HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher. NIIj DESPEH ANDTJM. - " f "a Dollar, per Annum.
- 1 VJt ' '
VOL. X. RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA.yTHUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1880. NO. 10.
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11
I ' -V.
Work in the Time Now.
The world is strong with a mighty hope
Of a good time yet to be,
And earelully cn9ts the horoioopa
Ol her future destiny;
And poet and prophet, and priest and sage,
Are watching with anxious eyes,
To see the light of that promised age
On the waiting world arise.
Oh, weary and long seems that time to some
Who under lite's burdenj bow,
For while they wait tor that time to oome
They torget tis a good time now.
Tes, a good lime now for we eannot say
What the morrow will bring to view ;
But we're always sure oi the time to-day,
And the course we must pursue;
And no better time is ever sought
By a brave heart under the Bun
Than the present hour, with its noblest
thought,
And the duties to be done;
Tis enough ior tbe earliest soul to see
There is work to be done, and how,
For he knows that the good time yet to he
Depends on the good time now.
There is never a broken link in the chain,
And never a careless fltw,
For cause and effect, and loss and gain,
Are troo to a changele3s law.
Now is the time to sow the seed
For the harvest ot future years;
Now is the time lor a noble deed,
While the need ot the work appears.
You must earn the bread of your liberty
By the toil and sweat ol your brow,
And hasten the good time yet to be
By improving the good time now.
'l is as bright a sun that shines to-day
As will shine in the coming time;
And truth has as weighty a word to say
Through her, oracles sublime.
There are voices In earth, and air ai d aky,
That tell - the go xl time here,
And visions that come to faith's clear eye,
The weary in heait to cheer.
The glorious fruit on lile's goodly tree
xs ripening on every uough,
And the wise ill spirit rejoice to see
The light ol the good time now.
Then up ! nor wait ior the promised hour,
For the good time now is the Jest,
And the soul that uses its gilt of power
Shall be in tbe present blest.
Whatever the luttire limy have in store,
Willi a will there is ever a way ;
And none need burden the soul with more
Than the duties ot to-day.
Then up ! with a spirit brave and tree,
And put the h m J to the plow,
Nor wait lor I lie good time yet to be.
Bat ft oik iu he good lime now.
Kate's Leap-Year Party.
"No place for me!" muttered Dr.
Elwell. " In a barren, plodding ex
istence like mine there is no room for
even a glimpse of eucb. gay butterfly lift
as this."
The young man stood in a corner with
folded arms and forbidding aspect,
making himselt unnecessarily miser
able. Unnecessarily, because he ought,
with his good looks, good health and
youth, to have been able to cast aside
the tares of his daily life, and take
whatever of pleasureor happiness came
in his way. To bo sure, he had some
excuse for thinking that he was singled
out to be different ironi ot.ier men, and
that his twenty-five years sliou d carry
the wisdom and soberness of fifty; for
" he was the only Bon ot his mother, and
she was a widow." Morover, that
mother had been left poor and with
threw little gir s to bring up and educate
the eldest of litem many years the
junior f their brother whom they idol
ized. Yes, William Elwell was a hero
to four loving hearts that watched his
self-made carter as he worked himsell
through college, teaching and doing all
kinds of work that he could get to do in
one term, in order that he might spend
the next in his beloved study, through
vacation and holidays bending efforts
toward earning a little lor those who
loved him, working with eager baste
and desperate energy, the sooner to
grasp the knowledge he sought and
nnish the course. He had finished at
last with honors; but honors are empty
and unremunerative. lie had found a
country village where marvel to relate !
there were not already more physi
cians than patients, had established
himself there in the plainest manner
which wouid possibly answer for a
newly-fledged M. D., and waited.
And ail through the self-denial and
hardship, through the uncertainty and
waiting, he baa carried a light heart, a
sunny temper and a fi m trust in Provi
dence. At last his waiting mother and
sisters had received a jubilant letter; he
had a patient, Suture Burleigh, the
wealthiest man in H . The old
physician was away on a professional
visit to the country. Squire Burleigh
was attacked with a soveie cold which
aggravated his chronic bronchitis, he,
"Dr. Elwell," was called, was lucky,
gave ttie old gentleman the advantage of
tsome ol his advanced views, and, thank
heaven! he had placed himself under
treatment" and taken the young doctor
up in a wonderful friendly style.
And just at this point, when his for
tune seemed to be made, immediately
alter his rejoicing and triumphant letter
to the dear ones at home, he had sud
denly becon e morose and sullen, his
letters were gloomy and misanthropic
and his views ol life cynical and bitter.
How to account lor this change was a
mystery. His loving mother feared that
her boy was ill; but this he stoutly de
nied; and tiuly, his firm, elastio step,
clear eye and ruddy complexion gave
no indications ol jaundice or dyspepsia.
As for ne r atuu iintances, perhaps they
set the doctor down as rattier too stern
for so young a man; but they were
obliged to wait fur further developments
to find the key to his behavior, and we
will do the same, taking occasion to
observe tbe dift'eient personages at this
brilliant gatnenng in bquire Burleigh s
parlors, while Dr. Elweil chews the cud
ol bitter meditation in his corner. The
squire, a genial gentiemau of fifty, was
. making himself agreeable to young and
old for this was a "liiniily party "
unu uis uaugiu r, uie brown-eyed and
golden-haired Miss Edith, distributed
tier tin iles and attentions with charming
impartiality, drawing together those ot
similar tattts, finding partners lor less
attractive gins, making bashful youths
lot 1 at noma, exuuauging spanning sal
with gun tit-men of a witty turn, aad
singing an old-fashioned song, to the
great delight of a group ot old ladies
and gentlemen who Jointly and severally
claimed her as their special property.
Only one person held aloof from all
the warmth and brightness, and even
he relaxed a little as the squire drew
him for a few moments into conversa
tion, listening to his remarks with such
deference, in spite of the difference in
their years, that the young man was
nattered and elated. But for a short
time, however; the squire culd not
stop long with one, and as he moved
away the solitary malcontent muttered :
"All very well; he's a kind-hearted
man and means well when he brings
me here; but she takes care to show me
that I am out of place. Ah I she is
goiTig to condescend i" savagely, as Miss
Burleigh approached and said, with a
scarcely concealed hesitation which was
not noticeable in her manner toward
others :
"We are discussing a question of
vital Importance, Doctor Elwell, and
we want your opinion."
The doctor, of course, banishing his
ill-humor, and offering his arm to his
youthful hostess with a low bow, ac
companied her across the room to where
a merry half dozen or so of young people
were holding a laughing dispute.
'We are considering the propriety
of the gentlemen entirely withdrawing
from the field, and in view of the fact
that leap-year comes so seldom, giving
the ladies the exclusive privilege of
making a choice. What do you think,
doctor P" asked Kate Ormsby, a bright
brunette, as her black eyes flashed, with
the. spirit of coquetry which was as
natural as her breath, intensified by the
somewhat disapproving glance of a
blonde gentleman opposite.
Doctor Elwell, not at all averse to
making some one else suffer a tithe of
the pangs which rent his own spirit,
with a sudden intuitive recognition of
the fact that he might avenge himself
on the said unoffending gentleman, re
plied, with animation and empressment :
"I quite agree with you. Miss
Ormsby ; during this year the right of
selection and proposal belongs to the
ladies alone, and any gentleman who is
so daring as to infringe upon right
should be made to pay a forfeit, consist
ing of nothing less than a love of a bon
net or a Pai isian fan."
"Oh! and that reminds me," cried
Kate, " you know it is an old custom,
handed down from our forefather's time,
and as a relic of antiquity, to be solemnly
respected and rigidly enforced, that any
gentleman who has the hardihood to
refuse, must pay a foifcit of nothing less
than a silk dress."
"A provision which destroys all the
romance," said Edith.
" Rather hard on some poor fellow
who couldn't raise a silk dress," re
marked Mr. Wheelsr, the blonde, who,
by the way, was a very well-to-do dry
goodsjmerchantof proverbially generous
habits.-
Dr Elwell first turned faint at the
thought of the silk dress, then called
himself a fool and coxcomb, and finally
flushed crimson at Mr. Wheeler's re
mark, which he considered a direct af
front. "As if any one cor-Id not buy a silk
dress!" exclaimed Kate, indignantly,
" but then you must know, sir, that no
lady will propose to a gentleman until
sne knows his state of mind.
"That is what we men think with re
gard to asking a lady the momentous
question; but we generally find our
selves completely in the dark as to their
feelings for us ."
"Ah! but you gentlemen displar
your feelings more than ladies do," said
saucy Kate. "There! they are form
ing a quadrille in the next room. Let
me see; have I a partner lor this dance?
n no, I have not," and Dr. Elwell im
mediately begged the honor, and pro
ceeded to the spacious apartment which
was devoted to the service of Terpsich
ore, with the little brunette on his
arm. My. Wheeler pulled his blonde
mustache in vexation, and for a few
moments seemed to have changed places
with the disciple of Galen.
" What a charming man Dr. Elwell
is," remarked Kate Ormsby, who was
to remain a day or two with Edith, as
the girls were talking ever the events
of the evening in the latter's chamber
before retiring. Edith colored a little
and bent to unbutton her boots as she
answered :
" Do you find him so? You seemed
to get on very well with him, though
he is so grave I have hardly known
how to approach him. He is wrapped
up in his profession, I suppose. Papa
thinks his throat has greatly improved
since he began his treatment."
Edith did not see the laugh Kate
stilUed at this measured speech, and the
latter went on gleefully : 14
" Yes, I find him very interesting,
but not entirely free from the weaknesses
that mortal man befall. How con
ceited these men are! 1 declare, lam
dying to take them down a little, and
the first of April is near at band."
The dreary month of March was en
livened bynumerous attractive evening
entertainments, one of the chief of which
was a candy party at the farmhouse of
Kate's father, to which the young ladies
escorted the young gentlemen of
their choice, in sleighs and buggies, as
the weather permitted, making rare
sport of the reversed order of things.
To all of these was Dr Elwell invited,
and to all he promptly went, notwith
standing the fact that he frequently
stated to hie inner consciousness that he
was the roost incomprehensible idiot in
existence, and that the special festivity
which was on the tapis at that particu lar
time should be the last tantalizing
gaiety to count him as its victim.
For cne most aggravating fact re
mainedalthough young ladies in and
out of the village for miles around
showed him honor, for which he should
have been grateful, though bright eyes
sparkled and dimpled cheeks glowed the
more at his approach spite of the fact
which continually haunted him that he
was only a young physician, struggling
for a place in life one damsel, for
whose smiles he watched with an eager
longing which noreison could subdue,
remained utterly indifferent to all ap
pearances, treating him with a calm
civility that was maddening. Perhaps
no one but nate knew what existed be.
neath the calm exterior, and if she sus
pected, no one was the wiser.
. " It shall be the last positively the
very last. To-morrow I will write to
mother and girls how I have neglected
them! and I will throw aside this foil v.
and endeavor to keep my mind upon
my duties moie thau it has been of
late.""
A virtuous resolution, truly I and, if
virtue brings its own reward Dr. Jtlwell
ought to have felt content j but the mel
ancholy smile which crossed his coun
tenance rather belied his efforts as he
gave a last survey of his neat, but not
altogether stylish toilet, sighed over the
last letter from home, which he put
carefully away, and then, unfolding a
dainty note, re-read the conditions of
the invitation, in the graceful chirog
raphy of Kate Ormsby :
NECK-TIE PARTf.
Under auspices of the T. L. L. T. Club,
at
Tbe Residence of Squire Burleigh, No. 59 Main
Street.
April 1. 1876, eight o'clock, P. at.
Gentlemen will enter immediately upon the
opening ol the doors, and eaoh will select, as
his partner ior the evening, the lady who
wears ribbons corresponding to the color of
the neck-tie accompanying this invitation,
wnich he is to wear. The two who shall be
last in performing this duty, are, as a torieit
lor their tardiness, to be responsible ior tbe
evening's entertainment, instituting games,
danoes, etc., and in all respects taking the
part oi Master of Ceremonies and Floor Man
ager. Sqnire Burleigh, Umpire. Elderly ladies
and gentlemen, chnneronea, etc, per order ot
thecommitte. K'ateObmsbt, Secretary.
Dr. Elwell repaired to the apartment
of Mr. Wheeler, where the.other young
men were assembled, among them two,
who, having come down from the city
on business a few days before, were duly
lionized by one-half ol the youth of the
community. Those worthies glancing
over the simple little sheet which had
cost more anxiety and study, then the?
imagined, smiled indulgently at the
transparent crudity of the whole affair,
and then one of them remarked :
"Now, see here, boys, the young la
dies are putting up a job on us, don't
you see? Why not circumvent them,
and turn their little game upon them
selves?" " But how ?" quei ied one or two, while
the others listened eagerly.
"Simply by changing neckties," said
the first speaker. " You perceive that
with the inherent love of harmony that
belongs to the sex an questionable
veneration for the eternal fitness of
things, as it were the fair ones have
sent me a brilliant flame-color, or cardi
nal, I believe they call it, in deference
to my ' somewhat strikingly brunette
style of beauty, if I may be allowed the
expression, whereas my friend Jackson
here, with his florid complexion and
vivid locks, which emphatically pro
claim his Hibernian descent, so to
speak "
" Here, now, Smy the, none of that,"
cried Mr. Jackson, who had probably
been twitted of his fair skin and auburn
hair before.
" Don't interrupt, Tommy. As 1 was
about to say, my friend Jackson is hon
ored with a lovely pale-blue, 'just too
sweet for any use!' Now suppose, for
instance, that we trade; no, no, that
would shock ine senses too severely
flame-coior necktie and cardinal hair.
coflee-colored skin and pale-blue. Dread
ful, shocking," and the gentleman shud
dered with affected horror." "
The others came to his rescue, how
ever, witu timeiy suggestions, and a
satisfactory arrangement was soon ef
fected. So it came about that Mr. Wheeler
was adorned with the cardinal tie,
which really set off the fairness of his
hair and skin pretty well. Dr. Elwell
assumed the pale-b.uo, which made him
look rawer darker than usual : the citv
gentleman donned the violet and crim
son which had been intended for them
respectively, and the others made an
equally suitable exchange lor pink,
green, blue, black, white and variegated.
au reaayr- asKed Mr. Wheeler.
" time's up."
"(jet your colors bv heart. bov3."
said Mr. Smythe.
Tbe moment arrived. The gentlemen,
in the back Darlor. await in ir the rmen-
ing of the double doors, which separated
them from the young ladies in the front
room.
"Remember vour colors, bovs." whis
pered Mr. Smythe, as if determined to
coniuse the rest.
" Shut up." was the elegant reioinder
01 Air. jacuson, in equally husky tones.
" Already !" cried the genial Squire
Burleigh, and the doors flew open.
ihere was a grand rush, a second or
two or suspense, much laughter, and,
in the midst of it. Dr. Elwell felt his
brain whirl and his senses forsake him.
as his eye rested upon Miss Burleigh, in
the loveliest of creamv silks, with
sashes, bows, streamers and trimmings
ad libitum, of pale blue. He managed
to collect himself sufficiently to take his
place by ner side, leeiing, as he did so.
that he was one of the unlucky last
ones, but, as he looked up, he caught
sight of Messrs. Jackson and Smythe
standing in the middle of the room.
looking about with something less than
their usual complaisance for the divini
ties with the violet and crimson deco
rations.
The truth dawned slowly. Merry
Kate, in a coquettish black dress, cov
ered with cardinal bows, had a certain
surprise of her own to meditate over,
and so had all the ladies, therefore it
was Itjlt to the gentlemen to crv " Anrtl
Fool!" which tney did, all at once, as
tbe tact burst upon them that there were
two more of their number than in that
of the- ladies, and that the exquisites
t 1. , . i. 1 . J 1 IV
iruui me uieiruuvua 11 au urouKUi uoon
themselves the forlorn predicament of
being minus partners lor the evening.
These latter gentlemen were, however.
equal to the emergency, and never in the
history ol it., had a party gone off with
so much merriment and good feeling.
As for Dr. Elwell, his spirits rose till
no trace remained of the surly tempe r in
which he had of late indulged. In'fthe
light of Edith's sunny smile he forgot
his discomforts, and, at the end of a
delightful waltz, he drew her toward the
conservatory in a very happy irame of
mind.
As they went they heard subdued
voices, .nd presently met Mr. Wheeler
and Miss Ormsby, the former with an
expression of beatitude upon his counte
nance, and the latter sparkling and
Hushed with haDDiness. while a tear.
drop glistened in her silky black lashes
"We have missed sou lrom the rooms
dear, where have you been what have
you been doing f " questioned iGitn, ana
Kate replied :
" Oh, I've been in the conservatory
here, taking advantage of leap-year. Go
thou and do likewise." With which
saucy suggestion the little spirit danced
awav. leaving her escort to follow.
Now Kate's taking advantage of leap-
vear. was simulv sneinfr poor Mr,
Wheeler to renew the offer he Lad made
at least a dozen times before, and giving
a more satisfactory answer than had re
warded Ins pie vlous trials, mat was
a very different matter from making ad
Vance toward a man whom one had only
known fof about three months, and
who bad held himself aloof from even
friendly intimacy. It was Inconsider
ate in Kate unkind, so Edith told her
se'f, as she bent over n rose bush, with
burning cheeks and brimming eyes.
At the sight of her distress, what
could Dr. Elwell do but to forget that
he was poor and she an heiress. What
could he say but that he loved her, and
loved her ever since their first meeting,
that his hopeless passion had destroyed
his peace ot mind, that the future would
be a blank to him without the sunshine
of her presence, and "Oh, Miss Burleigh
Edith give me one spark of hope, one
ray to enlighten my darkness, and I will
strive to become more worthy of the
precious boon, to win a name, that,"
etc.
There is no need, of course, to recount
just what he said, nor what she said.
nor what tne good squire said the next
morning, when the doctor, with a sink
ing heart, told him of the base ingrati
tude of which he bad been guilty to so
kind a patron and a friend.
Enough that, at the double wedding.
six months later, Messrs. Jackson and
Smythe came down from the city to act
as groomsmen, greatly distinguishing
themselves in that capacity, to the secret
admiration o' Dr. Emeu's pretty sis
ters ; that this gentleman is progressing
finely and is on the best of terms witu
his friend Wheeler, and that Squire Bur
leigh, entirely cured of his bronchitis,
divides quite impartially his grand-
fatherlv attentions between Kates
black-eyed boy, and little golden-haired
Edith Elwell.
TIMELY TOPICS
The sun's radiation is not without its
influence on the comfort of the occupants
cf a house, and the influence may be
very differently felt, according to the ex-.
posure ot houses, in a building nu
affected by any shade, a scientist recently
made a series 01 experiments to deter
mine the relative amount of the sun's
heat daily entering the different sides.
He obtained the surprising result that
more heat enters a building through; the
east and west wai.s ti'an tnrougn the
walls facing directly south, although the
south side is exposed to the direct action
of the sun s rays nearly twice as long as
either of the others. A considerably
greater quantity of heat is received by
the east than by the west side.
Two new kinds of tea having very pe
culiar qualities have been discovered by
Mr. E. C. Baber, while exploring the
region west of Kiating-fu, China. One
of the varieties was rare and appears to
have been grown only bv some monks
of the monastries on Mount Omi. ' An
infusion of it tasted like strong congou
to which brown sugar had been added
liberally; but its sweetness was a nat
ural property. The other tea grew
spontaneously at heights of moie than
6,000 feet above the level of the sea. It
is a leafy shrub with a stem about four
inches thick, and it attains a height of
fifteen leet. In making an infusion every
part of the plant except the root is em
Dioved. xne beverage produced is a
strongly colored but weak tea, having a
natural milky or ratuer buttery uavor.
Fiflv vears ago Commodore Patter
son, commander ol the naval lorces ol
the United States in Louisiana, led an
exDedition against Jean Lafitte. the
chief of Barataria Island, attacked the
500 men found there, and captured the
seven small vessels which were drawn
up in miniature battle array. It has
been thought in New Orleans that La-
hlte was a lreenooter and pirate, and
mauv sensational stories.of his adven
tures have been published. The Pica
yune has discovered among the
dusty records of the United States dis.
trict court an account of the libel pro
ceediugs brought bv Daniel T. Patter
son and George T. Ross, the commanders
of the naval and military torccs ot the
United States, containing evidence that
Latitte made bis captures under the Oar
thngenian flag, and was in communica
tion with Carthagenia.
A startling surprise, after the fashion
of the storv ol Uinevra. was expert
enced not long ago by a party of Styrian
wood cutters in the forest of Drom
mling. They began to fell a venerable
oak, which they soon discovered to be
quite hollow, iseing halt decayed it
speedily came to the ground with
crash, disclosing a skeleton in excellent
preservation, .bven the boots, which
came above the knee, were almost per
feet. By its side was a powder horn, a
porcelain pipe-bowl, and a silver watch
on which was engraved the name, " 11.
von Krackowitz, 1812." The teeth
were perfect. It would seem to be the
skeleton of a man between thirty and
forty years of age. It is conjectured
that, while engaged in hunting, he
climbed the tree for some purpose, and
slip ied incautiously into the hollow
trunk, from which there was no release,
and ne probably oiea 01 starvation.
Suits at law ere brought nowadays tor
every reason, and no reason, especially
in some 01 the new states, whose in.
habitants are oiten of a very litigious
disposition. Recently a resident of
Crete. Neb., was arrested for non-Dav
ment of a bill long due for groceries
while he was courting a young woman
in her father's parlor. He was held to
bail, and when he appeared in court to
delend himselt, the judge promptly dis
charged him, declaring that he had been
arrested without adequate cause. He
has, inconsequence, brought suit against
his creditors, who had the legal process
served on him, and he claims $25,000
damages, fie had, he alleges, borne
good financial reputation, which Is now
seriously affected ; he has been disgraced
by Ins arrest in the parlor ot his sweet
heart, injured socially and morally, and
on account of what had happened then
and there, he has never had the courage
to visit his lady-love since, and considers
his connubial prospects, so far as she is
concerned, forever blighted. He thinks
that $25,000 would be a moderate sum
for the shock to his sensibilities and the
harm to his good name, and avers that
he will have justice, if there be justice
in the land. It is possible that his arrest
may have saved him from an unhappy
marriage, but be flatly refuses to look at
mat siue 01 tue question.
We have rarely seen a more touohing
little Inoident than this told by a flew
Haven paper: A widow's child re.
ceiyed a reward of merit in school and
ran eagerly home to her mother, saying,
as she entered her humble dwelling,
" 1 held U up to the sky all the way
uonie, mamma, so mat papaxnigui set
what a goocf girl 1 am."
The Northeast Passaga,
A very interesting account of the
Northeast passage by the steamer Vega,
which has brought su h renown to Pro
fessor Nordenskjold. is given in a recent
number of Blackwood's Magazine by
Lieutenant Palander, who commanded
the Veea. There is no doubt the Vega
would have made her entrance into
Behring strait the same season in which
she started on her voyage, but for the
exceptionally unfavorable condition of
the ice. She had passed the real points
of difficulty and danger, and was within
120 miles of Behring strait on the
twenty-eight of September, 1878, when
the ice closed in upon her, and she was
unable to move until the eighteenth of
the following July. The region in
which she passed the winter is well-
known to explorers and whalers, many
of whom have passed through the same
waters, encountering no ice, even as late
as the first of November.
Now that the Dassaee has been shown
to exist, the question whether it can be
made commercially useful is the next in
interest. If vessels can get tnrougn in
two months, as Lieutenant Palander
says they may, if no unanticipated ob
structions intervene, considerable com
mercial use mav he made of the passage
in trad in ar with the natives along near.v
1.000 miles of habitable coast. But this
Jiuestion of an open passage is one that
lieutenant Palander is not prepared to
answer. That open water near the
coast does exist during the summer and
autumn months admits of no doubt in
his mir.d. The difficulties to be met
-with at and around the northermost
cape of the Siberian coast Cape ToheL
puskin and Taimyi island, are such as
to make it doubtful whether ships can
fet through without wintering over,
'hat a passage is to be found there once
or twice Lieutenant Palander does not
doubt, but it mav occur so late that
winter will set in before Behring strait
is reached. In summing up Lieutenant
faiander says:
The Northeast. Passage can not.
therefore.in its entirety be made availabe
tor the purpose ot commerce ; but still an
annual traffic mighc easily be carried
on lrom the westward to the Obi and
Yenisei, and from the eastward to the
Lena. Unquestionably the way now
lies open to Siberia's three greatest
rivers; and that land, so rich in min
erals, timber and grain, whose export
and import trade has hitherto been con
ducted by means of caravans, ought
now to obtain a practical route as a con.
necting link between the old and new
world."
Vessels designed for this hazardous
traffic will have to be specially con.
structed to nush their wav tnvoueh
Holds of drifting and newly-formed ice,
and coaled and provisioned for an ice
blockade lasting from eight to nine
months.
People Who Live Near the Pole.
The Roman correspondent of the Phil
adelphia Bulletin, speaking of the Cin-
Kici, a remarkable people discovered
by the Swedish explorers of the north
pole region, says: The people found
there were not precisely savages they
were clothed (roughly, perhaps) but
they were clothed in skins of rein.
deer or seal. Their costume might not
perhaps suit Parisian taste, but it was
adaptable to their clime. It is com
posed of reindeer skin stockings lined
with eiderdown, reindeer or sealskin
boots reaching to the knees, and u der
these, again, reindeer or sealskin trous
ers, over which are worn in extra cold
weather other trousers lined wi'h fur.
And then a tunic, coat, or blouse of the
same materials reaches to the knees,
and, according to the weather, several of
these are worn one over the other, or
t he head they wear a can to match the
rest of this charming costume, and this
cap is tied under the chin like a baby's
cap. linally they wear ever their
chests a kind of bib ot sealskins, which
bib they draw over their faces, when
the air threatens to bite the noses.
The very fashionable people of the
country fasten tails of animals to the
edges of their coats.. This is to show
you that they are rich, as their riches
consist in reindeer, some families pos
sessing as many as 100,000 ot these am
nials. IDo ladies wear the same cos
tume as the gentlemen, which gives
them a strange awkward walk. How
ever, as a little distinction, they wear
their hair in two long plaits at the
side ot each chee , and their neck and
back are bare. It seems that the cold
has less effect on them than on their
lords. It is true that when they have
young children they carry them on their
backs, and that shelters them. Both
men and women are short ol statute, hut
stout and wnderiully strong, and thev
can walk for miles with burdens on
their backs which we Europeans could
not even lift. Their faces are large and
broad and they have no foreheads. In
this the women would be quite the
fashion in Europe, where the ladies do
all they can to conceal their forehea :'s.
A Treasury Clerk's Long Service,
John Laub, tbe oldest clerk in the
United States treasury, died recentlv in
Washington after a faithful service of
more than forty-three years. He was
absent but five days from his desk dur
ins the entire forty-three yea-s of his
service, although he was entitled to a
vacation of thirty days each year. No
other man in all that time ever did any
part of the work that it was his duty to
perform. In a room which he occupied
is a set of books covering the entire
history ot the First Comptroller's office
eighty-six years and in those books
appear but two styles of penmanship
those ol John Laub and his father. Mr.
Laub never allowed any person, not
even the secretary himself, to examine
his books; but it tbere was ever an in
quiry he would examine them himself,
and read their contents to the inquirer.
He was neatness itself, and wrote a
plain round hand. He loved his books
as it they were human, and kept them
wrapped carefully in oil-cloth, when not
in use, but when compelled to take them
from their case, he would handle them
as if they were made of glass. He became
a machine, and had he been transferred
to any other duty would have been ut
terly u-eless. He ppeared at his desk
at the same hour every morning, and
went through the same routine every
day. He walked to the department
from his house and returned always by
the same route, and his. appearance at
the same locality at the same moment
each day was as regular as time itself.
During his last illness he Buff ered much
pain and anxiety because his work was
neglected, and for fear some other per
son would touch his books, and relief
was given him only by an order from
tbe First Comptroller that they should
not be disturbed.
Life and Death In Switzerland.
Vital anil annlal n'.ntintlejl are alwftVS
Interesting, but the recent report of the
Swiss bureau of federal statistics for
1878 is worked up with exceptional thor
oughness and suggestivenfss. It will
very much help the general reader to an
appreciation of the figures to bear in
mind that the population of Switzer
land in 1870 3,669,247 was about 100,
000 more than that of Illinois, and that
its area is between one-third and one
fourth that of Illinois, or about equal
to that ot Maryland and Connecticut.
The number of marriages is given at
20,590. These figures mark the contin
uance or a decline which began in ibo,
and is now traced to the facts that men,
on the average marry at twenty-nine,
and that the birth-rate ot the years
1846-55 was below the average. lhe
divorces were 1,036. and Switzerland is
said to have more divorces in proportion
to marriages than any otner European
country. A very commonplace reason
is given for the strange fact that widows
and divorced women are more likely to
get husbands than maidens the thruty
Swiss, it sems, prefer women of ex
perience, with the houses and furniture
which they usually have, to sweet sim
nlicitv without a shelter. The births
wsre 91,426, of which 46,950 were boys
and 44,476 girls. The favorable death-
rate 23.4 per 1,000 is attributed to tne
characteristics of the weather of the
year, which was not suddenly variable,
and was neither very hot nor very cold.
The ratio of deaths amo ig the mar
ried is much less than among the celi-
nnxe. irom wmcn it is a iaii mieiriiee
that marriage promotes longevity. The
excess of births over deaths was 8.1 per
1.000. and the death-rate among chil
dren lass than one vear old was 11.1.
The number of murders was 114, of
which thirty were cases of infantioide
I ne number of accidental deaths was
1,650. Suicides continue to increase.
In 1876 there were 640: in 1877,600;
in 1878, 643. Suicides were less frequent
among women than among men ; among
the young than among the adults and
aged; among the married, widowed
and divorced than amone the celibates:
among agriculturists and artisans than
among domestic servants, day-iaoorers,
traders, manufacturers, artists and
members of the liberal professions.
Summer would seem to be the best
time to commit suicide, as the number
lises very much in proportion to the
temnerature of the months. Emiera
tion reach id its maximum in 1869,when
Switzerland lost 5.206 men. women and
children: in 1877 the number was only
1,691, and In 1S7S it Had increased to
2.608.
Domesticated Quail.
Several summers ago S. S. Gibble. of
Mount Joy, this county, lound the nest
ot a quail, containing niteen eggs.
Determined to make an attempt to
domesticate these birds he took them
home and placed them under u hen
He made his first mistake at the very
outset by putting them under a Brahma
to incubate ine size ot tne eggs and
of the hen was of course altogether dis
proportionate. Still she was fortunate
enough to break none of them, and in
due time a family of fifteen of these at
tractive and lively birds made their ap
pearance. A grassy plot was selected
for a nursery, and a pen sixteen feet
square was made. This was made per
fectly tight at tue ground and ior some
height above it, rendering escape im
possible, at least until they acquired the
use of their wings. But the mistake of
selecting a heavy hen to bring up these
birds soon became manliest. Une alter
another of the pretty things had its life
tramped out by the heavy feet of its
foster mother, until only four of them
remained. These grew until they at
tained the full stature of adult Bob
Whites. They were released, and ran
with chickens, flying here and there,
but never leaving the premises for a
greater distance than the chickens
themselves.
One day the house cat, who was
something of an epicure, thought she
would try quail; so she appropriated
one of them, leaving the once numerous
family reduced to three. These re
in lined around the house, associating
with the chickens on tho most fraternal
terms, carrying the intimacy so far as to
roost close by them in an old apple tree
near the hcuse. Unfortunately, how
ever, the cold weather of winter brought
a covey of wild birds to the barn, and
these, coming into friendly relations
with the trio of tame ones, had such a
seductive power upon them that, when
the strangers went away in the spring
they carried with them two out of the
three remaining birds. This left but a
single one on the premises. This one
continued to eat with tbe hens in the
barnyard and roost with them in the
trees until June, when, no doubt, the
promptings of nature so wrought upon
the companionless bird that it was im
pelled to leave the hospitable home
wnere nearly a year 01 11a me was spent,
and seek the companionship of its Kind
in the fields. So ended the experiment
Lancaster (Pa.) New Era.
A Brave Baby.
A woman who lives in Ashville. Ala..
writes to the sEgis of that place of the
miraculous rescue 01 her little three
vear-old bov from drowning. The child
fell down a well, the depth of wiiieli was
thirty feet. The mother saw lam go
down. She says :
On reaching the well I was just in
time to see him rise to the top of the
water. I was alone, save three other
little children whom I sent for help. I
had. amid all the anguish of my soul.
nresen( e of mind enough to let the
bucket down and tell him to take hold
of it. which he did. After some min
utes he let loose from weakne (is, sank
again, except his little head. I lowered
the bucket lower, telling him to take
hold of the rope. He ran his band
through a ring tied on for the purpose
of sinking the bucket, and caught the
pail, and there he held on for one and a
half hours, begging me all the time in
his baby talk to come down and help
turnout. I would say: " Hold on,
Bobbie." " I will." he would reply
At length a lady came to my assistance,
and we took a rope and made a noose on
the end ol it, and, letting it down, told
him what to do He put his foot
through the noose and drew it up
around his knee. I asked him it he
could hold on. He said he could hold
on to the bucket : " Daw me out." He
holding the bucket, tbe rope around his
leg, I telling him not to let go, we drew
him up until I could reach his littl
shivering hands. Thus I saved m
little baby from drowning. Safe t
my breast I clasped his little shiverin
body, and praised God fur His mercies.
A Falling Star.
At dead of night
A radiant star
Like a gem in a monarch's crown
Shone clear and bright
With a palo, oold light
Then darting across the heavens alar
Lighting fith Are and rapid Alight
To the earth came falling down.
It seemed to glide
Through the npper air
On the s wiriest wings of light,
And at my side
As it flickered and died
There ;emed to oome a spirit fair,
And the soft, sweet voioe of an angel eried
" I will lead thy steps aright."
Jamt$ Clarinet Harvtf.
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
Half of the writing paper made In
America Is manufactured In Holyoke,
Mass.
John Payne Collier is the oldest lit
erary man of the present century. He
is ninoty-one.
Senator In calls is the thinnest man
It Congress, and wears abigred hand
kerchief around his neck.
One or more Western railroads are
reported to be now using none other
than paper car wheels on their moun
tain grades.
Of the eighty-eight solid business men
of Springfield, Mass., sixty-four were
brought up on larms and were iarmers'
sons, twelve were brought up in villages,
and of these six were accustomed to do
farm work.
fifith Green advocates frog culture.
He says that many farmers liave for
tunes in frog ponds, and that a little
care and cultivation will produce a crop
of frogs large enough for family use,
after supplying the market.
Tbe total number of Turkish prison
ers who fell into the hands of the Rus
sians during the war amounted, accord
ing to a statement lately printed in tne
St. Petersburg Golos, to 94,433 officers
and men ot all arms and branches of
the servise
The Cow Boys.
The Las Vegas (New Mexico) Gazette
says of cow boys : This class of men
are about as badly abused as any other
set of men that we know of, when they
really deserve but little of the tongue of
reproach. There are many bad men
who hover around the cattle ranges for
the purpose of stealing, and whr prey
upon the fruits of the labors of the cow
boys. People at a distance, unac
quainted with the situation, in fact,
greenhorns, who hear of the depreda
tions and crimes of these parasites ol the
aa.Ule range, class them as cow boys
and condemn the whole. This is a great
injustice to that hardy class of men who
inhabit the pastoral ranges and who, as
a class, have no equsl in all manly vir
tues. They are honest, brave, intelli
gent and generous.
" The bravest are the tenderest,
The loving are the daring."
Theii outward life is rough, but they
are of kindly and manly rii positions.
They are not a class of people to be
dreaded, but on the contrary, their ac
quaintance is to be sought, for they num
ber among them men of high culture
and refinements, while integrity and
high sense of honor is the characteristic
of the common run of cow boys. Com
mend us to s ock raisers for true men,
whose lives are not cramped and wor
ried by the petty dealings and chican
ery of email trado. but grow big under
the influence of the vast Dlains and ma
jestic nature wherein is cast the lines tf
their daily life. It is their constant
and close communion with mother na
ture, the corrector of perverted tastes
and tendencies, which develops manli-
nefs in the cow boy and reduces to a
minimum every inherent meanness
winch may pertain to frail human na
ture. Wo favor cow boys, cattle men,
sheep raisers and the whole tribe of
people who graze their nocks and neras
on all the mesas and plains from the
mountains to the Indian Territory, and
will ever be ready to give them a hear
ing when unjustly assailed by ignorance
and prejudice.
A Historical Relic.
A recent letter from Washington to
the Boston Advertiser t-ays : The Hon
orable Robert C. Winthrop in the
course of the centennial oration de
livered by him on the fourth of July,
1876, in Music hall, Boston, exhibited
to the audience there gathered the writ
ing desk upon which the declaration of
independence was written, and the
thoughts suggested dv tuis mien-sung ,
historical relic formed one of the most
eloquent passages of his oration. He
concluded his allusion to this detk with
these words i
" Long may it hnd its appropriate and
appreciating ownership in the succes
sive generations of a family ot whom
the blood of Virginia and Massachsetts
is so auspiciously commingled, diiouiu
it, in the lapse of years, ever pass from
the hands of those to whom it will be
eo precious an heirloom, it could only
have i s tit and final place among the
choicest and most cherished treasures
of the nation, with the above title deeds
of independence it so proudly asserted.
This evening the Honorable Robert
C. Winthrop, who is now in Washing
ton, took the occasion 01 a can at u
executive mansion to deliver personally
to the President, as a gift to the United
States, this little mahogany desk on
which Mr. J enerson wrote tue aeciara
tion of independence. It was presented
in the name of the children of the late
Joseph Coolidge, of Boston, to whom
it was given by Jefferson himself in
1825, whose granddaughter Mr. Cool
idge had married, and it was aa auto
m aph inscription as follows : " Thomas
Jefferson gives this writing-desk to
Joseph Coolidge, Jr.. as a memorial of
his affection. It was made Irom a
drawing of his own. bv Ben. Randall,
cahinet-maker. of Philadelphia, with
. . .. ."... j w' !.!!
whom ne nrsi loagea on uis nmviu m
that oity in May, 1776, and the identi-
ni nim nn nrhien im wrote tne ueuiain-
tionof independence. Politica as well
as rehzion has Its superstitions; uiene
gaining Btrengtn wiin lime, may u"
riav iriuo imacrinnrv Vnlllfl to thlS TellC I
tor its association wnn tue mnu yi
frro&e hnrt.pr nf our indeneudeDce. It I
fs probable that this desk will be de-l
posited mthe nreprooi library 01 tue.
State department, wnere is Kept u
original draft of the declaration, written
on this desk.
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