fly
filiflf
"v
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher.
NIL DESPERANDTJM.
Two Dollars per Annum.
VOL. IX.
RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, -PA., THUBSDAY, JUNE 5, 1879.
NO. 16.
Je Suls Ainerlcain.
t" When it shall be heard as the proudest
exclamation ol man, " I am an American citi
een." Daniel Webster.
Ho got to Taris late at night,
So tired he couldn't stand.
He'd three valises by his side,
A guide book in his hand,
lie singled out a hnckman lrom
The crowd. Snid he, " My man,
Just drive me to the best hotel,
Je mi'j Amerkain."
The Jehu drove him to the Grand
By course circuitous,
And charged a price which was well, by
3So means gratuitous.
The stranger paid; then registered,
And to the clerk began :
" I want the best room in the house
Je suis Amerkain."
They showed him up to twenty-blank,
Upon the parlor floor;
Two candles on the mantlopiece,
A gilt pinto on the floor;
Hut, eri lie slept, he mused, and thus
His lucubrations run:
" To-morrow I'll make Paris howl
Je suis Amtricain."
And make it " howl " he did, ndecd.
From Concorde to Bustillo,
From Madeleine to Luxembourg,
Ho meet, and at Mabillo
Wound up the d-.iy. But, when a fair
Smiled lrom behind tier fan
Seductively, "No, no," said he;
" Je suis Amerkain"
Xext day lie to the summit ot
The Arc ol Triomphe hied.
" Veil, vut you Kink of zis?" inquired
A Frenchman at his side.
"This? Thi- is nothing," answered lie;
" Deny it if yon can;
Von ought to see our Brooklyn bridge
suis America n."
Into a gilded res'.aurant
lie chanced to drop, one day;
The waiters' nrgon fairly drove
J lis appetite away.
' (.'onlouml your dishes, cjoked," said he,
" On the Parisian plan !
I want a plate of pork an' beans
Je tuis A'liericuin." ,
Where'er lie went, whatc'or he did,
Twas always just the same;
lie couldn't, it appeared, forget
The country whence he came;
And when, once more u; homo, his eyes
Familiar scenes did scan,
lie dotted his hut, and cried, " Thank (iod,
Je suis Amerkain!''
um nn American.
George L. Calhn.
A NIGHT WITH THE WOLVES.
" A number of yours "go," said nn old
settler, whom I mot on mv Western
travels, " I took my family to Wisconsin,
and located myself in the woods, about
ten miles from the nearest settlement,
and at least five from the nearest neigh
bor. The country round was mostly
forest; and wild beasts and Indians
were so numerous, that mv friends at
the East, to whom I save a description of
my locality, expressed great fears for our
safety, ami said they should be less sur
prised to learn of our bavins nil been cut
oft' than to heat-; of our still being alive
out thorn at the end of a couple of years.
" However, 1 did not feel much
alarmed on my own account and my
wife was as brave ns a hunter: but then
we had three children the oldest only
ten and sometimes, when I was away
from home, the sudden growl of a boar,
the howl of a wolf, or the scream of a
panther would make me think of them,
and feel quite uneasy.
"For a while, at first, the night
screeching nnd howling of these wild
animals alarmed the children a good
deal and sometimes my wife and me
especially when we mistook theory of the
panther for an Indian yell; but we soon
got used to the dill'erent sounds, and
then did not mind them so much; and
after 1 had got a few acres cleared
around the dwelling, they generally
kept more distant at night just as if
they comprehended that the place, now
in the possession of their enemies, was
no longer to be nn abode for them, lie
sides, lnow and then shot one, which
thinned them a little, nnd probably
frightened the others, for they gradually
became less bold and annoying.
"During the first year I had two
rather narrow escapes once from a
bear, anil once from a panther; but the
most remarkable adventure of all was
the one whk'h happened during the
second winter, and which I have always
designated ns a ' Night with the Wolves.'
" One bitter cold morning the ground
being deeply covered with snow, so
crusted nnd f ozon that no feet could
sink into it I brought out the horse for
my wife to ride to C , the nearest
settlement, where she bad some pur
chases to make, which she wished to
attend to herself. Besides being well
mullled up in her own clothing, I
wrapped a large buffalo robe around
her; and admonishing .her that the
woods were full of danger after dark, I
urged her to be sure and get back before
sunset, which she promised to do.
"All day long, after her departure,
from some cause for which I could not
account, I felt very much depressed and
uneasy, as if something evil were going
to 'happen; and when I saw the sun
about half an hour high, and no signs of
my wife returning, I got out my pistols,
riile, ammunition and hunting-knife,
saddled a young nnd rather skittish colt,
and bidding the children keep within
doors, and the house 6afely locked, I
mounted and rode off to meet her, which
1 expected to do at every turn of the
horse-path, But at every turn I was
doomed to disappointment; and when I
had put mile, alter mile behind me, with
out seeing any signs of her, I became
more and more alarmed, and dashed on
still faster.
" It was just about dark when I saw
fhe lights of C gleaming in the dis
tance ; but before I reached the town I
met my wife hastening homeward she
having boon unexpectedly detained by
meeting an old acquaintance, who had
recently come on from the Eastward, and
with whom she had remained to gather
the news and take supper the" time
passing away so quickly as to render her
belated before she was aware of it.
" I was greatly rejoiced to find her
aafe and unharmed but not a little
puzzled to account for my presentiment
of evil, which it appeared to mo had
taken place without cause though in
this respect I was greatly mistaken, as
the sequel will show.
" We now set off at a brisk trot home
ward through a dense, dark, gloomy
wood, which lined our way on either
side and had safely proceeded about
five miles, when we were somewhat
stnrtled by a series of long, plaintive
howls, at a considerable distance, nnd in
different directions, and which our ex
perience told us were wolves, seemingly
calling and answering each other through
the great forest.
" The wolves of this region were of
the larger and fiercer species ; and though
ordinarily and singly they might not at
tack a human being, yet in numbers and
pressed by hunger, as they generally were
nt this season of the year, I by no means
felt certain that we should not be
molested.
"Accordingly we quickened the puce
of our horses and ns we hurried on I grew
every moment more uneasy and alarmed
as I noticed that many of the sounds
gradually approached us. We had just
entered a deep hollow, whore a few large
trees stretched their huge branches over
a dense thicket, when suddenly there
arose several loud. Imrsh, baying nnd
snarling sounds close at hand. The next
moment there was a. quick rustling and
thrashing among the bushes; andthen
some six or eight large wolves lean,
gaunt nnd maddened with hunger
sprung into the path close beside us. '
" This happened so suddenly and tin-.
expcctdly that my wife gave a slight
scream nnd dropped her rein; and the
horse, rearing and plunging at the same
moment, unseated her; and she fell to
the ground, right in the very midst of
the savage beasts, whoso glaring eyes
shone in the darkness like so many coals
of fire.
" Fortunately her sudden fall startled
the wild animals a little; and as they
momentarily drew back, she, with rare
presence of mind, at once gathered her
nuffalo robe, which she had dragged with
her, in such a manner about her person
as to protect herself from the first onset
of their fangs. The next moment tht
ferocious animals, with the most savage
growls, sprung at her, at me, and at the
two horses simultaneously. Hers at
once shook himself clear of his foes and
Ib'd ; nnd mine began to rear and plunge
in such a manner that I could not make
use of a single weapon, and only by main
strength kept him from running away
with mo.
" It was a terrible moment of exciting
agony; and the instant that I could re
lease my feet from the stirrups I leaned
to the ground with a yell my rifle slip
ping from my hands, and discharging it
self by the concussion, and my steed
rushing like lightning after bis flying
companion over the frozen snow.
" Luckily, I had my loaded pistols and
my knife convenient to my grasp; and
scarcely conscious of what I was doing,
but thinking only that the dear mother
of my little ones lay fairly beneath three
or four of the furiously lighting- nnd
snarling wild beasts, 1 grasped the
weapons, one in each hand, cocked them
nt the same instant, and fairly jumping
into the midst of my enemies, placed the
muzzles against 1 lie heads of two that
had turned to rend me, and fired them
both together.
"Roth shots, thank God! took effect
it could not be otherwise and an the
two wolves rolled howling back in their
death agonies, tlioirstarving companions,
smelling and getting a taste of their
blood, and instinctively comprehending
that they were now fairly in their power,
fell upon them with the most ravenous
fury, nnd literally tore them to pieces,
and devoured them before my very eves,
almost over the body of my wife, and in
less, 1 should say, than a minute of time.
" Ascertaining by a few anxious in
quiries that my wife was still alive and
unharmed, a bade her remain quiet, and,
picking up my rille, I proceeded to load
all my weapons with the greatest tlis
liuieh. "As soon ns I had rammed the first
ball homo I felt tempted to shoot nnot her
of the animals; but at that moment I
heard a distant howling, nnd fearing we
should soon bo beset by another pack,
I reserved my fire for the next extreme
danger and hurriedly loaded the others.
" By the time I bad fairly completed
this operation our first assailants, having
nearly gorged themselves upon their
more unfortunate "companions, began to
slink away; but the cries of the others
at the same time growing nearer, warned
me to be upon my guard.
" I had just succeeded in getting my
wife more securely rolled in her protect
ing robe ns the safest thing I could do
in that extremity and myself, pistols in
hand, in a defensive attitude over her
body, when some eight or ton more of
the savage and desperate creatures made
their appearance upon the scene.
"There was a momentary pause as
they came into view and discovered me
during which their eyes glared and
shone like living coals and then, with
terrific growls and snarls, they began to
circle- round me, each moment narrow
ing the space between us.
Suddenly one more daring or hungry
than the others bounded forward anil
received a shot from one of my pistols
directly between the eyes, and as he
rolled back upon the snow a part of the
others sprang upon him, as in the ease
of the first.
"But I had no time to congratulate
myself that I had disposed of him; for
nlmost at the same instant I felt the lac
erating fangs of another in my thigh,
which caused me to shriek with pain;
and my poor wife, with an answering
shriek, believing it was all over with
me, was about to get up and face the
worst, when, shouting to her not to
stir, that I was still safe, I placed my
pistol against the head of my assailant,
and stretched him quivering on the
snow also.
" I still had my riflo in reserve; and
pointing that at the fighting pack, I
poured its contents among them. How
many were wounded I do not know;
but almost immediately the space around
us became once more cleared of our
howling enemies some limping as they
lied, and appearing to be liarrassed by
the others.
" Again it appeared to me we had
met with a wonderful deliverance; and
though the wound in my thigh was
somewhat painful, a brief examination
satisfied me that it would not prove
serious; and I hastily proceeded to re
load my weapons my wife meantime
getting upon her feet, embracing me
tenderly, and earnestly thanking God for
our preservation.
'"Oh, the dear children!' she ex
claimed, with maternal tenderness ; lit
tle do they know how near they have
coino to being made orphans, and left
alone in this solitary wilderness! Let us
hasten home to them! Oh, let us has
ten home to thein, while we have an op
portunity!' " ' We have no opportunity,1 1 gloomi
ly replied. 'Harkl there are more of
our foes in the distance do you henr
thorn P'
" ' And are they coming this way,
tooP' she tremblingly inquired.
" ' I fear so.'
'"Oh, great God I what will become
of us!" Bhe exclaimed; 'for I am almost
certain that we shall not both survive a
third attack.'
" ' I see but one way of escape,' said I,
anxiously. ' We must climb a tree, nnd
remain in the branches till morning.'
" ' We shall surely freeze to death
there!' she replied.
" ' I trust not ; but at all events, as our
horses are gone, we have no alternative.
I think your buffalo robe, well wrapped
around, will protect you from the cold,
ns it has done from the wolves ; and ns
or myself, I will endeavor to keep warm
by climbing up and down, and stamping
upon the limbs.'
"'Rut why not kindle a fire?' she
quickly rejoined, her voice suddenly ani
mated with a hope that I was obliged to
disappoint.
" ' For two reasons,' I replied. ' First,
because we have not time do you not
bear another hungry pack howlingP
and secondly, because we have not the
materials the loose brush and sticks
being buried under the snow.'
" ' God help us, then !' groaned my
wife; 'there seems nothing for us but
death! Oil, my poor, dear children !
May the good God -grant that they be
not made orphans this night!'
" I bade her take heart and not despair ;
and then selecting a large tree, whose
lower limbs were broad and thick, but
above the reach of our enemies, I hastily
assisted her to a good foothold, and im
mediately climbed up after her.
" We were not there a moment too
soon ; for scarcely had we got ourselves
settled in a comparatively comfortable
position, when nnother hungry pack of
our enemies appeared below as howl
ing, snarling and lighting their up
turned eyes occasionally glowing fearful
ly in the darkness.
"But we were safe from their reach;
and all that long, dismal night we re
mained there, listening to their dis
cordant tones, nnd thinking of the dear
ones at home.
" The night was intensely cold ; nnd in
spite of nil my efforts to keep my slug
gish blood in circulation, I became so
benumbed before morning that I believe
I should have given up and perished, ex
cept for the pleading voice of my wife,
who begged me, for God's sake, to hold
out. and not leave her a widow and my
children fatherless.
"aylight came at last; nnd never
was morn hailed with greater joy. Our
foes now slunk away, one by one, and
left us to ourselves; and a few minutes
after their disappearance I got down and
exercised myself violently; and having
thus brought back a little warmth to my
system! I assisted my wife to alight, anil
wo at once started homeward.
" I scarcely need add that we arrived
there in duo time, to find our poor, night
long terrified children almost frantic,
with joy at our safe return."
A Veteran Advertiser.
"IK. Hill, you ar? one of the great ad
vertisers of the country ; will you give
me the benefit of your experience? Does
advertising pay? ' "Well," said Hill,
smilingly, "for years past I have ex
pended as high as ?30,0J0 per annum,
and I wouldn't and couldn't do it unless
it did pay. I find that when you have
a really meritorious article to present to
the public you never lose a dollar in
making the fact know as widely as pos
sible. It must be meritorious, though,
or your success will be short-lived and
evanescent. You must treat the public
honestly, if you would make a permanent
success. Take 'Joshua Whitymljt' for
instance. It costs years offline and
thousands nnd thousands of dollars to
bring it befoie the public. But what
has been the result? Success so great
that unless you saw the books you could
hardly believe the figures. I took a page
of t lie Chicago Times on one occasion,
and people thought I was mad. I cot
my money back with magnificent in
terest, though, nnd, of course, that satis
fied me. I took a whole page of the
Boston Herald, one Sunday, paying .?500
for the same, and every man, woman and
child in Boston and vicinity was set to
talking about Denman Thompson and
Joshua Wliitcomb, and the result was
that the theater in which he performed
could not hold half the people who pre
sented themselves for admission. I
offered 8 UXK) for the first page of the
New York Herald, provided the
"ruling "would be omitted. I did not
get it, though, for Bennett was in Eu.
rope, and there was no one in authority
in the oll'ice who could take out th
rules. Cincinnati Ei'jttirer.
A Big Irishman.
'I'llrt V.mntvil.l Tela lina It-imp Knon f.,
nious for producing giants. The most
ccicDiaieii oiuiesowas tne wen-Known
O'Brien, whom we first hear of as a
great raw youth crying in a public house
because unable to pay a bill, having
been left penniless through a quarrel
with his exhibitor. A gentleman, taking
compassion on him, paid the debt, and
advised the young giant to set up on his
own account. Acting on this recom
mendation, O'Brien started a public
house in Bristol, long known by the
sign of Giant's Castle. A memorial
tablet in Trenchant street Roman Catho
lic chapel records his stature as having
eight feet three indies. He was very
anxious that his remains should not fall
into the hands of the anatomists, and
gave directions for' securing his grave
against desecration from body-snatchers.
It has, however, been disputed whether
the giant's bones still rest in his grave,
or form one of the curiosities of the
Hunterian Museum, though we believe
that they itill lie undisturbed in a deep
sunken grave. Poor O'Brien had to
take his constitutionals under cover of
darkness, to avoid being mobbed by the
curious, and like most big fellows proved
himself a simple and inoffensive man;
though he inadvertently terrified a
watchman almost to death by lighting
his pipe at a street lamp, the sudden ap
pearance of which strange apparition
threw the watchman into a lit. His
colossal proportions once saved the giant
from being robbed, the highwayman
who stopped his carriage riding away
in terror at the sight of O Brien s huge
face thrust through the window to see
what was the mnUar.-Chambcri' Journal
The Fond du Lao EeporUt, after re
viewing the matter carefully, thinks it
will be well for Wisconsin farmers to
plant at least one bull-dog with each
watermelon seed.
FOB THE FAIR SEX.
Fashion's Mirror.
The new materials and fabrics for
summer wear are so lovely und so varied
that it is difficult to select where one
has liberty of choice.
The newest grenadines have an alter
nating stripe, very narrow and in chintz
colors, upon a fine, thin black mesh,
with as narrow a one of velvet; the
effect is extremely rich and novel. The
"sewing-silk" grenadines appear with
the addition of a tiny brocaded figure,
which enrichos without being conspicu
ous, and there are other beautiful grena
dines in which a brocaded stripe alter
nates with one of velvet or satin.
Buntings have established themselves
in popular favor nnd are very greatly
improved. The fine, soft, semi-transparent
fabric which now claims to be a
kind of bunting, and a secondary class
rather more wiry of texture, have little
in common with the coarse, canvas-like
materials which first presented their
claims to favor. The French buntings
are fine and a little wiry. Thev are im
ported this season in very dark shades,
accompanied by plaids in which the
dark wine colors, navy blue, brown, or
invitible green of the plain material re
appears. The more delicate white
buntings are called " gasoline," and make
lovely evening dresses when put in con
trast with gold and black or blue and
white narrow-striped satin. For young
girls they need no such combination,
and are prettiest trimmed with plaitings
of the same and iron-satin ribbons.
French organdies, trimmed with lace
and ribbons, and thin white dresses will
be much worn this summer. The
beauty of summer dressing is its fresh
ness, its comfort and the lightness and
delicacy of the principal materials used
in its construction. In the obtaining of
lovely summer fabrics there is no diffi
culty. Cottons are improved until they
are equal in appearance to silk, and,
made up after a pretty costume model,
are as attractive looking as those that
cost twice or three times as much. But
then, what is the use? They are not
silk; they cost more than double the
price of an ordinary cotton dress, and
when they get into the wash they are
ruined, for if the color is not all washed
out of them they are streaked and stiff
ened with starch, discolored, ironed out
of shape, and made glossy by being
pressed on the upper side, or leit wrin
kled and unfinished, so that resemblance
to the bright, fresh, pretty toilet of a
few weeks before is entirely lost. This
is why black grenadine nnd summer silks
have been so popular ; both are safe and
durable, and can be worn on most occa
sions. Many of the new hats remind one of
beautiful old pictures. The variety in
shapes is very great, bufthe style ;r
excellence is doubtless the "M'selle
Prince." Some of the most elegant bats
for Newport nnd Saratoga liave been
ordered from this design, and one of the
nnut beautiful sat gracefully upon the
bead of a petite brunette well known in
fashionable New York society. It is of
line Tuscan braid, with its broad brim
lined with a peculiar diagonal shirring
of satin the color of the straw. The
brim was caught back with a rich 'steel
anil gilt clasp pressing from under a soft
bed of pompons and ostrich tips, same
shade, of the most delicate character.
Just below this at the left side are a few
loops of rich, soft ribbon, holding in
place a single spray of exquisite flowers
that partly encircle the crown and cling
so closely to it that one might imagine
they grew there. The roses are almost
the exact shade of the bat, while the
leaves only depart from it to take on a
few streaks of a pinkish golden, sunset
tinge. Then, again, this spray of flow
ers is unlike all others seen, as it pre
sents a somewhat crushed appearance,
yet it is lovely, so artistic in its decay.
The summer straws, chips and tusenns,
with wide, flexible or turn-up brims, arc
innumerable. The newest are the
stitiny braids, a sort of apotheosis of the
Florida straws, but as greatly improved
in shape ns fn the preparation of the
fiber... The flowers were never more
perfect than this season, and, though
French milliners are npt to encourage
the use of feathers, yet popular tastedoes
not confirm their choice.
The rage this summer is for striped
parasols. For seaside, country nnd
mountain climbing the Pekin satine a
very fine satin finished, cotton material,
showing satin stripes is shown in the
new Brighton colors, ecru and beige
shades being the favorites. These are
mounted on basket or whip handles,
which are exceedingly nobby, and are
sure to bo very popular with summer
dresses. This same material is shown in
black as well. All the colors are made
up in large sizes for men's use, and will
be quite as fashionable as those for la
dies. The Japanese style, introduced early
in the season, has a round, low top, and
sixteen divisions, which is very inele
gant for a parasol made of rich material.
When the strines are nnrrnw nnd nmt.li
the trimming of the dress, or theih-ew
uscii, uie parasol iooks very well; but
when it is quite different, as it usually
is, from the figure or dosiirn in the ma
terial of the dress, it looks odd and out
oi piace.
There are very pretty sun umbrellas
of polka dot satin that are light and
most suitablo for everv stvln of dress, to
bo used upon all occasions, and these
have the favorite " nolka dot borders."
The borders show alternate stripes of
.1... .. i i ... u ...
inns ami piain lines, wineli are very
effective, forming a charmins- finish.
They are mounted on the fashionable
bamboo sticks, pearl, ivory, and a va
riety oi pretty nnnuies.
Stoekintrs are not inniln ot.v mmv
lovely and delicate than were those half
a century ago, which could be passed
through a ring and were so minutelv
open worked as to be equal in beauty to
the richest silk lace. Rut such b
owned now by the dozens instead of by
ijit- single pair, ana women wear silk ami
mreaa oi expensive quabties who for
merly wore cotton.
Tho most shanelv stocking th at 1ms
ever made its appearance is the silk or
thread, ribbed in solid colors and ritipn.
worked in small patterns. The ribs run
up the instep to the ankle and abov
the ankle across or horizontally instead
of upright.
Fancy mitts in black, white and col
ored silk are brought forward in so many
different styles as to preclude an attempt
at enumeration. A coarse mitt is, how
ever, a very unsightly covering for the
band, and there is in a fine quality an
elegance which is most desirable, while
at the same time the better styles are
more lasting. Fine lace gloves are much
sought, and are regarded as a very pretty
finish to the summer toilet, few York
Lisle thread and silk gloves are intro
duced in great variety, in consequence
of the demand for them during the warm
summer months. Some pretty styles are
in open-work almost up to the elbow,
resembling the open-work stockings of
the day. The new silk gloves, with long
open -worked wrists, are the novelty in
this class of goods and will be much
sought nfter during the - reign of the
short si eve now so fashionable. These
silk gloves are shown in a variety of
putftty colors, and those in black are
very elegant for ladies in mourning.
They are a choice article and enn only
oo Jiact lrom the leading glove nouses ns
yet.
' Wlint One Lemon Will no.
A piece of lemon upon a corn will
relieve it in a day or so; it should be
renewed night and morning. The free
use of lemon-juice nnd sugar will always
relieve a cough. A lemon eaten before
breakfast every day for a week or two
will entirely prevent the feeling of lassi
tude peculiar to the approach of spring.
Perhaps its most valuable proncrtv is its
absolute power of detecting any of the
iiijtiLKius iuiu even uimgcruus mi om
ents entering into the composition of so
very many of the "cosmetics and face
powders in the market. Everv ladv
should subject her toilet powder to this
test. Place a tenspoonful of the sus
pected powder in a class and add the
juice of lemon ; if effervescence takes
place ft is an infallible proof that the
fiowder is dangerous, nnd its use should
e avoided, as it will ultimately injure
the skin and destroy the beauty of the
complexion.
A Painstaking Painter.
Americans are well acquainted with
Meissonier's " 1807," for which the late
A. T. Stewart paid 800,000. Meissonier
worked fifteen years on this painting, a
fact which will be readily believed wlien
his manner of painting is known. What
ever be its size, every figure he paints is
the object of a special study. The arm
of the colonel of the cuirassiers in
"1S07" was the subject of a series of
studios, each one of which is nn admira
ble hit of painting; the nrm was not de
cided upon until after he had tried sev
enteen different positions, and had wit
nessed a score of charges of cavalry. No
detail was put on canvas that had not
been repeatedly examined, so that the
picture represents over two hundred
preliminary pictures. As there was a
disagreement between two veterans
about the color of the collar of the uni
form worn by a certain regiment, he
spent a week in various libraries in
order to gather evidence about the sub
ject, and undertook a journey to Bor
deaux to consult a veteran surviving
member of the regiment.
One cannot imagine how much pains
his "1811," or the " Retreat from Mos
cow." ns it is otherwise called, cost
him. In a biting cold winter day the
writer had gone to Poissy together with
the celebrated nrt critic, Paul Rurty.
It was snowing, nnd there was a loot of
snow on the ground. We found Meis
sonier on the turret of his chalet, seated
in tho war costume of Napoleon I, on a
stuffed gray horse, and painting the
figure of the emperor as it was rendered
by a large mirror that stood at some dis
tance from him. lie had been there
three hours, unmindful of the cold, and
was perfectly happy, as he said, because
he had found the sinister tones of the
Russian landscape. Paul Burly ven
tured to remark that ns he had already
finished painting tho landscape, he
might withdraw and continue his work
in the studio, without exposing himself
lo the disaster that overtook the "f treat
Army." " How could I obtain in the
studio," Meissonier quite excitedly re
joined, " tho right tone nnd the trueo'ft'eot
of Napoleon's gray coal in harmonious
contrast with the somber grays of the
sky and the snowy carpet on the ground,
and the just value of the flesh tones of
the emneror's countennnce, darkened by
the dull atmosphere of a wintry sky?"
It was there, on the top of that turret,
that he completed what is perhaps his
masterpiece.
About a month later the writer found
Meissonier in his studio scraping the
same figure of Napoleon, to paint which
he had endured so many hours of a
freezing temperature. " What on earth
are you doing now?" I asked, almost be
wildered. " An old servant of the em
peror has been here," Meissonier replied,
" who was with him in Russia. He had
tears in his eyes, nnd spent a good hour
in silent contemplation before my pic
ture." After I had coaxed him for a
long while to tell me whether he found
anything inexact in the canvas, the good
old man finally said : ' During the cam
paign of Russia his majesty wore the
uniform of the chasseurs, not that of the
grenadiers. Moreover, his majesty never
consented to have his epaulettes unfast
ened from his tunic. That will explain
to you why the arm-holes of his over
coat were so large.' I had painted Na
poleon in the uniform of the grenadiers
and with the epnulettes outside of his
coat. How could I help doing what I
am now doing?" Thus, love of truth
Overbalanced all other considerations,
and Meissonier began studying anew the
uniform of the chasseurs, the effect pro
duced by the epaulettes under the over
coat and so on, until he had obtained the
same perfection he had reached in the
accessories of lus previous portrait.
A Stern Disciplinarian.
The father of Miss Maria Edgeworth.
the English novelist, had grim ideas of
inuiui training, a coniriuuior 10 me
Chicago Standard relates the following
nmong other instances of his harsh dis
cipline: Charlotte Edgeworth, half-sister
of Maria (the daughter of the famed
beauty, Honora Sueyd, the second of Mr.
Edgeworth's four wives), was a beau-
tiiui gin, wiui luxuriant golden hair.
The rector of the parish and nn officer
of the British army were dining at
Edgeworth's town house. After din
ner the ladies repaired to the library,
nnd the-gentlemen followed. As they
entered the door of tho library, the offi
cer exclaimed : " How beautiful !" Mr.
Edgeworth said, haughtily and quickly:
" What do you admire, sir?" He re
plied : " Your daughter's magnificent
hair. . Charlotte was standing in a be
coming attitude before the bright grate,
with her arms resting upon the mantel
piece. Mr. Edgeworth walked across
the room to the book-shelves, opened a
drawer, held her head back, and cut her
hair close to her head. As the golden
ringlets fell into the drawer, this extra
ordinary father said : " Charlotte, what
do you say?" She answered : "Thank
you, father." Turning to hii guests, he
remarked : " I will not allow a daugh
ter of mine to be vain."
Mr. Moody, tho evangelist, has de
clined an urgent invitation to renew his
revival labors in this city.
HOUSEKEEPING IX SUMMER.
The flood Wife Perplexltleii-IHet for the
Dor Days-File and Fresh Air.
It is popularly supposed that the early
spring is the season which most tries the
souls of housekeepers. Perhaps it was
so in our grandmothers' days, when
canned fruits and vegetables were un
known, and the prudent housewife was
forced in summer, like the ant and the
bee, to lay " up stores of sweetness for
use in winter hours;" stores which, if
not large, were likely to run low before
the kitchen garden came again into
bearing. But now, with the grocer nt
our backs ready "for a compensation"
to supply us with every known fruit and
vegetable all the year round, she who
has money or credit may spread' her
table bountifully in all seasons, with
small forethought of her own, nnd the
dog days are those in which she is most
prone to exclaim wearily: "I wish peo
ple did not have to eat!" Appetites are
capricious ; dinner eaten hearily one day
will be scarcely touched the next, and
though every one has a feeling oi
emptiness, few persons are actually
hungry. Provisions cooked one day are
kept to the next only by tho free use of
ice, nnd even then are apt to taste of the
ice chest. Thus the economy practiced
at King Arthur's court, where "what
they could not eat that day the queen
next morning fried," becomes an im
possible virtue, and the anxious house
wife stands perplexed between theScylla
of niggardliness and the Charybdis of
waste. Nature, however, is always a
law unto herself, and he who in wnini
weather eats much meat is apt to pay
for it by a dulled brain and a general
feeling of uncomfortable heaviness. In
all warm countries the laboring classes
eat but sparingly of animal food. The
East Indian coolie subsists almost wholly
on rice; the West Indian grows fat upon
bananas and oranges, nnd the hardy
Arab of the desert conquered a world on
a diet of dates and barley. Milk and
fruits, bread and vegetables, are cooling
and healthy diet for the dog days,
and may be freely indulged in. And
since in hot weather the kitchen is a
modified purgatory, and preparing
deserts becomes a penance, we have
cause to congratulate ourselves on the
delicious deserts which nature brings to
us for the gathering. Strawberries.
raspberries, blackberries and peaches
all these come to the table without the
smell of fire having passed upon them,
and eaten witn cream are a " dish to set
before a king." So also in the country,
where fruit and milk abound, ice-cream,
that most delicious of deserts, costs
almost nothing. Given a pailful of ice
anil a five-minute freezer, the rich milk,
or still better, cream, has but to be
mixed with the crushed fruit, sweetened
and lot to freeze itself. Covered with an
old blanket or piece of carpeting the pro
cess of congealing will go on slowly but
surely, with small aid from you, even if
your freezer be' but a tin bucket only
in tins case you must sur uie crenm witn
a knife two or three times while freezing
to prevent the formation of crystals of
ice in the freezer.
Breakfast, especially, should never, in
hot weathtrr, be a heavy meal. A cup of
ea or glass ot milk, a disn ot oatmeal, a
soft boiled egg, with fresh fruit and cold
bread, which need not, however, be
stale, are far better preparations for the
labors of the day than flapjacks and
fried bacon washed down with abun
dance of hot coffee. When the Greek
athletes were in training for the Olym
pian games they were forbidden animal
food altogether, and won their races on
a diet of bread and fruit. In later days
Newton was the most abstemious of
men, and the architect of the Crystal
Palace. Sir Charles Fox, ascribed his
ability to undergo the severe strain of
his almost incessant labor for days on
his drawing, to his temperate habits
and daily plunge bath. Such instances
might be multiplied indefinitely, but it
is scarcely worth while.
Every housekeeper knows what a
nuisance Hies are in summer. Two
weapons; are powerful ngainst them,
cleanliness and darkness. Therefore the
dining-room should be kept dark be
tween meals, nnd care should be taken
to sweep every crum from, table and
floor. But it will not do simply to shut
up the room, shutting up the flies in it.
Close every window and door but one,
and through thnt drive the flies out.
This is not so hnrd as it may seem upon
paper, and practice makes "perfect here
as in all else. We have known a house
keeper who was so expert that bIio had
only to wave her broom and the flies
dutifully swarmed out as they saw the
standard raised in air. Fly-nets for the
windows are comfortable' appendages
for living and sleeping-rooms. Bought
ready-made they are somewhat ex
pensive; made at home they cost only a
trifle. Have the carpenter or if some
one in the family knows how to handle
tools, let him make a frame of inch
wide lath, fitting the window frame.
On this stretch mosquito netting dark
green is best and fasten with tacks to
the laths. Tho same netting over a
frame of reeds, of osiers, or wires from
an old hoopskirt make serviceable cake
and butter covers. Bend one hoop into
a round of the size wanted, then on this
fasten two semi-circular hoops, crossing
each other at right angles in the center
above the bottom hoop. This forms the
frame, which, if of wire, should be
wrapped with worsted ; on this the net
ting is sewed, and a button on the top
serves as a handle.
Air every sleeping-room" thoroughly
every morning, and, if possible, let in the
sun to shine on the beds and bed-clothes.
Often at night, when the heat is well-
nigh unbearable, a wet cloth hung in the
window over the blind will cool the
room as if a shower had fallen, and everv
one knows how water poured on the
pavement in front of the door will
freshen the hot, dry air. This principle
of the reduction of temperature bv evap
oration is capable of much practical ap
plication. In India and other tropical
countries, where ice is almost unknown,
the natives cool their drinking water Ly
suspending earthen iars filledwith it in
a brisk current of air which process is
said to (yol it thoroughly and rapidly.
So, also, when ice is unattainable, but
ter may be kept firm and sweet by set
ting the bowl containing it in a shallow
vessel oi water ana covering witn a nap.
kin, the ends of which are well inv
niersed in the water in the bottom dish
A wet handkerchief or sponge worn in
the hat when exposed to the sun. as in
the harvest field, will prevent sunstroke
under the most intense heat known to
'our climate, and will often relieve head
ache arising from heat and exhaustion
combined.
The annual eron of tnbAoon. raw IpaT
in the United States, is estimated at
4yo.ooo.ooo pounds. About two-thirds
is exported.
The Funny Small Boy.
The room it was hot, v
And the room it whs school;
So the schoolmaster got
Fait asleep on his stool,
While tho scholars were having a lrolio '
Bereft of all reason and rule.
When a ball, badly aimed,
Struck tho schoolmaster's nose,
Which was long and qnite famed
For its terrible blows ;
Then he scowled on those innocent scholars. .
In a wny he could scowl when he chose.
" Come hither, my child,
Thon art writing, I see;"
And the schoolmaster smiled,
"Come, now, right on my knee;
The up-strokes, you see, are made lightly,
The down-strokes are heavy and free."
While that small boy was tanned,
Came his laughter a roar,
And the teacher, so bland,
Was now vexed and he swore j
For the way that the awful boy giggled
Was something unheard oi before.
The teacher was beat
And deprived of his wind,
So he stood on his feet
That small boy, who just grinned,
And who shook with a mirth that was jolly,
And lelt ol his back which was skinned.
" Now tell me, my son,
Ere this rod I employ
Once again for thy fun,
Why this wonderful joy T"
"Such a joke," cried the lnd, wild with
lnughter,
" You're whipping ha-ha the wrong boy. '
H. C. Dodge, in Detroit Free Press.
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
Something to be looked into A mir
ror. Four watches were found recently in
the stomach of a Florida alligator.
Out in Nebraska two boys living on a
farm followed and recaptured a horse
thief who had escaped from jail.
Lord Beaeonsfield nnd the Duke of
Northumberland nre the only members
of the English Cabinet much past mid
die life.
Statistics lately published show that
the number of German pork-eaters
known to have Buffered from trichinosis
in 1877 was 138.
There is this difference between hap
piness and wisdom : he that thinks him
self the happiest man really is so ; but lie
that thinks himself the wisest is gen
erally the greatest fool.
The damps of autumn sink into the
leaves and prepare them for the neces
sity of their fall ; and thus insensibly are
we, as years closfe around us, detached
from our tenacity of life by the gentle
pressure of recorded sorrow.
"When I was a boy," said a very
prosy, long-winded orator to' his friend,"
" I used to ta k in mv sleep." " And
now," said his friend, " you sleep in your
talk." But, somehow, that didn't seem
to bo just exactly in point the orator
was going to make. Hawkeye.
ilow doth the little busy bird
liiinrovo each shining hour.
And gather cotton and thread and feathers
mul pieces ol ciotn nun straws ana dus
of cord, and n whole lot of things, all
tho day,
To make its summer bower.
"ew York Mail.
Mrs. Ellis, of Ithaca. N. Y.. has in hot
house a large room, the lloor of which is
covered with sawdust, and with two
leafless trees and many bamboo perches
in it, where she keeps more than a hun
dred eannry birds, raised from a single
pair wineli she bought a lew years ago.
Sin can identify almost every bird and
tell its age.
We are a little puzzled over the offer
of asubscriber to pay his last year's dues
in logs, wc believe m trade, out tnose
logs seem to stump us in some way.
Stillwater Lumberman. You might con
vert those logs into clubs; nnd we never
knew a newspaper that didn't urge its
subscribers to " make up clubs." Nor
ristown Herald.
The Granitic, of Kinsley. Kansas, was
recently burned out, and in its next
issue made tins acknowledgement: 10
tho three ladies, Miss Wheeler, Miss
Maria Ishe and Mrs. Meeker, who, at
the risk of theif lives, carried out our
cases and the light articles that were
saved, we simply thank you, that being
tne oniy language we can use 10 express
our gratitude."
Words of Wisdom.
Money is a good servant and a bad
master.
It is easv to find reasons why others
should be patient.
If rich, be not too joyful in having,
too solicitous in keeping, too anxious in
increasing, nor too sorrowlul in losing.
No matter how purely and grandly we
live to-dav. there is do denying thnt we
mny live more purely, more grandly to
morrow. Stylo is only the frame to hold our
thoughts. It is like the sash of a win
dow a heavy sash will obscure the
light. Awwow.
Pandies may become useful in the
same manner as those slaves of Sparta,
who were made diunk In order to inspire
children with a horror of intoxication.
Friendship does not display itself in
words, but it acts unremittingly; those
Eretendod friends who talk ot nothing
ut their hearts are like those cowards
who are continually vaporing about bra
very and battles.
Why He Didn't Go to the Circus.
" I say, John, did ye see the circus P"
yelled a little boy to another last even
ing. "No-o-o, I didn't see the circus!"
sneerjngly said John, who had been
kept iu the house for disobedience.
" Humph! Ought to have been there;
biggest show you ever seed ; elefant, and
carmels, and boa contwisters, and and
everything. If I couldn't go to a circus
I'd run away.'1
" Who wants to go to zer old circus?"
yelled John. " I had a circus nil to my
self. Tied the milk-pitcher to the
cat's tail, and the cat knocked down the
flower-pots, and smashed the pitcher,
and broke a pane of glass. Git away
wld your old circuses ; been to moro'n
four hundred, an' didn't have so much
fun; an' didn't get licked nuther," and
the boy who bad been to the circus
felt as if he'd got hold of tho castor-oil
bqttle by mistake, Oil City Dtrriok.