V
s . j. -. J
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr. Editor and Publisher. NIL DESPERANDUM. " Two Dollars per Annum.
r-r . ,, ; , . . , ; ... , , -. '
VOL. VI. KIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, FEBRUA11Y 8,-1877. N0. 51
The Wormmt Font of Type.
I'm sitting t my desk, Turn.
Before tnc on the floor
There lion a wormmt font of tyie,
Villi twenty thounnil Hcore
And many month lmve pnfmod, Tom,
Since they were hriyht nud new,
And ninny me tiie tali'H they've lold
The fulxe, the ut range, the true.
Whnt titles of horror they have told.
Of tenipet nud of wreck j
Of murder in the midnight hour,
Of wiir full ninny n " ireel; !"
Of ships Hint lest, nwuy lit Hen.
Wi nt down ref. i tl r Must j
Of Ktitted elii'H ( f nf.ni y,
As life'8 lust im inn-lit h jnocied.
Of enrtliqniiLpK nml of Miicidi -i,
Of bank defaulterx, l.inken limit.
And hnnkin syntonis rotten ;
Of hoilerKburstiug, nlemneiK MiR(.'i;tHl,
Of riots, duelK fought,
Of rublur with their prey craped.
Of thieves their booty eatifdit.
Of flood and lire and acrident
Tlioxc wornont type lmve told,
And how the pestilence ha nwept
The youthful and the oii.
Of m:u riagOB. of births und JchIIii.
Of things to please or vox uh,
Of one man's jumping overboard.
Another gone to Texas.
They've told Ms how wcet summer days
Have faded from our view,
How autumn's chilling winds have swept
The leaf crowned forest through.
How winter's snow hath come and gone,
Hark reign of storm and strife
And how the smiling spring hath warmed
The pale fl(verH back to life.
I can't pretend to mention half
My inky friends have told,
Mnce shining bright and beautiful
They issued from the mold
How unto some they joy have brought.
To others grief and tears,
Vet faithfully the record kept
Of fast receding years.
BRIAN TAAFE'S WILL.
by ciiahlks BEADK.
In a certain part of Ireland, a loi g
t me ngo, lived a wealthy old farmer
w 10.se liittne was Brian Taafe. His three
sj:is, Guillaum, Shamus and Garret,
w.H'ked on the farm." The old man had n
g.'eat e flection for them all; and finding
lrmself grown unlit for work, he resolved
to hand his farm over to them, aud fit
quiet by the liicfidc. But as that was
not a tiling to be done lightly, he thought
ho would just put them to their trial.
He would take the measure of their in
telligence, aud then of their' affection.
Proceeding in this order, he gave them
each a hundred pounds, aud quietly
watched, to nee whul they did with it.
Well, Guillaum nud Shamus put their
hundred pounds out to interest, every
penny; but when the old men qneistiond
Garret where his hundred pounds wiw,
th? young man fiu'd: "I spent it,
father."
" Speht it ?" said the old niiui, aghast.
" Ts it the whole hundred wounds ?"
Sure 1 thought, you told us we might '
lay it out as we pleased." 1
'"Is that a raison ye'd waste the whole :
of it iii a year, ve orodiiral?" cried the'
old man; and he trembled at the idea of
his substance falling into such hands.
Some months alter this he applied the
second test.
lie convened his sons und addressed
them solemnly : " I'm an old man, my
children; my hair is white 011 my head,
nud it's time I was giving over trade and
making my sowl." The two elder over
flowed with sympathy. He then gave the
dairy farm and the lull to Shnmns, and
the meadows to Guillaum. Thereupon
these two vied with each other iu expres-
imta (if Ltve nn.l m'lifitmlo lint (larrM
haul never a word: and this, coupled
wall his behavior about the hundred I er, he did not beg; he uned to disappear, ihese things about; and sure it is know
pounds, so maddened tho old man that 1 often for an hour lit a time, but always ing ones I have to do with, especially the
he gave Garret's portion, namely, the ' returned, and often with a rabbit ir even women."
home and the home farm, to- hi elder j a hare in his mouth. Sometimes the i Xext day the fanner lent luni 11 good
brothers to hold in common. Garret he : friends exchanged them for it gallon of j suit and drove him to a quiet corner
disinherited on the spot and in due form. ' meal, sometimes they roasted tliem in 1 scarce a hundred yards from his old
That is to Bay, he did not overlook him j the woods; Lurcher was a civilized dog, I abode. The old farmer got down and
nor pass hiiii by; but even us spiteful and did not like them raw. ,' left him. Lurcher walked at his mns-
testntors used to leave the disinherited Wandering hither and thither, Brian j ter's heels. It was noon and the sun
me a shilling, that he might not bo
able to say he had been inadvertently
omitted, and it was all a mistake, old
Brian Taafe solemnly presented young
Garret Taafe with a' hazel staff and a
Tsnndl bag. Poor Garret knew very well
what thut meant. He shouldered the
bag, and went forth into the wide world
.villi n uml henrt but a silent toncrue.
His dog, Lurcher, was for following
him, but he drove him back with a
stone.
On the strength of the new arrange-
ment, Guillaum and Shamus married di-
rectlv, and brought their wives home,
for it as a large house, and room for all.
But the old farmer was not contented
to be quite a cipher, and he kept finding
fault with this andthut. xue young men
became more and moie imputient of his
interference, and their wives fanned the
flame with femole pertinacity. So that
the house was divided, and a very home
of discord.
This went on getting worse and worse,
till at last, one winter afternoon, Shamus
defied his father openly before all the
rest, and said: " I'd like to know what
would plaise ye. Maybe ye'd like to turn
us all out as ye did Garret."
The old fanner replied, with sndden
cfenitv: " If I did, I'd take no more than
I Vave. " '
"What good wus your giving it?" suit!
Guillaum: " we get no comfort of it while
Guillaum; " we get no comfort of it while
you are m the house.
"Do you talk that way to me too?"
said the father, deeply grieved. " If it
was poor Garret I had, ne wouldn't use
ine so."
'"Much thanks the poor boy ever got
from you," said one of the women, with
venomous tongue ; then the other woman,
fmding she count on male support,
suggested to her father-in-law to take his
stick and pack and follow his beloved
Garret. "Sure he'd find him begging
alxmt the oountluy."
At the women's tongues the wounded
parent turned to bay.
" I don't wonder at anything I hear ye
say. Ye never yet heard of anything
good that a woman would have a hand in
! only mischief always. If ye auk who
' mode Mich a roiul, or built n bridge, or
wrote n great liisthory, or lid a great ac
tion, you'll never lienr it's a womnu done
' it ; but if there is a duel with swords
und guns, or two boys erackiug each
other's frown with shilluhihs, or a
secret let out, or a diameter ruined, or a
man brought to tlm gidlows, or mischief
1 made between a father and his own fleHh
' and blood, then I'll eugage you'll hear a
woman had some cull to it. We needn't
. have recoorsc to liisthory to know yonr
loin's, 'tia nndher our "eyes ; for 'twas
tin liken o' ye two burned Throy, and
nude the King o' Leinsther rebel ugainst
; Brian Born."
These i-hafts of eloquence struck
home; the women Bet up a wrenming,
and pulled their caps oil' their heads,
which in that part was equivalent to
gentlefolk, drawing their swords.
" Oh, murther I murther 1 wax it for
. this I married you, Ouillnniu Taafe?"
"Och, Shamus, will ye Bit an' hear
. me compared to the likes ? Would I re
bel ogaiiiBt Brian Bom, .Shamus,
gal ?"
"Don't heed him, avouineen,"
Shamus; "he is an ould man."
i But she would not be pacified. " Oh,
i vol vo I If ever I thought the likes 'ud
' be said of me, that I'd rebel nguinst
I Brian Born !
As for the other, Bhe prepared to leave 1
Hip Ihiiisp "(liiillnnni ." said she. "I ll i
never etav a dav undher yonr roof with
! them as would say I'd burn Throy.
I Does he forget he ever had a mother
1 himself? Ah ! 'tis a bad apple that de
! spises the tree it sprung from."
All this heated Shamus, so that he
told the women sternly to sit down, for
I the offender should go; and upon that,
; to show they were of one mind, Guillaum
' deliberately opened the door. Lurcher
, ran out, aud the wind and the ruin rush
i ed iii. It was 0 stormy night.
Then the old man took fright, and
! humbled himself.
' " Ah ! SI Maris, (iuillanm, achree, let
I ye have it as ye will; I'm sorry for what
j I said, a'ra giil. Don't turn me out on
j the highroad in mv ould days, Ouillauni,
and I'll engage I'll niver open my mouth
against one o' ye the longest day I live.
All ! Shamus, "it isn't long I have to stay
wid ye, anyway. lerowa limr will lie
as white a's mine yet, plaise God ! mid
ye'U be thanking Him ye showed respect
to mine this night."
But they were all young and of one
mind, anil they turned him out and
barred the door.
He crept away, shivering in the wind
aud rain, till he got on the lee side of a
stone wall, and there lie stopped and ohk
ed himself whether he could live through
the night.
Presently something cold and suvioth
poked against his hand: it was a large
itog that had followed him unobserved
till he stopped. By a white mark on his
breiist he saw it was Lurcher, Garret's
dog.
"Ali !'' said the poor old wanderer,
" yon ure not so wite a dog as I thought,
to follow im" "When lie Bpnke to I lie
dog, th' dog fo!i,l'l him. Then he
burst out 'sobbing and crying: "Ah,
Lurcher ! Garret was not wise either;
but he would uiver have tinned me to
the door this bitter night, nor even thee."
And so he inonm-d and laim nted. But
Lurcher pulled his coat, and by his
movements conveyed to him that he
should not stay mere au nigni; so men
he crept on and knocked ut more than
one door, but did not obtain admittance,
it was so temt'estnous. At last he lay
clown exhausted on some straw in me
corner of an outhouse; but Lurcher lay
close to him, and it is probable the
warmth of the dog saved his life that
night.
Next day the' wind and rain abated:
but this aged man had other ills to light
against besides winter and rough weath
er. The sense of his sons' ingratitude
and Ip's own folly drove him almost mad.
S-onetimes he would curse 'and thirst for
vengeance, Bometimes he would shed
tears that seemed to seidd his withered
cheeks. He got into another couuty and
i begged from door to door. As for ljurcli-!
begged from door to door. As for Lurch-
I Tuufe came at last within a few miles of
j his own house ; but he soon had cause
to wish himself further off it ; for here
he met his first dowunght re -
buff, and, cruel to suy, he owned it to
liis hard hearted sons." One recognized
him as the lather ot mat rogue unuuuiu
Taafe, who hud cheated him in the sale
of a horse, and another as the father of
j that thief Shamus, who had sold linn 11
' diseased cow thut died the week lifter,
i 'So, for the first time since ho was driven
j out of his home, he passed the night
! supperless, for houses did not lie close
j together in that part,
j Cold, hungry, houseless and distructed
i with grief at what he had been aud now
i was, nature gave way at last, and, uu-
! able to outlaw me weary, oilier nigui,
he lost liis senses just before dawn, and
lay motionless 011 the hard road.
The chances were he must die ; but
just at death's door his luck tinned.
Lurcher put his feet over him and his
chin upon her breast to guard hira, as he
had often guarded Garret's coat, and
that kept up a little warmth in his heart ;
and at the very dawn of day the door of
u farmhouse opened, and the master
came out upon his business, and saw
something unusual lying in the road a
' good way off. So he went toward it, aud
fouud Brian Taafe in that condition. This
: fanner was very well-to-do, but he had
! known trouble, and it had made him
charitable. He soon hallooed to his
men, and had the old man taken in ; he
called to his wife top, and bade her ob
serve that it was a reverend face, though
he was all in tatters. They laid hira. be
tween hot blankets, and, when he came
to a bit, gave him warm drink," and at
last a good meal. He recovered his
spirits, and thanked thein with a certain
diguity.
When he was quite comfortable, and
not before, they asked him his name.
"Ah I don't ask me that," said he,
piteously. "It's a bad name I have,
and it used to be a good one, too. Don t
ask me, or maybe you'll put me out, as
the others did, for the fanlt of my own
two sons. It is hard to be turned from
my own dcor, alone from other honest
men's doors, through the vilyins," said
ho.
So the
" Never
bellv."
farmer whh kindly, and said:
mind your name, till your
But by-and-bye the man went out into
the yard, and then the wife could not
restrain her curiosity. "Why, good
man," said Bhe, " sure you aro too de
cent a man to be ashamed of yonr
name.''
"I'm too decent not to be ashamed of
it." fa!d Brian. " But you aro right; an
honest n an should tell his name though
I they druv him out of heaven lor it.
I I am Brian laafe that was,
"Not Brian Taafe.'.the strong farmer j
' ftt Cotrans?" i
! "Av, madam; I'm all that's left of
i him." '
I " Have vou a soil called Garret ?" 1
I " I had, then."
The woman spoke no more to him, but 1
j 11m screaming to the door : " Here, Tom ! j
1 Tom ! come here I" cried she, " Tom 1
a'raj'foin!" As Lurcher, a very sympathetic
i dog, flew to the door and yelled and I
said ' barked fiercely in support of this invo- j
cation, the hullabaloo soon brought the !
farmer running in.
" Oh. Tom, asthore," cried she, " it's
Mister Taafe, the father of Garret Taafe
himself."
"Oh, Lord I cried the farmer, tn
equal aKitatiou. and stared at him. "My
blessing on the day you ever Bet foot
within these doors." Then he ran to
tho door and hallooed : " Hy, Murphy t
Ellen 1 come here 1"
Lurcher supported the call with great
energy. In ran a fine little boy and
girl. ' "Look at this man with all
the eyes in your body 1" said he. " This
is Mi'sther Taafe, father of Garret Taafe
that saved us all from niin and destruc
tion entirely." He then turned to Mr.
Taafe, and told him, a little more calmly,
" that venrs ago every haporth they had
was going to be carted for the rent; but
Garret Taafe came by, put his hand in
his pocket, took out thirty pounds, and
cleared them in a moment. It was a
way he had; we were not the only ones
he'saved that way, so long as he had it
to give."
The old man did not hear these last
words: his eyes were opened, the iron
entered his soul, and ho overflowed with
grief and penitence.
" Och, murther ! murther !" he cried.
" My poor boy ! what had I to do at all
to go and turn you adrift, ns I done, for
110 raison in life' !" Then, wth a piteous
apologetic wail :' " I tuck the wrong for
the right; that's the way the world is
bliuded. Och, Garret, Garret, what will
I do with tho thoughts of it ? An' tbope
two vilyins that I gave it all to, and they
'turned' me out in my ould days, as I
done you. Xo mntther !" and he fell
into a liobbing and a trembling that
nearly lulled him for the second time.
But the true friends of his son Garret
nursed him through that, and comforted
him; mi he recovered. But, a.s he did
live, he outlived those tender feelhus.
whose mortal wounds had so nearly
killed him. When he recovered this last
blow he brooded and brooded, but never
shed another tear.
One dav, seeing him pretty well re- I
stored, a'? he thought, the good farmer ; they gave hiin Lurcher. So he put
came to hiiti with u fat bag of gold.. Lurcher into his gig, and drove away to
"Sir," said he, "soon after your bou i that good farmer, sure of his welcome,
helped us, luck set in our way. Mary , and praying God he might find him
she had a legacy; we had a wonderful , alive. Perhaps his brothers would not
irop of tlax, and with that plant 'tis kill 1 have let him go so easily had they known
or cure; and then I found lead iu the hill he had made a large fortune in America,
and they pay me a dale ' money for ' and was going to buy quite a slice of the
leave to mine there. I'm almost ashamed j county.
k.o take it. T tell you all this to show : On the way he kept talking to Lurch
you I can afford to pay you back that ! cr, and reminding him of certain sports
thirty pounds, aud if you please I'll ' they had enjoyed together, and feats of
count it out." poaching. IV rold Lurcher kept pricking
" Xo !" said Mr. Taafe, " I'll not take ; his ears all the time, and cudgeled his
Garret's money; but if you'll do me a fa- i memory as to the tones of the voice that
vor. lend me the whole bag for a week, i was addressing him. Garret reached the
for at the sight of it 1 see a way to
Whisper."
Then, with bated breath and in strict j
confidence, he hinted to the farmer a j
Behenie of vengeance. The farmer was ;
not even to tell it to lus wite; "for.
smd old Jinan, "ine very un as carry,
, (-iiiiuug bright
i The wife of Shamus Taafe came out to
i hang up her man s shirt to dry, when,
I hi ! scarce thirty yards from her, she saw
' 1111 old man seated counting out gold 011
j a broad stone at his feet. At first she
1 inougui u mui ue our 01 un goou ie-
pie or fairies or else she must be
dreaming; but no ! cocking her head 011
one side, she suw for certain the prolile ! t turret, and when lie got up to go to it, j appeared to be sealed, when their chief,
of Brian Tjiafe, and he was counting a j didn't that wise old dog get up too with j giving an expressive look to the narrator,
mass of gold. She ran in and screamed 1 an effort, and move stiffly toward Gar-1 drew his pistol aud shot the man nearest
her news rather thuu spoke it. ' ret, anfl lick his hand ; then luy down j him through the head. He threw up his
" Xonseuse, woman!" said Shamus, again all of a piec, as who should suy : arms and dropped the reins, but although
roughly; "it is not in nature." j " I'm very tired of it all." "Ho knows j stone dead, sut firm in the saddle, the
" Then go and see for yonrsilf, man !'' j me now at last." He was always a won-' affrighted animal carrying the corpse
said she. ! derf ul wise dog. " j until a second discharge brought both to
Shamus was not the only oue to take j In the morning they found Lurcher the ground. Again the pursuit was
this advice. They all stole out on tiptoe . dead and stiff on the sheepskin. It was checked for a time, and the kouat ap
and made a sort of semicircle of curi- a long good-night he hud bid so quietly 1 peured in view. Luckily the door was
ositv. It was no dream; there were piles ' to the friend of his youth. 1 open, for it was deserted.- Men and
and piles ol gold glowing in thesuu, and
old Brian with a horse pistol across his
knees; and even Lurcher seemed to have
his eyes steadily fixed 011 the glittering
booty. .
When thev had thoroughly drank iu
this most unexpected scene, they began
to talk in agitated whispers ; but even in
talking they never looked at each other
t heir eves were glued on the gold.
j Said Giullaum : ie aid very wrong,
Shamus, to turn out the old father as you
done ; see now what we lost by it. Thut s
a port of the money he laid by, and we 11
Said Giullaum : "Ye did very wrong,
never see a penny of it
The wives whispered that was a foolish
thing to say Leave it to us," said they,
" and we'll have it all one day."
This being agreed to, the women stole
toward the old man, one on each side.
Lurcher rose and snarled, and old Brian
hurried his gold into his ample pockets,
and stood on the defensive.
" Oh, father 1 and is it you come back?
Oh, the Lord be praised ! Oh, the weary
day since you left us, and all our good
luck wid ye!"
Brian received this and similar speech
es with fury and reproaches. Then they
humbled themselves and wept, cursed
their ill-governed tongues, and bewailed
the men's folly in Listening to them.
They flattered him ami cajoled him, and
ordered their husbands to come forward
and ask the old man a pardon, and not
let him ever leave them agr.iu. The sup
ple sous were all penitence and affection
directly. Brian at hist consented to stay,
but stipulated for ft certain chamber with
a key to it. "For," said he, "I have
got my strong box to take care of, as well
as myself.".
Tliey pricked up their ears directly at
mention of the strong box, and asked
where it was.
" Oh ! it is not far, but. T enn't carry it.
Give me two boys to fetch it."
! " Oh 1 Ouillaum and Shamus would
carry it or anything to oblige a long lost
lather.
Mo they went with hiui to the farmer's
cart, and brought in the box, which was
Pretty large, and above all very full and
heavy.
We " king of ins own j
house, and flattered and petted as he had j
never been Bince he gave awny his estate. ,
To be sure, he fed this by mysterious ;
hints that he had other lands besides :
those in that part of the country, and
that, indeed, the full extent of hispos-
sessions wouiu never do Known until ins 1
iin icnu ; vtiui'ii win wiin rmiriv ;
locked away inhis strong box with other
; Tilings.
And so he passed a pleasant tune, im- j which number they killed two or three
bittered only by regret, and very poig- witu ti,ejr ,m,tehloekH for the sake of
mint they were, that he could hear noth- Awiv ,,., mui dispersing the rest, con
ing of his son Garret, Lurcher olso was tinned their jouruev. Shortly afterward
taken great care of, and became old and I ft Grange howling noise was iieard in the
Iny- I rear, which at "first sounded like the
mn shocks una uo not i;ui unuermme,
Before he reached threescore and ten, ,
Brian Taafe's night work and troubles
told upon him, and he drew near his end. j
fle was quite conscious of it, aud an
nounced his own departure, but not in a
regretful way. He had become quite a j
philosopher ; and indeed there was a sort
01 chuckle about the old fellow in speak
ing of his own death, which his daughters-in-law
secretly denounced as unchristian,
and, what was worse, unchancy.
Whenever he did mention the expected
event, he was sure to say ; " Aud mind,
boys, my will is in that chest."
" Don't speak of it, father," was the
reply.
When he was dying, he called for both
his sons, aud said, in a feeble voice : " I
was a strong farmer, and come of honest
folk. Ye'll give me n good wakin', boys, I
an' a gran' funeral.
They promised this very heartily.
So there was a graud wake, aud the
virtues of the deceased and his profes
sional importance were duly howled by
nn old lady who excelled in this lugu
brious art. Then the funeral was hur
ried on, because they were in a hurry to
open the chest.
The funeral was joined iu the church
yard by a stranger, who muffled his
fa'.:e, and died the only tears that fell
upon that grave. After the funeral he
stayd behind all the rest audmouraed,
but he joined the family at the feast
which followed; aud, behold! it was 1
Garret, come a day too-.latv,-.' fTe was
welcomed wun exuoeiam auecuoii, not 1
being down iu the will; but they did not
tiskhim to sleep there. They wanted to
he alone, and rea I the will, lie oegged j
for some reminiscence of his father, and
farm, and was received first with stares,
then with cries of joy, and win drugged
into tho house, so to speak. After the
first ardor of welcome, he told them he
had arrived only just in time to bury his
father. " Anil this old dog," said he,
is all that's left me of him. He was
mine first, but when I left, he took to i
father. He was always a wise dog,"
" We know him," said the wife; " he
has been here before." And she was;
going to blurt it all out, but her man j
said, "Another time," and gave her a ;
look as black ns thunder, which wasn't
his way at ull, but he explained to her
afterward. "Thev are friends, those
three, over the old man's grave. We
should think twice before we stir ill
blood betiuie em.
So wheu he stopped
her. she turned it
oil cleverly er.ough,
;deveiiy er.ough,
j and said the dear old dog must have his
supper. Supper they gave bun, and ji
t in;n Bueeimhiu w 11c uu uy lot- it-ui me.
: So there he lay, and seemed to doze.
! The best bed in the house was laid for
Utirret shed tears over him, and said :
' " If I had ouly knowu what he meant,
I I'd have sat up with him. But I never
I could see far. He was a deul wiser for
I a dog than I shall ever be for a man."
i Meantime the family party assembled
j in the bedroom of the deceased. Every
truce ot leigneu regret jiad leu meir
faces, and all their eyes sparkled with I
joy aud curiosity. They went to open '
the eiiest. it
for the key ;
The women fi
the bed ; the;
the chest, it was locked. They Hunted :
first quietly, then fussily.
omul it at last, sewed up iu
ey cut it out aud ftpeued the
chest.
The first thing they found was a lot
of stones. They glared at them, and the
color left their faces. What deviltry was
this?
Presently they found writing on oue
stone: "Look below." Then there was
a reaction, and a loud laugh. The old
fox was afraid the money and parchments
would fly away, so he kept them down."
They plunged their hands in, and soon
cleared out a barrowful of stones, till
they came to a kind of paving stone.
They lilted this carefully out, and dis
covered a good new rope with a running
noose, and the will.
It was headed in large letters finely
engrossed ;
LAST WILL AND TKSTAMKNT
BRIAN TAAFE."
OF
But the laidy of the instrument was in I
the scrawl of the testator. j
"I bequeath all the stones in this box j
to the hearts that couhl turn their lather
and benefactor out on the highway that
stormy night.
"I bequeath this rope for any father
to hang himself with who is fool enough
to give his property to his children be
fore he dies.
A WOLF STOUY.
' 1 1
A fori Ion of it Puny of Holillern iMilileil
to Kve the Kcsl Lire In Kn-sla. ;
A striking wolf story is told in a vol- j
nine entitled " The Hunting Grounds of I
the Old World." It was related to the !
Bthor bv an Abassian chief, and is an
account of the loss of five of his tribe aud
B(,me prisoners during a campaign against
Russia. The Abassiau party, to which
tue 4.,iPf belonged, consisted of eleven
m,.u fuirlv mounted, mid armed with
nmtehlock's, pistols and swords, with five
prisoners four Kiissiaii soldiers and a
woman. As they were traversing a vast
teppe or plain, they perceived a puck of
seven wolves slowly following them, of
11 inline of ma wind, hut ttiwrwarii m-
Creased to such a pitch that they thought
Jduinnum (the infernal regions) was
turned loose, mid that the cry they had
heard was the exulting laugh of "gins"
and " afrits," whom they believe to m-
imKit the eternal snows of Mount El-
brtiz. At length their attention was
called to a dark mass of black objects
spreading over the snow like a cloud over
I the horizon, mid tlie lull extent ot meir
j danger broke upon them, for they knew
they were pursued by a pack ot wolves.
Their horses were already fatigued by a
long day's journey; but terror seemed to
give them wings, for they tore along as
if they knew their peril, and for a while
seemed to hold their own. The nearest
" kouat" or hamlet was two "saat" or
Beveu miles distant; and the ground was
ja" mnnv places so deep with drifting
snow that their horses could hardly get
along. The crisis was now evidently ap
proaching, for the advaueed troop were
about within gunshot, howling and yell
ing as only wolves can.
A brief consultation was held, and it
was determined to sacrifice the prisoners
one by one, so as to gain time for the
rest to escape. The woman met her fate
first. One of them dropping behind
drew his saber across the hocks of her
horse, hamstringing it, and causing both
o fall heavily to the ground. Her
shrieks, as well as the cry of the horse,
rung through their ears for a moment;
then all was still. They anxiously look-
led back end found that their desperate
expedient had enabled mem to khiu u
considerable distance on their pursuers,
But it was not for long; they were soou
again on their heels,
when a Russian
Soulier was saenticed iiy shooting his
.horse. A second, a thud and a iourth
soon followed, and much time was gain
ed and considerable distance covered.
Still the insatiable foes pressed on, appa
rently 111011 ferocious than before, for
their" appetite was whetted by the taste
ior blood. They now commenced dis
charging their firearms among them;
but it was of 110 avail, for though many
fell, the rest rushed on, and the course
of the horde was not stayed. The horses
of two of their number now gave up and
fell, with shrieks that told they knew
the fate that awaited them, and although 1
their riders were switt of foot they could
not keep up their speed for any length
of time in the deep snow. So bidding
their comrades farewell, they resigned
themselves to their "kismet," or des
tiny, drew their yataghans, and shouting
their battle crv,'died like men, fighting
to the last. The survivors were now
: within a couple of miles of shelter; but
their horses were almost worn out, the
leading wolves hardly a pistol shot be-
hind, and gaining upon them rapidly,
Another moment aud they expected to
feel their fangs, wheu mi old man, whose
two sons were ulso of the party, seeing
the hopelessness of the case, bade his
comrades farewell, and shouting out the
"omaun" (Mohammedan creed) as a
death song, felled his horse to the ground
with the heavy butt of his pistol, as he
could not reign up the frightened animal,
. and offered himself a willintr sacrifice to
save the rest. Ou tore the survivors,
. now reduced to eight hi number, aud on
: iouoweu meir reieniiess pursuers, now
, again only half a dozen lengths behind,
1 In Bpite 'of all their efforts their doom
horses rushed in, the door was closed,
and a ponderous bar drawn uoioss inside,
when suddenly a loud, heartrending
shriek was heard from without above the
howling of the wolves, and they saw
through the chinks between the logs one
of their comrades, whose horse had
broken down and lagged behind unper
ceived by the rest, sim'ounded by the
horde aud fighting desperately,
A moment more and he was pulled
from the saddle, and man and horse de
voured before their eyes. Then the
wolves sun-ouuded the hut, and finding
themselves balked of their prey, began
to fight among themselves, . at times en
deavoring to scratch away the earth under
the logs or force their way through the
crevices. But the hut. being substantially
constructed, resisted all their efforts, and
a deadly discharge of firearms was kept
up from the interior, which thinned the
wolfish number, and partially avenged
the victims of the chase. The dead
wolves were speedily devoured by the
survivors, who remained liowiiug and
shrieking round the hut until the night
of the second day, when a violent storm
arose, and they took themselves off in
the dark, much to the relief of the six
I survivors, who, seeing the coast clear,
I made the best of their way home.
' TIIR
FARM, GARDEN ASD HOUSEHOLD.
Fnrmer.' C'lnh (tnrstlaiis and Answer.
Why is wood better for handling but
ter than any other substances? Why
use a wooJeii paddle instead of a metal
spoon ?
There is nothing better for handling
butter thau wood well noakod in water,
for the Bimple reason that the pores of
the wood are filled with water, which
will not easily mix with oily substances ;
hence the butter does not adhere as to
the metnl.
Why is the preference given to tinware
over wooden vessels for milking pur-
tones
Because, unless great care is observed
jn w!,BUig tll0 Mfr, which shriuk and
swell whenever they are wet, milk is
liable to become locked in the pores,
and bo soon render the bucket
unfit for
use. All wooden vessels, spoons, etc.,
used about milk mid butter should lie
thoroughly scalded with boiling water.
After having first been washed in
that which is only warm they should
then be dried in any airy place, but
not as is too often the case in
lu
'J'
the sun. to fall iu pieces. When I
mischance they have been so dried they
should lie swelled back again by being
filled full of cold water before coming
in contact with milk or butter
What is the difference
between alfalfa
und lucerne ?
Alfalfa, lucerne and Chili clover are
one and the same. In botany this plant,
which is one of the oldest known to have
been cultivated for fodder, is the rncdi-
raro miha its leaflets are in threes
like the common clover ; the flowers
vary from pale blue to purple iuhue and
are pea shaped ; the seeds are held iu
downy pods, which are twisted into two
or three twirls.
Is there any effective remedy for cab
bage worms ?
One correspondent says that imek-
wheat flour sifted through a sieve in the
evening or in' the morning, when the
dew is on, will eradicate them. Ine
usual remedy advised is au application
of hellebore. ,.
How long will an asparagus bed live ?
Asparagus beds will, with regular cut
ting, continue from twenty to thirty
years.
Give some suggestions for forcing
lettuce for the spring supply.
Sowings of lettuce seed intended for the
spring supply ore made from December
to February ; twelve weeks are required
for its full development in the winter
months. The seed is sown thinly, broad
cast in a hot-bed ; and when the plants
have made two or three leaves they are
pricked out to three or four inches apart
111 another portion of the bed. When
two or three inches high, they are filially
transplanted into yet another part of the
bed at distances corresponding with the
size of the variety. As the plants in
crease in size, the quantity of air should
be increased, and water should be given
whenever the surface of the bed seems
dry,. Iu severe cold weather a piec of
cm jifliiig or similar, covciiuf' riliould b
placed over the glass for the further pro
tection of the plants. Many farmers
transplant directly from the nursery bed
to where the plants are to remain,
but good authorities advise the first
method as gaining the finest lettuce,
f'liriug llniim.
A Xew York farmer gives the follow-
; .... 1.: 1.. 1 n l.i ..r
saltiiiir them down : For ivreserviiut beef
my recipe is six gallons of water, nine j
pounds of salt, three pounds of sugar, !
one gallon of molasses, three ounces tf j
saltpeter and one ounce ot saleratus. 1
mix these ingrediouts and heat to a boil
ing point, skimming off all the impurities.
When cold I pour it on the meat. I do
not rate the amount of materials accord
ing to the amount of meat, but mix in
the proportions given and use enough of
the mixture to cover the meat 1 wish
to preserve. I rind that this method
cures the hums end leaves them tender
and juicy. They never get hard. I
leave the hams in the pickle from four to
six weekr, uccording to their size. It
takes longer to cure large hams than it
does small ones. I always move the hums
after they have been in the pickle three !
days take them out and pack them over.
This is necessary, for when they are
closely packed together some parts of the
hnnis do not have a chance to be pene
trated by the pickle. I keep beef in the
sume way, except that I would boil over '
tho pickle before warm weather in the '
spring. The finest hams we ever used I
were of a pig frozen with other fresh '
meat and so kept till spring, and then I
.. ..:..i,f, L..J". 1. t..
" com thrtmgh " say teu or twelve 'avs
vuen it was smoked and eaten. It was
as sweet and tender as a chicken.
Tent lor Quality uf MUk.
A member of the American Farmers'
club thotight it quite as important iu
butter making to know the quality as the
quantity ot miLK yielded by each cow.
One needs to know the percentage of
cream to determine the value of the cow
for butter, and as the price of butter is
influenced by its color and flavor (some
believe the color determnies the flavor),
the test should give both quidity und
quantity of cream. This is easily and
cheaply done by filling a glass tumbler
with the milk of each cow, and setting
these tumblers in a cool place for the
cream to rise. The transparent gloss
will show the thickness of the cream and
its color. In this manner one lias the
milk of the sevend cows uuder inspec
tion at the same time, and can therefore
make an accurate comparison. Both
night's aud morning's milk should lie
thus tested. 1 ins testing otten proves j
that the cow giving the smallest quantity
of milk makes the most butter. A few
hour's time will- show the comparative
quality of the milk given by each cow in
a herd, and enable the farmer to select
out those that give cream of a rich
golden color, and make way with the re
mainder, supplying their places with
others it will pay better to keep. u -
Horrible Infanticide.
Some weeks ago a man named Crouch,
Jiving near Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., de
serted his wife and child, the litter
eighteen months old, leaving them iu
destitute circumstances. The mother
and child suffered great privations, and
have been supported by charity since..
A few days ago Mrs. Crouch gave birth
to another child, which she burned to
death in a stove. Bhe is insane.
Doe the road wind up hill all the way ?
Yes, to the very end.
Will the day'a journey tflke the whole long day
From morn till night, my friend.
But Is there for the night a resting place ?
A roof for when the slow, dark hours begin '!
May not the darkness hide it from my face?
You cannot miss that inn. 1
Shall I meet other wayfarer t night ?
Those who have gone before.
Then must I knock, or call when Just in sight
Thoy will not keep you standing at tho door.
Hhall I 6nd comfort, travel-sore aud weak 'I
Of labor you shall find the sura.
Will there be beds for me and all who seek ?
Yea, beds for all who come.
ltenis of Interest.
Youkers HuscUe : A smart school
boy savs it takes thirteen letters to spell
cow, and proves it thus; "See O!
double you."
A Frenchman erot exceedingly angry
w ith a waiter at au English hotel. " You
rascal !" he exclaimed, " I'll blow your
nose for you.
A Detroit restaurant keeper hangs out
a M, mi nt "frea ebons ' and wheu the
' ; 'j 1.- ..1. .
1,,ale" come, "ouuu
au ax anu a wooupue.
Among the Copts, who are the oldest
Christians'in the world, a part of the
marriage ceremony consists of the priest
knocking the beads ot me nappy coupie
together.
The Story farm, on Oil creek, Pa., has
produced, in the last fifteen years,
2,128,707 barrels of oil, and yielded
dividends amounting in the aggregate
to $3, 702, 600.
Why do not printers succeed to the
same extent as brewers? Because
printers work for the head and brewers
for the stomach; aud where twenty men
have stomachs but one has brains.
A young gentleman of Kilkenny, meet
ing a handsome milkmaid, said : " What
will you take for yourself and your milk,
my dear?" The girl instantly re
plied : " Yourself and a gold ring, sir."
A clergyman in Boston recently
aroused his sleepy audience by announc
ing in the most positive manner thot,
"notwithstanding the hard times, tho
wages of sin have not been cut down one
iota."
Jewish silver shekels hove lately been
found near Jerusalem, belonging to the
time of Simon Maccabeus, B. C. 144.
On one side they have the cup of manna,
and on the other the budding rod of
Aaron.
Boston covers an area of thirty-one
and a holf square miles, has 304 miles of
streetH, and its populution is ail,wv.
In 1800 the population was 178,000, the
city covered fourteen and a half square
miles, and had 102 miles of streets.
A lawyer was noticed at a recent con
cert enthusiastically applauding one of
the singers. ' ' Fond of music, isn't he ?"
said one acquaintance to another. " Xo,"
was the reply ; " it's mere professional
instinct, lie is moving for a new trial."
j The employees- at the government
! printiug oflice have raised a Bullicient
' sum by subscription to enable them to
I distribute one hundred loves of bread
a day from each of the five Btatious for
the next twenty-four days, making a
total of 18,000 loaves.
An instance of coolness iu danger was
seen at the Ashtabula disaster, when 11
1111111 cleared himself from the smashed
car as soon as it stnick, found his sa
chel, overcoat anil cane, and walked up
the bank with a check in his hat, to calm
ly inquire when the next train came
aloug.
The average rainfall for December in
England has been from 1.50 to two
inches; that for December, 187(5, was
15.48. The total raiufall for 1870 was
32.19, against 19 35 in 1874. People
are consoling themselves with the reflec-
. tion that there will be uo dry wells next
summer.
An old fiishioued minister was preach
ing in a tight, unventilated church, in
which by some means a window was left
partly open. A good deacon during the
sermon dosed it. The minister stopped,
and turning to the deacon said, in sol
emn tones : "If I were preaching iu u
jug I believe you would put the. cork
j Among the buildings recently exhumed
: at Pompeii is a drinking saloon with its
! tables and other appurtenances. The
I pictures frescoed upon the walls repre
j sent tavern scenes. Men are drinking
and gambling at tables; others are seat
! ed upon wooden beudies against the
n.ullu ..niU ...A ...
; sation,
i tt ii 1.0, mi,, uiiiiio nic Quiuuiiijj ui i'iit4-
It cannot be disputed that the man
who stops advertising for the purpose of
retrenching his expenses succeeds in ac
complishing his object. At the same
time his receipts are largely retrenched,
enabling a material saving in clerk hire.
If the polioy of retrenchment is ad
hered to, he will soon be able to elude
the payment of rent and annoyanoes of
conducting a business.
The night was beautiful and they were
out sleigh riding together. He asked
her to sit in his lap and drive. She felt
it was delicious to be loved so dearly4
and consented. As for him he was a
cautious young man, and had in view the
best means of protecting himself in case
the horse became excited and plunged
his hoofs through the dashboard.
'" ' 1 A'' FaH,'-'"''- "
A naval officer of her. majesty's ship
Royal Adelaide had a most uncomfort
able berth at Stonehouse, England, on
January 8. A police sergeant end two
constables saw him open a window on a
third floor early in the morning, get out
on the sill in bis nightdress, and then
drop out of the window, holding on by
his "hands. One of the officers endeavor
ed to enter the house, while the others
stationed themselves under the window
to break- the man's fall. - He held on
for three minutes and then fell, turning
over in his descent and coming down
headforemost oh the sergeant. There
was a clash of skulls, and both men
were thrown on the pavement and badly
bruised. The naval efflcer was a somnambulist.