jl . '
I ife ill toiiff li icik '
Two Dollars per Annum.
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher
NIL DESPJERANDUM.
i
NO. 13.
VOL. VII.
MDGrWAY, ELK COUNTY, TA., TITUIISDAY, MAY 17, 1877.
My Mother-in-law.
I married a woman of swootneg and truth,
And beauty without any flaw (
But over my hoad hung, liko Damocles' sword,
That horror, a mothir-in-law I
Bo upright and downright In person and looks,
She embodied the dismal old saw
Of a scolding and pushing, and worrying and
bothering
Old bore of a mother-in-law.
Blie decided to live with us. Chaos and wreck
Would be the result, I forosaw j
8o 1 gave my cigars and my meerschaum, with
groans,
To a friend with no mother-in-law.
Ono night, as wo sat by a blazing wood firo,
Yhen the days had grown chilly and raw,
"How cosy and nico you would look with a
pipe !
Don't you smoko ?" said my mother-in-law.
Did my oars hear right ? Yes, bless her dear
hour! !
" Don't you smoke ?" was tho first happy
straw
To "show how tho wind blew," and clear up
tho clouds
'Twist me and my mollior-in-lnw.
And, oh, she's the kindest and dearest and best
Old darling that ever I saw ! '
My mother I love, and my wife I adoro,
Hut I worship my mother-in-law !
A Sympathetic Porter.
A few days ago a laily living with her
husband in ono of the hotels of Virginia,
Nov., noticed thnt a young mnn who
acted in the capacity of a porter about
the ilnce, paid rather more attention to
her room than any other portion of the
hotel. One day he came in, nnd taking
a seat, remarked :
" Mudum, I would liko to auk you nn
important question."
" Well, what is it something about
the trunks ?"
" No, madam; something of far more
importance than trunks something that
concerns us both ; and the fact of tho
mutter if, milium, I lmve been observ
ing you closely for some weeks past, and
I am led to believe that there is trouble
trouble of a serious natnre gnawing
at your heart. Tell mo what that secret
Borrow is."
The porter then leaned over the edge
of the chair-back, with one hand snp
port'ivr his cheek, and assumed a listen
ing attitude.
"There U a secret sorrow," rejoiued
th-.i ludy, "and it weighs upon mo like
a. mill-stone. It is that I haven't a stove
poker heavy enough to break your silly
pate with. But such us it is, how
ever"' Hero she grubbed the implement and
ma te a rapid rdvauco upon the sym
pathetic porter, wh broke for tho door
mil ant out jiist slowly enough to secure
a sharp clip alongside the riglit ear. And
):iw that man's secret sorrow is that he
didn't happen to be a little nearer the
door when the poker intruded itself into
the debate.
Yniidcrbllt Hci'usins n Present.
A curious story is circulating in Wall
street, New York. Some weeks ago
James 11. Keene, the California opera
tor, sent into tho country to buy a line
pair of carriage horses. Of course he
spared no pains nor expense to secure a
handsome team. They were brought to
New York nnd taken care of at Lead
beater's stables. When Mr. Keene saw
them he was not satistied, and gave
orders to the stablekeeper to sell them
if he found a good customer. Wm, II.
Vundorbilt camo across them in sonv)
way, and was pleased with their looks.
He asked the price, and said that he was
willing to buy them if a fair bargain
could be made. Mr. Keene found out
that the railroad king had taken a fancy
to the team, nnd forthwith gave orders
that they should be sent around to Mr.
Vanderbilt with his compliments. Mr.
Vauderbilt sent them back with the
message that he did not think that his
acquaintance with Mr. Keene would
warrant him in accepting such a present,
but that he would bo happy to buy the
horses at a fair price. Of course the
California millionaire was taken- aback,
but he accepted the situation and sold
the horses at a good figure.
A Stranire Fashion.
A correspondent says that whenever a
fashion starts in New York it rushes
along without regard to fitness or pro
priety. This is especially noticeable in
matters pertaining to funerals. A nobby
funeral has especial regard to the hour
of the day, usually eleven in the morn
ing. The sexton has a great deal to do
with giving character to the servioes. It
is a common thing to give to a clergy
man, if he is of tho right stamp, from
$25 to $100 for his services. The amount
of light let in the room, the pose of the
cofliu, tho arrangement and costliness of
flowers, the casket itself, with the num
ber of coaches, attest the social rank of
the departed. It is getting to be rather
common for ladies to order their casket
and fuueral trimmings while they are in
good health. A wealthy lady in New
Jersey has just done that thing. Another
lady of New York purchased the material
for her fuueral attire, was measured by
a dressmaker, had tho garment made in
the nattiest style, fitted and tried on, as
if she were going to a ball, and then
carefully laid away in the drawer until
tho great chango should corce.
The Aqueduct! at Itouie.
At the zenith of her grandeur Rome
had eleven distinct aqueducts, whose ag
gregato discharge was equivalent to a
stream twenty feet wide by Bis deep, with
a fall six times us rapid as that of the
river Thames. Tho daily supply was in
the proportion of 332 gallons to each in
habitant, and it was distributed to the
palaces and humbler dwellings in every
part of the city, as well as to innumera
ble fountains, many public wells and
large reservoirs, to the numerous baths,
, and to the several artificial lakos, where
the emperors held their naumachlae, or
sham naval battles. These eleven con
stituted the most extensive and perfect
system of aqueducts that has been pos
sessed by any city even up to the present
time. Their combined length was over
300 miles, fifty of which were above
ground, either upon low substructures or
more imposing arcades. The loftiest ar
cade was that belonging to the Aqua
Claudia and the Anio Novus; it was in
one place 109 feet high.
Fashion Notes.
Gemmol rings are coining in vogue.
Bunting suits are shown in all colors.
Cashmere breakfast shawls are re
vived. Bonnets are worn moro forward on the
head.
Lnce bonnet strings are giving way to
ribbon ones.
Large lace and muslin collarettes grow
in favor.
The handles of parasols are very ar
tistic this spring.
Tilleul and mandarian are yielding to
old gold color.
Small standing linen colors are the
only ones at the moment.
Bunting parasols are fringed with
loops of ribbon of a contrasting color.
The Breton is the favorite style for
bunting suits when they are in colors.
Straw braids in old gold color and
fancy patterns are shown for trimmings.
The regulation sizes for ladies' um
brellas is twenty nnd twenty-eight
inches.
Colored embroideries and colored
Torchon laces on underwear grow in
favor.
New parasols have handles of ivory,
mother of pearl, aud red and white cellu
loid. Saudal boots are worn over cardinal.
or blue, or mandarin, or maroon plain
silk hosieries.
The newest French chemises are em
broidered with bright red and blue em
broidery cottons.
The new things in silver filagree show
a great improvement in tho designs and
artistic finish.
Parasols and umbrella fringes formed
of loops of half inch wide ribbon are
among the novelties.
Tho latest importations in Torchon
lace show a mingling of some bright
color with white in every piece.
Whito bunting suits trimmed with
black, and black ones with whito bunt
ing, are considered the most stylish.
Silver filagree card cases of very fine
workmanship are sought for by the most
fastidious society women.
The newest Breton suits aro of dark
grass linen embroidered and trimmed
with buttons on a string, a la Breton.
S mie of the ribbon fringes of parasols
are formed of alternate rings and short
loops, the short loops being lengthened
with a tassel.
New silver filagree sets, consisting of
brooch and earrings, come in the form of
butterflies, bees, birds, gondolas, fans,
horns nnd various fanciful devices.
Pale blue and pale rose colored lisle
tli rt ud hosiery, with open clocked in
steps, will be worn for dressy indoor
toilets, with Marie Antoinette or Charles
IX. slippers.
Maroon, dark blue, cardinal, pink,
pale blue, and shades of yellow are seen
in the new Torchon luces, tho lower half
or edges being in color, and the head
ings white or cream colored.
linttlefly earrings in new French
jewelry aro formed of pear-shaped pearls
for the body of the fly, yellow golden
wings studded with small turquoises.and
a green gold head with small rubies for
eyes.
The most fashionable street hosiery
han the foot and one-half the leg in
dark colors blue, brown, myrtle green,
or red and the upper half white. A
lino of vanjykcs, or custellated, or Hori-
at.i.l designs marks the point of juncture
ot color with the white.
A pretty novelty in silver filagree is a
small bouquet holder in tho form of a
cornucopia attached to a finger ring by a
delicate silver chain, the ring to be worn
outside the glove: a silver pin, also at
tached by a chain, fastens the bouquet
securely m the cornucopia.
The Rattlesnake and the Rut.
A short time since one of the members
of a prominent Boston manufacturing
firm spent a few weeks hunting in Flori
da, and on his return he brought with
him a monster rattlesnake, the gift of a
friend. His Bnakeship measured about
fivo feet in length, and has a body the
size of a man's arm, the whito, yellow
and brown cuticle blending rather beau
tifully iu patches of various forms. The
heavy triangular head, characteristic of
venomous reptiles, has a sinister expres
sion, nnd in moments of excitement the
fivo rattles on his tail Keep up an un
pleasantly suggestive whirring, while a
forked tongue of inky blackness and sur
prising length darts angrily from his
tnrtle-liko mouth. He is no sleepy, half
starved fellow, as may readily be imag
ined, but wide awuko and ready for an
encounter of any kind. It was into the
cage occupied by this snake that a few
days since a rather small sized wharf rat
was introduced, in the expectation that
tho rodent would form a meal for the
stranger. The snake seemed to think
so, too, for he darted on tho unwilling
visitor nnd caught him by the neck.
The rat, who nau hitherto been running
around tho cago trying to get out, gave
a sharp squeal as ho felt the serpent's
fangs, nnd, twisting himself about,
bu.ied his teeth iu the scaly jaw of the
aggressor. The snake writhed and
twisted and rattled sharp notes of alarm
as tho rat kept his sharp incisors at
work, and bei'oro the spectators could
fairly comprehend what had happened
tho little quadruped had shaken himself
looso and was hopping in affright at the
further end of the cago for a means of
exit. To the surprise of all he showed
no effects of poison, and when the snake
again made a grub at him he met his
creeping foe half way and snipped off a
piece of his long forked tongue. This
seemed to be rather, more than the
Floridian had bargained for, and he
dragged himself into a corner, cast down
and defeated. Since that time the rat
has flourished in his strange quarters.
He capers over the body of his whilom
enemy, aud avoids tho punch of a stick
by creeping under the head of tho snake.
The rat seems perfectly indifferent as re
cards the reptile, and when the latter,
roused to high degree of anger by out
siders, makes a strike at him, he hardly
takps th trouble to dodge, and only
bites bock when the rattler is unusually
offensive. It is a singular condition of
things, and the rat s immunity irom
death cannot very easily be accounted lor.
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The War In Asia Minor.
The Russian troops advanced on the
strongly fortified town of Erzeroum iu
several columns. The main army was
at Kars, while tho right wing marched
against tne Turkish defenses in the de
files of the Souganlu mountains. The
left wing was pushing forward against
Erzeroum from tho recently captured
town of Baiazid. It will bo seen
that i
the Russians aro advancing into Asia
Minor as fast os tho unwieldy move
ments of largo bodies of men and mili
tary stores, and tho stubborn resistance
of tho Turks, will permit.
WON AT LAST.
A plain woman and a pink cotton handkerchief
are not the most proniitfing materials for a pic
ture. But Mary .Cromfurd, though plain, had
a graceful figuro, and the pink handkerchief
which nlie was hemming formed a pretty con
trast to hnr white dress as sho sat on the
edge of a littlo chasm in a Swiss valley. Sho
was a healthy, sweet, graceful English girl, and
she and her bit of pink cotton formed no un
worthy center to the sceno of hill and dale.
Fraulein Muller.'her former governess, sat
beside her. Tho stiff, tight dress, the hair
primly laid over the ears, the broad hat tied
with a big bow under Uio chin, bespoke her
nal ionality.
Mary's position was a difficult one. Adopted
when she was a child by a distant relative, a
rich bachelor, she had been recognized as his
daughter, and though the fine old house where
they dwelt, with its park aud surrounding land,
were eutailed on a male heir, it was kuown that
that hen- had offended th" old man, and no one
was surprised when, on his sudden death, the
only will, dated many years back, was found to
leave Mary Cromford the whole of her benefac
tor's personal property, which by every means,
he had taken care to increase at the expense of
the estate- No one was surprised except the
heir, Mr. Manton, a handsome, stern, proud
man of over forty years, whose grave dignity
sat well upon him, and whose very agony was
dignified as he stated his strong sense of injus
tice. He was a poor man ; and he found him
self suddonly master of a handsome estate, re
quiring instant outlay and a handsome income
to keep it from absoluto deterioration. If his
undo had felt no regard or consideration for
him, at least be might have respected the land
itself. The lawyers shook their heads. It
might not seem equitable There was no
help for it. No help for it ? Mr. Manton
thought otherwso. Having made Mary's ac
quaintance in the necessary course of business,
. ,1 AA - J... l
ne one uar uuiimnuvu a I'livaiu imu vitw, aim
with the utmost candor told her that she alone
could remedy tho evil and save tho estate bv
marrying rum ; tnat ne naa a nigu esteem for
her qualities, that his affections were entirely at
her disposal, and that he would make her a
good husband. Mary doubted noue of these
propositions ; Mr. Manton's somewhat naif
candor had its attractions for her, and, like all
noble women, she was minutely attracted ly
the idoa of a self-sacrifice for tho sake of jus
tice. 15ut this self-sacrifice was a trifle too hard,
for was there not Tom Derby, whom sho had
loved for vears. and who loved her well I
She thought he loved her, but there was the
finch, for her uncle, with an om man s wisuoni,
bad imnressed uuon her. with the continual
dropping which wear away the stone, that men
seek money, that it was known she would bavo
money, and that therefore it behoved her to
look "to it, lest those who sought her - hand
should be rather seeking her purse. And when
Tom Derby had come too often, or lingered
too lone, he had thrown out hints that Derby
was poor, that he expeoted, that he hoped, and
so on, till tho poison had eaten into her soul.
Aud yet her nature was so frank, so antagonis
tic to suspicion ; but she was blindfolded by
that blind guide, tho worldly wisdom of old
age. Therefore, when she stood alone, when
Mr. Mauson candidly asked her to sacrifice her
self for him, his very fra. kness and coolness
tempted her to yield, for, she said, was it not
neuer lo iase a ooia esteem, Honestly offered,
than a love which might be on by ? No,
she could not frame the word, even ta herself.
When she ought to have given an answer, her
whole inner being rose up against the false
WAR MAP OF ASIA MINOR.
W3 -yhfri$$ KPkk
hood, and she found herself in a great e trait.
" Was there no other way?" sho piteously
asked Mr. Manton. " Was there not such a
thing as a deed of gift? Might not sho return
to him so much of her fatal legacy as should
remove tho stain of injustice ?"
No ; Mr. Manton's dignity forbado him to
receive the lesser boon it must be all or noth
ing. Then, while sho still hesitated, she had
a letter from Tom Derby. Ho was coming to
see her ; he begged her to receive him on such
a day, and, driven to a decision, sho avoided it
bv running awav. Sho would seo what time
nn'l absence would do to help her to settle her
mmu.
Some of these things wero revolving in hor
thoughts as she absently played with her coffee
and spoon, when a deep sigh from Fraulein
made her look up. Fraulein was at tho win
now, gazing out witn a very sentimental ex
pression. Mary joined her, and the amused
smile again floated over her features as Bho saw
a tall, ungainly figure, with short trousers, low
shoes, much blue stocking, a large umbrella of
green and whito plaid, enormous spectacles,
and a hat on the back of its head, aud yet
withal a kindly, and pleasing, and very molan
choly face, come swinging over the bridge to
ward tho licuss House. He whistled as he
drew near, a musical whistle liko a bud's call,
and his melancholy features broke iut a sunny
smile as the old door opened,, and three dirty
children rushed out, clasping his knees and
hands, and dancing like Hecate's imns about
him as they led him in triumph home. He was
widower a doctor who lived opposito tne
littlo Swiss inn at which Mary and her com
panion were stopping. The fraulein had once
rescued one ot tne doctor s nttio cnuuren, tnat
had fallen from tho top of a wood cart j ever
since that time site had taken an unusual in
terest in the familv across the way.
There is an ideal an ideal Don Quixote."
said Mary.
rrauicm repnea Dy a souncung " acu i
" Listen, Louise," said Mary Cromford, hold
ing in her hand that morning's Kurier. " This
is what a widower's life has driven our opposite
neighbor to :
UENCINE 1'noPOSITlON OP MAIUllAOE. A
widower, forty-live years of age, a doctor, pos
sessing a good nouse m an agieeauie village or
Switzerland, desires to marry a maiden or
widow lady, ot suitable ago. Ihe samo must
bo of an amiable disposition, must have a taste
for housekeeping and simplicity, and be willing
to Le a loving stepmother to his children, and
to givo them a sound and religious education.
Fortune is less desired than a good disposi
tion. Genuine offers, with photograph en
closed (no notice will be taken of anonymous
answers), may be sent in strict confidence to
"J'n.itu Jiextaute
"Where do you think? Why, hero in
Neuonthal. It is no one but our doctor. Is
this the way your German ideals manage
matters?"
But Fraulein did not seem to see the Joke.
She was fidgeting over the bread and butter,
and iookcu so red wnen Mary glanced up,
laughing, for her answer, that she chocked tho
words : " Suppose wo answer it," which wero
ready on hor lips.
Now to mv letters, said Mary. "Here is
one from Lizzie Arnold ; one from "
Hero it was her turn to bo confused, for the
second was from Mr. Manton, Sho supposed
he had discovered her retreat, and was press
ing, in his determined way, for an answer, and
she had no answer ready. But littlo w as sho
prepared for the real contents of his letter.
Light and shade crossed one another on her
face; some consternation, much bewilderment,
a dawning sense ot great relief, made confus
ion in hor mind.
" Beau Madam," said this strange lover,
" knowing that you had retired in order to form
a decision more freely, I would have taken no
steps to discover your retreat tilfit should be
vour own will to disclose it, had I not been
bound to do so by a singular and important dis
covery, of which I have fully informed your
lawyers. You will hear from them by the "next
post ; but, for obvious reasons, I have wished
to be the first to communicate to you tho fact
that in the course of certain alterations in
Worthton Hall a will of recent date has been
found, drawn ud in full legal form by my late
uncle hiinse f, and witnessed by two ser
vants, who were not aware of the importance
of the document. In this will your unole be
quenthed all his property to me all but an
annual income of three thousand pounds,
which the will reserves for you.
" Your devoted servant,
" J. Manton."
I
" So that s all over, and I am free again, nnd
wo can go homo to-morrow," said Mary, when
she had read tho letter twico, feeling as light
henrted as a bird.
The lawyer's letter camo in duo course, at
testing the' genuineness of the recent will, and
Mary began to think whether she should at
once return England, or, as it was the height
of the summer, travel a little first, now that ono
burden, at least, was removed which had mado
traveling, aud all things elso under tho sun a
weariness. But, to her surprise, it was Frau
lein who now cast obstacles m the way. There
was this reason and that reason why they could
not possibly leave Neuonthal at once, anil when
Mary overruled them all, poor Fraulein waxed
tearful and nervous, and had headaches, till
Mary, perceiving somo mysterious cause, prom
ised to stay "a little longer" in the spot which
she had almost begun to hate as a prison.
It was very wearisome to her, however ; sho
was longing for home, and rock aud flood bore
lo her the aspect of jailers. She had wandered
alone ono afternoon to the edge of that chasm
where wo saw her first. The new path was
mado ; the workmen were all gone ; there was
silence but for tho voice of the river. Frauleiu
was at home with tho headache Again Mary
wore that Bame whito dress iu which her grace
ful figure showed so well, and tho soft plaits of
her brown hair wero rich in shadow under her
simple hat. A young podestrian of the true
British type, a sunny-haired, frank-eyed mor
tal, who came swingiug down the river side,
thought that he had never seen a picture
more pleasing or more welcome to his eyes.
Sho did not raise her head at his footstep, until
he stood close behind her, stopped, and said,
softly :
"Mary!"
She started aud looked at him, trembling.
In a sense of loneliness, tho tears had been
ready before, aud now tiiey camo brimming
over.
"Oh, Torn!" she cried. " How how how
could you ?"
There was no one to see how he soothed
her, nor how glad he waB to have her in his
arms at last, nor (truth to tell) how glad she
was to be there. But w hen tho surprise and the
crying wero over, Mary felt that sho was forsak
ing all her principles, and began to gather back
somo shadow of reserve.
" I was startled," she said. "You should not
have come like that. I have given you no rea
son." " Look here, Mary," said Tom Derby, in a
straightforward, manly way that there was no
withstanding, "I want to know what it is that
has come between ns. I know letters would be
of no use, so I came to find you at the first mo
ment I bad my holiday, just to ask that one
question."
She looked in his face and blushed ; she was
ashamed of her wretched wit-dom.
" I lovo you, and I do believe you love me,
and what hinders us from being happy."
No answer.
" I have been thinking and thinking day and
night, and all I can think is this, Mary that
old Mr. Manton has put his old world suspicions
into you, and taught you to Deueve i was iook
ing after your money. Was that it ? Bo hon
est and true with me, Mary."
" He used to say so, certainly," said Mary,
bending hor head "low over a flower she was
plucking to piooes. " He said it waa the way
of the world
" It may be tho way of the world, but it is
not my way," he answered, earnestly, perhaps
a trifle pained, but not offended. " Do you not
know me better than that ? I wish your money
were at the bottom of tho sea, if it is to stand
between us. Money is a good thing in itself,
but it is a confoundedly bad thing if it is to
part two people who love one another."
The last dying spark of Mary's wo. Idly wis
dom shone out in her next speech.
" It cannot do that now, Tom. A new will
has been found, and Mr. Manton has loft his
property to the heir, after all, to keep up the
estate."
"Aud you are as poor as a church mouse ?"
She nodded. Tom threw his hat into the
air,
"nurrah! Then that is all right. You won't
mind a snug cottage at Twickenham or some
where, where we can be as happy as turtledoves
on my five hundred a year. Heaven blesg the
old gentleman ana ms second wm r
Mary turned upon him beaming, yet thor
oughly ashamed of herself. She felt a sense of
rest and deliverenoe, and as they walked home
at last he talked blithely of that Twickenham
cottage ; she reserved mention of her annual
three thousand which still remained, that he
V V 'tB
eik$ffya
might tasto yet awhile all the sweets of his own
generosity.
" Frauleiu Muller will bo very angry," said
Mary, as they entered tho inn. "She had a
romantic adoration for Mr. Manton "
" Is that Frnulein's umbrella?" asked Tom,
pointing to a bulgy objefit of green and white
check which reposed outside the door.
Mary started. " It is the doctor's," she said,
" I do believo. Will you please to stay outside
a littlo while, Tom, and let me go in first V"
Sho made a grand commot.on w ith the hamllo
of the door, as if it had a w ay of wanting to be
turned six times, and when she entered, lo !
there stood the doctor and Frauleiu, in all tho
consciousness of having been closer together.
But tho gentleman was equal to the occasion.
Hardly waiting for Frauleiu's nervous introduc
tion, lie uegan. solemnly bowing :
" This inestimable lady, Mecs Cromford, has
done mo the honor to promise to become mis
tress of tho Itcuss House and a loving step
mother to"
" Oh, yes !" interrupted Mary, rather rudely :
but then she was already flurried. "Do not
trouble to explain j no doubt Fraulein answered
the advertisement.
"Iam proud to say she did," said tlIoctor.
"But, oh! my dear," sobbed Fraulein, "I
will never leave you while vou want me.
" Very well, dear," answered Mary. " You
don't know how glad I am. I am going homo,
for I have a doctor of my own outside
The National Debt.
A statement of the reduction of the
national debt, issued by the Treasury
department, shows that the debt of tho
United States, including accrued interest
thereon, less cash iu the treasury on the
first of March, 18C9, was $2, 525, 163,-
2G0.01. From March 1 to the end of
the fiscal year, June 80, 1869, the de
crease was $36,460,779.43, aud for each
successive year tne decrease was as lol
lows:
June 80, 1870 $102,643,880.84
June 80, 1871 1)4,327,704.84
June 30, 1872 100,544,491.28
June 80, 1873 43,667,030.05
June 30, 1874 4,730,472.41
Juno 30, 1875 14,30!),514.84
Juno SO, 1876 29,249.381.83
April 30, 1877 29,080,727.79
Total reduction from Marcn 1,
18G9, to April 30, 1877 455,104,642.81
Total debt on May 1, 1877 2,191,565,887.28
Daring the ninety-eight months from
March 1, 1809, to May 1, 1877, tho debt
tins increased ten times, as follows: .
December, 1872 1,684,807.80
January, 1873 406,218.18
October, 1873 3,039,578 45
November, 1873 9,028,576.81
JJecemtier, 1M73 t,4.i,2yz.7l
December, 1874 8,659,967.88
January, 1875 1.397,870.27
noceniber, 187S i,tfia,uu2.7u
November. 1876 457,fi(12.G4
Docember, 1870 3,585,112.39
The largest decrease during any ono
month was in June, 1870, the decrease
being $20,203, 772.04.
Affecting Sight.
A correspondent, who writes from
Vigo, Spain, says : In the neighborhood
of t imsterre, between the nsliing vil
lagea of Bayona and Corunna, after
stormy weather, pioces of wreck are
continually being washed up, and some
timeB the bodies of the drowned. A
notable instance occurred nfter the
storms of January, when a quantity of
bodies were throw n out by the waves at
Muros. Among them wero the corpses
of two ladies, one poor creature still
holding in her arms her dead child,
The fishermen say they were well dress
ed and fair, and supposed them to be
English. Accounts of these wrecks are
rarely if ever published in the native
local papers, and where all ou board
have perished are never heard of in
England.
The resident's rroclnmntlon.
Tl,o reclamation issued by President
Hayes, calling for nn extra session or
Congress, is as follows : ar.a
Br tub President of the United States
of America A woolahatioi-.
iir,... rri.o finnl ndiournment or
the Forty-fourth Congress, without mak
ing tho nsui 1 appropriation for the sup
port of the army for the fiscal year end-
' -r nn 1DTO wAann4a nn pvt.raordl-
ing June ou, joio, '" --, ---nary
occasion, requiring the President to
exorcise the power vested in him by tno
Constitution to convene the houses of
Congress in anticipation of the day nxod
by law for their next meeting. Now,
therefore, I. Rutherford 1J. Hayes,
President of tho United States, do, by
virtue of the power to this end m mo
vested by the Constitution, conycuo
both houses of Congress to assemble at
their respective chambers at twelve
o'clock noon, on Monday, the fifteenth
day of October next, then and there to
consiricr and determine such measures
bb in their wisdom, their duty nnd tho
welfare of the people may seem to de
mand. In witness whereof I have hereunto
set my hand nnd caused the seal of tho
United States to bo nfflxed. Done at tho
Cliy Ol Y IIBIIIIIKIOH, nil" Him 'V "
Mv iu tho year of our Lord 1877, nnd
ol tue independence ui uuaniuuuw
of America tho one hundred and first.
R. B. Hayes.
By the President.
Wm. M. Evaiits, Secretory of State.
Items of Interest.
A Kansas paper reports that the black
birds aro destroying the grasshoppers
greedily.
In 1801 Great Britain had 10,000,000
people, Ireland 5,000,000. Now tho
former has 27,000,000, the latter 5,500,
800. Small boy, on tiptoe, to his compan
ions : "Stop your noise, all of you."
Companions" Hallo, Tommy, what's
the matter ?" " We've got a new baby ;
it's very weak and tired ; walked all the
way from heaven last night, mustn't bo
kicking up a row round here now.
In the Philadelphia permanent exhibi
tion building a largo gallery for vocal
nnd instrumental concerts has been put
up capable of holding 2,500 persons ;
opposite tho gallery an area has been
lelt open tor accommodating e.uuu
spectators at a single pop, if they should
come.
Liko the erenerality of kings and con
querors, Frederick the Great had a most
philosophic indifference to death in
others. In ono of his battles, a bat
talion of veterans having taken to their
heels, ho galloped after them, bawling
out: "Why do you run away, you old
blackguards ? Do you want to live for
ever ?"
A "castle of patience," eight feet loug,
four high, four wide, aud containing
365,000 pieces of wood, is exhibited by a
convict in the Virginia penitentiary.
He has been at work upon it, in spare
moments, three years and a half. Each
piece of wood was handled eight times,
and it is held together by tho " jacks "
being interlaced.
The latest bore, and a gigantic one ho
is, is tho know-it-all ennp wno mis
thoroughly studied tho situation in
Roumania," and can tell you to a dot
just where tho Russian armies have
got to cross the Danube, just where all
tho Turkish gunboats nnd fortresses are,
just how far it is from Ivalarash to
Slmmltt, and all tliat sort ot thing.
A curious experiment with the magnet
was recently tried in London. A boy
had broken a needle in the call ot ins
leg, and before resorting to surgicol in
struments it was decided to try the effect
of a powerful magnet in withdrawing
tho steel. After a number of experi
ments in different positions the needlo
was drawn near the surface on the oppo
sito side of tho leg from which it entered
and was easily withdrawn.
Courtship is a very simple matter in
tho Andaman islands. The bridegroom
cats a certain kind of rayfish, which
gives him the appellation of " bachelor
desirous ot marrying. When he is
ready to toko a wife, he sits beside a
marriageable maiden and stares at her.
Then the bride's father or guardian joins
the hands of the pair, and they disappear
from the village, plunging into tho
depths of the forest, and remaining away
Bcveral days.
Hard Times in Gotham.
"Jay Charlton." who is evidently a
close observer, says in a letter from New
York to the Danbury A'ewa:
I wandered two miles along Broadway.
I noticed that men walked less hast
ily than they did two or three years ago.
They were not rushing irom Btore to
store with fat wallets and importunate
accounts. They slouched easily along,
with a sort of sailor's roll, and seemed
to have little to do. Boys were no long
er tacking to avoid brusque men. Clerks
stood in store windows twirling their
whiskers. Windows of guu and pistol
stores were not patronized by gaping
crowds of countrymen. There was much
moving out of tenants, and a few pretty
damsels stood hesitatingly in front of
photographic galleries, wondering which
artist they would patronize. Prettv
wagons were displayed, but few wero
there to buy. In front of somo of the
ribbon stores there were lady gazer
drawn from puro curiosity. Stewart's
had no jam in front of its wide doors.
Men's clothes seemed poorer; there wero
ragged edges to vests, and boots, once
shiny, were greyly overlaping their soles.
Perhaps girls flirted more, because they
had nothing else to do; but the men who
had time to ogle them had not money
for ice cream saloons. The bars were
not bo bustling, and the cheap restau
rants contained a greater number of
people than the dearer ones. I thought '
there were fewer apple stands. Button
hole bouquets brightened fewer lappels.
anu uie picrure and musio stores were
vacant. Where crowds were most to be
expected, in the carpet and furniture
stores, there was a lack of people. The
old street, once crazy as bedlam, was
almost as quiet as the streets of a South
ern city. No glass grew among the
stones, but the sparrows had no one en
ergetio enough to disturb them while
they were stealing stray bits for their
nests. It was evident that we are living
in hard times.