03 M 7 fiittfi HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. NIIj DESPEjlANDTJM. Two Dollars per Annum. . v VOL. VI. MP G WAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1876. . NO. 12- Tbe Undiscovered Country. Could we but know The land that ends onr dark, unoertain travel, Where lie those happier hills and meadows low Ah ! if btyond the spirit's Inmost cavil Anght of the ooimtrv oonld we surely know, Who wonld not go t Might we but hear The hovering angels' high imagiaed ononis, Or oatoh betimes, with watohfnl eyes and olear, One radiant vista of the realm before ns With one rapt moment given to see add hear. Ah! who wonld fear? Were we quite Hire To Sad the peerlens tiond who left us lonely ; Or there, by some celestial stream as pure, To gaze in eves that here were love-lit only This weary mortal ooil, were we quite sure, Who would endure ? MABEL MOORE'S STRATAGEM. It was almovt like a bit of Persian poetry, that little conservatory at Bays water, in its glow and fragrance, and soft, delicious murmur of leaves. And Mabel Mcore herself looked not unlike a Persian enchantress, as she stood there loaning one hand on a marble vase, with tlio gold of the acacia plumes hard ly brighter than her hair, and a quiver ia the heavy white lids that hid her deep blue eyes. She was tall, and fine ly formed, with very regular features, cheek tinged with a faint color, and an unconscious hauteur in the poise of her slender throat and shoulders. Mabel Moore was born to bo an heiress, and very gracefully she fulfilled the mission of her sunry life. She was not alone, however, in the flowery fragrance of the twilight con servatoiy. Ernest Beckfordwas leaning agaiust tha doorpost, twisting and un twisting a lot g spray of jasmino with a sort of impatient rapidity. He was a tall, manly fellow, with bright auburn hair, and a face that you were involun tarily compelled to respect aud like. " Mabel," he said, almost passionate ly, "do you know that you are asking impossibilities!" "Amli" " I caunct go to Australia without you." "Yon can, Ernest, and you will." "But, my darling, only think of it a year's exile from you." " Will it hi any easier for me to en dure, Efnw.t?"s!ie askod, calmly. "Sometimes I fancy, Mabel," he re sumed, impetuously, "that yon don't cue for me, elso you would never be so willing to lt-t me go." " Ernest 1" "My dearest, I know I am unjust; but" "Now," (aid Mabel, " let mo iinder destnud just what you wish mo to do in this matter." "I want you to marry me tho day after to-morrow, mid go out to Australia with rao iu tho ship that sails on Satur day." ' A veryreascnablo wish," said Mabel, laughing. "But, Ernest, you know I will ucv i marry you while your mother refuses her sanction nnd approbation to the nititcli." " She does not know you, Mabel." "That makes no difference. I shall never enter a family where I am not welcomed by every one of its members." "But just consider how unreasonable you are, my own darliug, and how utterly and eutirelv groundless are my mother's objections." " Sho fancies me a holloa, heartless woman of the world, does sho not? She is unwilling to trust her son's happiness iu tho keeping of a coquette, who knows nothing but Italian songs and French waltzes ?" " Mabel, I am sorry I ever allowed you to road that unreasonable letter." " But I am glad. No, Ernest, I have too much pride and dignity to marry yon unless your mother gives her free and full consent." " Then you do not love me, Mabel." I do love you, Ernest Beckford, bet ter than I like to acknowledge to my self." "Mabel," he urged, tenderly, " let us cut this Gordian knot by the exercise of our own free will. B come mv wifo : give mo the right to take you with mo on this long, long journey." Mabel Moore shook her head. " Let us wait and see what time may " ,1, : .1 Li n 4 j now leavo me; remember taut tbe emn sails on Saturday. " I can't possibly go in that vessel," said Ernest; "I've many things to do." " But if you do not on Saturday you will bo obliged to wait another fortnight, and your business is so important over there " " Yes, I know, but " " Well ?" " I must get that companion for my mother she will be entirely alone. Mrs. Garter told me she knew some ome who would take tho situation, and I shall have to go over to Glapham to soe her about it to-morrow." " Don't let that detain you, Ernest. I think I know of a young lady who would make au excellent companion, and I will send her to Beckfordville." " Can she read aloud, and has she patience aud forbearauoe, and will she be as meek us Mo3es ?" " I am sure she will try." " Send her, then. But, Mabel " "Well ?' " It strikes me you are anxious to hurry me off next Saturday." " Ernest," she said, in a voice that quivered a little, iu spito of all her self emtiol, "you are misjudging me. I want you to do your duty to go and at tend to the affairs of your poor uncle, whose reason has deserted lain. Aud more than this, I want you to learn life's lesson of patience and endurance. The sunshine will come at last, if yon can only wait unrepiningly." " Little prophetess," said Ernest, drawing her fondly towards him, " I aooept your auguries, and I'll bear up as manfully as human nature will allow. No one ought to be discouraged who is sure of your love. But, oh, my dar ling, how often I shall remember this sunset, and your swet face turned to wards mine I" " Do you think I slnll ever forget it ! Only wait, Ernest, and all will come right in God's own time," she answered, with her hand in his. And thus they parted. "Going out of town, Miss Mnbelf and so early this season I" The pretty lady's maid stood aghast in her occupation of putting awny the laces in a satin lined box of veined san dal wood. Yes. Get my trunks ready, Mil dred." "And when do we start, mifs ?" " I will not take you with me, Mil dred." " Not take me, Miss Mabel I And who is to arrange your hair and take care of your dresses ?" " I, myself." "But, Miss Mabel " "I choose to go alone, Mildred," said tho young lady, a little imperatively. "Take away the silks and grenadines; I shall only require the muslins and one or two light wrappers." "Miss Mabel!" exclaimed the snr- Ei'ised lady's moid, holding up both amis in hopeless bewilderment, "where can you bo going?" "To seek my fate, Mildted," said Mabel, in a tone that was a curious in termingling of jest aud earnest. " There now leave me to myself." Mrs. Beckford, of Beckfordv'lle Villa, at Richmond, was sitting alone in her comfortable parlor musing on her far off son, with a total abstraction from all outward sights and sounds and when all of a sudden sho looked up, a pretty young person, clad in a quiet style, stood before her. "What is it?" said Mrs. Beckford, somewhat curtly. " II you please, madam, I am anxious to come as a companion." " Who sent you ?" demanded the lady, surveying the large blue eyes and golden bands of smoothly brushed hair rather distrustfully. " I learnt from a lady of your acquain tance that you wished a companion, and I should like to tako the situation." "Hum-rn-ni," said the old lady. " What's your name ?" "Edith Moore." " Moore Moore ? Got any relations in town ah I at Bayswater, I mean?" demanded the inqnisitress, sharply. "No, ma'am. I am alone iu the world." "I'm glad of that," murmured Mrs. Beckford. " I couldn't stand any one belonging to the guitar playing girl who but never mind that just now. What are your references " Edith Moore drew a letter or two from her traveling bag. " So Mrs. Carter, of Clapham, knows yon, eh?" - "Yes, ma'am." "Well," commented tho matron, glancing over the no ten, "these recom mendations poem very satisfactory I don't know but that you may come md stay. The only objection I can see is tbot you're too pretty, and I don't think you are really to blame for that. Take off your things." Aud the roses that glowed into Edith's jheeks at this very plain expression of the old lady's sentiments did not make her any the less lovely as she untied the blue bonnet strings, and laid aside the neat but simple shawl, to enter upon her probation. More than a year had crept over the daily current of life at Beekfordvillo. The trees were bare and leafless, the snow lay white and deep iu all the hol lows and dimples by the roadside, and a sharp December wind was sweeping along the Thames, as tho sun glowed with momentary redness, ere it sunk down out of sight. " How soon it grows dark I " said Mrs. Beckford, with a littlo sigh. " That's right, Edith draw the curtains; now we're comfortable I" Comfortable, indeed, they were, with the shaded lamp glowing softly on the table, and the bright Are on the hearth, while Mrs. Beckford's spectacle glasses shone like twin orbs of flame, and her kuitting needles glittered respousively. Edith was sitting opposite to her, fashioning narrow white ribbon into bows for the old lady's new winter caps. She looked wonderfully pretty in a dress of sober blue merino, with a blue ribbon taugled somewhere in the braids of her burnished hair, while tho delicate color on her cheek was like the inside of a pink shell. "What's that yon were saying a while ago about going back to London, my dear ?" said the old lady, suddenly turn ing round to Edith. " I just waut you to understand that you cau't go. I can't spare you." She put one arm round Edith's neck, and drew the round cheek down on her lap. " Do you really love me, Mrs. Beck ford?" asked the girl, earnestly. "Love you, darling ? I oould no more get on without you than I could without the sunshine. It seems as though you belong to me. I don't know what you've done to steal my old heart away, I'm sure," went on Mrs. Beckford, musing ly; " but you remind me somehow of the little daughter I once lost. You won't leave me, Edith, dear ?" There wis something almost pathetic in her pleading voice, as she touched her withered lips to the pure forehead of the beautiful girl. You'll stay and be a daughter to me in my old age, Edith ? What should I do without tho little feet that trip so lightly about the house, and the hands that are forever busy in my behalf? Tell me you will stay, Edith I" " Dearest Mrs. Beckford," whispered Edith, with the happy crimson dyeing her cheek, " I'll never leave you ; I will stay with you always. Oh, I am so glad you have learned to love me more glad than I can toll you. But, Mrs. Beck ford" " Well, dear ?" " There's something I want to tell you something I have kept back from you," faltered Edith, with her fingers nervously twining themselves around the old lady's slender, wrinkled hand. " Mrs. Beckford, I am " But Mrs. Beckford had started to her feet, with a low, half-suppressed cry. " Hush ! did I not hear his footsteps ? It was something more than the wind among the evergreens it was my boy's foot upon tbe threshold ! He has corns back to me I" She rushed to the door and threw it wide open. "ErneBt! My boy I" And the tall, stalwart figure ennght her in its arms, ns if she had been a lit tle child. " Mother, are you glad to see your Wanderer back once more ?" Nor is it any aspersion, on his manly dignity to state that a slight moisture was sparkling on his long eyelashes as he bent to kiss his mother's cheek 1 Men are but mortals, even though they be six feet high, and framed accordingly. As she drew him in he caught a mo mentary glimpse of the figure in the apartment beyond. " You are not alone, mother?" "No; Edith is with me." " And who may Edith be?" " Didu't you get my letters ? I wrote all about her." "I haven't seen a letter for three moiiths." Edith was standing where the full brilliance of the lamp shone upon her blushing cheek and radiant hair, as mother and son entered the room to gether. Ernest stopped short, gazing at her in bewilderment. " Mabel !" " Ernest, Jwhat do yon mean ?" ex claimed Mrs. Be.kford, doubtful whether or not hor son had taken leave of his senses. " This is Edith Moore." "Sho is Mabel Moore, my own affi anced wife I" said Ernest, springing i or ward and sealing his words on lip and bl ow and cheek with half a dozen kisses, while tho young lady, much to Mrs. Beckford's horror, made not tho slight est resistance. The next moment, however, she with drew from his encircling arms, and glid ed to the astonished matron's side. " Dearest Mrs. Beckford," she said, softly, "I may tell you now what was just trembling on my lips when Ernest's footsteps interrupted me. My name is Edith, but it is Mabel, too. 'Will you forgivo me for stealing into yonr heart by stratngcm ? I knew you were pre judiced against one whom you regarded as a mere butterfly of fashion, and I had told Ernest that I would never marry him without your consent. Half an hour ago I promised never to leave you. Mother, you will not send me away from you now ?" And Mrs. Beckford melted straight way before tho pleading sunshine of the blue eyes. "I always wanted a daughter," sho naid ; "but I couldn't boar the idea of Mabel Moore, the Bayswater heiress. " "But you will love little Edith, who came to bo your companion." " I suppose I ought to scold you for deceiving me," said the old lady ; " but I I couldn't help loviig you if I were to try ever so hard, and that's the truth of tho matter. There, Ernest, take her, and I will ring and tell Thomas he may serve up dinner." Ah 1 As though Ernest cared for any thing less ethereal than Mabel just then ! "You have conquered, dearest," he snid, tenderly. "My brave hearted darling, will the devotion of my whole life compensate you for all this faithful love ?" Mabel thought it it would, and Mabel was right. Snakes iu Missouri. Tho sons of Mr. Jason Smith, who lives a dozen miles from Fayette, Mo. , in the Moniteau township, iu exploring a ravine near his house, discovered a snake den, in which there were 174 blacksnakes all knotted togethor, one garter snake, two house snakes and two moocasins. When the snakes were first dug out they were torpid, but the sun soon enlivened the mass of blacksnakes, and the farmers who had gathered to see the sight were forced to use hoes, hatchets, axes, etc., to put an end to them. Another snake story comes from Mr. Lee Wright, a farmer, who lives a few miles east of Fayette. Last fall he hired a man to clean out a well which had not been used for somo time. He had low ered the man to the bottom of the well in a tub, and was turning away when he heard a piercing yell. Looking into the well he saw a multitude of snakes along the rocky walls reaching out their long heads. The man from below could see their glistening eyes. He screamed and raved, and flopped around in the tub, and asked to be drawn up. Mr. Wright began to turn the windlass, and til man was pulled up through the middle of protruding snake heads. In his excite ment he shook the rope, which swayed the tub to and fro, sc that he was thrown uncomfortably near the reptiles. When he jumped out he was covered with cold per.-piration, aud his body trembled like a leaf. He spread the story of his ad venture, and no one could be hired to clean the well. Mr. Wright concluded to remove tho rock aud fill it up, and when the work was begun the snakes begrsn to show themselves. Before ton feet of rock had been removed seventy four blacksuakes, from two to six feet long, were killed. Then the well caved in, aud the rest were buried. The Story of the Madman. President Grant, in conversation with a gentleman in Washington, told the story of the mad man who has recently given such romantio testimony before the committee on expenditures in the In terior department. The President says that he was conscious for many weeks that ho was being shadowed, that he conld never leave the White House without fiuding this maniuo turn upon him at. some, street corner and lower upon him with his raving eyes. This espionage became intolerable, and the President, one day stopped the man and told him that it must cease or he would have him arrested. It did not cease, and the President, iu his walks, carried a cane. The madman still continued to haunt the White House grounds and the streets, and- was finally taken to the asylum. He had been there but a short time, when his friends here told the authorities that they would take him to his home in Ireland, if he should be re-l'-used. The request was immediately granted, and he was sent to Ireland. He did not remain there long. A TERRIBLE SCALP RAISES. What Ruflnln Ben TU Home Dry Moods Clerks about Indians and Zooloaj. It was in a saloon in Chicago. He was a gaunt young man, whose faoe hadn't been washed for two months, and who wore his hair long behind. He wns attired in a slouch hat, . buckskin breeches, a red flannel shirt open at the neck, and a rough coat. He had four revolvers and a big knife in his belt. When four dry goods clerks came in in a group and ordered some beer, the first dry goods clerk said to the bar keeper: "Say, John, who's that fellow over yonder ?" ( . " That," said the saloon keeper, drop iug his voice to an awestrWk whisper, "that is Buff'ler Ben, the Wild Trappor of the Great Plains. Ask him to drink. Perhaps he will." The first dry goods dork did so, and the Wild Trapper replid: "Wall, stranger, seeia' as it's you, I will just take some fire water. As I heerd Old Bed Tail say t Spotted Cloud, It's a mighty long time between drinks.' Here's to us," and ho ingulfed a dose of whisky. " You are," said the first dry goods clerk, " connected with the trapper business ?" , " In the scalp and glizzly line," said the second dry goods clerk. " Your reminiscence of a personal character, I doubt not, mould be excit ing and interesting," say! the third dry gooils clerk. " Truth is stranger than fiction. Take something ?" said the fourth dry goods clerk. , "Wall, no," said the trapper; "I never drink when I'm off the war trail. It kinder makes me ugly, yer see, and I'm apt to dror my cutlery. I killed seven men that I was talking to as friendly ns I mont be to you, butl sorter got riled; wall, gimme some more whisky." "Your hand," said one of the dry goods clerks, "has often been stained with human blood ?" "Stranger, she hev. ' The fust time you come up and see mo at my wickiup in Montana second lodge on the right beyond the Yellowstone river, and be sure you turn to the left up by tho big bowlders three hundred miles this side ask any Injin, and tell him yer want tr see Buff'ler Ben, and ef he don't scalp yer he'll show yer the road plum straight. I'll show y r'Old Bull's Eye, my riflo. She's old Kaintuck stock (likewise tho barrel) and is sixteen feet long, aud whenever I wipe out a white mau I make a notch oi the barrel, and there's notches all thewayupone side and niuo feet down ,411a other. I went up to tee your graveyards at Cavalry like my private graveyards, more posies and statutes, and bi on, though they ain't so spacious. Now, jist about three three months ago I turned loose in a barroom down to Lafayette, Arkansaw, and the coroner was kept busy for three days after attending to seven inquests. Aud this was just because a durn skunk stood up at the bar and improved his mind with my conversation, and never asked cue if I would take" Here one of the dry goods clerks caught Buff ler Ben's eye, and he stam mered out an invitation to fill her up agaiu. Mr. Buff'ler Ben irrigated him self, and in reply to a question concern ing his solution of the Indian question, said: " Injins I Wall, no ; I never keep count of tho reds I wipe out. I used to when I was young and sort of vain, but I grew out'n it. It looked too much like vanity. I suppose I've not taken the trouble to lift the har of the last 150 or 200 Indians I've killed. Before that I was kinder particular that way, and took so many scalps that I bust the 'Frisco chignon market, and seventeen dealers in false hair went into bankrupt cy. Injins is poor trash. Gimme a whole tribe of 'em, and I'll wipe 'em out as fast as I can load my revolver and put it to my shoulder." Here he paused again and was prompt ly'ref reshed. Then he continued : " I tell you, boys, if you want to see the choicest country on the footstool, jest you go to them ar Black Hills. The only thing agin the country is the buffa loes. They hatch there, and when they take to flight it's awful to see them in clouds so thick you can't see the sun, and when they light they chaw on gar den sass, and sour apple trees, and corn, railroad ties, and potatoes, and tele graph poles. But ther's gold in the Black Hills. I've seen it myself. When you get down to the bed-rock you strike $50 and 620 pieces, and you wash out eagles and dollars in the streams, and up in the roots of the grass jou find small scrip and nickels. No nuggets as I know ou, though I did hear at Shyan of one worth 8165,000." Thus, with anecdote and information, Butf'ler lien whiled away the time. When tho four dry goods elerks had set tled for the drinks, thtir bill amouiitiug to $6.85, he bado them au affectionate farewell, aud made them promise to call at his tepee if ever they were up in Montana. When they had gone out, the barkeeper paid him his twenty per cent, commission on the drinks sold through his instrumentality, aud told him to reoollect next time that it wac grasshoppers that flew, not buffaloes. Fire iu a Theater. The Loudon Standard's Paris co.re ppoudent says the fire in the theater in Rouen broke out while the actors were dressing for a performance of the opera of " Hamlet," and was discovered before the public ware admitted. The flames spread rapidly. The outlets of tho building were so narrow that tho exit of the members of the chorus and the supernumeraries was cut off, and the poor people crowded the windows, many leaping from them upon bedding piled below by the inhabitants. One chorus singer was visible for an hour ia an upper window beyond the reach of help. Four soldiers were killed and fifteen wounded in endeavoring to savo lives. About fifty persons were badly injured and taken to the hospital. A leading ringer, Mme. Pzys, entered the burning building in search of her hus band and perished in the flames. Her body has not been found. A DOQ PARTXERSlflhCASE. Nnadder Explains his Bewildering Troubles and Forcets Something. The Philadelphia Bulletin says: A man came into the office of Judge X., the well known lawyer, the other day, and when the judge had time to listen to him, he said: " Judge, my name is Sondder; I call ed to see you about a dog case that kinder bewilders me, and I thought maybe you might throw some light on her might just give me the law points so's I'd know whether it was worth while suing or not. " Well, judge, you see me and a man named Potts went into partnership on a dog. We bought him. Ho was a set ter, and me and Potts went shares on him so as to take him out a hunting. It was never exactly settled which half of him I owned and which half belonged to Potts, but somehow I kinder formed an idea in my own mind that the hind end was Scudder's and the front end Potts'. Consequence was that when tho dog barked, I always said: ' There goes Potts' half exercising itself,' and when the dog's tail wagged, I always consid ered that my end was being agitated. And, of course, when one of my hind legs scratched one of Potts' ears or one of his shoulders, I was perfectly satis fied; first, because that sorter thing was good for the whole dog; and, second, because the thing would get about even when Potts' head would reach around and bite a flea off my hind legs or snap at a fly. "Well, things went along smooth enough for a while, until one day that dog begun to get into the habit of run ning around after his tail. He was tho foolishest dog about that I ever see. Used to chase his tail round and round until he got so gid.ly he couldn't bark. And you know I was skeered lest it might hurt the dog's health, and as Potts didn't seem to be willing to keep his end from circulating in pursuit of my end, I made up my mind to chop the dog's tail off, so's to make him re form and behave. So I caused the dog to back up agin a log, and then I sud denly dropped the ax on his tail.Jpretty close up, and next minute he was boom ing around that yard, yowling like a boat load of wildcats. Just then Potts came up, aud he let on to be mad be cause I'd cut. off that tail. One word brought on another, and pretty soon Potts sicked that dog on me my own half, too, mind you and tho dog bit mo in the leg, bit a piece out. See that ; look at that kg I About half a pound gone ; et up by that dog. " Now, what I want to seo vou about. judge, is thi3 : Can't I recover damages for assault and battery against Potts I What I chopped off belonged to me, recollect. -1 owned an undivided half of that setter pnn, from the tip of his tail clear up to his third rib, and I had a right to cut away as much of it as I had a mind to; while Potts, being sole owner of the dog's head, is responsible when ne bites anybody. " I don't know," replied the judge, musingly, "There haven't been any decisions on cases exactly like this. But what does Mr. Potts say on tho sub ject?" " Wh-, Potts' view is that I divided the dog the wrong way. When he wants to map out his half hu draws a line from the middle of the nose, right along the spine, aud clear to the end of the tail. That gives him one hind leg and one fore leg, and makes him joint proprietor in the tail. And he says that if 1 wanted to cutoff mv half of tho tail I might have done it, and he wouldn't have cared; but what made him mad was that 1 wasted his property without consulting him. But that theory seems to me a little strained, and if it s legal, why I'm going to close out my half of that dog at a sacrifice sooner than hold any interest in him on those principles. Now, what do you think about it?" "Well," said the judge, " I can hard ly decide so important a question off hand; but at the first glance my opinion is that you own the whole dog and that Potts also owns the whole dog. So when he bites you a suit won't lie against Potts, and the only thing you can do to obtain justice is to make the dog bite Potts also. As for the tail, when it is separated from the dog it is no longer the dog's tail, and it is not worth fighting about." "Can't sue Potts?" you say. "I think not," "Cau't get damages for the meat that's been bit out of me ?" " I hardiv think vou can." " Well, well, and yet you talk abont American civilization, and temples of justice and such things ! AU right. Let it go. I kin stand it; but don't anybody ever undertake to tell mo that the law protects human beings in their rights. Good morning, judge." "Wait a moment, Mr. Scudder," said the judge; " you've forgotten my fee." "F-f-f fee! Why, you do-i't charge anything when I don't sue, do you ?" " Oertaiuly, for my advice. My fee is 810." "Ten dollars! ten dollars I Why, judge, that's just what I paid for my half of that dog. I haven't got fifty cents to my name. But I'll tell yon what I'll do. I'll make over all my rights in that setter pup to you, and you kin go round aud fight it out with Potts. If that dog bites me again, I'll sue you and Potts as sure as my name's Scud der. Potts own tho whole dog now, and Scudder guns without one. Truthfulness to Children. A parent, unlike a poet, is not born he is made. There are certain things which he has at once to learn, or he will have no more influence over his child than if he were a common stranger. To gam obedience, you must first set your self to deserve it. Whatever you promise your littlo one, however small the thing may seem to you, and what ever trouble it costs yon, perform it. Never let tho doubt once eater that in nocent mind that you say what you do uot mean, or will not act up to what you say. Make as few prohibitory laws as you possibly can, but once made, keep them. In what is granted, as in what is denied, compel yourself, how- j ever weary, or worried, or impatient, to auimuister aiwajs even-muiueu justice. The Crime of Arson. The alarming prevalence of the crime of arson, which costs the country fifty millions a year, and for which the con vention of fire underwriters have been trying to find a preventive, proceeds mainly from two motives the malicious or revengeful motive, and the mercenary or insurance award motive. There are also eases in which the crime is perpe trated as a means of covering up some other crime. Persevering research, aided by the guidance thus furnished, ought to lead to the discovery of the offenders in a large proportion of in stances. The fire underwriters, have, of course, the best of reasons for prosecut ing their researches in the event of any incendiary fire by which they loso money ; but they have not yet been able to establish an effective system of detec tion in their own interest. Insurance companies are not the only parties con cerned in the suppression of this crime. People whoso property is uninsured, and the tenants of all houses and stores, whether insured or not, are concerned. In fact, it is a crime that affects the whole community, and one that Oiteu results in the destruction of life as well as property. Tho incendiary is a public enemy, against whom the hand of every man should be raifed, and with whom justice should always be as severe as the law will allow. A wicked young girl in Buffalo, named Caroline Fox, pleaded guilty to the charge of having set fire to an institution there known as the Ingle side Home, of which she had been au inmate, and upon the managers of which she desired to take revenge. She was sent by tbe court to Randall's island "until discharged bylaw." Two men named Skidmore weie tried in Suffolk county for firing a house, the flames of which consumed three men and one woman, against whom the accused had made threats ; but no insurance com pany was interested in their conviction, and the evidence offered was insufficient to secure it. Cases like these, with such results, would be less frequent than they are if some means were devised of secur ing the co-operation of the public at large with the fire underwriters iu the suppression of all incendiarism, without regard to the incident of insurance. New York Sun. Notes of the Fashions, Linen parasols are much worn this season. Small reversible shawls of thread lace are connted with novelties for dressy house toilets. Cream colored muslin handkerchiefs are offered for sale. Ladies will be expected to wear some outside wrap on the street, even during the summer. Pink and blue batistes, striped and plain, are offered for summer dresses. Gray and ecru batistes will again be worn "this season as overdresses for black or brown skirts. Brocaded cream colored silk parasols are trimmed with cashmere lace. A cuirasse, short in front, cut open at the sides and finished at the back by two long lappets, gives a now shapo of corsage. The madrileno fringe is a novelty. It is composed of a network of silk, fin ished with several rows of tassels. There are a great variety of mantles aud jackets, but the casaque and the scarf are the two favorites. "A new model in overskirts has from four to six long straight breadths of ma terial, with the lower part of each seam left open, forming squoro aprons and square backs. The Centennial kerchief is a three cornered affair, made of white muslin and trimmed with Valenciennes or other lace, to wear about the neck. Whatever is "Centennial" is the fashion. Childron use Centennial hand kerchiefs, having the corners marked 1776 and 1876. A Brave Workman, A coroner's jury at Brislington, near Bristol, England, nas rendered a verdict of accidental death in the case of John Chiddy. He was foreman at a quarry close to the Great Western line, between Keyusham and Bristol, and was super intending the stacking of the stones alongside the Hue, when he fonnd that a large block of stone had fallen on to the metals of the down line. There was no time to be lost, for rushing toward the spot came the "Flying Dutchman" express, described by the driver, who gave evidence at tne inquest, as " tbe fastest train in the world. One second more and a horrible trogody would have probably occurred, but Chiddy, forget ting himself and a large family depend ent on him, and thinking only of the ilanger of the unconscious passengers in tho train, leaped on to the line as it dashed out of the Brislington tunnel, and, seizing the block of tstone iu his hands, was cut to pieces a3 he rolled it from tho rail. The witnesses for the railway company took a more cheerful view of the matter than that held by Chiddy. They " thought the life guards of tho engine would have cleared the rails." What we are Learning. The two countries of the world, leav ing central Africa out of account, about which least ia known to outsiders, are Thibet and Corea, both of them popu lous, and both ruled by despots of the Oriental type. The numerous attempts made to open them up to travel end commerce have heretofore proved failures, and they remain sealed again-1 nil the influences of our form of civiliza tion. But mankind will presently gain entrance into Coroa. By the treaty through which war has been averted, and the long standing quarrel closed be tween Japan and Corel, two of the Corean ports will next yi ar be opened to commerce with the enterprising Japanese. This is a signal triumph of Japanese diplomacy. It has gained that whioh all the menaces and all tho nego tiation of British aud other European agents have failed in gaining. Other governments, including the United States, will now of course demand that Corea shall put them upon an equal looting wuii me Japanese. It is time to plant early peas. Then it will soon be time for hens.. Then como neighborhood fights. Items of Interest. Tho ffrst "governor of Iowa keeps a little grocery in a little town, nnd does a littlo business. Buckwheat flour will remove grease spots from carpets. A chattel mortgage will do tbe same thiug, and remove tho carpet to boot. Liverpool is to be supplied with water from Lake Windermere, at an estimated cost of 810,000,000 for a daily supply of 10,000,000 gallons. There is an establishment at Pasau on the Danqbe, where eggs are dried. They are said to equal fresh eggs for omelettes and for making pastry. An old edition of Morse's geography says : "Albany has four hundred dwell ing houses, 2,400 inhabitants, all stand ing with their gable ends to tho street." A shrewd old Yankee said he didu't believe that there was any downright cure for laziness in a man. "But," he added, " I've known a second wife to hurry it some." A New York doctor says that three bottles of stomach bitters ought to kill the strongest man. If they fail to do so the consumer may know the bitters are not worth anything. Michigan has got him 1 The man who hasn't written to a newspaper to offer his services as Centennial correspondent lives in Michigan and can be seen for fifty cents per head. "Brother, why don't you ask tho stranger to pray?" "Because," re provingly observed a deacon, "this ain't no place for practical jokes. That man's the president of a gas company." How on earth one hundred oyster cans, two hundred bottles, sixteen old baskets, ten barrels and a box full of old boots and shoes ever got into a back yard is more thin any one man can cipher out. A youth of Lafayette, Ark., recently undertook to frighten a doctor by the name of Westbrook by presenting a plug of twist tobacco at his head. The doctor, thinking that it was a pistol, drew his revolver and shot the boy dead. A Franklin (Ky.) man lately took a live bee into his month along with some honey. He then reflected " Chew bee or not chew bee, that is the question" hero his tongne happened to touch the hot end of the aggressive insect, and he decided negatively. Two tramps in Westchester county stopped at the house of a lone widow and one went in to beg. Very soon ho came out with a bloody nose and a first class black eye. "Well, did you get anything, Jack?" "Yes," growled the sufferer, " I've got the widow's might." Here's an argument in favor of cheeso. Prof. Peck says that in this country, where cheese is least used, one physi cian to every five hundred persons is re quired. In Switzerland and countries where it is most used, only one physician is needed for every ten thousand per sons. At Leipzig there is a school reader printed, now in its eighth stereotyped edition, which describes Niagara falls iu one chapter. It says of the cataract that it might be supposed that it was not navigable, but that some Indians do in their canoes venture over the falls iu safety. " Yon cannot keep me down," shouted a somewhat windy orator at a public meeting ; " though I may be pressed below the waves, I rise again ; you will find that I come to the surface, gentle men." "Yes," said an old greaser in the audience, "you come to the surface to blow." A certain servant maid was left-handed. Placing the knives and forks upon tho dinner table in the same awkward fashion, her master observed that she had placed them all left-handed. " Ah, true indeed, sir, and so have would you be pleased to help me turn the table?" A witness on the stand said that he did not believe that any man ever got so drunk that he didn't know what he was doing. To prove what he said, " if a drunken mau bothers. you give him a sound licking, and no matter how many times after that he got chunk he never would bother you again." Annie Besaut, tho English radical heroine, has started a petition to Par liament praying that no further grants of money to cr for the royal family or any member of it shall bo given under any circumstances whatever. Tho sig natures have run up into the neighbor hood of 80,000, and, when presented, it will be tho largest petition ever sent to that body. Hens' eggs hatch in from nineteen to twenty-one days ; turkeys' in from twenty-six to twenty-nine days ; ducks' in twenty-eight days; Guinea fowls' in twenty-five to twenty-seven days ; pea fowls in from twenty-eight to thirty days ; geese in from thirty to thirty-two days. Fresh eggs . will hatch from one or two days sooner than those two or three weeks old. Says the Nautical Gazette : Mare's tails leave scanty sails ; red in tbe east I like the least ; red in the west I like the best ; when the clouds spread like a feather, mariners look for fair, good weather ; when the lofty hills the mist doth bear, let the mariner then for storms prepare ; lead, log, lookout, and be steady, keep an eye on the glass and for changes be ready. The iron prow of the old steamer New Jersey is lying at the Pennsylvania rail road company's yard at Perth Amboy, N. J., and is to be sent to the Centennial exhibition in a few days. When she first came from England she was known as the R. n. Stevens, but was recharter ed as the New Jersey. She was the first steam vessel that crossed the Atlantic, and no smaller steam vessel has crossed it np to this day. A Georgian owns a place eighteen miles south of Bt. Augustine, Florida, where he raises a big crop of strawber ries. He drove to St. Augustine with his first lot of strawberries last Christ mas and sold them at the fancy price of $2.50 per quart. On the fifth of January he sold bis fruit at $1 a quart. About the first of February his price was seventy-five cents. It is now twenty-five cents, and the strawberry season is over.