Rates of Advertising. One Square (1 inch,) one Insertion - One Square " oneinonth - - 3 ( OneSqiiftre " three month - 0 00 One Square " one yeu - 10 0b Two Squares, one year - - - 15 (q Quarter Col. " - - - - 30 00 Half " . . . f,0 00 'a i't;m,i!ini;i) every wednerday, t frricn ik robinson & bonner's buildikg ELM BTREET, TIONESTA, PA. TERM8, tl.SO A TEAR. No Subscription ror-olved for a shorter 1tki( than three months. 'on-osponlpn.?p anlir-ited troin all part Hie country. N ttotiro will bo tnken anonymous i:oiuiiuinluUions. P One - 100 CO TiPRal notices at established rat. Marriage and death notices, gratia. All bills for vearly advertisement cf:. leotpil quarterly. Temporary adver:l. inentH must hnpaid for in advance. Job work, Cah on Delivery. VOL. XIII. NO. 4. TIONESTA, PA., APIUL 14, 1880. $1.50 Per Annum. Mt Off ihe Coasts of Sleep. y A land I know, alar, yet near, emote and dim, yet close and clear A broad rich realm, by man untamed, Our very own, yet all unclaimed. Out from lifo'a daily iar and fret It sbine, in tranquil border aetj Upon its shores earth' hardens fall, And fancy takes tho rein o'er all. Dark closed the day ; the twilight chill In deeper gloom wrapped fleld and hill ; The angi y win. In howled loud and hoarse, And shook the walls with savage foroe; The air with snow and sleet was piled, For winter's lury gathered wild. Spent with his wrath, I stole away . , To greet a blighter, kindlier day. Oh, so't upon that di-ttsnl oonst , Tbt flnsl.ing walors lotipei an l tooted; The while sails tilled with lialcjouaii ; Green were the woods hung pictured there; - ( trange tmltnge there the sun dotn kiss ; Iipt in those airs, 'lis rile with bliss; It subtle nine my pulses stirred, Like rhythmic inusio faintly hea-d. On sonny slopes thick set with bloom The senses thrill with strong pefTume; More vivid, yut more trail, those fl.iwers Thannny blown in mortal bowers; They nod, they bend, they glow, they move; They mimio human sulloand love, As all things 'neat.h those tar-off skies Do gaily mock our earthly eyes. ' Fi-eod from all trouble, pain and care, Our hearts burst into blossoms there; Tongues are unloosened ; the poet's Are Burns in ench breast with new desire; On wondrous harmonies ol song The golden horn-it nr. borne along, Till son I and t-eimM, translnsed, seem one In now-made Inrmti ol tile begun. D. II. II. GooilaU, in Lippincolt. MERCY'S POSTMAN. " You, Cassiup, hath a lean and hun zti look. What's up, NorrisP" 1 iu in 1 r it, old fellow! Fancy mi HvMtg round the streets in a gray Uniform with a leather hag on my back BtufT-d with rtlfiitiwH." " A r"ooVm Cupid ! Is that what you are comiii t? That's your position in t'ifl ptoln department is ItP Are you going; to take itP" Am a going to take bread Bnj but ter! Didnt you say that Hi , lean and hungry lookP ' a " I said Oaesius had ; but it's all right. You won't wait till they settle up old pTchanee's affairP" " And in the meantime sweetly starveP No, thank you, I'm too sub stantial a Cupid to Jive on dewdrops Blame the bald old eagle! W hy couldn't lie leave things straighterP" "Who? Uid PerchanceP It wasn't in hint; he even walked like a crab. What irreverence toward yourlatere speeted uncle. He was a very bald old party, though. tTo dying or parting now." ''Don't, don't. Con, I beg. I don't feel iocular. And you are off to-morrow P" " Yps. It's hard times for you; but I wouldn't worry. On the whole, I should rather enjoy it. You ought to certainly, as you sentimentalize over everything. The love-secrets you will ferret out the family histories you will make up! I wish I could be here!" " All the worse for me that you can't be. I don't fancy mooning Ijere by my self evenings. I shall make calls enouarh during the day to stay at home nights." My dear boy, don' get blue. It will only be for a time. If you weren't so deuced proud I'd make you go home with me " "We settled that, you know. I'll walk in on you some day yet." " I hope so. My pipe's out. Let's woo the coy goddess, or, in plain Eng lish, let's go to bed.", Only one of the every-day partings a hand-clasp, a "Good-by. old boy." The train moves rapidly off, and Nor ris Farns worth turned away alone. " 1 am glad I've got to 'go to work," he thought; "for I certainly shall miss him." a It was a new experience for a man who had always done exactly as he pleased, who had - walked clear of thickets and brambles, in this thorny way through life. Albeit, he felt a wholesome pride, as he started on his route that spring morning more ol a man in his independence. The gardens were all green in front of the houses that first day dandelions Elentitully spotting the grass; the lilac ushes sending out sweets by the whole sale; spring trade briskly started among the flower-beds, where the buds were bursting from their wrappings, show ing the striped, spotted and mottled goods in all the spring shades for the bees nd butterflies to admire. Norris rang furiously at the doors with a sort af feeling that it was incurs bent upon him in his capacity as post man to make as niucn noise as possible, and he did it as a matter of principle, wishing all the time that Con Converse could eee him. It mattered little whether it was Biddy washing off the steps, who, wip ing her hands on her apron, took the letter delicately between thumb and finger, or madam, or madam's daugh ter herself, untii, standing with his back to the door, and eyes fixed on a bed of crocuses, hyacinths and tulips in one of the gardens, he heard a little amused laugh, and, turning quickly, came to his senses to see a fair girl waiting for the letter he held in his hand. ith a murmured " Beg pardon." and a little feeling of embarrassment at his inattention, he rushed down the steps precipitately, and directly against a large treo that grew close by, but not in the path. It took him several minutes to collect his scattered senses, as well as his scat tered lctfrs, not feeling certain but what he was still being regarded by a pair of brown eyes; he did not stop to see, but was rather more attentive for the rest of the day. A Klir.it inn!il 'A blind cupid, sure enough." he thought. "Blame the girl! If it bad been a servant, I wouldirt have cared." In a few days there was another letter for the same house, and the preternatu ral solemnity with which he handed it in, without raising his eyes, certainly did amuse the young lady who took it. It got to be interesting finally, when there was a letter twice a week addressed to "Miss Mercy Hoyt," in the same handwriting, and he was scmetimes asked to mail one bearing the superscrip tion of "S. Welles Kend rick," and when ho was always met by the same bright faced girl, sometimes watching for him at the very door. It was a quiet, blossom y place, and he liked it better than most others, despite his first awkward adventure. He even made up a romance about the two the ?;irl and the absent man just as Con uid predicted, only he did not tell him so. Poor fellow! he was very lonely those days, and was too proud to seek his ac customed society; and it is not to be wondered at that lie would stand and read over the name Mercy Hoyt, and feel as it he knew the girl who met him twice a week with such a happy face. As if for having laughed at him at first, she gave him a rose one day, when she saw him stop to smell one only a common rose, but the foolish fellow coveted nooth"r; and when the slant rays of the sun tell on a royal jacqui mfnot that the too full hands of a little child had dropped ou his pathway, he left it lying there, feeling almost jealous for his own, then well-nigh faded. He asKed for a glass of water ono day, hoping she would bring it herself, as she did; but the next time her letter came he found himself wondering why she must have it, and if it would make any difference to him if she did not. Then the summer went, and for three weeks lie delivered no letter bearing the familiar address; then one with a black border, and In a strange hand . Norris believed he knew all about it. and wa not surprised that he niistwd the girl's face at the door, and tho letters ceased altogether. He knew then what a hold she had taken on him, and in his sorrow for her griet. as he pictured it, and partly because he wanted the excuse, he si nt her flower, and sometimes books. through the mail; he wouldn't have tone it if Con had been there to laugh at his sentimentality. Thu went on all winter. 1 hen Con rote: " Dkar Cupid Are your wings all right P How about the valentines P Glad to bear old Pei chance knew what he was about. I ll bet you bought cigars and a new meerschaum, hrst thing. W hen are we to see you P Fling your mailbag at your fortunate suc cessor' head and come right on. Tho gueBt-chamber is prepared for vou. so is Your?, Con." "I'll have to go," thought Norris, but i vow l oon i want to. w ho would believe I'd live to sav thatP I'll take a day off, and think about it." So he did, and came to the conclusion lie would be Mercy's postman a while longer. But the first day the latch of her gate clicked benind mm, lie stopped dumb founded; for although the sparrows were busy in the vines, and a gray cat dosed on a porch in the sunshine, the house was empty, and "For sale" stared him in tne lace, lie turned away, feel ing as King Midas must have done when the rose, turning to gold in his hand. lost its perfume. 'that settles it," lie tnougut ; " I'll go to Con." But first he tried to find Mercy's address, but was told all letters were to be sent to a certain P. O. box. Con met him with open arms. " Thought you were never coming. Hollo! shaved off your beard P Quite an improvement. What's new P How's the U. S. M.P Awfully glad you are out of it. You must have had a fear fully stupid time all winter." " Not so very," said Norris. " What have you been doing P" Con launched forth into a series of ac counts until they reached the house. The next morning the two sat smok ing on the porch. The horse-chestnuts were opening little green parasols over the primroses, test they should get sun burnt, I suppose; a busy little wren was building her nest in the honey suckle. Con was doing most of the talking, and Norris sat back taking in his sur roundings. Finally he became absorbed in watching the movements of a straw fiat in the adjoining garden : occasion ally it would make its appearance above the fence sometimes a side view, and he would catch a glimpse of brown hair undr it; then a front view less fortu n ate' the least tip of a chin only being visible, ana ne couta not decide if the owner were yoang or old, pretty or not. It was getting decidedly interesting. when a hand appeared taking hold of the fence, and, rising from her stooping position, the wearer of the hat stood up. in on is sprang to uis ieei, ejaculating, " By Jove !" much to Con's astonish ment, who naa been pu fling away siientiy ior some moments. "iNorris, my aear boy, would you mind teliing me what is the matter P" he asked, mildly " I only burnt myself with the end of my cigar." be answered. " Let s take a walk. I'll swear it was Mercv." he said, under his breath, and was so silent all the morning that Con began to be alarmed. " I'll tell you what." he said. " vou've moped so long that you can't get out of the habit. We must do something wild and bold and giddy to rouse you up." " All right," said Norris. " I'm your man. " There's a picnio somewhere to-day What do you say to thatP" 1 "Flavor of spiders, ants, mashed pies and showers. I'm not bold enough nor giddy enough either, for such an enterprise." " It's take a drive." "Too hot." "Oh, bother!" said Con. "No. it isn't. You're too lazy. " I'll take you to see some girls. How does that strike yonP" JN orris was silent a moment. " WhoP" said he. " Alio!" cried Con. " That's it, is itP didn't think you were unto that sort of thing. It's more in my line, you know, w ell, we'll go on the warpath this afternoon." Norris quietly acquiesced, honing thereby to meet his vision of the morn ing; but no such luck, and he was so abstracted as to drive Con to the verge oi aespair. " I declare." he said. " I don't know what is the matter with you. You're not half up to the mark." "Don t mind me." replied Norris. " I'll tnaw out after a while," ashamed to confess what was the matter. The next morning brought another glimpse of the straw hat, an J Norris asked, with lazy indifference, looking into the next garden : 1 w tio's your neighbor, ConP" Who that? Frannie Randall hasn't been here very long; her grand father lives there." "Know her P" 1 Yes ; used to play with her when we were children. Haven't seen much ot her since she came back, though. , We'll go there, if you like, shall weP" " 1 don't care if we do." said Norris. anxious to find if the nearer view would dispel the fancied likeness. But it did not, and, during their call, he was driven wild by his conjectures. She was so like the same expression, the same lit tle ways. , I tell you " he said to Con. after they left, "I've seen Miss Randall be fore." Very likely." replied Con': "flhe has been staying with her aunt in the city, and has not beea back long." A hey walked on in silence for a while. "Do you know where her aunt lives?" Norris asked, at length. jJo; 1 Had the address, but have forgotten it. I ought to have gone there. nul l man t. i naa not seen Frannie since her father died, you know: that was some years ago. Now that she has come back to lier grandfathers, I have felt a little ashamed of mv remissness: but it seems to me you are amazingly in terested an at once." Norris said nothing for a few mo ments, then he told part of, his story, mucu io tjon s amusement. It isn t tho same girl, of course." said he, " she couldn t have two names, you know, and I know this one's. You're a little daft, I reckon." "Maybe I am." said Norris. sighmir. ' for I don't believe two persons could look so much alike." However, he followed un his first call igorously, and received a lot of chaffing irom Con, on account of the sundry ex- uses ne maae to go down street, instead ot up, and the persistency with which he regularly walked round by the fence, instead of directlv by the gate. ini an idiotr ne said, one day. "Just found it out?" replied Con. When I came on here." he went on. without noticing the interruption, "I was absorbed in mv dream of Mercv Hoyt. I was wild about her. Now I am just as wild about Frannie Randall, just because she looks like Mercy. Isow, i Don't Know wmcii gin I care for." "Pshaw!" said Con. "iet the other girl go. She wouldn't know vou if she saw you, and you don't know but what she is married by this time." Morris reflected a moment. "I reckon you're right," said he; and yet when I think of giving uo ever seeing tier again, i can't do it." -uosnr- saia uon. " xnere'a no sense in that, you know. You might live ior ever ana never come across her, ana tuen there's rannte." True." said Norris. thoughtfullv. tasingup qui nat. " xou're off. are your" said Con. wish you joy." He soon returned with a horror- stricken face. " Con." said he. " did vou ever hear oi sucu a tmng f" She says ner cousin, Aierey iioyt, is coming on." ihe plot thickens" cried Con. "What in thunder will you do? I'll have to take one. I never saw the cousin, or heard of her; but if you like. i n ao tne agreeable." " No," said Norris. "All right. I won't. I'll devote myself to Miss Fran." "Cio," said Norris, again. " You Turk! you dog in a manger !" cried Con. " Am I to have no chance? You see, old boy, you can't have both, so mane up your mind and I'm vour siave. i nat accounts ior tne likeness. doesn't it? It's too absurd, though. What fun to watch it. I'm glad I'm not in yoursnoes." " lideclare." said Norris. " I feel as if I were going to see a ghost, or as ne mignt leei seeing a lace in mirror look ing over his shoulder, and. turning round, find it gone. Could it be possi- Die to see tne real lace and shadowy re flection both at once?" "There you go." said Con. "I've been expecting some such outburst Any tmng morer Fire away, old fel low !" 1 Feel shakv ?" Said he. several hours lata n a XTai'). n.n a V. . 1. 1 L wwi. no iiuiiio nM nuuut. ui iKavn liib porcn. "in go wun you. i want . ...I ... -m see this act. "Come on, then," replied Norris nervously. In the dim llrht. nna vinld not. very plainly, and it was some moments v . r i wi . oeiore in orris, Bluing dt f rannie's siae turned to Frannie in a sort of ecstasy so that she wondered at him. " I say," said Con, when they came away, "tney re not a bit alike." "I know it." anid Norria "there a mystery somewhere, but I don't know what it is yet." "Well," said Con, "you're slow about it. I'd have found it out Ion ejo." Norris stood hv tbn fen fP i-iATt morn. ing. Miss Frannie. trowel in hand, on the other side. There was a feeling of expectancy in the heart of each as one catches bits of moonlight through the uees ociore tne moon rises above, and shines out full. , Presently Frannie stooped down and picked a dandelion that had gone to seed, and commenced puffing away the downy top. " Give it to me." soiit Vorria it minds me of something. Do you re member now the south wind loved the dandelion, and, when he came to look for it, he found it blown away?" " ies," said she, i remember." " That is what I have done," said he I don't know whether I have found It again or not. Tf I have. It in onWoA u-a another name." Frannie looked at him questioningly, and then he told her of his having been a postman, of Mercy Hoyt. Here she looked utterly amazed. But he did not stop, and went on to tell of his foolish love that he only dared own to him self when he believed her desolate by her lover's loss and how he had sent her flowers and walked by the house to hear her sing; how he followed up the dream until he saw herself, and how he loved ber. She did not sav anvthing for a mo ment, and seemed divided between laughter and tears ; however, the laugh ter had its way, and her merriment brought both Con and Mercy from their places. " What's the row P" asked Con. . "T must tell." nnirt Frannia lsvnL-ino at Norris, who shook his head. But she went on. "Mercv," said she, "you must thank Mr. Farnsworth for all those lovelv tlowera and mritorinni books that were sent you last winter." a icikjc, oai'i iuiiib, pjeauingiy. " Well, I won't," said she, "but it's so. Say thank vou.' Mercv." Con. aeelno Nniria' omarrnoomnnt leaped over the fence directly among the careiuny tenaeci plants, and made pro fuse apologies over the mischief he had done, but gained his nnint. ho walkim off with Mercy. "1 don't understand," said Norris, presently. "I do," answered Frannie. "Mercy and I were both making Auntie Randall a visit. Early in the spring Mercy fell on the ice and hurt herself, so that she could not walk for smnn montba Mho is engaged to Mr. Kendrick, who. by the way, ian t oeau a Dit, Dut returned to the city about the time you thought so. I, having tin love affair of mv own natu rally took a great interest in hers, and wts ner messenger, macea. i minis 1 was almost as glad as she when the let ters came." " If Toil hadn't, lonlrad en rrlnA T wouldn't have made such a mistake," said Norris. " I am very sorr'," she said, meekly, that I looked SO. I'll n.-ver do it again." "Never look glad?" said Norris. " Please look so now. and tell me if I have found the flower I lost." " Didn't. T ffivn von n mu ol" clio answered; but her glad eyes told the rest. " What a pair of fools we were!" said Con, when it was explained to him. We might have thought of that's heino- the way of it." "Why should we?" said Norris. "I don't care now." "It is so ridiculous." said Con. "to think of your wasted sentiment over the wrong name." , " It wasn't the wrong girl, though." returned Norris. Words of Wisdom. Ti nth q the shortest anA neoreot ma to our end. carrvinir na thither in n straight line. In the assurance of strength there ia strength. The strongest are weak with out confidence. Tie who HenntaAB nrataa nrtll tint ho likelv to practice the virtues that wonlri entitle him to it. Many a sweet -fashioned mouth is made hideous bv the fierv and untamed tongue within it. Memory is not so brilliant as hope; but it is almost as beautiful, and a thousand times as true. Tn some nnnnrpntlv nmlaKla natuvaa there are unsuspected and unfathom- 1. 1 . i . 1 1. aoie aepius oi resentment. Melanthon said : Trouble and ner. lexitv drive me to nraver nnrl tirivnr rives away perplexity and trouble. The mind of youth cannot remain empty; if you do not put into it that which is good, it will gather elsewhere that which is evil. There is no time in a man's life when he is so great as when he cheerfully bows to the necessity of his position, and makes the beet ofit. The law of the harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act and you reap a habit ; sow a habit and you reap a character ; sow a character and you reap a destiny. An Astonished Chinaman. In some parts of Queensland wild pigs are very numerous. I have never heard of them being ridden down and speared as in India, writes a traveler, but I am certain that very good sport might be ouuune j. i ueara me otuer aay a story of a man on the Warrega river muster ing about two hundred wild grunters into a stake sheepyard, and selling them to a Chinese storekeeper for cash down. The price asked was a low one, and "Johnny" was so delighted with his imaginary bargain that he did not ask many questions; and, of course, the vender omitted to mention that the pigs were wild. On the day appointed for delivery, "Johnny" came, accompanied by two of his countrymen, to fetch them, paid down his money, and opened the yard, when to his horror, away the pigs rushed to the scrub, and "Johnny" u thtm no more. A MYSTERIOUS BOX. It Jbles Cnclalined and TJnonened In Ilia Treasury. A Washington conesDondent of the Chicago Tribune writes: In the vault of the treasury department there is a box which was placed there over thirty years ngo for safe keeping. No one knows who it belongs to, or what is to be done with it. It has been the sub ject of several investigations by officers of the treasury department. On. vari ous occasions resolutions have been in troduced in Congress making inquiries, etc., as to its value and ownership. But no satisfactory conclusion has even been nau as to its true history. IU contents are worth perhaps $2,000 or $3,000. The box remains in the treasury vaults, No one can touch it unless Congress passes a resolution to that ellect. Sev eral United States treasurers who have found the box in their possession, when taking charge of the office, have recom mended that the articles be sold at auc tion and the proceeds given to some charitable object or monument associa tion. There are several stories told as to the origin of the box. One is that the con tents were a present to President Andrew Jackson from the Khedive of Egypt, and were placed in the patent office, and afterward placed in the treasury for safe keeping. Another and probably a more correct history of the box is found in a report made by Secretary McCul loch in answer to a resolution of the House of Representatives. His letter is dated March 10. 18H8, and he says : " In answer to your resolution ot the 6th inst., inquiring as to the contents of a certain box in the vaults of the treas ury, sealed with the seal of the patent oflice and marked "jewels," an examin ation has been made by the treasurer and a copy of his report is herewith submitted. It is understood that the articles are remnants of the objects of an extensive robbery committed a num ber of years since at the patent oflice. They have been in the treasury vaults since 1851. I can see no reason for re taining them longer. They certainly subserve no good purpose in their pres ent condition, and I respectfully recom mend that, they be sold at auction and the proceeds covered into the treasury. Respectfully, etc., Hugh McCci.locii, Secretary of the Treasury." " Sin In pursuance to your direction endorsed upon an attested resolution of the House of Representatives, passed March 6. ltM, I have the honor to re port that the box in the vaults of the treasury, sealed with the seal of the patent office, and marked "jewels." was opened by me in the presence of the casnier. mere was lounci therein a memorandum in writing, of which the following is a correct copy, to wit: Bottle said to contain attar of roses. One vial containing pearls. One vial containing diamonds. One gold plate inside hinge of a snuff-box. One paper containing a gold orna ment and a silk tassel "belonging tw a necklace. A paper containing thirtr en diamonds and tour pearls. Two lumps of gold. The vial containing pearls and the one containing the diamonds are both seaied and were not opened. I should judge that, the pearls numbered from 200 to 300. They are pretty uniform in size, being about as large as a small pea, except two, which are quite large and pearly formed. The diamonds are small and about 100 in number. . The two lumps of gold, if of mint fineness and they seem to be are worth some what over $800. The attar of roses is probably worth twice as much. The diamonds and pearls are, of course, quite valuable. Very respectfully, F. E. Sl'INNEK, Treasurer of the United States." The box, of course, is of no earthly use to any one. If the contents had been sold and the proceeds placed on in terest, their value would have more than doubled itself by this time. It is taken down once a year when the treas ury officials are making an examination of the office. It is dusted, looked over and placed back on the shelf awaiting an owner. Ihere lb a chance lor some of Andrew Jackson's heirs to Have an act passed by Congress giving them a title to its valuable contents. The Life of a Western Editor. We have collected $55.50 cash during the past six months, and lived on that sum. We have given from fourteen te sixteen hours' labor every day, in eluding Sunday, each week we have printed the BetUonian. The Stvni- Weekly contained, when printed full, about twenty thousand ems, mak ing fortv thousand for the week. which is the average printer's week's work, without performing any other labor. In addition to this week's work at the case we have looked after the chores of the office, made up the paper, cut and wet down the paper, washed the rollers, worked the press, put up the mails and carried the paper, we nave bought, begged or stolen the firewood, and chopped it witn a borrowea axe We have done our own cooking, and lived on one meal and a cold lunch a day, never getting a good square one ex ceut when a chance half-dollar loll in our way, and we would feel so rich that we would rush up to the California ho tel. We liave lived on boiled beei with an occasional turnip, and not infre quently a boi led frozen potato and salt lor dessert. We would then change our diet to soda crackers and sweetened water lor a few days. There is nothing so conducive to health as freuuent changes of diet. For the last week or two we have been gourmandizing on ba con and beans straight, with crackers steeped in weak tea. What tobacco we cannot beg we buy on credit. We have not been in bed or lain on a mattress since last May. Btnton (Cal.) Ben- tonia. In a Time of Tronblc. As an eagle from the height, Looking down upon the lands, Un forests black as night, Fair fields and desert sands, Sees the traveler below Losing heart, as league on lesgue, Long wilderness sRow No end t his fatigue ; So faith amid her tears, Beholding far beneath The bright or gloomy bars In the web of life and death; Sees weary hearts that deem The dark breadth is the whole, Sees happy hearts that dream The bright rays all their (,oal. Oh! let this faith be ours That even 'mid the pain, Above the present towers, And sees tho Bearing gain ; While breadth by breadth, appears, As from the weaver's hand, The pattern ol the years Which God himself has planned. ITEMS OF INTEREST. The first iron steamship was built in 1830. Gold was discovered in California in 1848. ' Why ia the letter D like a sailor P Because it follows the C. The first almanac was printed by George Von Purbach in 1460. Until 1776 cotton spinning was per formed by the hand spinning-wheel. The first steam engine on this con tinent was brought from England in 1753. Ships are frequently on speaking terms, and they lie to. Boston Tran script. It is odd, and sometimes melancholy, to see a man trying to " make up his mind" when he has no material on hand to work with. The difference between a sailor and a pugilist is, that one is lasted to the mast and the other mashed- to the last, or ought to be. OU City Derrick. In round numbers 12,000,000, or one- third of the French people, live in cities and towns. In the United States the proportion is one-fifth, and is rapidly in creasing. The first sovereign who adopted the phrase, " In the year of our Lord," was Charles III., Emperor of Germany, 879. it is now the accepted modeol designat ing the year in all Christian countries. The Smithsonian institute has sent a commission to the Pacific coast to make a complete collection of all the fish found in the sea, lakes and rivers of California and the neighboring States and Terri tories. There are G0.000 locomotives in the United States, and each contains 2,800 different pieces, requiring renewal every ten or twelve years. This conveys a notion of the industries which railroads' foster. The reduction in the aggregate de posits in the Irish savings banks during the last three years amounts to $18,290,- 000. In the three years of distress. 18C0-1-2. the reduction was $15,375,000, and in 1817-8 the decrease was $19,7?5,- 000. A Middlcburg. Pa., mouse tunneled an ear of corn, built her nest in it, and was living on the gram outside. The ear was eight and one-half inches in length and nine and one-half inches in circumference, and it contained 1,600 grains of corn. A Plan to Make New York a Fresh Water Tort. James Cochrane, "formerly of the United States navy," gravely proposes to convert New York harbor Into a mill pond, for the benefit of commerce and the improvement of public health. In the first place, he would build at the Narrows, and at Throgg's neck, on the sound, artificial dams with locks, which would shut out tho ocean tides and con vert the bay and the water communi cating therewith into a many-armed fresh-water lake, with a level five or six ftet above the present level of the water at high tide. Among the benefits promised by the chanue are these: The vast area of flats along the Jersey shores would be permanently flooded, Cutting an end to their malarious ex alations. The depth of water could be regulated, and would be uniform, thus saving that Eortion of the large expense involved in andling freight at the wharves, due to rising and falling tides. The danger and cost of ferry bridges would be obviated, with much of the difficulty and danger now attending the navigation of ferryboats. The water of the port would be fresh, and fatal to barnacles and ship worms, making the port a desirable one for ship ping awaiting freight. , The flow of the river would be steadily toward the sea, so that the tedious an chor watch might be dispensed with. The surplus water could be used as the source of mechanical power. The aggregate saving promised for the plan proposed amounts to millions of dollars every year, and millions of lives in time not stated. But the greatest benefit is modestly withheld. In com paratively few years the vast areas of waste water from Newark bay to Throgg's neck would be tilled up by river silt, and ucder proper cultivation would furnish all the garden truck re quired by the surrounding cities. The value of such reclaimed lund would be euormous; while the narrow channels that would carry off the inflowing fresh water would probably be ample for the needs of all the commerce that would seek New York as an 'aland port. S:entfic American.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers