I
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher.
VOL. V.
NIL DESPEIIANDTJM.
Two Dollars per Annum.
NO. 2.1
-i-
HIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1875.
A Mother's Prayer,
Tlio Hwootest mnind hoard through our earthly
home
Tho brightoHt ray that gleams from heaven's
(loiiio
Tlio loveliest flower tlitvt o'er from earth's
broaHt rono
Tlio parent llaiiio that, qiiivoiing, gleams ana
glows
Aro found alono, whoro kneels a mothor mild,
Wilh heart uplifted, praying for her child,
The stromn of loirs can novor coaso to flow
L-jus as life's sun shall shine on us below;
And many angels have boeu sent by Clod
To count the toar-drops wept upon life's road;
lint of all tears that flow, the least dollied
Aro when a mothor prays boside her child..
Dooause It is to mortal oyes unseen,
Ye call it foolishness, a childish dream.
In vain; ye cannot rob me of that thought
That logeud, with mich hoavenly bwooUiobb
fraught, . .
That blessed angels have for ages smiled
To see a mother prayiug for her child.
LITTLE MIGGS.
Nono- of us knew exactly what was
going to happen, but we could not fail
to notice tlm look of anxiety which the
master's face hail worn during all tho
morning lessons. This alone was enough
to arouse our suspicion, eveu though
Mullett and Decker had not been ab
sent. Hut they were, and that settled
it at onee. Something was wrong, and
thero proved to bo only two in the
schoolroom that morning who could an
swer tne eager questions winch passed
from l'p to hp up from the lowest tier of
small buys to t'n last row which held
i-mch big fallows as Lloyd, Gray and
j'luigiuau, ami uu-.tetwo were thenias
ter mnl HI Me Miggs.
Poor liirle- Miggs, lie evidently knew,
fir Jie sat very still iu his seat, and
never ouee looked lip from his book.
P. ut he wasn't studying, for if you took
iln) pains to look you could see he didn't
turn a leaf. Hi! was very palo but that
isn't strange, for little Miggs face was
always white. Don't you see the handle
of a crutch jnst iu sight above his
desk ?
You cannot expect boys to study very
attentively when some expected disclos
ure is hanging over them, and how we
over get through the morning is a ques
tion for a jury. Half-past one. The
jjcliool session is over at two. Can it be
possible wo aro to bo dismissed without
knowing why Mullet nud Decker are
absent, and why tho master and little
Miggs have looked liko a funeral all day.
Tlio master strikes his bell.
"I Soys, the usual half hour for writing
will bo omitted this morning. The
school will come to order, as thero is an
important matter to bo brought before
you. During tho ten years I havo been
connected with this establishment thero
has never been any serious conflict with
my authority; never any waywardness
where pardon could not bo granted when
asked. Yesterday, however, un oll'ense
of so grave a nut mo was committed, or
at least attempted, and one! for which I
was so IRtlo prepared, that I was at a
loss to know the best way of meeting it.
Tho severe action I finally adopted is
the result of consultation and of serious
reflection on my part; and that tho les
son may not bo without benefit to you
all, I have decided to inform the school
of the whole matter, together with the
course, my method of punishment has
taken.
A pin drop! Why, you might have
heard tho very dust fall had you been
thinking of it. We were frightened, too,
and Todd, down in tho corner, began to
cry, which might havo made some im
pression if Todd wen? not always crying ;
so wo let him whimper without much
notice, and sat watching tho door
through which tho master passed, after
charging us to keep our seat". We had
not long to wait only time to say :
" .Shut up, Todd," once or twice, when
the door reopened.
Tho master, Mullett, Decker, and
and is it possible, Coles, tho constable !
We rub our eyes and stretch our necks,
but cannot change that burly form into
anything hut Coles, tho constable. This
was more thau wo bargained for, having
thought the excitement would culminate
in a public Hogging, or at tho most an
expulsion. The culprits were placed be
fore master's desk, and Coles took a seat
' on tho platform beside him.
"Little Miggs, will you como and take
this chair, it' you please."
The Uiy slowly arose, took his crutch,
. and limped to tho seat assigned him. As
ho pas-od across the floor you could see
. ho was a cripple, and a sadly deformed
one, too; but you couldn't have been iu
the school a singlo day without dis
covering t)mt ho is the favorite. Who
could umpire a game of ball or cricket
with the fairness of little Miggs ? No
ono over thought for a moment of dis
puting his decisions; and of tho cheers
which followed tho conclusion of a game,
tl lose for little Miggs always seemed the
heartiest and most prolonged.
" Boys, X learned from littlo Miggs
yesterday that a conspiracy had been
formed to commit a crime in this house.
Tho information was given that I might
bo on my guard. I could not draw from
my informant the names of those im
plicated, but through means of a fortu
nate accident I discovered the culprits.
What the crime was, and how the design
was thwarted shall be told by one who
was a listener, although an unwilling one,
at tho plotters' rendezvous. I have in
sisted on this disclosure, and I need
hardly assure you that my principal
witness tells his story with the greatest
reluctance, and only, ky my express
desire.
'If yon please, sir," said littlo Miggf,
" I wus down in the birch hut yesterday,
which we built, you know, for our ball
club meetings. There was one appoint
ed for that day, but it rained and so it
was adjourned. I was late, and didn't
get there until all the boys were gone.
It was raining so hard, that I could not
return, and as the roof isn't very tight,
the water poured through, bo I crawled
into tho large box where wo kept our
tlubs it is tho old dog kennel and I
could not have been there more than five
minutes, when I heard Mullett and
Decker talkiug outside, and by-and-bye ,
they came in and seated themselves ou
the ox over my head. I was just going
to come out, when Mullett said :
" ' But are you sure you can put your
hand on the-nioney after you got in I'
'Yes,' said Decker, ho keeps it nnder
urn pillow at night. Migirs saw him put
it thero tho day master had him sloop on
tho loungo iu his room when ho was
sick.' I lay very quiet while they talk
ed over their plans. I was very much
frightoued, sir, for I soon discovered that
they meaut to rob you last night. I
found it was their intention to pretend
sleep whon the dormitories wero inspect
ed for tho night, and thou ono was to
conceal himself in your room beforo you
came up from tho study, while tho other
was watching in tho corridor; and if suc
cessful, they wero going to hire a horse
and carriage at Jowett's early this morn
ing and get away as soon us possible
and run off to sea. Then, sir, they be
gan talking very low indeed, and the
rain upon the roof made so much noise,
I couldn't make out just what they said,
and, oh, sir! just at that moment I found
I was going to sneezo. I tried alt I
could to stop it, but it would como, and
I really think, sir, it was the loudest
sneezo I ever gave. Then thero was
nothing for mo to do but to come out.
'"See here, young ono, have you
been listeniug to all this ?' said Decker.
0h, yes, Decker,' I cried, 'and how
can you 'Now just stop that snivel
ing, or I'll give you something to cry
for, ' and I saw that Decker hal been
drinking. Then Mullett said quite
kindly, although ho was very much ex
cited : Now, little Miggs, we're bound
to carry this thing through, aud we won't
have any interference. . We musn't per
mit you to leave this place to-night and
interrupt our plans. Yes, on one condi
tion can you appear at the school this
eveniug, and that is that you will sol
emnly promise, upon your oath, not to
mention what you have heard to a single
soul until our Might has been discovered.
" ' Mullett, Mullett, how caul promise
you this?' I Baid. 'No, no ; don't ask
it. Oh, Decker, think of this awful
thing you are goiug to do ; and to the
best mastei a boy ever had. Dear
Mullett, you saved my life last winter
when my sled broke through tho ice,
and I lovo you bo I can't let you do this.
Listen to me. If only you will give
up theso wicked plans now and forever
aud ever, no. ono shall hear or know any
thing about them ; but if you will not
audi grew suddenly brave, sir I will
surely tell master every word.'
"We all stood still for a few minutes,
and the rain on tho leaves outsido and
on tho roof foil with such a lonely sound
that, I believe, sir, I began to cry. Mul
lett stretched out his hand toward mo
and said: 'Littlo Miggs, I'vo half a
mind ' when Decker, who, as I told
you beforo, sir, had been drinking,
sprang forward, and seizing mo by the
arm, said : ' Miggs, you young sneak
ing eavosdroppcr, you don't leavo this
hut to-night ; and as for you, Mullett,
if you're going to back down, I'll shoul
der the wholo thing myself, but havo a
caro how you step out of it, for you've
gone too far to prove your inuocenco
now. '
" ' I'm not going to back out,' said
Mullett.
" ' Theu help me bind Miggs to the
center post. They'll be sure to find him
to-jnorrow, and by that time we will not
caro how much ho blabs.' I prayed
Decker not to tio me thero over night ;
it was such a cruel, cruel thing, but ho
did it, sir. Mnllett insisted that I should
not stand, so ho brought a box for me to
sit ou, and then turned and looked out
of the hut while Decker tied nio with
tho measuring rope. I was faint and
dizzy, aud but for the rope under my
arms I should havo fallen over. Mui
lett eamo up and said :
" Littlo Miggs, can you forgive mo?"
" Yes,' I said, ' I forgive you, Mul
lett.' Aud that is all I remember, dear
master, until I awoke and found that
you and Crano wero como to release
mo."
"Boys," said tho master, "I will con
tinue tho narrative. Last evening, just
after tea, I was sitting in my study,
when Crano entered, breathless, with
tho astonishing announcement that he
had discovered little Miggs bound fast
iu tho birch hut, and apparently dead.
I hastened to tho place, and as 1 looked
in I feared that Crano was right, and
that littlo Miggs was indeed dead. Upon
examination, however, I found ho had
only fainted, and even as wo worked at
the rope he revived. Without question
ing I took himin my arms aud brought
him up at once to tho study. lie lay on
the loungo a long time without speak
ing. Presently he said :
" 'Master, thero will be an attempt
made to-night to rob you. Please don't
put your purse nnder tho pillow, and
then they will get nothing.'
'"Who will get nothing, little
Miggs?'"
" Oh, sir, I cannot tell you to-night,
indoed ' "
" He was interrupted by a rap at tho
door. It was tho housekeeper.
" ' Como to my room, quick, sir,
Decker is very ill,' she whispered.
" I found him on the sola, his arms
hanging lifelessly over tho back, his hair
disheveled, his clothes in disorder. In
truth, I found him not sick, but intoxi
cated. Giving instructions that ho
should not bo removed until I returned.
I left tho room air! was met iu the hall
by Mullett, who asked to have a word
with mo.
" ' Not now, Mullett,' I explained ;
l in very mucli occupied.
" ' If you please, sir, I know all about
it. Decker, little Miggs, and all ; and
if you'll only let mo, I'll confess every
thing. I can't go to bed. I cau't sleep.
Oh, sir ! I'm so miserable.
" ' Come to my study, Mullett,' I said.
As I opened the door he caught sigh; of
little Miggs. Springing to the lounge
ho threw himself upon his knees and
buried his face in his hands, and I
guessed much of the truth at once. What
I did not know was tohl me between the
sobs of the con'rite boy. But the pos
sibility of such a crime in our midst was
too imminent not to demand a severe
and long to be remembered punishment,
and this morning I placed them both
under arrest. Debauchery, theft, per
haps worse, by two of the most influential
boys in school could I do less than to
mako this an everlasting example f "
" iou cau t, dear master," cried littlo
Miggs, " but make it an example of
forgiveness. It was through mo they
aro condemned; let them through mo
be pardoned, flunk of the punishment
of this exposure. Is it not all evident
Mullett saved my lue, sir, and Decker
was always so kind aud gentle with me,
aud so ho would havo been yesterday,
only ho was not himself. Oh, sir, won't
you let it pass ?"
Oh, tho effect of theso kind words
from littlo Miggs ! At onee, there was a
differonco in feeling among tho boys.
Looks of wrath gavo place to thoso of
tiity and compassion, and tho culprits
icggod with tears forgiveness and par
don. The master was moved. He leaned
his head upon his hands in deep thought,
then arose aud talked in a low voice with
tho constable, who afterward left the
room.
" Boys, I have decided to hold a court
of my own. You shall bo tho jury, and
little Miggs hore shall bo judge."
His faeo seemed to cloar as though
somo weighty matter wero lifted from
his mind. . -
"Como, Mr. Judge, proceed with
yonr charge; you havo a bigger jury than
ever a magistrate presided over before."
"Boys," said littlo . Miggs, " I don't
exactly know what a chargo is, but I
want you all to say not guilty, and prom
ise to be good friends with'Mullett and
Decker, just tho same as beforo. Tho
master said I would not do right to re
fuse to tell my story, but please to forget
it all as I will, and wo will havo a gamo
of ball this afternoon, aud Mullett and
Decker Bhall chooso sides. After that
we'll have roasfr apples and nuts in tho
hall, as we planned yesterday, and no
body will remember, beeauso everybody
will forget."
" That's tho most extraordinary chargo
I over heard iu my life," says the master.
"Gentlemen, are you ready for tho
question," contiuued littlo Miggs.
"Judge," interrupted the master;
arn't you getting a littlo mixed ' on
terms?"
" Order iu tho court," said littlo
Miggs. " Guilty or not guilty f "
A unanimous "Not guilty is shout
ed with a ring.
"A standing vote," cries littlo Miggs,
jumping up aud waving his crutch.
I'll not attempt to describo tho scene
which followed, how tho housekeeper
stood iu tlio doorway waving her hand
kerchief (which proved she must have
been listening at the keyhole), raid how
my little hero suddenly lost all his
courage aiurbecamo just as bashful as
ever when we marched him on our
shoulders through tho schoolroom across
tho playground to tho dining hall.
I must tell you, however, of all tho
good promises niado that day and kopt
faithfully afterward, and of what a jolly
time we had in tho afternoon whon little
Miggs umpired tho famous ball match
between Decker and Mullett, which was
pronounced by all to havo been by far
tho liucst and most exciting gamo of tho
season. Xcw York Tribune.
Tho Luck of Konring Camp,
July 12 was a red letter day in Lako
Mining district.in tho San Juan country,
Colorado, for on that day camo an inter
esting stranger into camp not over tho
haguacho road nor over tho Antelope
park trail, but in tho good old way or
dained by God, and faithfully kept up
by mankind. On that day the wife of
S. T. Hoyt gave birth to "the first child
ever born in Lako district, and neither
father nor mother was more proud of
the event than wero the honest miners,
who dropped pick and drill, and hastened
to town as the news spread from mine to
mine, for they all regarded it as a fore
runner of a higher civilization, and wero
prouder than if they had struck a verita
ble bonanza. Tho event occurred iu the
mornii4&, and when toward' evening it
was announced that tho first born iu
Lako City would hold a general recep
tion, all were eager to gnzo on that lit
tlo Hiito of humanity which is to grow
with tho growth of our mines, and be
somo day known as tho abiuitio settler
in the metropolis of southwestern Col
orado. Ho was passed from hand to
hand, and it was curious to note tho
manner iu which ho was manipulated.
Somo wero thero who wished to be con
sidered iu the ranks of tho singly blessed,
who betrayed themselves by tlio easy
graco with which they dandled him upon
tho palms of their outstretched bauds;
others wero thero who excited great
alarm in tho breasts of tho doctor and
nurse by tho awkward way in which
they grabbed tho littlo fellow, aud held
him up as though ho had a ramrod in
his back and was a natural born drum
major. A number of complimentary re
marks were mado, after which tho crowd
adjourned to tho wet grocery establish
ment across the way. So many healths
were drank to tho little stranger that a
passer by, not kuowiug tho occasion
thereof, might imagine that Lako City
had lost its calendar, aud was celebrating
tho Fourth eight days behind time.
Tuylng Amateurs.
A London correspondent says it has
lately become tho fashion for amateurs
to accept money for their services. The
writer knows several pel sons who go out
to parties and sing professionally, ono of
them being a barrister, another iu tho
civil service, and a third the owner of a
vine plantation. The host sends a check
next day, with a line to the following
etl'ect : " My dear Mr. So-and-So : A
thousand thauks for your kindness last
night. You were simply charming, and
we all were so obliged to you. Yours.
sincerely, Party Giver." One of these
singers recently attended a soiree given
by tho lord mayor of a provincial town.
He was on tho point of leaving when the
lord mayor stopped him (he had not said
a word to him tho whole evening) and.
addressed him as follows : ".'Ere, young
man, this five-pound uoto is for what
you have been adoiug for to amooso us."
Their Diamonds.
It is not generally known that tho
Mexican women of the wealthier classes
use as oruameuts, on extraordinary oc
casions, live lire-flies, which in the dark
emit a bright phosphorescent light
They belong to the family of leaping or
springing beetles, aud are called by tho
Spanish eueujo. They are kept in ele
gant littlo cages, and fed on slices of
sugarcane and bathed twice a day, either
by the ladies themselves or by their
niaids. In tho evening they nro put
into littlo sacks, shaped liko roses, and
attached to tho ladies' dresses. Tho
light these littlo bugs emit surpasses iu
brilliancy tho rellcctiou of the purest
diamonds.
The Settlers of rennsjlvnnla.
A correspondent of tho Bucks County
Iiifrllifawcr says : " Tho oldest place
offuligious worship in Pennsylvania is a
Friends meeting-house, erected in 1095,
iu lower Morion township, about fivo
miles from Philadelphia." It may bo tho
oldest place of religious worship in Penn
sylvann now standing, but tho way
tho fact is slated may lend to erroneous
improssiom'. Til 1(510 tho Swedes built
and consecrated their lirst church at
Tinieum, now in Delaware county, and
in 1077 they built another Swedes'
church iu Southwark. In 1700 the lat
ter was replaced by tho prosout building,
which is thus, as a place of publio wor
ship, eighteen years older than tho
Morion meeting-house, while it is five
years younger as a houso for publio wor
ship. The writer in tho Jntdlirrnrcr
gives iu brief form and with sufficient
accuracy of detail a clear view of tho
heterogeneous character of tho popula
tion of Pennsylvania a century and a
half ago. Tho Swedes were first on tho
ground;- and built along the Delaware
river and its tributaries. Then came
the Dutch, and subsequently tho Eng
lish, with Penn, who founded Phila
delphia, and filled up Delaware and
parts of Chester, Montgomery, Bucks
and Lancaster counties. Tho Welsh
followed, and extended settlements to
Berks county and along tho Schuylkill
as far as Beading.
Tho Irish, Scotch-Irish and Germans
completed tho nationalities, moving hero
iu great numbers, although New Eng
laudors from Connecticut settled along
tho AVyoming valley, and Hollanders
and Fronch Huguenots in tho southern
part of Bucks county. All of these
people havo loft traces of their early
settlements in tho names of towns, vil
lages and counties, and in the family
names of Peunsylvanians. Tho great
mass of tho settlers tho English, Ger
mans aud Welsh belong to religious
societies or sects which wero averse to
war, aud it is related that it was this fact
which determined tho location of the
Scotch-Irish along the Susquehanna and
Juniata aud iu Lancaster county tho
frontier of tho settlements where they
could defend their more peaceful neigh
bors from Indian depredations. Their
public services in those days havo been
continued to the present time, some of
Pennsylvania's most noted poMticians,
governors and representatives of recent
times bearing tho names of their Scotch
Irish progenitors.
Getting Rid of her Daughter's Beau,
Sho lives down on Baker street, Do
troit, aud, tho Free Press says, sho has a
daughter about eighteen years old. The
old lady retains all her simplicity and
innocence, and sho doesn't go two Cents
on stylo. Tho other evening when a
splendid catch called to escort tho
daughter to the opera tho mother would
not tako the hint to keep still. While
helping her daughter to get ready sho
asked:
"Mary, aro you going to wear tho
shoos wilh ono heel oil', or tho pair with
holes iu 'em ?"
Mary didn't seem to hear, aud tho old
lady inquired:
" Are you going to wear that dollar
gold chain and that washed locket, or
will you wear tho diamond father bought
at tho hardware store ?"
Mary winked at her, and tho young
man blushed, but the mother went on:
"Aro you going to borrow Mrs.
Brown's shawl, or will you wear mine ?"
Mary bustled around tho room, and
the mother said :
" Bo careful of your dress, Mary ; you
know it's tho only ono you've got, and
you can't havo another until tho mort
gage on this place is lil ted, "
Mary remarked to her escort that it
promised to bo a beautiful evening, and
as sho buttoned her glovo her mother
asked:
"Those aro Mrs. Hardy's gloves,
ain't they? She's keen a good neighbor
to ns, and I don't know how you'd man
ago to go any whero if sho didn't livo
near ns."
Mary was hurrying to get out of tho
room, when tho mother raised her voice
once moro and askod:
" Did you run into Mrs. Jowett's and
borrow her bracelet and fan ? Yes, I seo
you did. Well, now, you do look real
stylish, aud I hopo' you'll havo a good
time."
Mary sits by her window in the palo
moonlight and sighs for the splendid
young mau to como and beau her around
some more, but ho hasn't been seen up
that way since that night. Tho old lady,
too, says that he seemed like a nice
young man, and she hopes he hasn't
been killed by tho street cars.
A Mule, Story,
A boy in St. Louis was recently pre
sented with a jackknife, with which, boy
liko, he cut and marked everything tliat
camo in his way, from tho dining-room
table to the cat's tail. A few days after
ho had become the happy possessor of
the knife, his father was startled bv see
ing two men bringing homo the young
mn'iTim i u u vciy uimiiuuii;ii eumilMOll.
His face seemed to be cut and bruised,
and covered with blood. The father, of
course, was very much alarmed, and in
quired of tho boy who, hit him.
" Nothing didn't hit mo, sir," tho boy
answered, between his sobs; "it was
only a mulo kicked me iu tho eye.'' " A
mule kicked yon iu the eye, eh ? re
peated the father. " Haven't I told you
a thousand times or more that mules and
gunpowder wero not lit things for boys
to fool with I What were you doing to
tho mule ?" ' I wasn't foolin' with 'em
at all, said the boy; " I was only try
iug to cut my name on his back."
The Piano. One of the Siamese em
bassadors, on returning homo from
Europe, gave tho following description
of a pianoforte, or as he called it, " a
great trunk set upon legs." He said
A woman tits in front of this, and tick
ling a sort of tail it has with her toe, pro
duces a variety of sounds by beating
rapidly with her liugors on a number of
little bits of ivory in front of it.
An ordinary lighthouse whero oil is
used gives an illuminating power equal
to about two hundred caudles. An elec
trio light in Euglaml flashes over tho
North sea its condensed beams, each of
which is moro than an equivalent to the
combined light of 800,000 caudles.
MOW M0XEY IS MADE.
A VInIi to n Inlli'd Ml mew lllnl.
Out the Vrllnw IIuvk.
Turning
A San Francisco correspondent of the
Now York Tribune says : After being
refined and assayed, tho gold is turned
over to tho inciter and rofiner to bo made
into ingots. Copper is used as alloy in
tho proportion of nine of gold to ono of
copper, tho standard of American coin
being .000 fine. To ascertain the amount
of copper to be added, tho gross weight
is multiplied by the fineness of the gold
and divided by .900, which gives the
number of standard ounces, or in other
words, what it would weigh is .900 fine.
Tho difference between tho gross and
standard woights is the amount of copper
to bo added. The " melts," as they aro
then termed, aro sent to tho ingot fur
naces whero they aro melted and run
into ingot mollis, whero tho metal hard
ens instantly. Tho ingots aro then
plunged into a pickle-tub containing a
solution of sulphuric acid which removes
tho impurities on tho surface, and a
trifling proportion of copper. The first
and last ignots in each melt, which aro
reserved for assaying, aro chipped at
either end beforo pickling. From the
picklo tho ingots nro cooled in a tank of
water. At one end of each ingot is a
hollow plaeo liko that of a glass bottle
caused by tho air in tho bottom of tlio
mold, and this end is topped off in a ma
chine. Tho bars arc then filed to re
move the rough edges, and each "melt"
is placed in a separate box and goes to
tho weighing-room, and is weighed. A
"melt" of gold contains about 2,950
ounces, and of silver about 1,600.
The ingots, when ready for the coiner,
are for $20 gold pieces twelve and one
half iuches long, one and one-half inches
wide, and ono aud one-half inch thick;
for eagles, half and quarter eagles, for
half dollars, dimes, etc., tho bars vary
according to tho size and thickness of
the coin. Tho coiner takes theso ingots,
or bars, and runs them between two
heavy cylinders, which l educes the
largo gold and silver bars to strips three
and one-lmlf feet long, one nnd one-half
inches wide, and ono fourth of an thick.
They are then taken to the annealing
furnace, and placed in long copper pipes
and heated to a cherry color, theu cooled
in a tank of water, theu broken down
again, and their length materially in
creased at the expense of their thickness.
Again they aro annealed, then greased
or waxed, and aro finally ready to be
punched out. The long strips are passed
into a machine which cuts out of the
band of gold and silver blanks tho size
of tho coin desired. Theso may bo de
scribed as gun wads, sinco tho manner of
cutting them is so similar. Tho machine
is a very powerful ono, and punches out
the blank coins as easily as a shoemaker
uses his punch. Ono machine can cut
about 20,000 pieces a day. Tho blanks
aro then turned over to a room lull of
women, who adjust tho weight. Each
woman sits beforo a small scale into
which each piece is placed. Tho scale
weighs to tho thousandth part of au
ouneo. If tho pieco is too heavy the
woman files it a little; if too light sho
rejects it, and it in remelted. Each
woman wears a leather apron into which
Uio tilings go, and they aro thus saved.
When tha blanks aro adjusted to the
proper weight they go to the milling
machine. Tlio milling does not, as gen
erally supposed, consist iu corrugatiug
tho edge ot a coin like a tile, but in rais
ing the edge on the two sides of a coin.
This is done by passing it through a
very ingenious machine, and tho gun
wad is still smooth ou its edge and sur
faces, wilh a raised lino on each side
bordering its edge. Again it is annealed
to make it soft and malleable, for ollier
wiso il would bo brittloand lly to pieces.
Only one process is now left to com
plete the coin, and this need take only
a moment to describe. Tho finishing is
done by ono machine, which seems to
mo tho perfection of mechanism. It is
called tho coining press, and thero are
six of thorn iu ono room. One is unusu
ally handsomo in appearance and im
mense in size. It is used exclusively on
double eagles, and happened to bo at
work. With ono motion of tho machine
tho coin was struck on both sidos and the
file edge placed around it, and so per
fect is its working, that tho only sound
heard was the clicking and jingling of
the perfect coin as they fell, about sixty
a miuuto, into tho r.heet iron box be
neath. Its motions are not unlike thoso
of a printing press, but its power may
bo imagined when it is contrasted with
tho latter, which prints on paper while
the former embosses on metal. Tho
blank coins aro placed iu au upright
tuba connected with the press, and a pair
of agile iron fingers slip one coin at a
timo from tho bottom and push it under
tho stamp which contains thd dio for ono
side of tho coin, tho reverso being on
tho "bed." Tho lover comes down with
a force that would crush railroad iron,
and yet without noise, and tho same
agilo fingers that push the blank coin
under tho stamp push tho finished coin
out. The press weighs' 18,000 pounds,
aud cost a dollar for every pound. Its
name is Ajax. When tho coin is finish
ed, it is delivered to tho treasurer in
bulk, uncounted. It is, however, weigh
ed, and has to bo accurate to tho weight
of a grain. Tho coin is net counted un
til it is paid out over the counter. The
deliveries to tho treasurer aro termed
drafts, aud after weighing each draft it
it put in a canvas sack by itself and
stowed away in tho treasurer's vault, to
bo paid out ou chocks and find its way
iuto circulation through tho various
channels of finance aud trade.
Tlio Working Girls.
A New York uaner savs: A harder
lot can hardly bo pictured thau that of
some of tho working girls of this city.
xuey are isolated from the society they
would like to enter, cannot dress accord
ing to fashion or their owu tastes, can
not make their own rooms neat or even
comfortable, cannot choose their asso
ciates, are crowded together in the shop,
and they are herded together in unclean
lodgings. Their food is often unwhole
some. Good pooplo shun them, and the
vulgar joer at them on the street. They
often feel that they belong to a pariah
class, and every effort they make to rise
in tho world is met with Home obstacle
hard to overcome. More ought to bo
dono in wise and generous ways for tho
benefit of the working women of tho
land.
Did He Succeed 1 ,
Dr. Holland, in tS'cribncr's, says that
somewhat less than forty years ago there
moved among tho students of Yalo Col
lego a young man, poorly dressed, bill
uuiei iy in neiuiiig imu in uuiiu. n
was nroti iu tno country, among numuio
surroundings, but he was a gentleman
irom ino crown ol his head lo the soles
of his feet, and iu every fib-r of his
body and mind. Slender, lull, hand
some, with nu intellectual brow, a lino
voice and a Christian spirit, ho had every
possession of nature Rud culturo neces
sary to win admiration, respect und af
fection. This man wa3 poor ; so, b?fore
his educational course was completed.
ho was obliged to leavo college, and to
rosort to teaching for a livelihood ; but,
wherever ho moved, ho won tho strong
est personal friends. Men named their
boys after him. Women regarded him
as a model man, and tlio naino of btill
man A. Clemens stood iu high honor iu
all tho littlo communities in which it was
known.
He was particularly fond of mechanics
aud mathematics a born inventor, with
moro than the ordinary culturo of tho
American inventor. Ho had an exquisite
literary facility, rare witi, a fuio appre
ciation of humor, and good conversa
tional powers. Indeed ho seemed to bo
furnished with all desirable powers and
accomplishments except thoso which
were necessary to enable him to "get on
iu tho world." Ho was born poor, and,
tho other day, after a life of dreams and
disappointments, he died poor. Tho
brown head and beard had grown gray,
tho spare figure was bowed, aud tho end
of his life was accompanied by circum
stances of torture which need not bo do
tailed hero. Tho life which, for thirty
years, had been an unbroken struggle
with adversity, went out, and the weary
worker was at rest.
Tho inventor's dreams wero always
large. They all had " millions iu them."
First, in an arrangement of centrifugal
force for the development of motive
power ; then in a machine or process
for detaching tho mauila fiber ; then iu
a cotton-press of uniquo construction,
for compressing cottou so completely at
the gin that it would need no further treat
ment for shipping ; then iu a ilax dress
ing machino ; and last iu a rollway which
was to displaco forever tho present rail
way system, aud solve tho problem of
cheap transportation. In tho cotton
pressing machine ho mado an incidental
invention, to which he attached no spe
cial importance, out of which others
havo since mado the fortnno which, dur
ing all his lifo, was denied to him. Ho
strewed his way all along with ideas of
immense value to all around him. It is
not a year sinco ho read his paper beforo
au association of engineers at Chicago,
exposing in detail his rollway invention;
and it is said that on tho morning of his
death ho was called upon by a capitalist,
with reference to subjecting this inven
tion to a practical test. It was a magnifi
cent project, aud wo hopo that it may
yet bo tried, though ho in whoso fertile
bruin it originated is beyond tho satis
faction of success and tho shame of
failure.
Well, did our friend succeed, or did
ho fail ? Thero wero mean men around
him who becamo rich. Thero wero sor
did men in tho largo community iu which
his later years were spent whoso money
llowed in upon them by millions. Thero
wero brokers and speculators, and mer
chants and hotel proprietors, and manu
facturers, who won more wealth than
they knew how to use, while ho was toil
ing for tho beggarly pittance that gavo
him bread, or floundering iu tlio new
disappointments with which each year
was freighted. They " succeeded," as
the world would say, but let us see what
this man did. Ho used every faculty ho
possessed for forwarding tho world's
great intercuts. Ho put all his vitality,
all his ingenuity, all hit knowledge, iuto
tho couutry's service. Tho outcome is
not yet, but tho outcome is just as sure
as tho sprouting of a sound seed in good
soil. The wealth ho did not win will go
into tlio collers of others, lie never
sacrificed his manhood. Ho kept him
self spotless. Ho did not repine or whine.
Tho maw who saw him in his last years
found him still tho courteous Christian
gentleman, bearing his trials with pa
tience, trusting iu tho Infinite goodness,
accepting his discipline with more
equanimity, and still hopeful and per
sistent. Ho maintained his courage aud his
self-respect. Ho won and kept his
personal friends. Ho went to his gravo
with clean hands, and his soul ready for
tho welcome exchange of- worlds. Ho
left behind him the memory of a charac
ter which money cannot build and can
not buy. It was au honor to bo affec
tionately associated with him. it is a
high honor to bo called upon to. record
tuo lesson of his life, and a high duty to
command it.
Did ho succeed ? Yes, ho did ; and
tho commnnity iu which rest his
precious remains could do itself no
higher honor thau to erect over them a
stone bearing tho inscription : " Here
lies Stillmau A. Clemens, who died poor
iu this world's goods and poor iu spirit,
but rich in faith, rich in mind and heart,
rich in character and iu all tho graces of
a Christian gentleman, aud rich in tho
affection of all who knew him and were
worthy of his acquaintance."
That ho wanted wealth to bestow upon
those whom he loved wo do not doubt.
That ho wanted it to prove that his
dreams wero not baseless, is true, we
presume. That ho dreamed of it among
his other dreams would be very natural
Tho dream has come true.
"That dream he carried iu a hopeful spirit,
Until in death his patient eye grow dim,
And tho ltodeeuicr called him to inherit
The heaven ot wottlth km;,' garuorod up for
una.
Where They Live.
President Grant's resuleuce is in
Washington. Before the war he resided
in Galena, Illinois. Ho has, however,
a form near St. Louis, but has never
claimed it as his residence. Vice-Presi
dent Wilson's residence is supposed to
beatNaticK, JVlass.; Secretary Fish re
sides in New York State; Secretary
Bristow at Louisville, Ky. ; Secretary
llobosou at Camden, N. J.; Secretary
JSclkuap, Keokuk, Iowa ; Secretary Do
lano, Mount Vernon, Ohio ; Attorney-
General Piorrepont, New York city ;
Postmutitur-GciMial Jewell, Hartford,
Couu,
Hems or Interest.
A Minnesota woman killed eighteen
bushels of grasshoppers iu ono week, and
got ono dollar a bushel,
i f you havo nothing", mid your girl has uothiuy,
Don t lio in hafite to wed ;
I'or nothing and noMiing nmko nothing,
And nothing won't chow liko broad.
Married peoplo will havo no difficulty
in getting along well if they always
keep two bears in tho bouse bear and
forbear.
I never place much reliance on n man
who is always telling what ho would havo
done had he been there. I have noticed
that somehow this kind of people never
get there.
Tlio custom of remaining uncovered
in church commenced about tlm begin
ning of tho seventeenth century. An
order to that effect was issued soon
after tho accession of James I., in IdlKJ.
The longest night iu Norway lasts
three months, and when a young man
goes to seo his girl, her mother, before
retiring, tells her not to ruin her health
by sittiug up more than than two months.
A lady having been ordered by her
physician to a warmer climate, her hus
band remarked that if thero was a warm
er climate than ho had boon living in
sinco his marriago ho was not aware of
it.
An explosion lately occurred at tho
pyrotechnic school iu Toulon, which
killed three officers. A drop of perspira
tion, falling ou matter that is not explo
sive, except in contact with water, was
what did it.
Johu (who has been carrying on this
sort of thing for about seven years)
" Do you know, Mary, I really think wo
ought to bo settling down shortly. What
do you say, now, if we arrange for about
say two years' time?"
The humorist of tho Detroit Free
PrenH is to bring out a book, aud his
enemies, if ho has any, aro rejoicing.
Tho Providence J'rexs thinks that " Died
of a funny book Gono to meet tho
Danbury Xctc man" will do for his
epitaph.
Student of history " Professor, nro
kings and queens always tho highest ?"
Professor "Certainly, why do you ask
such a nonsensical Question I" Student
".because 1 noticed that in a came of
railroad euchre, the joker" Profes
sor "Leavo tho room, sir!"
' Jessio, what was Joe's arms doing
round your waist when you wero at tho
front gate last night ?" asked a precocious
boy of his sister. " His arm wasn't
round my waist ; I wou a belt from him,
and he was taking my measure," replied
tho indignant young lady.
A minister, while marrying a couple
of his rustio parishioners, felt exceed
ingly disconcerted, on his asking tho
bridegroom it ho wero willing to tako
tho woman for his wedded wife, by hia
nJii.lvU.D lj. l.w.1 a - - o - )
I'm wullin'; but I'd rather hao her sis
ter." " My dear," inquired a young wife of
her husband, as she reached up her lit
tle mouth to bo kissed on his return
from business, "havo you seen the, mag
nificent sot of walnut furniture which
tho Jenkinses havo just bought?"
" Hem, no, my love; but 1. havo seen tho
bill, which quite satisfies inc."
At St. John, N. B., a well -drewd
woman entered a store and paid lorn
butter tub which she had bought thirty
years before. Sho had paid for tho but
ter at the time of purchase, and promised
lo pay for or return t lio tub, but neglect
ed to do either. For thirty yruru her
onscienco troubled her about the Mat
ter, and at last drovo her to payment.
"Do you get off hire?" asked tlio
Mirsor of tho steamer City of Newport
if a lady, as tho bout was within two or
hreo hundred rods of Bullock's point,
Tuesday afternoon. " No," she re
sponded, and just as the purser was
about to tell her that she would havo to
buy a return ticket sho continued: "1
get off when tho boat reaches the wharf."
At a Wale-ring 1'late.
Habitues of the summer hotels and
watering places will recognize the fol
lowing as a correct specimen of tho
domestic dialogues which take place
while tho iwl rluiiuUux is wailing lor
tho omnibus to drive up to tho front
piazza, or his buggy to lake him to tho
steamboat landing, or for tho whistle of
tho expected locomotive :
" lou havo got tho pattern lor mo
muslin, my dear ?"
" Xes."
" And you won't forget Charley's slip
pers aud my bathing dress in tho lower
ureau drawer (
"No, darling."
"And the cold cream and camphor
from tho upper shelf in tho closet, and
to bring us some books from the library,
you know, aud a bottle of cologne."
lea, yes.
"And baby's caps, you know, and tell
the dressmaker about having my dress sent
by express, for 1 want it at tlio hop.
And do ask Aunt Maria to send my
driving gauntlets, JL forgot them.
"Anything else f
could step over to ma's and ask her to
lend mo that purple and white hood,
aud bring me down a new suu umbrella,
and my India rubbers to wear when wo
go out iu tho boat, it is so damp that "
" Stop, darling I I'vo just thought of
something 1 want to do myseli.
"What is it, dear?
" Why, I want to run in my store for
five minutes for my own business, if
there's any timo left after transacting
yours."
jjor now, tjiiaries, j. nope you lire
not going to bo disagreeable about a few
littlo errands, I'm sure."
Charles "Oh, not in tho least ; only
I haven't quite got used to this express
business yet, and can only giye only
nine-tenths of the timo to it this sum
mer, that's all, toot&ioums there's tho
engine whistle."
Good-byo, dear, don't forget the "
But tho rest of the sentence was lost
in tho rattle of wheels that bore Charles
on his way to town.
Tub Coai Tuade. The supply sentt
from all tuo cool regions so far this year
foots up 10,195,578 tons, against 10,507,
858 tons to same period last yeur ; de
crease, 312,201 tons. Tho decreuso in .
anthracite from last year's returns is
110,057 tons.