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A'Zi COUNTY TUE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
VOL. II.
RIDGWAY, PA,. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1872.
NO. 30.
U IP U, uWBw r I HI
' ' ' "1 t t
POETR I'.
DU AS SEAR RIGHT AS YOU CAX.
The world itrotchot widely bel'or. yon,
A ftali), for your musoL and brain ;
AndThouRU clondi may often float o'f you.
And often eomo tempests and rain,
Be foarleu of .tonne which o'ertake you
Pafh forward through all like a man
Good fortune will never forfake tou.
If yon do as near rlelit as yon can.
Remember, the will to do rltlitly.
If used, will evil confound ;
Live dally by conscience, that nirlif'y
Your elccp mav be peaceful and sound.
In contote or right neTor waver
Let honesty shapo every plan,
And life will of Paradise savor,
If yon do as near right as yon cuu.
Though foes' darkest scandal may speed,
And strive with their shrewdest of tact.
To injure your fame, never heed,
But J ustl y and honestly act ;
And ask of the Ruler of Heaven
To sav. yenr fair name as a man.
And all that you ask will b. aiven.
If yon do as near right as yon can.
HIE STORY-TELLER.
THWARTED.
BY BESSIE MURRAY.
Philip Earlc's house was filled with
guests a gay, pleasure-seeking throng
that had come at his iuvitation to spend
the summer months at his beautiful
residence, The Elms. For years the
house had been closed while Phil was
abroad, but he had returned to his native
land once more, and a large party of old
friends had been invited to visit him.
Bernice Vaugn was deliberating be :
tween Newport and Saratoga when she
received Philip Earle's invitation. Not
a moment did she hesitate, but packod
her most delicate silks, laces, jewels, fans,
and all the ct eeterat that form a Now
York belle's toilet, with a fixed deter
mination to captivate Phil s heart with
. her dazzling beauty. She had known
i mm yean before, in tact, there bad been
quite a little love affair between them ;
'but Hcruice a flirtations had ended it.
Bernice Vaugn was a brilliant brun
ette ; one of those flashy, fickle creatures
that ensnare so many noble hearts by
their wit and beauty, only to thrust them
away when a new victim presents him
self. But now she was tired of flirtations,
and she decided to marry Philip Earle
for his riches, never doubting her ability
to captivate him, for she rarely met with
failures ; and this prize she thought
worth trying for. Imagine her surprise
and vexation when she learned from
Phil's own lips, the night of her arrival,
that he was betrothed to Ethel May.
" You will love her, Bernice, when
you know her," he said, " for she is too
pure and good, alas, for mo. Still, we
appreciate the good things God gives
us if we are unworthy."
While Bernice, hating the girl she had
never seen, congratulated him, and told
him how anxious she was to see the
lady who had won his cynical heart.
It was a lovely June morning. Ber
nice Vaugn pleaded indisposition, and
excused herself from appearing at break
fast. In fact, she was cross, and very
well knew she should say something
ugly to some one if she appeared ; and
this, of all times, would not do. In the
, garden below the flowers were wet with
dew ; the blush rose and pink-hearted
damask were loaded with glittering
i'ewels, and on the pansy's velvety cheek
ay shining drops that looked like tears.
Bernice sat en dishabille at her window,
unmindful of the sweet, subtle fragrance
the breeze wafted up to her, er the red
breasted robin's silvery notes as he car
olled his morning praises in an elm op
posite. She was watching the party of
croquet players on the lawn. The ladies
looked pretty in their light morning
dresses and sun-hats, and their merry
laughter rang out clear and glad on the
morning air.
Bernice watched with a critical eye
Ethel May's every movement, and she
could not but admit that she was the
embodiment of grace, and a powerful
rival ; and she also noted how Phil fol
lowed her everywhere she moved, with
a proud, fond gaze.
Ethel was very lovely. She was rather
petite, with a transparent complexion
of pink and white, large deep-blue eyes,
and a wealth of soft, golden hair.
" Philip Earle, you shall never marry
her !" Bernice exclaimed aloud, bringing
her jewelled hand down on the window
seat. "This baby-faced girl shall not
thwart me. I will make myself more
beautiful than she can be. I will exer
cise all my power over him, and if I fail
I can surely win him by strategy."
That night there was a hop in the
parlor, comprising the guests of the house,
and a few outside friends. Ethel and
Philip were enjoying a little tete-a-tete
in one corner when Bernioe entered,
looking perfectly dazzling in her dark
beauty. She wore a long, black dress
of some thin material, through which
her white shoulders and arms gleamed
like marblo ; bracelets of heavy gold, in
the form of a serpent with jewelled eyes,
coiled around her wrists, and diamonds
glittered in her ears and shown among
the braids of her purple black hair.
" O Phil, who is that magnificent
ereature V" Ethel exclaimed.
Philip was gazing at her with a look
of deep admiration.
" That is Bernice Vaugn. Is she not
beautiful ? I must introduce you, dear :
she used to be an old love of mine," said
Philip, as he went 'in search of Bernice,
for she was already surrounded by a
group of admirers.
"An old love of Phil's?" Ethel mur
mured, and a strange fear crept over
her as she looked into Bernice's eyes and
dark, handsome face.
" So this is your lady-lore, Sir Philip f
I am so glud to have met you, and I am
aura I shall love you dearly if you will
let me," Bernice said, taking a seat by
Ethel's side.
They formed a striking contrast
these two girls. Ethel, with her fairy
like form and delicate face, dressed in
some fleecy material ; and Bernice in
her dark dress, that admirably set off her
Southern beauty. Ethel was fascinated
with her as every one was wheal she
exerted heaself to be agreeable ; and to
night she was doing her best. Bernice
watched her rival carefully, noticed
how fondly her eyes rested on Philip's
form, and how eagerly she listened
when he spoke.
" I wonder if she ha3 a jealous tem
perament, or does she trugt her love im
plicitly I'll soon see for myself, for I
must study well," she mused.
Very adroitly Bernice managed to
keep Phil at her silo, entertaining him
with her wit and beauty j or she would
ask him to take a Btroll on the veranda,
as the rooms were close and heated. And
he was a willing captor, for somehow he
was bewitched by her beauty to-night,
and did not notice the little, white-robed
figure who watched them so earnestly.
Bernice was leaning on Philip's arm,
gazing at the jewelled vault overhead,
when tho band commenced playing a
low, delicious waltz, and fairy-like forms
flitted past the windows.
" That music is irresistiblo ! O Phil,
won't you waltz with me ? We used to
waltz in old times, you know ;" and
Bernice looked into Philip's face with a
tender look in her dark, luminous eyes.
She waltzed superbly, and almost ere
he wns aware, Phil was whirling away
in the giddy dance with Beruico leaning
ou his shouldor, and her warm, per
fumed breath close to his cheek. Ho
had forgotten that this dance was prom
ised to Ethel, and was just excusing
himself from Bernice when she ex
claimed " What a lovely rose-bud you have in
your coat I Do give it to me j will you,
Phil?"
Ethel saw him give Bernice the flower
ho had promised her, saw him fasten it
in her hair, and she was a little cool
toward Philip, and Bernice congratu
lated herself on' her evening's success.
Day after day passed, and still Ber
nice held Phil a captive. He did not
love her, and Ethel was as dear to him
as ever ; but there was a fascination
about her, a nameless something he
could not resist when he was in her so
ciety. Struggle against it as he might,
Fate seemed to throw her continually in
his path. She dazzled and bewildered
him with her strange words, sometimes
as bright and gay as a tropical bird,
again as sad and pensive as a nun.
Ethel May resided with her uncle,
only a short distance from The Ji,lms,
but she spent nearly every evening
there, for Phil desired to have her par
ticipate in the amusements the guests
had arranged tableaux, charades, or
dancing, there was always something to
be enjoyed every night.
About this time Mr. Thurston, Ethel's
uncle, was taken very ill, and Ethel was
constituted nurse ; so while the others
were flirting and coquetting to their
heart's content, she sat by the bedside
of the sick man, a pale and sad watcher.
Philip called as often as he could, but
his guests claimed him most of the time,
and Bernice improved Ethel's absence
to make herself as charming as possible.
If Bernice knew when Phil intended
to call on Ethel, she would try her best
to detain him ; challenge him to a game
of chess, or by some other trivial excuse
strive to keep him at her side. But she
did not always succeed, and whon Philip
was with Ethel he reproached himself
for not being more attentive and calling
oftener. He still loved her truly and
tenderly at heart, but Bernice was doing
her best to lure him away, and such
brilliant beauty was hard to resist. Yet
be never dreamed of loving her, but be
ing continually at her side, seeing her
every day and hour in her radiant
beauty, he could not help admiring her.
Mr. Thurston had nearly recovered,
and Ethel, for the first time since his
illness, was spending the evening at The
Elms. The guests had just arranged an
impromptu concert ; several opera airs
had been sung, and a number of difficult
instrumental pieces had been executed.
Phil turned the luusio for Bernice to
Elay a brilliant piece that just suited
er. Then Ethel was invited to sing.
"Shall I turn your music, Ethel?"
asked Phil.
"No, I'll sing some'hing trom
memory."
She looked as fragile as a lily in her
soft, white dress and pale blue trim
mings. Ethel had a pure, sweet voice,
clear as a bell, and she sang in a plaint
ive tone, that old Scotch ballad :
" Better loved ye could na be,
Will ye na come back to m. f"
It seemed to Philip as if she sang for
him, and he shuddered to think how
near he had come to strayiag away from
her love, for admiration, such deep ad
miration as he had felt for Bernice, is
the oft'spring of love. He reproached
himself bitterly as he noticed for the
first time how thin and pale she had
grown in the past few weeks.
After the song was finished, Philip
led her away from the piano, saying :
" Ethel, darling, come into the con
servatory. I want to speak with you."
Bernice, standing near, saw the love
light in his eyes, and heard his low
spoken words. Unobserved by the
others, she stopped out of the low win
dows that opened on to the verauda,
and when Philip and Ethel came in she
was crouched closo by the open window
where she could distinctly hear their
conversation.
" Ethel, was that song for me ?" Philip
asked.
" I thought of you when I sang it, for,
somehow, Phil, I think you do not love
me as you once did."
"I have never ceased loving you,
dearest, although Bernice Vaugn en
thralled me with her strange beauty.
But I am her slave no longer ; that little
song awakened my sleeping senses, and
now I almost despise her, for I see her
motive. O Ethel, I need your pure,
sweet presence always. What need is
there of longer waiting? To-morrow
eve we are to have tableaux ; the last
one on the programme is to be a mock
marriage. Let's astonish the guests by
making it a legal one. Will you,
Ethel r
She remonstrated, and almost refused
to listen to the proposal, but Philip
urged, in his loving way, for a long time,
until Bernioe heard Ethel's low-murmured
consent, and taw Phil's face ra
diant with happiness.
With clenobed hands and a white face
that looked almost ghastly in the silvery
moonshine, Bernice stole unobeserved
up the broad staircase into her own
room. Seating herself by the window,
she looked out on tho calm, peaceful
night ; but there was a hard, fixed look
on her facn, and a dangorous light in
her eyes. There she sat, rocking back
and forth in her rich evening dress, un
til the gray dawn appeared, never think
ing of sleep, or of aught except tho
black, cruel deed she was on tho verge
of committing.
The next day the party went on a
fishing excursion. Philip excused him
self, and taking a book he sauntered out
on the lawn. Behind the summer-house
was a lino of thick and shady shrubbery.
Throwing himself on the soft, velvety
grass, he read for some time, and then
dropped asleep. He was-areused by the
sound of voices, .as ho thought, and
peeping through the branches he saw
Bernice in the summer-house, reading
aloud from a laige, black book. At
first he thought- he would speak, but
the 'words she was reading held him
fastened as it were.
" This poison is quick and sure, and
leaves no trace behind. This is what I
want. No trace. But who would dare
suspect me Bernice 'Vaugn of murder ?
Oh, that is a fearful word," she said,
shuddering. " Sometimes I think I can
not, cannot do it. I have never beon
guilty of murdering a person for Leslie
Leigh died by his own hand; yet I
know I was tho cause of it. Oh, I shall
never forget his words that night at the
ball. 1 Bernice, you have led me on and
on, and now, if you reject me, I shall
die ! Mark n ?, I shall die ! '
" Bift I spurned him from me ; and
yet I loved him as I can never love
again. That night while I was flirting
and listening to the honeyed praises
from a stranger's lips, ho died. The mer
ciful rouge hid the pallor on my face
when I heard the news, and my laugh
was gayer than ever as I mingled in the
dance, for none knew I was a murderess
at heart. But he was a poor artist, and
I could ill afford to become a poor man's
bride. People say of me, She is cruel,'
heartless,' and so I am ; but I cannot
forget, and Leslie is continually before
me. I feel that I am wedded to his
spirit," she moaned. "Yes, I suppose
Lthel May's white face will haunt me.
But marry Philip Earle I must and will !
My fortune is gone, but when I am mis
tress of The Elms, I will plunge into so
ciety the gayest of the gay. I will be
their acknowledged queen, and in my
reign of triumph I shall forget Ethel's
death. Yes, I have planned it well. I
will let her be glad in anticipation until
the tableau before the marriage, then
she shall drink the poisoned glass of
wine, and never mind the rest, for my
path will be clear, and Philip all my
own. Nonsenso I" she said, starting to
her feet. " I have been talking aloud
as usual. I must be more careful, for
sometime this habit may betray me.
But now there is no one to listen except
tho birds, and none can interpret their
songs. Well, I must go back to the
house, for if the party return they'll say
my headache was a poor excuse to re
main at home."
And she glided up tho lawn, leaving
Philip almost stunned by the astonish
ing revelation he had just listened to.
He could scarcely realize that he had
heard a woman so coolly plan the mur
der of a fellow-being ; and he shuddered
whon he thought how near she had come
to accomplishing the deed.
The excursionists were alroady re
turning, and he must return to the
house or they would wonder at his ab
sence. He had formed no plan to act
upon, only to watch and wait without
Bernice's knowing that she was sus
pected.
Evening came, and the tableaux were
passing off 'finely. Every one was pleased
with the success of the entertainment so
far. Philip had watched Bernice's every
movement. Unsuspected by her he fol
lowed her footsteps from room to room,
seemingly careless, but oh I so eager in
his watch. Just before it was time for
Ethel to dress for the marriage, Bernice
gilded into her dressing-room, and Phil
ip, looking in' at the open window, saw
her prepare two glasses of wine. Into
one she dropped a white powder, saying
to nerseii
" The right hand glass for the bride,
Ha! hal the bride of death ;" and ehe
stote sottly out ot the room.
It was but the work of a moment for
Phil to eruptv the Doisoned drausht. and
fill tho glass with water colored with
wiue : and when Berlhce returned with
Ethel, the glasses appeared as she left
them, and everything was the same as
betore.
" See here, darling," Bernice said,
" you are looking pale and tired, so am
I, and I got tome wine, knowing it
would uo us both good.
" I don't care for any, Bernice, thank
you, .btkel replied.
" Oh, yes, drink it ; that's a dear ; you
surely won't refuse when I got it on
purpose for you."
"Did you ? You are very kind, Ber
nice," Ethel said, as she raised the glass
to her lips.
Bernice hurried from the room, leav
ing Ethel to dress, saying exultingly,
" IX is almost over.
The marriage ceremony had beon per
formed, and there was a perfect buzz of
surprise throughout tne rooms, but Ber
nice stood silent and motionless watch
ing eagerly Ethel's every movement As
moment tatter moment sped away, and
there was no change, Phil noticed the
surprised and perplexed look on her
face, and shuddered to think how near
she had come to robbing him of a life
lone happiness.
Every one excepting Bernice had
wished the happy couple joy, and she
kept silent, thinking the poison must
soon take effect. Hut now sue telt the
must sav something, or be conspicuous.
so she stepped forward to offer her con
gratulations. These two words, " Allow
me had scarcely passed Her lips when
Phil interrupted her, and there was a
hush throughout the room.
"I can accept no congratulations from
you, Miss Vaugn, for I have proof that
they are not sincere. Uere is your book
that you left in the suramer-house yes
terday. , A curious book for a young
lady to read, is it not, my inenus r ne
said, reading the title aloud, "AU
about poisons.' But you would not
wonder at the selection if you had heard
her soliloquy, her fiendish plot to poison
my brido. Does it seem pessitlo that a
lady guest of mino is a murderess at
heart? None but a fiend could be capa
ble of such a cold-blooded deed I But,
most happily for us both, I thwarted
you. The poisoned drink you prepared
for Ethol she did not taste, for I emptied
the glass. And now, Miss Vaugn have
my pretence. I have just ordered jour
maid to pack your trunks immediately,
and may you go out into the world a
wiser and a bettor woman for this
night's sad lesson."
"Thanks, monsieur, lor your kind
wishes; but only a week since you
thought 'the fiend' was very wise and
beautiful, you know,' said Bernice, with
a low laugh, as she letttne room.
A vear later Philip od Ethel read of
her marriage to a man old enough to be
her father, but who was as rich' as
Croesus.
" Poor Bernice," Ethel murmured.
" Why poor, dearest ?" Phil asked.
"Because sho has sold herself for
gold, and can never know the joy of
ioving and being loved," was her reply.
Waterly Magazine.
Liability of Telegraph Companies.
An important legal decision was an
nounced at the last term of the la w
court in this district, which settles the
law in this State as to the liability of
telegraph companies to their employers
in case of failure to transmit or deliver
messages. As the case (George W. True
et aU. against International Telegraph
Company) is of novel impression in our
courts and of interest to the public, we
give a brief statement of the tacts. In
1870, George W. True & Co., of this city,
sent a dispatch to their correspondents
in Baltimore, accepting an offer of a
cargo of corn at a given prico and
frSight. The offer had been made by
telegraph the same day, and tho reply
was sent on a " night blank" of the In
ternational Telegraph line at the usual
night rates. The dispatch, on account
of the carelessness of some operator en
the line west of BoBton, was not duly
forwarded, and True & Co. failed to se
cure the cargo of corn. As the market
prise of corn and freights advanced im
mediately, they were obliged to buy
other corn to meet the wants of their '
business at a price largely in advance of
that offered. A claim was immediately
preferred against the telegraph compa
ny for the damage resulting from their
failure to promptly transmit the mes
sage to its destination, which was re
sisted by the company on the ground
that one of the conditions printed on
their " night blanks," subject to which
tho message was sent, was that the tele
graph company should not be liable, in
case of failure to deliver the message, to
an amount greater than the sum paid
for its transmission in this case, forty
eight cents. Suit was therefore
brought to recover special damages ; the
case was argued July, 1870, and has
been under consideration two ye;.rs ;
the court has now rondercd a decision in
which the claim of the plaintiffs is sus
tained in full.
The ground of the decision was that,
although telegraph companies may es
tablish reasonable rules for the conduct
of their business, they cannot by printed
notices on their blanks relieve them
selves from the liability which the law
imposes on them from motives of public
policy ; that the courts are to dotermine
in tho last resort whether tho rules and
limitations prescribed by the company
are reasonable, and that the condition
set up in defense in this case was not
binding upon the plaintiffs, as it at
tempted to relievo the telegraph compa
ny from all liability (beyond tho
amount paid for the message), whether
arising from carelessness, accident or
wilful default of the company and its
servants. The measure of damage was
declared to be the difference between
the price of the cargo offered and of
that bought to supply its place, with the
additional freight. 1'ortUind Cif.J Prat.
How they Shave in China.
A fellow who has been shaved in
China says that his barber first stropped
the razor on his leg, and then did the
shaving without any lather. The cus
tomcr remonstrated, but was told that
the lather was entirely useless, and had
a tendency to make the hair stiff and
tough, and was, therefore, never used by
persons who had any knowledge of the
tace and its appendages.
After the beard had been taken off
and it was done in a very short time
the barber took a long, sharp, needle
shaped spoon, and began to explore his
customer's ears. He brought up from
numerous little crevices bits of wax and
dirt, that had been accumulating since
his childhood. The barber suddenly
twisted his subject's neck to one side in
such a manner that it cracked as if the
vertebras had been dislocated.
" Hold on !" shouted the party, alarm
ed for tho safety of his neck.
" All right," replied tho tonsor, " me
no hurt you," and he continued to jerk
and twist the neck until it was as limber
as an old lady's dish-rag. He then fell
to beating tho back, breast, arms and
sides with his fists, then he pummeled
the muscles until they fairly glowed
with the beating they received. He
then dashed a bucket of cold water over
his man, dried the skin with towels, and
declared that his work was done,
Price, two cents.
In the parish of St. Damien, county of
Berthier, Canada, there is living a wo
man who has attained the extraordinary
ago of one Hundred ana eight years.
She -was born in 1764, at Marquette,
Mich., which was then a trading station.
Her father was a Frenchman named
Auger, and her mother an Indian wo
man. She is quite blind and nearly
deaf, but still enjoys a degree of physioal
health and soundness of mind which are
remarkable in a person so aged.
THE ARIZONA DIAMONDS.
Important Latter, from an Emln.nt Lon
don Firm My ateriona Piirohn.e. of
Hongh'DUmonda.
from the Londtn Time.
T!ie following from an experienced
London firm seems to throw light on un
impi Ttaiit step in the gradual prepara
tion of the Californian diamond scheme ;
S GftESHlM ST., LordCik, An., 87, Wit.
Sir: In your City Article of to-day,
commenting upon the reported discovery
of ("iamonds, rubies, sapphires in the
Arizona district, of North America, you
allude to a circular of London diamond
merchants issued last weok, discussing
the probable influence of the discovery
upo:i me diamond market. That circular
emanated from us, but there was a slight
error committed in styling us as diamond
merchants, as we aot exclusively as
brol ers, a specialty in our position in the
diamond trade to which we attach great
importance. At tho cenclusion of yoar
remarks you observe very judiciously
that all that is wanting soems to be some
guarantee that tho gems should be loss
fugitive than the silver and gold of the
Pyramid mines. Now, without totally
discrediting the existence of the finds of
soma diamonds or precious stones in the
localities named, yet a strong suspicion
has crossed our minds that real rough
diaLionds, rubies, and sapphires may be
procuced as evidences of the new dia
mordiferous locality, and yet never have
had an existence there, but have come
fron.the Cape, Bio, Ceylon, or Burma ;
aud our reasons for the impresssion are
based upon the following circumstances:
Beverol months age one ot our most
important constituents, a diamond mer
chant, was delayed keeping an appoint
mer t with us for two or threo hours, and
on Lis arrival at our office he excused
him elf for the delay by laughingly re
counting an occurrence which to him
was exceedingly mysterious, and for the
reas mn ot which he could not form any
idea, no then told us that when on the
point of btarting for our office he was
interrupted by tho arrival of a person
who presented all the appearance ot a
hard-working digger, and who from his
general roughness and uncouthness in
no wise prepossessed our friend in his
favor. From his peculiar accent he
evidently hailed from America, which
his subsequent remarks and statements
of his having had large railway contracts
over there luiiy confirmed. To our
friexd's great surprise the visitor asked
to see rough diamonds, and on being
somewhat reluctantly shown some, pro
ceeded, to our friend's great astonish
ment, to put aside several lots as suiting
his purpose, and soi lie would take
them.
Kow, as the stranger evidently paid
no attention to the weight or the quality,
and as the lots put aside reached an im
portant amount, the price asked never
disputed, and he evidently knew noth
ing about diamonds, our friend had
natural misgivings as to the discussion
that would arise when the question of
payment came to be alluded to ; but on
this point there arose no difficulty, tor
the stranger on hearing the amount at
one: proceeded to pull out a large roll
ot bank-notes and settled for them on
han 1 1 That mysterious purchase has
nevur been cleared up to this day, but
now, wo think, we have the clue to it.
Ve have ourselves often sold lots of
rough rabies and rough sapphires to
parties who seemed to have no definite
object for them, save " to try experi
ments ;" but, as we now perceive how
such purchases may find their way to
other parts ot the globe, and be produc
ed there as evidence of local existing
riches and discoveries, we think it our
duty to write to you to put parties on
their guard before parting with their
money la investing in companies start
ing with the moderato capitals of $10,,
000,000 to commence with. Wo are, sir,
yours very obediently,
riTTAR, OjEVERSOX UO.
English Cutlery.
The importation ot wire and steel
goods into England was at first restrict
ed by Queen Elizabeth, in order that
home manufactures might be fostered.
There was a guild of London cutlers in
the time of Honry V., but the important
corporation in bhemeld was not legaliz
ed until Wli. During the next centu
ry, the progress of scientific invention
benefitted tho iron and steel nianufao
turcs. The production of cast Bteel fur
thered the common use of knives, and
many other cutting instruments, be
sides rendering them cheaper, better and
more abundant. Improved methods of
smelting, casting, forging, rolling,
drawing, sharpening, polishing, damas
cening and gilding, raised the cutler's
art to a high state ot perteotion.
Ureal as was the progress of this art
in the eighteenth century, it has been
far outstripped in the nineteenth
Shear steel began to be made in Shef
field in 1S00. The inventions of Mushet
and Lucus in 1800 and 1804 further ex
tended the manufacture. Forks and
scissors were ' made by rolling in 1805,
From this time, immense cutlery works
sprang up in England, France and Uer
many, and the competition between the
three countries has been highly benell
cial, for while England stands undoubt
edly foremost, yet both If ranee and Uer
many possess their own peculiar excel
lences.
Amongst the imports connected with
cutlery, there is in Sheffield an annmal
consumption of more than seventy tons
of ivory for the handles of knives and
forks, and about three thousand opera
tives are employed in forging and grind
in; the blades. An" equal number of
work-people are engaged on pen and
pojkot knives, made annually to the
value of 100,000. Very many are oc
cupied in fabricating razors and scis
sors. The great Exhibition of 1851
and i subsequent exhibitions, both in
England and elsewhere have afforded
opportnities to the Sheffield cutlers of
proving tbe,ir matchless skill in domestio
and other branches of cutlery. Swords,
perfect masterpices of artistic design,
were displayed, their blades damascened,
decorated with elaborate etching and
gilding upon a ground or blue.
Skoptsy la Bonmanla.
Among the numerous religious sects '
found in Bussia the strangest and most
unnatural is that of Skoptsy. Born of
sn interpretation as barbarous as it is
literal of -the text "If thy eye offond
thee, pluok it out," etc. the fundament
al dogma of this sect is mutilation,
which is a soft of baptism or circum
cision of its converts.
In spite of the endeavors of the Rus
sian Government to prevent thoir mak
ing proselytes, they have not only
maintained an existence in certain parts
of the empire, but actually seem to in
crease, as their number is variously esti
mated at from seven hundred and fifty
thousand to one million. . Indeed, some
writers say their number is much greator
than even a million. They are gener
ally well-to-do, and many of them are
rich, which aocounts, doubtless, in a
measure, for the non-success of the gov
ernment in its endeavors to destroy
them. They buy immunity from the
Erovincial authorities, and thus have
een able to maintain an existence for
four or five hundred years, although,
owing to the nature of their fundamental
dogma, they would soon die out u they
made no proselytes.
iN evertheless, the energetio measures
resorted to from time to time by the
Russian Government have driven a cer
tain number of them to Moldavia,
where, owing to the corruption ef the
courts and the instability of the govern
ment, they can live in greater security.
In fact, although Prince Michael Stour
za showed a disposition to rid his domin
ons of the sect, which in his time was
represented by about eighty members,
his measures remained a dead letter, and
to-day the city of Jassy alone contains
six hundred Skopts, who are among tho
most thrifty of its citizens.
A deplorable circumstance recently
called public attention to them. The
corpse of a young Russian girl that had
been clandestinely buried was discov
ered, and it was found that she had died
while submitting to the operation prac
tised by these people on their proselytes.
The discovery, as was very natural, cre
ated a great excitement, and the govern
ment took the matter in hand. At first
it seemed that energetic measures would
be adopted to put an end to these
shamoful barbarities ; but the Skopts
have found means to silence the officials.
The courts have declared that there is
no law under which the sect can be pro
ceeded against. The laws of Moldavia,
it would seem, are alike insufficient for
the protection of the Jews and for the
abolition of the barbarous practices of
the Skopts;
Quoted in Full.
You have doubtless heard the story
of the Chinaman who, in making a new
pair of breeches for the American Cap
tain, with an old pair for a pattern, fol
lowed his copy so literally as to repro
duce a stitched rent and two patches.
But the ludicrousness of this following
was entirely thrown in the shade by
the mistake of an honest, literal servant
who had taken the job of the finishing
stone work of a new church in liners
port. The presiding clergyman of the
parish was chairman of the committee
on ornamentation, and it was decided
that a suitable quotation of Holy Writ
shouldjbe graven upon the cap-stone of
the portal over the main entrance, in
accordance therewith the workman was
directed to carve upon the stone the
sentence, " My House shall be called
the House ot irrayer. The man ac
knowledged his literary deficiencies,
and in order that he might make no
mistake, he asked for an exact copy of
what was wanted. The clergyman, be
ing in somewhat of a hurry, and having
a small pocket Testament with him,
took it out, and opening to the twenty
first chapter of Matthew, and pointing
to the thirteenth verse, he said,
" There, my man, you have it just as
we want it."
Tho craftsman took the book, and the
clergyman went his way.
The dedication ot the church was
postponed a week to await the finishing
of the cap-stone. It was done in time,
and raised to its place, and the con,
sternation of the good minister, and his
companions of the committee, can be
better imagined than described upon
beholding how literally with a ven-
geanoe the workman had copied the
text of Scripture. Commencing at the
Eoint designated by the clergyman, he
ad reproduced the whole verse, so that
the stone bore upon its lace the startling
sentence :
" My JIouu thall le tailed the Iloute of
Prayer; but y hate made it a Den of
Jhictetr
There was a further postponement of
the dedioatory servioes, and in the end
the lower half of the cap-stone was
adornod with a network of chisellings
and clippings not contemplated by the
original plan. Jr. 1 . Ledger.
Romance of the Telegraph.
A telegraph clerk of London, who
was engaged on a wire to Berlin, formed
an acquaintance with and an attach
ment for a female clerk, who worked on
the same wire in Berlin. He made pro
posals of marriage to her, and she ao
cepted him without having seen him,
They were married, and the marriage
resulting trom their electrio affinities is
supposed to have turned out as well as
those in which the senses are more ap-
Eareutly concerned. These young clerks,
owever, were not very rash, nor did
they marry without due acquaintance
with each other, as many prudent per
sons might suppose for, according to
Mr. Scudamore, a clerk at one end of
the wire can readily telL by the way in
which a clerk at the other does his
work, "whether he is passionate or
sulky, cheerful or dull, sanguine or
phlngmatio, ill natures! or good na
tured.
A Connecticut editor savs: "Our
early peas came up in two days alter
tbey were planted, this year. Any,
body's will, if the hens are allowed to
ran in the garden.
Facts and fflgures.
A Minnesota editor speaks of another
editor as a " senile slinger of unsavory
English."
Mr. Hollow ay, tho English pii and
ointment man, is going to erect a hos
pital. Which is as good a way as any
of expiating the sin of selling patent
pills.
Four bales of palmetto leaves wero
recently shipped from Savannah to
England, where they will be tested and
their value, determined as paper-making
material.
Fashionable patroness to charity girl
who has been away for a holiday "Well,
Betsy Jane, and what did you do when
Jou went to see your friends?" Betsy
ane " Please m'm, I wore a panior."
A new and profitable branch of busi
ness is invented in Georgia, by a genius
who sprinkles salt on the railroad to al
lure cattle upon the track. The animals
are killed by the trains, and the railroad
company has to pay for them.
A Suporimtendent of polioe made once
an entry in his register', frein whioh the
following is an extract : " The prisoners
set upon- me and oalled me an ass, a pre
cious dolt, a scare-crow, ragamuffin and
idiot all of which I certify to be true."
In an advertisement by a railroad
company of unclaimed goods, a letter
dropped from the word lawful, and so
the advertisement appropriately reads :
"People to whom these packages are
directed are notified to come forward
and pay tho awful charges on the same."
A lecturer undertook to explain to a
village audience the word phenomenon.
" May bo yon don't know what a phe
nomenon is. Well, I'll tell you. You
have seen a cow, no doubt Well, a
cow is not a phenomenon. You have
seen an apple-tree. Well, an apple-tree
is not a phenomenon."
What are we to say of a father who,
having a little girl three years old run
ning about the house, carelessly loaves
four ounces of cyanide of potassium
within her reach ? This is what Mr.
La Bouto, photographer, of Cambridge,
Mass., did recently. The child found
the poison enough to kill seven men
drank it, and was dead in half an. hour. .
A youth while traveling in California
was ambitiously displaying a small pis
tol betore a brawny minor, whose belt
was weighty with t ro heavy six-shooters,
when the miner asked what he had
there. "Why," replied the youth,
"that is a pistol." "Waal," said the
rough, " if you should shoot mo with
that and I should find it out, I'd lick
you like fun.
A Utica man bas invented a trav
elling trunk with this improvement :
Taking hold of the handle and lifting
one end from the fli or, a sharp pull draws
out a hand-bar similar to those by which
a hand-cart is drawn or propelled, and
at the same time two strong wheels drop
beneath. The trunk is at once a box ou
wheels, and the traveller can draw it
away independent of pcrters or express-
en.
From the 10th of July, 1872, to tho
26th of August, inclusive, there were
forty-eight days when the thermometer,
in Washington rose to ninety degrees or
above ; fourteen days when it was at
ninety-five degrees or above, and one
day, July 3, when it rose to 101 degrees ;
these temperatures being indicated by a
thermometer fully exposed to the air,
but protected from the sun or reflected
heat.
Following the example set by tho Ja
panese, the Chinese Government has
sent lurty biuucutB w iuu u uncu utobca.
These young men, who are of the Man-
darian class, are to receive a collegiate
education in this country, in a course
that shall embrace a knowledge of our
language, and practical art and science.
The intention at first was to send these
students to England, but the advico and
influence of Geo. F. Seward, U. S. Oon-sul-General,
caused them to bo sent tc
our country.
A London letter says that the striking
mania isjirevading all England. The
chairmakers of Wycombe, the coalmen
of Lewestoft, the silk weavers of Sud
bury, stone-masons of Preston, bakers
of Dublin, engineers of Birkenhead, the
china aud earthenware manufacturers
of Staffordshire, are all on a strike. The -London
carpenters, painters, bricklayers,
bakers, and cabinetmakers continue
their strike. The Post-office employes
have petitioned for an advance of wages.
The journeymen butchers of London
have formed a union for the purpose of
getting higher wages.
The 'Paris Figaro warns its readers
against placing too much confidence in
the announcement of a hotel whose pro
prietor informs the public that " Eng.
Iish, German, Italian and Spanish are
spoken here." An Englishman, it says,
who lately " descended at tho hotel in
question, and could find no waiter pos
sessing even the most rudimentary ac
quaintance with the English language,
asked tor an interpreter, and being told
there was none, demanded an explana
tion. "By whom, then," he inquired.
" are English, German, Italian and
Spanish spoken ?" " By the travellers,
sir, who come to the hotel," was the
reply.
The demand for false hair is in
creasing. Even the colored, sisters find
it necessary to supply the parsimony of
nature by the prodigality of art to inedt
that demand ; those who have must di
rectly or indiretly supply the deficien
cies of those who have not. One set of
lambs must be shorn, in order that an
other set may have fleeces. In the novel,
the woman sells her flowing tresses as a
last resort to erect a tombstone over her
dead child or to save the honor of her
husband. In real life, she does it to
buy a silk dress. Here, she will not do
it at all, for what is the use of selling
what would have to be replaced from a
shop ? But since she will not sell, the
Rape of the Lock must be renewed on a'
grander scale. Trimming must ensue,
and the blonde tresses of the Scandina
vians and the dark locks of the Irish
girls mast be stolen from tbem.