HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher.
NIL DESPERANDUM.
Two Dollars per Annum.
VOL. IV.
BIDGAVAY, ELK COtftfTY, PA., THUHSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1874.
NO. 8.
Money Musk.
In shirt of check and tallowed hair
The fiddler, sits in the bulruish ohair
Like Moees' basket stranded there
On the brink of Father Nile.
He feels the fiddle's slender neck,
Picks out the notes with thrum and oheck j
And times the tun with nod and beck,
And think it a weary while.
All ready 1 ow we give the cali
Cries, " rj0nor to the ladiet !" All
The Jol'.y tides of laughter fell
And thinks it a weary while.
" Begin." D-o-w-n comes the bow on every
string,
" First eouplejoin right handt and truing !"
As light as any blue-bird's wing
" Swing once and a half timet round."
TThirls Mary Martin all In blue
Calico gown and stockings new,
And tinted eyes that tell you true,
Dance all to the dancing sound.
She flite about big Moees Brown
Who holds her hands t keep her down
And thinks her hair a golden crown
And his heart turns over once 1
"His chock with Mary's breath is wet,
tt gives a second somerset !
He means to win the maidon yet,
Alas, for the awkward dunce 1
(porters) whom w hA nn
ry the provisions to the beach, but not
one was to be seen I They had dropped
, . , ""uo "u uoa witn the crowd,
which still rushed past lift in fli'amav
stumbling and rolling over the bags of
provisions. Anxious to get out of the
yinj vi me terror-stricken populaoe,
u.un vnuio uown upon us like an aval
anche, we quickly mounted the eleva.
tad platform of the nearest stall a bar
bers shop, or rather a head'shaver's
establishment, for Moslems rarely, if
ever, shave their faces, but universally
From the
" Your scrga boot 1ms crashed my toe !"
" I'd rather dance with ouo-lcgged Joe;"
" Yon clumsy fellow " " Fast below !"
And tho fi'.st pair dance apart.
Thou " Forw ard ,u !" advance, retreat,
Lilto midireB gay iu sunbeam street
'Tii Mf.uoy Musk by merry feet
And tho Money MuRk by heart !
" Three quarters round your partner swing !
"Across the set ." The laf ters ring.
Tho girls and bora have taken wing
AmHiave brought their roses out !
'Tis " Forward six .'" with ruBtio grace
Ah, rarer fnr than " Swing to place!"
Than golden clouds of old point-lace
They bring the dance about.
Alien gasping hands all "Right and left .'"
.mi swiitiy weave the measure deft
Acmes tho woof in loving weft
And the Money MuBk is done !"
tb, dauccrs of the rustling husk,
Good night, twoots, 'tis growing dusk,
Good night for aye to Money Muk,
For the heavy march began !
UUJLMXG A MUCK.
A few years ago I left Bombay, India,
s a passenger on the screw steamer
Fenang, vhioli at that time used to
carry tiro regular monthly mail between
liompay Muscat, or Mascat (a sea-port
rT . -"-u56 coast or Arabia), and
ynuvipm pores or the 1'ersian Gulf.
j.iie steamer, a staunch vessel of
bdoui eigut hundred tons, carried a full
uu very valuable cargo of merchan
dise, aud her decks were densely crowd
.uua oicm iu uieru witn deck pas
sengers of both sexes and all ages,
without exception natives of Asia aud
-Eastern Africa, who, iu their hetero
geneous, highly picturesque Oriental
cuBvumes sua characteristic attitudes.
iw" u onrittiug moieau vtvant
.10 uou a very pieasant passage
across the tranquil, azuro waters of the
wuu tji uman, and iu due time sighted
he bare and rugged cliffs of Ras-Cape)-cl
Had, 130 miles southeast of
4 "aroor of Mascat, and, shortly
after, the mountain chain which forms
the coast of the torrid, dismally deso-
oi i territory oi iiii Uman.
Slowly and cautiously the steamer
-uuu Uer way through the gor?e,
jrrefcenuy she came in sight of three
large, jolain, stone buildings, fronting
towards the offing, and standing on the
.J.. J! vi me uarnnr.
exauea nnsirion now
occupied on the platform we had a good
. "?Kl lU0 enro crowd, pushing ir
resiatibly on through the narrow street,
ana soon discovered tho cause of the
stampede in the shape of an athletic
man, of dark olive complexion, in
state of absolute
ly as slippery skinned as an eel hnnnd.
ing towards us with the velocity of a
houiuci pouncing on its prey. An
ugiy-iooking Malay "creese" (a dag.
ger, at least fourteen inches in length
with a sharply pointed flaming blade)
vleunT uuiiium in iiis ngnt nana,
gladiator-fashion, and dripped with
blood ; hia head was bent low like a
buttiug ram, and everything indicated
that tho fellow meant, nay, had already
done, mischief. Indeed, we shortly af
terward saw him plungo his knife m
v. ma unt iuto ine oreast or a poor old
fisherman, who had not been fleet
enough to escape him. No sooner had
the villain withdrawn his weapon when
a young snopKeeper, attracted by the
general uproar, rushed out of a side
street, and, unconsciously, right into
the jaws of death.
The next object of attack was a phleg
matic, long-bearded, heavy-built "der
vish " (Moslem monk), with three vol
umes of manuscript under his arm,
who dropped his library, toak to his
heels in right good earnest, and disap
peared around the cornet like a shadow.
Frenzied by the escape of his intend
ed victim, the human tiger darted mad
ly on in ni8 course of destruction, over
took and grasped savagely by the right
arm a handsome young woman, who
had been making strenuous efforts to
get out of his way ; but the well-known
waddling gait peculiar to Moslem
women, and mainly due to their far too
spacious betasselled, lemon-colored,
morocco-leather boots, was no match for
the prodigious speed of the murderer.
Just at this point tho bloody career of
the desperado was abruptly cut short by
a well-mounted Bedouin, armed with a
long lance, which, on dashing up behind
the murderer, he drove deeply into his
back at the very moment when a well
directed slash of a sword in the hands
of an armorer on the neck of the assasbin
almost severed his head from his bod v.
1 l.i i. .i "
auu ihiu una out on tne around ston
dead.
A feeling of intense relief was mam.
fested by the spectators of the terrible
tragedy : and my com Damons and mv.
self, all armed with revolvers, felt
neartily glad to have been spared the
awful probability of becoming his executioners.
The corpse was soon identified ak
that of a Malay sailor, who had been
known to be subject to occasional fits
of insanity, or rather uncontrollable
fits of frenzy, for few of those fellows
who indulge iu running a muck (by no
meaus a very rare occurrence in certain
parts of the Orient, especially in India
una me iuaiay islands), can be pro
nounced absolutely insane. Just pre
vious to those freaks, thev usuallv
shave off every hair on their bodies, and
thoroughly oil or grease their persons
from head to foot ; then they start on
their errand of destruction, armed onlv
with a knife or daeerer. and in a stato
of perfect nudity, in order to reudtr
tneir seizure all but au impossibility.
On the Boacli.
If one does not fancy a surf bath in
propria persona, it is a curious pastime
to watou tne natuers from the hotel
piazaa, or if you chance to bo thus
favored from the sea-overlooking
window of your own room. Before us
lies the long, level, sandy beach. The
tide is steadily rising, and soon tho
great billowy waves will dash over the
pure white sand within a few feet of
the hotel. The sunlight silvers the
restless surf, and the ceaseless voice of
the waters seems an invitation to bp
proach. The bathers begin to appear.
running down from the hotels and bath
nouses m an sort ef nondescript gar
ments, for this is a very democratic
watenng-plnco, and people give them
selves the largest liberty in the matter
of attire. Bathing suits are of every
hue, from black to white many being
strangely striped and checked and of
every conceivable style, from the most
tasteful to the most outlandish. How
marked is the difference in feeling as
the bathers touch the water I Some
plunge in boldly, with evident jollity ;
some step in daintily, not exactly fear
ful, but quivering a little with the
prospect of the first splash of Epray of
over their shoulders ; some tremble on
the brink, and need some coaxing
friend, whose steady hand will guide
them amidst the breakers. The little
folks who have once been in the waves.
and know how jolly it is to tumble
about in the surf, rush in without
thought. The scene becomes exhil
arating when the slight shock of the
first wetting is over. Shouts arise as
tho crested billows rollover the bathers
and they ero out into deenHr wnt.nr.
1 here is no danger on this safe level
beach, yet there are stronor and friend
ly hands ready to help the weaker ones.
We notice one bather in particular who
seems always skillful and prompt to
give guidauce to any who feel more se
cure under some protection. But there
is no mistake about the enjoyment of
the majony in the surf ; it is a tonic
that acts immediately. Ah I the bath
is over for some, and one after another
they step, dripping, on drier sand.
iJoes any body look handsome when
rising from the sea in a dripping batn
ing suit? Perhaps ; but the cases are
too rare to mention. A quick run up
on the white sand, and tho wot fie-uros
disappear in the bathing-houses. Can
they be lecognized an hour later at
dinner ?
teirS!1 "L Jiving creature,, man o
.--.av.raiucura Vl 1118 UHaUlU (SUl"
lauj oi juascat; the one on its left
erne, Mimiar m appearance, but withall
animal, within their reach : but rarely.
if ever, stab the same victim more
thau once. They usually run straight
the window-one i . i k 7 3 , never turning bnck or round
the6 mfiuyTK abrnptcornernor running into houses;
uor win tuey stop untu strangled by a
xtU Indian mattng, as tbo Imaum'a
, v,t umCU, j wane rue edi
fice on the right side of the Imaum's
quince, a ouiiaing much lower than the
two former, but of a less forbidding
aspect, owing to its whitewashed walls
uuu u luxuriant garden within its spa
ious precincts, was the residence of
"er -urnannio .majesty's consul.or rath
nnlif-i'rt.il . i l r.
..uum uycui, wuose innuence is
. rcarceiy less than that of the Imaum
uiujHeix,
Not beincr a British sublet .T -ou
more about seeing something of tho
.cijr-uuv me oi tne people of Muscat
than the honor of being introduced to
a British consul, or even political
sruti una eo ramoiea on through the
town in company with the' second ffllicer
ana tne steward of the steamer, who
proceeded to the bazaar, to purchase
some fresh provisions.
After a protracted zig-zag tramp
through the exceedingly narrow, tortu
ous and filthy streets, permeated by an
atmosphere oppressively hot and posi
tively sickening ; brushing past closely
muffled, carefully-veiled women, seri-ous-looking,
long-bearded merchants
and tradesmen, ragged soldiers and
Bedouins, all but stark naked fisher
uiep, sailors, laborers, slaves, etc, we
finally readied the bazaar, or market,
where everything that is obtainable or
manufactured in Mascat can be bought
from the well-known locusts, a favor
ite article of food, to the most gorge
ous diamond necklaces of the Orient.
My companions had just finished
their purchases, and hired a couple of
stout negroes to carry the goods to the
beaoh, when all of a sudden we were
startled by a general stampede of all
the people of that portion of the ba
Baar which we had just left
They came rushing madly after us,
the men shouting, the women scream
ing, and all of them gesticulating in
the wildest manner. What could cause
such a sudden and universal flight of
the population ? Was it a revolt among
the rabble ? a dog afflicted with hydro
phobia ? a sudden attack of hostile Be
douins from the adjacent desert? or
bad the good people of Mascat all gone
raving mad simultaneously ? questions
more easily asked than answered by
strangers.
We turned around to look for an ex
planation from our negro hammals
running noose thrown over their heads,
or until they are stunned, mortally
wounded, or killed outright.
Ivunmnar a muck bv Orientals is at.
tributable to various causes, as, for in
stance, to the consumption of opium,
hasheesh, (Indian hemp), etc. to reli
gious frenzy, to a thirst for revenge, or
to acute mental and bodily suffering of
uuluo ue&cripuon.
ihe casualties of the tragedy lust de
scribed amounted to five persons killed
outright, and about twenty others more
or less seriously wounded. Shortly
uner me ueam oi tue desperado, and
the removal of the killed and wounded,
the locality gradually re-assumed its
customary appearance, our fugitive
. . ' tj
iiammais again appeared, and we re
turned to the steamer in safety.
Lancashire Brutality,
The following is from the London
Daily Ttlegraph : "At the St.
Helen's police court six young .men.
colliers, were charged with a diaboli
cal act of ruffianism. A few nights ago
they made an attack on several cottages
in the suburb of Parr, smashing the
windows and doors. One house was
occupied by a man named McGrath,
over eighty years of age, and his wife.
They forced an entrance, struck a light,
and then assailed the occupants. At
the outset one of McGrath's eyes was
knocked out of his head, unrl h va
kicked to the floor. A bucket of newly
slacked lime happened to be convenient.
and the ruffians holding open the mouth
of the unfortunate mau, forced some of
the liquidized lime down his throat.
The empty socket of his eye was also
rilled with the same material and then
the contents of the bucket were
emptied upon him. He appeared to be
dead after this treatments and some of
them expresse'd that opinion. Hia
wife was kicked and beaten savagely.
but managed to get away for the police.
Colonel Gamble, J. P., had to take the
deposition of McGrath at the St.
Helen s Hospital, where he lies anita
blind. There was not the slightest
ground for the outrage. The prisoners
were committed lor trial."
He who freely praises what he means
to purchase, and he who enumerates
the faults of what he means to sell,
may set up g partnership with honesty.
An Industrious Cleric,
Peter Lamb, the clerk in tho drno
store in our village, says Max Adeler,
read somewhere the other day that two
drops of tho essential oil of tobano.n
placed upon the tongue of a cat would
kill the animal instantly. He did not
believe it. and he concluded to trv the
experiment, to see if it was so. Old
Squills, the druggist, has a torn cat
weighing almost fifteen pounds, and
Mr. Lamb, taking the animal into the
back room, shut the door, opened the
cat's mouth, and applied tho poison.
One moment later a -wild, unearthly
" M-e-ee-e-ow-ow-ow 1" was emitted
by the cat. and to Mr. Lamb's infenxn
alarm the animal began swishin"
around the room with hair on end and
tail in convulsive excitement, screech
ing like a fog whistle. Mr. Lamb is
not certain, but he would considfir it r
fair estimate to say that the cat made
the entire circuit of the room, over
chairs and under tables, seventy-four
times every minute, and he is willing
to swear to seventy times, without
counting the occasional diversions
made by the brute for the purpose of
snatching at Mr. Lamb's nantnlnnini
and hair. Just as Mr. Lamb had about
made up his mind that the cat would
conclude the gymnastic exercises by
eating him, the animal dashed through
the glass saeh of the door into the
shop, whisked two jars of licorice root
and tooth brushes off the counter,
tore out tbe-ipecao bottle and four jugs
of hair-dye, smashed a bottle of "Balm
of Peru," lit on the bonnet of a woman
who was .drinking soda water. nnr1
after a few convulsions, rolled over into
a soap box and died. Mr. Lamb is
now satisfied that a cat actually can be
ameu in tne manner aforementioned,
out he would be better satisfied if nld
Squills didn't insist upon deducting
me ynce oi tuose arugs and tne er hkh.
sash from his salary.
Matrimonial Thorns.
Prentice Mulford says, in one of his
London letters to the San Francisco
Jiullclin: "Young man and young
woman I you think that the divine in
toxication of courtship is to lait for
ever. You think it is always going to
be an ecstatio pleasure to trudge a mile
through mud and rain to buy Seraphine
Ann a paper of pins, But this state of
things can't last. It's too high pres
sure. It must cool down. When you
are marriod, and she is yours and you
are hers, and the novelty of the affair
is over, and you are fairly settled down
into 'old married folks,' then comes
the test, Then, if you have been a
orabbed old bachelor, full o little
whims, habits and peculiarities as is
the fretful porcupine of quills, then
will coma the tug of war. Don't yon
recollect how, when single, and you
came uome atter some tedious business.
heated, tired, irritable, and disgusted
with the world, aud got alone in your
room, tuat you used to nmg books and
blacking-brushes about, and swear and
turash around for an hour or two be.
fore you simmered down into compara
tive calmness ? Well, matrimony won't
cure this at least at first. But you
musin t cut up so now. iiiven a tem
porary raving maniao is not a proper or
a pleasant person for any young woman
to be alone with. And if, on entering,
she sees trouble written on your face,
and asks you 'What's the matter?' and
you reply, ' Oh, nothing,' because you
don't want to be spoken to, and, ubove
all things, it annoys and irritates yon
to bo so interrogated ; and still she
persists in asking 'What's the matter ?'
and still you try to say Oh, nothing,'
as mildly as you can, only it won't be
said mildly, and it comes off your
tongue as a pistoi-suot. and you would
just then like to bite somebody's head
off oh, Won't you at such a time won
der where the amiability, the oil, the
sugar, the honey, the sunshine of
courtship has all gone to ? And how
will you feel, you who have been accus
tomed to go in and out of your vile
bachelor s den without inauirv or hin.
urancer now win you leel as you
start to go out for the purpose of get
ting a drink around the corner, to hear
ner say 'Where are you going? and
this a dozen times a day, and every
time it is asked you must staud and
rack your brains for a new lio. And
those girls on tho opposite side of the
street who are always at the window,
and' with whom, before marriage, you
carried ou a sort of optical flirtation,
which, to be sure, went no further than
the eyes how do you feel now as vou
catch yourself still looking into those
windows and find your wife regarding
you iu a peculiar manner, and you
Know mat sue knows that you know
Wnn Leo as a Printer's " Dftvll."
Bret Harte describes the exploits of
a uuinaman in a newspaper oilloe. He
writes :
It was deemed advisable for the next
three weeks to keep Wan Lee closely
oou fined to the printing office and the
purely mechanical part of the business.
Hero he doveioped a surprising Quick'
ness and adaptability, winning even the
favor and good will of the printers and
foreman, who at first looked upon his
introduction into the secrets of their
trade as fraught with the gravest politi
cal significance. He learned to set
type readily and neatly, his wfinderful
skill in manipulation aiding him in the
mere mechanical act, and his ignorance
of the language confining him simply
to the meshanical effort confirming
the printer's axiom that the printer who
considers or follows the ideas of his
copy makes a poor compositor. He
would set up deliberately long diatribes
against himself, composed by his fel
low-printers, and hung on his hook as
copy, and even such short sentences as
" Wan Lee is the devil's own imp,"
"Wan Lee is a Mongolian rascal,"
and bring the proof to me with happi
ness beaming from every tooth, and
satisfaction shining in his huckleberry
eyes.
It was not long, however, before he
learned to retaliate on his mischievious
persecutors. I remember ono instance
in which his reprisal came very near
involving me in a serious misunder
standing. Our foreman's name was
Webster, and Wan Lee presently
learned to know and recognize the in
dividual and combined letters of his
name. It was duriDg a political cam
paign, and the eloquent and fiery
Colonel Starbottle, of Siskyou, had de
livered an effective speech, which was
reported especially for the Northern
Star, In a very sublime peroration
Colonel Starbottle had said. "In the
language of the god-like Webster. I
repeat " and here followed the quota
tion, which 1 have forgotten. Now it
chanced that' Wan Lee.looking over the
galley after it had been revised, saw
the name of his chief persecutor, and
of course imagined the quotation his.
After the form was locked up Wan Lee
took advantage of Webster's absence
to remove the quotation and substitute
a thin piece of lead of the same size as
the type engraved with Chinese char
acters, making a sentence which, I had
reason to oeneve, was an utter and ab
ject confessiou of the incapacity and
offensiveness of the Webster family
generally, and exceedingly eulogistic
ot wan i-iee himself personally.
The next morning's paper contained
Colonel Starbottle's speech in full, in
which it appeared that the "god-like "
Webster had on one occasion uttored
how she knows all about your goings his thoughts in excellent but perfectly
nn nr. fhORA wirwlnwa 9" I i i. : . i nu: mi
cuiuintium uiuso, xuq rage
Colonel Starbottle knew no bounds.
" Tipping: " In England.
In addition to the ordinary expenses
oi ueu ana ooaru m jjondon must be
reckoned a large tribute paid to the ini-
qmtous European system of "tips.
It is Btrange enough to an American.
wonted to the lavish liberality of our
tueuiricai managers, to be obliged to
pay for the programme he uses at the
theatre or opera. And also so strange
that probably he will not at first com
prehend it is the danghter-of-the-horse-
leecn look which the usher who shows
him his ceat at tho opera or theatre
gives him if he does not voluntarily
" daa.iuui uuvr oaiu u 3 lac I a JJUi LU.
You cannot inquire your way in the
street that, in all probability, the in
terrogated will not reply, " I can't de
scribe the way, but I'm just going there
and will show you." That means a
shilling thirty cents in American cur
rency, although only twenty-four in
American coin. Yon see one can take
a cab almost as economically as to in
quire the way. The waiter who brings
me a single cup of chooolate in a cake
shop hangs about my presence as if re
sponsible for the one spoon with which
I Bip the beverage till I begin to think
myself that I am in the Land of the
Leeches and give him his experienced
" tip." If I cross the street, a filthy
wretoh darts before me with a stump of
a broom, and. stirring up all the rlirt
possible in so short a time, to make my
passage a triumphal march of dirtiness
and my raiment like unto the
of the Confederate armv in nnlnr
stands whining for his tip. I cannot
call a cab that another loafer does not
dart forward to open the door for me
and stand with a mouthful of curses
ready if I fail to render him tribute of
a penny or two. One cannot go iito
many of the city churches on week days
that some one, verger or pew-opener,
does not force comoanionshin nmn
you to the tune of a sixpenoe. London
Letttr.
The Modoes and their new Home.
A correspondent recently visited the
snrvivors of the Modoc tribe of Indiaus
at their home in the Indian reservation
at Southern Kansas. The Modocs now
number, all told, 148. Of these less
than fifty are men. all that remain of
the little bund that for so long a time
itepi six times their number at bay iu
the lava beds of Oregon last year. The
chief of the tribe is now Bogus Charley,
whoso name will be remembered in
connection with the war. Among other
participants in that campaign whom
the correspondent saw and with whom
he snook hands were the "old familiar
snack-JNasty Jim, Hooka Jim, and
bear- aced Charley. The tribe live in
tents, apparently preferring the open
plain to the shelter of the woods. They
are resignea to tueir late, and while
many of them epeak English, the others
are endeavoring to learn the language,
so as to be able to communicate with
their white noighbors. Tho correspon
dent found them all comfortably dressed
and adapting themselves, as fur as was
possible in their situation, to the ways
of civilized life. Major Jones, who 'is
iu charge of the ogeucy, lives with his
family among the Modoos. Govern
ment provides partly for their sub
sistence, but clothing is furnished them
oy tne yuakers and other charitable
persons. The correspondent visited
the widow and sister of Captain Jack.
Tho former, Lizzie, received hira seated
on her throne of skins and sticks, and
the latter. Mary, a neatly-dressed and
pleasant-looking woman, stood by. She
looheu at tne visiting party, shook
hands with them, and then sadly cov
ered her face with her hands. Since
the removal of the Modocs to their new
homo nine of the number have died,
and four have been born. They express
no desire to go back to their old lands
around Lake Tula and Lost River, and
say that they fought because they loved
their hunting-grounds aud the graves
of their fathers, and there wanted to
Btay.
of
I
have a vivid recollection of that ad
mirable man walking into my office
and demanding a retraction of tho state
ment.
But, my dear sir," I asked, "are
you willing to deny, over your own sig
nature, that Webster ever uttered such
a sentence ? Dare you deny that, with
Mr. Webster's well-known attainments.
a knowledge of Chinese might not have
been among the number? Are vou
willing to submit a translation suitable
to the capacity of our readers, aud deuv.
upon your honor as a gentleman, that
the late Mr. Webster ever uttered such
a sentiment ? If yon are, sir, I am
willing to publish your denial."
The uoionet was not. and left, highly
indignant.
Webster, the foreman, took it more
coolly. Happily he was unaware that
for two days after Chinamen from the
laundries, from the gulches, from the
kitchens, looked in the front office door
with faces beaming with sardonio de
light ; that three hundred extra copies
oi tue &tar were ordered for the wash
houses on the river. He only knew
that during the day Wan Lee occasion
ally went off into convulsive spasms,
and that he was obliged to kick him
into consciousness agaiu. A week after
tho occurrence I called Wan Lee into
my office.
wan," I said, gravely. "I should
like you to give me, for my own per
sonal satisfaction, a translation of that
Chinese sentence which my gifted coun
tryman, the late god-like Webster, ut
tered upon a puono occasion." Wan
Lee looked at me intently, and then
tho slightest possible twinkle crept into
his black eyes. Theu he replied, with
equal gravity :
"Mishtel Webstel. he say: 'China
boy makee me belly much fooleo. China
boy makee me heap sick.' " Which. I
have reason to think, was true.
Proposed Dangerous Experiment.
A correspondent of the Baltimore
American writes from Atlantio City
" I paid a visit to the celebrated Paul
Boyton, who has become so extensively
known throughout tue country as
peari-diver, lite-saver aud man-nsh in
general. He is apparently 27 years of
age, ana good-looking, and although
nob above the average size, is an excel
lent specimen of graoeful development,
In manner he is affable and gentleman.
ly, talks pleasantly and intelligently,
uu uisimuyb a must ujuiuea lniatua
tion for his business.
" The equipment of the life-guard is
simple and consists only of Mcrriman's
life-saving suits and an inflated rubber
life-coat, the invention of Paul Boyton
which, although only about eight bv
nve in size and weighing but 20 pounds.
is claimed to be capable of easily sus
taining 20 persons of the average
weight. It is of a novel construction,
and its arrangement is such as to mako
it a matter of indifference how it floats,
It has no special position and is al
ways in condition for instantaneous
use. The rubber suits or armor are
also of a peculiar pattern containing
compartments whioh, when inflated,
are able to float over three pounds.
Their weight is something less than
fifteen, pounds when the air is intro
duced, and it can be properly adjusted
within three minutes. It consists of
pantaloons and boots, and jacket and
hood attached. Seven small tubes with
mouth-pieces are connected with the
air ob ambers in different portions of
the dres?. The hood, as it becomes
inflated, is drawn tightly over the face,
leaving only the eyes, nose and mouth
visible, and making a perfect air pillow
for the head, which is not onlv com
fortable but also serves to keep the face
constantly above the waves without the
slightest exertion. The swimmer, after
having donned the dress, lies flat upon
his back in the water, and bv means of
either a double-bladed paddle or blades
strapped to the arms he contrives to
propel himself over the waves with re
markable rapidity.
raul Uoyton s engagement here ter
minates in Sept. 15, when he will pro
ceed to New York city to mako arrange
ments for what might reasonably be
termed a hazardous undertaking. The
patentee of the life-dress, has offered
$500 to Mr. Boyton to make a sea voy
age iu his suit, in order to demonstrate
to the publio its merits as a life-preserver.
He has accepted the proposal,
and on or about the 25th of September
he will be carried from New York by an
outward bound steamer to a distance
not less than 200 miles from land, when
he will bo dropped and left to the mercy
of the waves until he shall meet with a
passing vessel. He will carry with him
in a rubber bag sufficient rations, con
sisting of dried meats, etc., for one
week, as well as a good quantity of
fresh water. Ha will also carry signal
lights and flags with a sectional staff
twelve feet long for raising them, all of
which are to be stowed away iu the un
limited portals of the rubber bag.
which is about two feet square, and is
littlo or no inconvenience, strapped to
and floated at the side of the swimmer."
Overcast.
A little cloud camo Into the noon,
And darkened the whole broad daylight soon I
Far flew the shadowd across the plain,
And the golden morning has set iu rain I
A little cloud came Into our noon,
And darkened the love of a lifetime soon'
We never shall find our faith again,
For the gol Ion morning has set in rain f
Method or Evading Debt.
We have before us. says the Milwau
kee Wisconsin a good illustration ol
Ventilation. In a report made by a the ingenuity of commercial travelers
...... f J. 1. T " i J . 1 - . . I 1 I, . . . i
committee of the British Association,
it is asserted that there cannot be
a perfect system of warming and ven
tilation in a building having separate
rooms if there is a deficiency in respect
to any of the following particulars ; a
means of moving through the buildino
steadily the definite quantity of pure
air knowu to be required ; the proper
distribution of this air to the different
rooms and compartments ; a suitable
method of diffusing the air iu each
room, as well as discharging the vitiated
air ; proper means of giving to the air
the desired temperature, and also of
seouring the fit moisture. It is further
argued, that the more the apparatus
employed is rendered self-regulatinc.
or independent of the constant watch
ing and interference of attendants, thn
better it is likely to bo, both as to per
formance and economy.
in making themselves the real iner
chants of the country. A commercial
traveler sold some goods for a Milwau
kee house in Iowa, and the Iowa mer
chant made the contract to pay when
the commercial traveler came around
again, but for some cause the latter
absconded and will never be seen again
in these parts. The Milwaukee mer
chant wrote to the Iowa-trader inform
ing him that he wanted his pay, but
the latter replied that he agreed to pay
the commercial traveler, and he should
not pay the debt until that identical
fellow came around again. Finally the
demand was sent to a lawyer in that
State. He tried to collect it, but found
it unavailing, as the Iowa merchant de
clared that his contract was to pay the
commercial traveler, and him only.
Perhaps this will be a good defence, as
the commercial traveler has
power to
l. i . M l. l
-rt- n mi . ., i, uiuivo ouuirsBio iu any turui no metises,
IobMcrder. This is the way thev j i. i ....iri. '
do it m Pans : A father of a family mva ii , t?ot tna v,o n.
took his children, two little girls and a
boy, out for a walk, and conducting
them to the banks of a shallow stream,
he threw them in and held their heads
under the water till the two girls were
dead and the boy insensible. Think
ing he had finished his work, he con
cealed the bodies under some bushes
and went away. The warmth of the
sun revived the boy, who hastened to
the village and told his story, and the
unnatural father was arrested and is to
be tried for the murder of his little
daughters.
as if he were the head of the house,
This has been one of the chief obieo
tions to that system of commercial trav
eling which has cost the merchants
such enormous annual expenditures,
and which has involved them in so
many bad debts, one of whioh they
might escape if they would reach the
merchants through the country press
instead of by agents.
The woman who writes the addresses
of her letter " eattioornered" is the
especial tormentor of post offloe clerks.
What He Was Waiting For.
The wit ot the mauy unthanked
gentlemen who give up their seats to
thankless ladies in the cars is continu
ally contriving new rebukes, and the
people publish them gladly. A recent
letter-writer says :
a gentleman of our acquaintance,
ageu about fifty, took the cars for a
long ride. Ho secured a good seat in a
not crowded car, and put therein his
bag and various conveniences. After
some hours he left his seat for refresh
ments, leaving ample evidence therein
of Us occupancy. On returning to the
train, he found a highly-finished woman
sitting in his place, and in tbe midst of
what Western people would call his
plunder. He paused at the entrance
and looked wistfully at the woman.
' Do you wish anything, sir ?"
" Yes, madam, my carpet-bag, if you
please. Thauk you."
He still waited an looked.
" Is there anything else, sir ?"
" Yes, madam, my umbrella, if you
pleas. Ah, thank you 1"
Still waiting in a respectful attitude,
the lady grew restless.
" Is there anything more ?"
" Yes, madam, I will take my cane
and the papers, which I fear you are
sitting upon."
Tnese were hastily offered, and as
the gentleman still stood respectfully
at the entrance, she turned upon him
with some emphasis :
" Well, sir, what else are you waiting
for?" 45
" Madam, I was waiting to hear you
say, Thank you for the seat 1' "
A Chance for Saving.
" A penny saved is a penny earned."
is one of Poor Richards proverbs,
worth remembering by everybody. Any
of our readers, when tempted to form
the habit cf smoking, will do well to
think how muoh they can save by keep
ing out of the habit. Here is u mod
erate estimate of the saving :
A young gentleman of my acquain
tance concluded to commence smoking
cigars on his twentieth birthday, but
resolvedj that he would never exceed
eight per week, nor pay more than ten
cents each for them. I asked him to
reckon how muoh money would be
saved by the time he was sixty, if he
should place the eighty cents per week
in the savings bank every six months,
and let it lie there, drawing seven per
cent, interest. Being quick at figures,
he made the calculation, and f ouud the
amount to be eight thousand three
hundred and eleven dollars. "Put
that in your pipe aud smoke it," young
mau.
One of the queerest duels on record
was that In whioh Sainte Beuve was en
gaged. It began to rain slightly after
he had taken up his position, where
upon he coolly held his umbrella over
his head with his left hand, while hold
ing the pistol with his right. The ex
postulation of his witnesses had 90
effect upon him. " It is all very well
to be killed," said the famous essayist,
"but I object to catching cold in mv
head." '
Items of Interest.
St. Louis has a detective by the
name of Eggs, and he is considered
hard to beat.
England and Scotland aro said to con
tain six hundred thousand habitual
drunkards, including both sexes.
The amount of opium consumed in
this country at present is ten times
greater than it was thirty years ago.
The woman who became famous by
walking from Chicago to S in Francisco,
has been sent to tho poorhou?e in the
latter city.
There is a man iu Dubuque who is
so afraid of hydrophobia, that he keeps
his hat full of memoranda how to pro
ceed in case he is bitten.
Dr. Glenn of Colusa eounty, Cal., has
about 30,000 acres of wheat, from which
he expeots 25 bushels to the acre, mak
ing a total of 750,000 bushels.
A law firm of Carthage, Mo., has
been indioted by the Grand Jury for
running off witnesses who could have
given important testimony against
their client, acoused of robbery.
On a hot day full grown shade trees
on the sidewalk are worth ten thousand
dollars apiece. The man who sets out
a single shade tree is better than the
founder of four base ball clubs, bold
as the assertion may eeem.
A stingy husband accounted for all
the blame of the lawlessness of his
children in company by saying his wife
always gave them their own way.
"Poor things! it's all I have to give
them," was the prompt reply.
Deaths take place the world over, at
the rate of one every three seconds,
and births at the rate of one every two
seconds. There is a sense of profound
relief in the thought that every time
a man goes out of the world, a baby
and a half are coming into it. .
A man named Bvers. of Clover town
ship, 111., was showing one of his horses
to a visitor lately, and placing his hand
on the animal's hips said : " There's a
Tjolt that's perfectly gentle." At the
same instant the colt kicked him in the
side, inflicting fatal injuries.
A guardian of the poor, old Mrs.
Grummiles "Green peaa and new
'tators I Does your mother know them
sort of things leads to the work'us ?"
Boy " Know ? 'Course ehe does 1
That's why she has 'em now ; 'cos she
knows she won't get 'em there."
An Indiana clergyman recently
stirred up a hornet's nest by declaring
in a sermon that certain candidates for
office in the town had cards with their
initials printed thereupon, which were
exchangeable for drinks at various bars.
The politicians are greatly ex ited.
The celebrated Irish beauty, Lady
Cahir, desiring to astonish the vice
regal court by the very newest fashion,
had her hair dressed by an artist in
Bath, and then spent four days and four
nights of sea-sickness iu crossing the
Channel in the old sailing vessels from
Bristol to Dublin, propped up carefully
in her berth to prevent the disarrange
ment of her stupendous powdered
toupet.
Catching Woodcliucks.
The Newburyport Herald relates the
following story : Woodchucks are a
most intolerable nuisance in Bowley,
some years cutting off half tho pump
kin crop. One enterprising farmer
made a formal declaration of war
against them, and bought a dog that
was reputed to be the champion wood-
chuckist. Bose did shake the life out
of half a dozen of the varmints, just to
show what might be done iu case of an
emergency ; but his interest declined,
and he didn't seem to take much stock
in woodchucks. One morning at break
fast the farmer's little daughter, nine
years old, told her father that she be
lieved she could beat the dog at his own
game, and he replied that she should
have a quarter apiece for all she would
catch, and tho champion's belt if she
brought home more chucks for the next
week than Bose did. Accordingly,
after breakfast, sho went out with no
arms except what 'nature had endowed
her with, and no traps except her cun
ning hands, and within au hour re
turned holding what appeared to be the
grandfather of all woodchucks, a per
fect monster, by the hind legs, carrying
him at arm's length, while he struggled
to get free, and scratched and bit to the
best of his ability. The farmer patted
his daughter on the head in apprecia
tion of her prowess, and theu patted
the woodchuck on the head also. The
girl caught another in the afternoon,
and within a week caught five, beating
the dog and claiming the champion
ship. Her method was simply to lie
down back of a hole and patiently watch
the appearance of its tenant, grabbing
him by the nape of the neck as soon as
his head emerged above ground. The
farmer would dispose of the dog at a
reasonable prioe, but that girl isn't for
The Wheat Crop or Europe,
The Mark Lane Express, in its
weekly review of thebreadstuffs market,
says :
Bad weather has prevailed through
out the past week, but our farmers
have kept a sharp lookout, and hay
secured their crops. There are no re
ports of sprouting, though much
wheat was stacked in poor condition,
in eonsequenoe of high winds and low
temperature. The same weather has
ruled on the Continent. This will
bring good samples. to the front, and
increase the value of old stock. There
is little difference in prices sinoe last
reports, although the tendency is down
ward. France is sending back here the
cargoes shipped hence. The crops here
and in France are mostly secure,
and the dependence of both countries
on foreigners is materially lessened.
The latest estimates put our crop at
seven per oentum below tne average.