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.