ELK COUNTY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Two Dollars tt.k Annum.
VOL. II.
RIDQWAY, PA,. THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1872.
NO. 11.
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor asd Publisher,
POETRY.
TUB DEWi
Weep Tor me, pen tip flowers : let your tear
IMead for mo with the llpht."
Hi, tremblingly, before (die rtlfnprrarF,
Whisper the Night.
" Amid creation, fee, I nm nlone
Following the fleetbiff Pay i
The pray mystcrion? ppell aroui.d me thrown
Repel tlio (ray.
What pleasure 1 It that to me belong
The sweotest flower ami bird.
If by my ear the sad, b ict'chltifr sone
Alone be heard t
' He file forever from my yearning arm-,
. That Rlorlou. rJIiiifr sun ;
I bathed In tear, iiiiild my starry el.nm;,
Murt fullow on." . "
So, with a breath of pad and hopeless siphs.
Night bids tho eartli adieu ;
And the pure tear-drop In the flower's eyes
We rail tho dew. Harper' Monthly.
THE STORY-TELLER.
THE DEACOX AND HIS WIFE.
tVhat Came of Waahlng oil Similar.
Deacon Flint had decided to move 5
hud decided to commence moving at pre
cisely 5 o'clock, Monday morning, July
1 S ; and 80 on that identical Monday
morning you might, had you been an
parly riser, have seen the deacon, divested
of his coat and his Sunday dignity,
shaking the best room carpet in the back
yard.
Thero is no need of saying what ho
did next, or what Mrs. Flint was doing
then. They went through the tcaring
np process very much ns other people
do ; and not being endowed with an
ovor-abundanco of this world's goods,
tho last load of furniture, consisting of
the deacon's wife and Uaby, tho twins,
and the best room looking-glass, was on
its way to tho depot at 5 o'clock, r. M.
" Blessed be nothing !" exclaimed the
tired little woman, as tho deacon helped
her out of tho wagon. " If we had been
Squire Ransom's folks, Samuel, we
shouldn't have been more than a quarter
through now, -would we ? My ! how my
poor bones would have ached through
this timo to-morrow night! I'm glad
tho Lord knows what's best for me," sho
added, taking the baby from the deacon,
and looking around for the twins.
It was but a few hours' ride to C, and
just in tho coolest dusk of tho July twi
light they walked up tho street to their
new homo, very tired, and thankful they
were not Squire Ransom's folks, but just
. .themselves, if they did have to work late
that night putting up tho kitchen stove
ami unpacking dishes and bedding.
Tuesday was a day of many troubles.
Tho babies were tired and fretful; day
light revealed a coating of dirt on doors
and windows, the depth of which they
knew not before ; and tho heat was in
tense. But tho deacon possessing untir
ing energy, and his little wife the sun
niest of tempers, they succeeded so well
t hat, by Thursday night, as ho came into
tho kitchen with an armful of wood,
where his wife was washing dishes, she
-eontnionced singing :
" Tho deacon think hie work 1? almost dime,
hut I l'm-l a it' mine hud jui-l ht-tfuu.'
" Did you hear that, Samuel ':" she
said, laughing, and turning around to
look ut him.
It was prayer-meeting night, and the
deacon wont to prayor-ifieeting for tho
first time in C, took an aetivo part, and
uf tor meeting waited to shako hands with
tho minister and some of the brethren,
answer their inquiries, and present their
letters. He had tho satisfaction of feel
ing, on his way home, that ho had mado
a good impression ; it pleased him ; it
would have pleased us ; and ho told his
little wife that night, in his grave way,
that he " hoped, coming as he did in the
midst of a strange people, there might
never bo any occasion of remark against
him while he remained among them."
" I'm sure, I hope not, Samuel," she
said, looking innocently up in h;s face,
and adding, us bIio nestled up her littlo
brown head on his shoulder, " I don't
feel much alarmed about it."
Tho next day, Friday, tho deacon went
back to tho old home, having some busi
ness settlements to mako thero. " Can't
tell certainly when I shall be back;
probably not till Monday noon ; guess
there's enough wood split to last till
.then. Good-bye," he said, and was
gone.
The woo woman went singing back to
her hulf-washed dinner-dishes, and with
one foot on the cradle-rocker, she scoured
the knives, whilo sho told the story of
"Jack and Gill" to the twins. When
tho last kettle was washed, the kitchen
stove and table brushed and scoured to
the usual shade of black and white, the
baby asleep in her nest of a cradle
"bless her !" sho washed tho pretty twin
faces till they blushed like red peppers,
and then settled them in their trundle
bed or a nap.
Dear little woman! sho did look so
tired as sho camo out from the bedroom,
and stopped to brush a fly from under
tho mosquito-net over tho buby ; it
would havo mado your back acho to look
at her. But the cheery heart in the
weary body asserted itself, and sho
smiled with tho thought of all sho would
do beforo the deacon camo back.
" I must slick my hair over a little, so
if any ojio should como I wouldn't spoil
tho deacon's reputation," sho said to hor
Belf, going up to a littlo glass that hung
lietween tho kitchen windows. Just
then a gem of a sunbeam flashed in at
tho window, and seemed to tangle itself
all up u u"r wavy brown hair. " Oh,
how pretty !" sho said, with a blush and
a laugh like a child's. " Guess if some
body had been at homo I'd had a kiss
then !" and oil' she flew to her work.
How like magic tho whito curtains
went up and tho cobwebs came down ;
how tho host room looking-glass shone
alter its polishing, and the old daguer
reotype of ' Samuel in his best days "
never shone through so clean a surface
as it did that day. So the time flew,
bringing the deacon's return nearer.
One morning she awakened early, en
tirely free from a wretched headache she
had the day before. "I want it all
lone ; the kitchen cleaned up and my
dress changed before Samuel comes at
noon." Quietly dressing, so as not to
awaken tlio children, sho slipped out
into tho kitchen, built a iiro and com
menced operations. How sho did work !
every step told of something dono, and
at half past 10, despite all her hindrances
from baby, who was cross, sho was hang
ing out the clothes, so snowy whito they
dazzled her eyes as the sun shono on
them. Ono end of tho clothos-lino ran
nearly out to tho front fenco through
tho side yard, and tho whitest, nicest
clotlfcs were hung there, of course.
"How many people are passing!" she
thought to herself, " and how they all
stare at me ; guess it must bo the clothes
though, instead of me," and she tenderly
pinned the rear of one of the deacon's
shirts to tho line. Hark ! was that the
front gate V Beforo she had time to turn
around, the deacon's energetic strides
had brought him close to her; but what
was tho matter '
"Martha Pendleton Flint!" he ex
claimed, " what in the world are you
doing ' Come straight into tho house!"
With a look that defies description, the
littlo body straightened itself up as high
as it would go, as she said : " Not until
you speak to mo different from that,
Samuel, and tell mo why," her lip quiv
ering. '
" Don't you see the people all going
to meeting, and you a hanging out
shirts V It's Sunday morning !"
Such a laugh as rang out then on tho
Sunday air, I'm sure tho good people
never hoard beforo.
" Oh, Samuel," sho said, holding her
sides, " it's so funny ! no wonder tho
folks stared at me and my clothes. Oh,
oh, oh !" and sho sank down on the grass
in a convulsion of laughter.
The poor deacon was scandalized.
" Martha !" he said, in such a sadly
anxious tone sho only laughed tho more,
and it was not until she looked up in his
face that she realized how he was touched ;
then sho stood up soVerly and walked
into tho house. Tho door closed behind
them, and she went up to him with a
littlo caress, and said :
" Samuel, kiss and forgive me, and I'll
go to work and. ravel it out. I truly
will," and she laughed again with the
thought of what sho had been guilty of,
till the deacon kissed her, and laughed
too, in spite of himself. Then he walked
to tho window and looked out.
" You're not going to let them clothes
hang out there all dav, are you, Martha
Flint 'f"
" Of courso I am ; you don't suppose,
now I've got them out, God's going to
grudgo me tho sunshine to dry them
with, because it's Sunday, do you V Why,
it would bo wicked to bring them in be
fore sundown. But, soo here, Mr. Deacon,
it's about time I called you to account, I
think. How camo you to be travelling
to-dny ? Guess there's a little Sunday
breaking on both sides, isn't there '("
Tho deacon turned slowly around, and
sat down. Then perching herself on
his knee, she took his honest brown face
in her hands, and said :
" Be a good boy, now, and tell mo all
the truth. Remember George Washing
ton, dear."
Tho deacon smiled, just a trace of
trtublo in his smile, and taking the
hands that held him captive in his own.
said :
" Well, littlo woman, I had everything
up last night, ready to start for homo on
tho o o'clock train. Somehow I must
havo been uncommon tired, or else it was
tho heat, leastwiso I dropped asleep in
tho depot, and missed tho train. Then
I thought I'd take the 9 o'clock train,
and get homo at mi'dnight, so you
wouldn't bo lonesome Sunday, but we
broko down, and just got here half an
hour ago. Then to think, after walking
through town from the cars, and folks
a-looking nt mo on their way to church."
" To think, Samuel," sho broko in,
" after that dreadful trial, you should
walk in at your front flto and find your
wifo hanging out clothes in your front
yard, and you a deacon of good stand
ing in tho church ! Dear! dear! what
do you suppose tho Lord will do to me
for thinking it was washing day ' I
don't think," sho said, " he'll bo very
hard with me, because yesterday whs
my Sunday, though I had such a sick
headache, it seems I didn't know much
about tho day. I'll tell you what, Sam
uel, I'll stay at homo with tho babies
to-night, and you can go to meeting,
and then piece out your Sunday to
morrow ; won't that do '("
But tho deacoa couldn't get over it ;
his heart was heavy ; and while his wife
was busy in tho kitchen ho put on his
hat, ifnd with his hands clasped rever
ently behind him (his Sunday way)
slowly and solemnly he walked out to
tho clothes-lines. Most of tho clothes
were dry, for the sun was very hot, and
one by one ho dropped tho snowy
things into the basket, unconsciously
humming to himself, "Have pity, Lord!
O Lord, forgive."
Mrs. Flint was washing dishes, and
nearly dropped her best glass dish, when
the deacon walked in with the clean
clothes. " I could not stand it, Martha,"
he said in explanation.
" Guess I must Bprinklo and iron them,
to-day, Samuel would you sho said
archly.
The deacon merely ejaculated a dis
approving " My dear !" and weut into
the other room to read his Sunday paper.
By and by tho peoplo began to come
from church. What a sudden, surprised
interest they seemed to have taken in
Ids household premises ; they gazed,
and stared, and looked back, and gazed,
aguin ; but tho deacon was a humble
man ; it did not flatter him ; ho read his
paper and sighed; opened his Bible to
read, and sighed again, and then fell to
thinking. A littlo while after two arms
stole softly around his neck, and a sweet
voice said :
Forget all about it, dear, and I'll "
A knock at the door interrupted, and
she went to open it.
She had brushed her brown, wavy
hair, aud dressed in a cool, white muslin
dress, with far-between dottings of pink,
and looked not a bit like the guilty lit
tle washerwoman she was. She opened
the door, and Deacon Frost and Elder
Cummins introduced themselves, and
walked in with stately bows. Deacon
Flint rose from his open Bible, and moro
introductions .followed, whereupon El
der Cummins cleared lit.- throat, and, in
a piping voice, sii.l :
" Vou must excuse, Deacon Flint, our
coining on such a day, but wo thought
it best that some explanations should
be made beforo our people again gather
for evening service !"
" Oh, I know what you mean, I guess,
Elder Cummins you want to know
why I kept yesterday for Sunday, in
stead of to-day, don't you Y Well, tho
fact was, tho deacon was away, and I
mado a discount of tho days somehow,
and I was so busy settling, anil so yes
terday was my Sunday, though I was
in bed all day with a sick headache,
and so didn't find out my mistake at
all. Then, wasn't it funny Tf I got up
at live this morning, and went to wash
ing, thinking it was Monday, and I'd
got all through before tho deacon camo
home ; I declare I've laughed so about
it that I fairly ache." And tho littlo
feminine offender laughed again, and
so contagiously that the threo laughed
with her.
" I've been so good, though, elder, the
rest of the day, I'm sure tho Lord has
forgiven nfb for it." And she smiled so
sweetly that both wcro completely won.
When they rose to go, Deacon Frost
said to Deacon Flint :
" It is our missionary meeting to
night, brother, and a littlo explanation
from you thero will settle the matter
right, I guess."
Up Bpoko the feminine ugain.
" Oh, yes,'Deacon Frost, Samuel was
intending to explain, to-night. I only
wish that I could be there ; but I can't
leuve the babies."
"If you havo no objections, Mrs.
Flint," replied tho deacon, " luy Susio
will como and stay with them, and let
you go ; sho will be so delighted."
" Oh, thank you, that would bo so
nice ; you aro very kind !" And she
bowed them out of the door.
" Ain't you glad you married mo,
S imuel, instead of Abigail Howe '(" said
the small woman, smiling up to him.
No matter what the deacon said or
did.
As she was setting tho tea-table, that
night, she broko into another merry
laugh.
" What's the matter now, dear 'r" said
the deacon.
" O, Samuel, I was thinking how you
must havo locked, coining up tho street
with your Sunday walk, hands clasped
solemnly beki.id you, till you got to the
gate and saw me hanging up your shirt
in the front yard, then how suddenly
yau broke into your week-day stride !"
Ha ! ha ! and they laugh d together till
the tears came.
Supper over, dishes washed, baby
asleep, Susio telling stories to tho twins,
tho deacon and his wifo started for
church. " Don't bo too humble, Sam
uel," sho whispered at tlio door ; " work
in a littlo spice, if you can, and I'll
tread on your corns when it's timo to
stop."
The meeting was opened as usual ;
then Brother Dean was called upon for
a report from India.
A littlo wiry, black-eyed man rose
and said : " Brethren, it's not much use
reporting from heathen countries, when
right iu our midst deacons travel on
Sunday, and deacons' wives wash and
hang out clothes beforo oir very eyes as
wo walk to the houso of God f I "call
for an explanation."
Deacon Flint tried to rise, but some
body pulled him down, and tho next
minute tho whole congregation was
electrified by tho sound of a sweet,
womanly voice, saying : " Now, O Lord,
stablish thy word unto thy servant, so
shall I have wherewith to answer him
that reproacheth me, for I trust in thy
word." Then turning to him, sho said :
" My brother, you shall havo an expla
nation ;" and in a simple, almost child
like way, she told tho story of her mis
take, and the deacon's delay, then ad
ded : " My brother, judgo nothing be
foro tho time until tho Lord como. ' For
wo shall all stand before tho judgment
seat of Christ, and every ono shall
give an account of himself to God ; let
us not, therefore, judge ono another any
moro !' Your sleep, my brother, will be
sweet to-night, if your heart is at peace
with God, us minois; for 'lam per
suaded that neither life nor death, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor another crea
turo shall be ablo to separate mo from
tho lovo of God which is in Christ Jesus
our Lord.'"
The next morning Rev. Iluury Brown
and his wifo called very unceremonious
ly on the new deacon. " We know it
wouldn't bo washing-day hero," laughed
Mrs. Brown, " so wo came hero early.
I could hardly wait to get here to talk
over that funny affair. Henry said af
ter you sat down, last night, he felt liko
inviting you into the pulpit."
" Why, bless mo !" said the ustonishod
littlo body, blushing lino a girl, " I felt
so ashamed of myself after I got under
the deacon's coat ! 'Twas tho first time
I ever spoke in my life."
"I hope it won't bo tho last, Mrs.
Flint, if you always speak as much to
tho purpose as you did last night !" said
tho minister, coming forward.
" Yes," broko in his wife, " Henry said
hed advocate women s speaking m
meeting after this."
" It was capital," said Mr. Brown, re
crossing the room to whero the deacon
stood. " That's what Joe Dean has
needed for a long timo a good reproof,
but no ono had the courage to give it to
him. Your littlo wifo has done just
what tho wholo parish will thank hor
tor.
"Everybody I've seen sinco is just en
raptured with you," said his wife to the
laughing heroine, who had been re
hearsing all the funny passages to hor.
' You have mado yourself famous ; look
out tor plenty ot calls this week r
" Oh, well, she said, tossing the baby,
" the washing is done, and I shall have
plenty ot time ! "
Mrs. Brown laughod, and said: "I
think I will send you word next Satur
day night that tho next day will be
Sunday, and you had better not wash
till Monday.
"Mrs. Flint," said tho minister, "I
think atom aro fully competent to man
age your own affairs, without any of my
wifo s interference." And so, laughing
merrily, they started.
" Samuel," said his bonnie wife, as she
reached tho door, " don't you think I'vo
introduced you pretty well ? Will you
ever call mo Martha Pendleton Flint
again when I am hanging up your shirt
in tho front yard '("
Somebody was chased out in the kitch
en just then, and laughed so loud it
wakened tlio baby.
Cruise of Hip Seliool-Shlp Mercury.
Manv of the unmanageable boys of
our large cities, such as have been found
guilty ot petty crimes or are complained
of by their parents as incorrigible, are
sent to tho school-ship Mercury, at
Hart's Island, there to be trained for
practical seamanship, as well as kept
under wholesomo control, and prepared
for obtaining a livelihood by an honest
and useful occupation. In 1870 tho
Mercury was sent oil on a long practice
cruise, in order that theboys might have
training in the actual dutiesot sailors,
and at the same timo it quasi scientific
character was given to tho expedition,
calculated to stimulate a taste for useful
studies and accurate observation. The
results of the cruise havo just been pub
lished in tho form of a report from the
Commissioners of Charities and Cor
rection. Tho Mercury left Hart s Island in De
cember, 1S70, and proceeded to tho
coast of Africa, where tho scientific sur
vey was to begin. Leaving Sierra
Leone, tho vessel sailed westward across
tho Atlantic, keeping on a line a little
north of tho Equator. Soundings wers
taken at short intervals, and observa
tions were made and recorded on tho
temperature of tho water, the direction,
depth, and velocity of the various cur
rents, and samples of tho water at differ
ent depths, and of tho soil and deposits
f the bottom, were obtained and brought
homo. Many of theso observations were
of decided scientific value. A profilo of
tho basin of the Atlantic from Sierra
Leono to Barbadocs, on a lino about
twelvo degrees north of the Equator,
had been drawn, and shows a depth of
3,100 fathoms, which was ascertained by
one of the deepest accurate soundings
ever made. Tables have also boon made
from theso observations by Professor
Henry Draper, showing the height of
tho barometer at different points on the
lino traversed, tho direction and velocity
of tho currents, both in expanse of the
ocean and among tho West India
Islands, tho tomperatnre and specific
gravity of the water at various depths,
and tlio temperature of tho air under
varying circumstances.
These results aro ot value to science,
but tho principal benefit of tho cruise
was in tlio cxpenenco and training
which it gave to tho jiwenilo crew.
They returned fitted to bocomo efficient
seamen, either in tho navy or tho mer
chant marine, and with a special train
ing for service on scientific expeditions
"and surveys. It is proposed by the
Commissioners to apply to Congress du
ring tho present session to have authori
ty vested in tho Secretary of the Navy
to discriminate in enlistments in tho
navy in favor of boys who havo been
trained on tho school-ships. Theso long
cruises with a definite purpose form the
very best moans of giving them tho dis
cipline which they need. So far as tho
reformatory effect of tho school ships is
concerned, tho Commissioners say :
Thero is reason to behevo that it is the
most effective modo to reclaim erring
boys whoso errors, caused by tho love of
adventure, by evil associations, or un
governable tempers, aro last linpellinc
tliem to ruin, lirougnt under tlio in
flexible disciplino of a ship in actual
service, they aro taugnt in a tew months
tho duties of a profession which directs
and gratifies their lovo ot adventure,
and provides tor them tho means ot an
honest and useful livelihood."
Mysterious Kidnapping Case.
Tho Petaluma (Cal.) Crescent of March
'1M contains the following singular ac
count:
Ou tho 15th of this month Will Orr, at
that timo editor of tho Crcuccut, loft this
city to proced to Sacramento, whero ho
expected to remain a few days. Since
that timo ho had not boon Heard ot until
Tuesday evening, when letters were re
ceived iroui mm having tho post-mark
of Chicago, stating in brief tho cause of
his prolonged absence. He says he has
boon made tho victim of ono of tho most
diabolical plots that ever entered tho
head of man. His account is substantial
ly as follows : After remaining in Sac
ramento for a few days, he took the east
ward bound train to go to a station a few
miles beyond Sacramento, to see a friend
who resided there. Shortly after leaving
tho cits', ho was accosted by two men,
who addressed him in tho Spinish
tonguo. He answered in liko speech.
being tamilar witli that language. Al
ter conversing with them for a short time,
they invited him to join them in some
refreshments. After protesting for some
timo, he at last consentod.
Ho remembers of taking ono drink,
after which he recollects nothing more
until ho awakened from a deep sleep in
tho Sherman House, m Chicago, with
physician at his bedside, paid by some
unknown parties to wait upon him. A
week's board was paid for in advance by
the samo parties. Farther than that he
knows nothing. Ha found his travel-
ling-bag-and all his money, except $20,
missing. His gold watc h and gold-head
ed cane wero left him. He will return
to this city as soon as he receives money
to enable hiin to do so. Taken altogeth
er, this is ono of the most mysterious
affairs that has ever come under our
noticed His disappearance and the cir
cumstances attending his departure have
caused him to rest under a cloud of sus
picion, even with his best friends. The
assurance that his absence was unwilling
will be gladly received.
Soft words don't scratch the tongue.
How to Commence Business.
There aro many young men who aro
in tlio habit of excusing their idleness
aud inefficiency with tho plea that they
can do nothing without capital. Tho
lack of means is tlio ready reply they
make to every appeal to action. They
imagine that they possess in themselves
all the prerequisites to success except
capital. If they only had capital, in
addition to their other imagined virtues,
they would do great things in tho world ;
they would astonish tho natives with
the boldness and brilliancy of their en
terprise. They would become im
mensely rich, and lay tho world under
perpetual obligations to them by the
magnificence of their benefactions. This
the way they think and talk, and
they roll the Tain-glorious idea over in
their minds until they coins to imagine
that the world is an immense loser by
their poverty.
Iheso persons tofget ono important
fact that all capital is tho product of
labor. That nearly nil rich men in this
country wero once poor. That nearly
every personal fortune they can enumer
ate is either tho product ot its owner s
toil and skill, or , tho representative of
his father's toil and skill.
How did tho makers of theso fortunes
get along without capital ' Had they
spent tho vigor of their youth in idlo
and foolish lamentations over their pov
erty, they would havo lived and died
poor, and left nothing but an inheritance
of honesty behind them. Capital allied
to labor and skill can work wonders in
tho war of material enterprises. But
money is not tho only mdisponsablo
thing to young men. Thero aro other
kinds of capital besides accumulated
money ; brains, muscle, industry, hon
esty, diligence, truth, fidelity, skill, tact,
education all thee are capital-, and ull of
them havo a commercial value, which
tho owner will be able, sooner or later,
to command m tho market. Provided
with these, any young man in the coun
try may mako moro than ho needs to
spend every year, and thus have some
thing at the end of each year to iyvest
as money capital. If ho needs money
let him go to work and make it, and
thus give proof of his ability to use it
profitably and judiciously. If wo go in
to any great city, or into any prosperous
agricultural district, wo find tho capit
alists aro those who havo made their for
tunes without any outside aid. They
did not waste their time in repining at
their poverty, and in silly dreams of
what they could do it they had tho mon
ey to do it with. They went boldly and
resolutely to work ; they toiled and
thought and planned, and kept tolling
and thinking and planning, patiently,
until at last they grasped the fortunate
moment, and succeeded. Exchange.
A Female Reporter.
Miss Middio Morgan, of tho Time,
has been widely photographed. The
following sketch for a Cincinnati paper
gives a fair idea of this phenomenon :
It was now some two years since tho
office of the Tribune was assailed, ono
fine morning, by what appeared very
much liko a wild Irish girl. Sho ap
plied to tho meek-faced Horace for a po
sition on tho stutt ot the moral V riwine.
Sho talked horses to Horace. Sho
amazed him by tho scope of her equine
knowledge, but 'twas no go. Horace
didn't want a horse-editress. Sho then
entered into a discussion with tho farm-
editor on tho subject of carrots and cab
bages. Horace admitted that sho hud a
wonderful knowledgo of agricultural
subjects, but preferred to bo his own
editor in that department. Failing to
gain the position sho sought on tho Tri
bune, tho lady's next visit was to tho
sun ; but JJana proved as obdurate as
Greeley, and sho had to beat a retreat
there. Finally sho was caught up by
tho Time, and mado agricultural editor
ot that paper, and hero sho has remained
ever since. Her department includes
tho reporting ot all tho races and cattlo
shows throughout tho country, and she
is always to bo met at theso places. It
is a curious sight to see, moving about
among tho sporting men and reporters,
tho strapping trom ot Middle .Morgan
But sho is not out of place, if knowledgo
ot subject can capacitate ono tor a place.
Sho knows more about horses and their
diseases than nine-tenths of tho profes
sional horsemen in tho country. Mid-
die, although a giantess m form, has a
most amiable and pleasing face, and is
every inch tho real lady. Sho has tho
ono fault that seems to permeate tho en
tire feminiuo genius. She will talk, and
her conversation is oftentimes volumin
ous, but then she is always so thoroughly
good-natured that ono never gets tired
ot her tattlo. hue is known and hearti
ly welcomed ot every race-course in tho
country, and her reports ot tuo contests
on tho turf in nowise fall behind those
of her sterner co-laborers in tho editor
ial field.
" Middio" is understood to be the old
Irish diminutive for Mary. y.Y.Woiid,
Important Article of Commerce.
Wo learn from tho Springfield (llo.
Patriot that Messrs. McPherson & Ever
ett, of that city, recently shipped twelve
thousand pounds of sumac on the At
lantic and Pacific railroad. Tho Patriot
says : " The shipment goes to St. Louis,
theuco by rail to New York, where it is
forwarded by ship along tlio Atlantio
coast to St. Johns, Now Brunswick, tho
wholo distance from this city being two
thousand miles, this is the first in
stance of Missouri sumac being sold out
ot tho State, and we trust that it will
tend to further the business. It is to be
used fr tanning purposes, and was sold
at fair figures. This firm is tho pioneer
in this business in the West, and wo
trust they may be able to continue an
extensive trade in this new and impor
tant article of commerce to southwest
Missouri. Tho sumao grown in this
section is pronounced superior for tan
ning and coloring purposes to the Vir
ginia sumao, in which so largo a trade
is done, and it is certain that there is an
inexhaustible supply.
Experience acquired by faults is
costly master.
Emij California Society.
Ono of tho principal features of early
times was tho absoluto freedom of social
intercourse between man and man, and
the absence ot those distinctions m so
ciety which cause men to jostle each other
in ascending the rounds of its ladder ot
crystallized torms, time-honored conven-
tionahties, allluonco and taslnon. 1'edi-
greo couiu not uo proven, even u. il weiu
princely ior, wiicro mi were onmiBuia
to eacu otner, anieceueius liucuimai y
began and ended with the assumption of
the claimant-and it was considered
tt J n.f .f ,.!,! l,o
proffer of credential. Thus it became
necessary to admit all to the privileges of
the best of men until they proved tliem-
selves undeserving; and then tho re
versed order of ascent was moro quickly
taken than belongs to the custom of re
fined society in old communities. What
ever tho organization of society in its
present order and general make-up may l
ml A irt 4-X.n nm rf nfl'dt ,,1,lCtfn tlwi Yll'rtfYVnua I
of mankind, it must bo acknowledged
that it is tho prolific mother of more than
half tho wretchedness and disastrous fail
tires of its individual members. Nothing
but barbarism ns an alternative would
justify soXiiety as now constituted, with
wealth and fashion as the mam elements
of success in life. A constant agonizing
effort to be as miserable as you can seems
to bo tho warp ot our social economy.
It. was ditlerent in the early days. 1 ho
relief which men found here from tho
igid forms of society tho absence of the
graduated scale of social influence was
extremely favorable to tho culture of tho
philosoplno mood which renders ono con
tented with himself and all tho world.
Relieved from tho spirit of social intoxi
cation, ono could soberly smile at the
petty annoyances which fret the ambi
tion of the aspiring, from tho cradle to
tho grave. Nono ot theso disturbed the
Forty-nin' v ; and if hhj food was not at
wiv v. iv.i digestion, ho rested at night
as peacefully as tho new-born babe al
beit, if a miner, his bed may havo deen
upon a snow-bank thirty feet deep, or
intrenched m a mud-puddlo that threat
ened inundation, with an umbrageous
oak or towering pino as shelter from tho
storm overhead. All his hardships were
of a physical nature ; mentally, ho was
placid ; und the situation wa so novel
and interesting that ho marveled that
so many of the ills f life resulted from
mo ,.-ijr u.g.u.... nr'"j
IO MIUVUUL Ilium- t ctuici . "r CI -
Innd Monthly tor May.
Where Does the Gold Come From X
This question has never been satisfac
torily answered by geologists. They can
seo as far into a millstone as anybody,
but whero tho great depot or quarry
from whence tho gold conies that has
been rasped oil in particles and thrown
towards tho surface to bo rolled in tho
sand by tho action of running water or
caught us prisoners in quartz rock whilo
that was either held m solution or in the
condition of pulverization, is the prob
lem.
Occasionally such enormous nuggets
are found, quite solitary, it seems to in
dicate they were broken off from a large
mass somewhero and driven away in a
torrent of gravel whoso onward upward
forco was irresistible till it met with
counter currents.
That old theory which supposed tho
precious metal was existing in combina
tion with others in a gaseous form and
occasionally precipitated by electricity
into lumps which worked their way liko
moles from tho interior through strata
of tho earth's compact crust, is now
nuito obsolete. An imnression is Erain-
ing advocates that gold does actually ex
ist in great bodies, somewhero, not very
far down, from wheneo fragments and
particles are gradually brought up by
aquatic agency. 11ns gives a moro lea-
sonablo explanation ot tho contusion or
gold m small parcels all over tho globe.
About Dogs. A ranchman in Color
ado has a sagacious dog which tho own
er firmly believes can count. He has
seven yoke, or fourteen working oxen,
and when not in uso theso aro turned
looso with a largo herd of cattle. When
ever they aro required ho speaks to his
dog tho samo as ho would to a boy, and
tells him to go and drive in his oxen:
1 he dog immediately starts oil and docs
tho job as well as anybody. On one oc
casion during tho last season when tho
dog had tho cattle nearly in, ho was no
ticod to suddenly leave them and run
back to tho herd as fast as ho could go,
... ., . i. .. D '
which wastlireo-auartersot a mile awav.
1 his excited some surprise, but it was
soon discovered ho had drivon in but
thirtoon, and had gono back to correct
his carelessness by bringing in tho four
teenth.
An instance of rare honesty, and
showing how a dog may desire to pay
his board bill, recently occurred in
Fitchburg, Mass. A lady saw a do'
frequently about her house picking up
odd bits which had been thrown out,
and one day sho called him in and fed
him. Tho next day he came back, and
as sho opened tho door ho walked in and
laid an egg on the floor, when ho was
again ted. Tho following day ho brought
his egg to pay for his dinner, and on tlio
fourth day, he brought the old hen her
self, who it seems had failed to furnish
tho required egg !
Tho usual effect of a large conscription
upon, the public health is now being
shown in trance in an amazing number
of cases of defective vision among the
conscripts. During the days of drafts
in our own civil war tho same phenom
enon was noted, and very many persons
whoso eyes had never before troubled
them were obliged to use glasses for
weeks togethor.
Dr. Holmes talks, in his ploasant way.
of lawyers, ministers and doctors, whose
several virtues are summed up in the
singlo sentence, " The lawyers aro the
cleverest men, the ministers are the most
learned, and tho doctors are the most
sensiuie,
Facia and Figures.
A Grcencastlo find. woman, seventy-
two years of ago, is the mother of a ten
days' old baby, or was when this para-
graph set out.
An ;rnt.e colored female on a Tennessee
train fane t0 nnti the expected prize
jn gome .. prize" candy boxes sold hor,
pitched into tho newsboy and gave him
a sound thrashing.
mi. - tt n ,i
, . f p n0( Sululay in
,.J,L ,aa wStf H,lnt ,,. 'i
that is the way the other third know
wen numiuy cuiuen.
A gentle school ma'am in Minneapolis
Hogged a boy an hour and a quarter,
uwnS up
sorting to a stick of wood. She settled
tho caso by paying fo and costs.
A Pacific paper says: A fellow in
Oregon thought ho would bo smart, and
just havo a littlo fun with a young lady
on whom ho had waited two or tnrce
tltltno TTrt .1 clrnrl lint IT'Vlflf ullrt Wrtllld A fi
if a nice-looking young fellow asked her
to marry him. Sho smiled, oh, so gush-
ingly, and looked good enough to cat,
but said nothing. Then ho asked her
what sho would say if ho askod her to
marry him. Sho throw hor arms around
him, and rushed out of tho room for her
hat and shawl. The poor fellow says he was
never married so sudden in his lite. 1'rob
ably that was tho nearest she ever came
to being asked, and sho thought fooling
around with sentiment would bo danger-
is.
In tho Superior Court in Bosttfti a de
cision has been rendered which is of in
terest to the managers of public convey
ances. A man named Standish took pas
sago at Fall River on ono of tho boats of
tho Narragansett Steamship Company
for New York. Ho claimed that while
on the rjassago he either lost his ticket or
gave it to tho wrong officer of tho com
pany ; at any rate, when he arrived in
New York ho did not havo it. Failing
to produce a ticket, and refusing to puy
tho faro of four dollars, the officers of the
company detained him, and threatened
to carry him back to l1 all liiver. In
consequence of this ho sued for an as
sault and falso imprisonment, and the
jury gavo him a verdict for fifty dollars.
As a matter ot law, Judgo Putnam in
structed tho jury that tho officers of the
company had no right to detain tho
plaintiff merely for tho purposo of com
polling him to pay his tare
Tho New York Sun. says : An illus
tration of Yankee pluck has just
reached this city through private
letters from tho South African diamond
fields. A party who loft this port for
tho mines about a year ago, on their ar
rival, at Capo Town had not money
enough to procure transportation to the
diamond district. They at onco set out
on foot, and after a weary walk of 7"0
miles through a most exhausting coun
try, arrived safely at tho nestling place
of the much-coveted brilliants. The la
test advices, up to the latter end ot
March, say that most of them had ber-n
successful. Wo are informed that the
last packet from South Africa to South
ampton brought diamonds valued at
100,000. Thero are now about one
hundred thousand persons at the mines,
including very few Americans. Tho
most popular placo at present.is tar in
land, whero tho Vaal river and its tribu
taries flow down from tho Quathlamba
mountains through tho highlands to
join thjj Orango river, in tho Orange
liiver t roe btato
Tho Japaneso aro engaged in reform
ing their currency, so that it will closely
roscmblo m stzo, shape, and value the
coins of tho United States. J. he gold
coins heretofore used in Japan aro called
nibos. They aro flat pieces ot gold,
about an inch long and half an inch
wide, containing twenty per cent of g
vor, und are valued at fifty-thrco cents.
When it was determined to chungo tho
currency system, it was found that with
tho limited refining works of Japan it
would tako tour or hva years to accom
plish thut object. Tho Japaneso havo
a mint ut liiogo, and can turn out too
coins us fast as required ; but tho diffi
culty was in refining tho metal. There
fore the Japaneso Government made an
arrangomcnt with tho Bank of Califor
nia and tho San Francisco Refining and
Assaying Works by which nibos to tho
amount of $S'J0,000,000 aro to be sent to
San Francisco and refined. Tho pro
ceeds will bo returned to the Japaneso
Government in tho form of gold bars
of about 900 linoness, all alloyed and
ready to bo converted into coin, whilo
iL. i i.l :ll v i. i 1-
tao silver exiruciou win uu sum. uau m
fiip silver bars, also ready for coinago.
Tho first shipment of this coin from Ja
pan, amounting to $2,000,000, has been
received in San Francisco.
Whilo narrow-gauge railroads aro
being projected in all directions, a Mr.
Burrus, ot Vt lsconsm, comes betore the
publio with a schemo for a railroad from
tho Atlantio to tho West, to be built with
a gauge of thirty feet. Tho road is to
run from tho East bji tho most direct
line to Lake Erio. When it reaches the
lako the road is to bo built out into tho
water about twenty-five foot below tho
surface for some distance, and there end.
It is to be operated with a machine
which is even more wonderful tlian the
road, and which will navigate tho water
as well as traverse tho land. When this
amphibious locomotive arrives at the
jumping-off place at Lake Erie, it is to
slide gracefully into the water, ana by
a slight transposition of its machinery
become a steamboat. When it has ar
rived at Monroe it resumes its character
of locomotive, and rolls off on another
broad-gauge road to Lake .Michigan,
whence it is to take water tor Utucago.
Tho machine is to be sufficiently large
to carry a vessel of five hundred tons, so
that all necessity for ship canals will bu
done away with. The inventor expects
to attain a speed of one hundred and
twenty-fivo miles per hour on land, ami
twenty-five miles in water. Probably
no one will doubt that a great reduction
in the price of freights mav be xneet.l
when Mr. Burrus guts his broad-gauge
road and amphibious locomotive in mu
cessful operation