f 'I. ; r-
flENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor axd Fcbx-isiier.
ELK COtiXTY THE REPUBLICAN PAnTT.
Two Doixabs raa Annum.
i v , . !.
VOL. II.
.1 .''.'
. i tTThitr itr t- rpTTTTncn "V nntt ni ; ' r
NO. 5.
':
POETRY,
r . HEARTS-EASE.
BT MART S. BRADI.ET.
. f '
Of all the bunny bails that blow
In bright or cloudy weather,
0 all the flowers that come and'go
The whole twelve mooBStoRether,
This little purple pansy brings
Thonghts of tho sweetest, saddest things.
I had a little lover once.
Who tased to give me posies ;
His eyes were blue a hracinth,
His lips were red as roses.
And everybody loved to praise
Uis pretty looks and winsome ways.
The girls that went to school with me
Made little joalous speeches.
Because he brought mo loyally .
His biggest plums am' peaches,
' And always at the door w ould wait
' " To carry home my books aid slate.
' "They conldn't see" with pout and fling
.' " The mighty fascination
About that little snub-nosed thing
To win such admiration ;
As if thore weren't a dozen girls
Wi th nicer eyes and lungor curls !"
And this I knew as well as they,
And never could see clearly
, Why more than Marion or May
I should be loved so dearly.
Bo once I asked him, why was this T
Ue only answered with a kiss.
I'util I teased him" Tell me why
I want to know the reason ;"
When from the garden bed close by,
(The pansles were In season,)
He plucked and gave a flower to mo,
With Bwect and simple gravity.
" The garden Is in bloom," ho said,
" With lilies pale and slender,
With roses and verbenas rod,
And fuchsias' purple splendor ;
But over and above the rest.
This little hearts-ease suits me best."
" Am I your little hnnrts-case, then t"
I asked with blushing pleasure ;
Ho answered yes 1 and yes again
Hearts-ease, and dearest treasure ;
That the round world and all the sea
Held nothing half so sweet as mo I
I listened with a proud delight
Too raro for words to capture.
Nor ever dreamed what sudden blight
Would come to chill my raplurc.
Could I foresee the tender bloom
Of parMes round a lltt lo tomb r
Llfn holds some stern experience,
As most of us discover.
And I've had other losses sinco
I lost iny little lover;
Hut still this purple pany brings
Thoughts of tho saddest, sweetest things.
The A'dlnr.
Til E STO II I"-TELLER
AUXT MEHITABLE'S VISIT.
11Y CAROLINE 1'HESTOX.
"Good gracious, if thore isn't Aunt
Mehitable ; exclaimed Miss Elizabeth
Coverly, looking oat of the drawing-
rtom window ut an old-fashioned woman
who was descending from a cab, with
bandbox in each hand.
" Is it possible '(" ejaculated her sister
Sarah, in equal dismay. " Sho couldn't
have como at a worse ti me."
" True enough. What if tho count
should see her ':"
" We must try to keep her out of tho
way.
. "If we only could! But you know
what an inquisitiVo mind Aunt Mehita
ble has. Rho wants to know everything
and everybody, and you may depend
upon it she won t be kept in tho back
ground." " At any rate wo must try what we
can do. It won't do for the count to
know that wo havo such vulgar rela
tions." " No. indeed, what would ho think of
us ( Is ow, he considers us fashionable,
and coinine d taut, and allied to the high
est aristocracy. It would bo frightful
to have him suspect that thore was any
relationship between us and Aunt Me
hitable." Whilo tho above conversation was go
ing on, Aunt Mehitable, after an ener
getic dispute with the cab-driver, whom
she defrauded of a part of his fare, de
claring that it was scandalously high,
had got into the hall. Her two nieces
went out to meet her with forced smiles
which covered very little real cordiality,
as maybe judged from tho conversation
which had already taken place.
' How-dy-do, Betsy ';" said Aunt Me
hitablo to her eldest nieco.
"My name 'is not Betsy," said Miss
Elizabeth, rather sharply. ' Why will
you call mo so, aunt r
" What's the difference between Eliza
beth and Betsy, I'd like to know t In
my young days they were always the
same.
" Well, they're not now, at any rate."
" And how do you do, Sally 't " asked
tho aunt, turning to tho younger niece.
' Sally ! .. Horrors, aunt, what makes
you call me by such a frightful name ?"
" Hoity, toity ! Sally's as good as
Sarah."
" Well, as my name is not Sally, I
don't want to be called so."
" Well, well, here's pride !" ejaculated
the old lady. " I don't think much of
gals who ain't willin' to be called by
good Christian names."
" They're not Christian names, aunt.
They are heathen."
. , " I'm ashamed on yo both. B tit can't
ye give nia a cheer, cither on ye ? I'm
a'most tuckered out. It's kind of hard
tft travel at wy time of life. I suppose
yoVe..vrondurin' what brings . mo. here
so sudden like i "
" Why, yes, aunt ; you generally write
: to tell ns you're coming."
Well, you see your cousin Jerusha's
agoin to be married soon, and I want to
' give her six silver spoons to set her out.'
I want to' get her some good ones while
I'm libout it, so I came up to the city.
Kind o took ye by surprise, didn't I V
"' YqaT ailnVw w-ero not, expecting
, , you." '" " ""' , .
'.t. "WelL' I kind o' like to surprise peo
4. pie now and then. But I'm a'uiost fain
ishod. I didn't eat nothia' before I start
ed. Hain't ye got some doughnuts, or
semethin that I could eat 'f"
" We have no doughnuts, but if you'll
come up into the sitting-room, we'll send
for some cake and wine."
" Why, Betsy Coverly.ain't you asham
ed 1 l)o you mean to tempt your old
aunt to become a drunkard at her time
of life? I'd give all tho wine in the"
world for one good cup of strong greorf
tea. i
" You shall have it, aunt."
"Wait a minnit. I don't like tokava
my bandboxes down here. Your help
might open 'via." , . .
" Our servants are honest, aunt. And
even if they were not, thought the
young lady, " tho contents of these band
boxes would not tempt them much." 1:
So tho old lady found her way into
the sitting-room. . .
" Do you call this a sitting-room 'r" she
asked. " It s nicer tlian the squire s par-
lnr"
" Oh, wclf, aunt, you know there's k
great difference between the country and
J I LIIW UU'V. I r
vv en, so tncre is. i woman t live in
the city on no account," said Aunt Me
hitable.
" I hope not," thought her nieco.
" Well, gals," asked tho old lady, after
having partaken ot refreshments, which
made her feel considerably better, "have
you either on ye got any beaux yet ':
" La, aunt, how can you ask such
question ':"
" 'Cause I think it's high timo. Lo'me
see, you, Betsy, must bo twenty-six.
un, aunt, now can vou say so .- x m
only twenty-one."
" That's a lib, Betsy. You was born
the very day your Uncle Abijah sold the
brinclle cow. l member it well, and
Sally is just two years younger than
you. I hat makes her twenty-tour.
"Oh, aunt, you are very much mistak
en. You are growing forgetful."
"Old and forgetful, am I? Well,
seems to mo that s just what s the matter
with you. But what's that picter up
there r"
Aunt Mehitable Jiointed to a painting
hanging over the mantel-piece.
"That, Aunt Mehitable, represents the
ancient Greek foot-racers. And that
building with columns is a Greek tern-
pie."
" Lor, is it 'i Well, I thought it might
bo tho town hall. Them runnel's are
dressed outlandish, ain't they ' Seems
to mo the head one looks like a woman,
in the face. How much does such a pic
ture cost ';"
" Father paid five hundred dollars for
it."
" Land's sake ! Five hundred dollars !
Why, you can a'most buy a houso for
that up to Huckleberry villo ! Well,
well, a fool and his money is soon part
ed, so they say. But I didn't think vour
father was such a fool as to pay five hun
dred dollars tor such a picter as that.
" It is considered very line, aunt.
" I don't caro if it is. It ain't worth
more'n five dollars at tho outside. You'll
como to want yet, mark my words!"
" What would she say if she know I
had a prospect of becoming a countess V"
thought Elizabeth. "But I must not
speak of that, or she will want to bo in
troduced to tho count, and that will
spoil all."
About three o'clock the young girls
succeeded in inducing Aunt Memtublo
to lie down.
" You must feel so tired, aunt," they
said.
1 Well, I do feel tuckored out," said
Aunt Mehitable. "I guess 1 11 foller
your advice."
" And don't be in a hurry about get
ting tip, aunt. Be sure and get your
full rest."
" You're good gals to be so keerful
about your old aunt, said tho old lady,
suspecting nothing. " I guess 1 11 go.
About half an hour after Aunt Mehit
oblo withdrew to her room, the bell rang,
anil Count Stromboli was announced.
Tho girls received him with radiant
smiles, congratulating themselves that
they had got their aunt off just in tho
nick of time."
' So glad to see you, Count Strombo
li, they said. " ero you at the opera
last evening 'r" - : i
" Oh, certainly, of course ; 1 adoro the
opera. , , . '
" And then, being in your nativo lan
guage, you have tho advantage of us in
more perfectly comprehending it. We
are so tied to the libretto that we only
half enjoy it." . , :
" Very true," said tho count. " You
can havo no idea of tho divine beauty
of tho original, from the villainous trans
lations." , ...
" I wish I understood Italian," ' said
Elizabeth. ' ' ''.'
"Some day, perhaps vou- may." said
the count, in a significant tone. . .. ;
Elizabeth blushed with pleasure. She
felt that the count meant something se
rious by this remark. As for Sarah, it
must be confessed that, being her sister's
competitor for tho count's good graces,
she would havo preferred to have had
the remark addressed to herself. '
Half an hour passed, when, to the dis
may of both the young ladies, the door
opened, and the figure of Aunt Mehita
ble presented itself. , ," i
" Excuse me, gals," she said, " I didn't
know you had company. ( , J couldn't
sleep 'cause of the plaguey noiso in the
streets, so I thought Il como down.
Who is this gentleman V ' Is he your
beau ir " i i ) ii- . , ;
Oh, aunt !" exclaimed Elizabeth, in
dismay, bitterly' regretting a moment
later that she hud let slip the fatal word
revealing tho relationship,
" Uan t you introduce me
Aunt Mehitable. "Seems to
nip jjou
ain't got manners."
" This is Count Stromboli," said Eliz
abeth, reluctantly: ' Count, let me pre
sent my aunt, t Honorable Mrs. Cov
erly an eccetitric woman, but immense
ly wealthy," shq alded, behind her fart,
The count arose and made a profound
inclination. , Aun( Mehitable responded
by an old-faahloped courtesy. . i
' "Lor," she said, -"dew -tell if he's a,
fnllTlt. AVIinrd Ai vmi enmn IT,
vuuui ( DUO BSIteU. 1 , r I ,
I am a oountrrniarf, of Gurnliuldi."
said tho count, " and, I am pr0u4 tq ,di,
his intimate friend." ' .? 'tf. t' i
" Dow tell ! Somehow your' voice
sounds familiar," said Aunt Mehitablo.
Let me put on my specs."
She adjusted her- iron-bowed glasses,
and looked at the count intently.
" Well, I vow," she said, "I thought I
know you I You're tho man that came
doWri to Huckleberryville; and openod a
barber's shop,: anil MmnidccL to-' Miss
Pratt's, and run ulV'!thOtkt Jayingyour
bonrrt, You're a fino tSWint, 1 vulu.
'"'Oh, aunt," ejaculated tho young la
dies in a breath. " II6W can you tell
ttuch awful stories 'f" '" ' ,
: ;." Look at him, if yod don't believe it,"
said Aunt Mehitable. ' ',' ' ' ,'' , , .
Thus adjured, they looked, and per
coived that tho count had changod color,
and looked very much confused.
" Excuse me, ladies,", ho said ) V I feel
a little faint. I never was so insulted in
my life." , f t
Ho poized his hat, and baited. out of
the- room,- and ; never reappeared, thus
confirming Aunt Mehitablo's hargo.
The young ladies both lived to be mar
ried respectably, though neither became
a countess ; ond in "Jitter iifo they felt
grateful to Aunt Mehitable for her visit,
though at first their feelings were quft,c
tho reverse. ' : ' '
Every Mind Has Its Special Capacity.
I am of the opinion that every mind
that comes into the world has its own
speciality is different from every other
miud ; that each of you brings into the
world a certain bias, a disposition to at
tempt something of its own, something
pour own an aim ti littlo different from
that of any of your companions j and
that every young man and every young
woman is a failure sd long as each does
not find what is his or her own bi'is ;
that just so long as you are influenced
by those around you, so long as you aro
attempting to do thoso things which
you see others do well instead of doing
that thing which you can do well, you
aro so far wrong, sq far failing of your
own right mark. Everybody sees the
difference in children. They very early
discover their tastes. One has a taste
for going abroad, another for staying at
home ; one for books, another for games;
ono wisnes to hear stories, another wants
to see things done ; one is fond of draw
ing tho other cannot draw at all, but ho
can make a machine. This difference, as
Vou udvance, becomes more pronounced.
You are more distinct in your concep
tion of what you can do more decided
in avoiding things which you cannot
and d not wish to do. Now, I conceive
that success is in finding what it is that
you yourself really want, and pursuing
it i freeing yourself from all importun
ities of your friends to do something
which they like, and insisting upon that
thing which you like and can do. Em
erson.
Where the Cold (Joes.
In the reign of Darius, gold was thir
teen times more valuable, weight tor
weight, than silver. In tho timo of
.Plato it was twolvo times more valuable.
In that of Julius Ciesar gold was only
nine times more valuable, owing, per
haps, to tho enormous quantities of gold
seizod by him in his wars. It is a nat
ural question to ask what became of
tho gold and silver r
A paper read before tho Polytechnic
Association by Dr. Stephens, recently, is
calculated to meet this inauirv. He
says ot our annual gold uroduct. fullv
fifteen per cent, is melted down for man
ufacture ; thirty-five per cent, goes to
Europe, twenty-five per cent, to Cuba;
fifteen per cent, to Brazil ; five per cent,
to Japan, China and the Indies: leavinir
but five por cent, for circulation in this
country. Of that which goes to Cuba,
the V est Indies and Brand, fully fifty
per cent, finds its way to Europe where,
after deducting a largo percentage used
in manufacturing, four-fifths of tho re
mainder is exported to India.
Were the transit ot tho precious metal
is at an end. Here the supply, however
vast, is absorbed and never returns to
the civilized world. Tho Orientals con
sume but little, while their productions
have, ever been in demand among tho
estern nations. As mere recipients.
these nations have acquired tho desiro of
accumulation and hoarding, a fashion
common aliko to all classes, among tho
Egyptians, cniueso and Persians.
A t rench economist says, in his opin
ion, the lornier nation alone can hide
away $2O,t30O,000 of. gold and silver an
nually, and the prosent Emperor of Mo
rocco is reported as so addicted to this
avaricious mama that ho has filled sev
enteen largo chambers with tho precious
metals. . . This , being tho passion of
princes, it is not surprising that the same
spirit is shared by their subjects, and it
is in this predilection that we discover
the solution ot the problem as to the ul
timate disposition of the I'reokms met
als, i 1 his absorption by the Eastorn na
tions has been uninterruptedly going on
since the most remote historical period.
According to Pliny, as much as $100,
000,000 in gold was, in his day, annually
exported td the East. Tho balance of
trade in favor of those nations is now
given as $S0,00),000.
An Odd Proposal of Marriage,
Pitts is a sharp business man ; and.
when Pitts goes into a store to trade, he
always gets the lowest cash price, and
then says,
"Well, I'll look about, and if I don't
find anything that suits bettor, I'll call
and take this." .,
Now, quite lately, Pitts said to him
self, " Pui gotting rather along in years,
and guess I'll get married." His busi
ness qualities won t let him " wait ;"
bo off ho travels, and calling upon a lady
friend, opened the conversation by re-
1 ..1 a 1. 13 l;l . . i
inarsLiug mat ue wouiu nice to Know
what she thought about his getting mar
ried. -. - !
" Oh,i i Mr. Pitts, , I am not so very
greatly interested, and I prefer to leave
it .with yourself.",
. Liai, says Pitts, " yott are interested ;
fend, my dear girl, will you marry me Y"
'-The youner lady blushed Tery red, hes
itated : and, finally, as Pitts was very
well-to-do Jui the world, , and morally
and financially of good standing in so
ciety, she accepted him J whereupon the
matter-of-fact Pitts responded ,
" Well well, I'll look about ; and if I
don't find anybody that suits me better
than you, I'll come bock,"
One of Hie Most Extraordinary Hero
lntions on Record.
On the 11th of December, 175V at
eight o'clock in the morning, tho Dey of
Algiers was distributing pay to his sol
diers in the courtyard id his palace. The
Grand Treasurer was with him, beside
his secretaries and the nsual divan ; find
tho number of soldiers was hbout three
hundred. It was understood that thesd
were all unarmed, and it was their cus
tom to bo on such occasions (though
thero was no suspicion of any disaffoo-:
tion among them) J and w;hen one of
them, after receiving his pay, and kissed
the Dey's hand, suddenly drew a dag
ger, it produced a great sensation in tho
court. When, instead of repenting him
of his indiscretion, and putting it back
into his girdle, ho proceeded to sheatho
it in tho Dey's breast, and then to shoot
him with a pistol, the cxcitenlent rei
doubled. Yet, seriously enough, no
body stirred, except himself. He rose',
and " walked a few yards" I will recol
lect the bald description of the writer
in that gazetteer " calling out to his
attendants : 1 Among so many of you,
can yeu not destroy snch a villain as
this 'r' and then dropped."
If his Highness could not do more, it
is scarcely imaginable to conceive how
ho could have done much less. - But his
assassin was as prompt in action as the.
other was slow ; he 119 sooner had hig
victim on the ground, than he snatched
off the Dey's turban, clapped it on his
own head, and seated himself on tho
throne. -
In the meantime a friend of this au
dacious character had lodged a pistol
ball in tho High Treasurer's collar-bone,
given him two sabre cuts over the head,
and cut his right hand off ; whilo four
more conspirators for they were only
six in all wero " hard at work with
their pistols and sabres" among tho com
pany generally.
In a recent American description of a
free fright, wo read that " crowbars and
other sedatives" were used ; and. pistols
and sabses seemed in this case also to
havo had a parcotio infleenco, for the
company actually listened with patience,
during all these anarchial proceedings,
to a speech from tho throne, a sort of
programme issued by tho new Dey, re
specting tho system of government that
would bo pursued in future (for the man
on the throne had an idea that tho vir
tuo of sovereignty lies in what it sits on,
and really imagined that he was firmly
seated in that supreme power which ho
had himself shown to bo so precarious
even in a legitimate possessor of it.) He
told them that he was henceforth about
to govern tho country on good princi
ples, and especially that he would de
clare war against a good many people
who fancied that no danger was hang
ing over their heads. " Tho country is
at peace," said he, " with a good doal too
many ;" and ho especially bado them to
tnko notice that ho was a sovereign
" who would do justico to all," at which
observation ho brandished his sword
about his head in what was, doubtless,
felt to bo a significant manner.
Tnen ho ordered tho drums to beat,
and tho cannon to bo fired, to givo no
tice to tho city of a changed dynasty.
Whilo this was being done, ono of tho
chiauses, or messengers, of the palaco
took heart of grace, and suddenly
snatching up a carbine, shot tho usurper
dead, at which action everybody seemed
to recover from their stupor, and tho
work of cutting his five accomplices to
pieces, after tho Eastern manner, at onco
commenced. Even Ah Bashaw, tho new
Dey, acknowledged that if this auda
cious rebel had kept his seat but a few
minutes longer, and until tho cannon
were fired, tho Government would havo
been subverted. Never was treason on
such a humble scale se near a success.
These six men were the sole conspira
tors, but the inaction of tho surround
ing soldiery (to whom they themselves
belonged) is explained by their ignor
anco of the evtent of tho'plot, and their
fear of being supposed to be mixed up
in it. As it was, tho chief rebel was tho
shortest Dey on record a King for an
hour. Chumhtra Journal.
Leap Year.
It is remarkable how tho ladies keep
leap-year here, says a New Orleans corr
respondent. The usual form is gone
through with on the streets as well as
in the parlor. On Saturday I attended
tho matinee at the new Varioties Thea
tre, and wns miinh nmiiseri wifli 1, a
ty freaks of the ladies. Several who had
invited gentlemen to accompany them
fitennnd nn t.n tVio tieket.nff!
tickets, ottered their arm to their com
pany, ana seatea inem in their proper
I'daces. The Tierforniiinee nvnt rlio Pwltr
again offered her arm, and, after a prom-
euaao aiong uanai direct, tho usual
courtesy would be extended by the lady
paying tho fare in the street cars. Tlie
other evening, in one of the Baronne
Street cars, just about the time there is a
great rush and the cars crowded," an
elderly gentleman entered . the car.
Every seat was occupied, and, as he
turned to leave, a lady left her seat, and
takino tho venerable
cj o ......... u J W l 1
arm, said, in a low, sweet voice, " Pray,
be seated, sir: take my place." As he
was about to decline, sho said, " No, sir ;
I insist upon your taking it. This is
leap-year, you know." This little action
caused manv n comnlimenr. in rnaa
tho lips of tho male passengers. . '
. Pkoveubs. Waste nothing neither
time, money nor talent. 1 ' - ,
Always tell tho truth : yeu will find
easier than lying. I" '
lla who gives a trine meanly is far
meaner than the trifio. ' i .
A heart full of grace is bettor than a
heart full of notions,
Men looking at the faults of women
should shut tboir eyes. j'( i
' If we seize too hastily, we aave todipp
as hastily. w . - k -(
i
Tho Supreme Court of Illinois having
refused to grant the application of Anna
M. Huletts, the female aspirant for legal
practice, the lady intends to lecture
about it.
r School and Recess.'
Although the country bSy feels a lit
tle joy when school breaks up (as he
does when anything breaks up; or any
ehhngo takes place); Sined' ho is released
from the discipline artd,' restraint of it,
yet the school i9 his ripening into the
world, his romance Its, opirortunities
fot fenjoymeht arcnuuitiei'lossj .Helloes
not exactly know what lio is set at books
for fe ho takes spelling rather s .an cxer-ciso-'
for his lungs,.' standing up and
shouting out his words with entire reck
lessness of consequences;' lie grapples
doggedly with 'rithmetic rnd geography
as something that must bo-cleared out
of his way .Taefdr xpoess, but not at all
with tho zest he would dig h wdodchftck
out of his holo. i a i "
' ' But recess I Was ever any cnioVmPht1
so keen as that with which a boy rushes
out 0f the schoolhouse 'door for the ten
minutes bf recess?; tie. U like "to "burst
with animal spirits ; he runs' hko a doel; ;
he can nearly fly, and he throws him
self, into play with . entire self-forgctful-ness,
and an energy that would over
throw tho world if lis strength wore
proportioned to it.'. For ten minutes tho
world is absolutely his ; tho weights aro
taken off, restraints are loosed, and he is
his own master for that brief time- as
he never again will bo if Tie lives to bo as
old as tho King of Thulo, and nobody
knows how old ho was. i
r And there is the nooning, a solid hour,
in which vast projects can be carried out
which have been slyly maturod during
tho' school hours; expeditions i'ftro un
dertaken, wars are begun between the
Indians on ono sido and tho settlers on
tho other, tho military company is drill
ed, (without uniforms or arms), or games
aro carried on which involve miles of
running and an expenditure of wind suf
ficient to spell the spelling-book through
at the highest pitch.
Friendships aro formed, too, which aro
fervent if not enduring, and enmities
contracted which are frequently " taken
out" on the spot, after ft rough fashion
boys have of settling as they go along;
cases of long credit, either in words or
trade, aro not frequont with boys ; boots
on lock-knives must bo paid on tho nail '.
and it is considered much more honora
blo to out with a ' personal grievanco at
once, even if tho explanation is a sneak
ing revengo on some concealed opportu
nity. Tho country boy at tho district school
is introduced into a wider world than ho
knew at homo in many ways. Somo big
boy brings to school a copy of tho
Arabian Nights, a dog-eared copy, with
cover, title-pago and tho last leaves mis
sing, which is passed around, and slyly
read under tho desk, and perhaps comes
to tho little boy whoso parents disap
prove of novel-reading, and have no
work of fiction in the house except a
pious fraud called " Six Months in a
Convent," and the latest Comic ftlmanRC.
Tho boy's eyes dilate as ho steals somo of
tho treasures out of tho wondrous pages,
and ho longs to lose himself in tho land
of enchantment open before him. Ho
tells at homo that ho has seen tho most
wonderful book that ever was, and a big
boy has promised to lend it to him.
" Is it a tro book, John'r" asks tho
grandmother. " Becauso if it isn't true,
it is the worst thing that a boy can
read." .
SThis happened years ago.)
'ohn cannot answer as to tho truth of
tho book, and so does not bring it home ;
but ho borrows it nevertheless, and con
ceals it iii the barn, and lying in tho
haymow is lost in its enchantments
many an odd hour when he is supposed
to bo doing chores. Thero were no
chores in tho Arabian Nights ; tho boy
there had but to rub the ring and sum
mon a genus, who would feed the calves
and pick up chips and bring in wood in
a minute. It was through this emblaz
oned portal that the boy walksd into
tho world of books, which he soon found
was larger than his own, and filled with
people ho longed to know,
Ladies' Leap-Year Privileges.
According to a imo-honored legend
tho ladies have been accorded certain
privileges and prerogatives during leap-
year which they are supposed not to en
joy' every year. They d not always, of
courso, avail themselves ot theso liber
ties, but they all know what their rights
ore; and do not fail to ijiontion thpin
evui "when" they do not claim thchi.
They hold them in reserve as ii sort of
menace of what they could da if they
chose. ' ' .
In our searches the other day through
tho musty records of tho past we found
a privilego accorded tho ladies which
perhaps all do not know. The young
ladies may be interested in knowing that
tho privilego of " popping tho question"
is not the only ono leap-year accords to
them, but there is a penalty attached to
refusals. ... . , . , , ,. , ,
If in tho course of tho nresent vear. a
young lady should so far forget herself
as to suggest a union between herself and
a bachelor acquaintance, who should be
uncivil enough to decline her proposals,
she could thereupon, demand of him tho
gift of a new silk dress. But to claim
this dress with propriety she must, at
the time of asking, be the wearer of a
scarlet petticoat, tho lower portion of
which she . must exhibit to the gentle
man, who, by ' the law of leop-yoar, is
compelled to present the lady with a
dress that shall cover the petticoat and
assuage her disploasure at tho rejection
of her proposals. ' ' '
this may be the reason why scarlet
skirts are being worn : so much within
the last few days, and perhaps 'we may
infer that the ladies propose to insist on
their rights and inflict tho penalties pre
scribed by tho law,','. ,.'.
, These penalties are somewhat expen
sive, "and we adviso jjuy gentleman, who'
believes he is seltcted as any lady's vic
tim, to givo her a wide berth, andjmako
it convenient-, V."pirKpppar wrouijd. tho
nenrest gorner .lwu. he; bous , Jior ; ap
proaching. ot ; fif ;
iiachclors will havo tq tight shy this
year.
Mason City, HI., is so healthy that it
offers its cemetery for sale.
I r A Word About Home-Training.
To be good and disagreeable, is high
treason against virtue," yet how many
pdfeplo expect an agreeable manner will
coma, of itself, or else think nothing
about it and take ho care to make their
ways pleasing to those about thorn I The
mot tiresome, disagreeable people have
no idea that tliey are so, and our dislike
to'thcir society U-often caused by little
things entirely ill) their power to avoid
dr correct, littlo things by which they
themselves aro annoyed when practiced
by Others. " Hnndsomo is that hand
some docs," too often is interpreted to re
fer" t6 what is done, not hoto it is done.
It shpuld mean both. 1 ': '
Household training should include tho
oultura of manner and taste. .No ono
wishes to see affectations and artificial
ways in children, but wo make a mistako
if wo supposo they will ajways be agree
able if they are simply natural. -, Nature
in tho ideal is charming ; nature in the
real Jifo of common humanity is often
unoouth and unattractive, and needs to
be carefully trained into ways of beauty,
' Appetites and propensities aro indulg
ed in uncouth and selfish ways, and ig
norance and bashfulness and curiosity
form awkward and rude habits. Now
and thou wo meet a rare and gracious
nature, which in childhood and maturi
ty is pleasing in all its outdoings, but
few people have that inward beauty and
outward grace which niako tho unre
strained expression of themselves always
agreeablo to. another. Wo havo little
peculiarities, obliquities, physical defects,
personal habits, which obtrudo them
selves unpleasantly unless we keep guard
over them. Wo are not naturally un
selfish ; wo havo not sympathetic judg
ment, quick perceptions, and tact that
is keen and tender, so that wo may trust
to our instincts to mako us winning and
agreeablo in our intercourse with oth
ers. . How many talk incessantly with
out questioning whether others enjoy it!
How ninny aro silent and moody with
out, recognition of any social claims!
How few aro thoughtful to avoid touch
ing roughly another's sensitivo points,
to bo tender of their weaknesses, and
considerate of their egotisms ! Sugges
tions, cautions, and restraints must be
continually, used in tho home education
to form tho " second nature," which shull
be as unaffectod as that of tho untrain
ed child, and far moro unselfish and at
tractive. Somo things must bo repress
ed, others developed, the tastes and com
fort of other peoplo must bo studied to
create such a spirit within, and manifest
its outgoings in such ways that a cour
teous, considerate bearing shall bo a
natural expression, that tho forms and
graces of manner shall bo as spontane
ous as tho kindly feeling.
A winsomo address, pleasant tones,
genial feelings, responsive thoughts, aro
well worth cultivating. They consti
tute tho sweetness of politeness. It is a
wondrous power, tho power to make
another happy, ltightly trained and
used, it develops a personal influcnco
wide and strong, a marvelous force, cen
tered in tho individual, and radiating in
ever-increasing circles.
Tho desiro to ploaso may degenerate
into personal vanity and selfish love of
admiration, but sanctified by Christian
consecration it rises into a heavenly
grace.
It is a shiimo to Christian households
that it is often urged as a reason for
sending children to dancing-schools
" that they may improve in manners and
loam how to appear in society." Is
there no refined and gracious woman
hood, no gentle and courteous manhood,
no good breeding in tho household t
Aro thero no polito social forms, no eti
quette, culture, and taste, in Christian
homes 'i Shall the children go out. to
tho world to learn the forma of that char
ity, gentleness, forbearance, and unself
ishness which are tho essentials of the
Christian character they seek to attain V
Many good people ignore tho necessi
ty of painstaking in this direction. They
even think tho desiro or effort to bo
pleasing is a sin or a weakness. They
think it is sufficient if they are good.
Such should study tho beauty of. holi
ness. Goodness must seek agreeablo
forms of expression ; virtuo must wear a
winning faco and clothe itself in the
garb of gracious manners. Becauso one
is earnest and sincere, ho has no right to
be rudo and unoouth. Thero are bar
riers bohind which individual reserve
lild.fs itself, there are secret places whore
reticence guards tho entrance.' We may
not intrude here unbidden or unwel
come. Another's personality must be
recognized, social formalities must be re
membered, tho restraints of common po
liteness must bo observed in our Chris
tian zeal. Tho good man, because he is
good, has no right to set these aside.
Tho Christian should not except him
Belf from anything that makes the truo
gentleman or lady. He, above all oth
ers, should feel nubleste oblige.
We shudder at the barbarous code of
honor which settled porsonal matters
with sword or pistol; but it is a pity we
do not hold more loyally a chivalrous
fealty to a truo honor and knightliuess
of character. We do not wish to be
taught how to maintain -respect for our
selves and for our neighbor at the mouth
of a pistol, but wo ought to learn it
nevertheless.
A better codo tho Apostle gives us in
both duty and motive : " Let every one
of us please his neighbor for his good to
edification." UearUt and Home.
A correspondent of tho Chicago Tri
bune states that the poison from the bite
of a mad dog can be eliminated from
tho system by vapor baths. He quotes
from an articlo printed in a Paris medi
cal journal by Dr. Bulsson, a celebrated
French surgeon, who says : ' If tho dis
order has declared itself, I prescribe a
single bath, pud leave tho patient in un
til a cure is effected, , Hydrophobia may
last three days, ., Experience has proved
ta me that a cure is certain o tho first
day of the outbreak t ,on. the second day,
doubtful ; and on tho third, hopeless, on
account of the difficulty of conveying the
patient to the bath and keeping him in.
And as hydrophobia never breaks out
before the seventh day, there is time to
perform a long journey to obtain a bath.
Facta and Figures.
Josh Billings remarks that "sekrets
are darned poof property ennyhow ; if
you cirkilate them yu lose them, and if
yu keep them yu lose the interest on tho
rn vestment Jni adds, M Don't under
take tow live with yure mother-in-law,
but if wus comes to wusness, , let yuro
mother-in-law livo with yu." , ..
Tho word " shyster," strangely omitted
by lexicographers, hag at last been clear
ly and comprehensively donned. Mr.
James Newby having sued the Alta Cali
fornia for $30,000 damages in the appli
cation ot thflthithcrto vague epithet to .
ilia icgui ciiuiucter, il uecuiuu uccessaiy
to ascertain what it really meant, ana
the pliilological editor of the Alta phras
ing its signification as implying '.' every
thing contemptible in the practice, of a
profession," tho "jury, doubtless out of
gratitude for this enrichment of the
English language, incontinently ren
dered a verdict for the defendants. r -
Tho Georgetown, Ky., Timet says that
a fancy farmer of Scott County has
built a $2,000 hog-pen, which is painted
and grained, furnished with hot and cold
water, warmed with steam and lighted
with gas. Thero is a fine library, whero
can be found Cobb's Elementary Works,
tho works of Bacon, Inquiry Regarding
tho Descendants of Ham, Hogg's Poems,
Cobden on tho Corn Laws, and the pop
ular little poem, "Root Hog or Die."
The troughs are of mahogany, inlaid
with ivory, and furnished with Phelan
cushions. Whenever a hog is led out to
execution, chloroform is administered.
The royal plate at Windsor, which is
kept in a tolerably sized room, and an
adjoining closet, is valued at 1,750,000
sterling. There is ono gold service,
formed by Georgo IV., to dine 130
guests. Somo pieces were taken from
the Spanish armada, somo brought from
India, Bunnali, China. ' Thore aro thir
ty dozen of plates which cost twenty
six guineas each plate. This is only a
portion of the royal wealth of England
in this one item of domestic necessity.
In the Tower of London aro all manner
of gold salt cellars, drinking cups, spoons,
etc., which in value represout on addi
tional million or so.
The latest invented building material
is marbleized glass. It is said to require
tho closest examination to detect it from
genuine marble. It can bo mado plain,
white, or variegated, to suit any taste or
requirement, and it is claimed that for
ornamental houso fronts, floors or pave
ments, this marbleized glass is sujierior
to marble in durability. It will main
tain its colors, they being indestructi
ble. A patent on this invention has
boon taken cut, and it is thought that
the great cheapness of this inarbloized
glass, as compared with marble, will
bring it into general use for houso fronts,
floors and ornaments.
There is a needle factory in New Ha
ven whero tho wholo process is done by
a singlo machine, without tho manual
labor of any person. A coil of steel wire
is put in ; tho luachino cuts it off at tho
required lengths ; it cuts tho steel pieces
consecutively, punches the eye-holes,
countersinks tho eyes, and grinds tho
points and, in fact, does everything un
til tho needles drop out completely form
ed. Another machine picks them up
and arranges them heads ond points to
gether, and a third piece of mechanism
puts them into papers. Ono of these ma
chines occupies no more room than an
ordinary table, and each of them turns
out from 30,000 to 40,000 needles a day.
A miser named Hushed Hobby died
lately at Greenwich; Conn. He was a
cattle drover, and by shrewdness and
ponuriousness had accumulated a for
tune ..of $100,000. He never had any
washing done,, but put on an undergar
ment and wore it till it wore out. Ono
day last week a neighbor went to tho
houso and knocked, but got no answer.
He forced tho door and found a hideous
spectacle. Hobby was lying on a dilap
idated sofa almost dead. On the floor
was a calf which had evidently died
from hunger, and tho body had been
partially eaten by several hogs which
were also in the room. Tho pantry was
used by chickens as a .roost. ' An un
dressed pig was found in tho stove oven,
and littlo bits of flesh had been cut out.
Hobby was in a dying condition from a
stroke of paralysis, and "was taken care
of by the Selectmen at his death. '
Life would be less misorable than it is
if we were incapable of taking cold,
and if so much of it were not necessar
ily devoted to coughing and sne&ing,
the spring-time of the year would bo
perfectly bharming if people did not so
frequently make such terriblo mistakes
in prematurely taking off their flannels.
It is now suggestod (in the Clovoland
Leader) that the Signal Service Bureau
at Washington might make itself a bless
ing to tho nation by letting us know
when we must wear wool, and when wo
may with impunity discard it. ' It would
add greatly to the interest of tho Wash
ington , predictions, rendering them
much more entertaining to the ordinary
reader, if they were interspersed with
such warnings as these : u Don't forget
to tako your umbrella !" ' " Remember
your overshoes for tho next twenty-four
hours !" ' " Put not your trust in spring
overcoats !" ...... .
Tho Somorvillo, Tenn., Falcon has the
following: "Last Tuesday a wagon
drawn by throe animals of the bovine
species passed through our town bound
for Texas. The driver was a red-headed,
lantern-jawed, bow-legged , Hoosior, six
feet in height, dressed in brown jeans
and wearing No. 14 brogans." - Two oxen
and a cow, geared like horses, wero
drawing the vehicle..- Tho wagon was
filled with a wife, a few little bare-headed
urchins, and other valuables. The
family hailed from Polk County, East
Tennessee, and said they were gwine to
Texas with that'ar team ef it tuk em all
year.' . Tho cow, thit worked on the off
side, they "said gave thilk for the wholo
family, In the rear Wa a second wagon,
drawn by a stout mulo and a horso. This
concern was packed full of moutain girls
in largo numbers, though it was impos
sible to count them in the short space of
thirty minutes."