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HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. NIL DESPEEANDUM. Two Dollars per Annum.
VOL. VIII. 01 RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1878. NO. 8.
rr
Tlie Empty Schoolroom.
Gray dust npon each window-sill,
A broken .obalr;
The t rnlshed bell untouched solong
One leaf of a familiar song
Bucb marks of wear
As hearts frith sad remembrance fill.
Tired, tired I gsso on these at last.
Strangely it seems
The fresh, young f soes are all fled
Some blithe, yonng hearts among the dead,
Numbered. In dreams
Alone, oome visions of the past.
With something twixt a sob and sigh
I s'and to-day
Witbin this empty, dreary room,
As silent as the speeohless tomb,
And out, away
Beyond these walls brown meadows lie. .
Brown meadows, where the wild wind
sweeps
'? Cbift,ahl sochill;' :
Jiut through the cobwebbed window-pane
I see the graveyard in the rain, .
Stilt, ah ! so still,
Each heart aweary, resting, sleeps.
O room deserted evermore I
I love you yet.
And sky, that holdeth only gloom,
Beyond are tides, of summer bloom
Without regret,
To shine npon the golden shore.
A LEGHORN HAT.
Nino o'clock of a cloudless summer
morning. The basket phaeton stood at
the door in the narrow noisy street be
low, bnt Mr. White had already gone to
his office, Annie pleaded headache, and
the children had their allotted tasks with
the German governess to accomplish.
must either remain within doors during
the hot hours of the day or go out alone.
I decided on the latter oourse.
I am too old to require any chape
Km," I said, with a laugh, and glanced
in the mirror.
There I beheld a not unplcnsing image
of a little woman attired in gray, with a
silvery veil over her plain face, in the
act of fitting on a pair of quite infinite
simal gray gloves. I kissed my good
Annie and the children, as if bound on
a long and perilous voyage, and departed
in tue basket phaeton.
What a new world was that all abont
me t It was the city of Leghorn, with
its tall houses, rendered dingy by sea
damp, and wide white squares, the atmo
sphere redolent of tar. the quays throng'
ed with shipping, the clumsy funnels of
Oriental steamships relieved by the
lighter tracery of interlacing masts
against the sky. I like ships; in their
boundless suggestiveness they resemble
wishes, hopes, ever coming and going on
some ireBh errand.
The phaeton rattled through the main
thoroughfare, once Via Grande, and now
rebaptized, after the manner of all ital'
ian cities, in the name of Victor Emon
uol. I noticed with the interest of a
stranger groups of bronzed sailors; the
untidy Leghorn woman with trailing
gown, and flapping handkerchief tied
over her frowzy head; the brilliant uni
form of an occasional officer strolling
Jungnuily to ins cafe.
Then the Sea Gate was reached, and
beyond sretched the white , road which
threads its way beside the Mediterranean
to the beautiful suburb of the Ardenza.
The sea breeze wafted to me delicious
coolness ; the hedges of evergreens and
oleanders in masses of rose bloom
mingled rich odors ; the stunted trees
drooped their feathery foliage laden with
gray dust. I gazed out over the sea.
which sparkled like a sapphire, with the
lirrlit. liniiBn. an Vktnnrlif. af. ninrlif nnw
pallid in the morning which no longer
had need of them, and the pails glistening
with an exquisite silvery whiteness on the
horizon. I glanced down the white road
as it curved along the strand, bordered
by its feathery trees and oleanders, its
gardens, hotels and villas stretching to
the Maremma, and the coast I might
never explore.
"This is the most beautiful shore in
the world, and the old Romans knew it,
I soliloquized ; and just then the phaeton
paused.
My destination was the bath. Again
the charm of novelty delighted me, for
it was my first summer with Annie's
household. Bathing at Livorno is made
a pastime, a recreation, instead of a
serious business. I walked out on a
pier which terminated in a round apace
shielded by a tent from the sun s rays,
and thence the amilincr old hath woman.
in a flapping straw hat, conducted me
down a passage, bordered on either aide
by li'tle tents with green doors, to my
destination. . Once consigned to the
baracca, I was free to remain in the
tiny house, with its roof of matting and
walls of striped canvas, where the water
rippled in of a transparently green hue.
or to part the curtains and issue forth
boldly as a swimmer. T decided to re
main secluded in my crystal bath, as I
was alone, like a mermaid in a cave.
I was startled by the curtains being
separated from without, and the appear
ance of a man's head, with long sandy
beard. The head advanced with such
evident intention of a tall body a follow
ing that I uttered a faint scream of
alarm, when the intruder retreated
hastily with a muttered "Beg pardon.'
I received the apology with such dig
nity as is possible to a very small lady
in a flannel bathing suit, hanging to a
rope to avoid drowning in deep water,
and with her head done up in an oil-skin
cap.
"Some stupid Englishman 1" I said,
pettishly.
The hour was too early for many occu
pants -of the large tent, and when I
emerged from my bath I drew a chair
near the railing Jto again gaze out over
the beautiful Mediterranean. An Amer
ican man-of-war had entered the port the
Erevious day, I endeavored to descry
er, with the old pain at my heart. My
brother Harryt young, brave, good 'des
tined to become a great man, as I be
lieved, had died of fever on board ship
off Callao five years ago, smitten down
without power to. send me. a message,
although, thus stricken, I was left alone.
Yes, all alone t I shivered in the bright
Italian morning, while my eyes searched
wistfully for the man-of-war. Since then
every frigate had become to me Horry's
ship, and every officer in uniform assur
edly must be my dead brother's friend.
Five years of winter and summer in the
old house at home, wandering from room
to room in a ghostly fashion, with the
portrait of father and mother in the
shadow of the beet parlor, and Harry's
dog following me with dumb intelligence
to thrust his nose . into my hand ; five
years of mourning, of silence, that left
me a plain little old maid, my hair turned
gray I Then Annie, happy wife and
mother, school-mate and friend of many
years, had written to me a long letter
from her home at Leghorn, where her
husband was engaged in business, urg
ing me to come abroad. I saw my future
clearly enough. In this genial house
hold I should be companion, friend, old
maid aunt to the children. I sighed.
Just then the merchant whose wares
were displayed in one corner of the tent
tortoise-shell, coral, and sienna-wood
trinkets begged me to take a chance in
his lottery. I took the box, and turned
out the dice on the board, having paid
a franc. The merchant counted up the
numbers, and found the corresponding
one in his stock of prizes represented by
a set of coral, resembling sticks of red
sealing-wax. Somebody approached and
watched the drawing. I recognized the
long sandy beard of the intruder of my
bath, but gave a little jump when I
further discovered that he wore the uni
form of an American naval officer. The
merchant immediately pounced on him.
Almost unconsciously the stranger of
the sandy beard appealed to me in En
glish for explanation, as he did not un
derstand Italian. The next moment he
held in his hand' a very pretty shell
comb for a lady's hair as a prize.
" Madam, do yon think this would
please a woman ?" he enquired scrutin
izing it.
" Undoubtedly," I replied, camly. I
had taken him under my protection as
one of Harrv'a friends.
His face flushed, and a quizzical smile
lighted np his keen eyes. " I mean a
lady home in America. Yon are an
American ?"
" Yes," I said, at my ease; for he was
not thinking of me at all. I was even
half tempted to ask him if he had known
my poor Harry.
"Thank you," he said, with sudden
stiffness, and raising his cap, walked
away.
Another hour passed swiftly while I
gazed out over the sea from the tent;
then the heat of the sun warned me to
return. JSri route I remembered a tri
fling commission at the milliner's. En
tering the shop, the first obiect present
ed to my notice was the tall officer with
the sandy beard, beset by two clerks,
and surrounded by piles of leghorn hats.
The poor man's aspect was most bewil
dered and helpless in that sea of straw.
I executed my commission quietly, and
was about to leave, when he accosted
me.
"Would yon have the kindness to
give me your advice?" he said. " I wish
to make a present of a Leghorn hat to a
lady in America, and it must be of the
best quality."
Thus appealed to, I sifted out the
finest straw for his inspection. "Leg
horn hats are all made in the Florence
manufactories, you know," I said.
He made no response; he was staring
at my hands with a very peculiar expres
sion. I blushed slightly, and hid them
in the crown of the Leghorn hat. They
were very small and well shaped; I had
trouble with my gloves usually, wearing
a child's size. Brother Harry used to
admire their tiny proportions, and ac
cuse me of vanity in the possession of
such extremities. J Here was this tall
officer in a foreign city actually pausing
in the midst of buying a gift for an un
known lady probably his fiancee to
stare at my little bauds in evideut aston
ishment. I was more vexed than flat
tered. What right had he to gaze at me
bo fixedly, after having claimed my
assistance ? What would Annie think
of my adventure ?
I recalled him somewhat primly to a
sense of duty, I suppose, for he pro
ceeded to pay for the hat, after I had
warned the shop people not to charge
him more than double the usual price.
He thanked me in subdued accents, and
even hinted that as the ship was to be in
port some weeks, he hoped any residents
would come on board. I relented suffi
ciently te inquire how he proposed send
ing the Leghorn hat, and learned that it
was to be entrusted to the captain of a
brig, bound for New York.
" Perhaps I had best address the box
here," he said, again consulting me with
his eyes.
" Yes," I afseDted, gaining firmness
and decision of tone from his very irre
solution. The clerk brought him an immense
inkstand with a very rusty and gritty
pen attached. My companion dipped
the pen into the ink and stirred it
thoughtfully, as if it had been soup.
"I hope she will like it," said the ex
traordinary man, consulting me again,
with a most sheepish expression of coun
tenance. "Perhaps she owns ever so
many Leghorn hats already," in sudden
alarm.
" No, no," I returned, soothingly.
I piotured to myself this lady whom
he was so anxious to please. How proud
she would be of the exquisite Etruscan
straw which she would wear to church I
How envious would be her neighbors I
" There, will that answer i" he held
before me the written address.
I gasped as I read: "Miss Helen
Westmore, Berryville, Vermont."
My own name was Helen Westmore,
and Berryville had been my home I The
Leghorn hat which I had selected with
bo much care was evidently intended for
myself.
"You can not be Dr. Eaaton, who
took care of my poor Harry, and wrote
me the letters about him?" I cried,
between sobbing and lauchter. "I am
his sister."
" Ho told me his sister had the small
est hands in the world," he replied with
excitement.
After - that there were dinners at
Annie's, moonlight ' drives alontz the
shore, entertainments on the man-of-war,
with ample leisure for exDlanations
and confidences. The surgeon who had
taken care of Harry had been bis inti
mate friend during long voyages, and
had retained the image of the sister at
home a'l these years. In retiring on
half pay he had been tempted to seek
her out
Had I not af sisted at the purchase of
my own bat, be would never We. found
me when he returned to America. The
little woman in gray was not to be the
old-maid aunt in Annie's household, after
all, but to return to her own country as
a happy wife, even if in a sober, sedate
fashion. Verily human destinies hang
by a straw 1
A box stands on the high shelf in the
old home. It contains an nntrimmed
Leghorn hat. Harper's Weekly.
Fencing in Japan.
A famous company of professional
fencers were performing at Yokohama
while I was there, and we went to see
them along with several English resi
dents, who had been many years in the
country, but had never witnessed a sim
ilar exhibition. The gladiators were
encased in armor, and were distinguished
from each other by the color of their
cuirasses. Their appearance was her
alded by the blast of a conch shell, and
all their proceedings were superintended
by a handsome young man, attired and
shaven in the most orthodox style.
Wielding his fan like a marshal's trun
cheon, he set the combatants upon each
other, and separated them with lond
ejaculations. At each corner of the
arena sat a judge, with all the dignity of
a Roman Senator, motionless and silent.
until referred to upon a doubtful point
of order. Uuts are interchanged so
rapidly that it is often hard to say who
had dealt the successful stroke. The
weapons are long bamboos held in both
bands like quarter-staffs, and any sort of
blow above the waist is permissible, but
the favorite is a good crack on the top of
tne neimet. Occasionally the combat
ants get too near together for striking,
and the struggle becomes literally hand
to hand until they are separ
ated : notwithstanding their savage
yells and fierce blows, they pre
eserve the perfect good humor
characteristic of their race. By way of
variety there was a fight between the
sword and the " morning star," a sphere
fastened by a cord to a spiked handle.
Although the latter appeared to be the
inferior weapon, its bearer did not oome
badly off, as he played the part of a
retiarius with the ball and string, and
when at close quarters brought his sharp
hook into active operation. Then two
girls, elaborately attired in the wide
sleeves and trousers of Japanese knights,
attended by female squires to arm and
equip them, took their places on oppo
site sides of the lists, and went through
the motions of a fight, one having a
halberd and the other a couple of swords.
Finally, another amazon had a duel with
a male antagonist, and completely
overthrew him; but this was a mere
burlesque, as he evidently tumbled over
on purpose, and behaved like the clown
in a pantomime, whereas an air of stern
reality pervaded the other mimio battles.
It is remarkable that the Japanese are
able to derive keen enjoyment from
performances which involve no peril
to life or limb, and if their publio
spectacles differ in this respect from
those of the Boman amphitheatre, they
may also compare favorably with many
which find favor in the eyes of the
British publio. Various games of skill,
including the " Go bang," are popular,
but the passion for gambling and cock
fighting, so strongly developed in most
parts of Eastern Asia, is not conspicu
ous in Japan, where animals in general
may be said to have a good time. The
Fortnightly Review.
Vampire Bats.
South America also has its large bats,
of one of which everybody has heard
the vampire. Much nonsense has been
written about it, but there was some
foundation for the stories of its sucking
the blood of men and animals until it
killed them. In the interior of South
America nearly everybody sleeps in a
hammock either out-of-doors or with the
windows open, and the weather is so
warm that little covering is used. The
vampire comes in on silent wings, and
finding a toe exposed, gently pricks it
with his sharp tooth, and draws the
blood until he can .swallow no more.
The sleeper rarely is awakened, and does
not know his loss until morning. He
may then feel weak from the flow of
blood, but we are not aware that a man
was ever known to die from this cause.
Horses are very greatly trpubled by
them also. Mr. Charles Watterton, an
enthusiastic naturalist now dead, who
spent 'several years in New Guiana, has
told us much about this ugly bat, but
could never induce one to taste of his
toe, although he would have been very
glad to be able to say that he had been
operated npon. For eleven months he
slept alone in the loft of a deserted wood
cutter's hut in the deep forest. There
the vampires came and went as they
wished. He saw them oome in the
moonlight on stealthy wings, and pick
the ripe bananas; lay in his hammock
and watched them bring almost to bis
bedside the green wild fruit of the wild
guava; floating down the river on other
moonlight nights, was struck by the fall
ing blossoms of the lawarri-nut tree,
which the vampires pulled from the
branches to get at the tender seed-vessel,
or the insects that lurk in the deep
corolla. He lay night after night with
his bare foot exposed, but could never
get them to lance it, although his friends
and companions were all bled by this
nocturnal surgeon;- and except that he
once caught one fastened to the shoulder
of one of his animals, he came away no
wiser than when he went of how the
vampire does his horrid work.
The vampires measure about twenty
six inches across the wings; frequent old
houses and hollow trees, and repose in
clusters, head downwards, from the
branches of forest trees.
A Showbb of Pihk Bask. The Ral
eigh (N. O.) New of a late issue says :
" We are informed by eye-witnesses of
the occurrence, that on Tuesday last, in
the afternoon, abont two o'clock a great
quantity of pieces of pine bark fell in
and around a yard in this city. The
fragments of bark appeared to have
been violently torn from the trees. Many
of them were of the size of one's hand.
The pieces of falling bark might be seen
at a great height in the air as mnoh as
200 or 300 feet. The puzzled viewers
of this curious shower could give no ex
planation of the cause of the occur
rence." '
Canada is doing an immense buajness
la ibippiBtf lobsters to England,
PARK, GARDE AND HOUSEHOLD.
Technical Term TJaed by Fealtry Breeders.
There are very mauy persons who are
familiar with poultry, their general ap
pearance, and common habits, and yet
wholly unacquainted with the recently
introduced terms as applied to fowls;
words the meaning of which, thus used,
is Greek even to those well informed on
general subjects. For the benefit of
those who may desire to obtain the
knowledge, I subjoin a glossary of tech
nical terms, derived from the best au
thorities ;
Beard A bunch of feathers under the
throat of some breeds of chickens, such
as Houdans or Polish. There are many
phrases, such as breed, brood, brooding,
carriage, etc, that even the least nn
learned will understand. We often hear
of a " litter of chickens," or similar ex
pressions. Litter, as applied to poultry,
is inelegant and in bad taste. We hear
of a litter of pigs, a litter of kittens, etc,
but a litter of chicks is entirely out of
keeping. Carunculated Covered with
small fleshy protuberances, as on the
head and neck of a turkey cock. Chick
A newly-hatched fowl. Chicken This
word applies indefinitely to any acre un
der one year old. Clutch This term is
applied both to the batch of eggs sat
upon by a fowl, and to the brood of
chickens hatched therefrom.
Cockerel A yonng cock. A cockerel
does not truly become a cock until
eighteen months of age, although he is
generally thus termed at the age of one
year. Not until a year and a half old
does he get his final moult, and attain
to the full glory of plumage and size.
Cockerels have many deficiencies that
disappear when they emerge into fnll
grown, full-plumed cocks. Then they
may become exhibition birds, with some
trimming, and yet be poor birds to breed
from. It does not always follow that a
bird is suitable lor breeding purposes
simply because he or she has won a
prize. Many imperfections that pre
sented themselves in the chicken may
grow out, bnt the offspring of such birds
generally repeats the discrepancy. Im
perfect plumage may grow out or be
plucked, and other points be con
cealed by a covering of flesh. Exhibition
birds do not aiways become so without
aid. Nature is often assisted by art
in tnis respect as well as others.
Comb The fleshy protuberance grow
ing on the top of the fowl's head. Con
dition The state of the fowl as regards
iieaitn and beauty of Dlumaare. Crest
A crown or tuft of feathers on the head :
of the same significance as top-knot.
Crop The reeertruil in which thn fowl's
food is stored befoiA passing into the
gizzard for digestion. Cushion The
mass of feathers over a hen, covering
the tail chiefly developed in Cochins.
Dubbing Cutting off the comb, wattles
and ear lobes, so as to leave the head
smooth and clean. ..Ear lobes The folds
of bare skin hanging iust below the ears,
by many called deaf ears. They vary in
color, being red, white, blue, and cream
colored. Face- The bare skin around
the eye. Flights The primary feathers
of the wings usel in flying, but tucked
under the wings out of sight when at
rest. Fluff Soft, downy feathers about
the thighs, chiefly developed in Asiat
ics. Furnished When a cockerel has ob
tained his full tail, comb,hackles, etc, he
is said to be furnished. Gills This term
is often applied to the wattles. Hackles
The peculiar, narrow, long feathers'on
the neckB of fowls. Henny or Hen
Feathers Resembling a hen, from the
absence of hackles and sickle feathers,
and in plumage generally. Hock The
joint between thethigb and shank. Keel
A word sometimes used to denote the
breast bone. Leg In a living fowl, this
is tne scaly part, usually denominated
the shank. In a dressed bird, the term
refers to the joint above. Leg Feathers
Feathers growing on the outer sides
of the shanks in many of the Asiatics.
Mossy Confused or indistinct markings
in the plumage.
Pea Comb A triple comb resembling
three small combs in one, the middle
being the highest. Pencilling Small
markings or stripes over a feather.
These may run straight across, as in the
Hamburgs, or in a crescent form, as in
Partridge Cochins. Poult A young
turkey. Primaries The flight feathers
of the wings, hidden when the wing is
closed, being tucked under the visible
wing, which is composed of the " sec
ondary " feathers. Usually the prima
ries contain the deepest color belonging
to the fowl, except the tail, and grert
importance is attached to their color by
breeders. A cockerel or a pullet of some
breeds should never show a white quill,
or a white shaft to a quill, to become
perfect breeding birds. CIS., in Coun
try Gentleman.
Recipes.
Spioed Sweet Potatoes. Boil one
dozen small potatoes till they are done.
but not too soft : peel and slice them
and sprinkle over them a teacupful of
sugar and a tablespoonful of ground al
spioe. Now put into a frvinsr pan a
tablespoonful of lard, and as soon as it
is not, lay in the potatoes and fry them.
When the potatoes are taken np. put a
little water, sugar and spice in the pan
and make a gravy to pour over the po
tatoes. Ton will find this dish generally
uaea.
Beef Soup. Take four pounds of
fresh beef, or what is better and more
economical, a nice beef shank or " soup
Iui.h . . : i ;nin a .
water; salt it and let it boil slowly five
i . . . , i
ur six nours ; saw weu : nan an nonr
ueiure yon wisn kj take it up put in
CUD nnrtlv full nf rinA a small nnnnfi
of potatoes, carrots, onions and celery,
uu m amau pieces,
English Plum Pudding. Take
measure anh nf siimr flnnr flnoW
chopped suet, mixed raisins, ourrantt
Will U1UUU, DU1 WW vugctUDI HUU WOl
with new milk iust enono-h to " stink
it well together. Season it with cinna
mon, rutmeg and cloves, and don't for
get a teaspoonful of salt ; tie in a well
flonrad hair and keen it twilino 11
four or five hours ; serve with lemon
nquia sauce, xms pudding is just as
Bood steamed over as when Aral hnilaA
and will keep for several weeks in win
ter. Egg Toast. Beat four eggs, yelks
and whites together thoroughly; put
two tablespoonfuls of butter into a sauce
pan and molt slowly; then pour in the
eggs ana beat wupom boiling over a
slow fire, stirring constantly; add a little
salt, and when hot, spread on slices of
nicely browned toast, and serve at once.
Magnificence of Ancient Rome.
The following vivid pen-picture is
from " The Old Roman World," by John
Ford: If anything more were wanted
to give ns an idea of Roman magnifi
cence, we would turn our eyes from pub
lio monuments, demoralizing games and
grand processions; we would forget the
statues in brass and marble which out
numbered the living inhabitants, so
numerous that one hundred thousand
have been recovered and still embellish
Italy, and would descend into the lower
sphere of material life to those things
which attest luxury and taste to orna
ments, dresses, sumptuous living and
rich furniture. The art of working
metals and cutting precious stones sur
passed anything known at the present
day. In the decoration of houses, in
social entertainments, in crockery, the
Romans were remarkable. The mosaics,
signet rings, cameos, bracelets, bronzes,
chains, vases, conches, banqueting ta
bles, chariots, colored glass, gilding,
mirrors, mattresses, cosmetics, perfumes,
hair dyes, silk robes, potteries, all at
test great elegance and beauty. The
tables of thuga root and Delian bronze
were as expensive as the sideboards of
Spanish walnut, so mnch admired in re
cent great exhibitions. Wood and ivory
were carved as exquisitely as in Japan
and China. Mirrors were made of pol
ished silver. Glass cutters could imi
tate the colors of precious stones so well
that the Portland vase from the tomb of
Alexander Severus was long considered
a geuine sardonyx. Brass could be
hardened so as to cut stone. The pal
ace of Nero glittered with gold and lew-
els. His beds were of silver and his
tables of gold. Tiberius gave a million
of sesterces for a picture for his bed
room. A banquet dish of Drusillus
weighted five hundred pounds of silver.
The cups of Drusus were of gold. Tun
ics were embroidered with the figures of
various animals. Sandals were gar
nished with precious stones. Paulina
wore jewels, when she paid visits, val
ued at $800;000. Drinking cups were
engraved with scenes from the poets.
Libraries were adorned with busts and
presses of rare woeds. Sofas were in
laid with tortoise shell and covered with
gorgeous purple. The Roman grandees
rode in gilded chariots, bathed in mar
ble baths, dined from crystal cups, slept
on beds of down, reclined on luxurious
couches, wore embroidered robes and
were adorned with precious stones.
They ransacked the earth and the seas
for rare dishes for their banquets,and or
namented, their houses with carpets
from .Babylon, onyx cups from Bythinia,
marble from Numidia, bronzes from
Corinth, statues from Athens whatever,
in short, was precious or rare or curious
in the most distant countries. The lux
uries of the bath almost exceed belief,
and on the walls were magnificent fres
coes and painting, exhibiting an inex
haustible productiveness in landscape
and mythological scenes, executed in
lively colors.
But these were not all. The most
amazing wealth and the loftiest taste
went hand in hand. There were " citi
zen nobles who owned whole provinces;
even Paula could call a whole city her
own. Rich senators, in some cases, were
proprietors of 200,000 slaves. Their in
comes wero known to be $5,000 per day
when gold and silver were wortli four
times as much as they are now.
Turkish Love of Water.
A Turk thinks he can do nothing so
grateful to God and man as the setting
up oi a fountain by the roadside or in
the streets of the city, where thb way
farer and his animals may appease their
thirst and bless the name of him who pro
vided for their wants. Often in my trav
els, savs a correspondent, I have halted
beneath the shade of a wide-spreading
plane tree to slake my thirst at the
limpid waters of a marble fountain, and
to repose from the noonday heat. There
is always some edifying distich from the
Koran, that "Water is the gift of God,
and blessed is he who distributes it," or
that Water is the source of health and
life," etc There is a practical piety in
these monuments of charity that speaks
well for the benevolent disposition of
the Mussulman. The Turks are great
consumers of water, and thev are erood
judges of its quality and nice in what
tneyuse. The favorite water, that is
sold at a para a glass in the streets, is
from Asia; either from Tchamildja, on
the mountain about Scutari, or from
Earakoulak, some ten miles np the
Bosphorus, several miles inward from
Beloos. This ia brought to the landing
in barrels, on horses' backs, put in
barges, and in this way carried to Con
stantinople before daylight Notwith
standing the length of the journey, it is
as clear as crystal. The venders cry it
as, " Bowz guibi " as good as ice. A
pasha will drain two goblets at a swal
low. As water is said to have fattening
properties, the large draughts they take
of it may be the cause, in part, of the
obesity to which both sexes of the Turks
are subject.
Something1 About Heads.
The Scientific American is authority
for what follows: Complete roundness
is most nearly attained by a skull from
Tartary, of which 97.7 is the index of
breadth. With this Huxley contrasts a
head from New Zealand of 62.9 as the
narrowest of all known skulls. Bernard
Davis has obtained, however, a so-called
Celtic skull which has an index of fifty
eight, so that these indices for extremes
fluctuate between fifty-eight and ninety
eight, bnt the average is only between
sixty-seven and about eighty-five. King
Ealukaua seems to have a head curious
ly protuberant along the entire left side,
and in marked contrast with that of Mr.
Manton Marble, whose conform shows
protuberance on the rear, and almost in
dentation forward on the same side. It
will also be observed that in almost ev
ery example here given and the same
holds true in the great majority of all in
stances the left side is nost protuber
ant It may be surmised between this
oircumstanoe and the fact pointed out
by Brown-Seqnard, that the left lobe of
the brain comes into greater use, in its
control of the right side of the body,
than the right lobe, which governs tbe
left sidf R --
The Russian Knout.
There is probably no more terrible
instrument of punishment, or it may
perhaps be more properly called torture,
than the knout in the bands of a Rus
sian executioner. To give our readers
some idea of its form, the mode of ad
ministering it. and its horrible effects.
we quote the following from a recently
published work, entitled "The Knout
and the Russians:" " Conceive, reader,
a robust man, full of life and health.
This man is condemned to receive fifty
or a hundred blows of the knout He
is conducted, half naked, to the place
chosen for this kind of execution. All
that he has on is a pair of simple linen
drawers round his extremities. His
hands are bound together, with the
palms laid flat against one another, and
the cords are breaking his wrists; but
no one pays the slightest attention to
that He is laid flat upon his stomach,
on a frame inclined diagonally, and at
the extremities of which are fixed iron
rings; his hands are fastened to one end
of the frame, and his feet to the other;
he is then stretched in such a manner
that he cannot make a single movement,
just as an eel's skin is stretched in order
to dry. This act of stretching the vic
tim causes his bones to crack, and dis
locates them but does that matter ? At
the distance of five-and-twenty paces
stands another man; it is the publio
executioner. He is dressed in -lack
velvet trousers, stuffed into his boots,
and a colored shirt buttoning at the side.
His sleeves are tucked up, so that noth
ing may thwart or embarrass him in his
movements. With both hands he grasps
the instrument of punishment a knout.
This knout consists of a thong of thick
leather, cut in a triangular form, from
four to five yards long, and an inch wide,
tapering off at one end, and broad at the
other; the small end of which is fasten
ed to a little wooden handle, about two
feet long. The signal is given; no oae
ever takes the trouble to read the sen
tence. The executioner advances a few
steps, with his body bent, holding the
knout in botjj hands, while the long
thong drags along the ground between
his legs. On coming to about three or
four paces from the prisoner, he raises,
by a vigorous movement, the knout
towards the top of his head, and then
instantly draws it down with rapidity
towards his knees. The thong flies and
whistles through the air, and descending
on the body of the victim, twines round
it like a hoop of iron. In spite of his
state of tension, the poor wretch bounds
as if he were submitted to the powerful
grasp of galvanism. The executioner
retraces his steps, and repeats the same
operation as many times as there are
blows to be inflicted. Where the t honors
envelopes the body with its edges, the
flesh and muscles are literally cut into
stripes, as if with a razor; but when it
talis nat, then the bones crack. The
flesh, in that case, is not cut, but crash
ed and ground, and the blood spurts
out in all directions. The sufferer be
comes green and blue, like a body in a
state of decomposition. He is removed
to the hospital, where every care is taken
of him, and is afterward sent to Siberia,
where he disappears for ever in the
bowels of the earth."
Chinamen's Bones.
According to a San Francisco corre
spondent, whenever a Chinaman is sick
and beyond recovery, he is placed in
some out-of-the-way place and left to
die. None of his countrymen ever go
near him, and he is left to " paddle his
own canoe " across the Styx in his exit
from this mundane sphere. When the
deceased is buried, however, offerings
will be made at the grave, and in time
his bones will be sent back to China, in
accordance with the contract made with
tho six companies which brought him
here or from subscriptions by Chinese
merchants. Every year there are tons
of bones of defunct' Chinamen sent to
China to be buried. The business of
exhuming and packing these bones is an
extensive one, and, very naturally, it is
Eursued by Mongols. Many of these
ones are poliehed. When disinter
ments are in progress the graveyards of
the Chinese present the appearance of a
Golgotha. Very small wooden coffins
are used, just large enough to contain
the bones of the deceased. It is pro
posed to impose a tax of ten dollars on
every dead body disinterred, and to re
quire the bones to be placed in a me
tallic case, the price of which is some
fifty dollars. The object of which is to
prevent spread of infectious diseases by
careless exhuming.
The Scrap-Book.
Every one who takes a newspaper
which he in the least degree appreciates
will often regret to see any one number
which contains some interesting and im
portant articles thrown aside for waste
paper. A good way to preserve these is
by the use of a scrap-book. One who
has never been accustomed thus to pre
serve short articles can hardly realize
the pleasure it affords to sit down and
turn over the pleasant, familiar pages.
Here a piece of poetry meets the eye,
which you would long since have lost
hadit not beenfor your scrap-book; there
is a witty anecdote it does yon good to
laugh over it yet, although it may be
for the twentieth time; next is a valuable
recipe yon had almost forgotten, and
which you found just in time to save
much perplexity; there is a sweet little
story, the memory of which has cheered
and encouraged you when almost ready
to despair under the pressure of life's
cares. Indeed, yon can hardly take up
a single paper without reperusing. Then
hoard with care the precious gems, and
see at the end of the year vbat a rich
treasure you will have accumulated. '
in Extraordinary Tumor.
An inquest has been held at Consett,
says an English paper, on a woman
named Wake, whose death was caused
by a tumor of extraordinary dimensions.
It had been growing for four years, but
tne woman refused to nave it removed.
She was attended by a " herbalist," who
foolishly by giving her medicine en
deavored to burst it Dr. Benton was
called, and said that the tumor was
three and a half feet high, and contained
forty imperial quarts of semi-solid fluid.
The coroner said that the herbalist had
acted with-grots ignorance, bnt he was
not criminally respou.Bba for the wo
man'! death, '
Items of Interest
Members of the ton ooal dealers.
Never tell a weather-cock to pull down
his west
Hugo has fought seven duels and has
come off Viotor every time.
Crabbing is the favorite fun with
beanx and belles at Fernandina.
The other day a deaf mute was given
a hearing by a police magistrate.
A St Louis ohild weighed one hundred
pounds when thirteen months old.
The Yonkers Gazette says there is one
consolation, very few snow banks failed
last winter.
The people of England are not allowed
to raise tobacco. It is strictly prohibit
ed by law.
Let era were invented in Phynioia, and
you cannot Fhynicia education without
them. Cin. Sat. Night.
The proverb, "out of sight out of
mind," is no where more applicable than
in the case of an advertisement.
R. H. Babcock, a blind man, has been
made a doctor of medicine at Ghioago. .
He graduated with high honors.
"Everybody," says an exohange,
" likes radishes in Japan." It's a mis
take. We don't for one. We like ours
here.
The world can mam tain sixty thousand
millions of people. It has never had '
more than two per cent of that number
living at any one time on its surface.
The value of fruit crops in the United
States is estimated by the government
statistician at $140,000,000 annually, or
about half the value of the wheat crop.
There are abont one million operators
engaged in the iron industries of the
United States. The entire value of
manufactured iron for one year is $900,
000,000. Under the new army regulations every
Prussian soldier has to carry in his
left trousers pocket the plaster, lint and
bandag'i necessary for a first dressing of
a wound, so that in an emergency each
can help himself or a comrade.
The most expensive i ail way car in the
world cost $35,000, was completed last
autumn by the Pullman Company, and
has since been used in various parts of
the country by tourists able to pay for
its luxuries. It is a French flat in
miniature
What is the difference between a
tenant and the son of a widow? The
tenant has to pay rents; the son of a
widow has not two pa-rents.
The noblest lesson taught by life
To every great, heroics soul
Who seeks to conquer ia the strife,
Is self-control.
There is a very curious race of sheep
living npon an island in Englishman's
Bay, coast of Maine. They are nearly
as wild as deer, living almost entirely
upon sea-weed in the winter, also de
vouring the small branches and shrubs
that grow upon the island. -
We see it stated in a scientific journal .
that every adult man has fourteen hun
dred square feet of lungs. That 'may
be about the right figure, but we can
name people who would walk a mile to
find a chance to bet that the man who
sells fish in the suburbs has more than
two thousand. Cincinnati Breakfast
Table.
Two young farmers desired the exclu
sive privilege of dancing with the same
girl at Mount Vernon, 111. There was a
quarrel, ending in an agreement to settle
the question with a fight The com
batants and a few friends went to a barn;
but before beginning the fight one de
manded that the other be searched, to
see if he had any weapon. The search
was not thorough, for the searched man
drew a knife, on finding that he was
being whipped, and inflicted a mortal
wound.
WHY HE DID IT.
He stood od his bead in a crowded street,
At a place where the knights of the paste-brush
meet,
Aod attracted a mob around him ;
A riddle he oouldu't well solve on bis feet
Btared him full in the face, and so not to be
beat
It was thus on his head I found hun.
Thecause wss as plain ssthe rose on your face.
Though perhaps you'd have thought it a lunacy
case.
And declined any further to heed it :
But the fact was a sticker of bills in a hurry,
Had posted a bill upside down in bis flurry,
. Bo he stood on bis head to read it
Sosne stupendous figures are furnished
by the recent census of the British
Empire. Its total population is 234,
750,000, or nearly double that of the
Roman Empire in its palmiest days,
while its territory, 7,750,000 square
miles, is almost five times as great. A
sixth of the queen's subjects are Chris
tians, a little more than a tenth Moham
medans, over two-fifths Hindoos and a
fourth heathens of various sects. The
titled property holders of Great Britain
number 186,000.
"Hold the Fort" may be a grand
song, but is not appropriate for all oc
casions. At least so some people thought
when a worthy deacon, on some anni
versary occasion, formed his Sunday
school in line and marched them along
the aisles himself in front, and all vigor
ously singing "Hold the Fort" The
consternation which seized all parties at
the second
"See the mighty host advancing,
Satan leading on"
can be better imagined than described.
Wait "
Wait, husband, before von wonder
audibly why your wife don't get along
with the household responsibilities " as
your mother did." She is doing her
best and no woman can endnre, that
best, to be slighted. Remember the
long, weary nights she sat no with the
little babe that died; remember the love
and care she bestowed npon yon when
yon had that long fit of illness. Do yon
think she is made of cast iron t Wait;
wait in silence and forbearance, and the
light will come back to her eyes the
old light of the old days.
Wait. wife, before von speak reproach
fully to yonr husband when he comes
home late, and weary and "out of sorts."
He has worked hard for you all day
perhaps far into the night; he has wres
tled, hand in band, with care and sel
fishness, and greed, and all the demons
that follow in the train of money mak
ing. Let home be another atmosphere
entirely Let him feel that there is no
other place in the world where he oan
find peace, and quiet, and perfect
J