J 1 i Somerset Herald. i"" ,c-r ITS' kvrnlSUi r lVry Wednesday morninj at " ifl jf paid in advance, otherwise .. . ... ...4 'J '" .vn will be discontinued nnUl 3"fS i paid cp. Postmasters ne- . . . . k .. ug when luncnwn uu not h ir iwper wiU be held responsible j ....-ention. 1 beJ raving f"m one postoflloe to pw- Iutsx,sasTHs.aaJ, SOMERSET, Pa. 1 F- FhL NOTARY FL'BUC. ' (somerset, ea .1 euuie-raei, l enn a Ilmir. I1 r-"" " l,iEn.im-1llhL ... ; ruj'f w w -..-.. i: V C W. WAUiKK. nvi:tVs-Al-LA'. .au.NulAia I'LULIC, 5ouien:L, Pa, jtv-rt House. . . - -1 i Ci -A , , Ittlilll-C Pli t( .': I ''Ul Ul si - iti;,'':!i,.ve,..M-i.w. .-siuierw.1 Pa. i'.KKKLEY, i.in.t.i-ai-- iVN , SHjmcrael, I'm 11 ILL, Ojiiitrxel, Pa. Burncrse-l, Pa, Ivow, oj'iKteiUs Court R i!:--.U-Y-AT-LAW, ' &uiucrM;i, Pa. SMimerscL, Pa, :;vt pr it:;t ij'iHu to bu.siiits eu- MDTINK HAY, Ai im.N 1 1-AT-LA Wf KV.'.-r:ti K.-il KMate, Will u:u-ud to A i E Y-AT-LAW , tHuitrs't, Pa. pvr ::'- ait-ud to all busiuran eu- 1. UImiX i" .iiUiUUllHll liiuck. ji- 0. KIM MEL, Aliui-M- i-AT-LAW, boiuerael, Pa. sT'iii I" t'-' buMueas euiruoted t bis uuiot- uu JanJu crutia AilisL ITCill, Sl l ui i. t"-AT-LA W, feollierset, Pa. MboiWith Block, up aiaira. En jx ui L..u I ro- ir u ollidious i.(,'tMft'.i-ii. uil txj.nuin.-a.aua all aiicuoca lo iui piuiupuict J. COL&JLX. L. C COLBORN. 'jLKuilN 4 COLLUKX, ; jii(ji:i.i:--i-LAW, mvnx;t, Pa. eij'.r'.ej to our cure will be ia, iuiu.iy uti.riiu-d vk loileo--.ttjrt'or iL .-iii r.i, it-uortf and aijii . cuulu-t. Lrllg uua couveyiiciiis IL L BALit. Ai luKNEY-AT-LAW, ;:uerw.-t. Pa. pMixt ia tsum-n-ct and adjoining . A. l .r.n. -. ;i'.rilnlcU U Ulill Will S. Oj.'I H' 'Ta. U-. IL RITPPEL. UiiuI'H 4 KUPl'EL, A ii Ui. t :A T-LA W, btuiuerat-t, Pa. b;..UT-r.tn:.d to tl-ir care will be - m .jtt'tUMi.y atu-udt-a to. udice Sti t.ruo mpai, oiiuMt Muinuiolh x W. (.AKOlliKRS M- D., t JriVsJtiAN AXKSL'KAiEON", buiuerset. Pa, os P.u-.i.t stxrt, oi'jKfciie IT. B ) P. K SHAFFEI4, ViislcIAN anuSCRGI G EON, &uuirnet, Ia. L;' pjnfioual service to the eiU- ll J- M. LOFT I Eli, l'HV.-:aAN ANU.-rL'KGEON. A IL ii im t, rtur of Drug store. H. : KIMM ELL, :' ' ""'":o:.:ii v rvic- to the ci'J- "''- -...--!.-; air I v;r:inly. I'lilrM pro- tiiy' L- ' ' ' i-!oundat bia ol- '-'MII.LF.N, ""lit in-.:itry.) 'i'!.l, u to ti:e ires-rvation rr-i,. Ar!i;..-ii.i iux-nt-x. araii--,-u ui-i.-ijry. otln-e --L. il. lavni k Co's atore, -naini I'alno; ijtrwla. H. COFFllOTH, Funcrai Director. iliiia cr.w Isideuoe, Patriot t. 15. FLLTK, Land Surveyor CsiSj tNuKsttit. Ustie, Pa. Pils! Oilsl 'tl?00- "ttrt'ont IVpart ikiao,T', -."U4k"1 "pw-M'ty of c 1utt brands of bating & Lubricating Oils 1 & (iftcnliriA !L.. , u,J,.rri(n p( iulitra. AVe chal- Uij every koown Prod -act of Petroleum -Job , 'i-liifni.jstunifornily factory Oils -ix the 4 C. Hul-J eran farket. i r i.. f.,r ,,1l n1 ViC,n. :i ":-I 'i-d by l"K & i'.KKRITS and fineratt. Pa. ill 3 1 i! A 1J .e VOL. XLY. NO. la what give Hood 'aeSarea par ilia 1U great popularity, iu constantly increasing sales, and enables it to accomplish ita wonderful and unequalled cures. The combination, proportion and process H3ed in preparing Hood's Farsaparilie re unknown to other medicines, and mate Hood's Sarsaparilla Peculiar to Itself It cures a wide range of disrates becaufe of its power as a blood purifier. It arts directly and positively upon the blooct, and the blood reaches every nook and cornerof the human Fystem. Thns all the nerves, muscles, bones and tit-sue come under the bei.eficent influence of Sarsaparilla Th" Ono True I'IihmI Purifi r. H; six for u j riMi cl,r" I-iv-r Ills; easy to ilOCU S ir'lliS te,sy towiwrate. sse. -THE First Naiional Bait Somerset, Penn'a. Capital, Surplus, S50.000. S24.000. DEPOSITS RCCCIVC. IN LANSC ANOSMALt AMOUNTS. PAYABLE ON DEVAND. ACCOUNTS OF MERCHANTS, FARMERS. STOCK DEALERS. AND OTHERS SOLICITED -DISCOUNTS DAILY. BOARD OF DIRECTORS. LaRUE M. HICKS, GEO. R. SCTLL, JAMKS U 1'L liH, W. U. MIIXEI JOHN R, OTT. IUIBT. 8. !SCL LL, t RED W. BIEhECK,ER EDWARD SCULL, : : PRESIDENT. VALENTINE HAY. : VICE PRESIDENT. HARVEY M. BERKLEY, - CASHIER. The fuDts and aecuritie of this ban are se- I curely protected in a celebrated Corliss Bca- Gi-AK Pboop Sa Fa. The ouiy aafe made abso lutely burvlar-prool. leScffletCcMfNatioaal. OF SOMERSET PA. tstablltlMd, 1877. Orgtnlzti t i Kit!cMl,1890- Capita!, - $ 50,000 00 Surplus & Undivided Profits, 23,000 GO Assets, - - 300,000 00 rCfc Chas. J. Harrison, Wm. II. Koontz, -Milton J. Pritts, Geo. S. Harrison, Frcsitlent. Vice President. - - Cashier. Asa't Cashier. D I RECTORS . Wm. Endsley, Josiah Spwht, John II. Snyder, Joseph B. Davis, Jerome Stufft, 8am. B. Chas. W. Snyder II. C. Beerits, John StuSft, Ilarrimn Snyder, Noah S. Miller, Harrison. Cutomer or thllnk will receive he most UImthI treat nientconatsU-nt wltli safe bauking. Purtiea wlsiiintt to .-nd money eiu-t or west can be aoeoiiniiodiiU-U by draft for any amount. - . . Money and valuable sorured by one or Pi hf)ld celt-oraU-d sat", 'lin m,Jht improved tiint lock. , , Collections made in all part or the United Statnt. Chanfrti moderate. Accounts and dtpoaita solicited. A. H. HUSTOf., Undertaker and Embalmer. A GOOD HEARSE, and everything pertaining to funerals furn- Ishcd. SOMERSET - - Pa Jacob D. Swank, Watchmaker and Jeweler, Next Door West of Lutheran Church, Somerset, - Pa. I Am Now prepared to supply tlie public with Clocks, Watches, and Jew elry of all descriptions, as Cheap as tin? Cheapest, REPAlllISU A SPECIALTY. All work guaranteed. Look at my stock before making your purchases. J. D. SWANK. CAVTATS. TRADE MARKS. OES1CN PATENTS. I COPYRICHT8. toJ tBf-irmat'nn ant fr. Handbook : MUSS CO- 1 KaotowT. hsw a- f dentine Jtacfa B A N vs. 4 SolentlflO American B''JZ TRADE MARKS. flZX? CESICM PATEMTS. IatrtehilBt1nef av rmnnc rrr l?oEd 1-pleiMlkliT i:iu-4ratd. K j uMlkwi r- Vara City. . 30. THE OLD CALENDAR. The calendar of iiinrty-cix Now totu-ra to Us foil. And lluit for nlm ty x en comes To crowd It from the wall. When that old card was posted up It aeeina but ytwterday Its Ink wan fresh. Its eolnra hrislit, But now It's torn and gray. I Jke faithful friend. It neVr deceives. But always anawerv straight Wlinn with Inquiring eyes we turn To aw-ertaln the date. TliO!it;li uestlonxi oft, by day and ulght, tiur trust It ne'er la-trays; A sentinel of time it standii. With record of the days. And as we look fond nu inoric rise of d:iys that It has w-cn Hlnce it was placed uton the wall With all lis lustre cle:in. In reminiscent mood our minds IUv:ill the pleasant hours When skies were bright, and hearts were Kay. And path so-mrd strewn with flowers. And, thinkinz of the year to -onir. We woiid. r if but, psliaw ! This inonlliiliK doesn't uy Wlu'a doubt.sariM- to awe. The old uinst (to, the new must come. Time's always on the wiiit, And every yej.r to every life lis shuiv of joys will brin. A TRUE HERO OF THE 0LDXAVV. COMMODORE DAVID PORTER AND THE FOXARDO AFFAIR. HOW EE SXTPPBESSED PIRACY. He Made tie Flag Reipeetcd Only to Ban Afoul of Officials on Snore His Trial and the Sentence Ee Would Kot Endure How E Defended Himself. From tlie New York Sun. Kvery American w familiar with the early career of Commodore David Por ter; how as a lad he entered the first navy of the infant republic; how in 17!is, at the age of is, he lcamc a mid shipman ; how iu the following year he distinguished himself during the struggle of the Constellation with the L'l nsurgente by cutting awe;.- wound ed ppar on his own responsioiLiy; bow he t-liareil the fnte of the crew of the Philadelphia, and was imprisoned at Tivoli, and how his cruise in the Essex w by far the most gallant aud roman tic episode of the war of lsli Popular knowledge regarding Porter, however, ceases with the return of peace, the popular belief diKibtless 'ie ing that he then retired ititosome Val halla of comfort, sustained by the grat itude of his countrymen aud cheered by the universal plaudits. Hut the sequel iu reality was vastly different ; and in its record of futile self-sacrifice and success and of patriotism cou fiunded by conservative ofticialism, it presents a (ale of melancholy iuterest. The war of 1S12, 1-eing a practical demonstration of the strength of popu lar goverurient, stimulated the Span ish possessions of the New World to relellion. One afic-r another the colo nies of Central tvnd South America as serted aud maiutained their indejend ence. Of course the l"nit"i States sympathized with these revolutions; yet out from them there arose a critical condition which demanded the armed attention of the government. The new republics, P.uenos Ay res aud Venezuela in particular commis sioned privateer-tnen against the merchant marine of Spain. Tliesesoon swept the Spanish iraiiic from the gulf aud the main. This success increased the predatory serviiv, and with num bers came a reckless lack of discrimina tion. Any crew of slaves, la!srers, fishermen, farmers, coat wise and world wide rufiians that could command a schooner with a couple of guns put to sea; aud whenever they met an un armed and heavily laden craft, then followed attack, bloodshed, rapine and scuttling, without regard to what col ors floated from its jeak or what reg ister res-t in its cabin locker. The West Indian commerce of every nation, and esjiecially of the United Stales, was se riously interrupted; and those who at first had been praised as patriots were denounced as pirates, brethren of the coats, and enemies of all mankind. The United State's soou found that tolerance was deemed a sign of weak ness. Some cruisers and frigates were dispatched to the Gulf of Mexico with instructions to convoy American ves sels, extirpate piracy and keep a sharp eje against the slave trade. The ser vice proved exhausting and dangerous. As most of the piratical craft were of light draught, pursuit had to be made in open boats under tropical beats by day aud with malarial chills by night. It was in such service that Oliver Haz ard Perry, the hero of Lake Erie, lost his life. Whenever the pirates were encountered they were vanquished; but day by day the question of first catch ing them became more perplexing and uncertain. -Meanwhile Porter was holding the ofliee of Naval Commissioner, an easy berth with gfxxl pay and moderate home duties. But in 1S23, when the subject of West Indian depredations had become a problem as mortifying as it was inexplicable, he voluntarily re signed his comniissioiu-rship and an nounced his readiness to settle the buc caneers at once and for all time. This offer was gladly accepted by the Mon roe administration with a prompt com pliance iu the experienced commo dore's suggestions. Porter perceived the vital need of small, fleet, light draught craft. He himself selected at lioston five barges of twenty oars each, named the , Mosquito, the Gnat, the Midge, the Sandfly and the Uallinip per, and popularly termed "the Mos quito fleet." He also procured eight small schooners, carrying three guns each, of which the most famous was the Jteatt'e, the other being simiiarsy called after divers swift-footed animals. The flagship was the Peacock, and five cruisers followed in its wake. There was also a New York ferry-boat, per haps as a test of Chinese warfare. Dut, with this exception, the armament was both serviceable and formidable. Porter'9 good judgment soon reaped the natural fruits of las daring. He rendezvoused at Key Wert, and from there sc iured the coasts of San Domin go aud Cuba. He crushed out nests of omer SOMERSET, PA., ui rates on Porto Rien anil thn Tslo of Palms. Every month there were in numerable adventure, cutting out ex peditions, hand-to-hand fights iu which the women of the freebooters showed the greater ferocity; midnight chases through bayous and creeks, descents on caves and keys, and boardings with cutlass and pike, while the Jolly Roger flapped defiantly nailed to the mast head. Tlie diary of David Glasgow Farragut, who, as everywhere, lore a faithful, courageous part iu the service, reads like a romance of the sea rather than tlie record of conscientious young ni.Hiilioo-L The buccaneers were dis jerscd, if not wholly destroyed, and American merchantmen nailed un moUsted under such vigilant convoy- j ing. All this, however, was accoai- j ptished at the cost of much sickness j and of many lives. In Pitil yellow j jack drove the? Ileet iutj tvrtliern wa ters, in ism i'iter was cotiijH-llrii, through the breaking out 01" an old j wound, to lake a furlough. Samuel L. Southard was Monroe's Secretary of the Xavy, a public fun tionary of the old school, whose imrtic- tilar aptitude for the Naval Depart ment had been founded by excellent work as a law reporter. He it was who on his appointment had lecii unable to make ready answer to the quip of a friend: "Now, Mr. Southard, can you assert that you kuow the bow from the stern of a frigate?" Hetween him and Porter there wn fcutiigonism. The Secretary felt that lie was ignored; the commodore fretted front lack of appreciation. The one felt his ollicial and the other his nat ural suieriority. There were squab bles aUut Porter's right to return with out iermission. - There were remon strances over a suitable flagship's not 1 icing furnished. At length, in the autumn of S2l, Porter sailed away for his station in the John Adams, as in dignant over slights as was Southard himself. Meanwhile (here bad also been trouble with the Mosquito fleet. On October iti cotuplaiut was made to Charles S. PJatt, lieutenant command ing the lieagle, that the stores of the American Consular agent at St. Thomas had been broken into, aud goods to the amouut of $5,000 stolen. Many cir cumstances indicated that this property had been carried to Foxardo, a small town of unsavory reputation, on the eastern end of Porto Kico. More than once had pirates taken refuge there; more than once had its inhabitants heeii guilty of acts of lawlessness. Piatt determined to proceed thither and in voke the aid of the authorities, lie trusted largely to the efliescyof a letter which he bore, addressed to one who was universally deemed the first citi- of the Plaoe Piatt anchored his boat in the harbor and proceeded to the town in company with three others, all being in private dress. He found this first citizen, who was profuse in promises of assistance. With him he called on the Alcalde and the captain of the port and de manded reparation ami restitution. At tirst tlie lieutenant's character was con ceded and his object of secrecy in ap teaiing without his uniform recogniz vd. Later, however, after the first citi zen had talked uiui t with the officials, there was a change. He was rei nest ed to show his regis! r, and, though Jie finally sent for his uniform and couniission, was deuouneed rouud'.y jis a pirate and placed under arrest iu tt iiiihy stronghold. At nightfall he was curtly dismissed, and returned to his ship, without the stolen goods, and amid the jeers and curses of the popu lace. On November VI Torter arrived at SU Thomas aud received a report of this scurvy treatment. He acted at once. Accompanied by the Beagle and the Grampus, he sailed on the John Adams for Foxardo. There he sent a flag of truce to the town with the message that if .ajiology for the treatment of Lieutenant Piatt was not made within one hour he would storm the place. He then landed companies of sailors and marines aggregating over 200 in number: Thee spiked two lat teries where threatening preparations were ling made, and then proceeded inland. A mob of native militia ma le some show of force and for the moment an engagement was imminent, when the Alcalde and the Captain of the Port appeared and rendered submis sion. They apologized for Piatt's im prisonment; they admitted that it was wrongful, and promised that thereafter American officers should be respected and assisted. Then the troops march ed back again, partaking of grog on the shore at the expense of their late antagonists. Porter made due report of these pro ceedings to the Navy Department, praising the conduct of his men and expatiating on the good which this ex ample .would produce. There is no doubt that he believed he deserved well of his country; there is no doubt that the order which he received from Southard recalling him to explain "the extraordinary transactions at Fox ardo," came with crushing force aud shock. Not for one instant did he re gard such treatment otherwise than as an outrage. He hastened to Washing ton, hot with indignation, all ablaze with the fever of wounded honor, im patient of each moment that delayed bis vindication. There were many such moments, weary and ninddeuing. The depart ment seemed content to keep him on waiting orders. The administration of Monroe was just passing out. There were other matters that could less con veniently await the administration of John Ouincv Adams. IVit 'tot for one moment did Porter acquiesce in such leisure. He wrote leiUrs by the score, entreating, berating. He boaibardeMl the press with voluminous communi cations. If ever there was an old sea dog in a righteous rage, he was thit old sea dog. Iu April President Adams ordered a court of inquiry. This held its sessions at Washington, and throughout its course was subject to Porter's acute and minute criticisms. Before its decision was rendered he bad published au ac- j so ESTABLISHED 1827. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY G, 1897. countjof the proceedirgs, showing his own infallible position. The court, however, took an opposite view, and on Its recommendation Porter wussuni nioned ou the 23 of June as a defendant before a court-martial of twelve cap tains, with James Barron as President. Richard 8. Coxo appeared as judge advocate. Porter's instant objection to him resulted in a rather whimsical procedure. One of the judges disclaim ed his ability to decide whether such a challenge should be permlited without a legal opinion. The judge advocate was thereupon calW upon to furuish such advice, which he naturally did in favor of bis own independent and im movable iositioii. The charges were two-fold. The first accused Porter of disols-dienceand conduct unbecoming an oiiiccr in that "be did land on the island of Porto Ivico, in tlie eloiniuions of his Catholic Majesty, the King of Spain, and om- mit divers uets of hostility in contra- vention of the Constitution, the lawsof nations, and the government's instruc tions." The second charge was the di rect consequence of Porter's sincere bi.t injudicious rage, and dealt with his be havior since his return. It accused him of sending divers insulting letters to the President and Secretary of the Navy; of having published an incorrect account of the proceedings of the court of inquiry, with highly disrcsiicetful comments, and of having made public various official communications, thus 'impairing the discipline of the service and setting a most dangerous and per nicious example." The proof adduced by the prosecu tion on the first charge must have been highly satisfactory to the old hero. Lieuteuant Piatt testified as to his treutme.it at Foxardo, whereby it ap peared that iu all likelihood the worthy first citizen whose aid he invoked was the receiver of thestolen goods aud l.ad bribed the officials to insult ami drive him from town. Piatt and the other oflicers present also testified as to the details of Porter's famous exedition. They all agreed that everything had been done in an orderly manner and under colors; that the spiking of the guns had prevented bloodshed; that both the Alcaldennd the Captain of the Port had excused their conduct by claiming to have b-en urge ! on by the piratical nature of the inhabitants; that for years p;tst Foxardo had been a refjge for fn,ctxoters who had ridicul ed the prowess of Aniericius, bit that now the flag and the uniform met with respect. Porter's defense was impassioned. Regarding the second charge, he, said: "If taken unawares by the sudden ness of the attack or the novelty of the situation, an excruciated sensibility may for the time have broken loose thr.iujrh the guards which should have preserved me unmoved and self-bal anced; yet, after all, I bow with humil ity aud experimental conviction to the moral system of compensations." Doubtless he realized that he had beeu somewhat unmauuerly in his de mauds. Doubtless he felt, as everyone well knew, l'l Kit he was as little fitted for a sea lawyer as he was thoroughly fitted for a sea lighter. But the first charge was the main one, and alone worthy of consideration. Porter boldly justified his coad'iet. He claimed that his instructions ordered him "to protect the commerce and the citizens of the United States from ira- cy," and that discretion was necessari ly implied. He showed that the Span ish islands were without proper gov ernment, and hence not entitled to tfie benefit of the laws of nations. He quoted from John (Jitney Adams' spiriUn.1 reply to the c.miphiints of Spain regarding General Jackson's in vasion and occupation of the Floridas as follows: "The right of the United State-s can as little compound with im potence as with perfidy." Indeed, he seemed to find a sru-et-nnchor in Jack son's deeds at Fort St. Marks and IVn sacola. He argued with Vattel, that "there are occasions when the subject may reasonably suppose the sovereign's will aud act in consequence of his tacit commands." But in vain. The ciurt found Porter guilty on laith charges and sentenced him to sustiension for six months. Re garding the first charge, it had the grace to say that itascrilted the con duct of the accused "to an anxious dis position on his part to maintain the honor and advance the interests of the nation iu the service." But there was no salve for Porter in these words. He felt unjustly disgraced. He resigned his commission ami accepted tlie olTcr of commander-in-chief of the naval forces of Mexico. Though this posit i n was splendid in power and emoluments, it proved but bitter exile to Porter. He was an alien, sui rounded by those who hated his race, despised his religion and envied his honors. This extract from one of his private letters describes his exper ience there: "A retrospect of the history of my life seems a highly colored romance which I should lie loath to live over again, and it would not lie believed if it was written. My sufferings iu Mex ico, the trials of fortitude I underwent there, exceed belief. I could have serv ed that base and unprincipled nation, but they would not let me. But I left them without a staiu on my character, which was not what others under the same circumstances would have done," With the election of Jackson there came welcome relief. Old Hickory had a fellow feeling for one who "could a little comound with impotence as with perfidy" in the Dns. And so Porter ceased to be a mercenary and once more served his country, becom ing her representative, first at Algiers, and then at Constantinople. He prov ed, as ever, faithful and comjietent, but his end was anti-climax from the glori- ous days of Essex. 1 le surely deserved a better fate, than "defeat after au un wortrty struggle with rel tape and wax. Much might well have been for given him, for he both l ived aud serv ed much. He was a type of the old navy, bluff, simple, brave; above all and through all p.itrioiie a -typato bo worthily remembered. A ID A Wiady WelL Arizona possesses some of the great est natural wonders in the world, not the least of which is the phenomenon of a current of air issuing from or go ing into the bowels of the earth through sundry natural and artificial openings made in the earth's crust. Something over a year ago a Mr, Coiif.iian undertook the drilling of well at his place. Everything went well to a depth of some twenty-five feet, when the drill suddenly dropped some six feet and a strong current of air issued from the hole. Theescaping air current was so strong that it blew oil the men's hats who were recover ing the lost drill. The well was of course abandoned and left to blow, but there are some pe culiarities about it that are worthy of observation. The air will esejpe from the well for davs at a time with such ! force that iebbles the size of peas are thrown out and piled tin &lfut its mouth until it looks very much like the extutnded iMirtioii of a funnel. At the same time it is accompanied by sound much like the distant bellowing of a fog horn. This noLs-s is not always present, because the air dix-s not at all time escape with the same forer Again there will be for days a suction current, unaccompanied by sound, in which tlie current of air passes into the earth, with some less fore than it esisipes, and any light object, as a feather, piece of paper or cloth, will, if held In close proximity, be iurnidiute ly sucked into the subterranean laby rinth of Aeolus. Just the cause of this phenomenon no one has yet been able to determine, but it is supposed that there is an uu derground opening between the Grand Canon of the Colorado, wliieli cleaves tlie earth for more than a mile in depth, and the Sycamore Canon, some eighty ; mnes to me sou in or it, of tiic same proportions, but much shorter. This would seem possible from the fact that the curreut of air is always pas-ing from north to south or vice versa, varying, of course, a few points of the compass from the true meridian, but always in these general directions, as determined by experimeat.nnd then the stratum underlying the quaternary is of volcanic cinder. This is very por ous, and iu many places so called Ut tomless h'jles ex i.st. Popular Science. A New Mammoth Cave. An immense cave has tecu uncover ed in a field near Pine Grove', Centre county, ra. l lie uiscovery was acci dental a:ilcaujs sJ ll: fitly t'l it a large plowing horse was precipitate! several hundred feet into the cavern, where it was dashed to death o:i a pro jecting ledge of rock. B s ton Campbell was out in a field near his home. He had a two-horse team with him and was working hard to finish the field before dark. About 4 o'clock iu the afternoon, when lie was driving his team directly through the centre of the field, he felt a violent pulling on the reins which he held in his hands. Ljokiug up to sec what was wrong with the tea u hts was struck dumb with fear to tin 1 his hors es missing. Oiitt of th'-m c iM 1j si-en madly tearing ajros the li.-i ls bj; Vi-i other one was nowhere iusigat. Waile Cain pool 1 stood locking ia ami u.':it at what had hapH.'ueJ, theplo.v wuich was lying at his feet als: disappeared. Campbell was thoroughly frightened by this time and ran to his h jme for as sistance. A number of men were s.n at the sc?ne where the horsj and pr disappeared, b it all t'.i-.y e jl I s was a great yawning chasm. A derrick was erected over the opening and with a rope and lantern Levi Morrison, a plucky young farmer, was lowered down into the dark rece-iv's. Oer 2 feet of ropu had b-een let out before Morrison could find a Ifrin footing. Here he found the horsj lyiug d;a I ou aa immense ledge of rock, which prov ed to be but a spur projecting out from the side of the cave. M.irrison gave the signal again to loavr him, bjt aft er goiug liny feet further uiwu ttie rajws gave out and he had to be hauled back without having reached the bot tom of tlie cave. Morrison says the cave is fully 330 feet deep, and that the sides are cuated with glisteniJg stones and crystals. After a direct descent into the earth for ovt-r 3 foet the cave extends north ward through l'dg-s of solid r.vk. Running water can be distinctly heard, and there is every reason to believe that the cave is very near to an under ground stream of great volume. Charcoal $12,030 a Pound. It is said that the most expensive product in the world is thS charcoal thread employed iu the incandescent electric lamps. This will be interest ing news to the people who use electric light nightly without being cognizant of such a proximity of wealth. It Is, for the most part, manufactured at Paris and comes from the bands of an artist who desires his name to re main unknown iu order to protect the secret of manufacture. There have been many unsuccessful attempts to learn this secret, an 1 fabulous sums hav? been offered to the manufacturers to divulge even the artist's name. Tuts prali;:t W sild at wu hm!e by the gramme and, reducing this price to the basis of pounds, it is easily found that the filaments for lamps of 20 csn-dle-power are worth $XU per pound, and for the lamps of 30 candleqajwer the fabulous sum of $12,00;) per pound. The former have a diameter of twenty-thousandths of one millimeter, or "374-ten-millionths, and the latter less than one-fifth of this size. The filaments for lamps of threecan-dle-power are so light that it requires nearly l.oOO.OOO of them to weigh one pound. Placed end to end these l.oOu, 0J) filaments would reach 1ST miles. "I burned my fingers very badly. The pain was intense. Dr. Thomas' Ei'lectric Oil brought relief in three minute. It was almost magical. I never saw anything like it" Amelia B words, Sauadersviile, O. eralo THE OLD HARDY HOUSE. A Time Ghost Story. From the Philadelphia Times. "Here we are at last, girls," I cried cheerily, gathering up bags and um brellas as the negro porter drawled out in his lazy voice: "Au-nis-ton!" "Oh, I am so tired!" Bess said In such a faint voice and with such a white, tired face that I hurried her in to the fly wailing at the dingy little station. "To the old Hardy House," I order ed briefly to the driver as he closed the door, and even in the gathering dusk Loo and I noticed his start of surprise. "Depend upou it, the house is haunt ed," cried imaginative Loo, "the man looked as if he had seeu a ghost." I gave her a warning glance, but Bess bad not heeded, iudeed she seetutd to have fallen into a doze which lasted until she was lifted out, and carried in to the cottage in the strong arms of Anne Duty. Dismissing the man, Loo and I lin gered outside awhile trying to make out something of our novel surround ings, but beyond the low rambling old house we could see nothing, not even a village light, so closely were we shut ill by great trees. Loo shivered lightly. "How dark and weird it looks," she whispered, ruuuing into the brightly- lighted front room, where Anne Duty, having deposited Bess on the broad, low louage, was already occupied iu making tea. "I wish Dr. Cross had telegraphed old Dr. Deering to meet us at the sta tion, it would have be-eti a little lns lonesome," grumbled Loo later on, when Bess had been left comfortably asleep in a wide, low-ceiled room on the ground floor, the only one that had leeu gotten ready, Anne explained. "I think Dr. Deering ha been put to enough trouble for us, renting the house and all that," I was beginning to remoustrate, when Anne Duty com ing in interrupted me. "Mi-.s Katharine," she began in what Loo cal'i her graveyard voice, "Miss Katharine, I dou't want that what I aai going to say should fright en you, but I can't noways reconcile it to my conscience not to tell you: A ghost walks this add rattle-trap of a house." I could not help laughing, her tone was so sepulchral, but she went on without noticing my levity while Loo listened with wide eyes. The man that brought me out with the boxes this moruiug said he had seen it, and you couldu't hire him to come uear the place after dark; that lots of folks out late o' dark stormy nights had seen blue lights burning in the room up stairs; and he said he wasn't the only one that had seen a white fig ure flitting through the dark hall, though nobody has lived in the house since two years ago a wicked, swearing young fellow died here, crying out at the lost that he had sold his soul to the devil for drink, and it was burning him up." "And Miss Katharine, honey, would you believe It? every blessed bit of furuiture that had been sent ou ahead was piled up out there on the poreh, ut as they dumped it down, not a stick put in out of the weather, and a blessed thing It hasn't raiuetL" Anne paused at last for breath. Loo looked fearfully around the heerful but rather dilapidated little room, ami moving lier chair nearer mine, she said in a low toue as if afraid of the ghost's overhearing her: "I can't imagine what induced old Dr. Deering to send us to this horrid 1 haunted house, anyway. He might have known " "Ioj," I interrupted sternly, .or her voice was beginning, to tremble and I rive all a man's horror of hysterics, 'you know well enough Dr. Deering has beeu kindness itself. What claim u'.ve we upon him, I should like to know, except that we are friends and patients of old Dr. Cross'. And you, as well us I, saw the letter In which he ribed this old house, and said its ocation made it the very place for Jess to recover her shattered nerves, piiet and so near the sulphur water Dr. Cross has sent her here to drink. 'Aud now Anne," turning to our faithful old servant and friend, "you have too much sense, I kuow, to utter a word of such nonsense where Bess can hear it, aud I advise you to get it out of your own stupid old head as juickly as pjswible. As for me," yawning, "1 am too tired ana sleepy to sit up any louger, ghosts or no ghosts, and iu a short time the old house was wrapped iu darkness and silence. I had been asleep, I don't know how long, when suddenly I felt a rush of cold air and heard a sound like a low. sobbing sigh. "Oh, Kit!" wailed Loo under her breath, and clutching my arm con- ulsively, "did you feel it? Did you hear it? What was it?" "I felt the wind blowing in through broken window," I answered cour ageously, for though I wasonly twenty and a girl, I had not beeu the head of the family so many years for nothing. Anne Duty came rushing in with a sheet wrapped about her and a lighted candle iu her hand, Just as Bess awoke, asking in her weak voice what we were all doing up in the middle of the night. While I slipped ou my dressing gown ud lighted a candle on the stand near the lied, I told her a9 calmly as I could, fjr my heart was beating violently, that I thought a door or window up stairs had blown open, and Anne aud were going up to see while Loo re mained with her. Theu I went out, Anne following bravely though I could hear her teeth chattering and the candle shook so I had to take it from her. As we shut tlie oor behind us I heard the scrape of a match, and a bright light flashed out from a room at the head of the stairs. 'Ghosts dou't usually carry matches about them," I said to poor trembling Anne iu a would-be sarcastic tone- irhieh my terror kept from being a success. "Uetier a tiozen gnosis," i thought, "thau one live burglar." Slowly we mounted the creaking WHOLE NO. 2371. stairs till just as I reached the top tall man, clad in a gray suit, stepped out from the room confronting me. A smothered shriek from Anne was, form moment, the only sound that broke the stillness. The light from my candle shone full upon the intruder's face, and I saw that he was young, good-looking and unmistakably a gentleman. Anne, too, must have seen as much for heard her scuttling down the stairs be hind mi much faster than she came up, evidently mindful of her costume. Curiously eiiHii;n I did not think of my own appearance, but stood stock still, staring at the man, who stared back at me for fully two minutes, then lifted his hat and said courteously: "I beg your pardon, but hare I the honor of addressing Miss Blake?" I bowed dumbly, wondering what on earth lie would say next. "Then," he went ou pleasantly, "I owe you an niKIigy for my most unceremonious intrusion, but I have beeu absent from the little village for several uuys. l reacneu uome only a few hours ago, and had not heard of your aruval. You must have changed your plans suddenly for I was not ex pecting you until next week," this with an inquiring glance. He expecting us! Was the man crazy? "Yes," I stammered, "the physician, Dr. Cross, thought it would be best to get Bess, my sister she has been sick away from the city as soou as possi ble, so we came on U-duy." "Aud the people told us," I went on incoherently, "that the house . was haunted, and we thought you were a ghost, and " He laughed at this, and drawing himself up a little, "A very subtantial ghost," he said lightly, addiug more earnestly: "I really am so sorry for causing you annoyance. 1 on see. I ha ve beeu u.s- iug this oil house as a kind of a labor atory, makingall sorts of chemical ex- x-rimeiits here during the uncanny night hours, so it is no wonder the place has acquired an evil reputation. I ran over tonight to put tiling together bit, to prepare for their removal b--f r you came, but you took me unawares, and" 'But who are you?" I interrupted, unable to restrain my curiousity any longer. "Why, haven't I told you? I am Dr. Deering, at your service." "Dr. Deering? Why we thought Dr. Cross said surely Dr. Cros spoke of you as an old friend," and in my confusion the caudle slipped and went out, but not before I had caught the twinkle iu hi handsome eyes. "I am hU old friend, inasmuch as he has kuowu me all my life," he said, stooping to recover the caudle, adding gently, "Dr. Cross has confided you and your sisters to my care, and I hope you are not the less inclined to trut ni. Ut'uase I happen to be not so old iu years or wisdom a the good old doctor himself." I do not know what reply I made: something fstlish it must have been, for I su 1 lenly became blushingly con scious that I was attired in au old blue dressing gown, and this man, this stranger, was regarding nis with rath ef quixieal eyes. With a muttered "Good night!" I fled precipitately, leaving him to find his own way out, while I recounted to the girls as much of my ghostly ad venture as I thought it needful for them to know. Tins was the beginning of our stay iu the old Hardy House. When I left it was not to return to the city, for Dr. Iieering had (lersuaded me to re main in Anuiston. Makuarlt Foley Blasheosu, A Cow-Boy's Letter. A western doctor had under hi care in the hospital a cow-boy from one of the ranges of Northern Montana, who, when he became convalescent, one day walked into the doctor's olllee to thank hhu for his services and to say good-bye. As he was about to leave the office, the cow-boy remarked: "iAK-cor, i understand mat you are soon to set off on a trip to the other side of the water, and that before you return you intend to visit Scotland. If such is the case, I should like to give you a letter to some friends of mine." The doctor replied that he did intend to visit Scotland, and that he should be pleased to take charge of the letter. Thereupon the cow-boy sat down, wrote a brief letter, sealed it up, and addressed the envelope to let us ay the "Duke of Craige" at a castle ia Scorland. When he Lauded it to the doctor, that gentleman looked at the address rather dubiously, and theu a&ktd, iu a voice that was possibly a little cold; "Is this gentleman an acquaintance of yours?" "Well, yes," replied the ranch-rider. "I thiuk it quite probable lie will re-niemU-r me. He is tuy father, and I shall be glad to have you call on him and tell him I'm getting along all right." Marriageable Age. The discussion had waxed warm. He had given his views upon women and marriage and she had disputed every assertion he had made In regard to the age at which a girl should marry. "Well," he said in desperation at last, "what do you consider the marriagea ble age?" "Why, I don't believe there can be any ironclad rule in such a matter," she replied. " "It's different with differ ent girls, audit isn't safe to endeavor to be tiao specific. However, I may say, in a general way, that the age at which a girl should marry depends entirely upon the age at which she gets her first real good chance." Chi cago IV st- Consumption is the natural result of a ueglected cold. Dr. Wood's Norway Pine Syrup cures owjghs, bronchitis, asthma, and lung troubles of all sorts down to the very borderland of con- sumption. A Plucky Sparrow. The. ;a.-rw. In whatever part of lh world be is found, seen is to earn a rep utation for a degree of persistency an 1 pugnacity altogether disproportloned to Its size. Kven the climate of Irxii do- s nt enervate the valorous little creat ures and they m ik their way, or take it with the snnif re-ilnte irriud-nen that they exhibit in e ler regions. I n the Journal of th.? Bombay Nutioiiul History iociety Lieutenant Barnes gives some interesting particulars about the house sparrows of Western India. At Ifc-esa he found that a pair hail Imilt their nest U-twcen a pair of antlers on the vermd, and another pair appropriated a soap lx in the bath room, where, although their u -t wa d-estroyed several ti mes, they per sisted in building until, out of com passion for their reja-atcl lalrs they were left uloue. A third pair built iu an empty bird eagw hanging against a wall and there reared their little ones, although the cage was frequently taken down to exhibit the family to visitors. Once their egg were stolen and their indignant clamor was so disturbing that the resident of the house, for their own sake-s, were obliged to hunt up and restore the missing treasures. Lieutenant Barnes also states that these sparrows will attack their own iiua in a looking glass and will tight with it all day, only leaving off when dark ness sets in, to U-gin the battle over agaiu the next morning, so that it was often found necessary to protect the mirrors with coverings. They are, perhaps, not more brave than the fiery little British American residents of this country, one of which not long ago disputed with a bantam cock the pos session of a particularly delectable tid bit. The bravado of the sparrow sous- touished the buntaiu that he retreated in dismay, easting glances of affright over hi slirtulde-r, so to sjieuk, at the small warrior, who, having disposed of the delicacy, was indulging iu a fan tastic war dauce. Worihingtou's Mag azine. Wanted to Trade Wives. Two Hungarian men and a women called at Squire Wilson's oilW the oth er day to settle a domestic difficulty. It appear tint the w u v. w is iu lov with the man who wa not h-.-r hus band, and wanted to live with hiui. The husband, who wa much older, soleu'tily ol jecte-'L He sail to tie squire : "Deesa man want my wife. Me no likw. He bad mm. He love my wife. Me good in tn. Me go to church. M-s do nothing bad." The wo-iian expressed her preferem for ths man who wa u-t her husband. The gay Lothario said : 'Deesa woman love me. She no lice dees man. He too oi l. My wife tK old. Sue co:ii over h-.-re pretty soou. Me give hem my wife. Me take deiea woman. But the old gentleman objected. Squire W.Nou informed them that there was nothing i: the law or tL institution that enabled him to legal ize a swap of that kind that the only way wa for both to oi.'aiti divorces aud re-marry, lis told tnem to home and be gool, and u-t permit their minds to be perplexed by such worldly thought. Aud they departed thence, evidently under the impression that there was something seriously wrong with a law that tyranuized over the empire of the human heart. Punxsutawney Spirit. A Strong Pa tat x Charles W. Simmons, who lives on a farm near Pleasant Home, yesterday brought in from his farm a curiosity. It consists of a late rose potato grown in the root of a tree. The potato vine seems to have crept into the root, an 1 the new potato then started down iu the depths. It flourished in its strange surroundings and developed into a large aud well formed fnitato. The room iu the root was t small for its expansion, and so the spud exerted not less thau a ton pressure on the rat until the side was split open. The root i aliout thre-c inches in diameter and six iuches in length. Ahiout an inch of the spud protrudes from one end. It is quite a curiosity and all w!ii have seen it sa- they never saw any thing like it before. Portland Ortgw nian. He Knew Him. "Do you mean to call me to testify to that man's reputation for truth and ve racity ?" asked the small, timid look ing witness. "Certainly," replied the lawyer. "Well, I wish you wouldn't," "Why ?" "Well, you see, he's a life-long friend of mine, and I wouldn't fur the word do anything that would hurt his feed ing or damage his interests; not fur the wi rid." "But all you have to do is to say that his reputation for truth and veracity is good." "Now, hold ou. lit mciiilo? that I havesrue truth and veracity of my own to look after. Why, sir," and hi voice sank to a melodramatic whisper, "that man's been a trusted employe of the Weather Bureau for more thau four years." Washington Star. Considering the Flies- New Boarder (shivering) "Don't you think it is nearly ti:n- to start the fires, Mrs. Siimdiet? I know coal hs rather high, but " Mrs. Siimdiet "Ye, I will have them started as s.an as the tlies are dead. You see, if the fires are started too soon it Keep the pesiiy ll.es all winter." New Boarder "Oh, I didn't think of that." Mrs. Siimdiet (a little later, in tiie kitchen) "Bridget, the parlor ha some Hies in it, so cold they can hardly crawL Bring 'em in here and wants 'em up a bit" Xew York Weekly. Bucklen's Arnica Salvo. Tlie Best Salve in the world for Cuts-, Bruises, Sores, Ulcers, Suit Rheum, Fe ver Sores, Tetter. Chapped Hands, Chilblains, Corns, aud all Skin Erup tions, and positively cures Pikes, at lie pay required. It is guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction or money refumieiL. Price 2o cents per box. For sale at J. N. Snyder's drugstore. Somerset, or at Brallier'u drugstore, Berlin, Pa, Got Mixed Up. It was duly impressed upon "hoofs" at the country hotel, when the Bi.-hcp stayed there, to ad Ires. the reverend gentlemau as "ry lord." Somewhat auxious, "b4s" took up the shaving water and knocked at the Bishi,' dar. "Who is there?" demanded the di nitary. "It's the lord, my boy." And he had practiced "It's the boy, mr UrJ ' all the way up stairs. Fun. . i 'a ..
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers