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HENRY A. PAflSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. NIL. DESPERANPTJM. Two Dollars per Annumu
VOL. VII. ' KIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1877. NO 7;
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"God Knows."
Oh ! wild and dark was tho wintiT night,
When the immigrant ship went down,
Bui just outside of the harbor bur,
In night of the ntartled town !
The winda honied, and the noa roared,
And never a soul could sleep,
Save the little onus on thuir mothers' breasts,
Too young to watch and wiop.
No boat could livo in the angry surf,
No rope could reach the land ;
There wero bold, brave hearts upon the Bhore,
There wan many a ready hand :
Women who prayed, and mun who strove
When prayers and or!i were vain
For tho huh rose over the awful void
And the silwico of tho main !
All day tho watchers paced the siuida
All day they soan:ied tin- deep j
All night tho booming minute guns
Echoed from sleep to steep.
' Give up thy dead, oh, cruel Bua !"
They cried athwart the apaco
But only a l ally's fragile form
Escaped from its stern embrace !
Only one little child of all
Who with tho Bliip went down,
That night, when the happy babies slept
80 warm iu the sheltered town ?
Wrapped in tho glow of the morning light,
It lay on the shifting sand,
As fair as a sculptor's marble dream,
With a shell iu its dimpled hand.
There wore none to tell of its race or kin,
"God kuoweth," the pastor said,
When tho sobbing children crowded to ask
Tho name of the baby dead.
And so wheu they laid it away at last
Iu the churchyard's hushed repose,
They raised a stone at the baby's head
With the carveu words " God knows !"
Julia C. li. Dorr, HI. A'ichulas fur April.
THE OUTSIDE CARRIAGE,
A Railway Reminiscence.
Ofteu, going home bv the night train.
it is my lot t j travel ulone for a greut,
part of tho way. It is a slaw, often
stopping train thut i go by, and people
get in and out ; but generally, before the
journey is fiu'shed, I find myself alone
u:id fitting with my face to the engine,
in a corner by tho window. I look out
into the dark night ivid watch tho car
riage outside a specter carriage, that is
e npty like this, except for some one sit
ting in the corner, close by my elbow,
the brim of whose hat I can just see
as I lean forward. Perhaps, if I cared to
look round the corner, I might see his
face, but that I don't wish to know. Let
hi n be u mystery.
Tho carriage travels patiently but
swiftly alongside. Its light flickers like
a beacon among the tre s. Its windows
and its seats are like ours; but it is a
part of the landscape, too, and anything
wo pass mixes itself up with it. Some
times in a dark overhanging cutting the
carriage outside shines forth quite real
a 'id distinct; sometimes in the open
country it becomes dim and uncertain,
and only its lamp, like stars, indicates
it is still there. Then it comes into sud
den being again, marked with the brick
work and dripping walls of some dark
tunnel, and then vanishes altogether,
broken up and destroyed among the
flaring lights of a station ; but it is wait
ing for us still outside, as we know full
well, and when we pass once more into
darkness appears as before.
One night, on my journey home from
London, tired and depressed, my heart
being heavy with forebodings of evil,
aud no comfort for me anywhere, dark
ness and gloom encompassed me. All
alone iu the carriage, I sat gloomily
thinking, with my eyes vacantly fixed on
the carriage outside.
How much better yonr lot, I thought,
thon mine, my friend whose hat brim I
can just see tho point of; how much I
would give to be you, looking in at this
carriage of wood and leather, with its
flickering greasy lamp and its sad, sor
did passenger you, who travel outsjde
among tho trees and twinkling star I
What do yon know of the ills of life, of
its lonoline3S and oppression ? You do
not care for its doledout joys, for its
troubles that come in double liandfuls.
There may bo truth for you, looking
out from non-being to being; there be
none for me, looking out from that which
is to that which is not.
I grew quite in love with the thought
of sitting in the carriage outside; but
thero was no way to it that I could see;
I could only gaze into it longingly and
observe its light, now shining among the
dark trees, for wo were passing through
a wood.
Suddenly I discerned in the further
window of the carriage outside, a human
face, palo and ghastly, pressed against
the shadow of the glass.
It was there but a moment, and when
I turned to look in the real window of
the real carriage I could see nothing. I
let down the g'ass of the opposite door
and looked out, thinking: that somebody
must have been standing thero on the
foot-board ; but there was no one.
Presently tho train camo shrieking
into a junction station, where there were
lights and passengers waiting, and bar
maids in towering hair, chattiug at the
refreshment bora with young men; and
I lost f-ight of the carriage outside, and
almost forgot the face that I had seen.
But when once again in the darkness
the face reappeared, peering iu at the
window of the carriage outside, and this
time it staid a moment longer; but onne
more, when I turned to the reul win low,
there was nothing there.
Then I saw no more of it, and I reach
ed home and didn't think any further of
tho phantom face, having so many other
troubles thut were not phantom' at nil,
but r3al und urgent.
On the very next night I was traveling
home from London by the same train. 1
remembered when I took my seat thut I
hud this delusion, as I thought, about
the face, aud I looked out for a carriage
that was well filled. As we rode along,
however, passenger after passenger loft,
and I found myself alone. Coming to
tho pine wood, I turned my eyes reso
lutely away from the glass; but as the
train flashed through it, I thought it
would be better that I should no longer
void the scene, but look boldly into the
glass, and thus dissipate the idea that
there had been anything but a mere ner
vous fr.ney in tho apparition that t had
before seen. I saw the face again, peer
ing through the window of the carriage
outside. Theu I begnn to think that
my friend who sat o: tho other side of
the pnnel was perhaps not enviably situ
ated after all. There are shade attend
ant ou shadows, it appears, and ghosts
have other spirits to haunt them. This
face that was glaring in upon the man
outside, had it any representative in the
world of sense ? I could not tell; but as
soon as we had passed the lighted junc
tion I seated myelf on tho opposite side
of tho carriage and put the- window
down. At that moment there was a vio
lont concussion. I was thrown forward
against tho opposite side of. the carriage,
aud for some moments, although not un
conscious, I did not know much of what
was going on about me.
When I came thoroughly to myself I
found that thero had been an accident
ou tho line. The cutting through which
wo were passing had given way, block
ing up the track, and the engine had
been thrown off. No one was seriously
hurt, fortunately; but it would be some
hours before tho line was cleared suffi
ciently for the train to proceed. The
passengers could walk back to the junc
tion and wait till tho line was clear, or
they might sit still in the carriages that
had not left tho hue. For myself I pre
ferred to remain by the sido of tho ruil
way and watch tho operations for clear
ing it.
By-and-bye the moon rose upon the
scene. Wo were in a cutting of loose,
sandy soil. On the top of the banks
was a fringe of trees, which, I found,
formed a portion of a wood of consider
able size. Several small trees had fallen
down with the sand that had slipped
from above. The land-slip had made a
gnp in the bank, aud there was a sloping
mass of debris between the top of it and
the level of the lino. Three or four
plate layers were already busy at work
shoveling away at the sand, and the
officials had telegraphed for a lot of bal
lastmcu, who would be down in half au
hour. The night was fine, and the moon,
as I have said, had already risen. Tho
dark firwood above looked mysteriously
inviting. I mado my way up the slope
of the bank, and found myself iu the
gloom of the wood. There was a foot
path, I Baw, that led into the darkness.
The pleasant calm below, the fresh fra
grance of the firs, the whisper of the
winds among their tops like the murmur
of an agitated sea, the dim vistas on
either side like the uisles of some dark
ened minster these things led me along.
and I followed the path into tho recesses
of the wood. It did not lead ino far. Iu
about half mile I suddenly came to an
opening in the wood, and found that I
had reached tho railroad at another
point ; in fact, this was tho main line,
and tho path formed a diagonal to the
right angle producod by it and tho
branch along which the train had run
from the junction.
As I stood peering out from between
the stems of two young fir trees, looking
up and down the line, I became conscious
that somebody w,.s watching me from
below. There was a small signal box by
the side of the line, which .was not, as
fur as I could see, connected with tho
signal ; and from this box I was pretty
certain that I had seen a human head
protruded aud rapidly withdrawn.
Curiously enough, too, the glass window
at the side of the box, which ought I
thought to look up or down the line,
looked sideways, so that anybody in the
box could watch tho wood without being
himself perceived. Now I felt con
vinced that somebody was watching mo
from this window. I determined to make
certain. There was a kind of track side
ways down the cutting, which was not a
deep one, and I lightly descended this to
the level of the rails. It was darker here
than in the wood even, for the moon had
not yet cleared the tree tops. I proceed
ed cautiously along, crossing the line so
as to get on the blincT sido of the signal
box, and I had almost reached it when
suddenly a figure sprang from tho box
and I saw a steel barrel glisten in some
stray ray of light.
"Who goes there ?" shouted a soldier'B
voice right in my ear.
"A friend," I said calmly, although I
was a little startled.
My challenger had a policeman's lamp
hung to his belt, the light of which he
turned full upon me.
"I beg your pardon, sir," he said;
" I didn't startle you. I hope ?"
" You did a little" I said. " I didn't
know that our railways were so well
guarded. What's your regiment, sentry ?"
" Oh, I'm not exactly a sentry," said
the man with a sort of laugh. And yet
ho looked like a soldier ; he had a car
bine in his hand, and wore a military
cap.
" What are you, then ?" I asked.
" I'm a warder of the eonvict prison."
"Ah," said I, "then you are looking
out for somebody."
" Perhaps I am, sir," said the man,
reservedly.
"All right; good night," I said, and
thought to myself : "If you are, I hope
you won't catch him."
For my own part, I know of no more
wretched fate than to be entombed in
one of our English convict prisons.
j Their order, their science, scrupulous
cleanliness, their inexorable system,
appal the soul fur more than clanking
I chains and noisome dungeons. I don't
i know whether, after all, I hadn't as soon
i be a prisoner as a warder. The prisoner
must stay there ; it is wonderful how a
j mind that is at all healthy reconciles it
self to the inevitable ; but to be a warder,
I and know that you can get out at the
j sacrifice of your bread and butter .
Iadeed, gracious powers, I should think
! that tho temptation to dance a jig down
the corridors and snap your fingers at
the governor's beard would after a time
become irresistible.
Well, all this time" I'm standing on
the lino cud a train is coming along. ' I
don't care to stand too close to one of
those lumbering avalanches, with a
whiff of the sulphurous breath of the
engine in my face, and I, reach once
more my porch on the top of the bank.
Here she comes, laboring and streaming,
and si nding forth flames and red smoke,
us working engines do. A good train,
evidently. Are there distinctions of
classes among engines, I wonder ? The
rough-working one, which nsea bad
language and smells unpleasantly j your
middle engine, whioh deals the be
white ateam, and is shiny with bras
and is quite respectable ; and your high
caste engine, which drags royal person
ages and special trains, and goes to race
meetings and meets distinguished for
eigners nt Dover, and is fed with the
finest coke and supplied with ' per
fumed waters I This, at all events, is
one of the lower orders j and yot it is
not a good train that it is drawing ; it is
a train of empty trucks crowded with
men. Ah, yes, it is the ballast train,
bearing a gang of men to clear the line,
and thut is a signal to me to make my
way through the wood once more, or
else I may be left behind.
And yet somehow I didn't liko plung
ing into tho wood; it seemed so dark and
lonely. It was far safer, however, than
walking along the line, where I might
be knocked down unawares by a strange
eugiue. At that moment I remembered
the face I had seen in the window of the
carriage outside. For the first time it
struck me that the two points where the
foot path impinged on the line were the
places at which the phantom face had ap
peared. It almost seemed as if it were
some ghostly creature that haunted the
wood. I felt a momentary tremor at the
thought. My nerves were a little
shaken, and this harmless pine wood was
to me as some baneful enclosure from
which I could not escape. That was
folly, of course; a few minutes would
bring me safely to the spot where the
train stood. I did run, as my blood be
gan to chill. But midway in the wood I
was stopped.
Bight in my path, staring at mo with
distended eyes, was the specter face.
The moonlight broke through an open
ing in the forest, and there it waited for
me.
I perceived nothing but the face at the
moment, but it belonged to a figure a
pale, gray figure. I was not exactly
frightened, but o little awe struck. At
moments such as these it isn't the rea
soning faculties that are occupied, but
the inherited fantasies, the influence of
traditional superstition. ' I remembered
that a spirit must bo spoken to before he
would speak.
" Who are you, and what do you de
sire ?" I cried.
"Keep your distance," muttered a
voice, " or 1 11 drive my knife into you.
All in a moment the explanation of tho
affair flashed into my mind. This was
no phantom, but on escaped convict.
" My friend," I said. I am no police
man; I am a harmless traveler. Let me
pass; I'll not betray you."
" How can I be sure of that ?" said the
figure, in a deep, husky voice.
The situation, I feared, was one of im
minent peril. For I was not far from the
laud slip. I could hear the men's spades
at wprk, could hear their voices. Should
I shout for help? No, not that. I
thought of the man standing on watch
with his loaded carbine, ajjd tho figure
looked so haggard and miserable that I
felt sorry for him und felt inclined to
help him. Aud yet he might attempt to
cut my throat.
"I'll give you my word I won't betray
you," I said. "Put your knife away; I
don't like the look of it. "
" Well, I'll trust you," said the man,
looking at me keenly for a moment.
" After all, it doesn't much matter. I'm
tired of this work, God knows, and you
can get the reward if ye please. "
"Thank you, I'm not a thief taker,"
I said, for I didn't like the man's tone.
" Who was it said the word of thief to
me ?" he cried fiercely.
" I beg vour pardon," I replied
quietly. " I ought to have said ' mur
derer,' I suppose ?"
"By japers, there's some one that will
say thnt of me before long if ye rouse
meto desperation," said the man. "Come,
pass on, whoever ye are."
" New, look here," I said, " if you'ro
not either a thief or a murderer, I'll
help you. I suppose I oughtu't to have
offered this. I dare any my duty, strict
ly defined, is to assist the officers of the
law to recapture convicts; but my sym
pathies are always for the mice against
the cats, possibly beeuuse I'm something
in the way of a mouse myself, und know
the fierce touch of Grimalkin's claws."
"You'll help mo!" cried the man,
seizing me by the hand it wasn't a felo
nious kind of a grasp either. " You're a
good fellow; but how ? Look you here,"
he' said, taking me by the arm; "I've
been out of yonder pandemonium for
three days, and all that time I have not
tasted food or drink except the aeonis
I've picked up from the ground under
the oak yonder, and the raindrops that
I've sucked from the leaves. I had a
burrow, mark you one that had been
made for mo beforehand and that I
crept into when the hue and cry was first
raised; but it's all iu ruins now; the
earth has slipped and buried it up en
tirely. And they know I'm iu the wood,
and at every fifty yards round it there's
a man with a firelock; but I'd not mind
them if I'd the strength to run when I
got out, but I haven't. I can hnrdly
crawl. I thought to get away lust night,
and risked my life by jumping on the
train as it passed; but there was no
empty carriage I could creep into, and
the train was running into the station,
and I jumped off. And then I tried
again ot the other end of the footpath by
my hole in the ground, but missed my
footing and fell backwards just as I hail
reached a carriage, and but that the train
was going slow, I'd have been killed.
The night was dark, by good luck, and
nobody detected me, and I crawled back
to inv hole and lav there all this dav.
and when night came on again I thought
I'd try once more. You see the men's
eyes are off the wood for a -minute when
the train comes past. Well, 1 aid it to.
night; I jumped safe and clean on the
footboard, and found an empty carriage,
crept in and hid myself under a seat. I
could hear the peelers jabbering to one
another, and they took stock -of every
man that got into the train, and then the
doors were slummed to and the train
went off, and says A: "Mike, you're
free 1" And then there was this miser
able stoppage. I bore it till then, and
then I broke dowh. It seemed as if the
powers of .heaven were against me,
You'd best leave it to me, sir !"
Listen," I said, " the" watchers kuow
I haTe entered the wood; they will
watch for my coming out. You shall
put on my overcoat ; it will cover vou
down to your knees ; and my hat you
must take my hat ; and here, you'd bet
ter take my ticket, too," I said, rather
ruefully, handing out my return tioket.
" Mr oarruffe was me mwate compart
went, seoond from the engine, Thera'i
a railway rug of mine on the seat ; wrap
it round your legs, and if anybody looks
at you, the convict trousors won't show.
Go and take your seat, and read the
paper till the train starts, and I'll stay
I 41. i
It was wonderful with what alacrity
my friend carried out all my suggestions.
In another five minutes I was standing
all alone in the wood, shivering in the
chill October breeze.
What a lonely vigil that was ! And
yet there was a warmth at my heart that
Prevented my feeling desolate, although
knew I had broken the law and hod
likely done a very pernicious action. I
heard the train puff away, and with it
passed my chance of getting home that
night. Probably if I should put my
head outside the wood I should le pop
ped at like a rabbit at a battue but I
meant to stay in the wood for a while.
A fir wood is a nice, dry, fragrant place
to pass an hour or two in. There are
ants, unfortunately, that build great
conical nests out of the twigs that are
scattered so thickly on the soft, hollow
sounding flooring fierce combative
brutes, who bite like demons;. and in the
night one is Bpt to stumble over these
colonics. But here was a nice, clear
spot, where I could lie with my back to
a broad timber fir and try to snatch a
little sleep.
I awoke with a start. A man standing
over me, a man with a lamp in his
baud, the light of which flashed into my
eyes, had awakened me. It was the
warder I had seen before. His face was
distorted with passion.
" Confound you 1"' he cried, " you
have ruined nio with your cheating
wiles; but I will be even with you,
scoundrel. I will kill you and pretend
that I shot you trying to escape."-
He clapped his carbine to my car;
there was a loud report a series of re
ports. " Now. sir. if von please, your ticket,"
cried tho guard, his lantern flaring
full upon me, and I came to myself with
a gulp and a start.
After all, had I been taking a journey
in the outside carriage ? Jielgravia.
Riissiun Wives.
A story has been going tho rounds
of tha French papers illustrating the
status of married women in Russia. The
simple woman in this case seems to have
imagined thut she might get from a Rus
sinu magistrate some sort of protection
against a husband whose favorite pastime
it was cruelly to torture her. She had
been voked bv her plavful husband to
the Bhafts of his cart, and driven along
for sixteen versts, m. double harness with
the horse, under tlie furious blows of a
heavy whip. Having survived this
ordeal, she was brought home again, her
head was shaved, and after she had been
smeared all over with tar she was rolled
in feathers, and then turned out of the
house. In this plight she resorted to
the person whom she fondly imagined to
be most benevolent, or at any rate the
least savage, in the village. She went
to the priest, but, instead of obtaining
any shelter or relief, was rudely struck
by the pious man, who called the hus
band and advised him to administer
fresh casticration. It would have been
well for the womon if she had taken the
broad hint offered her by this reception
at the priest's residence, and had re
turned homo to suffer in silence the tor
ment to which she was fated. But she
was ignorant of Russian law, and she
could not persuade herself that she was
utterly without remedy in such a case as
this. So she jyent to law, and brought
before the court both the husband and
the priest. Hero the procuruteur gen
eral at onco declined to enter into any
argument on the subject of the husband,
explaining thnt the whole matter was
one of merely private family interest,
and thut husbiind and wife could always
come to an understanding among them
selves without the interference of the
law. The priest's case was a little more
difficult. But the worthy man repre
sented thnt facts of this sort occur often
and inevitably among the lower "orders"
in Russia, whereupon tho court without
further discussion acquitted both the ac
cused persons.
Fashion Notes.
Fichus grow in favor.
Coiffures are still very complicated.
Cornet tail trains are the latest novelty.
Amber ornaments are coming in
vogue.
The Breton is the costume of the mo
ment.
Bunting parasols are among the spring
novelties.
The newest form of ribbon bow is the
Maltese cross.
The newest cravats have plush or
ehenille stripes.
Damask surah is much in demand for
composite toilets.
Two pretty house shoes are the Fene-
lon and the Charles IX.
Mandarin yellow feathers crop out on
pagoda shaped bonnets.
The Normandy bonnet, with a Marie
Stuart brim, is the favorite.
Lace is extensively employed in the
garniture of .London muluiery.
The revival of the fichu is hailed us a
blessing to the lace producers.
Linens collars aud cuns iu various
shapes are still most fashionable.
Small black lace points are worn in
various ways by Parisian women.
New designs in chenille and wool loops
md fringes are seen every weeli.
The first empire dress, with short waist
and Josephine belt, grows in favor.
Many of the new paletots, jackets and
polonaises close diagonally in front.
Shades of tilleul, sulphur, geranium
and lavender in flowers are the favorites.
Many of the new pocket handkerchiefs
are beautiful works of art in their way.
"That's Flat !" In the Daily Xews
we observe an advertiser announces this
wont: "A Flat Wanted (where there
are other flats)' in a very good part of
London," etc. My dear sir, in the very
best parts of town you may readily meet
with any number of flats. But perhaps
it is a widow who makes the announce
ment. One at a time, madam, or some
of the flats might bwjn too ibktn I
BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
Knconraslna Outlook In the World of Trade
-Inrrennrd Activity la the Dry Uood
Mae.
Since the settlement of the vexatious
Presidential ouestion. savs the New
York Herald, there are highly encour-
ogmg indications of a revival ot roue to
the same degree of activity it once en
joyed before panic, want of confidence
and hard times generally settled over tne
country. Nearly every business man of
note who has been addressed on the sub
ject speaks hopefully of the future.
There is a heolthier spirit ot connaence
gradually spreading itself through the
business community, as trade is being
placed on a surer basis than ever before.
The laree urv cooils nouses teei tne Deno-
fit of the change most sensibly, as in the
vast variety of their wares there is some
thing to suit every class of customer.
"Our business," said a gentleman con
nected with a Broadway house, " is the
best trade barometer you can find. If a
man s business be dull he must econo
mize, and his wife or daughter cannot go
to the dry goods merchant quite as fre
quently as betore. wnen nusmess ;
brisk a man naturally opens his pocket
book to his family and we reap the bene
fit of it."
How does vour business compare
with that of lust yenrl"
" Verv much better. 'mere nas not
beeu a fulling off in any one department
and a decided gain in some. A few weeks
of fine weather will have a wonderful
effect on our trade, and I have not the
slightest doubt but that it will continue
active fur into the summer. It is about
time, too, for a change. I have seen
some of our customers, who in former
years would look at nothing short of a
high priced article, come down to calico,
and grumble about the price at that."
Do vou think that the settlement ot
the Presidential question has had any
thing to do with encourogiug trade ?"
Undoubtedlv. Anything tnat tenus
to harass or disturb the public mind in
jures business, especially a national
question like that ot deeming wuo sunn
be the Chief Magistrate ol tne republic,
But. then, the revival in trade was
bound to como; it was impossible for
htamiation to lost much longer.
At the other leading houses opinions
exactly coinciding with the above were
expressed. The openings or the displays
of spriiur fashions this seuson were more
liberully patronized, and the attendance
was much larger than for some years
past. There is also a decided improve
ment in the wholesale dry goods trade, as
the orders from the country dealers are
pourinc iu with eratifving celerity. One
merchant wns convinced that the country
was fast avmroachiner au era of prosper'
ity and thut the duys of wild specula
tion and wanton extravagance had do
parted forever. "It is better for all,"
he said, "that the business should at
last be fixed on a firm, sound basis than
to bo conducted in the reckless manner
of former vears. It was in the natural
course of things that business not built
on a solid fouudution could not resist
the shock of adversity, and we must
reach hnrdnan some time or other."
Another gentleman said that the revival
in trade m the lull wouiu us-
tonish every one, as there is
plenty of money in tho country, and
when confidence is restored it will be
put in active circulation. He wus very
tanguine ou the question of our export
trade, saying it would increase steadily
until it regained its highest staudnrd.
With a good market for our wares and
money coming in constantly irom jmr
customers across tho Atlantic, business,
he thonght, would be brighter and more
enduring. The decrease in prices gen
erally is considered by some merchants
as a good sign, as it tends to bring every
thing back to unte-wnr rates, and is a
strong barrier against speculation. Al
together, the prospects of trade are re
garded by some of our prominent mer
chants as very c ncouraging.
Handy Interest Rules.
For finding the interest on any princi
pal for any number of days. The nnswer
l .J i.. - It....
in euen cuhb ueuig in uumn, pt-iuiui.u iixv
two right hand figures of the answer to
express it in dollars and cents:
Four per cent. Multiply by the num
ber of days, and divide by seventy-two.
Six per cent. Multiply by the num
ber of days, separate the right Lund
figure, and divide by six.
Eight per cent. Multiply by tho
number of duvs, and divide by forty
five. Nine per cent. Muliiply by the num
ber of days, separate the right hand fig
ure, and divide by four.
Ten per ceut. Multiply by tho num
ber of days, and divide by thirty-five.
Twelve per cent. Multiply by the
number of davs, separate the light
hand figure, anil divide by three.
Fifteen per cent. Multiply by the
number of duys, and divide by twenty
four. Eighteen per cent. Multiply by the
number of days, separate the right hand
figure, and divide by two.
Twenty per cent. Multiply by the
number of days, and divide by eighteen.
A Poet's Heart.
Apropos of Paul de Musset's biog
raphy of his brother Alfred, they nro
telling a very pretty story of tho poet
and Mile. Rachel, who, thirty years ago,
was the greatest actress of Paris, und
perliaps of the world. One day she in
vited Alfred do Musset to dine with her,
and the rest of tha guests were all nota
bly wealthy men. Rachel wore a very
beautifnl and valuable ring, which was
noticed and vastly admired. "Gentle
meu," said she, suddenly, "seeing that
you admire the ring so much, I shall
now offer it for sale by auction. What
will you give for it ?" In a moment the
bids ran up as high as 3,000 francs. But
De Musset was silent.
" And you, my poet," said theuctress,
" what will you give t
" I give you my heart," was tho reply.
"The ring is yours," was the reply;
nor could the afterward, when the jest
seemed to have goue far enough, be
persuaded to take it back again. She
eaidi
" By Jcrt , but it is m jest. You have
given me your heart, and I would not
return It Ux hundred thousand erewnsi
You emot taks it book,"
GEN. rLEASONTON'S RECIPE.
A Scientific Exnnilnntloa Into the niaeGlnna
Kemedy.
Much as some people are inclined to
laugh over General Plensonton and blue
glass, there are princples underlying his
experiments which may some day work
as astounding results as those effected by
the experiments of Franklin, Galvau1,
Volta, Watt, or others of notorious fame.
General Pleasonton states that he was
induced to experiment with blue glass
because certain physical facts made him
doubt the commonly accepted idea that
the sun is a hot, burning body, emitting
tho heat we feel in the sunlight to the
earth. Aeronauts who ascend very
high in balloons complain of intense
cold in the upper regions of our atmos
phere. The Bummits of mountains in
the tropics, directly under the most pow
erful rays of tho sun, are covered with
perpetual snow. The ordinary effects
of heat are conduction, radiation, reflec
tion, refraction and undulation, nil of
which tend to reduce the power of heat.
Now, from the fact that on the surtace of
the earth more heat is felt and observed
than when we approach nearer tho sun,
it is very evident that heat does not
emanate "from tho sun, beeuuse we all
know, that we always feel warmer as we
approach a hot object. Berides, from
our knowledge of the results of combus
tion, no explanation can be given of the
condition of the sun, as for nearly six
tho isnnd years no diminution whatever
cnu be detected in its brightness, and wo
can discern no indication that it will not
continue in the same undiminished
splendor for six thousand years more;
but with a burning sun, of the bulk the
sun is known to be and with the great
power it is known to have, an inexhaus
tible supply of fuel would bo neeueu,
and very perceptible changes would be
discerned. This inexhaustible amount
of fuel is not compatible with a limited
and finite sphere, as the sun, and we
have no evidence that the sun is under
going any decudence. I would suggest
thut since blue rays seem to have so
many beneficial results iu tho nursery,
hospital and hot house, a greater amount
of good results may be obtained il, in
stead of using flat blue glass, which
merely gives a blue tinge to tho light,
the gl'uss be clear white, but of prismatic
form, bo as to separate the blue ray en
tirely from the other colored rays com
posing a beam of light. It appears to
me that if there be any virtue in General
Pleasonton's experiments with blue
class, the good results would be more
discernible than in commingling blue
rays with the other ravs, which is cer
taiuly done wheu light is allowed to pass
through blue glass. Let a beom of light
be passed through some convenient
sized prism, and let tho blue ray, which
will then be divided from the other
colors, foil only on the diseased member
or limb, or on some plant experiuientea
with, free from all the interfering man
ences of the other colors. And. in this
way, experiments may be made with the
other colors composing a beam of light,
the effects watched, and perhaps some
important results may be obtained which
may be usefully npplied in the arts,
manufactures and vorioiifi pursuits.
Very respectfully,
'Lawbenck S. Benson.
Sorving the Fatherland.
According to the conscription laws of
Germany every youth upon attaining his
twentieth birthday is required to enter
tho array and servo three years. This
does not apply aloto to those residing in
the mother country, but also to those of
German birth who have not been ex
patriated, but whose business or in
clination has called them abroad.
For some time post many young Ger
mans who had not become tlenational
'zed, und therefore were liable to con
scription, have upon attaining the re
quired ago crossed tho ocean and pre
sented themselves before their respective
district " befehlshaber " for enlistment
in the "landwehr," but in many in
stances only to find themselves rejected
on account of physical disability. Thus
they had the expenses of a useless and
costly trip thrown upon them in their
desire to obey the laws of the fatherland.
To obviate this, the German government
some time since instructed their repre-
.. ... .....
sentutive in this country (o appoint a
medicnl examiner to pass upon the physi-
cal condition of those who should pre
sent themselves for inilitarf duty. To
this position Dr. Tellkoppf has been ap
pointed. Before the German consul at New
York, Mr. Fred. Hinckel, appeared
seven young men ready to serve their
time. They were examined by the doc
tor in the presence of the consul, as the
.law directs, and five were passed. They
will take the next German steamer for
their native land.
An Officer of Nerve.
TllA nPnlfllrt HJrirln cava PnnfinAmont
is irksome, so tho prisoners attempted
to escape from the stoneyard again yes
terday. One Charles Jones, a negro
from Detroit, is the ringleader of the in
surrections since Buster Kelley was
emancipated. The plan yesterday was
to escape by tearing up part of the floor
in an obscure part of the building. Super
intendent Van Ettan was alone, the
other officers having all gone off to par
take of a Sunday feast. As soon as he
heard the noise he went into the hull
where the convicts, fifteen in number,
were congregated. They gathered around
him in r menacing manner, as they knew
that he wus alone and that they hud him
at a disadvantage. He reached in his
pockets to get this revolver to be prepared
for them if they should attempt a mutiny,
when, to his consternation, he fouud he
was totally unarmed. He realized that
he was at the mercy of a mob of fifteen
as desperate criminals as were ever con
fined in a penal institution, and that
among them was the well known McCul-
loin, who has become the terror almost
of the officers. He showed nc signs of
alarm, but looked the sterner, and, un
locking the cell doors, ordered the men
to go inside, standing with his hand in
that empty pocket in which there was
not so much as a jack knife. The prison
ers, supposing 'that he was armed, sul
lenly obeyed, little dreaming how com
pletely he was in their power and how
easily they couhl have escaped by the
use of vio!no enough to overpower one
trivj
Coffined In. a Trance.
A St. Paul paper says : During the
past winter Jonas Nilson lias been em
ployed nt one of the lumbering camps,
until about three weeks ago, when a ,
portion of a tree fell on him while he
wns engaged at chopping in the woods,
inflicting injuries which were believed
to bo fatal. Nilson wos carried to the
. . . J r. . u
camp by his companions, imu niir
a period of extreme Bunenng no ueguu
to fail, finally becoming unconscious
and pulseless, and the pallor of death
overcoming his countenance. The men
at the camp naturally concluded that
their unfortunate companion was dead,
os no sign of life could be detected. The
body of the supposed dead man was put.
in the only coffin which could be procured
a long dry goods box sent by wagon .
t jthc nearest railroua station, and tnence
forwarded to an old personal friend of
Nilson's, John Peterson, who resides
near the brickyard in that city. The
coffin and body, after arriving in Minne
apolis, were conveyed to the residence
of Mr. Peterson, according to directions,
but were kept lor two (toys to anow time
to prepare for a decent burial.
Whilo the body was in the rucio conin
at the residence of -Mr. Peterson an
other old friend called to see it, and gave
the corpse a close and critical examina
tion. Something about it produced a
profound impression upon the visitor,
and he suddenly looked up with a pleased
but startled expression and exeiaimea :
" Why, Jonas Nilson is not dead !"
Whilo the majority of those present did
not place much confidence iu the remark,
all agreed that an attempt to bring the
body to life would not do any harm,
even if it iailed in accomplishing any
actual good. Nilson's body wos lifted
from the coffin, placed in a comfortable
bed, and restoratives carefully adminis
tered. Under the treatment a trace of
life's healthy blood revealed itself on
the pallid surface of the body, and at the
eid of two hours the eyes of the sup
posed dead man gradually opened and
rested upon those present. The rays
of returning consciousness mid intelli
gence were plainly discerned by the by
standers. The astonishment and joy
were so great that at first no ono ven
tured to speak to the resurrected lum
berman, but at last one ventured the
question :
" Nilson, are you cold ?"
Without moving his body, but with
eyes resting upon his interlocutor, Nil
son faintly answered with the single
word, "Yes."
The friends then redoubled their exer
tions, and a physician was summoned.
Nilson was made as warm and comforta
ble as possible. Since the date of his
resusciution, the attention bestowed
upon him has been tender and unremit
ting, and he is responding to the friend
ly offices of those around him with evi
dences of gradual but certain improve
ment. A THevr York Prize Fighter.
Joseph Coburn, the prize fighter, who
has been sentenced in New York to im
prisonment for asaalting two police offi
cers, came to this country from Ireland
while quite young, learned the trade of
mason aud bricklayer, and became what
is known as a good mechanic. He soon,
however, developed into a "sport," prac
ticed sparring and. became a barroom
fighter. Although endowed with moro
than average physical strength, he dis
played a fondness for pistols and other
dangerous weapons, and was known
among his associates as a cowardly bully.
His pugilistic record embraced prize v
fights with "Patsy" Flynn, "Con" Fitz
gerald, "Australian lvelly, Harry Gnb
ben, Edmund E. Price, now a practicing
lawyer at the Tombs, and others of the
same class. In November, 1858, Coburn,
in company with two other desper
adoes named Henry Drake and Paddy
Duffy, while engaged in a quarrel in
West Houston street with Officer Samuel
Davidson, now of the Fifteenth precinc4;,
Btabbed him in the breast.inflicting a dan
gerous wound. To this offense Coburn
pleaded guilty, and was sent to State
prison for three years and six months.
He only served a portion of the term,
however, being released through politi
cal influence, and on obtaining his dis
charge resumed his old practices. He
rtiiiii'fi ill Niii'f.Ksinn n nuninfip rtT irnr
. .. - -
AV8, " " ."' 4" Uy
"the fancy." Ho speedily began to lose
his reputation as a prize fighter, and lost
caste with his admirers after his fizzle
with Mace in 1871. He was accused of
brutally ill-treating his wife or mistress
Kitty Coburn, and finally shot her "ac
cidentally," inflicting a wound from
which she subsequently died. He was
also charged with shooting at a disrepu
table woman and was the hero of a score
of other cowardly assaults, the victims in
which dare not make complaint against
him. In addition to this he was indicted
for striking a car conductor with the butt
end of a pistol, and for assaulting an un
offending citizen about a year ago, and at
the time of his nrrest kept a low "free
aml enBy" at T Thirty-third street and
Broadway. New York Times.
A Toad Story.
Dr. Macdonald, of Ward's island, lec
tured about the delusion of the insane.
Speaking of persons who imagined
themselves to be horses, birds, etc., he
said:
A lady believed she had a toad in her
stomach and grew very ill in consequence.
Her physician, after vainly endeavoring
to coax her out of the idea, gave her an
emetic, and while she was vomiting,
dexterously slipped a toad into the basin
j i .j . ..
ami ca:ieu ner attention to it. xor a
time she wos cured, but a few weeks
later she had the same symptoms as be
fore, and insisted that the toad must have
given birth to some young oues, which
were still in her stomach. The doctor,
however, persuaded her that this could
not be the ca?e, since the animal she hod
thrown up was a mnle. This effected a
permanent cure.
Internal jealousies are so ttrong in
Egypt that several men are appointed to
do the work of one, in order that each
nationality may be represented. Au
Englishman and Frenchman attend
to the taxation ; two Englishmen and one
Frenchman control the railroad service;
an Englishman, an Italian, an Austrian
and a Frenchman regulate the publio
debt; while representatives of twelve
natiorftlitia eoeupy sett on th judicial
neiicri