NIL. DESPERANDITM.
Two Dollars per 'Annum.
VOL. IV.
RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., . .THURSDAY, MAECH 26, 1874.
NO. 4.
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher
The Reaper.
Orira Death, the reaper, camealoug
With sickle bright and keen,
" I'll reap to-day and bind," he said,
lere least they think, I ween."
An old man heard with tottering steps
Ho walked to meet the foe
Four Bconrog of years have bent tny form,
I'm roaily now to go."
" Old man," quoth Death, " I'll call for you
Some day not far away,
I now must reap among the oaks.
Their chief must fall this day !"
A little child whose tender frame,
Was stamped with quick dcay,
Exclaimed, "O, Death, please take me now,
The chief, O, let him r,tay !"
"Tho chief I'll ha-6 Ulis day Baid Death,
" nis form el!lU ,e mine own t
This child w'j breathe a fleeting breath
And gl-lly Beek uig ilomo.
" -'le strong must know that I am king
And foel my conquering power ;
I strike them down like tender plants
They wither in an hour." "
The wee child's eyes were wet with tears j
The old wan groaned and sighed ;
Death emote ie strong man as he slept,
And strcngth-.vid beauty died.
Quoth Death, "I IVjmetimcs pass the old,
And sometimes spre the weak ;
For when I cravo a vyAory,
Tho strongest then I seek."
DEATH 6t MARRIAGE.
The ancient clock in Deacon Shermer's
old-fashioned kitchen was slowly chim
ing tho Lour of nine. It was no smart
toy, no trifle of bronze or alabaster, but
a jfekll, square, solid relio of the last
r6ntury, looking not unlike a coflin
case set on end, in tho corner a clock
' that had lasted through four genera
tions, and, judging from appearances,
was quite likely to last through several
more. Deacon Shermer cherished the
old heirloom with a sort of pride which
ho himself would have scarcely con
fessed to.
There was a great, ruddy fire of chest
nut logs in the red brick fire place ;
and the candles in the brightly-polished
brass sticks were winking merrily from
the. high wooded mantel, where they
shared tho post of honor with a curious
sea-shell and a couple of vases, each
containing a fresh osage orange, from
the hedge that skirted the clover-field
behind tho barn. At the window, a
curtain of gaudy chintz shut out the
tens of thousands of fitars that were
shining brightly on that autumnal
night, and on the cozy rug of parti
colored rppa a fat tortoise shell cot pur
red away the slowly lapsing minutes.
But the tortoise shell cat was net the
only inhabitant of the farm-house
kitchen.
" Timothy I" said Mary Shermer, de
cidedly, "if you don't behave yourself,
I'll -"
What hho would do, Mary did not
sny ; the sentence was teiminated by a
laugh that set the dimples arcund her
mouth in motion, just as a beam of
June sunshine plays across a cluster of
red ripe cherries.
Mary Shermer was just seventeen a
plump, rosy girl, with jet black hair,
brushed back from a low forehead, and
perfectly arched eyebrows, that gave a
bewitching expression of surprise to n
pair of melting hazel eyes. ' She was
rather dark ; but the severest critic
would not have found fault with the
peach-like bloom upon her cheeks, and
the dewy red of her full, daintily
rurved lips. Evidently Mr. Timothy
Marshall was quite satisfied with Mary's
peculiar style of beauty.
" Come, Mary !" sa'id Tim, moving
Lis chair win-re he could best watch the
flush of the firelight upon her face,
and picking up the thread of the con
versation where he had dropped it,
when, it became necessary for Mary to
bid him. "bohuve himself" "you might
promise. It's nine o'clock and your
father will soon be home."
" Promise what, Tina ?" said Mary,
demurely, fitting a square of red in her
patchwork, and intently observing the
effect.
" Nonsense, Mary ! ...You know what
very well. Promise to marry me before
Christmas ! I tell you what, Mary, it's
all very well for you to keep putting a
follow off, but I can't stand it. What
with yuiir father's forbidding me the
house, and that romantic Tom Stan
ley's coming here every Sunday night
Mary gave her pretty head a toss.
" As if Mr. Stanley's coming here
made any difference in my feelings,
Tim !"
" No ; but, Mary, it isn't pleasant,
you know. I'm as good a man as Tom
Stanley, if I don't own railroad shares
and keep an account at the Hamilton
ville Bank ; and I love you, Mary, from
the very bottom of my heart I Now this
matter lies between you and me only ;
no other person in the world has a right
to interfere between us. Come promise
me !" He held both her hands in his,
and looked earnestly into the liquid
hazel eyes.
" Do you love me, Mary ?"
" You kuow I love you, Tim."
"Then we may just as well Hush,
what's that ?"
"There was a portentous sound of
drawing bolts, and rattling latches, in
the porch-room beyond a scraping of
heavy boots along the floor. Mary rose
to her feet with sudden scarlet-suffusing
brow and cheeks.
' Oh, Tim, it's father 1"
" Suppose it is ?"
" But he musn't find you here, Tim 1
Ilide vourself somewhere, do 1"
" What nonesense, Mary I" said the
young man. resolutely standing his
ground. " I haven't come to steal his
spoons. " Why should I oreape away
like a detected burglar ?"
For my sake, Tim. Oh, Tim, if you
ever loved me, do as I say I Not in that
closet ; it is close to his bed-room ; not
thrcugh that window ; . it is nailed
down tight He is coming ! he's com
ing ! Here, Tim, quick "
Ad iu the drawing of a breath, she
had pubbed Timothy Marshall into the
. square pendulum case of the tali old
clock, and turned the key upon- him.
It is not a pleasant place of refuge, in
asmuch as his shoulders were squeezed
on either side, and his head flattened
against springs and wheels above, and
the air was unpleasnntly closo ; but
Tim made the best of matters, and
shook with suppressed laughter in his
solitary prison cell.
"Weill a jolly scrape to be in,"
thought Tim, " and no knowing when
I'll be out of it. Mnry's a shrewd little
puss, however, and I can't do better
than to leave matters in her hands."
"So you haven't gone to bed yet,
Mary ?" said Deacon Shermer, slowly
unwinding the two yards of woolen
scarf with which he generally encased
his throat'of an evening.
" Not yet, father," said Mary, pick
ing up tho scattered bits of patch-work
with a glowing cheek. " Did jou have
ft pleasant meeting ?"
" Well, yes," quoth the deacon, re
flectively, sitting down before the fire,
greatly to Mary's consternation she
had hoped he would have gone to bed
at once, according to his usual custom
" it was tol'bly pleasant. Elder
Huskier was there, and Elder Hopkins,
and well, all the church folks pretty
much. Why, how red your cheeks are,
Mary 1 Tired, ain't yon 1 Well, you
needn't sit up for me, my dear ; it must
be getting late."
The deacon glanced mechanically
round at the clock. Mary felt the blood
grow cold in her veins. " Twenty min
utes past nine why,it must be latur than
that 1 Why, hind o' Canaan ! the old
clock's stopped 1" The old clock had
stopped ; nor was it wonderful, under
the circumstances. " I wound it up
this mornin', I'm sartin," said the
deacon, very much disturbed. " It
never sarved me such a trick afore, all
the years it stood there. Your aunt
Jane used to say it was a sign of a
death or a marriage in the family be
fore the year was out."
There was a suppressed sound like
a chuckle behind the clock-case as
Deacon Shermer fumbled on the shelf
for the clock key. "These springs
must be out of order somehow," said
tho deacon, derisively. "How scared
you look, child I There ain't no cause
for being scared, don't put no faith
in your Aunt Jane's old-time supersti
tion. Where, in the name of all pos
sessed, is that key I I could ha' de
clared I left it in the case."
" Isn't it on the shelf, father ?"
asked Mary, guiltily, conscious that it
was snugly reposing in the pocket of
her checked gingham dress.
" No, nor 'taint in my pocket
neither. And dowu went the deacon,
stiffly enough, on his knees to examine
the floor, lest perchance the missing
key might have fallen there. "
"Well, I never Snowed anything so
strange in all my life," said the deacon.
"It is strange," faltered hypocritical
Mary.
"I'll have a regular search to-morrow,"
said Deacon Shermer. "It must
be somewhere around."
" Yes, it must," said Mary, tremu
lously. " Only," the deacon went on slowly,
resuming his place before the fire,
"kind o' don't like to have the old
clock utand still a single night. When
I wake up, you know, it seems like it
was sort o' talking to me in thp still
ness. The deacon looked thoughtfully
at the fiery back log. Mary fidgeted
uneasily about the room, straightening
table covers, setting back chairs, and
thinking oh, if he only would go to
bod t
As he sat there, his eyelids began
to droop, and his head to nod somno
lently. Mary's eyes lighted up with a
sparkle of hope.
" Child," he said, suddenly straight
ening himself up in the stiff-backed
chair, "you'd better go to bed. I'll
sit up awhile longer till the logs burn
out."
" But, father, I'm not sleepy."
" Go to bed, my child I" reiterated
the deacon, with good humored author
ity that brooked no opposition; and
Mary crept out of the room, ready to
cry with anxiety and mortification.
'" If Tim will only keep quiet a little
while longer," she thought, sitting on
the stairs where the newly-risen moen
streamed in chilly splendor. " Father
sleeps 60 soundly and he is sure to go
to sleep iu his chair. I could just steal
in and release him as quietly as pos
sible." She sat there, her plump fingers 'in
terlaced, and her eves: fixed dreamily
on the floor, while all the time her ears
were strained to the utmost capacity ta
catch every sound in the kitchen be
yond. Hark 1 was that the wail of tho
wind ? or was it something to her liter
ally "nearer and dearer." Yes; she
could not be mistaken now; it was actu
ally a snore."
Mary rose softly to her feet with re
newed hope. Surely now was the ac
cepted time. Noiselessly as the float
ing shadow, she crossed the hall,
opened the kitchen door, and stole
across the creaking boards of the floer.
The candles were burned out but the
shifting lustre of the firelight revealed
her father nodding before the fire, with
closed - eyes, and hands hanging at his
sides.
With a heart that beat quick and
fast, like the strokes of a miniature
hammer, drew the key from her dress
pocket, ond proceeded in spite of the
nervous trembling of her fingers, to fit
it into the lock. So absorbed was she
in her task, that she never noticed the
sudden cessation of the heavy breath
ingnever saw the deacon stait sud
denly into wakefulness, and look around
him. Love is blind, and it is equally
true it is deaf. ' The deacon rose quiet
ly np with a shrewd twinkle in his eyes,
and Mary gave a little frightened
shriek as a hand fell softly on her arm,
possessing itself quietly of the key.
" Let me help you !" said Deacon
Shermer.
" Father, I I found the key," falter
ed Mary.
" Found the key, eh ?" returned the
deacon. " Well, that's lucky ; and now
we can find out what's the matter with
the clock.'! -
Mary's heart, throbbing o wildly a
moment or two agoseemed to. stand
absolutely still as - Deacon Shermer
turned the key and opened the tall door
of the elook case. r ' ; ' "
i ''Hal lol"jaenlalea Deaoon Sher;
mer as Mr. Timothy Marshall tumbled
laughingly into the room. ' " So you
was the matter with the old clock, eh?"
" Yes sir," said Tim, composedly, "I
hope I haven't seriously interfered with
the works of the clock."
" You've seriously interfered with
me I" said the deacon, waxing indig
nant. "Whut do you mean, sir, by
hiding in my house like a tliici."
"Indeed! indeed I father," cried
Mary, bursting into tears, "it wasn't
his fault. He didn't want to hide, but
I put him there."
" You did, eh 1 And may I ask what
for I"
" Father," faltered Mary, rather irrel
evantly," I love him, and he loves me !"
" Is that any reason why he should
hide in the clock-case, miss ?"
"No but father I I can never mar
ry Mr. Stanley. He is so soft, and I "
Mary's tears "finished the .sentence for
her. The deacon looked down (not un
kindly) on her bowed head and the
tender arm that supported it. Appar
ently, "theconrseof true love," rough
ly though it ran, was overwhelming all
his own worldly-wise arrangements in
its tide.
" And so you two young folks really
think you love each other!" said the
deacon, meditatively.
" I love her with all my heart and
soul, said Tim Marshall, earnestly.
" I'm not rich, I know, but I can work
for her."
"And I can work for myself too,
father," interposed Mary," with tears
that shone like softened stars.
"And you said yourself, sir," went
on Tim, "that the stopping of the
clock meant either 'a marriage or a
death.' Of course we don't want any
deaths ; so don't you think the most
sensible thing we can do is to help on
a marriage as soon as possible ?"
The deacon laughed in spite of him
self. "It's late," he said, "Come
around to-morrow morning, and we'll
talk about it. No, Mary, I'm not angry
with you child. I s'pose young folks
will be young folks, and there's no use
tryin' to stop them !"
And the deacon rehung the pendu
lum, and set the iron tongue of the old
clock talking again. Tim Marshall
paused on the front doorstep to whis
per to Mary :
"What shall it be Mary ? a death
or a marriage I
And she in return whispered : "a
marriage, I hope."
" My darling 1" said Tim, "it's worth
passing a lifetime behind the clock
cuse to feel as I do now 1"
How .to Live at a Hotel. .
A hotel thief who was arrested in
London, had this memorandum on his
person :
" Receipt how to live on 6ix shillings
a week. In the first pjace you must be
possesses oi a good suit oi clothes.
Secondly,you must have confidence in
yourself, otherwise calle'd ? plenty of
cheek.' Thirdly, you must provide
yourself with a leather bag about two
Fiuiiings, well stufled .with paper.
When you arrive at any place where
you wish to stay a few days, walk into
a hotel and ask if they have a bed at
liberty for a few nights. If ' yes ' is
tne answer, make vourself at home.
walk into the room and order dinner ;
ask to be shown into your bedroom, as
you want to wash : come down a cam.
leaving your bag upstairs, taking care
to Keep it locked np, that they shall not
see what it contains. Take dinner
roast beef, fowl, fish, pastrv. cheese.
etc., taking care to order half a pint of
sherry ; then they will think you know
your way about and have plenty of
money. Alter dinner call for whisky
hot and cigar, which is verv nice. Sit
for an hour or two, and then go out on
uusiness or a walk, as tne case may be,
Order tea for half-past five, with
toast. After tea sit a while, then ring
lor branny not. Then take a walk,
weatner permitting. uome in again
about nine, call for whisky hot, cigars
and slippers. Pull off your boots and
make yourseir comfortable bv the fire.
Have another whiskv hot. Ring the
bell for your candle and inquire num
ber of your room. Retire to bed about
eleven o'clock, taking care to order
breakfast for nine, with ham or eggs.
or a nice chop, etc. After breakfast
take a walk, and so on as before.
P. S. The bag is the main point. It
may serve you for a week ; it has served
me for eight days ; but you must watch
well the people with whom vou are
with. Sometimes they will ask if it is
" convenient for you to settle yourbill."
it so, say ui course it is. I am
iust going to the post-office for a letter.
Get my bill made out and I will settle
it when I come back.
Of course take care not to return for
your oag, ana oe caremi to put your
comu ana orusn in your pocket every
morning, as you cannot tell what mav
happen during the day, and you want
to be on in a hurry ; but, above all.
keep a bold face on it. Then buy an
other bag and proceed on vour lournev,
You need never fear getting a night's
lodging ifryou possess a bag, and if you
aon t nappen to nave one. don t de
spair, but go straight in and ask for a
bed ; they will not refuse. Order sup
per and breakfast and such like. After
breakfast you should say, " Can I have
the bed again to-night, as I don't think
I shall be able to do my business to
dav ? "
t have stayed three days and nights
when I haven't had a bag when I had
but one half-penny in the world to bless
mvself with, But then, vou will sav.
what are you going to do for a bag ?
Well, there are lots of bags at these
hotels ; help yourself to one when you
depart and you are all right again.- It
is a month to-night since I had but one
half-penny left and no bag, and to-
night, the lGtli of January, I 'have one
half-penny in my pocket and a bag to
be going on with, living like a flghtinir
cock and seeing almost all the towns in
England. lours, etc., E. J.
Ancient Califobnia. Some of the
sities of modern California are on the
yery sites where ancient races had their
i welling places and their burialmounds.
The skeletons of an unknown race have
been found in San Francisco sand hills,
and workmen engaged jn cutting
down a street crossing at Napa recently
unearthed the remains .of. nearly, one
hundred persons. The skeletons ' had
been partially burned before interment.
Mortars, arrows, heads, knives made
from obsidian, and a shell oar drop
were discovered.
A Race for Life.
Narrow Eteape ot a Young Rocky Moun-
tain 1 rapper.
In the Winter of 18G5--G, a couple of
Canadian voyagors, by the name of
Nicholas and Jules semineau, were
caught by a terrible snow-storm while
taking up their traps on the head of the
"Big Horn river in the Rocky Mountains.
Tho storm lasted lor several days, nor
was there any hope of escape until the
snow should become compact enough to
bewr their weight upon snow-shoes.
The vovagers were yet striplings,
scarcely arrived of age. Hitherto their
father had acoompanied them upon
their expeditions, but now he was at
home at his ranche on the great Over
land itonte.
The fence, or lodge, of the brothers.
consisted of a couple of buffalo robes
stretched in front of an overhanging
rock that overlooked the river.
Here were stowed their furs, neatelv
tied np in small bales, made np prin
cipally of the skins of minks, otters and
beavers, with a few pelts of the silver
fox. Over these were laid robes which
served them for a bed. A little fire
wa3 replenished from time to time by
the dry bunches ol pine and cedar, of
which they fortunately had an ample
supply. Thus they were enabled to
pass the day pleasantly, notwithstand
ing the raging or tne elements without.
Up the canyon through which the river
flowed, the wind sucked and roared
terribly. The icy face of the stream
was soon cleared of pnow, which drifted
into the lateral canyons, gorging them
completely.
In order to pass away the time, the
young men busied themselves in mak
ing skates from the horns of an elk.
The art of skating they learned while
boys on the broad bosom of the St. Law
rence. Their meat running short, Nicholas
concluded to have a run on his skates
up the river, with the hope of killing
an elk, which were numerous on the
pine-covered slopes of the mountains.
Rifle in hand, he, started in high
spirits, gliding by rocky cape and
frowning promontory, made by the
sharp bends and curves of the river.
"Where tho acclivities were gentler, for
ests of the yellow pine, cedar and
juniper lifted their dark green heads,
now burdened with a "weight of snow.
The quick gtfze o( Nicholas searched in
every shelter for the mightyantlers of
the elk, or the blue goat of the black
tailed deer, tbe best of all venison.
It was.ifot Ipngt ere he syied a herd of
the latter, of which, .he.' hod the good
luck to kill tw.o. . -The, saddles of these
he secured . together,' strapped them
around his shoulders, and started on his
return home, distant about four miles.
. He skated leisurely along, humming
a light French air, when suddenly his
ears were struck by an unearthly ry,
which he at once recognized as the roar
of the mountain lion, and he could dis
tinguish, also, that the cries proceeded
from more than one.
He quickened his pace his skates
rang hard against the solid ice. The
cries besanie clearer, and he insMnctive
ly felt that he was pursued.
Fear lent him wings. He diopped a
saddle, hoping, thereby, to satisfy the
hunger of the lions. He found pres
ently, however, that they made no halt.
It was the young man they raged after,
and naught but his blood would appease
them.
He now cast aside his remaining
saddle and his rifle, and leaned forward
on his skates with all the power he pos
sessed. Kevertheiess the beasts gained
rapidly on him. ne could hear their
mighty bounds. At times he fancied
he could feel their hot breath. He
gazed over his shoulder, and that glance
revealed the lions, their mouths wide
open, and their blood-red tongues
hanging over their jaws, while their
cries were as frequent as the baying of
a blood-hound.
He was now compelled to double on
his course, the weight and impetus of
tho lions carrying them beyond him.
Happily Nicholas preserved his pres
ence of mind, and by his skill as a
skater, combined with wonderful activ
ity, he eluded the efforts made by tho
lions to seize him, and drew slowly to
ward home. Presently he saw the smoke
curling from under the rocky shelf, and
as he shot past his ears were greeted by
the welcome crack of a rifle, and one of
the lions tumbled over dead almost at
his feet. The voyager again turned
toward the rock. Jules had reloaded.
His unerring aim stretched the remain
ing lion upon the ice, and Nicholas was
saved. It was some months, however,
before he fully recovered from the
superhuman efforts made by him in his
race for lite.
Tho next summer he served as
guide, and it was while fishing in this
same river that he related to the writer
his thrilling adventure.
Disgust,
A sentiment worthy of analysis is the
strange disgust telt by the poor for cer
tain articles of food. During the famine
in Ireland people would almost starve
rather than eat ' Indian meal.
Australian preserved meat is an abomi
nation to the inmates of British poor
houses. The female paupers in the
Cardiff workhouse, to show their dis
like to this kind of food, lately rose up
in revolt and assailed the House ouici
als. The visiting committee having
partaken of a repast consisting as Aus
traliun mutton prepared as an Irish
palatable.
Gamblers In Tears.
" Gus" Clayton, a well-known gam-
bier, of Waco, Cal., was'Tmried the
other day, and his companions called
upon a Presbvterian minister to preach
the funeral sermon. He obeyed the
summons readily, but upon following
his guide to where the remains were,
judge of his surprise to find himself in
a gambling saloon, surrounded by men
ot uia world, gamblers and others.
whose ears were all unused to hear the
voice of God s minister in such a place,
The reverend gentleman was equal to
the occasion, and preaahed a disoourse
that will be long remembered by all
wno n aa the good fortune to near it,
Many cheeks were bathed in tears.
A Memorable Day In Dayton.
Forty Women Marching tn the 800
Bar lloomi.
Friday will be a memorable day in
the annals of Dayton. The Womens'
Prayer League, in two divisions of
about twenty women each, commanded
by Mrs. Rev. Dr. Weakley, the wife of
Presiding Elder Weakley, of the Cin
cinnati Conference, and Mrs. J. Harry
Thomas, a handsome young married
woman, marched upon the 300 bar
rooms of Dayton through a drenching
rain and sloppy streets. When the
columns debouched from the English
Lutheran Church, after morning pray
ers, the commotion in the streets was
intense. The " saloonists" were in
stantly notified to put their houses in
order and to stand on guard. They
were visibly agitated, a natural conse
quence of an assault to which no physi
cal or even legal resistance could be
offered.
Mrs. Weakley's column moved np
Jefferson street to Fischer's, and
marched directly to his door, which
was shut in their faces. Then the
women dropped on their knees in the
nasty sloppiness, and began their de
votions. In the meantime a consider
able crowd gatheted, curiously watch
ing the operations, while the women
prayed and sung by turns. Some of the
spectators were visibly anected, but
many made coarse side remarks, al
though no indignities were offered to
the devotees. The spectacle was pro
foundly impressive. Fischer firmly re
fused to take the pledge.
Moving a door or two south, the
women halted at winship s "St.
Charles," which was full of men drink
ing. Mrs. Weakley offered him the
pledge over the counter, which he de
clined, and proceeded to wait on his
customers, who, unabashed, took their
" toddies as though nothing unusual
was going on. A gentleman next door
invited the ladies into his office, where
they sung and prayed.
A few doors below they drew up in
front of Nick Clemsens's restaurant and
saloon, where the door was closed in
their faces. They knelt in the filth
again, and after devotions -Mrs. Weak
ley went to the side door to inter
view Clemens. She asked. "Wont
you give up the business ?" Clemens
sternly replied "No," saying that his
place was quiet enough until the women
came, in the meantime a crowd had
filled the bar room completely and
drank copiously, while the women suntr
and prayed, making considerable noise.
The crowd had now largely increased
outside, but the police kept a passage
way clear, and respectful attention was
paid to the extraordinary scene.
Tne liecket House was next visited.
Rieboldthe proprietor, invited them
into the genth men's parlor, where they
prayeu anu sung, alter wnicn Mrs.
Weakley was introduced to Mr. Beber.
"owner of the bar, who said he intended
to continue his business until he found
something better. Riebold invited the
ladies to dinner, and some of them ac
cepted. Hadlock, the heaviest lager
neer seller in Dayton, was visited. He
was curt and stern, and did not want
his business interfered with. He went
outside, with a pencil and paper, to
take names to prosecute for damage to
his business.
The Bicker Brothers were visited with
a similar . result, and the ladies were
permitted to occupy the saloon. Tho
bar was surrounded with a dense mass
of men, who occupied all the attention
of five bar keepers. The ladies prayed,
sung, and retired.
Meanwhile the column under Mrs.
Thomas marched into the little saloon
of Harry bmilh, on Sixth street, who
had been advertising his place for sale
for 20 for a month past, and, after a
little, he surrendered, the women con
gratulating him with feminine fervor.
This was the only success of the day.
Subsequently they visited the Ross
Theatre, but were denied admission by
all but Ross, who held a private con
ference with them in his baik room. It
seems that he wants to sell out.
A Curious Libel Suit.
In the Dublin Consolidated Cham
ber, an extraordinary case came before
the court on a motion for leave to plead.
The action is brought by Sir William
Carroll, formerly Lord Mayor of Dub
lin, to recover damages laid at 500
from Michael Angelo Hayes, a well
known Dublin artist, for an alleged
libel. The summons and plaint set out
that tho plaintiff is a duly qualified
medical man, and that the defendant,
while he well knew this, did, in a cari
cature portrait, represent the plaintiff
in tiie lorm and costume ol a olown in a
circus, with a leering and ridiculous ex
pression of countenance, with his left
leg and foot swollen to a ridiculous
manner, in allusion to plaintiff, who,
shortly before the publication, had an
attack of gout. It also represented his
left hand awkwardly and ridiculously
extended, as if for the purpose of solici
tation, and with his right hand in his
breeches-pocket, from which a hand
kerchief or something of the kind is
hanging, exhibiting thereon the word
" Knighthood," with a note of admira
tion after the said word, and containing
immediately under the said caricature
false, scandalous, malicious, and de
famatory matter of and concerning the
plaintiff, and as if uttered by the plain
tiff, viz., the words following :-r-" Is
there anything I can go for to fetch for
to carry for to get a lord mayor, a col
lector-general, a city marshal, an apothe-
oary -general, a city treasurer, oi a town
councilor, or anything, everything?"
The application was for leave to plead
a traverse of the publication, a plea of
no libel, and a plea of fair comment.
Baron Dowse said he certainly thought
tne plea or fair comment was being car
ned to an undue extent. , Defendant's
counsel agreed to admit the publica
tion, and the plea of . fair comment was
allowed. - - , . n
Tbtjst. There are cases in whioh a
man woujd be ashamed' not ' to have
been imposed' upon. , There is a con
fidence necessary to human intereourse.
and without which, men are often, mora
injured by their own suspicion; than.
tiiey could be by the peraijltyj)!
Plain dealing is a jewel ; bnt they
mat wear it are out of lashion.
The Matches We Use.
How, and ot What They are Made.
The sticks of which matches are
made are brought from Canada, where
the making of them is a separate busi
ness. They are made by machinery
which drives a block of wood upon a
steel die that has numerous small holes I
in it. The wood is forced through these
holes in. the rounded form of the match
sticks. They ore twice the length of
an ordinary match, and come packed in
boxes. The fir3t thing to be done with
the sticks is to arrange them so that
large numbers can be handled at once
in dipping the ends in the mixtures
that cause them to light readily. If the
sticks were simply tied together in bun
dles, they would be too close together,
and the composition would be all in one
mass upon their ends, so a machine had
to be invented which should make them
into rolls and still keep the sticks a lit
tle distance apart. This machine did
its work with wouderfnl rapidity and
accuracy ; the sticks were applied to
the machine which made them into
large rolls, and with a belt of cloth be
tween the layers of sticks ; this cloth
keeps the sticks just a little distance
apart. When the bundle is large
enough, some two feet across, it is
bound securely and then taken to anoth
er room. The composition upon the ends
of matches does not burn long enough
to set fire to the stick, and before that
is applied it is necessary to prepare the
wood with something that will take fire
readily and burn long enough to set fire
to it. For the cheaper matches sulphur
is used, but for what are called parlor
matches they use paraffine, which burns
without any unpleasant odor. The ma
terial is melted in a large vessel, and
the roll of sticks so suspended that'the
ends can be evenly and slightly dipped
in the melted sulphur. Both ends are
dipped, and they nre then ready to re
ceive the composition that takes fire
when the match is rubbed. The prin
cipal thing in the composition is phos
phorous. The phjsphorous is mixed
with dissolved glue, and whiting or
some other powder to make a paste,
and coloring stuff is added. The whole,
after being stirred over a fire is put
into a machine where it is more thor
oughly mixed. It is very important
that the composition be well mixed, as
otherwise some matches will get more,
and some less phosporous than they
ought to have, and will go off too easily,
or with more difficulty than they should.
After it is well mixed the sticks that
have had their ends covered with sul
phur or paraffine are dippped iu it iu
the same manner as'at the first dipping,
only care is required to have but .a
small quantity of the mixture' just at
the very tips. The next step is to dry
the matches, and they are taken to a
room where they are placed upon racks;
here there is a fan rapidly revolving, so
as to constantly change the air ami
gradually dry the composition upon the
ends of the matches. Tbey are not al
lowed to become so dry that they will
readily take fire, as they have still to go
through another machine, and if they
were perfectly dry, disagreeable acci
dents might happen. Thus far the
matches are ill pairs, or "double-headers"
twice the length of one and they
have to be cut apart. For this they are
put into a cutting machine, which un
rolls the bundle and carries the sticks
over a knife which rapidly cuts them in
equal parts, and the now complete
matches slide into boxes on each side
of the machine. All that remains to be
iione is to pack tnem in the proper
boxes.
How to Make Hearth Rugs.
There is in every household a great
quantity of worsted and flannel pieces
that are of small account and can be
of no service for garments, but if saved
they can be rendered useful and beauti
ful in the manufacture of hearth rugs
or mats, to lay before bureaus, sofas, or
organs. Take a piece of hemp sacking,
aud draw seme pretty design in the cen
tre a bouquet ot flowers, a wreath, or
some animal ; mark a border with a
chain or heraldry pattern; sew the can
vat into a frame like quilting frames,
only smaller, so as not to occupy too
much room; have a hook made like a
crochet hook or needle ; one can be
manufactured easily by taking a para
sol brace and filing the end into a prop
er form; out the scraps of cloth into
strips of half an inch in width if thin
fabric make it wider ; pass the hook
through the canvas with.the right hand,
have the cloth underneath the frame
in the left hand, insert a loop on the
hook, and draw it to the upper side
about three -fourths of an inch ; leave
about two threads space and close in
another loop; regard the selection of
colors, so as to shade them nicely, and
keep the form of your pattern it is
very quiet, easy and fascinating work ;
work the ngures first, and then draw in
tho filling up or ground work with
some dark color black, brown or drab;
after it is completed, shear the whole
surface evenly, but not too close, and
you have a fine, substantial, durable
rug, that will last a lifetime, and do
more service and be prettier than any
imported article that would cost any
where from ten to thirty dollars ; and
tne best oi all is that it is homemade,
So Place for Poor Men,
A Minnesota man, writing from
Southern California, is sot so enthusi
astic about that region as Mr. Nordboff.
He says of the country around Los
Augeles that there are generally no
trees, and the grass is three or . four
inches high in places, though on the
hills it is barely high ' enough to cover
the ground. There are many places on
high ground entirely .-bare of -vegetation,
owing to the want of water. The
rains are from November to January,
and scaroely cloud the whole summer
and falL Everything is grown toy ira
gation. . They can xaise by water not
only oranges, crapes. lemons, and' all
semi-tropical fruits, but wheat, bailey,'
and, all kinds; pf . vegetables. A. Mr.
Rose- has 135 acres of grapes, ana his
.wine crop for the year waa nearly
S100.000. He also has : 6,000" brari'ge
trees, and "g'ets f20a tree for all that
are in run bearing. Tne juinnesotan
considers it a poor place lor a poor
man, and that there is no money in
growing anything but fruits and sheep.
Items of Inlcrpst.
Revenge converts a little right into a
great wrong.
The tongue the latch-key that lets
out the mind.
Books, like friends, should bo well
used, not abused.
The fate of the child is always tho
work of its mother.
Nothing more precious than time, yet
nothing less valued.
Plant the crab tree where you will, it
will not bear pippins.
Tho ways of women Anywhere from
ninety to two hundred pounds.
Those large and awkward looking
fans will not be in vo?ue next summer.
It is almost impossible to detect the
new artificial flowers from natural ones.
One of the new collars is called the
Empress. It is of linen edged with
lace.
No less than eighteen different
shades of green are shown in summer
goods.
A sure sign of an early spring is a
cat watching a hole in the wall with her
back up.
Three sisters own and operate a
Maine flouring mill, and they are mak
ing money.
A youth of Cairo, 111., killed himself
because he had been found out 'in a
$250 defalcation.
Tight sleeves and round waist con
tinue the rule for all ordinary dresses
intended for house wear.
The sash ends are now worn very long,
and almost reach the bottom of the
skirt. Bows are out of fashion.
A New York bride recently startled
the fashionables by dispensing with
orange blossoms at the ceremony.
Black silk suits trimmed on the waist
with revers of black velvet and black
bows down the front are handsome and
stylish.
The first thing a promising youth
said to a dog presenting his nose at his
heels, was: "Go away I Do yon think
I'm a bone ?"
" Now, Johnnie," says grandma, "I
want yon to sit as still as a mouse."
"Mouses don't sit still, grandma."
Sure enough.
Judge John T. Brown was so remorse
fully frightened at the certainty of be
ing exposed as a defaulter in Alton,
that he killed himself.
If you invest money in books, and
never read them, it is the Fame as put
ting your money into a bank but riever
drawing either principal or interest.
A juryman remarked, ",Moy it please
yer honor,' I am deaf in one ear."
'" Then leave- the box)" replied the
judge, " a juror must hear both sides."
Chinese laborers are reported a fail
ure in Georgia. They have been em
ployed in digging a canal, but havo
proved inefficient and will soou bo sent
off.
A new style of boys' trowsers has
been invented in Boston, with a copper
seat, sheet-iron knees, riveted down the
seams, and water-proof pockets to hold
broken eggs.
The late Dr. Livingstone's success as
an explorer was largely due to his stern,
self reliant habits, his great power of
organization and detail, and, above all,
to the sway which ho was able to , exer
cise over the natives.
A lady aged seventeen is suing for a
divorce, her husband being in the regu
lar habit of remarking, truthfully, but
with a heartlessness rarely reached by
the most of his sex.'.that she doesn't
know a tea-kettle from a flat-iron.
An ambitious young lady was talking
very loudly about her faTorite authors,
when a literary chap asked her if sho
liked Lamb. With a look of ineffablo
disgust, she answered that she cared
very little about what she ate, compared
with knowledge.
A correspondent of the Scientific
American states that he has learned
from many years' experience in a ma
chine shop, where over three hundred
men are employed, that rag glued on a
flesh wouuil is not only a speedy cura
tive, but a great protectior.
It is said that if one part of sugar is
lissolved in three parts of water, and
digested with one-fourth part of calcic
hydrate, the resulting liquid will readi
ly dissolve glue warm, and the solution
will remi.m fluid on oooiing, witnout
having lost any of its adhesive prover-
ties.
Good talkers are becoming rare now-
a-days, but are occasionally to be met
with. Ut one whoso conversation is
very entertaining but rather discon
nected, a witty lady once remarked,
" Oh, yes, he s very clever, bnt he talks
like a book in which there are leaves
occasionally missing."
Put everything in perfect repair. If
you are near a blacksmith and wheel
wright s shop you can probably get the
work done cheaper and better than by
doing it yourself. But when you have
to send several miles there are many
little things that can be repaired at
home in less time than is required to
take them to the shop.
Maine proposes to authorize con
ductors to arrest gamblers who work
their trains. An excellent idea; but
there ought to be added to it a provis
ion making railroad companies respon
sible for the losses of their patrons at
the hands of . professional gamblers,
these gamblers being well known by
the employes of all trains. , - ; r
A. man in Indiana' has had lots pf
fun out of a valentine, in whioh he was
depicted aa " mother's pet" This set
him in a rage ; he got drunk, abused
his mother, whipped his wife because
bethought she knew something of -it,
was discharged from his place n the
mill, made a disturbance on the streets,
was arrested, fined about $13, and sent
to jail. --! , "'- t V3 ;
" The St, LouU" Democrat says 'pertk
nfintly, if rather bitterly. Tiie phject
now seems to be to so arrange the
schools, and hons&holds of the kuid that
the teachur may simply 6itin judgment
upon the manner in which the chUd haa
been taught at home. Children, go to
school, not to learn, but to show the
teacher how much Ihey have been
taught during the preoeding evening at
home,"