Ifffe
ffllll
HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher-. NIti DESPEEANDUM. Two Dollars per Annum.
VOL. XI. IlIDGrWAY, ELK COUNTY, FA., THUESDAY, MAY 26, 1881. NO. 14.
1 -
The Dcnd Child nntl tlio Mocklng-Bird.
The following poem is in no sense a more
fanev. On the" contrary, tho strango, pathetic
incident it commemorates actually occurred
not long ago in the neighborhood of Jackson
ville, Florida.
Once, in a land of balm and flowers,
Of rich fruit-laden troeB,
Where the wild wreaths from jasmine bowers
Trail o'er Floridian seas,
We marked our Jeannie's footsteps run
Athwart tho twinkling glade;
She seemed a Hebe in the sun,
A Dryad in tho Bhado.
And all day long her winonmo song,
Her trebles and soft trills,
Would wavo-liko flow, or silvery low
Die down tho whispering rills.
One morn midmost tho foliage dim
A dark gray pinion stirs;
And hark ! along tho vine-elad limb
What strango voice blends with hers ?
It Wends with hern, which ran is stilled
Braver the mock-bird's noto
Than nil the strains that ever filled
The ipu cnliest human throat I
As Jeannie heard, she loved tho bird,
Anil sought thenceforth to share
With her new favorite, dawn by dawn,
Her daintiest morning cheer.
But ah 1 a blight beyond our ken,
From some far feverous wild,
Brought that dark Shadow feared of men
Across the fated child.
It chilled her drooping curls of brown,
It dimmed her violet eyes,
And like an awful cloud crept down
From vague, mysterious skies.
At last one day our Jeannie lay
All pulseless, pale, forlorn;
Tho sole sweat breath on lips of death
The fluttering breath of morn;
When just beyond tho o'er-curtained room
(How tender, yet how strong!)
Itoso through the misty morning gloom
Tho mock-bird's sudden song.
Dear Christ '. those notes of golden peal
Seem caught from heavenly spheres,
Yet through their marvelous cadence steal
Tones soft as chastened tears.
Is it an angel's voice that throbs
Within the brown bird's breast,
Whose rhythmic magic soars or sobs
Above our darling's rest ?
The fancy passed but camo once more
When, stolen from Jeannie's bed,
That ovc, along tho porchway floor
I found our minstrel dead 1
The fire of that transcendent Btrain
His life-chords burned apart,
And, merged in sorrow's earthlicr pain,
It broke tho u'erlanen heart.
Maiden and bird I the self-same grave
Their wedded dust shall keep,
While the long low Floridian wave
Moans around their place of sleep.
l'aul II. liayne, in Harper's Magazine.
WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS.
There's no doubt about it that Robin
son was a good fellow at heart, and
meant well; but it's astonishing what
an amount of trouble a man may bring
upon himself by undertaking too much
for his fellow-creatures. I don't sup
pose there was another man in ouv store
that took the interest Robinson did in
the dill'erent wardrobes of his fellow
clerks. If a man got a new hat Robin
son noticed it right away; wanted to
know where it was bought, when and
why, and generally concluded by say-
ing that if the purchaser Lad consulted
him he might have made a better bar
gain. And I've no doubt he would.
Robinson would have made it a point to
favor him with his influence and expe
rience, both of which were considerable.
The same way with coats, or pants, or
boots, or anything 1 But, notwithstand
ing all this, very few of our boys con
sulted Robinson in these matters; they
generally bought their articles with a
reckless indiscrimination that was pain
ful to a man constituted, as Robinson
was. It seemed hard, when a man took
the interest in his fellow-creatures that
Robinson did, that his motives should
be misconstrued and unappreciated. I
remember when I bought that new ul
ster of mine, I disliked, for some reason
or other, to see Robinson. I had a
ridiculous aversion to telling him just
whero I got it, and when, and how much
it cost, and what I did with the other
one. It was a kindly sympathy on
Robinson's part, there's no doubt about
that; but it was wasted, so far as our
boys were concerned. ,
" Why dou't the fellow mind his own 1
business?" they said. "What does he
want to manage other people's concerns
for?"
So I was glad when he told me,confiden
tially, that he was about to be married.
I felt then that his interest would be
so absorbed in the one object that it
would be impossible to diffuse it all
over the universe
Robinson 6eenied to have found a
treasure. Of course everybody thinks
so ; but I knew that Robinson would
know more, and see more, and be less
likely to be deceived, than other men,
aud he had, as I supposed, gained the
confidence of the family into which he
proposed to marry. I was afraid his
projected mother-in-law might object to
some of Robinson's ways, but he told
me he got on with her splendidly. I
thought she was a remarkable woman,
not altogether because she got on so
well with Robinson, but from Robin
son's conversation I imagined she must
be very clever.
"The fact is," said Robinson, "we
are mutually interested in the same
topics. We sit and talk about domestio
matters for hours together, while Annie
thums over her new piece on the piano,
and Mrs. Rage has told me, time and
again, if there's ono thing more than
another she admires in my character it's
tho interest I take in little domestio
details that most men despise or hold in
utter indifference. You see, Smith, mar
riage is a sacred obligation."
"Undoubtedly, Robinson."
"And requires study, Smith. I
wouldn't have been a successful buyer
if I hadn't inquired into all the little
intricacies of our line of business."
' You certainly can judge of a good
article, Robin Bon."
" Ah, Smith, the one I've secured
now is beyond price. She's just the
kind of goods a man wants to rest his
eyes upon when he's tired of shams and
shoddies. Annie isn't brought up to
dazzle and deceive. Her mother has
taken great pains to inculcate in her
daughter qualifications of mind and
character that will make her a good wife
and mother. Mrs. rage is an excellent
woman, Smith."
" And I suppose her daughter is bike
her?"
"Well, no, Smith. She can't con
verse and reason as her mother can, nor
has she her mother's appreciative quali
ties. Annie's mind is less astute."
" Well, she's young yet."
" She's as simple and pliable as a lit
tle child. I'm a happy man, Smith."
I was delighted to hear him say so,
and told him so, and at the wedding I
expressed it as my opinion that his hap
piness would last. I was charmed with
his wife. She seemed such a nice, jolly
little creature, so unaffected and simple
in her manner, and had a wonderful
magnetism about her. She was as plump
aud round as a little partridge, with big
black melting eyes and a pretty little
mouth. I can't say I was so much drawn
to her mother. She was a fine-looking
woman, with a deep voice, and some
thing very firm about the contour of
her jaw. Mrs. Page had more of what
they call character in her face than her
daughter would ever have; but I haven't
the admiration for a face with character
that some men have. Robinson always
said he liked that kind of thing, and he
certainly had it in his mother-in-law.
Robinson spent tho better part of nu
hour talking with her that night, while
I was chatting with his wife. I came
away convinced that marriage must be
a very pleasant thing, with a little wife
like Robinson's, and my bachelor quar
ters looked exceedingly dingy and
forlorn.
I don't know how it was, but I took !
an extraordinary interest in Robinson's
marriage, and was sorry to see a cloud
on the matrimonial horizon before six
months were over.
"We've gone to housekeeping, you
know," said Robinson. " I was afraid
Annie would want to board at home
with her mother, but Mrs. Page agreed
with me it was better to build a little
nest of our own. She took tho kindest
interest in everything, and wanted to go
house-hunting with Annie and to help
her pick out the furniture. But I had
already secured a house, and bought
the furniture of friends of mine in the
business, who would favor me in prices.
As to bed-linen, carpets and things of
that sort, I got them here in tho store
at cost. In heaven's name, Smith, is
there any reason why a man shouldn't
hire his own house and purchase his
own furniture?"
" None whatever," I replied, " unless
it may be that his wife desires the same
privilege."
" But she didn't Smith. Annie said
she was glad to leave it to me. I took
the dear little woman in my arms and
kissed her, and felt my heart lightened
of a very heavy load that somehow had
rested there since my last interview
with her mother. But Mrs. Page's
manner is very unpleasant, Smith very.
I don't want to say that she accuses me
of robbing Annie of any legitimate hap
piness, but she conveys some such im
pression to my mind, and it makes mo
feel like a malefactor. I'm so fond of
my wife that the thought of depriving
her of the smallest joy is mistry to ine."
" Well, these little trifles will all come
right, Robinson. It isn't as if your
mother-in-law lived with you."
" She's only round the corner, Smith.
I thought of that when I took the
house, that it would be so comfortablo
for Annie to live near her old home,
and have the attention and advice of her
mother. As heaven is my judge, Smith,
I have tried to take every burden from
my wife. I've opened accounts with
the neighboring grocer, butcher, baker,
and hired an excellent servant. I leave
a generous margin for sundries, which I
look into rigidly at the first of every
month, and settle with the other ac
counts, when we begin again with a clear
fresh record. A woman certainly ought
to be happy when she has nothing to do
but enjoy herself. I've even persuaded
her to put all her little expenses down
in my book, so that she knows where
every penny of her money goes ; and, as
1 said before, 1 take care of the house
hold expenses myself. The servant
comes to me every morning for orders
before I go to business, so that Annie
scarcely knows what she's going to have
for dinner. Could a man do more than
that, Smith ?"
" Perhaps he might do less, Robiuson.
I'm only a miserable bachelor myself,
and know nothing about women ; but
the question is, if you're not erring on
the generous side if you're not taking
too much upon yourself.
"A man can't do too much, Smith,
for the woman he adores."
Just then a customer came in, and I
was glad to get away. Robinson evi
dently had the best intentions in the
world. He loved his wife. He even
esteemed ins mother-in-law. 1 never
saw a man work so hard in what he con
sidered his line of duty, and so utterly
fail to recommend it to others, as poor
Robinson. But he began to be brighter
ana apparently Happier. The anniver
sary of his wedding was close at hand.
and he was interested in a gift to his
wile.
"I was puzzled what to get," said
Robinson. " You see she's got almost
everything, Smith; her wedding pres
ents embraced so many little adorn
ments and knickknacks. At last I hit
upon a black silk dress a woman can't
have too many, and I can get a bargain
down in the store just now. She said
she'd rather have the money and buy it
outside; but I persuaded her that
would be foolish. So she's coming in
to chocse the trimmings this afternoon,
and if she comes while I'm out you'll
take care of her, won't you r
" With pleasure," I said. And it so
happened that she did oome while
Robinson was away, and seemed to
bring all the sunshine with her;
Z told her that her husband had left
her in my care, and begged her to use
me in any way that suggested it so to
her; that it would be my happiness to
serve her.
I suppose there was an honest fervor
about this declaration that impressed
Mrs. Robinson. It had so happened
that I was able to show her some little
favors and attentions in return for the
many that her" husband had done for
me. I had told her I was under obli
gations to Robinson. Of course I
didn't explain that it was in his desir
ing to help me select my hat and coats
and boots; it wasn't necessary to enter
into these little details, but she under
stood that a natural gratitude on my
part led me to send her in return a few
little trifles, like bouquets, or new
books, or music, or opera tickets, once
in a while. So she knew the declaration
of mine that day at the store, that I
would be happy to serve her, came
straight from my heart.
" Yon are so good and kind," she
said. Then all at once an eager wist
fulness leaped into her eyes. " I wish
I could dare ask you to do me a favor,
Mr. Smith a very great favor," she
said.
"Do," I replied. "I won't abuse
your generosity."
" Oh ! I wonder if it will be right ?"
she said, clasping her little gloved
hands, and looking tip in my faco with
a charming air of indecision. " I won
der if I ought to do such a thing?"
" The fact that yon desire to do it is
a proof that it is blameless," I replied.
" I do desire it, ever so much," she
said; "and it is perfectly blameless.
I've set my heart on giving my husband
a present upon our marriage anniver
sary" " Is that all, Mrs. Robinson."
"All!" she replied, tapping her foot
with her parasol, with an air of vexation.
She was looking upon the floor now,
and a warm color burned in her cheek.
"It's so hard to explain to you," she
said. " I don't like to borrow money of
mamma, because' she don't understand
my nusoana, ana mattes so many un
pleasant remarks, and it's quite a large
sum i want lor the present. 1 m afraid
it will cost ten dollars." Here she
hesitated, and her color grew more and
more vivid.
" Ten dollars isn't a very laigo sum,"
said. I had decided now that she
wanted to ask me to lend her tho money,
but didn't know how to go about it, and
I was at loss how to help her. I had
two crisp five-dollar bills in my vest
pocket, but how to get them into her
hand was a problem. In the meanwhile
time was flying and Robinson would be
back.
"You understand my husband, Mr.
Smith. You know how kind and good
he is to me. He has told me how he
confides in you. You must know he is
the dearest, best of husbands."
"Of course I do, Mrs. Robinson. We
are like brothers, I said, with intense
friendly fervor
"I hate even to deceive him for a
moment, Mr. Smith. Of course I shall
tell him afterward ; but I want to sur
prise him. I wouldn't care to give him
anything if it wasn't a surprise."
"Ul course you wouldn t, Mrs. Rob
inson. Any other way would be so
lmmdrum and commonplace. I know
just how you feel about it."
" And my husband is so thoughtful.
ho is so anxious to relieve me of every
care, that he knows just where every
penny goes ; and, oh dear, it's too bad !"
Big tears gathered in her beautiful
eyes ; it was too much for me.
" I understand it all, Mrs. Robinson,"
blurted out. "Don't fret over such a
trifle as this," ond I thrust the two five
dollar bills in her hand.
She was on her feet in an instant.
White now to her lips, and an awful ex
pression in her eyes of reproach, rage,
regret, heaven knows what and all. Tho
five-dollar bills had dropped on the
floor.
" Good-morning, sir," she said. " I
have been mistaken in you. Please tell
my husband I could not wait for him."
She was a little woman, but she
seemed about ten feet high as she swept
out of our department. Fortunately
some foreign cases iiad effectually
screened us from observation. It was
some time before I could pick up the
bills. I felt stunned, bewildered, and
exceedingly humiliated and miserable.
I had made an ass of myself in some
way, and innocently outraged the feel
ings of this excellent little woman whom
I was most desirous to serve.
When Robinson came back he thoucht
it so strange that his wife hadn't waited
for him. He wanted to know when she
came, now long sue staid ; whether she
sat down or stood up, or said she'd come
in again, and if so, when. At last I was
desperate, and went out into the street.
Before I knew what I was about I was
uptown, and ringing the bell of the
brown-stown house that Robinson hired.
The servant he had selected came to the
door, and showed me into the parlor he
had furnished. His wife came right
down to me, and the moment she entered
the parlor I saw that her good sense
and kind hearb had gained their own
again.
"Not another word, Mr. Smith," she
said, when I began pouring out apolo
gies and explanations. " I was myself
to blame for it all. I wanted you to
sell something of mine for me, and with
the money help me to get the present
at cost. There, now, that's the whole
of it. If I had only told you at once,
instead of beating about the bush in
that way I But I've given up that idea,
because he'd be sure to know if I part
ed with anything, he's so interested;
he'd know if a silver thimble was gone.
But I've hit upon another plan, and I'll
tell you all about it, if you'd like to
hear."
" Of course I'd like to hear," I ex
claimed. " You are an adorable little
woman to forgive that stupid blunder of
mine. I was so miserable to have
offended you; and your husband," I
added, for I thought I noticed a grow
ing rigidity in her manner from the
word " adorable," " we are like broth
ers, you know, Mrs. Robinson twin
brothers 1"
" Well, I'll tell you what I've decided
to do, Mr. Smith. I had to take ma
into my confldenoe, for she' going to
help me. You know I'm to hv a new
black silk, and it costs a good deal of
money to have it made. Mrs. Jones,
my dressmaker, wouldn't do it for less
than twenty dollars, and mamma and I
will make it ourselves, and take the
money we'd have to give Mrs. Jones for
the present. That will be really my
own money, because I shall earn it
my very own. Isn't it a capital idea ?"
" Splendid 1" I said; and shortly after
I took my leave, thinking all the way
down to the store what an amount of
trouble Robinson innocently gave that
dear little wife of his.
Wo settled upon a dressing-case for
Robinson before I left that day, and
Mrs. Robinson and I had to go together
to look at the different varieties of these
articles, and I didn't want to choose
anything in a hurry, and then be sorry
afterward; and altogether it was aston
ishing how absorbed I became in the
purchase of that dressing-case. I
thought of nothing else.
The anniversary of Robinson's wed
ding came upon a Saturday evening.
and tho next morning I was walking in
tne park, thinking it all over how
happy Robinson must have been when
she surprised him with the dressing-case,
and what a confoundedly lucky fellow
he was anyway. L leu into quite a sen
timental mood. I suppose the scene
around me had something to do with
it. It was one of those delightful
mornings in May, when happy ripples
run through the grass, and young shrubs
burst suddenly into bloom and verdure.
Birds sang gayly in the hedges and the
air was full of a vague perfume. Some
white-winged butterflies flitted by. I
took off my hat. Though a little bald,
I enjoyed the soft radiance of the sun
shine. I began to understand how at
certain seasons a man might slip into
rhyme, or matrimony.
All at once this celestial silence was
broken by an advancing figure. It was
Robinson and alone. His head was
bowed, his hat jammed over his eyes ;
the only part of his face that was at
first visible was of an ashen hue. His
whole aspect was one of unutterable
misery and despair.
" Good heavens, Robinson," I cried,
rushing up to him and seizing his arm,
" has anything happened to your wife?"
" To my wife ? Yes," he said ; and I
sank into one of the iron benches. I
thought she was dead, and was relieved
to hear the next sentence. Relieved,
though startled.
" My wife has left me, Smith. She's
gone home to her mother."
"Left you? Gone home to her
mother ? Why, wasn't last night your
anniversary ?"
" Yes ; that was how it came about ;
that was the way I found her out,
Smith. She's deceived me shamefully
and pefsistentlv deceived me, and vet,
miserable wret8h that I am," added
Robinson, sinking into the seat beside
me, and covering his face with his
hands, " I love her still."
"Yon have deceived yourself in some
way," I cried, naturally indignant and
incredulous. " It is some miserable
mistake of your own. I know that your
wife is the soul of integrity and honor.
" God bless vou, Smith !" he cried,
grasping my hand fervently. " Would
to heaven I could believe what you say !
but the facts are too convincing. Up
to yesterday I was the happiest man in
the universe. I went home early, and
on my way stopped at Mrs. Jones', toy
wife s dressmaker, to see if her black
silk was done."
" What?" I shrieked.
ner black silk, you know," said
Robinson " the one I told you. about.
She said at least a dozen times that it
was in the dres smaker's hands. I gave
her twenty dollars long ago to pay for
it, and 1 thought I d step in cn my way
home, so that there would be no disap
poiutment. That was perfectly natural,
wasu t it, Smith t
" Go on," I groaned.
" I went to the dressmaker's, lang the
bell; Mrs. Jones camo to the door, and
she said that she hadn't seen my wife
for six months, that she never heard
anything about a black silk dress,
was stunned, bewildered. I tried to
persuade her she was wrong; she shut
the door in my face. I hurried home.
naturally vexed and indignant. My
wife came to meet me, smiling and fond,
Smith it breaks my heart to think of
it. I asked her about the black silk
Was it done? Not quite, she said. Was
it at the dressmakers I les. At Mrs.
Jones' ? And was it to cost twentv dol
hirs? Yes; but why was I so troubled
about it ?
'"Because, madam, 1 cried, 'vou
have deceived me ; I have just stopped
at your dressmaker's. She hasn't seen
you for six months."
" My (rife turned pale, called to her
mamma, and fell back into Mrs. Page's
arms in a dead faint.
" Mrs. Page then Hew into a violent
rage, and abused me shamefully. She
used language, Smith, that it is painful
to repeat. She called me a sneak and
a petty tyrant, a spy and a miser. She
declared that her daughter never had a
penny that I didn't know when it was
coined, and how she spent it ; that
Annie had no more to do with her own
house than a Dutch doll, and the soonei
she was out of it .the better. She sent
my servant for a cab, and before my
wife had fully recovered she took her
away. I have paced the floor all night,
Smith. I shall never go back to the
store again. I'm a ruined man for
there's something behind all this, Smith:
my servant told me last night that my
wife has been iu the habit lately of see
ing a gentleman, of going out with him
and remaining a couple of hours ; he is
stout and dark, a little bald, and wears
spectacles."
I burst out laughing. " That's me !"
I cried. " Look at me, Robinson. I'm
the man !" -
Robinson glared at me in a dazed but
desperate wav. I saw that he was upon
the point of frenzy, and hastened to tell
him all about his dressing-case. Before
I was half through, he had absolutely
thrown his arms about me, and cried
like a baby.
" My mother-in-law was right, Smith,"
ne cried. " I have been a sneak and a
spy, and perhaps a miser."
"You meant well, Robinson; but it's
better to let women manage their own
affairs."
" It's better to Blind ene'i own busi
ness," said Robinson. " l ve been a
miserable meddler, and deserve to be
punished. Before heaven, Smith, it
was with the best intentions."
" I know it. Robinson."
" " But I'll never do it again never 1
And now let's go after my wife- you
and I can explain the thing to Mrs.
Page. I don't wonder she hates me,
Smith. Poor little Annie ! What a
life she has led I I wonder she remains
fond of me."
"Well. I can vouch for that," I re-
Elied, honestly enough; and I persuaded
im to stop at home and tidy up a bit,
got shaved, and have some breakfast.
" That servant must go," said uobin-
son, savagely.
" Let your wife hire the next one," I
said. And just as I imagined, when we
reached Robinson's, there was the dear
little woman waiting for him. He fell
on his knees at her feet and began his
protestations. I thought it best to leave
them alone together; but how exceed
ingly lonely and forlorn my bachelor
oh ambers did look when I reached
them I Harpers Weekly.
Hlgh-Prlccd Beans.
Tom Watrous, commercial traveler,
stopped off at the Marshall, Mich., eat
ing house several years ago.
He was not very hungry, ana caiiea tor
a plate of beans, which ho received. He
inquired the price, and was informed
that it was seventy-five cents.
" That's a thundering price for beans,"
said Tom.
" That's the price," said the proprie
tor.
The train was just starting; Tom
paid the bill, and the coaches bore him
and his indignation on toward Detroit.
This was on Saturday. Un Monday,
Gilmore, the eating-house man,, received
a telegram, collect on delivery, $1.25,
which he paid, and read on opening it :
A thundering price lor beans.
Thirty days from that date a neat
express package was handed iu to Gil-
more, 0. O. D., who paid ninety cents
for the privilege of openirg it, to dis
cover a lot of sawdust, on tho top of
which lay a slip of paper with the caba
listic symbols : "A thundering price for
beans !
Two months from this uilmore was
summoned to Chicago to meet a former
business partner, and the hotel clerk
handed him a letter conveying the
pleasant information : "A thundering
price for beans !
During Gilmore's absence his son
paid for two telegrams and one express
package, all bearing directly on tne sub
ject of seventy-five cents being "a
thundering' price for beans 1 Cost ol
these articles. S3.80. A genuine tele
gram from Gilmore's mining share
broker, advising him to sell, was refused,-and
the' loss of it entailed an
actual damage to Gilmore of $1,500.
A year rolled away. Gilmore order
ed a case of Mackiuao trout from De-
troit. They came O. O. D., $13.83;
when opened he found every fish had
been removed from the ice and sawdust,
and a shingle met his eyes marked with
a blue lead pencil : " A thundering
price for beans 1 Trouble arose be
tween Gilmore and the Detroit fish
house, and they went to law, Gilmore
winning the suit, $25 damages, and all
at a cost for the attorney's services ot
??8(i.90.
Gilmore grew dejected. Life looked
gloomy. Letters poured in on every
one of his family at regular intervals
from all parts cf the world, bearing the
unpleasant information that it was " a
thundering price for beans."
At last Gilmore sold the Marshall
eating-house and moved to Chicago. He
carried his deep aflliction along with
him, gnawing like a cancer at his vitals.
The persecution never ceaed. Gilmore
drooped, faded and finally died. The
terribly alllicted family followed him to
his last resting-place, and the widow,
with what little money she had saved
from the expenses of bogus telegrams
and express packages, erected a plain
marble slab to the memory of the tor
tured Gilmore.
The following Sabbath the mourning
family went out to the cemetery to plant
some violets on Uilmore s grave. Ar
riving on the ground they observed in
silent horror that another legend ap
peared above the name of Gilmore, on
tho tombstone. It was chalked on a
small blackboard and read:
; A THUNDEIUNO PHICE FOR DEANS.
Central City Item.
Mexican Homos.
The Mexican ladies, writes a corre
spondent, are the most lovable, charm
ing, amiable women in the world, and
domestic life in this country is worthy
the admiration of our people, and might
be imitated by Americans. As there are
no summer or winter resorts, families
are not separated three or four months
of each year. The mother does not
urge her daughter to excel in the art of
dress for the purpose oi attracting
attention or catching male butterflies.
The fashionable hotel or boarding-house
that pest, that curse of our land is,
happily, unknown here. Jach young
couple, when they marry, settle down
in their own little house, however
humble it may be, and their children
are brought up in the pure sunlight ol
home. There are more marriages " for
love " here than in France and Spain
combined. Cupid holds firmer sway
than Plutus. I admit that Mexican
girls ought to have a more solid, liberal
education than they generally receive.
Not that it is at all necessary for them
to puzzle their brains over Euclid and
the exact sciences, but they ought to
burn their embroidery frames, stop
making wax flowers (an absurdity in
this beautiful, fertile land), and study
modern history, natural philosophy and
mark the present course of events, and
take some interest in the political
status of the world. In the higher class
the ladies are generally accomplished,
are good linguists and excellent musi
cians, but the great middle classes seem
to have no higher ambition for their
daughters than to have them taught to
read, write and sew. The fragile forms,
sallow complexions, and the listlessness
we observe among them, are mainly due
to their eternal stitching and want of
xsrciie. Proqrtu.
FACTS AND COMMENTS.
Extended crop reports recently pub
lished in the Chicago Times indicate
that the Northwest will more than make
up for the partial failure of the winter
wheat ciop by an increased acreage and
assured yield of spring wheat. Minne
sota and Dakota alone promise to make
good tne deficit.
George Morton, a Canadian cheese ex
porter, will undertake a scheme for a
great dairy colony in the Northwest.
There are to be 224 farms of 1G0 acres
each, stocked at the outset with thirty
cows each. The novelty will be a nar-roff-gauge
railroad, with a station on
each farm, so that milk can be carried
to a central cheese factory twice a day.
A dangerous counterfeit of the stand
ard American silver dollar has made its
appearance. They have the ring of the
genuine metal, tho milling is perfect,
and there is an absence of that greasy
substance which is found by running the
thumb over the general run of base
coins. They are, however, too light,
and a trifle thicker than the genuine.
The days when nothing was sold in
San Francisco for less than a dime, and
even that minimum price was almost a
badge of disgrace in the eyes of people
who remembered the golden days of the
half-dollar, have passed away forever.
Californians have passed their period of
contempt for small coins and the chink
of the nickle is heard in the land. The
Bulletin regards this fact as an indica
tion of the healthy financial condition
of the community. People purchase
less of what they" do not want and of
necessary articles only what they need,
and have ceased to fear the derision ot
those who still refuse to recognize any
sum of money smaller than one "bit."
A writer in a French paper ascribes
the exceptional healthiness of butchers
to their inhaling the nutritive principles
of meat, and a French physician of emi
nence deduces from this the desirability
of vapor baths charged with vitalizing
principles. Cooks, at this rate, ought
to be amazingly full of vitality. The
good health of butchers is probably
due to their living entirely in the open
air, tho same cause which gives so many
more years of life, on the average, to
the grocer's clerk than to his dry goods
brother. Thirty years ago butchers in
London never wore hats when at work,
but drove all over the town barehead
ed, as many young butchers do now.
This inhaling idea is, like all others,
old. A century ago consumptive pa
rents were sent to live over cow-houses
The ratio of ministers to members
varies greatly in different denomina
tions, as the following table will show:
Churches. Members
African M. E., one minister to overy 224
Lutheran, il
M. K.. Sonth. " " 214
Iieforined (Oer.), ono minister to every 212
Colored M. E.. " " ....
.17
lteformed (Dutch),
Methodist Episcopal,
Baptists,
African 5f. E. Zion,
Evangelical Associa'n,
United Presbyterian,
Presbyterian"(North),
t'ongregationalista,
Protestant Episcopal,
Methodist Protestant,
117
.....144
13S
127
1
118
114
107
100
80
80
I uniberlanu Pres.
United Brethren iu Christ, ono minister to
every 01
Average 141
Recent advices speak of the discovery
of a new gold field in the most inland
part of New South Wales, which is caus
ing some excitement among the gold-
mining community. The scene of the
find is the Grey Ranges, a wild elevated
country in the extreme northwest of the
colony, and on the borders t South
Australia. Apart from the nature of the
deposits, which are said to be rich, the
discovery is interesting as a matter of
science, as being a deviation from the
rule which has hitherto prevailed that
all of the mineral wealth, and especially
the gold deposits, in Australia have
been found within a short distance from
the coast. The nearest village to the
Grey Ranges is Wilcannia, on the Dar
ling river, some oou mi'es ironi Sidney,
and 200 miles from .the cold Held
Water is scarce, and only to be met
with at distances of fifty miles apart, so
that intending prospectors will have to
encounter more than the usual amount
of difficulty.
Educating Oysters
Although it has been doubted that an
oyster had been so far subjugated as to
" follow its master up and downstairs,"
a consummation which might be ac
cepted as positive progressive steps in
the risa toward ultimate civilization, at
least according to "Lewes Sea-side
Studies," oysters are susceptible
being educated to a small extent. In
the great establishments on the coast of
Calvados the merchants teach oysters
to keep their shells closed when out of
the water, by which means the liquor
retained keeps their gills moist, and
they arrive lively in far distant Pans,
The process may be worthy of extensive
publicity; it is this: No sooner is an
oyster taken from the sea than it closes
its shells, and opens them alter a cer
tain time from fatigue, it is said, but
more probably because the shock it re
ceived by removal into the air causing
its muscles to contract has passed away.
The Calvados men take advantage of
this to exercise the oysters, and make
them accustomed to be out of the water
by leaving them daily in the atmosphere
for longer and longer periods. This has
the desired effect; the well-educated
mollusk keeps its door closed at least
for many consecutive hours, and so long
as the shell is closed its gills are kept
moist. All the Year Hound.
Miss Eva C. Kroner has assumed edi
torial control of the Ellis (Kansas'!
Headlight, and announces in her first
number that she is " a girl, with all
girl's love for fun, frolio and romance,"
If editing doesn t take that love for fun.
etc., out of her we shall be mistaken,
It has a more sobering effect than a hus
band could hav. JVoj Timm.
FOB THE LADIES.
A ltoj-nl niiile'dTroiimefta.
The New York Telegram says of tho
trousseau belonging to the Princess
Stephanie, of Belgium, married to the
Crown Prince of Austria: It had been
exhibited at the royal palace at Brus
sels, and the descriptions of its fairy
like materials, and the exquisite works
of art In gold and silver embroidery and
laces of marvelous delicacy; were most
exciting. Amid all the bridal glories
one table in the middle of the hall was
heaped up with linen and household
goods, which attracted tne attention oi
the ladies. It may interest lady renders
to know that the chemises are fringed
with costly lace and with lovely bosoms
of artistio workmanship. Then there
were jackets, corsets, jupons, handker
chiefs, fichus, cravatcs and other most
charming objects necessary to tho femi
nine toilet. Near these were costlier
prenents of dresses and jewelry. The
bridal dress was of the traditional cloth
of silver, richly ornamented with em
broidery designs representing rak,
laurel and rose branches, lntertwinea
with bounuets of orance blossoms, the
whole, both for design and harmony of
color, forming a robe such as connois
seurs declared was never seen before.
The waist and arms were decorated with
delicate silver lace, the train of the same
material as the robe aud embroidered
to match. It was four meters long and
four wide. The bouquets and designs
in high relief on the train have occupied
many industrious hands for over three
months. The queen of the Belgians
wore a dress at the wedding which was
composed of azure velvet, the train,
with rich silver embroidery, falling
over a similarly embroidered under
dress of dead blue satin. It was very
tastefully decorated with silver lace,
and the draping and arrangements of
this matchless robe were such as to
send those who have seen it into ecsta-
How Women Mioiilcl Dress.
An American authority says: No lady
need be ashamed to dress plainly or
cheaply; she can, with the help of the
modern guides to aress, appear nite a
lady on very little money. She can lay
down three rules for herself: Never to
pretend to anything, never to wear jew
elry, and, affirmatively, always to be
neat. A young gill with a white mus
lin and a fresh flower is dressed for a
queen's ball. A lady of maturc-r years,
with a well-fitting dark silk, real jew
elry or none, and her own hair all tho
better if it is white is also dressed for
ball. True womanhood include all
the delicate refinements that overflow
in tho perfect glove, the well-fitting
shoe, the pretty stocking, the neat
frills, the becoming bonnet. 'ine
American woman, to do her only jus
tice, is not a creature by instinct, and if
she occasionally gives too much thought
to dress, she is still to be admired and
commended for her daintiness,
Fnstilon Notes.
Scarf draperies grow in favor.
Vermicelli lace is out of fashion.
Colored Spanish lace is made into hats.
Stool lace bonnets are trimmed with
ostrich tips.
Tuscan cream is the name of a new
color in lace.
Crosswise draperies are much used for
short skirts.
Triangular sticks are the newest for
sunshades.
Surah serge is trimmed with batisto
embroidery.
Soft thick ostrich feathers are put ou
bonnets of steel lace.
The frills on summer silk dresses are
cut in points this season.
Wall flower tints reappear again in
flowers, ties and ribbons.
The Watteau is the favorite style for
illuminated foulard dresses.
Paste jewels set in steel are used for
buttons on foulard gowns.
The pinkish white color of the new
laces is called baked earth.
Some of the summer piques have
designs like those of brocade.
Surah is made into blouse waists for
children's wear. It washes as well as
linen.
Chenille dotted net is not tied when
used for bonnet strings, but caught by a
flower.
Flat collars to bo worn on silk dresses
have a point behind and a point cn each
shoulder.
Watered silk appears as panels in
skirts, and also as waistcoats in evening
costumes.
Black satin parasols are frequently
edged with plaited satin ruffles of gold
color or scarlet.
Shirred cuffs edged with lace, accom
pany shirred collarettes and fichus of the
same material.
The fastening used with surplice
waists is three buckles placed slant
wise at the waist.
Some of the light summer mantles
are trimmed all around with black lace
over white lace.
White pique bonnets in the poke
shape have muslin crowns which are
fastened on by buttons.
White waists under overdresses with
square neck and no sleeves are to be
worn by little children this summer.
Summer crowns for vounsr crirls have
skirts of thin wool, and waists of surah
with silk ruches and ruffles of choice
lace.
Some time since a letter was received
in New Orleans directed "to the Biggest
Fool in New Orleans." The postmaster
was absent, and on his return one of the
youngest clerks in the .office informed
him of the letter. " And what became of
it ? " inquired the postmaster. " Why,"
replied the clerk, " L did not Know who
the biggest fool in New Orleans was, and
so I opened the letter myBelfl" "And
what did you find in it?" inquired the
postmaster. , "Why," responded the
clerk, "nothing but the words, 'Thou
art the man!'"
Iris colors are the soft hues of the
Bt flower, and are becoming to young
irlr. with yellow hair