HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. Nit. DESPERANDUM. J5L Two Dollars per Annum. VOL. V. MDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THUHSDAY, JUNE 24, 1875. NO. 18. ft - The Saddest Thought. Once 'twas my Boldest thought-, Ere I begin to doubt you, That sometime t must learn, Perhaps, to do withjut yon. For death parts dearest friends ( Fr iro liira there's no escaping j And p.irtiua's worse thau death Our fers are ever bhapiog. Now with rew dawns of hope No. thought of yon in blended ; l)ay deepens evermore, Though morning dreams are endod. And now the saddest thought That haunts my heart about you Is this that I have learned, At last, fo do without you. HOW AN AUTHOR WON HIS BRIDE la tlio study of Don Eusebio Mendez, one of Madrid's most noted savants, thera sut, early in February, 1G47, two youthful figures at a heavy oaken table, nnd busied themselves, ostensibly, 'with the gods of the ancient Greeks. On the t ible lny a chaos of heavily bound folios, neatly-written manuscripts, delicately-cut copper-plates, pens, grav ers, nnd pencils; but, Btrongly ns the scene encouraged serious study, Manuel's and Alma's thoughts were far from being occupied with tho mysteries of Hellenic mythology. The youth held the little white hand of tho girl, who was scarcely sixteen, tenderly in his, and Alma leaned her head so trustingly on the shoulder of her companion that one need to have but a slight knowledge of human nature to divine what was uppermost in the minds of the youthful pair. And now Manuel bends forward and imprints a kiss on the rosy lips of the dark-eyed Castilian that must dispel the last doubt, if any re mains. " By heaven !" cried Manuel, " I wish we were alone on some solitary island, where, observed and disturbed by no one, wo could do as we would tho live long day. Do you know, love, it costs mc a terrible eft'ort to always treat you as a senora when your father is pres ent ?" " You must be patient we shall not nl ways be under this restraint, " replied Airurt. " I am now twenty years old, but Don Eusebio Mendez seems to think that his ward is still a child. Tho mere fact of his leaving us alone the whole after noon, day after day, proves that he looks upon us as being, at most, but children. "And are you displeased because he leaves us alone ? " Yes and no. I thank Hoaven that I have n daily opportunity to talk to you iinaisturoea; Dut, on tne other liana, it annoys me to know that my uncle think a me so blind that I cannot see that his daughter is the most lovable girl in all Madrid." Alma blushed, and passed her hand over his temple nnd cheek, as though she would temper his indignation. . " I believe'," Manuel continued, "he would laugh in my face if I were to nsk his consent to our marriage. He would, I have no doubt, think I had lost my wits." "You must not be so severe on papa for forgetting, in the midst of his daily affairs, that the years have wings. Let ns wait patiently ; time finds a solution for all things. " How very philosophically your little ladyship can talk ! I wait and wait, and in the meantime the sleek Senor Perez will get nuch a foothold here that I can not oust him." " Manuel !" cried Alma, reproach fully. " Oh, I've read enough of woman's constancy ! One thing is certain the fellow is iu high favor with your father. Senor Mendez swotirs by ' The Enchant ed Nightingale, ' and he ia continually quoting passages from 'The Fallen Pomegranate.' Perez has a good social Eosition, a handsome fortune, and knows ow to flatter. What more is necessary to win over any father who has a niar riageble daughter V " Hut, if Senor Perez will marry me, he must begin by obtaining my consent." "Bah! You will resist for a while, but finally, fatigued by your father's continual remonstrances, you will yield, una mo goou, uuimu (laughter mat you are. I shall wait and see if my little comedy, which iu a few days will be played at the Royal Theater, is success ) ful. If it is, then I shall go to your father and say: Uncle, I have now a position iu tho world. My "Gormaz" has received the indorsement of the elite of the theater-going publio of the capital, which opens to me an honorable career. Untie, I love your daughter, nnd am loved by her iu return. Con sent to her becoming my wife, and make us happy.' " "And if he refuses ?" " He will not, he cannot refuse. He might turn a deaf ear to an obscure, un known suitor, but he must receive the iiiurel-crowned poet with open arms, or be untrue to his whole past life. What would Madrid say if he should refuse to accept the author of 'Gormaz' as his sou-in-law ?" "But suppose your comedy should fail ?" " It will not fail. I am neither vain nor conceited ; but, when I finished the piece, I felt that I hod achieved the first step to fame. And the eyes of the youth shone with a noble enthusiasm as he spoke of the first-fruit of his dramatic talent. At that moment well-known steps were heard in the hall. "There is father I" whispered Alma, and the lovers turned hastily to their books and papers. The door opeued, and a stout, elder ly, apparently good-natured gentleman entered the room. His big, brightly polished shoe-buckles glistened as cheer fully as did his little, mobile eyes. He carried a thrte-cornered dress-hat under , , his arm, and at his side hung the' small, elegant dress-sword worn in those days by the Custilians. "Ah, this is what I like to soe !" he cried. " Always at your books, always adding to your little stock of knowleeget What have you here I 'Treatise on My thology,' by Guillermo de Mors. Ex cellent I S Jupiter and Hera they seem to interest you especially the book has ba open at that chapter for fully a week. But now put the gods of Olym pus aside for a while. I have something of importance to say to you both. Uonie here nnd sit on the ottoman." " What I have to say more especially concerns you, Alma. In April yon will be sixteen. At thnt ago your sainted mother was already my wife." Alum "began to lose color, but she suc ceeded in appearing composed. "You know the author of 'The Fallen Pomegranate,' " continued the old gen tleman, "my friend Senor Perez. No man in all Castile imitates Virgil as he does 1 The Fallen Pomegranate ' com pares favorably with any pastoral poems that have ever been written." "Certainly, papa," stammered the girl, glancing toward Manuel, who knit his brow, and stared at space. ' My daughter, what do you think of Senor Perez i" "Think of him, father?" " I mean, how does he please you f A handsome man he certainly is. True, ho is no longer young, but what ho has lost in youthfuluess he has gained in dig nity." "But what is that to me " " Well, know, my daughter, thnt your happiness is secured. Senor Perez is not only a highly-gifted and very amia ble, but also a wealthy mnn. He sees in you tho companion of his choice he is, and long has been, he tells me, greatly enamored of you, and, as I knew that yon had no aversion for him, I have promised him that ho shall be my son-in-law." "Father 1" cried Alma, in a tremulous tone, "you cannot be serious !" "And why not ? You are now of a marriageable age, and you know that my word has always been as good as my bond; that I always kept my promises. Is it, perhaps, possible that you can think of refusing so brilliant an offer ? answer me r cnea uon i,useoio, in a commanding voice. "Why do you think I am not serious i" "Father," said she, after a pause, " I know that you consider only my good; but this is so sudden, so unexpected, that I that I am at a loss to know what to reply. Give me three days for re flection. Next Sunday I will tell you if if " "Very well," interrupted Senor Men dez, with a frown. " True, it's very improper for a daughter to make condi tions with her father; but no matter, so be it. Within ten days we shall cele brate your betrothal." Alma dropped her chin on hor breast ana remamea silent. "And now as to what I have to say to yon, Manuel," continued Senor Mendez, in a more friendly tone, and he winked to Manuel, and led him, with a mysteri ous air, to one of the windows. "You have kept the secret t" he ask ed, in an undertone. " Alma has no sus picion that I am the author of 'The Midnight Elope.-uent V " " Not the slightest, so far as I know," replied Manuel. . " I would not have the child know for the world, until after my triumph, that her father has mounted Pegasus. Apro pos, what I wanted to tell you: the two comedies will be played this evening your ' Gormaz ' between eight and nine, my ' Midnight Elopement ' between nine and ten o'clock. I am very anxious to see how tho public will receive the off spring of our muses." This conference en led, Don Eusebio added a final recommendation to his daughter, and left the room. No sooner were the young people again alono than Manuel seized his cousin's hand, and cried: "Never fear, Alma. He shall nothsve you, never I the old pugnosed dogger el writer as sure as my name is Manuel Alonzo de Castres ! Two hours had passed since tliis excit ing scene occured. "Everything goes lust as I would have it," murmured Don Eusebio. " I shall be the father-in-law of the most distin guished poet of the metropolis, and, be fore the eveniuing is over, this head, God willing, will also be Jaurel-crowned What can delay them so lone ?" he sud denly murmured. "I asked them to come at four o'clock, nnd now it is near ly a quarter after. Hark I I hear them yes, that is his Olympian step 1 And the others are with him. Approach, my friends, approach !" As lie finished tliis monologue, he threw the door open and welcomed his visitors, oua after the other, as they entered, with great cordiality. First came Don Anastasio Terez, the author of "Tho Enchanted Nightin gale," a long, flu.shless figure, with flow ing red locks and on indescribable nose, and a chin that always seemed strug gling to form a semicircle. Behind Don Anastasio Perez stood a little, supple figure of a most unsympa thetic exterior, Don Enrico Pungo. . The third and last arrival, a man of the class that have nothing to distin guish them from the common herd, was Don Rodrigo Prullo, a professor of Greek. "It is all arranged, my dear Perez," said Don Eusebio, half aloud, to the author of " The Fallen Pomegranate," as they took their seats. " She has con sented; in a week we will celebrate vour betrothal." "I thank you, my noble friend I thank you," replied Don Anastasio. " Allow me, in recognition of the honor you do me, to dedicate my next poem to you." "Willingly," answered Don Eusebio; 'I shall be proud to have my name osso- oatea witn products 01 your commu nions with Calliope. Yon do me great honor, Don Anastasio. Thanks, a thou sand thanks !" " Caballeros," said he, " can you di vine why I asked you to come to see me to-day ? You all look at me astonished. I see that you do not divine. This even ing, at the Royal Theater, they will pro duce the comedy that the Muses, iu my silent hours of meditation, have been pleased to inspire me with." "Bravo! bravo!" shouted Perez, Pungo, and Prullo. "At the same time that Madrid assists at my debut as a disciple of Thalia," con tinued Don Eusebio, "we shall also witness the first representation of an attempt at comedy-writing by my nephew Manuel." "I am astonished," cried Perez, in the most emphatio tone his squeaking tenor furnished. And what arc thew productions that are thus sprung upon us cnllod ?" " They are called ' Garuiaz ' and The Midnight Elopement.' " " And which of tho two pieces is yours, cnballerof" " Thnt, gontlemen, by your leave, shall for the present be a secret," re plied Senor Mendez, smiling radiantly. " Yon will do me the honor, I trust, to witness the representation. Then yon can guess. I am very curious to see whether you will then be able to tell which is the work of the uncle, and which that of the nephew." "I protost in the name of all the Muses against this insinuation!" cried Don Anastasio. " With nil duo respect for the talent of your nephew, I pro test ! The idea of mistaking his com position for yours is simply ridiculous ! A nineteen-year-old boy and a man like you senor, how can you do yourself or us such injustice?" "After the performance, the cabal leros will honor me again with their company," said the worthy savant. "We will then discuss the events of the even ing over a glass of Xerez, and the secret, if not out, shall be disclosed. Again Manuel Alonzo de Castres sat with Alma Mendez in the study of the learned Don Eusebio. Iu the salon across the hall the clock struck three -quarters to ten. Iu the diuiug-room adjoining, Jose, the facto tum of tho establishment, was busy set ting the table in his best style Manuel clasped Alma round tho waist. He was thoughtful, but by no means sad. Alma's Unshed cheeks and red dened eyes made it evident that she had been crying. "The fate of your comedy is now decided," said she, after a while. "I am surprised, Manuel, that you content yourself ut home to-night." "Alma," replied Manuel, iu solemn tone, "since I have been confronted with the possibility of losing you, who are more to me than all the world be sides since thon I am indifferent to everything else. Whether I am applaud ed or not, I care little. Can I not at any time write anotner ana a better comeay I But, should you bo torn from me, where should I find another to replace you ?" He had hardly finished when the voice of Don Eusebio was heard in the corridor. " Where is my nephew ?" cried Don Eusebio, in breathless haste. "Call him, somebody ! Send him immediate ly to me here in the salon! Quick, Jose, I must speak with him !" Herewith he burst into the talon, slung his gold-bordered hat into one corner, and threw himself full length on an ottoman, with the air of one in the deepest despair, only to spring to his feet again the next minute. Unheard of ! unheard of ! he ex claimed, as he strode to and fro iu the, wildest excitement. " What will Don' Anastasio say ? I am a ruined man ! Ruined! mined! ruined!" In his frenzy, he struck his forehead with his clinched fist again and again. " Ah, hero you are at last," said he to Manuel, as he entered the salon. "I began to think you were never coming. Look at -me, boy but, for Heaven's sake, not in thnt stupid way ! You are a genius, boy you are a genius !" . " How so, uncle?" asked Manuel, who could not help smiling at Don Eusebio's comical mien. " How so?" repeated the uncle, in an impatient tone. " How so ? Go into the street and you will hear the sparrows cry out from the roofs that the nephew is ft renins mill tlm uncle nn nun "' is a genius and the uncle an ass ! "But, my dear uncle " "Silence! silence, I tell you! Do you want to drive me mad ? Oh, that I should live to see this day ! My reputa tion is ruined forever ! Listen, my boy, ana you suan Know the came ot my despair. I was in my box betimes, and waited witn a beating lieart for tho performance to begin. Finally it seemeu an ngo to me tne curtain rose, and your characters made their appear ance. In the very first scene between Gormaz and his servant it was evident that the audience was very much pleased. Elvira came on, the plot began to bo more involved, and the interest and ap plause increased at every moment. I wept tears of joy. Already iu imagina tion I saw a double triumph; for I said to myself: If Manuel's " Gormaz " is such a brilliant success, my " Midnight Elopement" must also be well received.' And yet to think what its fate has been ! Well, they went ou with yiur Gormaz,' and when the curtain fell on the last scene there was round after round of ap plause. I thought tho bracos would never end: but they did end after a while, and the curtain rose again." Here Don Eusebio approached Manuel and laid both hands on his shoulders, " Look at me well, my nephew," said he, after a pause. "In me you see a disgraced, a ruined man ! Great Heavens ! why did I ever undertake to write a comedy ?" " Why, uncle, what are you saying disgraced? ruined?" " Don't interrupt me I know what I am saying! Well, finally, the curtain rose again. My Prince Caracambaroc cadi came on and sought to win over to his interest the major-domo of the Princess Yiribilina. On my soul, Man uel, the scene is not a bad one ! But whether our auditors had become fatigued, or whether I was the victim of some disgraceful uitngno, I know not, but certain it is that the dialogue be tween the prince and the major-domo made not tho least impression, it never got a ripple, and when the princess ap- C eared on the balcony and began the eautiful romanza, the house resounded with a whistling and hissing that beg gars description. It seemed to mo as though the eyes of the whole audience were upon me. I felt as thougii I could sink a fathom deep into the earth. From scene to scene the perfidious racket and confusion increased, until finally the pit cried out with such un feeliug, such brutal persistency: End it ! end it !' that they were compelled to drop the curtain before the piece was finished." He let his chin fall ou his breast in silent despair. " Oh, unfortunate man that I am!" he began again, after a few moments. "In half an hour they will be here, and I shall have to acknowledge my die- grace ! Oh, that my tongue had been paraiyiea &iore i tola t them that on of the comedies was mine ! Why was I ever so foolish as to thirst after dramatic laurels? Instead of a triumph, behold mo with i fool a can and a crown of thorns ! Ami, to add to my chagrin, I told my friends that one of the pieces was mine, and asked them to witness the representation of both in order to seo if they could decide which was the nnole's and which the nephew's. Thev win ie norc am-cuy. ua, now x dread to Bee them ! To morrow, the children id the streets wul point their fingers at me ! Prullo is Buch a newscarrior I And Don Anastasio ! what will he think of me ? He will despise me ! My reputa tion the reputation it has taken mo c lifetime to acquire is destroyed in an hour! In fntnre I shall be looked upon ns being nothing more or less than a conceited old fool ! And he sank utterly crushed into the nearest armclinir. Manuel had listened to this outburst in silent nmazement. But now he nn proached the moaning savant, nnd. lav- 1 I I 1 1 - 1 , T . , J iu ma uuiiu on nut Huuuiuer. said : " Calm yourself, uncle. Your reputa tion shall not suffer from to-night's mis hap. The greatest geniuses, under un favorable circumstances, have met with failures. " But not so disgracefully, so iguo miniously," replied Don Euesbio, with an inconsolable shake of the head. " Listen, uncle, I will make von n proposition. No one knows as yet that you are me nutnor oi xiie Midnight Elopement,' I of Gormaz.' What say you to our changing roles t An unfor tunate debut cannot hurt me much, nnd you will escnpe the ridicule of those who are envious of you, and will bo sure, if you remain the author of the unfortu nate comedy, to handle yon roughly." Dou Eusebio looked up like one who. on the scoffold, hears his pardon an nounced. "Manuel, my boy, is it possible! You will ? Bnt no, no, I cannot ac cept such a sacrifice ! Herein I recognize the son of my dear, never-to-be-forgotten sister." His emotion overcame him, and two big tears rolled slowly down his cheeks. "You are right, Manuel," said he, niter a pause ; " tney readily excuse in the nephew what would disgrace the uncle forever. I accept your generous offer, and you can reckon on my eternal gratitude." " I do this the more readily, uncle, because there is something I would ask in return," stammered the youth, blush ing deeply. " Speak, nephew. You can ask me nothing that I will deny you. "Uncle, I love Alma. Consent to her becomiug my wife." Senor Mendez looked at the youth mazed;Jthis was evidently a request he was not prepared Jqr. , "Are you mad, boy?" he cried after a pause. "Alma is betrothed to Don An astasio." "Not yet," replied Manuel, in a firm tone. "You gave her three days to consider. Alma loves me, and you may be sure she will never willingly give her hand to another." Don Eusebio shook his head incredu lously. "Banish that idea from your head !" paid he, iu a peevish tone. "I have given my word. Ahna marries Don An astasio, nnd no other !" " Nothing can change you" " No, nothing. It pains me to refuse yon, but I never break my word." " Very well," replied Manuel, proud ly, " then I shall remain the author of ' Gormaz.' Love would have consoled me for the lost of fame. As you destroy my nappiness, leave me at least my laurels." "Manuel!" cried Dou Eusebio, in terror, as he wiped tho perspiration from his forehead. "You will not abandon mo in mv extremity, mv dear Manuel ? If it should be known that I am the author of 'The Midnight Elope ment ' " he made a terrible gesture. " You know my conditions, uncle. If Alma remains the bride of Senor Perez, then you must shoulder the fiasco." "The good old caballero, for n few moments, was a prey to conflicting emo tions. It was not long doubtful, how ever, which would come out victorious. The clock struck ten. His friends might arrive at any moment. "Call Alma!" said he, after striding up and down tho room for a few mo ments. Manuel hastened to do his nude's bid ding. " Is it true thnt you love this good-for-nothing here?" Don Eusebio asked his daughter as she entered the room. Alma looked down blushingly and nodded an affirmative. "Hump! you do, eh? Then take her," he thundered, turning to Manuel, " marry her, only leave me alone I My head whirls as though it would flyinto a thousand pieces. Begone, begone ! I hear steps. You have my blessing ! " Manuel pressed his lady-love to his heart, and they both left the room, with a grateful glance at Don Eusebio. The following year Manuel led his pretty cousin to the altar, nnd no one at the weddiug wore a more joyous mien than the worthy father of the bride. And often, in after years, when he dandled his charming grandchildren on his knee and looked on the face of his blooming nnd happy daughter, whose beauty seemed to increase from year to year often then he silently glorified the fiasco that opened to him and bia tne door of domestic felicity. As for Manuel Alonzo de Castres. he became one of the most distinguished dramatists of Spaiu, nnd if among his works there is one of doubtful merit. entitled "The Midnight Elopement," the reader of this narrative knows how it chances to be there. There is nothing which will inspire a not well dressed up woman with such terror as the appearance of a dressed up sister. However devoted she may be to the front yard flowers, 6he will leave them in a flash on the approach of a well dressed female, and taking her stand behind the front blind, will, in a brief space of time, Bee everything she has got on and figure out the cost to within a few cents. It is marvelous. Fearful outrage A young English lady residing in Paris has received over fifty lashes. She was born with them- oa W eyelid). Timber in Foreign Countries. During tho spring of 1874 tho British government nddressed a circular to the representatives of Great Britain in the principal timber producing countries of Europe, iu the United States nnd Brazil, in Cuba aud Honduras, asking for in formation as to tho production nnd con sumption of timber ; information de sired more particularly by the commis sioners of our woods and forests. Fifteen questions were asked. These related to the sorts of trees grown iu each country, the uses made of each kind, the ownership of forest lands, the causes of increase or decrease in the acreage of forests, the quantity of wood cnt annually, nnd the nmonnts exported nnd consumed nt homo. Inquiries were also mado as to the ascertained influence of forests on local climate, rainfall, floods, etc., and, particularly iu Switzer land, whether any steps have been taken to replant the sides of tho mountains, so as to stay the action of rain in denuding the soil. Various reports on all the fore going topics have now been received, from which we may here cull a few brief extracts, commending the work itself to tho careful attention of all who take an interest in forest preservation, a subject full of importance, not only because timber is indispensable to human exist ence, bnt because wo may point to Palestine, to Spntn, nnd probably to many regions in North Africa, to show how the gradual destruction of forests will chango the choracter of a country and its iuhnbitants forever. In Bohe mia, during tho past ten years, a species of worm, which seems to net like nn epi demic, has been causing great devasta tion in the forests. The entire side of a range of hills may be seen sometimes laid bare of timber by the inroads of this woi-m disease. The diminution of forests iu pnrts of Anstrin, nnd more especially in Hungary, has been followed ny baneful consequences, such ns long droughts nnd tremendous winds, which fill the nir with unceasing clouds of dust and considerably increase pul monary disease in towns which have bo- come totally unsheltered. Pesth, Pres- burg, and Vienna are now perfectly in tolerable during three parts of the year irora tuis cause. At mo do Janeiro. thunder storms, formerly of daily occur rence, are now rare ; and tho ennse is supposed to be the destruction of the forests which surrounded the town, ns new roads have been made. Hence, in 1852, yellow fever visited the place, nnd hns never left it since, though trees are being busily plnnted in every street. In Hesse and Baden greater m-ndpnm has been displayed, four-fifths of the former Duchy nnd one-third of tho latter are wooded, and the law requires that every thirty years land which has once belonged to the cultivation of trees must return to its original employment. In Sweden tho timber resources are im mense; Lapland has never been survey ed, but is reckoned, with the northern Provinces, to contain some 30,000,000 acres of forest. Unfortunately, the un ceasing nnd enoimous demands for wood, especially for charcoal, house building, and Inciter matches, is telling rapidly ou the productive power of the forests; this fact is of world-wide im portance, for there is hardly a maritime country, except China and Japan, to which Swedish wood iu some form does not fand its way. At lost, in 1874. a law was passed forbiding tho felling of nny trees less thau seven inches in diameter, at sixteen feet from the ground. This statute applies only to the Bothninn for ests. If extended to nil Sweden, ns it probably will be, it may greatly affect the mining interests of' Great Britain. for it will cut off tho supply of small timber known as "pit props." In Switzerland thero is now a sylvan so ciety, and great pains ore being taken to induce people to replant cleared ond de nuded mountain slopes, so as to prevent the damage which floods, landslips, and avalanches have of late years so fre quently inflicted. Switzerland also has nn industry that of wood-carving which she had made peculiarly her own, although it was not introduced into the Bernese Oberland before 1815. This wood-carving annually uses up nn enor mous quantity of wood of all sorts. In Cuba there are abundant forests, which must have increased since 18C8, when the insurrection broko out, for there has been very little cutting of late years; but, as we might expect where the Span ish are concerned, no more care is taken, no less recklessness is shown by the farmers who cut wood for their use in Cuba than in nuy other timber-clad part of the glob. f.and and Water. How They Fight Grasshoppers. What farmers there are in Colorado says a letter writer, are fighting grass hoppers with water, and fire, and smoke, and death-dealing ambuscades, nnd en gines of destruction. Of all these the " grasshopper hell " is the most popular and perhaps the most efficacious. Its name gives a very good conception of its practical workings. A long sheet iron box, open at the top, is swuug close to the ground between two wheels by which it is moved over the field. Rising two or three feet above the top of the box, and bending forward from the rear, is a broad sheet of tin or sheet-iron. When in use a fire is built in the bottom of the furnace, which is then pushed against the wind, the overhanging wing or sail taking the hoppers as they rise and feeding them to the flames in a hurry. Sometimes a miniature windmill ia odded to the outfit, and sucks in all tho locusts for yards aud yards around, de stroying them by millions. Millions more have been drowned in irrigating ditches by cunningly devised trips which prevent their escapa from the water. While they were young and j green, ana ueiore tneir wings were grown, several tons of them were de stroyed by a confidence game which de serves description. Between the young hoppers and the young wheat long rows of dry straw were strewn, which soon became literally black and alive with the wriggling little insects. When no more hoppers could be accommodated, the straw was tired. Another device was to drag over the hopper-infested regions a tarpaulin plentifully coated on the under side with coal tar, which is instant death to the pests. Still, with all these disad vantages against them, grasshoppers are apparently numerous a ever. Mrs. Gavetl's Box. There is not a kinder-hearted, more benevolent woman in Detroit, nccording to the Free- Press, than Mrs. Uavett, Lat year she was on the committee to canvass for aid for the grasshopper sut ferers, and this year she intends to send them a largo box of her own getting np. She had Giivett bring up a box the other dny, and when it had been pine- d in the shauty she put on a calico dress, tied on a check apron nnd rambled nrouud the house to pick np enough articles to fill the box and have it sent off next day. Her greatest nnxiety was tho fear that the box was too small for ono-half the things she wanted to send. Opening a closet door she took down an old cont, one that her husband threw away two years ago. "I'll send thnt for one thing," she mused, as she heldit up. "I don't know, though that's a pretty good coat. Put a patch on that elbow and Thomas can wear it half the summer." She placed it on a chair and took down one of her old dresses. "I'll make some farmer's wife glad with this," she said, as she shook mil the folds and held it up. " Let's see ! Why, there isu't a hole in either sleeve skirt all right waist nlmost ns good as new. I believe I can sell that dress second hand for enough to buy mo a bracelet. " The dress was laid beside tho coat, and she hauled over Gavett's boots. The heel of one was run over, and there was a hole iu the toe of tho other. " Thry'll do for Rome one to plow in," she soliloquized, ns she took them over to the light. "Some farmer ah! Why, these are good boots ! I believe I could get them fixed up for fifty cents so that Thomas could wear them half the win ter. I don't believe in throwing any thing away even if we are well off." The boots were set nside, nnd she took down a bundle of children's clothing. "Ah! I can send theso nnd make lit tle hearts glad!" sho whispered ns she untied the bundle. "The children hnvo outgrown them, nnd they will be n prize to some Kansas Sakes alive I but these garments are almost ns good as the dny they were made up ! I believe I can sell them to the washerwoman for at least t wo dollars, and as soon as I get t wo dollars more I can buy me a new braid." She tied the bundio up and stuck her head into the closet nnd brought out an other dress. "A holo in each elbow skirt torn half off," she mused as she turned it over. "I'll send this anyhow. Home mother can take it and get enough cloth out of the skirt to make her little girl a bran new Here, what was I thinking of ? Why, this is exactly the stuff I want for the blue stripe in that new rag carpet. If I'd known this dress was iu the house I'd have cnt it up last week." She unlocked another closet, peered in, and hauled out Gavett's old overcoat one worn out and htniued nnd kicked around for a year. "That will do splendidly!" she said, ns she held it np. "It isn't very nice, but some farmer can wear it to chop in. Ah ! hold on I I want that lining to make a cushion for my rocking chair, and Jennie will want these buttons for her string, aud tho rest of tho coat'll make a beautiful rug to lay in front of the lounge. I'd like to send it, but probably it wouldn't be appreciated, or probably some one else will send a better one." Sho rummaged around for n full hour, nnd when she got through the chamber her floors were piled high with old "duds." Those she meant to keep were placed on the right those she meant to send away ou the left. On the left was a wall-basket made of hoop-skirt wire. She hasn't sent the box yet, but she means to. Sho knows that all should contribute to the relief of the suffering and distressed. Casting off Its Dress. Speaking of the piuo snake of New Jersey, a writer tell ua how it casts its skin as follows : Ou looking in the box near tho close of September the Bkin was found to be started from the head, and the process of denudation was steadily going on. What surprised me was that there was not tho least friction in the act ; that is, there was no rub bing against nny exterior object. As the old skin at this time was very soft and moist, any swelling of the body stretches and loosens it. So soon as the exuviation hns reached the part of the body containing tho large ribs this doffing of tho old suit proceeds more rapidly, and with a singular system. It is done just in this way. Exactly at tho place where the skin seems to be mov ing backward a pair of ribs expand. This action enlarges the body, and loosens the skin at that place. ln this movement both ribs in the pair oct nt the same time, just as the two blades of the scissors open together. Now comes in a second movement of this pair of ribs. One of them soy the one on the right side is pushed forward, and made to slip out of the constriction, when it is immediatnly drawn backward ; that is, against the neck of the old skiu. Now the left rib makes an advance, and in a like manner presses backward. Thua the final action of the ribs is not synchronous, but alternate. This rib action produced a singular automatic movement of the serpent on the floor of its box, and even across the folds of its companion, which kept as still as if it were dead. The movement of the snake's body, as the skin did not follow it, gave the creature the appearance of crawling out of a tubular case. The skin was turned inside out iu rolling back, and the whole operation took thirty-five minutes. A Gentleman. ShoT us the man who ia ever ready to pity and help tho deformed; show us a man who covers tho faults of others with a mantle of charity ; show us a man who bows as politely end gives the street as free to the poor sewing girl as to the millionaire; who values virtue, not clothes; who shuns the company of ench as gather at public places to gaze at the fair sex, or muke unkind remarks of the passing girl; show ua a man who abhors a libertine; who scorns the ridicule of his mother's sex, and the exposure of womanly reputation; show us a man who never forgets for an instant the delicacy due woman, as a woman, in any condi tion or class and you enow us gentleman. Items of Interest. Why is a pig the most provident of animals ? Because he always carries tt spare rib or two about hiin, Kansas teacher " Where does nil of our grain product go to?" Boy " It goes into the hopper." "Hopper! Whnt hopper?" " Grasshopper," tri umphantly shouts the lnd. In Rome a law has been passed con demning persons guilty of blaspheming God, Christ or the Virgin and saints in the streets to a month's imprisonment .for the first offense and six months for the second. At Abilene, Kansas, is a wheat field containing one thousand three hundred acres covered with wheat iu excellent condition. The crop hns been contract ed for at $1.25 per bushel, and will prob ably bring $20,000. "Now where't my summer pants?" yells the impaHent husband, nfter a fruitless hunt from cellar to nttic; nnd his wifo timidly points to a pair of china Samuels on the mantelpiece and meekly murmurs, "they were so cheap." The report of the secretary of the) Americnn iron nnd steel association shows thnt the falling off in the con sumption of iron in this country for the year 1874, as compared with that of 1873, was nbout 500,000 tons, while the production was much greater than was onticipated. During a sanitary survey recently in Lincolnshire a man was found, aged ninety-five years, who had been in tho habit of drinking a gallon of beer be fore breakfast, another during tho day, and a few extra pints at night to top off with, and who had never been ill a day in his life. This year the southern counties of California sent to San Francisco 5,380, 000 oranges, 020.000 lemons, nnd 80,000 limes. Tho consumption of California is nbout 10,000,000 oranges a year, and 5,000,000 are brought from Mexico and the Pacific isles. Deaf and dumb men don't stand much show in Texas, anyhow. Recently, while one of them was feeling in his pocket for a slate pencil wherewith to communicate his wants, a native shot him in the hand, on the supposition that he was getting out a weapon. A lady who loved Bulwer entered a bookstore just as one of the clerks had killed a large rat. "1 wish to see 'What will Le done with it ?' " she raid to a boy behind the counter. " Well," said the boy, "if you'll step to the window, you will probably see him sling it into the back lot." The man who drops a poker because the handle i warm, and then carelessly picks it up again by the end that is red hot, generally gets oliout as much sym pathy as the man who rushes to tho newspaper office to have an explanation published, and finds when the correction comes out that it's ten times ns bad as the original. A Paris paper tells of a lady who is in troducing a new era into furniture fash ion. She is having nil her chairs, sofas, and carriages stuffed with aromalio herbs, which emit an agreeablo perfume, and not too powerful, around tho air. This fashion, it appears, is of Eastern extraction, aud is prevalent throughout the greater part of Asia. A shopkeeper purchased of an Irish woman a quantity of butter, tho lumps of which, intended ns pounds, ho weighed in the balance and found want ing. "Shure is's your own fault if they are light," said Biddy, in reply to the complaints of the buyer, " it's your own fault, sir, for wasn't it with n pound of your own soap I bonght here myself that I weighed them with?" Tho tshop ke: per had nothing more to sny on that subject. A consus enumerator iu Albany asked an old maid her age: "Thirty-one," she replied. " Oho !" ejacnlated the questioner, iucreduously, " are you married?" "No, sir," she said. "Aha!" was the second exclamation, accompanied by a knowing leer. Tho aged maiden glanced over his shoulder into the book, saw that ho had put her down ns fifty-one, and an instant later ho had more scratches and less hnir thau when he entered. Xew Use for the Telegraph. The Buffalo Courier tells of a clerk in one of the telegraph offices in that city who, being the last to leave for his din ner, found the door locked as is usual, but, as is not usual, discovered he had left his key in another coat pocket two or three blocks avay at his hotel. Tho windows were two stories np, and he did not exactly see the point of an exit that way. And every minute his dinner was growing cold and his temper corre spondingly hot. He rattled the door, tried to pick the lock with a shingle nail, and repeated softly to himself choico extracts from profane history, but thero he staid, and relief seemed appallingly remote. Did he wait th ;re till hi brother clerks returned from their seven courses, from soup to doughuuts, to let him out ? Not he. An idea struck him and the impression left bore its fruits. He telegraphed to St. Thomas, Canada, had it repeated to Detroit, Mich., whence it was returned, according to ac companying instructions, to an opposi tion company at Buffalo, the result of , which was to send a boy up to his room after the key nnd down to his office to release him. He was in time for dinuer. The Armies of Europe. Col. de Valliere, the head of the Swisa school of artillery, has published an in teresting essay on the number of men maintained in the various great conti nental armies and the expenses involved. Adding such reserves as may actually be summoned into the field, he makes the numerical establishments not very far from 6,500,000, of which 1,700,000 are allotted to Germany, 1,500,000 to Franoe, 1,500,000 to Russia (excluding her Asiatio land forces as not to be counted on for a contest in Europe), 900,000 to Austria, and 750.000 to Italy. Of this number, however, he admits that it would b difficult in practice to call ont the whole, even in the German em pire. As to the cost per man of thosfe actually in the ranks, he computes it at JE48 in Russia, 47 in France, 40 in Germany, 37 in Italy, and only 29 ia Austria,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers