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HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. NIL DESPERANDUM. Two Dollars per Annum.
YOL. Y. ' RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1875. NO. 45.
Remember the Poor.
Nov winter has come, with its cold, chilling
breath,
And the verdure has dropt from the trees,
All nature Beemed touched by the finger of
death,
And the streams are beginning to froezo ;
When wanton young lads o'or the river can
slido,
And Flora attends ns no more
When in plenty you sit by a good fireside,
Then you ought to remember the poor.
When the cold feathered snow shall in beauty
descend
And whiten the prospect around,
When the keen cutting winds from the north
shall attend,
Hard chilling and freezing the ground
When the hills and the daloB are all covered
with white,
And the rivers concealed to the shore ;
. Whon the bright twinkling star shall proclaim
a cold night,
Then you ought to remember the poor.
When the poor harmless hare may be traced
to the wood
By her footsteps indented in snow ;
When the lips and the fingers are starting with
blood,
When the marksmen a cook shooting go ;
When the poor robin redbreast approaches her
cot,
And the icicles hang at the door,
When your bowl smokes with seme tiling revi
ving and hot,
Then you ought to remember the poor.
When a thaw shall ensue and the waters in
crease, And the rivers all insolent grow,
Whou the fishes from prison obtain a release,
When in danger the travelers go j
When the meadows are hid by the proud swell
ing flood.
And the bridges are nscful to more,
When in loullh yon enjoy ever; thing that 'is
good,
Sure you ought to remember tbo poor.
Soon tbo day will be here when our Savior was
born ;
All tongr.es chall unite as one voice,
All natijns shall join to salute the blest morn,
All tl.o ends of the earth shall rejoico,
Grim dea:h is deprived of his all-killing sting,
An 1 the pravo is triumphant no mere ;
Saint, angels and men hallelujah ehull sing,
And the rich ehall remember tho poor.
DEB.
Tho solemn bell was ringing the mill
girl t in by broad sunlight ono noon,
when there cuno a knock at the door,
nnd behind it the youug lady- of whom I
heard. Dub was startled by the kuoek,
mid frightened by tho young lady. It
wna not often that visitors enmo to Brick
ill toy, and it was still less often that
Brick alley had a visitor that knocked.
n-1.:,. 1 .. 1 f 1 T..K'
i t .limb wurt u juuug muj iui tvjiuiu iou a
"J mother did tine washing. Deb's mother
-.wiped her hands and placed a chair, and
the young lady sat down. She was a
straight lady, with strong feet, and long
brown feathers in her bat, and soft
brown gloves upon her hands. She had
come, she said, with that Cluny set, she
found she should need for a party this
very night ; indeed, was in so much
haste for it that she had hunted Deb's
mother up which was a matter of some
difficulty as she never had the least idea
where she lived before, aud how crooked
the stairs wcie 1 But the lace was very
yellow, ns sho saw, aud would she be
sure to have it done at uiuo o'clock to
night? nud
Aud then, turning her head suddenly,
the (straight young lady saw poor crooked
Deb in her high chair, with wonder in
her eyes.
"1 wonder if I frightened her,"
thought Deb; but sho only wondered,
nnd did not speak.
" Is this your"
"Yes," said Deb's mother, "the
eldest. Fifteen. I'll try my best,
ma'om; but I don't know as I ought to
promt-e." She spoko in a business-like
tone, and turned tho Cluny lace a
dainty collar and a pair of soft cuffs
about in her bauds in a business-like
way. A breath of some kind of scentpd
wood struck ill a little gust against Deb's
faco. Shu wondered how people could
weave sweet smells iuto a piece of lace,
aud if tho youug lady knew; or if she
knew how much pleasatiter it was than
tho onion that Mrs. MoMahoney cooked
for dinner every day in the week but
Sunday, upon tho first floor. But it
gave her quite enough to do to wonder
without speaking.
"Fifteen I" repeated the young lady,
standing up very straight, aud looking
very sorrv. " How long has she been
like that i"
"Born so," said Deb's mother; "she
has jest sot in that chair ever since she's
been big enough to sit at all. Would
you try gum on these, miss!"
" But you never told me you had a
crippled child I"
The young lady said this quickly.
" You have washed for me three years,
aud you never told me you had a crip
plod 'child 1"
Pi" You never asked me, miss," said
Deb's mother.
The young lady made no reply. Sho
came and sat clown on the edge of Deb's
bed, close beside Deb's chair. She seem
ed to have forgotten her Cluny lace.
She took Deb's hand up between her
two soft, brown gloves, aud her long,
brown feathers drooped and touched
Deb's cheek. Deb hardly breathed, the
feathers aud the gloves, and the sweet
smells of scented wood, and the young
lady's sorry eyes such very sorry eyes I
were so close to the high chair.
" Fifteen years 1" repeated tho young
lfdy, very low, "in that chair poor
little gill I But you could ride," eaid
she, suddenly.
"I don't know, ma'am," said Deb.
"I never saw anybody ride but the
grooi r and the baker. I ain't like the
grocer and the baker."
" You could be blted, I mean," Raid
the yoiug lady, eagerly. "There is
somebody who lifts you?"
"Mother sets mo, geuorally," said
Deb. " Once, wheu she was very bad
with a lame ankle, Jim McMahoney set
me. He's first floor, Jim McMahoney."
' I shall be back here, " said the young
lady, still fcpeaking very quickly, but
speaking to Deb's mother now. "In
just an hour I shall come in an easy
sleigh, with warm robes. If you will
have your daughter ready to take a ride
with me, I shall be very much obliged
to you."
- The young lady finished her sentence
as if she did not know what to say, and
so said the truest thing she could think
of, whioh is what we are all in danger of
doing at times.
" Well, I'm sure 1" said Deb's mother.
" Dabitra, tell the lady "
But Dabitra could not tell the lady,
for she was already out of the door, and
down stairs, and away into the street.
And, indeed, Deb could not have told
the lady has never told the lady can
never tell the lady.
If all the summer skies, and the gold
of summer sunlight, and the shine of
summer btars fell down into your hands
at once, for -you to paint scrap-books
with, should you know what to say ?
Into the poor little scrap-book of
Deb's life the colors of heaven dropped
and blirded her on that bewildering,
beautiful, blessed ride.
In just an hour the sleigh was there,
with the easiest cushions, and the warm
est robes, and bells the merriest bells
aud the straight young lady. And
Jim McMahoney was there ; and he car
ried her down stairs to " set " her. And
her mother was there, and wrapped her
all up in an old red shawl, for Deb had
no ' things " like other little girls. The
young lady remembered that, and she
had brought the prettiest little white
hood that Deb had ever seen, and Deb's
face looked like a bruised day lily bed
between the shining wool, but Deb
could not see that ; and Mrs. McMahoney
was there, paring onions at the door, to
wish her good luck ; and all the little
McMahoneys were there, and all the
children who did wonder ; and the
grocer turned in nt the alley corner, and
the bnker stopped as he turned out, and
everybody stood nnd smiled to see her
start. The whito horse pawed the snow,
and held up his head Deb had never
seen such a horse oud the young lady
had gathered tho reins into her brown
gloves, and tho sleigh bells cried for joy
how they cried aud away they went,
and Deb was out of tho alley in a
minute, aud tho peoplo in the alley hur
rahed, and hurrahed, and hurrahed to
see her go.
That bewildering, beautiful, blessed
ride 1 How warm the little white hood
was t How the cushions sank beneath
her, and tho fur robes opened like feath
ers to the touch of her poor thiu hands !
How the bells sang to her, nud the snow
drifts blinked at her, and the icicles and
the slated roofs, and sky, and the peo
ple's faces smiled nt her I
"What's the matter?" nsked the
young lady; for Deb drew the great
wolf s robe over her face and head, and
sat so for a miuute, still and hidden.
The young lady thought she was fright
ened. " But I only waut to cry a little," said
Deb's little smothered voice. "I must
cry a little first. "
When Khe cried a littlo sho held up
her head, nud the shine of her pretty
white hood grew faint beside the shine
of her eyos nud her cheeks. The bewil
dering, beautiful, blessed ride 1
Streets, nnd a crowd, and church
spires were in it yes, and a wedding
and a funeral, too; all things that Deb
had seen iu her high chair in tho day
time with her eyes shut, she saw iu tho
sleigh on that ride with her eyes opeued
wide.
She was very still. The young lady
did not talk to her, and she did not talk
to the youug lady. Tho horse held np
Ids head. It seemed to Deb to be fly
ing. She thought that ho must bo like
tho awful beautiful horse in Revelation.
She felt as if he could take her to heaven
just as well as not, if the young lady's
brown gloves should only pull the rein
that way.
They rode and rode. In and out of
the merry streets, through and through
tho pinging bells, abont and about the
great church spires nil over, and over,
and over the laughing town. They
rode to the . river, and tho young lady
stopped tho white hoi so so that Deb
could look across, and up and down at
the shining stream and the shining
bank.
"There is so much of it," said Deb,
softly, thinkiug of the crack of it that
she had seen between two houses for
fifteen years. For the crack seemed to
be very much like fifteen years in a high
ohair, aud the long, braad-shouldered,
silvered river seemed to her very much
like this world about which she had
wondered.
They rode to the mills, and Deb
trembled to look up to their frowning
walls, aud to meet their hundred eyes;
but some of the girls who wore the little
pink bows, aud who knew her, came
nodding to look down out of them, nnd
she lett on trembling to laugh; then,
in a minute sho trembled again, for, all
at once, without any warning, tho great
bell Denied the time just over nor neaJ,
and swallowed her up in sound. She
turned palo with delighted terror, and
then siie flushed with terriaeu tieiignt.
Did it pray, or cry, or laugh f Deb
did not kuow. It seemed to her that if
tho white horse would carry her into
the great heart of that bell, she never
need sit in a high chair nt a window
again, but ride and rido with the young
lady. It seemed to her like forever and
forever.
They turned away without sppnking,
and rode aud rode. Daylight dimmed
and dusk dropped, and see ! all the town
blazed with lights. They rode aud rode
to see tho lights. Deb could not speak,
there were so many lights.
And still she could not speak when
they rode iuto Brick alley, and Jim Mo
Mahoney and her mother, and the chil
dren who did not wonder, came out to
meet her and take her back to her high
chair.
She was too happy to speak. She
need never wonder any more. She could
remember.
But the young lady did not want her
to speak. She touched her white horse,
and was gone iu a minute; and wheu the
bell rang them to sleep that night for
the young lady forgot to ask for her
Ulnny, and was too tired to go to the
party I am sure I cannot tell which was
the happier, she or Deb.
" Every man fanoies he can do three
things farm a small propetty, drive a
gig, and write an article for a review."
The Nervous System.
A striking instance of the danger of
disregarding a nervous dread is related
in the memoir of Charles Mayne Young.
A young gentleman had been appointed
attache to the British legation at St.
Petersburg. On his arrival at that capi
tal, he was congratulated by the ambas
sador on being iu time to witness the
celebration of a grand fete, and invited
to accept in the great church a seat
among those reserved for the ambassa
dorial party. Though, in such cases, an
invitation is equivalent to a command,
the attache begged to be excused. Being
pressed for his reasons, he gave them
with much reluctance.
"There will be martial music," he
said, "and I have an insuperable objec
tion to the sound of a drum. It gives
me tortures that I cannot describe. My
respiration becomes so obstructed that
it seems to me that I must die."
The ambassador laughed, saying that
he should esteem himelf culpable if ho
allowed his attache to yield to a weak
ness so silly, and commanded him to be
present at the fete.
On the day appointed all were in their
plaees, when suddenly was heard the
clang of martial music and the beat of
the great drum. The ambassador, with
ironical smile, turned to see the effect
upon the "young hypochondriac" The
poor fellow was upon the floor, quite
dead. On a post-mortem examination,
it appeared that the shock to his finely
strung nervous organization had caused
a rupture of one of the valves of the
heart.
If then, as we see, tho adult, with
every reason for subduing nervous an
tipathies, apparently so unreasonable
and ridiculous, finds it impossible to do
so, how can a little child be expectod to
control or explain them ? Scribner for
January.
Weights and Measures.
Tho following weights and measures
nre recognized by the United Stntes. A
bushel of wheat weighs 60 pounds ;
shelled corn, 50; corn iu the ear, 70;
rye, 56; outs, 32; barley 48; white beans,
60; Irish potatoes, 00; sweet potatoes, 65;
castor beans, 46; cloversecd, CO; timothy
seed, 45; flax seed, 56; hemp seed, 40;
millet Boed, 50; peas, 00; blue grass seed,
14: buckwheat, "52; dried peaches, 33;
dried apples, 24; onions, 57; salt, 65;
stonecoal,80; malt, 38; bran, 20; plaster
ing hair, 8; turnip", 55; unslaked lime,
30;' corn meal, 48; fine salt, 55; Hun
garian grass seed, 54; ground peas, 20;
a bushel of African peanuts weighs 32;
Tennessee, 28; Virginia, 22. A box 24
by 16 inches, 22 deep, contains 1 barrel.
A box 16 by 16 J iuches, 8 deep, contains
1 bushel. A box 8 bv 8 iuches, 8 deep,
contains 1 peck. A "box 4 by 4 inches.
4J deep, contains one-half peck. A box
4 by 4 iuches, 4-10 deep, contains 1
quart.
The standard bushel of the United
States contains 2,150.4 cubic inches.
Any box or measure, tho contents of
which are equal to 2,150.4 cubic iuches,
will hold a bushel of grain. In measur
ing fruit, vegetables, coal, and other
substances, one-filth must be added. In
other words, a pock measure live times
even full makes one bushel. The usual
practice is to heap th measure.
.An Electrical Likeness.
We learu that within tho last two
weeks, says the Charlotte (Va.) Chroni
cle, a singular discovery has been made
at tho house of Jesso Garth, lor many
years deceased. It is said that a. dis
tinct and nccurnto likeness of Mrs.
Garth, who has been dead for twenty
years, can bo seen on a pane of glass in
the upper sash of one of tho windows,
presenting very much the appearance of
a photograph negative. Tho discovery
is said to havo been made by n woman
who was washing clothes in tho yard,
who imagined some one was watching
her through the window, aud went iu
ftido to see who it was. Wo gather these
facts from Dr. Cha:les Brown, who has
himself seen the singular picture. Dr.
Brown remembers that about twenty
years ago Mr. Garth told him that his
wife, while standing at the window, was
stunned by a sudden flash of lightning,
and the doctor's theory is that tho'out
lines of her features were photographed
on the winWow pane at that time. The
youngest daughter of Mr. Garth, aud
others who were well acquainted with
Mrs. Garth, hnvo seen the picture, and
pronounce it a striking likeness. It is
said to bo more distinct about nine
o'clock in the morning and three in the
afternoon than at any other time of the
day.
Western Surgery.
Tho Virginia (Nev.) Enterprise gives
the following story of Western surgery
A fellow got a fearful blow on the head
with a stone spittoon at a South C street
saloon. The blow left his head all out
of shape. There was a dent in one lido
of it about four inches d9op. As he lay
there on the floor of tho saloon, the man
was a horrible-looking object. Some of
those present said the fellew's head could
never be got into shape again. A wise
looking, little old gentleman in spectacles
came to the front, however, ana said he
would fix it. Procuring an ordinary
hand-bellows he inserted the nozzle into
the ear of the injured man. After a few
puffs with the little machine the fellow's
head was brought out as smooth aud
plump as a freshly-blown bladder, and
he got up aud walked off as flno-looking
a man s&he was before he incurred the
injury.
The Latest Acrobat Dodge.
In Paris a trapeze performer allows
himself to be bred out of a mortar a dis
tanco of some forty -live feet before he
catches the swinging bar. The mortar
is actually charged with gunpowder,
which is lighted in the ordinary way
and makes a loud report. The effect of
the powder is to loosen a spring, which
sends the man spinning through space.
At first there was some difficulty in ad
justing the spring to the required
nicety, and when the performer came to
try it he was shot about six feet too lur,
sustaining a dislocated shoulder and a
broken rib. He persevered, and has
now succeeded in having himself ejected
at the required rate. "L'Homme
Obus," as he calls himself, is just now
one of the sights of 1 aria.
HATES OF INTEREST.
The Kates Allowed In the Bevernl Stntes In
'the Union, nnd In Canada.
The Philadelphia Ledger has compiled
the following statement of the rates of
interest allowed by the laws of the sev
eral States and Territories of the United
States, and of Upper and Lower Canada:
Alabama. Eight per cent. On usurious
contracts the principal only can be recovered.
Arkansas. Six per cent., bnt parties may
contraot for any rate not exceeding t.D. Usury
forfeits both principal and interest.
California. Ten per cent after a debt be
comes due, but parties may agree npon any
rate of Interest whatever, simple or compound.
Colorado Territory. Ten per cent, on money
loaned.
Connecticut. Seven per cent TJWiry for
feits interest taken in excess of legal rate.
Dakota. Seven per oent. Parties may con
traot for a rate not exoeeding twelve. Usury
forfoits all the interest taken.
Delaware. Six per cent Penalty for usury
forfeits a sum equal to tho money lent.
District of Columbia. Six per cent. Parties
may stipulate in writing for ten. Usury for
feits all the interest
Florida. Eight per cent. Usury laws re
pealed. Money may be loaned at any rate.
Georgia. Seven per cent. Parties may con
traot for twelve. A higher rate tbau twelve
forfeits interest and excess.
Idaho Territory. Ten per cent. Parties
may agree iu writing for any rate not exceed
ing two per cent per month. Penalty for
greater rate is three times the amount paid,
fine of $300, or six months' imprisonment, or
both.
Illinois. Six per cent, but parties may
agree in writing for ten. Penalty for usury
forfoits the entire interest
Indiana. Six per cent. Parties may agree
in writing for any rate not exceeding ten. Bo
yond that rate is illegal as to excess only.
Iowa. Six percent. Parties may agree in
writing for ten. A higher rate works a for
feiture of ten per cent.
Kansas. Seven per oent Parties may agree
for twelve. Usury forfeits the excess.
Kentucky. Six per cent, but contracts may
be made iu writing for ten. Usury forfaits
the whole interest charged.
Louisiana. Five per cent ; eight per cent
may be stipulated for if embodied in the face
of the obligation, but no higher than eight per
cent
Maine. Six per cent. Parties may agree in
writing to any rate.
Maryland. Six per cent. Usurious con
tracts 'cannot bo enforced for the excess above
the legal rates.
Mioliigau. Seven per cent. Fartics may
contract for any rate not exceeding- ten.
Minnesota. Seven per cent Parties may
contract to pay as high as twelve in writing,
bnt contract for higher rate is void to the
excess.
Mississippi. Six per ent. Parties may con
tract iu writing for ten. Where more than ten
is tnkeu, tho excess cauuot be'recovered.
Missouri. Six pr cent. Contract in writing
may be made for ton. The penalty for usury
is forfeiture of the interest at ten per cent.
Montana. Parties may stipulate for any
rate of interest
Nobraska. Ten per cent., or any rate on ex
press contract not greater than twelve. Usury
prohibits the recovery of any interest on the
principal.
fievad. Ten per cent ooii(s fn writ
ing may be niaJo for the payment of any other
rate.
New Hampshire. Six per cent. A higher
rate forfeits three times the excess to the per
son aggrieved suing therefor.
New Jersey. Seven por cent. Usury for
feits all interest aud costs.
Now Mexico Territory. Six per cent., but
partios may agree upon any rate.
JNew xura. seven pt( cenu usury is a
niiedenieauor, punishable by a flue of s 1.000
or six mouths' imprisonment, or both, and for
feits the principal, even in the hands of third
parties.
jNortn uarouna. aix rer ceui. ; eiuut miy
be stipulated lor when money is borrowed.
Penalty for usury is double tho amount ldnt,
aud indictment for misdemeanor.
Ohio. Six per cent. Contract iu writing
may be made for eight. No penalty attached
for violation of law. If contract is for a higher
rate than eight, it is void as to interest, and
recovery is limited to principal aud six pel-
cent.
Oregon. Ten per cent. 1'arues may agree
on twelve.
Pennsylvania. Six 'per cent. Lsunons ln-
teroi-t cannot be collected. If paid it may be
ecovcred by suit therefor within six mouths,
lthode Island. Six per cent. Any rate may
bo agreed upon.
South Uarolma.aeven per cent, usury
laws are abolished, and parties may contract
without limit. Contracts must be in writing.
Teuuesteo. Six per cent. Parties may con
tract iu writing for any rate not exceeding ten
per cent.
Texas. Eight por cent. AU n-ury laWB
abolished by tbo Constitution.
Utah Territory. ion per cent, ko usury
laws. Any rato may be agreed on.
Vermont. Six per cent. Usury forfeits only
the exoess.
Virginia. Six por cent. Lenders forfeit all
interest in case of usury.
Vabiuctou Territory. Ten per cent. Any
rate agreed upou in writing is valid.
West Virginia. oix per coin, .excess or in
terest cannot be recovered if usury is pleaded.
Wisconsin. Seven per cent. Parties may.
contract iu writing for ten. No interest can
be computed on interest. Usury forfeits all
the inteiest paid.
Wyoming Territory. Twelve per cent, but
any iate may be agreed upou in writing.
Upper Cauada. Six ptr cent., but parties
may agree upon any rate.
Loner Canada. Six per cent., but any rate
may be stipulated for.
The Currency act of Congress limits
national banks to a rate of six per cent.
In the District of Columbia, Congress
allows a rate of ten per cent. The State
laws are all more liberal than the act of
Congress, and there, it is thought by
many, injustice is done the national
banks. Besides, the peoplo of each
State, the Ledger has always contended,
should bo at liberty to pay for money
what they please, and should have the
sole right to fix the rate. Congress
should legislate only for the district.
Frightened at his Shadow.
This is an Indian story, told by the
Evansville Journal : A night or two
ago one of our prominent merchants
went home late with his mind distracted
by columns of figures and a little absent
minded. The house is ou the coiner,
and a gaslight throws its enlivening
rays straight through the front window.
He opened the front door, and after
locking it opened the parlor door to walk
through. The blinds had been allowed
to remain up, and as he walked iu the
room his shadow fell full and plainly on
the opposite wall. He stopped short at
the sight, and in a moment thoughts of
burelars sailed through his mind, and
he felt for his pistol pocket, but there
was no weapon at homo. Then he be
gan to back quietly out of the door, with
the hope that if be got quietly out with
out srivinsr the alarm lie would not be
shot by the burglar, whom he saw feel
for his pistol simultaneously with him
self. Then he backed to the front door
and opened it rapidly, losing sight of
the intruder. As he was backing out of
the front door, however, tho shadow
fell on tho front door also, and it looked
so familiar that he stopped and reflected
and then went in ana got to bed.
COL. GOWEN S CLAIM.
Denllnns with Hlnh Olllclnls In St. Peters
bornHow a Claim was Disposed of.
Col. John E. Gowen, the American
engineer, who is treating with the British
admiralty for the contract of raising the
iron-clad Vanguard, sunk in the British
channel, in 1862, completed the great
work of raising the Russian fleet iu the
harbor of Sobastopol, and presented his
bill for payment. The demand was
355,000 roubles, which is equal to about
that number of dollars iu greenbacks.
The Grand Duke Constantino, from
whom Col. Gowen received the commis
sion, approved the claim and ordered it
paid. It was handed to Governor Gen
eral Glazinapp, who recommended that
bondo be issued for the amount. Min
ister of Marine Krabbe, however, thought
it too small a sum to be paid iu bonds,
and, proposed to pay the money in
ton years in annual installments. The
colonel would not agree to this.
" Well, the Grand Duke has ordored
that you bo paid," said the minister,
" and we'll have to find you the money ;
but my budget is made up and I don't
see exactly how it is to be managed.
You'd better go abroad and travel for a
month, and when you come back your
money will be ready for yon."
A month later the colonel again pre
sented himself to the minister.
"Well, sir, you've doue a pretty
thing, haven't you raised mischief in
my department ? was the colonel's greet
ing from Krabbe. " You and your 16,
000 roubles. I was your friend, but
understand henceforth I'm your enemy,
and shall oppose you even getting one
dollar of your claim."
The 16,000 roubles matter referred to
was a claim of which some officer of the
marine department had tried to defraud
him, and, before leaving St. Petersburg,
acting upon the advice of assistant min
ister of marine Gregg, he had laid the
facts of the case before the minister of
justice, who made them a subject of
complaint to Krabbe, and hence the lat
ter's anger.
" If you don't pay me," said the col
onel, " I'll have to see his imperial high
ness, the Grand Duke Constantino,
about it. "
"You may if yon like; but you'll
never get a dollar if I can help it, was
the reply.
Col. Gowen wrote the Grand Duke,
saying that ho had not been paid, and
requesting an audience. What followed
is best told in his own words :
"An aide-de-camp called upon me
with tho message from the Grand Duko
that I should be paid before I left St.
Petersburg, and requesting me to call at
his palaoo before nine o'clock tho noxt
morning. On .vi.ri-gf 4 tlo pain.. X
wuaiiuwu into the Grand Duke's apart
ment, where, to my surprise and annoy
ance, I found him conversing with the
minister of marine, my declared enemy.
The Grand Duke arose, shook hands
with me, and eaid: "Col. Gowen, I
have had a higher opinion of you than
of any other foreigner who has ever come
to this country, aud I am very sorry that
you should come here a second time to
be paid."
" Why, I havo never been paid one
cent," I replied.
" The minister tells me he has paid
you," said ho, turning to Krabbe.
" He has beeu paid. I paid him my
self," said Krabbe, throwing a signifi
cant glance at me.
" No, sir you know that I havo not
received one penny," I exclaimed.
" I cannot allow this altercation in my
presence," said the Graud Duke.'
"isut, 1 assure you i continued,
when he interrupted me, saying :
"Col. Uowen, whom do you suppose
I would believe you, a strxnger, whom
I have known only a few years, or a
minister of tho empire ?"
" it is not necessary to belie vo eitlier
of us," I said. "If I have been paid
surely there is some record of it iu the
department. Have the books exa i ined
-they will tell the story."
"No, sir," he said, ri
ising, " this
audience is at an end," and I was bowed
out.
Col. Gowen has not been paid, having
received no other rewards for his valu
able service than tho thanks of the
crown and the decoration of the order of
St. Stanislaus. He his made frequent
applications to Secretary Fish for an
official letter in his behalf to our min
ister at St. Petersburg requesting him to
lay the faets before the imperial govern
ment, but Mr. Fish has refused to in
terfere. The colonel brought strong in
fluence to bear npon him, and, at one
time, had some hope of success, but the
i ish-Uatacazy trouble followed, and he
has now abandoned all hope of help
from the incumbent Administratiou.
The injustice of this treatment is well
known in European diplomatic circles.
Prince GortchakoiT, whom he met in
Baden, told him that he knew him to be
one of the worst-used men in the world
but could not help him, aud Lord
Pulmerston once, speaking of the claim,
said to him : "If you were a British
subject, colonel, I promise you, you
would not have to wait long for your
money." &'un.
Wise Sayings.
You cannot whip tho fear out of a
boy.
It is a safe plan to wateh tho man close
who suspects everybody.
Men's judgments often make a blun
der, but their conscience never does.
To supply a man's necessities takes
but little, but to feed his desires takes
an empire.
I never knew a lazy man yet but what
thought he was the hardest working man
in all his neighborhood.
'Most men profit by experience as
they do by their daily bread; after it
is earned and eaten, they forget all
about it.
When a man gets so old he has no
taste for the follies of life, then he
begins to reprimand them severely in
others.
It is very hard to define economy; all
we teem to know about it is, that one
man will make a dollar buy twice as
much as another man can.
- The man who expects to get through
this world by following other people's
advice, will travel over as much ground,
to as little purpose, as a lost dog does.
A Golden Girl.
There is a servant girl living with a
family in Detroit, says the I'ree JVcss,
who wouldn't be permitted to change
places if $10 per week would be any in
ducement for her to stay. She makes
it her special duty to meet all agents and
beggars at the door, and to dispose of
them without the least annoyance to the
family. She has a rule to meet each
case, and her rules are perfection The
door boll never fools her. She can tell
a caller's ring from a beggar's ring as
cortainly as the bell is touched. When
sho opens the door and finds a man with
a red goatee, having a clothes-wringer
in his hand, she doesn't wait for him to
hem and haw and say that his clothes
wringer beats all the other wringers over
made. She gets the start by saying :
" You seem like a decent, respectablo
man, and as a friend I warn you that
the owner of the house saw you come
up the steps and he ran into the back
yard to unchain his Russian blood
hound." The man with the rod goatee slings
that wringer over his right shoulder and
canters out of that neighborhood with
his teeth on edge nud cold chills playing
tag up and dowu his back.
The next ono may be a young lady,
who boldly inquires for the lady of the
house, and has a new kiud of face-powder
to sell.
" Yon can go in," whispers the girl,
" and I will stand at tho door so as to
rush in when you call. If the mistress
asks yon to taste anything, beware of
poison. She may not have her revolver
with her this morning, and I guess it
will be safe for you to go in."
" Why why j" stammers tho youug
lady.
"Go right iu ; sho may not be dan
erons. "
"Never miud. I'll call again. I'm
in a hurry."
And that settles that case.
Tho next is one of those chaps who
go about with tears in their eyes, willing
to work if work can be had; but never
finding any work their health will per
mit them to do.
" Madam," he says, as she opens the
door, "for Heaven s sake let me work
at something long enough to earn a
slice of bread?"
She motions for him to go around to
tho side door and is there to let him iu.
Sho bauds him an ax weighing seven
pounds, with a straight handle, points
to three or four big knots which have
become almost petrified, and very softly
says :
" lou look hungry, and as soon as you
Rplit those up I'll give you the best meal
you've had in a month."
Sue goes in and he spits ou his hands,
l..lu t Lt wla as and ItlOl. I01US UlS
little tent aud slips through the gato
like a shadow of fate.
Then tho little girl who canvasses for
tho orphan asylum rings the bell; She
is met with a smile and the hired girl
says :
"You poor littlo thing I I pity tho
orphaus and I'd like to give you some
money. If you will get tho mayor to
come here and say it is all right I will
give you three cents."
The little girl thoughtfully pursues
her way and another cases comes, is met
and disposed of, and the mistress of that
house is never disturbed or annoyed.
Old Mr. Curlosily.
Old Mr. Curiosity, crossing the ocean,
annoyed everybody, the good-natured
aud patient Scotch officers of the steam
er in particular, by asking superfluous
questions iu the greatest profusion
whenever occasion oil'ered. One day he
went down into tho engiuo room. He
had been there before, aud the engineers
knew him "not wisely, but too well
Tho courteous secoud was on duty, and
he resolved to put an end to this visiting
if he could. "What's that for what
connection has it with the boiler ?" ask
ed Mr. Curiosity, pointing to a rod
somewhere up aloft. "That," taid the
engineer, " is the duplex concave which
directs the upright' tendency of the
screw against au outward pressure upon
the valves, and iu that way iutrodtices
horse power upon tuo cylinder and
averts an unnecessary waste of coal,
" Ah, yes," Baid Mr. Curiosity, looking
at tho engineer in an amazed and bewil
derod sort of way, "and this little wheel
hero whats that, sirr "UU, that,
replied the engineer, scarcely able to
restrain his laughter, " is the wheel
which starts tho shower of oil for tho
machinery, which shower is regulated by
the speed of the steamer, and is liable to
oocur at any moment, and but Mr.
Curiosity never waited to hear the rest,
and, iu his hasto to get up the iron hut
der he fell, frescoed his knee pan and
blackened his eye. But ho never came
down below ' again, and was silent tho
balance of the voyage, doubtless medi
tatir.g upon tho " duplex concave ' and
the other mysteries of steamship ma
chinery.
Political Conventions, etc., for 1S76
January 5 New Hampshire Republi
can State convention, Concord.
January 5 Texas Democratic Stato
convention, Galveston.
January 12 Texas Republican State
convention, Houston.
January 13 republican National com
niittee, Washington, to select time and
place for holding the National conven
tion.
February 22 Indiana Republican
State convention. Indianapolis.
March 15 Indiana Democratic Stato
conntion, Indianapolis.
May 6 National convention of Pro-
hibitionists, to nominato a Presidential
ticket, etc., Cloveland.
May 17 National Independent con
vention, to nominate a Presidential
ticket, Indianapolis.
More Dogs Thau Men.
A curious faot about Tennessee is that
it contains more dogs than men. Ro
turns from the dog-tax-assessment iu
about onerthird of the Stato show 47,
547 men and 70,780 dogs. This being
taken as a basin, it is estimated that there
are not less than 225,000 dogs iu the
State listed for taxation, not to mention
the thousands that escape the taxation
Some one reckons that these dogs cost
for their keeninor over four millions of
dollars annually, to say nothing of some
45,000 sheep which they kill every year.
Items of Interest.
They call tight boots corn-cribs nowa
days. Everybody is anxious to lend the
man something who does not want to
borrow anything.
" All is wauity," remarked a tin waro
peddler tho other day. "What's lifo to
me, anyhow, but holler and tin-sell?"
A bill for compulsory education re
cently received only oue vote iu the
House of Delegates of West Virginia.
An economical Japanese family can livo
on six cents a day at home; but to ob
tain the cents is what causes the suffer
ing. Canes or umbrellas containing swords
or other weapons cannot be sold hereaf
ter in Paris without a permit from tho
chief of police.
Circumstances alter cases. Thero are
times when tilings aro not themselves
any moro than men aro. A tooth is not
tooth when it is a-king.
The Lveraco yearly cost of eaelr
prisoner iu England and Wales is about
&160. Tho daily avei'iigo number of
prisoners last year was 17,816, nud tho
profit on their labor was $257,490.
Does cooking injure the health of
stock ?" inquired an agricultural ex
change. Wo are inclined to think it
does. There tire numerous instances
of beeves and porkers haviug been cooked,
and they've never entirely got over it.
A Boston clergyman advanced tho
idea iu a sermon that striped stockings
are destructive to lonialo modesty.
But a little whila ngo," said he,
young ladies refused to go up stairs in
advance of gentlemen. Now they poem
anxious to do so !"
Tho pearl fisheries of the Gulf of Cali
fornia threaten to bo entirely ruiued un
less the government shuts down on tho
wholesale use of submarine armor. .Last
year they yielded about 100,000 worth
of pearls and 8200,000 worth of shells,
while this year's operations will hardly
pay expenses.
Arthur Wilson, fourteen years old
and permeate with admiration of Claude
Duval, broke into a .London store ana
stolo $60. A few days afterward ho was
arrested in Paris. He had bought nrms,
ammunition and a horse, and was taking
ldiug lessons to qualify him for hie us
mounted highwayman.
A farmer iu Cambria county, Pa.,
having the deed of his farm in his vest
pocket, hung the garment ou the fence,
while at work iu his field, and a cow
coming along, ate part of the vest and
the deed. The question iu that vicinity
now is : "Is that cow a freeholder
the tir.lA lni-. vested m
her?
Leaves of the pineapple, now being
extensively cultivated in the East In
dies, are turned to account by being
converted into a kind of wadding,
wliich is used for upholstering, in
stead of hair. A sort of flannel is
also manufactured from them from which
iibstantiid waistcoats and shirts can be
made.
A Detroiter, who didn't exactly know
how to get a letter registered, sent some
money away the other day, aud he wrote
on tne envelope: "itegisteren witn a
two dollar bill inside." Fearing that
this might not be strong enough, one of
his friends wroto : " 1 11 swear Unit 1
saw Jim put two dollars iu this." Tho
mttu who fools with that letter will get
into trouble.
We like fine writing when it is prop
erly applied ; so wo appreciate tho fol
lowing burst of eloquence : "As tho
ostrich uses both legs nud wings wheu
the Arabian courser bounds in iier renr
in the winged lightnings leap from
the heavens when tho thunderbolts are
loosed so does a littlo boy ruu when a
a big dog is after him."
Little Willie, having hunted in all tho
corners for his shoes, at last appeal's to
give them up, and climbing on a chair,
betakes himself to a big book on a side
tablo. Mother says to him: " What is
darling doing with the book ?" " It ith
the dictionary; papa looittn in tuo uic
tionary for things, and I am looking in it
to see if I can nud my shoes."
Green" How is it, Brown, you al
ways have such splendcd fruit from your
garden ? I exhibit aud carry oil cupa
and prizes (at least my gardener does,
for I only see it in print), dui i nave
never seen such fruit as this on my
table." Brown "Simplest thing in tho
world, old fellow. I keep a gardener for
my garden ; you keep a garden for your
gardener 1"
There was lately shown at the rooms
of the Society of Art, iu London, a piece
of milk, " solidified by the Hooker pro
cess," and weighing one hundred
pounds, and which has been exposed to
the action of the air for four years antt
three months." The Agricultural Ga
zette of that city says that " its quality
was still so excellent that iu a few min
utes it was resolved, by churning, into
good fresh butter."
Dodging tho Sermon.
It is well known that iu oldeu times
the church services were very much '
longer than they are at present, espe
cially the sermon. In many eld pulpits
in England is still to be seen a stanu lor
tho hour gloss, by which tho length of
the sermon was measured, and it was not
uncommon for this to be turned once,
at leat, so that the preaching continued
two hours.
We are ready to ask how the people of
those days could sit still in their high
backed, uncomfortable pews, aud iu
winter, freezing churches, to linteu to
such loDg harangues. The solution of
the mystery is probably this they did
not sit still. Some, doubtless, went to
sleep, aud were quite content to tike
their rest ; but others weut out of tho
church occasionally for a sinoko aud a
chat.
At Bibury, in England, the esquiie of
the parish regularly withdrew after tho
text, smoked his pipe, and returned to
the blessing. In Iceland the same cus
tom still prevails iu tho Lutheran
churches, where the men rarely sit
through the service, though altogether
only two hours long, but drop out at iu -tervals,
and return, not in the odor t f
sanctity, but of tobacco. It is certainly
better to have shorter sermons and mo'-leverenoe.