1 a a
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jb., Editob awd PuBLiairHn.
ELK COUNTY TUB REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Two Dollars ria. Ahkcm.
VOL. II.
RIDGWAY, PA,. THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1872.
NO. 25.
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iiitiff
FOETR T.
THE OLD COWFLE.
Thej tat In the sun foRcthor,
Till the day was almost done,
And then, at Its close, an angel
Supped over tho threshold itono.
He folded their hands toecllier,
He touched their eyelids with balm.
And their last breath floated npward
Like the close of a summer psalm.
Mke a bridal pair the y traversed
The nnsoen, mystical road.
That leads to the Beautiful City,
Whose Builder and Maker is God.
Perhaps, in that miracle country,
They will give her lost youth back,
And the (lowers of a vanished Spring tlms
Phall bloom In the spirit's track.
One draught or tho living water
8hall restore his manhood's prime,
And eternal years shall measure
The love that outlives tunc
But the shapes thev left behind them -
The wrinkles and silver hair
Made sarred to ns by the kisses
The angel Imprinted there
We'll hide away In the meadow.
When the sun is low In the was'., .
Wliero the moonbeams cannot find thuin.
Nor the wind diat nrb their rest.
But we'll let no tell-tale tombritone.
With its age and date arise
O'er the two who aro old no longer
In their Father's honse in the skies.
1IIE STORY-TELLER.
OUR PASSENGER.
I was stopping at the Hotel Windsor,
on the Rue ltivoli, Paris. One morning
I gat smoking on the front veranda,
when a tall, elegantly-dressed gentleman
asked permission to light his cigar by
mine. ' s
I saw at a glance that he was a
Frenchman, although his " English" was
nearly pertect.
" Have you heard the news ?" he in
quired.
' No."
" Is it possible ? Why, all Paris is
ahve with it at this moment.
' What has happened ?'
" The Countess de Marville the fair
est of the fair was found murdered in
her bed last night, her bureau broken
open, and ten thousand francs missing
from it. Ah ! it was terrible I There
were marks of fingers on her throat ; the
brute who did the deed effected his en
trance through the window of her cham
ber, near which, unfortunately was a
tall tree, planted years ago by the dis
tinguished grandfather of the countess.
Little did he imagine the terrible use
that would be made of it."
"This is bad news. How any man
could harm a woman thus, in cold blood,
is more than I can imagine."
" Ah, monsieur, if you had ever seen
the countess you would marvel still
more. She was beautiful beautiful as
an angel," he added, stroking his whisk
ers with an unmistakable air of vanity.
" I knew her well.".
" Indeed."
" Ob, yes. There ace in Paris few
popular women unknown to me."
His manner, now, was decidedly con
ceited, and I felt disgusted with him.
My (Joldnoss evidently repelled him, for
he soon left me.
Afterward I heard from other ac
counts of tho late tragedy. Among the
detarTs of the affair was one which pecu
liarly impressed me, and which my first
informant had not spoken of an over
sight that surprised me, as the occur-
' rouco he had not mentioned was of that
kind which would be most apt to strike
the fancv.
Uuon the throat of the countess the
murderer, in throttling her, had left a
mark froin a ring he wore the impres
sion of a chariot wheel, with a Btar in
the centre !
"This." said my latest informant,
" may load to the discovery of the mur
derer, jean iuosqueau is uireauy visit
iner the iewelers' shops, to find out from
which, and by whom, a ring with the
chariot wheel device was purcnasea.
"Who is Jean Mosqueau ?"
"Parhleu! monsieur, have you not
heard of Mosqueau, our famous detec
tive ? Although his courage is well
known, you would not, to look at his
- . ji . .. -.11. i o ,
fair, girlish face ana delicate iorm, De
lieve that he could fight a gnat !"
A week later I was aboard the steam'
er, bound from Calais to Dover. Among
the passengers I beheld one whose face
had a familiar look. I was not long in
recognizing this person as the same I
had seen at the Hotel Windsor, and who
had first informed me of the murder of
the countess.
He moved languidly hither and thith
er, now and then turning his brown eyes
admiringly upon the pretty lady passen
gers, while stroking his whiskers with
one white hand, upon the middle finger
of which was a superb diamond ring.
I am of a rather suspicious nature,
which, combined with a lively imagi
nation, has often ted me into singular
errors.
Now, a stiange impulse moved me to
advance and hold out my hand to a man
whom I had involuntarily disliked from
the first, in order that I might have a
chance to glance at his ring 1 somehow,
the idea had possessed me that I would
discover a chariot device upon the glitter
ing bauble !
The stranger did not at first recognize
me. He soen did, however, and frankly
extended his left hand, which was not
the one containing the ring I
My brain tairly reeled ; the man s be
havior was conviction of my suspicions.
" The other hand, if you please !" I said,
in a low, stern voice.
" Monsieur will excuse, if he pleases.
My other arm is lame with the rheuma
tism I" w
He beheld me glance toward the half
bidden rig, and I was sure I saw him
start and turn pale, while, at the same
time, looking much surprised.
He, however, opened his right hand,
as if perfectly willing for me to shake
it, if I chose. Then I had a good look
at the ring, and felt ashamed of my sus
picions. The device was a common
heart, which certainly bore no resem
blance to a chariot wheel t
After a little commonplace conversa
tion, to recover my self possession, I
turned away, resolving in future to have
a better opinion of my fellow-creatures.
The stranger s beauty seemed to at
tract the attention of many of tho la
dies. Ono, especially, a modest-looking
little thing, attired in black, kept direct
ing furtive glances at the handsome
passenger. Finally she glided so close
to him that, in turning, he brushed
against her.
An apology, nuilitigly received by the
littlo lndy a remark about the weather
on tho part of tho man and tho two
were soon conversing with animation.
Meanwhile the blushing cheek and
bright eyes of the fair one seemed to be
token that she was well pleased with her
companion, whoso air was now more
conceited than ever.
" I am afraid we will have a storm,"
she remarked, pointing toward a dark
cloud, upon which the captain of the
boat was anxiously gazing :
" We may, but do not m alarmed,
madame !"
With an air of nonchalance, he pnlled
a red cigar-case from his pocket, asked
his companion if she objected to smoke,
and being answered negatively opened
the case. Then he started, and quickly
returned this to his pocket, pulled forth
another, of a blue color.
" How many cigars do you smoke a
day ?" inquired the lady, evidently amus
ed at the sight of two cases.
The other colored, and it struck mo
that his voico faltered slightly and his
hand trembled, as he made some laugh
ing retort.
Soon the storm came pouncing down
upon us. We were midway in the chan
nel, so that we caught the full force of
the sea and the gale. Both were terrific.
The sea Bwcpt tho boat, which lay so
far over that her machinery soon was
damaged, so that it could not work.
Tho wind, screaming liko a demon,
threw her over still further.
Suddenly we observed, the sailors en
deavoring to loosen a long boat on davits
astern. Meanwhile there was an omin
ous grinding, smashing noise under the
counter.
The truth could not long be conceal
ed ; we were sinking !
The ladies screamed the handsome
passenger lost his self-possession, and ran
wildly hither and thither.
Meanwhile, the cool behavior of the
littlo lady in black contrasted strangely
with the agitated demeanor of those
around her. There she stood, calm and
immovable, her bright, steel-blue eyes
fixed upon tho handsome stranger, of
whom she did not loose sight for u mo
ment. " Keep quiet, ladies and gentlemon 1"
sang out the captain. " Keep quiet and
don't crowd round the boat sol There
will be room in it for you all, and, be
sides, there is a schooner coming to our
assistance," pointing toward a large
vessel, bowling along toward us before
the viind.
There was, however, a panic among
those addressed. The moment the boat
was lowered, into it they all bundled,
among them the handsome passenger.
A huge sea, coming along, roaring
thunder, parted the tacklos, tearing tho
boat from the steamer, before either the
lady in black or I could enter it. The
handsome passenger, losing his balance,
fell over the gunwale, and, unable to
swim, wildly threw up his arms !
I must acknowledge that I was so en
grossed with the perilous situation of
my fair companion and myselt now
the only two lett aboard the steamer
that I paid little attention to the drown
ing man. The steamer was in fact go
ing down fast was already nearly en
gulfed in the stormy waves, her heated
and half submerged boiler hissing, as
the steam came gushing out like the
spout from a whale.
I was advancing to throw an arm
round the little lady, fearing to see her
washed away, when, quietly and coolly
motioning me back with one hand 6he
seized a coil of rope, and threw the end
to the handsome passenger.
He caught it, when, turning to me,
the lady requested me to help haul the
man aboard!
I complied, marveling at the love and
devotion thus shown by a woman toward
an acquaintance of an hour !
His power over the female sex must
be great, I thought. He is conceited,
but not without reason.
This idea flasheft clearly over across
my mind, in spite or my danger. The
schooner, however, was now quite near,
and I had every reason to believe we
would be picked up.
I was right. We were all taken on
board the schooner, tho handsome pas
senger among the rest.
Then the lady in black, quietly pulling
foith a revolver, pointed it at the head
ot him whom she rescued.
" Out with that red cigar-case !" she
said, sternly. " I would like to see
what monsieur carries in it."
" Why why," stammered the stran
ger, "what is "
Before he could say another word, the
little Amazon, thrusting her disengaged
hand in his pocket, pulled forth the red
cigar-case, and opening it, a ring drop
ped to the deck. This ring she picked
up, and holding it before us all exclaim
ed:
" I have found it at last. The jeweler
assured me it was the only kind of de
vice m all Paris a chariot wheel I This
person is the murderer of tho Countess
de Marville !"
The handsome passenger stood as if
frozen to the deck, making no resistance
as the lady in black slipped a pair of
handcuffs over his wrists.
" By what right," he then stammered,
" do you
He paused as the other threw off her
dress and false hair, revealing the per
son of a slender man with delicate, girl
ish features.
" I am Jean Mosqueau, the detective I"
he quietly remarked ; " and I robbed the
waves of this rascal, that the gallows
might not be cheated "
There is little to add.
The main proof having been obtained,
other proofs on the prisoner's trial were
brought forth, showing him guilty bo-
yond doubt.
Long before his execution, his name
was ascertained to be Louis Rosseneau
a noted adventurer and gambler, who,
however, by cool effrontery and a win
ning address, backed by his great beauty,
had been enabled to move among the
first circles of Parisian society.
The Catawba Grape.
Tho following extract from a letter of
H. W. RavcneL Esq., tho distinguished
botanist of South Carolina, written to
the Hardener' Monthly, gives a true
statement as to the native home of tho
Catawba grape. We have seen the wild
vines in that section so identical in fruit
and general appearance that no botanist
could doubt the parentage of this beBt
known ot our wine grapos. Ana we
believe that in that section the cultivat
ed grape will yet be produced in greater
perfection than in any other locality.
There are thousands of acres of fertile
hillsides which only need the hand of
energy and capital to produce from them
an article of Catawba wine surpassing
in quality and flavor any article of that
name ever placed before the public. Dr.
Kavenel says :
. " With respect to the Catawba grape
we have more trustworthy data. The
place of its origin has always been as
cribed to the French Broad river, in
Buncombe county, North Carolina, not
far from Asheville, and on the farm of
William Murry. In 1853 I had from
the lato William Murry, the son of the
Marry on whose farm it was first found,
an account of this grape. He remember
ed when a boy seeing the original vine
at his father's place, and had often eat
en grapes from it. He said that General
Davy, in 1807, then Senator from South
Carolina, living at Kooky Mount, on the
Catawba river, in South Carolina, trans
planted some of these vines to his resi
dence, and from thence took them to
Washington, where they were distribut
ed. From this source they came into
the possession of Major Allium, and also
of Mr. Longworth, of Cincinnati. I had
this statement from Mr. Murry himself,
who was then living at Catoosa Springs,
in Georgia, and he spoke confidently
and earnestly of its undoubted origin
there. This grape also, there can be no
doubt, is a chance seedling of V. La
brusca, having all the characters of that
species except in the superior quality of
the fruit, and in rather less hoariness of
the under side of the leaf, which are not
essential characters."
Tho Pliautoni Train.
A writer in the Albany (N. Y.) Keen
ing Times relates a conversation with a
superstitious night watchman on the
-. r . -t . 1 " , CI Jl 11..
lew xptlt uentrai Jtauroau. naiu mo
watchman : " I believe in spirits and
ghosts. I know such things exist. If
you will come up in April, I will con
vince you." He then told of the phan
tom train that every year comes up the
road with the body of Abraham Lincoln.
Regularly in the month of April, about
midnight, tho air on the track becomes
very keen and cutting. On either sido
it is warm and still. Every watchman,
when he feels this air, steps off the track,
and sits down to watch. Soon after,
the pilot engine, with long black stream
ers, and a band with black instruments,
playing dirges, and grinning skeletons
sitting all about, will pass up noiseless
ly, and the very air grows black. If it
is moonlight, clouds always come over
the moon, and the music seems to linger,
as if frozen with horror. A few mo
ments after, and the phantom train glides
by. Flags and streamers hang about
The track ahead seems covered with a
black carpet, and the wheels are draped
with the same. The coma ot the mur
dered Lincoln is Been lying on the cen
tre of a car ; and all about it, in the air,
and on the train behind, aro vast num
bers of blue-coated men, some with cof
fins on their backs, others leaning upon
them. It seems then that all the vast
armies of men who died during the war,
are escorting the phantom train of the
President. The wind, if blowing, dies
away at once, and over all the air a
solemn hush, almost stifling, prevails,
If a train were passing, its noise would
be drowned in the silence, and the phan
tom train would ride over it. Clocks
and watches always stop, and when
looked at, are found to be from five to
eight minutes behind. Everywhere on
the road, about the 20th of April, the
time of watches and trains is found-sud
denly behind. This, said tho leading
watchman, was from the passage of the
phantom train.
Packing Butter.
A new method of packing butter for
the retail trade has been invented, and
it promises to answer a want long felt,
The new process is described as follows :
A firkin or barrel is prepared by filling
to a proper depth with strong and pure
brine. The butter, as it is taken from
the churn and prepared for market, is
carefully selected as to color and quality
and enclosed in plain cotton bags or
sacks, weighing from five to ten pounds
each. These sacks are placed in the
barrel or firkin, fresh and sweet, and as
the brine completely covers them they
can be kept in this condition for any
length of time, it is claimed, without
any deterioration in quality. One great
advantage that is claimed for this new
style of packing is, that dealers can take
one or more of the bags from the orig
inal package, leaving the rest safe under
cover of the brine and excluded from the
air. The bags are suited to the retail
trade, as they are just about what is
generally needed for family use, but are
at the same time so conveniently ar
ranged that any smaller amount can be
cut ircm them in the handiest manner.
This is an experiment in packing butter,
but it is worthy of consideration by re
tail dealers. Buffalo Commercial Adver
tiser.
A bookbinder said to his wife at the
wedding : " It seems that now we are
bound together, two volumes in one.
with clasps." "Yes," observed one of
the guests, " one Bide highly ornament
ed Turkey morocco, and the other plain
calf," and the next moment was making
rapid strides down Btairs.
Ueneral Washington's Farm.
A Virginia correspondent to the Coun
try OcntUman writes as follows :
" The farm of General Washington, at
Mount Vernon, contained in his day ten
thousand acres of laud in one body
equal to about fifteen square miles. A
freat portion of it was a vast valley or
asin surrounded by a range of hills : a
third of it was a neck of land on the
Potomoo River, with Littlo Hunting
Creek Bay on the east and Dogne Creek
Bay on the west. These creeks are
navigable for about two and a half
miles up from the river channel, and cer
tainly would have afforded the General
groat facilities, as they now do our farm
ers, in boating and landing manure or
fertilizers on tho ground, but it is not
probable that the General did anything
at this. It was divided . into farms or
fields of convenient size by deep ditches,
which may be traced now, and showing
that one of them contained as much as
two thousand seven hundred acres. These
fields were situated at a distance of two,
three and five miles from- the mansion
house. The walls of a sixteen-square
barn are now standing, and is quite a
curiosity ; it was made of brick and quite
large ; situated three miles from his resi
dence. He had two grist mills on the
place, one ran by water power, having
(I judge) a twelve-toot wneei, ana a race
about two miles in length ; the mills,
the foundation walls of which are stand
ing, was at the head of Dogne Creek
Bay, and it is supposed tnat Doats ran
right to the mill door. The other mill
is said to have been propelled by oxen
or horses. The General delighted to
visit the farms above spoken of every
day in pleasant weather, and was con
stantly engaged in making experiments
for the improvement of agriculture,
i- i r i . i .... . . : r
- oonie luea on uv wwin ui ulb xi m
ing operations may be formed from the
following facts: In 1787 he had five
hundred and eighty acres in grass ; sow
ed six hundred bushels of oats ; seven
hundred acres of wheat ; and as much
more in corn, barley, potatoes, beans,
peas, &o., and one hundred and fifty
acres with turnips. His stock consisted
of one hundred and forty horses ; one
hundred and twelve cows ; two hundred
and thirty-six working oxen, heifers and
steers, and five hundred sheep. He con
stantly employed two hundred and hfty
hands, and kept twenty-four ploughs
going during the whole year, when the
earth and state of the weather would
Eermit. In 1780 he slaughtered one
undred and fifty hogs (I hope not tho
"Virginia Pine Roosters") for the use
of his own family, and provisions for his
negroes, tor whoso comtort he had great
regard.
" Of tho ten thousand acres, but two
hundred now belongs with the mansion,
and tho Washington farm has been
greatly reduced ; but a small portion of
this is now cultivated.
The Yellow Locust.
The Report of the Department of Ag
riculture says the yellow locust has al-
most disappeared from cultivation at
the North by reason of the ravages of
the -borer. The borer has been destruc
tive to tho locust in many localities, but
it has by no means been so destructive
as to almost drive it out ot cultivation
Through Cumberland, Dauphin, Lan
caster, Juniata, and many other coun
ties in this State, it is still extensively
planted, and found to be comparatively
unmolested by the borer. The farmers
ot that region believe it is kept down by
the woodpecker. At any rate there are
immense quantities of locust trees thriv
ing here as well on the average as most
other trees.
It seems to bo a fact that almost all
trees are liable to the attacks of insects ;
and that theso are worse in some loca
tions, and at some, periods of time, than
others. Much of this also seems to de
pend on the presence or absence of cer
tain kinds of birds. In Philadelphia,
the measuring-worms in the public
squares have certainly been eradicated
by the English sparrow. It is quite
likely, therefore, that the idea ot the
woodpecker keeping down the locust-
borer is the correct one.
We should be very sorry to feel that
the yellow locust was to be given up in
the summary way the department sup
poses it has been done the growth is so
rapid, and the timber is so valuable for
all purposes that do not require nailing
to. But it is a capital thing for short
lived human nature, which wants tim
ber within an average lifetime to culti
vate. But in addition to this, the lecust
is not a surface-feeder, but sends its
roots down into the subsoil for what it
desires to eat, and thus does not inter
fere with other farm crops as bo many
other trees do. At any rate we are not
by any means disposed to agree with the
Department that it has " almost disap
peared from cultivation."
Housekeeping.
Every home should be brightly and
tastefully furnished, freely, if carefully
used, and every table should be regular
ly spread with a reasonable variety of
good, wholesome and appetizing food.
Economy is a very good thing, but when
it degenerates into unnecessary scrimp
ing, it becomes meanness. The very
Eoor are sometimes obliged to scrimp ;
ut what their necessity makes a virtue.
is really a crime in the well or even com
fortably off. What are delicious things
made fori' to eat certainly. The ap
petite claims a certain amount of what
some consider luxuries to satisfy it, and
this should be supplied in generous
abundance at the table at home. A
craving, unsatisfied stomach, is a dang
erous thing, whether it is the result of
over indulgence, or oi want or satisfying
food. If you desire to keep your boys
from becoming intemperate, give them
bright, cheerful homes, and freedom to
invite their friends and companions to
visit them there, furnish the table oc
casionally with healthful delicacies, such
as ice cream, if you live where ice can
be obtained, lemonade and the like : and
don't season their food with anything
. . . i i i i " i.i
nnntatmnf, s mnni in snv ti irm If .
waukee Monthly.
The Difference between a Violin and a,
Fiddle.
Half a century ago. or less, the some
what facetious Dr. Pond dwelt in the
quiet and out-of-the-way village of
The Doctor s ideas were no
eral much more so than many of his
congregation ; nevertheless, he kept on
the even tenor of his people. He had a
son named Enoch, who at an early age
manifested a remarkable talent for mu
sic, which the father cheriBhod and cul
tivated with care. In the same village
resided an antiquated maiden lady, who,
having no cares of her own to occupy
her time and attention, magnanimously
3 i i m i- i. tfi
aevoteo. nerseii to taose oi ner ueigu
bors. One morning she called at the
doctor's and requested to see him. When
he entered the room where she was
seated, he perceived at a glance that
something was amiss, and before he had
time to extend her the usual "How d'ye
do ?" she added :
" I think, Dr. Pond, that a man of
your age and profession might have had
something better to do, when you were
in New London last week, than to buy
Enoch a fiddle; all the people are
ashamed that our minister should buy
his son a fiddle 1 Oh, dear, what is the
world coming to, when ministers will do
such things 1"
" Who told you 1 had a tiddle r in
quired the Doctor.
"Who told mer Why, everybody
says so, and some people have heard
him play on it as they passed the door.
But ain't it true, Doctor V"
"I bought Enoch a vioun when I
went to New London."
" A violin 'i what's that?"
" Did you never see one ?"
" Never."
" Enoch I" said the Doctor, stopping
to the door, " bring your violin here."
iiinoch obeyed the command, but no
sooner had he entered with his instru
ment than the old lady exclaimed :
" Jja ! now ; there, why, it is a fid
dle 1"
"Do not iudsre rashlv." said the Doc
tor, giving his son a wink ; " wait till
you near n.
Taking the hint, Enoch played Old
Hundred. The lady was completely
mystified ; it looked like a fiddle, but
who had ever hoard Old Hundred played
on a fiddle 'i It could not be. So, ris
ing to depart, Bhe exclaimed, "I am
glad I came in to satisfy myself. La
me ! just think how people will lie '"
Let Us Have the Steam Plow.
It is no longer a question whether
Bteani plowing is practicable or profita
ble. That has been abundantly shown
by the constant use for several years in
England of these implements, and the
proof that the heaviest lands may be
plowed thereof, in some cases, not over
one dollar per acre. The question is
with us :
Can we apply this system of plowing
to our peculiar circumstances? We
need it. By no other means can our
heavy soil bo properly prepared. It has
been shown that clay soils which have
been cultivated in the best manner by
horse power, when-cultivated by steam
to a depth ot three feet, gave imme
diately double the usual crops. Such
cultivation is manifestly impossible
without the aid of steam. With this
power the heaviest soils can be loosened
and mellowed, and made to admit air
and heat made in fact, to breathe and
live as deeply as we may desire. The
very impossibility of doing this in our
present circumstances has given rise to
a prejudice against it, and deep cultiva
tion has come to be a bugbear with
many.
But if we were once able to penetrate
and loosen the soil (not invert it) to a
depth of thirty inches, we should never
hear the least objection to the practice,
The result, of course, as the conditions
are equal, will be the same here as in
England, and this is sufficiently profit
able to lead us to make an attempt to
secure it. Co-operation is the method
in which it may be done. Congress has
removed all import duty on foreign
maae steam plowing apparatus ana en
gines, so that tho objection of the en
hanced cost is removed. Manifestly
private enterprise, at least among or
dinary farmers, is insufficient to under
take this task single-handed, but con
jointly it may be done.
The first attempt should be made in
such States as Illinois or California,
where level ground, heavv dry soil.
farms of considerable sizo, and sufficient
capital and publio spirit, are all to be
met with. Joint stock steam plowing
companies in England have made a
profit of fifteen per cent, in addition to
laying aside a f and for renewal of plant,
and have done the work at half the cost
and four times as well as with horse
power. Then why should not the at
tempt succeed here r There w every
thing to gain and not much to lose by
making it.
A Mississippi River Story.
A couple of flat-boat men on the Miss
issippi river having made an extraordi
narily good speculation, concluded that
while they were in New Orleans they
would go tor a real nrst-ciass hotel din
ner at the St. Charles Hotel. Having
eaten the meal, they called tor their bill.
The waiter in attendance misunderstood
them, and supposing that they wanted
the bill of fare, laid it before them, with
the wine-list uppermost.
"Whew, Bill 1" said Jerry, "here's a
bill! Just look at it! Here you add
up one side and 1 11 add up the other.
and we'll see what the old thing comes
to."
So Bill added up the prices of wines
on one side of the list and Jerry added
them up on the other, and they made
the sum total f aS4.
"Wh ew, Bill!" said Jerry, that's
pretty nigh all we've got ! What are we
goin' to do about it?"
" We can't pay that," said Bill, " it 'ud
clean us right out. The waiter ain't
here now, let's jump out o' the window
and nut!"
"No, sir-ee," said Jerry, " I'd never do
sich a mean thing as that Let's pay the
bill and then go down stairs and shoot
the landlord."
Rubber who Mast hayc Known
Something.
For some days past thero has been
considerable excitement in certain cir
cles over a robbery which, in its pecu
liarity, has had no precedent in this
country. The scene of the affair was
the Allegheny Observatory, with which
all our readers are acquainted, and the
circumstances, so far as they are known,
are ftB follows : Professor Langley had
been absent on professional business for
several days and returned on the 7th
about ten o clpck. He repaired imme
diately to the observatory on the hill
above Allegheny, and found everything
in perfect order, an assistant having
been in charge during his absence.
After the inspection ot the premises, he
and the assistant closed the place se
curely and left for their lodgings. The
next morning npon returning to the
building they were astonished to find
that it had been broken into, and a val
uable part of tho property carried off.
The burglar or burglars were acquaint
ed with the building, and it would seem
were ot a scientific turn ot mind. Jhn-
tranco had been effected by prying open
the window in the west wing. The
burglar having once gained admittance
directed attention to the largo equato
rial telescope. This had been left the
evening previous pointing skyward, and
in the morning was found reversed, and
the large object-glass gone. The glass
was held in its place by bolts, and to a
person acquainted with the machinery
its removal would be but the work of a
few minutes.
This, evidently was the object of tho
burglary, as nothing olse in the place
was disturbed. Indeed, great care
seemed to havo been exercised that
nothing else should be taken. A few
tools which had been on the window
sill were found in their places in the
morning, and tho window was carefully
closed, so that a casual observer would
not havo known that tho place had bocn
entered. The great obiect-glass, which
was the prize carried off. was made bv
the late Henry Pitz, of New York, and
was one ot the largest in the country
thirteen inches in diameter being sur
passed only by those in the Cambridge
and Chicago observatories. The direct
loss to the observatory management will
be heavy, as the glass could not be re
placed tor less thaa f l.dUU.
But there is in addition the " conse
quential damages," which in this case
must be allowed. Professor Langley
was engaged in making some important
observations, and for this purpose the
telescope was in daily use : but his in
vestigations, by this unfortunate loss,
have been interrupted, and cannot be re
sumed until the glass is replaced; the
telescope without it is valueless. The
making of such a glass is a difficult and
tedious matter, and a new one, laying
aside the pecuniary feature, could not
be procured perhaps for months.
The motive which tempted a burglary
of this kind was not one of ordinary cu
pidity, as the glass is useless, unless in
the telescope, and as a piece of merchan
dise would be difficult to dispose of. We
are inclined to believe that there are no
enemies to this noblo institution in our
community, and hence this spoliation
seems inexplicable. The other ma
chinery is not disturbed. The instru
ments for the regulation of time to city
clocks and railroad chronometers are in
dependent of the great telescope, and
the usefulness ot the observatory in this
respect will not be interfered with. So
30on as the robbery became known.
special detectives were employed, and
every effort made to ferret out the per
petrators or perpetrator, but thus far
these eltorts have been ot no avail.
Pittsburgh Gazette.
The Cerberus of Interior Africa.
One of the most extraordinary facts
revealed to U4 by Doctor Livingstone s
explorations in Africa is, that the high
tableland of the interior, with its rich
agricultural resources, its noble flora, its
fine temperature, broad inland seas, and
inexhaustible stores of mineral wealth
is rendered all but impenetrable to civi
lized man, certainly beyond all reach of
colonization, by one of the most appar
ently insignificant of causes a fly. This
terriblo insect is a little brown, yellow
striped fly, called the tsetze, scarcely
larger than our common household pest,
but whose sting is absolutely fatal. So
deadly is its poison, that it is said three
or four flies will kill the largest ox.
Soon after the bite, which gives little or
no pain, staggering and blindness come
on ; the body swells to an enormous size
the coat turns rough, and in a few hours
follow convulsions and death. And yet
this deadly poison, under the -effect of
which the horse and ox, the sheep and
the dog, fall as if plague-stricken, is per
fectly harmless to man, to wild animals,
to the pig, mule, ass, and goat. Here is
an Bcuieveineut oi science mat wouia
i i . i i i.
bring glory to the discoverer the dis
covery of some antidote to the sting of
this venomous fly, which would open
the treasures of Central Africa to the use
of the world.
Chicago's Records.
The official records of Chicago were,
as is known, very generally destroyed
in the great fire, and the only real
estate records remaining are said to be
in the hands of the lawyers in the form
of abstracts made by them and now in
their possession. Chicago covets these
abstracts, and the city recently offered
the holders $300,000 for them. This
offer was spumed with contempt, the
lawyers demanding a round three quar
ters of a million for their abstracts, and
asserting that that was a ruinously low
sum. At present they have a monopoly
of the records, and the citizens are at
their mercy. Last winter a bill was
passed by the Legislature regulating
the fees to be charged by the owners of
the abstracts, but these gentlemen
laugh the law to scorn, declaring that
if an attempt is made to enforce the law
they will simply establish offices in
Michigan and Wisconsin, and charge
such tees as they choose,
lie that is down need fear no fall.
Facta and Figures.
An English chemist avers that the
manufacture of wine is now conducted
on such highly scientific principles that
grapes are gradually being dispensed
with.
It is a notable fact that there are liv
ing two widows of revolutionary soldiers
under forty years of age, while tho old
est surviving widow is one hundred and
thirteen years old.
One of Dr. Chnpiu'a oldest joke3 i3
started again s " Can you tell nie how
old the devil is?" asked an irreverent
fellow of a clergyman. " My friend,
you must keep your own family record,"
was the reply.
VUUU-OT.li.llg 111 V llfl... Id 1...1 1 .in. V . ' .
such an extent that the Government is
trying to suppress it. The purchase
fV,il1 -aollini. in .Tannn ianawicrl rtn 4 f"
money ot a little cinia is only tnree
rios (dollars) and girls of fifteen year
of age can be bought for twenty.
A youthful Danbury lover who sang
and played before his young lady's
house for two mortal hours, was electri
fied after a short pause by a cordial
thank von, gracefully pronounced by
the " other fellow" who appeared at the
window.
" Doorstep" parties are coming into
fashion among our people. The moon
light evenings aro passed on the door
steps, and ladies and gentlemen make
calls and are received in stylo, refresh
ments being also served. Hartford
Post.
Tho five ladies with tho Japanese Em
bassy, at the suggestion of their Ameri
tan hostess, recently consented to bo
laced up and tiod down, runted, panier
ed, flounced, and trailed in the " style."
Thon they were powdered up from an
orange-peel hue to a delicate lemon, and
ronounocd pertect, as tar as dress goes.
Half an hour later, however, their dis
mayed civilizers found them smiling
and happy in their half-petticoat, half-
pantaloon dross. " Too muchee, said
the gentle Japanese.
Mrs. Toodles purchased a door plate
with the name of Thompson on it ; but
a San Francisco mother recently accom
plished something much wiser and more
practical. Her daughter was to be mar
ried, and her clothes were properly mon-
ogrammed with her own and her lover's
initials ; but the young man tailed to
make his appearance and the old lady
sallied out and found some one, with his
initials, to take his place. Tho story ii
told by the San rancisco papers, and it
is perfectly reasonable.
Speaking of the enterprising spirit of
the rising generation, young Charles
Beck, ot Madison county, Illinois, dis
played an unusual capacity for getting
along in the world. Before he was
twenty years of age he married a girl of
fifteen, and thon raised funds to support
his new estate by robbing bis father.
He had abstracted about $4,000 from
the paternal treasury before he wrs
found out. A youth who will rob his
own father is sure to get on in the
worlk, though he may be swung off in
tho end.
The New York Observer says : " The
weakest side of a Christian's character,
in our country and this year, is his polit
ical side. A good man is tempted to
say and do things, as a politician, that
bring his Christian character into sus
picion and reproach, and when tho
waves of excitement run high, as they
do now, many frail barks go down. If
principle has anything to do with poli
tics, there is just as really a moral
wrong in abandoning principle tor the
sake of expediency in politics as in
science or trado. But there is little rev
erence for principle now left, and Chris
tians very generally nnd it easy to go
with the multitude."
The man with his lung-tester who ac
companied Barnum and makes an hon
est penny by testing the wind of the
multitude, came to grief at Terre Haute
the other day. A healthy farmer's boy,
with a chest on him like an emigrant's
valise, drew in a mouthful of the at
mosphere, wrapped a quarter-section ot
his lips over the nozzle and breathed.
An explosion followed, first of the ma
chine and then the bystanders, and tho
"professor" was heard to say, as he
gathered up the fragments of tinkling
brass and springs, " He had been eating
onions ; that's what made his breath so
strong."
The largest iron steamships ever built
in America have just been ordered to be
built at the Delavare River Iron Ship
Building Works ot Messrs. John Roach
& Co., at Chester, by the great Pacific
Mail Steamship Company, being two
ships each four hundred feet long and
five thousand tons burden. These ves
sels are to be placed on the mail line
from San Francisco to Yokohama, Japan,
under the new contract authorized by
the last session of Congress providing
for a semi-monthly mail service instead
of a monthly one. The voyage is about
twice as long as that from New York to
Liverpool, with only a single stoppage
at Midway Islands, several small islands
in the mid-Pacifio belonging to the
United States, having been discovered
by American navigators.
Last week, near St. Louis, Mr. John
J. Murdock found a large meteoric stone
at the bottom of a hole on his farm.
The hole was clean cut and reached to a
depth of more than thirteen feet in the
ground. The stone weighed about
twelve pounds, was coated with a black
crust, and was composed mainly of iron.
In shape it was an oblate spheroid, and
therefore before it reached the earth was
probably in a semi-fluid state and revol
ving on its axis. It should be kept as a
specimen of what the earth was before
it cooled down into its present habitable
condition ; it could be used to illustrate
the nebular hypothesis, if necessary.
From several other parts of the country
reports have lately been coming in, tell
ing of the fall of meteorites, some of
which are of immense size, but are com-
Eosed of well-known materials. There
ave also been several extremely bril
liant auroras.
V