen
indictments, but will not go without
pity. Perfection in. unything deserves
sympathy, and his byglary was certain
ly high art. Tho "beauty of his work
was in leaving no trace of his entrance
or his departure ; tho absenco of tho
goods was the only trace of his presenco.
His social work, too, was far from me
diocre. It was, however, but a sido ac
complishment, and used only us a means
'to his professional end. Cincinnati Times
and I Uroniclc.
The Rod River Ratt.
Having heard of! the "great raft" in
the Red Kiver, since our geography days,
wo are all apt to suppose wo know all
about it. Wo aro well awaro that it is
a mass of drift wood, completely ob
structing navigation at tho point whero
it covers tho water with its countless
trunks of forest trees. We know that
tho river passes under this mass as if it
were a bridgo ; and wo may remember
that in 1833, when tho raft was one hun
dred and twenty-four miles long, the
general government began tho work of
removing it, but after working at it for
twenty-two years, abandoned tho at
tempt as impracticable, ond confined its
efforts to tho opening of somo of tho
lateral channels or bayous. Wo may
know all this, but still bo ignorant of one
of tho most curious characteristics of
tho great raft, which is that it, unlike
rafts in general, moves up tho river
against tho current instead of down.
Tho movement is very slow, being but a
milo or two in a year. Tho explanation
of this rctrogodo movement of an op
parently stationary mass is simplo
enough. Tho logs of tho lower end of
tho raft ore continually broken away
and carried oft' by tho floods and fresh
ets. Thus tho raft, always falling away
ot ono end ond growing at tho other,
gradually moves up tho river, and it is
calculated that it has moved since its
forming about four hundred miles.
Scientific writers have suggested tho
idea that this vast mass of timber, after
lying in tho old bed of tho river for quite
a number of ages, will become a coal
bed. But when tho Rod Kiver country
becomes thickly settled, this enormous
collection of driftwood may bo utilized
in somo way or other, and thus incalcu
lably distant generations may be cheat
ed out ot many a good coal fire. Ex
change. Household -Hixs. Somo cooks will
throw out the water in which meats havo
been boilod, without letting it cool to
tako off tho fat.
Bits of meat aro thrown out wh'ch
would mako hashed meat or hash.
Tho flour is sifted in a wasteful man.
ner, and the bread-pan left with the
dough sticking to it.
Pie-crust is laid by to sour, instead
01 making a few tarts tor tea.
Cold puddings arc considered good for
nothing, when oftentimes they can be
steamed for tho next day.
Dish cloths aro thrown down whero
mice destroy them.
Vegetables ore often thrown away that
would warm nicely tor breakfast.
Tho scrubbing brush is left in tho
water.
Tubs and barrels aro left in tho sun to
dry and fall apart.
Nice handled knives are thrown into
hot water.
. Silver spoons aro used to scour kettles.
Cream is allowed to mould and spoil.
- CofFeo, tea, and pepper and spices aro
left to stand open and loso their strensrth.
The cork, is left out of thtf molasses
jug, and tho flies tak possession.
Vinegrar is drawn in a tin basin, and
allowed to stand until both basin and
vinegar aro spoiled. Nat. Independent,
Something About Fares.
It is a trite remark that, among oil the
multitude of pooplo who inhabit this
globe, no two can be found that exactly
resemble each, other. Even in cases of
twins, whero a Btrong similarity exists,
thero is always to bo found somo points
of difference by which thoso most inti
matoly acquainted with them ore en
abled to distinguish ono troni tho other.
And it may be further observed that
those most alike in early youth, lose
their, rcsomblanco, to a greater- or less
degree, as ago advances. No face leavos
this world'at mature years without hav
ing undergono changes that astonish
even the most intimato when compari
sons are rendored possible. In this ago
of photographs, almost any ono is able
to make such comparisons, and to note
how tho various circumstances and trials
of lifo carve their impress upon tho fea
tures. Very few havo, however, fully
eBtiniatod tho infinite variety ond num
ber of indirect, direct, near, and remote
influences that havo operated through
ages to work out the form and features
of every faco upon earth.
A skilful physiognomist may often de
termine character approximately by tho
countenances of men ; but, os a sheet of
paper, printed and reprinted, must at,
last become a contused jumblo ot indis
tinguishable characters, so ure most peo
ple's faces too much interlined and cross
lined, by the confused imprint of circum
stances ond events, to bo intelligible
even to the most practised reader of faces.
Thero are, indeed, somo traits of charac
ter, and somo passions, that ordinarily
stamp themselves upon faces more con
spicuously than others. Of thoso may bo
mentioned cruelty, settled melancholy,
and jolly good-naturo. As a rulo, theso
traits aro easily distinguished by a look
at faces ; but it is not unfrequont that
good laces conceal bad hearts, ond sanc
timonious appearances cover secret vices.
A man who was tried for and convicted
of murder, and who confessed his crime
before his execution, was admitted, whilo
on trial, to bo as fine-looking ond pro
possessing in appearance as any ono on
tho bench, at the bar, or m tho jury box ;
yet that court contained some men
whoso lives have boon in tho highest do
greo honorable, and whoso personal ap
pearance could scarcely be excelled by
any equal number of men anywhere. It
is quite notorious that circumstances of
easy living, tho absence of business cares
ond worries, will do much towards
smoothing away tho marks of crime ;
whilo tho faces of Criminals that havo
livod in circumstances of physical hard
ship gather a rough brutality from which
wo instinctively shrink.
Tho Rojnnnce of Medicine.
It really appears, says on English
magazino writer, that man may havo
serious attacks of disease and know lit
tlo or nothing about it. Horo is a cur
ious instance : Somo gontlemon had
been supping together, und had ofter-
ward taken pipes. Ono ot them laid
down his pipe, and said ho was struck
with paralysis. His friends declared
that they could not perceive it, but he
persisted that his mouth was drawn on
one sido, and ho asked a friend to ne
coiupany him home. This friend called
next day, but found him very angry
with his barber for not seeing any alter
ation in him. But in tho courso of tho
day his unbelieving friends saw him to
bo manifestly worse, and ho died in
about six months. It is not unlikely
that thero aro many cases of incipient
paralysis which are quite unnoticed by
the sufferer.
Tho case' of Mr. Humphrey, ono of
tho leaders ot tho Midland Circuit, 111
England, was o very remarkable one.
Ho suffered from a peculiar cancerous
affection, tho nature of which was not
discovered until after tho performanco
of an operation. Tho case was so rare
that an anonymous account of it wus
published in a medical work. At this
timo Mr. Humphrey was to all oppear-
anco established in perfect health. He
happened to read tho articlo ond recog
nized his own caso : " Whereupon ho pro
ceeded to orrango his affairs and put his
house in order, dying within tho pre
dicted timo in tho midst of his family,
with tho fortitude of an ancient Roman."
It is probablo that each condition of
lifo may havo a tendency to dovelopo
somo 01 Physical danger at its shallow.
Thus wo havo tho minor's lung, tho
painter a colic, tho artist a dropped wrist.
the eorupiees innamniablo dress, tho
clergyman's soro throat. Tho number
ot odd remedies is always increasing.
Both petroleum and chloral-hydrato ore
prescribed tor sea sickness. I ho liomoe-
opathists say that petroleum is, in fact,
a specific. Tho whito ot eggs is used
medically. It seems that opium, al
though it has been often called a doc
tor's confession of weakness, might bo
used, in moderate doses, to a greater ex
tent than is at present tho caso. When
Mr. Winn went out to aoo the war in
France, ho was in tho habit of adminis
tering heavy doses of fifteen drops of
laudanum, even when it had boon re
fused by the surgeon, and found it a
very elixir tiUt to many poor sufferers
during the campaign.
Humors of tho Street.
A ludicrous accident occurred on a San
Francisco horso-railroad recently. An
elderly and very portly lady passenger
signalled for tho cur to stop at a certain
street, but of courso tho roar platform
went a little beyond the dry crossing.
and as a consoquence tho step was just
over the mud, which waa very deep. The
old lady growled a great doal, and the
conductor stepped off the car and offered
his hand to guide ner to tho crossing,
when forgetting her exceeding weight,
sho sank bodily into his outstretched
arms, and, as a consequence, tho conduc
tor sat quietly down in the mud and the
passenger fell over his head. Ho swore
and she stormed, and the other passengers
laughed, but being behind timo the
conductor waa obliged to go on his way,
leaving the- old lady trying to wipe tho
mud off her clothes with a seven-inch.
square handkerchief, indignantly vowing
revenge against tho railroad company
ana ail conductors.
About Steel Tens.
A worthy old gentleman has just died
at Birminghanj, England, of whom,
while his name is famous to the ends 01
tho earth, probably as little is generally
known as of tho obscurest of New York
newsboys. Ho, moro than any other
man of his generation, had practical
experience of tho fact that " tho pen is
iiehtier than tho sword at least,
mightier as tho instrument by which to j
achicTO a groat fortune. His nanio was
Joseph Gillott; what author, book
keeper, clork, or even writer of friendly
letters what achool-boy, what sailor
blundering over a log-book, or country
grocer making out bills, has not read it
on his pen, as ho wroto V Gillott, from
being a Sheffield grinder and rumor
has it that ho was a very " charitable
grinder" became tho greatest manufac
turer of pons in tho world ; ond in his
old ago was a patron of art, a lover of
rare old books, ond a hospitablo gentle
man, keeping an open houso and a well
stocked cupboard. The pen trado in
England is ono of the most Bharply-com-
potitive of trades ; but the grinder from
bhemeld long ego took the lead, ond
has sturdily kept it over since excelling
in all grades, it appears, from tho woo
niDs mat mane nuir-siroices, to tue stout
bodied " magnum-bonums," " ostriches,"
and " swans. Indeed, Mr. Gillott s his
tory is olmost the history of the rise ond
progress of steel pens ; when he began
to make them, quills were universal, as
they ore still aristocratic. It is odd to
observe how tho aggregato handwriting
has shriveled within the past forty years.
Tho manuscripts of our grandfathers
were in large, bold characters becauso
such characters could be mado with a
quill, with tho expenditure of as littlo
forco as is now used in making tho
smaller and lighter characters with stool
nibs. At first tho innovation was stout
ly resisted, such os gas, railways, and tho
telegraph, were resisted by Tory-colored
bouIs; but tlio groat advantages ot steel
over u'lI pens wero too apparent not to
i.iko rapid progress in popular favor.
It is said that, in the private schools of
England, thero were, for many years af
ter Gillott's factory was started, strict
rules forbidding tho scholars to uso
them ; ond even at this day there ore
aristocratic mansions whero quills only
aro to be found and used. Lithograph
ers seized upon steel pens as a most val
uablo implement for their art ; the cheap
ness of steel pens caused their adoption
among the lower and middlo classes ;
ond mankind, ever prono to indolence,
and so indulgent to inventions, were
not long in finding out that steel pons
wero loss troublesomo than quills, and
that the current of thought might now
now on, without being checked therein
by tho nocossity of pen-mending. It
would bo interesting to inquire how far
tho substitution ot steel pens for quills
has been responsible for the deteriora
tion of handwritings ; for it is certain
that tho general handwriting of our day
is less intelligible, as well as less pleasing
to the eye, than that of tho quill era.
homo ot the k rench public offices com
pel tho clerks to uso quills for this rea
son. It is a common saying that great
men writo abominably ; but this could
not be said of Washington, Jenerson, or
Lafayette, of Goethe or Schiller, or of
me signers 01 our .Declaration 01 xiiue
pendenco users of quills, ono and all.
On tho other hand, Byron, Wellington,
and Napoleon wrote badly ; while among
modern writers many may be found dis
tinguished for ' their skill in caligraphy.
Cold "Weather in Europe.
Tho recent cold weather in Europo
has called forth tho following facts,
which appeared in tho Journal des l)c-
bats :
In 309 A. D. tho Euxino was frozen
over.
In 508 tho rivers of England wero
frozen over for two months.
In 058 tho Black Sea was covered with
ico for twenty days, and in 703 tho ico
was bu feet thick.
In 821 tho Elbe, tho Danubo and
tho Seino wero frozen during four
weeks.
In 1323 tho Mediterranean was entire
ly frozen.
in l40o lamerlano mado on incursion
into China, and lost his men, horses and
camels by tho excessive cold.
In 1420 Paris experienced 80 great
cold that tho city was depopulated,
and animals tod on corpses in the streets.
In 14JJ, at Paris, snow tell during
forty days and iorty nights incessantly,
In 140U, in Franco and Germany, wine
was frozen so hard that it was cut in
blocks and sold by weight.
In 1070 the intense cold lasted tureo
months, and all the fruit treos of
Provence and Langucdoo were destroy
ed.
In 1G07 provisions and fuel became ao
scarce on account of cold in Paris that a
small bundle of kindling-brush cost forty
cents. 1 he cattle trozo in their stalls,
and tho Seino could bo crossed by heavy
carts.
Tho year 1709 was ono of intenso cold
all over Europe, and mas could not bo
said tor many weeks in certain provinces
becauso the wine could not bo kept in
a nuid state.
In 1735, in Chincso Tartary, the ther
mometer fell ninety-seven degrees below
zero J) ahrcnheit.
1740 wus a winter of such risror in
Russia that an ice palace waa construct
ed at St. Petersburg tifty-ono feet long
ana sovonteen leet wide, dix ice can
non were mounted on tho walls, and two
mortars for bombs. Tho cannon held
balls of six pounds weight, were charged
with powder and discharged, so that the
ball pierced a board two inches thick at
a distance of sixty feet. The cannon
did not burst, though its walls were less
than ten inches in thickness.
1765 was a year of intense cold : also
1788. Sinco that year tho cold has
never been so great in Paris until this
very year of 1871, when, for the first
time in a century, Jack Frost came again
to the tune gwenty-one degrees below
zero centigrade.
Troy proposes to institute a college
xor women ai a coat ox fAiu,uuu,
Facts and Figures.
A woman latelv died in Portsmouth. '
N. II., who had been a servant in ono
family for sixty-nino yeors.
A Swansea, England, lady recently
loped, notwithstanding she is the
mother of thirteen children and over GO
years of ago.
The lihodo Island Legislature ore
again petitioned by tho unmarried sis
terhood of thelittlo State to grant them
permission to vote themselves husbands
or anything clso they may think for
thoir best good.
An Arkansas telegraph operator sent
dispatch to a Memphis firm, instruct
ing them as from a responsible bank to
pay thrco hundred dollars to ono Mor
gan, and then going to Memphis, ho
claimed to bo Morgan, and rocoived tho
money.
Mr. D. C. Davis, editor of tho Oscfiola ,
(Mo.) Democrat, got a man to attempt
his assassination tho other night, just
beforo his paper went to press, so as to
nke in tho rival paper. The occomplico
didn't aim badly enough, ond "vaccinat
ed " Mr. Davis generally. Ho was too '
much hurt to write up. the oitair, so tho
pposition paper got tho item exclu
sively.
One of tho most recent triumphs of in
genuity recorded at tho Patent Offico is
device tor opening in tho morning and
closing at night tho gates of beehives,
tho object being to excludo the bee
moth. Tho gates are bo connected with
poultry roost that when tho fowls ore
on thoir porches' tho additional weight
closes tho beohivo gates, which open
again when tho fowls depart in tho
morning.
Chicago has akeady gone into tho relic
business. The enterprising artisans of
the city are making tho old church bells
into paper weights, ornaments, etc. Ono
of tho most popular trinkets made from
thoso old materials aro charming littlo
bells, which ore worn by tho charming
big belles of tho city, not exactly in tho
mannor of tho old woman of Banbury
Cros3, although they have tho same sort
of music wherever they go.
Tho ruffians and cut-throats sometimes
havo their jovial occasions in imitation
ot tho dignified festivities of respactablo
people.' At Deptford, in England, not
long ago there was an elaborate banquet
given, to which no ono was admitted
who was not a convicted felon. Fifty
applicants for tickets were refused be
causo they could not give satisfactory
evidence that thoy wero entitlod to tho
honor. It does not appear from the ac
counts that any of tho public officials of
the town wero present.
According to tho .California papers
thero is a woman's gambling-houso in
San Francisco, tho splendor 01 which is
equal to that of the palaces of Arabian
story. Turkey carpets, in which tho
foot sinks to tho anklo at every step,
cover tho floors, tho coilings aro frescood
after tho old masters, and hugo mirrors
lino tho entire length of tho walls. Tho
sofas and chairs are rosewood, satin
covered, and tho gambling-tables oro
mother of pearl. Hero many married
women of tho city congregate and stako
their husband's money with a freo hand.
In tho Intellectual Observer thero is a
paragraph relating to a- ncw application
ot potatoes for knife-handles ana similar
purposes. The potatoes aro said to bo
first peeled and macerated lor about
thirty-six hours in water, to which three
per cent, of soda is added, and after ma
ceration they are boiled in a solution
containing nineteen per cent, of soda,
whon a substance is produced resembling
stag a horn, ad which may bo used tor
tho purposo abovo mentioned. It seems
also that turnips may be used with
similar results, ond if an artificial coral
is required, carrots may bo substituted.
Is thero any such thing as honest
gambling any such thing us playing 011
tho square Y It would seem not, at least
to anything liko tho extent which green
horns and pigeons suppose. Tho other
day, the pohco in Boston seized a num
ber of deal-boxes usod in a hell for ploy
ing faro, ond they wero all found to bo
" cheats," having a wide " slot " through
which two cards might be pushod at onco
at tho will of the dealer. So tho superior
knowledge which long practice gives to
professional gamblers is not considered "
enough the novico must be skinned by
supplementary swindles like this.
Phcebo Cory, ot tho time of her death,
was at tho head of a movement for tho
establishment of a "Woman's Dress
Guild " similar to the ono instituted in
England. Tho plan has beon taken up
by othor influential women of Boston,
and the following are some of the rules
of the proposed association : To purchaso
for cash only ; to buy nothing which is
not wanted morely because it is cheap ;
to dress in a manner becoming tho sta
tion in life ; to pay proper deference to
the tastes and pecuniary ability of heads
of families; to wear no false jewelry,
false hair, pads, &c. ; to avoid all exag
gerations even if called fashionable, and
all unseemliness in dress, and to do away
with tho foolish and ailly custom ot
dressing a number of times a day.
The Western States are flooded with
accounts of stage robberies to such an
extent that persona taking places in
coaches for the overland travel anticipate,
with a sort of grim pleasure, tho timo
when thoy may be ablo to relate to an
admiring audience the story of a high
way robbery, in which they were con
cerned. ' But, not to disappoint their
friends, they will, in the most obliging
manner, hand over, to any porson they
may happen to meet in the neighborhood
where a robbery has been committed,
any littlo articles of value thoy may have
about them. In Sonoma County, Cul.,
recently, a boy, not over 14 years of
ago, by presenting a stake at the driver
ot a stage waa accommodated with tho
treasure-box, and the terror-stricken pas
sengera aeeined. quite relieved whoa tbia
youthful highwayman, with, dignified
magnanimity, allowed them to go on.
Tbia deuparato character has bean arres
ted, ana comparative safety Las been
secured in Sonoma County.