7
-
: en
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher.
nil desperandtjm;
Two Dollars per Annum.
NO. 50.
VOL. V.
1IIDGAVAY, ELK COUNTY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1870.
jUL
i
A
I
To a Friend.
By every hope my life hath e'er betn weaving,
By all the fulure bolus in Btoro for mo,
By every heartless method of deceiving,
By all we trnet our lives are yet to bo
I'll not forget thee.
When solemn prayer, npon the soft air breath
ing.
Wakes every holy impulse of the sonl,
When friends my brow with garlands bright
are wreathing, -Or
sorrow's tempests fiercely o'er me roll
I'll not forgot thee.
And when in chains bright deep has softly
bound me,
And dreams of friends flit through my rest
lug mind,
And guardian angels hover close around me,
To bring me thoughts of oue forever kind
I'll not forget thee.
And oh, should some, their truth to me repent
ing,
Take bock from me the treasure of their
love,
Aud some dark angel stand a cup presenting
To drown my faith iu Him who rules above
I'll not forget thee.
Should ornel fate keep us forever parted,
Till lifo's bright lamp is burning dim and
low,
Aud eaih shall think of eaoh as one departed,
To clasp the hand of love no more below
I'll ne'er forget thee.
SALLY WATSON'S RIDi!,
"Sally, can't you go over to Uncle
Eben's this afternoon and bring home
thone pigs? There are seven in the
litter ho promised mo, and they are get
ting quite large. I must finish getting
the wheat iu, and he does not want to
feed them auy longer. The pen is ready.
Sully, a bright looking girl of about
foiirtt'.ois, raised herself from the tub
over which r-ho leaued, and said, as she
wiped down her arms with her hands :
"How, father?" .
Mr. Watson had coma in for his ton
o'clock snack after his early breakfast.
Ho stood in the tniddlo-of the kitchen
floor, a bowl of cofPn iu one hand, and
a huge piece of apple pie in the other.
He took a bito of the latter, and a drink
of coffee before ho answered.
"In the little light wagon. I stopped
at Eben's yesterday asl came from meet
ing, and he sai l he would put them up
securely in a couple of old coops that
would stand in the back of the wagon.
You can have Dolly ; we are not using
her. . What do you say, mother ; can
you spare her I
. " Ynfl, said. Mis. Watson, a lieat.
iiTiskiiUI'O.WiVjii'B, who esrae in, banket
in hand, from hanging up the clothes
"tho wash will bo all out by noon, and
I will clean up."
'Can't I have ono of the pigs for go
ing for them, father I You said yon
only wautcd a half-dozen ; and there are
seven."
" Yes, and you can buy your Suuday
suit next fall with tlio money it brings,
He pulled her ear when ho went out again
to his work.
"My !" Sally gave a little nod of her
head as she bogau briskly rubbing her
ear. " I'm sure I'll make it fat. Jane
Burns got sixteen dollars for the one
her father gave her last year. Mother,
can't I take Lot and Polly ; it is such a
long, lonesome way to go by one's self?"
Mrs. Watson assented, adding : "Dol
ly is such a fast trotter you can stay
tuere a while, and get home before dark.
Be sure you stop at the post-office, and
go to the store and gut me some but
tons.'' There wa.s a great deal to do; dinner
was lato, and the afternoon had quite
set in when Sally started. Her way was
through the village a half nine oit, aud
then nearly live miles beyond. It was
tho first week iu October, the day was
warm and soft, and tho souulry bounti
ful. The road lay through the woods,
steep in places, running up hills and
down iigaiu in little valleys, through
which many a creek babbled; it was not
fenced en, and the wild grape and paw
paw were almost within reach, aa they
rode along. The trees had just begun
to turn. The sugar maple swayed gent
ly to the light bret-zo, scattering a crim
son cloud to the earth; the Virginia
creeper embraced the huge trunks, or
flung out long, graceful branches of
purple, and brown, and scarlet ; the
pawpaw was flaming in golden yellow;
the haw, with its red berries, dotted the
roadside, while hero and there, brilliant
with tho hue of royalty's self, great
clusters of iron-weed towered in au-
tumn light, and from the branches of
the butternut, hickory and walnut, the
occasional sound of dropping nuts was
Jieard.
Dolly trotted along briskly, and the
children talked of the wonderful animals
they had seen the Saturday before for
a traveling menagerie had halted on
some fields near tho village, aud the
wholo population for miles around had
turned out to visit it. Lot, who was a
hoy of eight, had been most impressed
by the bears, but Patty, who was young
er, seemed to have been most fascinated
with the big snake.
Then they full to talking " sposeus,"
what they would do if a bear or snake
was to attack them there in the woods.
Lot was extremely valiant; he thrust
about with a stick, showing how he
would put him to flight, and iu the
midst of their talk they reached their
uncle's house, having met but one per
son on the road.
They made but a short stay, aa it was
getting late, and, with the pigs cooped
and stowed in the back of the wagon,
, which had no top and was open all
around, started for home.
Seated on the floor, Lot and Patty
poked bits of apples through the slats
of the coop to the young porkers, specu
lating upon their appearance and advis
ing Sally which to take for her own.
Lot would have the blank one if he
were she, because it was the biggest,
but Patty thought the little spotted one
was "so cunning."
They were about a mile from the vil
lage at the top of a long hill, when Lot,
who bad exhausted his supply of apple
bits, and for the last fifteen minutes had
been poking the pigs, delighted to hear
them squeal, suddenly gave them such
a thrust that Sally bade him stop the
noise, and corno imd sit beside her on
tho seat.
He arose to do as k-i was bidden, and
as ho did bo, stood for a moment with
his back to her, still poking the viun.
Just then the wagon jolted over a large
stone, ho was thrown on the coop, i he
stick was punched violottly into a pig's
side, it squealed, iiot screamed and Pat
ty began to cry.
Considerably out of patience, Sally
leaned back, and, catching him by the
arm, was about to Boat him rather vio
lently beside her, when she was arrested
by his exclaiming :
"Seol see! Sally, look I look I what
an awful bear 1
The tone of his voice more than his
words for he was a sensational child,
nud was constantly seeing wonderful
things caused Sally to turn her eyes in
the direction indicated by his frightened
gesture.
Tho wood was open at this spot, and
there were no large trees near ; but at
some distance, almost alone, stood a
great sycamore, the branches of which
were nearly bare; between tho tree and
the road the ground was thickly covered
with blackberry, pawpaw and other
bushes.
As she glanced quickly toward the
great sycamore, a something huge, she
could not tell what, leaped from the tree
to the ground, and she could hear the
underbrush crack beneath it. She knew
there were no ferocious wild animals in
Ohio, nothing in the forests to harm
her, and had not been for many years,
but her face blanched with fear.
"Lie down," she said, in a tone which
both terrified and quieted the children,
as she thrust Lot to the bottom of the
wagon and tore the stick from his hands,
laying it quickly and foroibly on Dolly's
back.
Tho horse sprung forward in a gallop,
reaching the foot of the hill in a few mo
ments and clattering over the few boards
thrown across the creek for a bridge.
Now Sally ventured to look back. The
huge thing was on their track, coining
along in great leaps, which would soon
bring him up to them.
" Don t raise your heads, she said to
the ohildren, who were so alarmed they
lay perfectly still. Then she leaned
forward and with all her strength be
labored the horse. There was a long
level piece of road now, but the nearest
house was a mile off. Poor Dolly was
speeding over the ground, intensely
roused and excited by this unusual treat
ment, and seemed to feel there was dan
gor, for her cars stood erect.
Sally turned again to look. There
was nothing now to intercept her vie-v,
and uhe saw the terrible animal not far
behind, amid the cloud of dust their
progress made, coming on on I
Frantically she struck poor Dolly.
"Is the bear coming? Will he eat
us?" came in smothered aooents from
the bottom of the wagon, where the chil
dren lay with their laces pressed close
to the boards.
Sally did not reply. She gave another
look, saw that the thing gained on them,
and exerting all her strength in giving
Dolly a last blow, which sent her bound
ing forward, she got over the seat over
the children, unheeding their questions,
and seizing one of tlie coops threw it
over the tail-board out in the road. The
pigs squealed as it touched the earth,
aud the noise added to Dolly's terror,
which was now so intense she was entire
ly beyond Sally's control.
" Are we goiug to be eateu up ?" Lot
whimpered, in almost a whisper.
"Hush," she ausvered, "hush."
She let tho horse take its way, and
placed herself on her knees between tho
children and the other coop.
Th e terrible creature had stopped. S' io
could see it strike the coop with its
paw, and see the pieces fly as ho touched
it. How long would it keep him, she
thought ; and there came a throb of re
lief as she saw that meantime they were
speeding further and further nway.
She looked round in vain ; there was
no one iu sight, the faunhoiiHo was still
a quarter of a mile ahead, aud tho ani
mal she feared was becoming only a
black spot iu tho distance ; but as she
gazed with fixed eyes, she saw the dust
rise again. J.t was moving.
They reached the farmhouse gate. It
was closed. Sho could not stop Dolly
now, and, even if bho could, she had
not tho courage to get down and open
it, and drive 'o the house some distance
up the lano. She cillod aloud, but uo
one hoard. There were turns in the road
several ; she could not see tho animal
coming. This was worse than watching
its approach. She threw the other
coop out, then stretched herself between
the children, closed her oves, and drew
her arm tightly around each.
As she lay thus clasping them, she
felt Dolly's space slacken. She kept
still, feeling that if she moved some
thing would spring upon her. . The
horse was evidently wearying gradually
her gait became slower ; they must be
near the village.
With a groat effort she raised herself,
and saw the houses only a little distance
in advance. She crawled over the child
ren and the sent, and gathered up the
reins. Dolly gave a start as she did so,
but in a moment subsided got into her
usual pace, and dropped that for a walk.
In a few moments she was in the street
of the village, and at tho store. Clamber
ing out of the wagon, Sally tried to tell
Mr. Jones her utory, but burst into tears,
aud was unable to speak.
The children, who had followed her,
now found their voices, and eagerly
told of the bear, and how sho had
thrown them the pigs.
" Bless my soul, what is this ?" asked
Mr. Jones, in excitement.
Then Sally recovered, and informed
him of what had happened to them.
Why why," he muttered, in agita
tation, "it's the panther that escaped
last night from the menagerie at W.
There is the handbill put up about au
hour ago, offering a reward for it.
You're you're lucky he did not ma
make a meal of you instead Of the
pigs."
Patty shook her head: "Thi poor
things hollered so."
A crowd soon gathered in the store,
eager to hear all Sally had to tell ; then
the men of the village armed themselves
to go in search of the animal.
Sally was still trembling, and poor
Dolly, wet as though she had been
through the river, was shivering and
panting at the same time. The half-
mile of road they had to pass over to
reach homo after leaving the village ran
for the better part through a wood.
Sally was too alarmed to venture there
alone, and ft couple of men, who hnd
nastily seized some weapon, accom
panied her. So excite I were they that
every cracking noiso in the trees put
them on tho alert; and once they ex
claimed: xnere he is l" throwing the
poor children into now alarm.
Mr. Watson was incroduloUH when
Lot burst out with: "Oh, father, we
have been chased by a bear no, not a
bear a dreadful wild thing I" and he
would have thought Sally tho victim of
her own fears, had they not told him a
panther had escaped from the menage
rie; then he was most thankful for their
deliverance.
Dolly was blanketed and cared for,
and they went to supper, Lot's tongue
going all the time about " the bear.
Sally could not eat, she was still nn
nerved, and Patty could only pity tho
poor little pigs.
For a long time Sally had an unoom
fortablo feeling in the woods, although
the panther was caught on the next day
and returned to its cage. Nicholas.
How it Would Work.
A gray haired impostor, who has been
in the house of correction time and
again for drunkenness, and who has no
kin in Detroit, entered a store on Grand
River street and said to the proprietor :
" Have you a boy ?"
" Yes, sir," was the answer.
"Did ho get anything iu his stock
ing?" "Test"
" And was he glad ?"
"He was."
"I also have a boy," continued the
old man iu a broken voice, "but ho
didn't get anything in his stocking. I
am poor, and many times we haven't
bread in fhe house, to say nothing of
Christmas presents. "
"1 can t help that, as I see ! said the
merchant.
"Say, see hero," whimpered the old
man, bending forward, " give me a
quarter anil I'll buy n tin horse and a
monkey and a Noah's ark, and the night
before New Year's I'll slip 'em into the
boy's stocking. He'll ask me : ' Father,
whose liberality of heart brought me
those beautiful things?' And I will
answer : Air. So-aud-Bo, on - Orand
River street.'"
"I can't do it," replied the merchant.
" Aud the boy will say : 1 God bless
Mr. So-and-So forever.'"
"No can't do it."
"And I will add: Yes, God bless
him for his big heart, and may his trade
amount to $10,01)0 per day.' "
"I can't give you anything nonie,
clear out," said tho annoyed merchant.
" It would work splendidly," whisper
ed the old man.
" I say no 1" shouted the merchant.
" All right for you 1" said the old
man, as he got hold of the door kuob.
" Your conduct has alienated all my af
fections in one minnit, and I'll never
buy a yard of cloth of you in my lifo I I
was going to ask the price of that yarn
there, but now I won't !"
Propagation of Disease.
There are few more mysterious travel
ers than tunes aud diseases. A new
tune comes out, and six weeks later it
may be heard whistled by boys in some
obscure and distant village, to which it
has found its way in some manner best
known to itself. It is the same with dis
eases, which creep over the country
silently, swiftly and surely, although
their means of transit baffle tho skill of
the most intelligent members .. of tho
medical profession to divine. A new
theory has now been startod, that tho
foot-and-mouth disease, which is so
prevalent amongcattle, is conveyed from
oue district to another, notwithstanding
all the precautions taken against its
spread, by birds. A wood pigeon has,
according to the Elgin Courant, been
lately phot neur Elgin which has been
declared by veterinary surgeons and
competent medical authorities to have
been evidently uffected by foot-aud-
ino.dh disease at the time of its death.
The body of the unfortunate bird has,
it is stated, been sent to an hospital, and
may throw new light 'on the subject.
Another disagreeable notion has also
arisen that soap is an active agent in the
propagation of disease. The New York I
physicians have arrived at the conclusion
that a terrible amount of illness is oc
casioned by the impurities contained iu
soap, especially in scented soap.
Idiocy iu the United State-.
The number of idiots in the fjnited
States, according to the census of 1870,
was 24,527, of whom 14,485 were males
and 10,042 females ; 3,188 were colored,
and 1,645 foreign born. But the number
and their proportion to the population
cannot be ascertained with any satisfac
tory degree of accuracy. The census
statistics are untrustworthy, both from
the different standards adopted by
enumerators, and from the difficulty in
persuading parents, from whom the re
turns are usually obtained, that their
children are idiots. Some of the worst
cases iu idiot asylums were brought
there by their friends, not as idiots, but
as being a little peculiar in their habits.
The effort has been made in several
States to obtain returns from physicians,
clergymen and town officers, but with
very moderate success. So far as these
returns go, however, they show a much
greater prevalence of idiocy than has
been commonly supposed; and it is now
generally conceded by competent judges
that the number of idiots is greater than
that of the deaf and dumb or the blind,
and as great as that of the insane, the
proportion being not less than one in
1,000 of the population. Assuming this
ratio, tho number of idiots in the Uni
ted States would be more than 88,000.
Canon Girdlestone writes : During
my ten years' residence in Devonshire I
induced many farmers, much to their
own advantage as well as to the advan
tage of their men, to adopt, whenever it
was possible, a system of piece work.
By this, as well as by migration and
other means, the condition of the
Devonshire peasant has been much improved."
Hot Springs on Monnt Slinsln.'
A very romarkrtble feature of Mount
Shasta, California, is the collection of
hot pprings two hundred feet below tho
top. The extromo summit is a steep
ridge not more than two hundred or
three hundred feet through on a level
with the springs, and composed of shat
tered lavn, which looks as though any
water falling in rain or formed by melt
ing snows upon it would immediately
run out through the crooks. There is
in . tho material nothing which, when
brought in contact with the air or mois
ture, would cause heat by chemical ao
tion. Yet at the bottom of the steep
ridge, which at the foot is not more than
two hundred yards through, there is a
little flat of half an aore, full of hot
springs, most of them very small, and
the largest not more than three feet
aoross. They have a temperature of one
hundred degrees, aud their water is
strong with sulphur and various miner
als. :...
In some the water bubbles up violent
ly, aud there are openings iu the earth
from which hot steam rushes out with
great force and considerable noise. One
of these vents sends out a jet of steam
two feet in diameter. These springs and
the earth around them retain their heat
through winter as well as summer, not
withstanding tho severe cold that may
prevail there. Ou the first of October
the thermometer was below the freezing
point at both sunrise and sunset, and the
temperature of the year there is prob
ably for we have no long series of ob
servations not higher than thirty de
grees, possibly below that figure. Im
mense masses of snow lie on the south
ern side of the mountain through the
summer, and on the northern side there
is a glacier. Notwithstanding the al
most constant cold resulting from the
snow, ice and high elevation, the great
heat supplied from the heart of the
mountain does not give way. The wa
ters of these springs must be forced up
by a power, which, although small in
comparison, still suggests the mighty
forces that piled up this cono to a height
of eight thousand feet above the adja
cent ridges, and from its now extinct
craters poured out the lava that covered
hundreds of square miles with desola
tion. Fashion otes. .
For trimming evening and silk dresses.
a fashion journal says, point duchesse
and line Valencenne3 are ' in great de
mand; indeed it is difficult to decide
which has the preference. - .
1" ancy aprons for home morning toilet
are again popular. They are made in a
variety of ways and of a variety of. ma
terials. Among the more desirable ones
are counted those of Swiss nuslin, made
svttn. pullliig or Hm. Lidnti ri'barv
. and finished with side plaitings ' and
fluted ruffles edged with lace, aud black
silk ones trimmed with velvet and
French lace.
Solid colors are preferred to stripes in
hosiery. Black merino and black silk
stockings are fashionable, aud wliite and
unbleached ones continue to find a good
ly number of wearers.
Undressed kid gloves retain their old
favor, coming for neglige wear in pearl,
gray, wood and buff colors. White ones
are being introduced for more dressy
occasions, aud are occasionally worn for
evening.
Black silk suits are more worn this
season than they otherwise would be
with so many new fabrics in the market
because of the low prices of silk. Two
dollars and twenty-five cents and $2.50
per yard will now purchase a fine close
grained pure silk, which quality other
seasons has sold for $3 and $4. Very
tolerable qualities once costing $2 anil
$2.50 are now offered at $1.50 and $1.75.
Ready-made black silk costumes, trim
med with handsome tassel lrir.go with
netted heading, or with plaitings, etc,
are offered for $80, $90 and $100. These
dresses are often made with velvet
sleeves and velvet trimmings when not
worn over the velvet skirt.
Black cashmere overdresses, with silk
skirts, are considered very desirable and
convenient dresses, and iu consequence
there has been a great improvement in
the oolor and texture of cashmere.
These are made with the cuirasse
basque aud overskirt, or after some of
the many models of the popular pol
onaise. Stout ladies find the latter best
suited to their wants, while those with
trim figures can wear either with equal
fitness.
A Steam Horse.
An ingenious Californian has invented
a new method of employing steam as the
motive power of street cars. The task
which he proposed to himself in mak
ing this invention was a simple one, in
asmuch as he did not intend to do away
with railway tracks nor to change the
pattern of the street cars now in use.
What he tried to do was to devise a lo
comotive which would not frighten
horses, and he fancies that he has fully
accomplished his purpose by building a
locomotive in what he regards as the
likeness of a horse.
The new steam horse resembles the
ordinary style of animal so for as its
head and shoulders are concerned.
There, however, its resemblance abruptly
ends. The iron animal is devoid of legs,
for which are substituted wheels, just
visible at the foot of an iron petticoat.
Where the hind quarters of a well con
structed horse ought to be, the inventive
Californian has placed a cab, reminding
one by its appearance of a sedan chair.
The steam horse is harnessed with a cow
catcher, a headlight, and a bell, but be
ing built with immovable ears, and no
tuil whatever, it is unable to express its
emotions except by the unequine process
of whistling.
A 5ew Swindle.
A new swindle, extensively practiced
through the country, is the sale of al
most worthless dry goods by trickery.
A peddler calls upon a farmer and shows
a large bundle of assorted cloth, and
represents himself as ' the agent of a
bankrupt firm in England. He says
that, under a special provision of the
revenue laws, remnants in packages of
not less worth than $150 each may be
imported free of duty, thus saving
about seventy per cent. The purchaser
of a lot really pays double instead of
half the value of the goods.
SAVED BY A DRUMMER.
Winning a Bride from the Cirnnp of n .Mid-
night Uolibcr.
A representative of oue of tho bnsi
ncss houses of Nashville, Tonn. , had an
unexpected and thrilling adventure at a
residence within two hundred miles of
Nashville, A few night ago. Overtaken
by darkness, and being alone in a lo
cality which had been the scene of soy
eral deeds of horror in days gone by, he
was naturally very anxious to reach
some shelter from the fury of the storm.
After riding rapidly for an hour, he de
tected a light gleaming from a farmhouse
a few rods distant. His approach being
heralded by a watchful dog, a man came
to the door, and after our commercial
friend had explained the cause of his
visit, the servant conducted him to the
door of the parlor, aud knocking at it,
returned and took the horse to the stable.
The rap at the door was answered by a
young lady, to whom the Nashville
young mau related his mission, and
was invitod in.
The lady explained the reason of her
being alone by saying that her parents
had been summoned to tho bedside of a
sick neighbor, aud she was left to take
care of the house. The hours swiftly
glided by, and the young man was
shown to a room by the servant who had
cared for his weary steed.
Taking a seat beside the cheerful fire
he sat until after " the witching time
of night," thinking of home, but prin
cipally of his new female friend, and
listening to the deep mutterings of the
distant thunder, and the beating of the
rain against tho window. In tho midst
of his meditations he was startled by a
scream, which seemingly proceeded from
the parlor down stairs. Hastily grasp
ing Lis revolver, he dashed down stairs
and sprang into the parlor, just as a bul
let whizzed past his head. By the re
flection of the fire he observed the lady
struggling with the man who had met
him at the door upon his arrival at the
houso. With a well directed blow he
hurled him across the room, aud as the
assailant sprang through the door, sev
eral leaden missiles followed him in
quick succession.
Turning his attention to the young
lady, he discovered that sho had fainted.
Wat er was applied to her lips, aud he was
soon very much gratified to see her open
her eyes. In a few moments she had
fully recovered, and after thanking him
for his opportune aid, related her story.
She had fallen asleep and slumbered
until she suddenly awoke and saw the
servant endeavoring to open her father's
desk, in which a large sum of money
was kept. Being of a timid nature, she
liad placed a pistol under her pillow
when she retired; and grasping this she
i-.x. M-t-ia dcfr.c so mada i clicki !ini.
The burglar turned around, and when
she saw him draw a glittering knife from
his belt, she screamed. He sprang to
ward her, but she eluded him mid ran
around the room, the u an following.
He finally caught her, and as the young
men entered the door she fired at her
assailant, but missed him.
It is perhaps needless to say that
the young couple chatted away until
the return of the parents in the morn
ing. They had been compelled to re
main at their neighbor's houso all night
on account of the storm, aud when their
daughter recounted her adventure, it
was no wonder that the old folks were
very grateful to her deliverer.
Iu compliance with the request of tho
trio, the young man remained much
longer than ho at first intended. But
before he left ho obtiuned the promise
of the lady to devote the life ho had
saved to making him happy as long as
he lives.
Family Hill of Fare.
The Housekeeper says the following
bill of fare is that actually used in a
family of nine persons, at a weekly out
lay of $25:
Kl'NDAT.
Breakfast. Tea or coffee, beefsteak, fried
manlied potatoes, fried hominy, French rolls
aud toast.
Dinner. Turkey, cranberry, stewed toma
toes, ma- bed potatoes.
Tea. Toast, proseives, cheese, cake, tea
and coffee.
MONDAY.
Breakfast. Tea or coffee, mutton chops
friod, potatoes, boiled oat meal, French rolls
and toast
Lunch. Cold turkey, bakol apples, baked
potatoes, tea aud rolls.
Dinner. Roast beef, mashed turnips, mashed
potatoes, apple sauce, tea aud cake.
TUESDAY.
Breakfast. Pork steak, boiled hominy,
fried potatoes, rolls aud toat, ooffee or tea.
Iunch. Hcranibled egns, baked potatoes,
apple sauce, tea, French rolls.
Dinner. Cold roast beef, clam fritters,
potatoes, tomatoes, tea aud crullers.
. WEDNESDAY.
Brfakfa8t. Beefsteak, mashed potatoes,
fried hominy, tea and coffee, buckwheatcakes,
rolls.
Lcncb. Soup made from roast meat bones,
baked potatoes, baked apples, rolls and tea.
Dinner. Boiled mutton with parsley in
butter, maehed turnips, mashed potatoes,
roast apples, rice padding.
THURSDAY.
Breakfast. Mutton chop, potatoes out up
and stowed in milk, boiled oat meal, rolls and
tjast, tea and coffee.
Lunch. Stewed muttou, baked potatoes,
apple sauoe, tea and rolls.
Dinneb. Chickens, baked apples, mashed
potatoes, fried parsnips, tea and cake.
fiuday.
Breakfast. Codfish cakes, eggs boiled,
potatoes, boiled hominy, buckwheat cakes, tea
and coffee.
Lunch. Cold obioken, potatoes, baked
apples, tea and rolls.
Dinner. Bluefish, tomatoes, potatoes,
baked apple? , tea and cake.
' ' SATURDAY.
. Breakfast. Beefsteak, potatoes fried, fried
hominy, rolls and toast, tea and coffee.
Lunch. btewed oysters, baked potatoes,
rolls aud tea, apple eauce, .
Dinner. Corned beef, cabbage, mashed
potatoes, tomatoes, tea and apple pie.
The San Francisco Chronicle described
a performance by child acrobots, in
which boys, aged respectively five and
seven years, were cruelly compelled to
accomplish difficult feats. The lazv
loafer who lives by their exertions wrote
a letter to say that the frequent falls of
the boys, in the course of the feats, were
intentional, and calculated to heignten
me interest oi me spectators. A report
ar, however, found by investigation that
tnose i alls bad covered the children with
bruises, and that whippings were the in
centive to exertion.
JANUARY, 177G,
Its Kesrniblnnne In Jnnnary of this Yer
The Opening of the Revolntlonnrv Cnm.
PRlan.l
It is remarkable that the first month
of this centennial year closely resem
bled that of 1776. The journals of that
year speak of the unusual mildness of
the season. It was even said that the
lack of tho usual ice iu Boston harbor
prevented Washington from crossing his
forces and attempting a surprise on the
oity, and the Americans were enabled to
continually send forth vessels from all
ports of the harbor to the West Indies
for munitions of war. The mild season
enabled Gen. Schuyler, in these first
first days of January, to dispatch his
well-planned little . expedition up the
Mohawk valley to surprise tho High
landers, under Johnson. This officer,
oue of the ablest in our history, was
then exceedingly popular, but a com
bination of unlucky circumstances and
of sectional prejudice deprived him
subsequently of the glory, wliich was
entirely his, of the first great victory
of the war.
The first of January, 177C, had beeu
signalized by the barbarous burning of
an old historic colonial town, Norfolk,
in Virgina, by Lord Dnumore. This
had only intensified the bitterness of tho
feelings of the citizens against the
British government. All parts of tho
country wero in much the same state of
feeling toward the royal administration
which the border States were iu hero
toward the central government in 1801.
Many of the conservative and the loyal
dreaded to break the old ties with the
parent country. The interests of law
and order seemed to many on the side of
the crown. The sentiments, from long
tradition and from family and historical
connection with the old country, bound
tnem to tuo royal party, f amilies like
the Delanceys and the Phillipses, iu
Now York State, the latter of whom
owned land almost from Yonkers to tho
Highlands, feared to risk their largo
property interests in a rebellion which
seemod to have ;io chance of success.
In New York city many of the wealthy
families stood by the crown; Queons
county remained loyal; the old Dutch
families around the city were often
averse to joining the revolutionary
movement of the men of Now England.
Even in New England itself, one town,
Portsmouth, N. II., refused to join the
popular movement, and set up a gov
ernment of its own. It looked at one
time as if tho future of the republic,
which should declare itself independent
of Great Britain, would consist of New
England; and Franklin even had the
oottrage to write that, if New England
formed a separate confederation against
the crown, he would throw in his for-
taneawith her.t New York, during this .
nrst winter ot tne century, remained in
a condition of semi-neutrality, the Brit
ish ships lying in the harbor without
molesting the city, and tho Americans
sending out, uuimpedod, their small
craft to obtain supplies from the West
indies.
The more revolutionary spirits of New
England were indignant at this apathy,
aud Leo, with one of his rattle-brained
expeditions from Connecticut to New
lork city, came very near exposing the
town to the horrors of battle. The his
toric names of tho State begin already to
appear on the side of tho most deter
mined revolutionists tho Jays, Living
stons, Van lleussclaers, Schuylers, Ham
iltons, aud others; and as a general
thing those with the largest interest in
the country were found ready to risk the
most.
It was in these January days that the
letters of tho time relate tho incident of
a farce played by the British officers in
Boston, called " Forcing the Blockade,"
wherein Washington was pictured in a
ludicrous garb, but which was suddenly
interrupted by the hurried announce
ment by the sergeant that the "rebels
wore fortifying tho hills around the
city !" This was supposed by the audi
ence to bo a well-acted part of the farce,
and it was only the confusion and de
parture of the actors which showed that
the play had become a reality. Well
ington, during that January, managed
to disguise tho smallness of his army so
well that his 9,000 was amplified, in
popular belief, to 20,000, and this im
pression, though ho was utterly desti
tute of ammunition, with his masterly
occupation of Dorchester heights, com
pelled, a little later, the evacuation of
the city. It was in January, if we are
not mistaken, that the new flag of thir
teen stripes of red and white, but with
out the stars, was first unfurled in the
Continental army, near Boston. The
winter was full, to the colonies, of
anxiety, excitement, and danger. It was
evidently the opening of a great war,
and a great change in tho world's his
tory. Few could predict whether disas
ter or success would be the result.
Santa C'lnus Appears.
The Louisville Courier-Journal tells
this touching little Christmas story :
Two little twin girls living on Center
street, wan with hunger and suffering
with the cold and damp of a dreary, dis
mal day, begged their mother for bread.
Ihe poor mother looked sorrowfully
upon her little darlings and told them
there was not a morsel in the house, not
even so much as a crust of bread. But
she told them that if the ragman would
oome she would sell " the bag of rags,"
aud that would buy tffem something to
eat. Encouraged with this conditional
promise, the little girls ceased crying
and said they would watch for the rag
man. Accordingly they went out doors
aud sat for an hour upon the cold steps
watching for the little wagon which chil
dren know so well. The little girls were
just large enough to go to Sunday
school, and had learned a few verses of
some songs, which they sang together,
as they sat in the cold, until finally the
wagon and the man who cries out :
" Rags ole iarn," came in sight, when
they ran to their mother and repeated
the fact with asmuoh joy in their counte
nances as though a fortune had dropped
down into their midst. The mother sold
the rags and the little family had a com
fortable dinner that day.
The Mobile Register has made an hon
orary subscriber of the man who has
read that paper for fifty years.
Item of Interest.
He has a good memory who at this
season remembers the poor.
Scotch saying a doar plant wi' a
men's naam on's a vaorygoad thing, but
a dinner platt wi a inon's dinner ou 'is a
better.
Many folks are so anxious for sorrow
that they are not only willing to hold
their own nose to the grindstone of life,
but are willing to turn the menu thing
besides.
The laws are generally equal to all cir
cumstances. In order to get jurymen
whose minds have not been mado up,
men are selocted with very little mind to
make up.
A Nevada Chinaman cut down six tele
graph poles for firewood and used the
wire to make fox traps. He was last
seen going up a hill. There was a man
after him.
We hear of a merchant who rejoices
that this is centennial year, for he says
that he has a number of customers who
settle their accounts only once in a hun
red years.
Isn't it a little odd that while all de
cent men are horrified when they hear
of a wife being whipped, they should do
nothing but laugh at a husband who is
whipped by his wife ?
Of the one hundred and seventy-eight
Congregational clergymen who died last
year, eight were over eighty years old,
aud only six under forty. The average
ago was over sixty-four years.
Some time in October last the Missis
sippi river began eating into the Illinois
shore, two or throe miles above Cairo,
and the process has continued until the
city is threatened with serious danger.
A paper tells about a youngster, aged
six, who went to a neighbor's house and
remarked : "Will you please letmesee
your parlor carpet, for auntie says it
makes her most sick every time she
comes herel"
'lhate anything that occupies more
space than it is worth, says William
Hazhtt : " I hate to see a load of band
boxes go along the street, and I hate to
see a parcel of big words without any
thing in them."
Tho Courier-Journal properly ranks
Mr. Fruits and Mrs. Fruits, of Indiana,
among the first Fruits of the earth, the
one being 113 and the other 111 years
old. The old gontloman neither smokes
nor chews, of course.
Women, so amiable in themselves, ore
never so amiable as when they are use
ful; and as for beauty, though men may
fall in love with girls at play, there ia
nothing to make them stand to their love -like
seeing them at work. ( . ' ' ,
Savs the Detroit Free Press: On the.
third of January Michigan f armefff were
plowing their nelds.a On the tenth of
January they were using crowbars to
dig the plows out of the furrows. Is it
auy wonder that we all love America ? .
M. Dumas, in advisiDg that a young
girl should be taught what dangers snr
round her, says : She would know, it is
trne, what a young girl ought not to be
told, but, on tho other hand, sho should
know what a young girl ought not to uo.
A Portland (Me.) Irish boy has just
come into a fortune oi $uu,uuu,. being
the value of some property in Dublin
unrightfully occupied by an undo. Loftt
year, before his departure for Ireland,
the heir was arrosted for au assault on
his sister with a hatchet.
At a late prayer meeting one of the
brethren directed attention to a stranger
who was sitting by himself near tho
door, and asked why he wasn't invited
to pray. "Because," reprovingly ob
served a deacon, "this ain't no place for
practical jokes. That man's the presi
dent of a gas company."
A romarkablo incident is reported
from England. Tho ltev. Isaac Hanks,
for many years minister of an indepen
dent chapel in Mahuesbury, fell down
dead in his pulpit just as he had given
out his text, which was: "But mau
dioth and wastcth away ; yea, mau giv
eth np the ghost, and where is he ?"
A number of years ago a young Iowa
farmer dislocated liis limb, which was
not properly reduced, and left his leg
two inches short, which was lengthened
out with cork solo and heel. A few days
ago a wagon ran against him, the wheel
hub striking him on the defective hip,
and knocking him over. When ho arose
his leg was two inches too long, and he
was obliged to remove his cork exten
sion. He walked home immediately.
In a Boarding House
Somebody who knows gives this pic
ture of a boarding house : When a new
boarder comes into the house, be it a
gentleman or lady, that person is regard
ed with great suspicion, and for a few
days, at any rate, all the old boarders
keep close together, get uncommonly
intimate, and conspire, by rude staring
and stage whispering, to make the new
comer as uncomfortable as possible.
The landlady introduces her new guest
to all the others on the first opportunity,
taking occasion to accompany each in
troduction with a brief biography of
the person introduced. - This she
often supplements afterwards with
mysterious hints as to the family
connections and business prospects of
her guests, which leaves the stranger in
a moro uncomfortable condition than
ever, until by companionship' and that
close intimacy which is the most ob
jectionable feature of boarding houso
life, he gets to know everybody's busi-,
ness and everybody gets to know his,
and mutual regard or mutual contempt
is engendered, when everything goes on
as usual.
Eats in the Somersetshire Floods.
During the recent heavy floods that
laid under water an area of land in
Somersetshire, England, twenty miles
across, the rats were driven from
their haunts iu 'vast numbers. Some of
them found refuge on the trees and
others . took possession of deserted
bouses. One instance is recorded where
a laborer had occasion to visit his cot
tage to rescue some property left be
hind. He moored his boat to the cham
ber window, and was about to enter,
when he found the room filled with a
swarm of rats, which were so ravenous
with hunger that they were like a pack of
wolves. - Their savage demonstrations
compelled the man to beat a hasty re
treat to save himself from being eaten
alive.