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VOL. XIII. NO. 35. TIONESTA, PA., NOV. 17, 1880. $1.50 Per Annum.
J
EImmi ! FugncoH t
AFTKR CAI.VBRLBT.
She stood beside the. water's edgo
Upon a Jutting rooky ledue,
The wild winds whistlod through the sedgo,
And o'prtho sky
The (nurky clouds were drivon last;
A fitting soeno to be the lant
For one, o'erweixhted by the piust,
Who wished to die!
The daylight waned unmaiked by her,
Strange thiimra began to move and atir,
And trom the clamps ol beech and fir
Strange noises came;
Then toie the moon, and wild and weird
The forms ol many a tree appeared,
That round about the waters reared
Its branohius frame.
But nonpht .if Icar wu in her eye,
It's gaze wag flxod in vacaaoy,
And from ber broke no tren&d cry
Nor any moan ,
Hut, ea an owl aoreamed, near at hand,
Without one look npon the land,
There was a leap a plunge, and and
That frog was gone!
Arthur Hotiagt.
THE LAST BISCUIT.
Bessie Lynn wit alone in the wide,
shady kitchen, busily engaged in pick
ing over wortioborrios. . Without, tho
sunshine of an August afternoon bathed
tlio green fields and dusty road that
wound to the village, and touched with
richer hue tho nasturtiums and gora
mims in tho tiny garden, and the Vir
ginia' creeper that .climbed and
lossomed above tho door. Bessie made
. pretty picture as she sat on a low
icket with a big calico apron spread
vr her blue-sprigged muslin dress to
fend it from the steins that had soiled
r little brown hands. She was a pe-
0, and daintily-rounded maiden of
ut eighteen, with great dark eyes
I glot"v , nrls, shading a fair brow
! chei .Lut had a touch of wild rose
1, m up i them. - ,
The kitchen, t u, was such a pretty
i uro with its well -scoured floor and
sor, its asparagus-top, od clock, its
; .iing stove with ; bunches of herbs
rt behind, and the great bouquet of
id cardinal flowers sat on the .snowy
!o. The kitchen was perfectly still,
I the buzz of the flies and the click
J he clock; and outside the cricket
I tho insects alone disturbed the
,ce. Bessie belie' vod that every one
the house was asleep but herself, and
wnod somewhat wearily as she tossed
or . the berries, finishing the yawn
ith a bit of soliloquy uttered about
If aloud. ','Oh, dear; ' this having
i mmer boarders isn't very pleasant!"
" Miss Bessie," said a voice in the
: orway so suddenly that Bessie nearly
pact her berries in her great surprise.
" Oh! Mr. Vane, is it you?" she said,
' ashfully, bending down to pick up a
u?w berries that had rolled from her
Xron.
" I'll pick 'em up!" exclaimed the new
comer, a tall and handsome-looking
youth of about twenty-one, with merry
blue eyes, short auburn hair curled
closely under a straw hat, diving for the
missing berries with ungraceful dex
terity. " Yes, it is I, of course. Have
you forgotten your promise to go for
liles with me this afternoon ?"
" Oh! but I didn't say this afternoon,
you know; only some afternoon this
week," responded Bessie, demurely.
" Well, we'll call it this afternoon,
won't we?" was the 'persuasive rejoinder
as the straw hat was tossed on the chair.
" I'll help you. Lend me half that apron
and we will have them picked over in a
trice." " But I shall have supper to get.
Mother's away and there will be biscuits
to bo made," insisted Bessie, turning
her face away to hide a smile that would
curve her lips. "Never mind that," re
sponded Maurice Vane, bringing a chair
to her side. " Tea's at six, isn't it? and
its now only half-past two. We'll be
back at five, without fail, and have time
to get half tho liliesin the river," and he
began to assort a handful of hemes with
much earnestness.
"W-e-1-1," assented Bessie, after a
pause for consideration and a glance at
the clock, " I can go for a little while,
perhaps. Oh! don't stain your coat, Mr.
Vane." But Mr. Vane was sublimely in
different to his, coat and worked with
such good-will that the fierries were
soon picked over, and Bessie and him
self on their way to the river.
Five minutes later, Bessie with her
Fjkries daintly bestowed around her,
was seated in the stern of the boat
which, propelled by Maurice Vane's
practical hand, shot swiftly down the
stream. Although Mr. Vane said to
Bessie five times withiu an hour that it
was a lovely day, and although Bessie
assented every time, I hardly think they
appreciated the beauty around them, for
Bessie was'quite absorbed in the lilies
and the reflection in the water, and Mr.
Vane looked more at his companion
than at the aspect of nature. They had
enough lilies to satisfy them and Bessie
was leaning backwurd and idly trailing
one hand in tho water, when she sud
denly uttered a little scream and sat
erect with white cheeks, from which the
color had been frightened.
"Oh! I almost lost it. W How careless
I am!" she exclaimed, replacing an old
fashioned ring, set with a tiny circle of
rubies, on her finger.
",Did the water sweep it off your
nana.'
" I suppose so. It's too largo for me,
I'm alwavs losingfit and finding it again.
1 wouldn't lose itVntirely for the world,
because it used to be grandmother's
She gave it to nie."
" What a curious old ring it is!" said
Mr. Vane, without interest. " May I
look at it? Don't trouble yourself to
take it off," he asked, drawing his oars
and leaning toward his companion.
Bessie allowed lier tiny brown hand to
lie in his aristocratic white one a
moment, then coquettishly withdrew it.
' ' Isn't it pretty? she inquired, archly.
"Very pretty. Shall I tell you how
10 guara against losing it in the future?
"Uli you, it you please.
" Well, wear this little ring of mine
to guara it, or botter yet, exchange with
me. uive me yours and take uis m
stead," said the young man, daringly.
Bessie looked "at the heavy chased
gold ring lie field out to her, then
looked back at the water with an mno
cent "Oh, I don't think it would fit!"
" Try it," suggested her companion,
softly.
Bessie shook her head but finally
- T I I , . , .
itgreuu, uiusningiy, mat it would DO no
harm to try, and slipped the ring on
hor forefinger.
" It's a perfect fit,"cried Mr. Vane, de
lightedly, "nothing can be bettor.
Why, Miss Bessie, you surely don't
mean to give it back?"
" Of course I do," was the saucy re
joinder. "Why not?"
" Because," said Mr. Vane, speaking
earnestly . and disregarding his fears
altogether, while he tried to get a
glimpse of the face hidden by the flat
hat, "because I meant to ask you to
wear it for my sake. I meant to ask
7-"
"Oh! Mr. Vane," cried his listener
here, " do you see that lily on your left.
Won't you get it for me ?"
" I'll get that and twenty others if
you'll listen to me first. Do you care
for me ? Will you marry me ?"
Bessie's face was turned away, and
her head bent lower. A crimson flush
stole over hor ears, neck and chin.
" Bessie," no answer. Her companion
leaned over her head and took her hand,
venturously.
"Bessie, will you wear the ring?"
he questioned, softly. But the hand
was hastily drawn away; a pair of saucy
black eyes . flashed into his own, and
Bessie's merry laughter rang over tho
water.
"I'd rather have grandma's, please.
I.ought to go home, Mr. Vane, for I
know its almost tea time."
Mr. Vane put the ring in his pocket
and took up the oars again energeti
cally without a word. Ho was fresh
from college and held the stroke oar in
many a race, but never made better time
than he made that afternoon in rowing
up the river. The light boat shot along
with the rower's brow knitted and his
teeth set. Not once did he look at
Bessie who sat in half-puzzled, half
alarmed silence, now and then stealing
sidewise glances at tho offended young
Hercules from under her hat. Mr. Vane
drew a breath of relief when the boat at
last grated on the sand, and having as
sisted Bessie to land and curtly offered
to carry her lilies, he shouldered the
oars and marched firmly toward home
by her side. Bessie, somewhat be
wildered and more angry, made no
effort to break the silence and studiously
endeavored to keep from crying. When
at last he left her at the door with a
cold "Thank you, Miss Bessie," and
doparted to carry tho oars to the barn,
it was well he did not look back, for
Miss Bessie tossed the lilies aside with
a petulant gesture and had a fit of cry
ing with her head on the kitchen table.
When Mr. Vane returned from the
barn half an hour later, he did see a
picture that comforted him a little
through the hop-wreathed pantry wiv-
dow. It was Bessie with her sleeosn
pinned up molding biscuits in a des
perate haste, while the tears fell thickly
on the high calico apron. This picture
so amazed Mr. Vane that he retreated
hastily behind a lilac bush to observe it,
and lingered bo long that he was late at
tea. This was a model supper. There
was the great dish of berries with snowy
cream beside, flanked by cheese and
raspberry jam. There were two moun
tains or plates ol snowy biscuits, con
trasting with sponge cake and the
richer gold of the butter. Mr. Vane
who had supposed he shouldsnever have
an appetite again, felt quite revived by
the sight of this table and the memory of
the picture.
The rest of the boarders seemed to
share the sensation, for the group of
muslin was very hilarious, and the eat
ables disappeared rapidly. Bessie, pre
siding between the pots, seemed rather
out of spirits, but Farmer Lynn atoned
for her silence by unusual jollity. When
the biscuits passed a second time to Mr.
Vane he saw that only one was left, and
would have decorously refused, but the
hospitable farmer pressed it upon him.
"Don't be afraid of it, there's plenty
more in the kitchen, ain't there Bessie?"
Thus pressed, Mr. Vane accepted the
biscuit and Bessie disappeared to re
plenish the plate. Mr. Vane divided
the biscuit, then dropped it suddenly
with an exclamation that brought every
eye upon him. There imbedded in the
light, white bread, lay Bessie's ruby ring.
Shouts of laughter arose that brought
Bessie back from the kitchen in haste,
just in time to see Mr. Vane coolly re
move the ring Irom the biscuit, amidst
the merry chorus, and drop it into his
waistcoat pocket to "bo kept till called
for," he said, with a significant look at
her scarlet face. Poor Bessie 1 There
was no peace for her after that. An
army of jokes quite overwhelmed her
protestations and disclaimings, and she
was thankful to beat a hasty retreat to
the kitchen when the meal was over.
1 But even there she was pursued by a
' laughing trio of ladies who harrassed
her with questions and wonderment.
and merriment, until the last dish was
set away, and she started to the village
for letters. Instead of going to the
village, however, she stole along the
neage, climbed tho wall, ran to- the
other end of the orchard, where she
flung herself on the ground and cried as
if her heart would break. She perhaps
nau cried nan an Hour w hen a step
crushing the dry grass at her side
roused her, and the very voice she most
areaaed to hear, said:
"I've come to return your ring, Miss
uessie.
I'oor little Bessie sat up hastily and
took the unfortunate ring with a falter
ing "Thank you," then immediately
hid her face again.
"You needn't thank me, I should
have brought it before, but I couldn't
find you. I hope you're not troubled
about those ridiculous jokes?" he added.
"N-o," responded Bessie, miserably,
between her sobs. " I I thought you'd
think I did it on purpose."
" How could I have thought so? It
was a mere accident my getting that
particular biscuit. I'm very sorry
you've been so annoyed in this wav. I'm
going away to-morrow, Miss Bessie."
The sobs partially ceased and Miss
Bessie said, surprisingly, "Are you?"
" won t you bid me good-bye?
" Yes," Bessie said, unsteadily, but did
not raise her head. -
" You'll shake hands, won't you, Miss
Bessie?" No answer. " I can't go away
while you are offended with me. Won't
you at least tell me why you are cry
ing.'
'Because I I lost my grandma's
ring," sobbed Bessie, making a great
effort for composure.
Mr. Vane laughed in spite of himself.
" Why its safe on your finger and not a
whit the worse for its baking. Is there
really no other reason?"
"N no."
" But there is. I shall never have
another happy hour if I've offended
you," said Mr. Vane, tragically. 1 "I
was a brute to treat you as I did this
afternoon; but I'm going away and I
Bhan't annoy you again. Won't you
forgive me now and shake hands ?" An
other long silence. Mr. Vano turned
away in despair but was detained by a ,
faltering voice.
"I I'll forgive you if "
"Well!" was the breathless inter
position.
" iou-won t-go-away ?
Tho more observant boarders noticed
at breakfast tho next morning that
Maurice Vane wore tho ring that he
found in the biscuit on tho little finerer
of tho left hand, and Bessie wore a
heavily chased gold circle m tho place
of hor lost ornament. '
To use the words of one of the before
named boarders, " That tells the whole
story." Westminister ; (Md. Advo
cate. Life In Ancient Rome.
The Romans were keen, business-like
men, who never pretended to be above
trade, even though they were of supe
rior rank or wealth. It did not cost
much to keep a man in the early cen
turies, the yearly allowance for a slave
being thirty-seven dollars and a half,
while a free laborer lived for forty-four
dollars a year. Corn was the main stay,
mteen million bushels being consumed
annually, and oil and honey were used
in large quantities. Among the rich,
epicures were more common and more
extravagant than in the modern world.
Fortunes were spent on single banquets.
Men were absurdly lavish. And vet
everything was very cheap even in tliis
extravagant city. The market reports
showthatlamb and sheep were only six
cents per pound, beef four cents, fish
two cents, a pair of quail thirty cents,
eggs six qents per dozen, wheat sixteen
cents per peck, fofr pounds of large (
grapes two cents ; chickens, per pair, '
thirty cents ; live to ten heads of let
tuce two cents. The Romans were not
very fond of any meat save pork, and
this they consumed sparingly. Beef
was not popular, being used mostly for
sacrifices. Game and fish were favorite
articles, and many choice imported fish
brought large prices. The' common
people could not afford many luxuries,
as wages were low. The yearly pay of
a journeyman mechanic was from ninety
live dollars to one hundred and twenty
five dollars and board. Food cost forty
dollars and clothing fifteen dollars per
year. From the account of Forbiger it
seems that goods were very low. A pair
of shoes cost thirty cents; one pair of
woman's gaiters, thirty cents; one felt
hat, one dollar; one tunic, sixteen dol
lars to thirty-six dollars; one toga,
twenty dollars to twenty-eight dollars.
A man could get a shave for two cents.
The Romans spent large amounts on
other luxuries beside those of the table.
The imports of flowers, perfumes, oint
ments and dresses from India in one
year amounted to two millions two hun
dred thousand dollars. In furniture
they had their decorative art crazes, the
citrus-wood tables being favorite arti
cles for squandering money upon. In
Cicero's time it was not unusual to
spend fifty thousand dollars for one of
these tables, and Seneca, the stoic, who
prated of the virtues of .abstinence and
the vice of luxury, owned five hundred
of them.
The announcement is made that
the bonded debt of Illinois, which in
18G3 amounted to 812,280,000, will in a
few months be paid to the last dollar.
The Illinois Central railroad has, as re
quired by law, contributed several hun
dred thousand dollars a year to the iav-
I ....... -w
' ment ol the debt,
Chinese Life In San Francisco.
A lady who visited ftie "Chinese
Quarters" in San Francisco, says: A
sudden turn out of the bustling thor
oughfare, a few steps forward, and we
feel we are in a foreign land. We are
escorted by a private friend and a police
detective, without whose iirnfffHvn
presence it would not be safe to venture
into those dingy courts and alleys that
lie festering in the very heart of the
r lowery Kingdom." Pig-tailed, blue-
oioused Celestials swarm in tho road
way and on the sidewalks. They snrge
round us with their silent, stealthy
tread. At the sight of our escort's face,
or the sound of his voice, they slink
away and are gone like shadows. The
streets are dimly lighted; the gas does
not blaze, it blinks behind its glasses,
but the big white moon gives litrht
enough for us to see the cheap gaudy
magnificence around us. We are pass
ing the Joss house. It flaunts its scar
let streamers overhead, and flanks its
doors with legends in saffron and gold.
Witlun is a glitter of tinsel, a subdued
light, and the flicker of a tiny lamp be
fore some figure of barbaric ugliness.
The air floats out loaded with the fumes
of smoking sandal-wood and strange
odors from the East. The doors are
open, but we do not enter yet. We
stroll up the street, taking an exterior
view before we penetrate to the interior.
Colored lanterns are strung along some
of the balconies, or hungfrom the win
dows. Red and blacksicrns in crooked
characters are everywhere, and from all
sides resounds the echo, it seems, of a
hundred unknown tongues. Lights
stream from cellar flaps, creep through
open doors and window chinks, but the
shops are only lighted by a succession
of dingy oil lamps. Discordant noises
of rasping fiddles, prongs and sundry
unknown tuneless- instruments mingle
with the clatter of strange tongues.
The very laughter comes to us jangled
and out of tune, and the air is filled
with odors the reverse of sweet. Moldy
fruits, wilted vegetables, stale fish, too
long divorced from its native element,
all mingle in one common and most un
savory scent. The Chinese shops niake
no endeavor to attract the eye or tempt
the appetite of the Celestial horde. But
perhaps, what seems to us a disgustig,
display may seem to them a tempting
sight. The butcher, who is a general
merchant as well, sells Joss sticks, tea
pots, tobacco and scores of other
things. He flanks his door on either
side with the carcasses of huge slaugh
tered hogs. They are not quartered
and jointed in Christian fashion, but
hacked and hewn and torn asunder just
as the meat is wanted, and present a
mangled, shapeless mass, sickening to
look at. Split chickens and flowls are
flattened out like sheets of paper and
nailed against the wall. Delicate tid
bits, steeped in oil and dried, are strung
up and hung like cherry bobs across the
windows, and scores of oily cakes, like
lumps of yellow , soap, are ' laid on
benches.
We pass on our way, look down the
cellar flaps, and see the barbers at work
m their underground shops. Within a
radius of half a mile there are no less
than fifty of these places devoted to the
cleansing and decoration of the Mon
golian head. You mav glance down
these steps at anv hour of the day or
night and you will see the operators
busy at their tonsorial labor. Never
was such clean shaving, such delicate
cleansing of eyes, ears and nostrils, such
trimming and penciling of brows and
lashes, such a scraping and polishing of
oily faces, such a plaiting of the bo
loved and sacred pig-tail, and the Ce
lestial pagan issues from the hands of
the barber a proud and happy man,
the perfect ideal of a Chinese beau;
every inch above his shoulders is
scraped and polished to perfection.
11ns luxurious treatment which lie re
ceives at the hands of his barber is a
law among the followers of Confucius.
lhe Chinaman feels the necessity of
frequent rejuvenation under the razors,
probes and pencils of the barber, who is
one of the best employed and most im
portant person in the community.
A Bright Stork.
A large and handsome whooping stork,
says the "Council Blurt's Nonpareil,"
can be seen daily strutting around the
yard at the residence ol 1'rolessor 1 aige,
in this city. The elongated bird was
purchased by the professor during a
visit to Mexico some; months since, and
has become quite tame. Among other
food that the stork relishes is a nice fat
mouse. Mrs. Paige has a small wire
trap in the house, and whenever a
mouse happens to wander therein, he
becomes a sweet morsel for his stork
ship. The other day Mrs. Paige noticed
the bird standing near the bam watch
ing intently at a small hole leading be
neath the building. The stork re
mained in an attitude of watchfulness
for nearly half an hour, and, Mrs. Paige,
becoming curious, concluded to watch
and see what followed. Finally she
saw a mouse creep into sight from under
the barn, and the same instant the in
telligent stork pounced down on tho
mouse and " took him in," killing it
first and then eating it. After perform
ing this intelligent feat, tho stork re
sumed his vigilance at the mouse hole,
and, after watching sharply for over an
hour, seemed to grow weary of his work
or get out of patience, and, marching to
the house, entered tho kitchen, and
picking up the mouse-trap, from which
lie had so often been fed, ho returned
to the barn and set the trap down near
the hole, evidently appreciating tho use
of the trap, and believing that it would
catch ft mouse for him,
THE TOOTHSOME OYSTER.
ome Interesting Farts About the Valu
able UlralTe.
I he New lork correspondent of the
"Cincinnati Gazette" writes: . This
shell fish was known Ity the ancients.
Its name is derived from osreon, the
Greek for bone. Ovsters. indeed, have
not only been popular among all na
tions, but tho very name has maintained
a coiTesponding identity in all lan
guages; thus, in Latin, it is ostrea; in
Russ, vstrite; Danish, oster; Swedish,
ostra; German, auster; French, huiter,
and American, eistren. The notion that
this fish is only wholesome during the
R months is entirely modern, and is
incorrect, but it is advantageous, since
the summer is the spawning season, and
hence the fish should not be disturbed.
There are at least sixty varieties of oys
ters, those found in warm latitudes be
ing inferior to the product of a cooler
clime. The oyster lives on minute par
ticles which enter the shell when open.
It cannot move, and therefore its food
must come to it. Hence, like Micawber,
it is always " waiting for something to
turn up." " Native oysters " are those
taken in their native bed. Oysters are
improved by changing, and hence trans
planting is an important feature in the
business. " Oyster seed," as the little
ones are called, are purchased for $1 per
bushel and planted in favorable spots,
whence they are taken up by huge
rakes. When the oyster Beason stops
(during summer) the clam season sets in.
and thus each fish has its day. Clams
have been very cheap and immense
quantities have been eaten, but oysters
will now to a great degree take their
place.
During my residence in this city the
oyster trade has increased more rapidly
than almost any other specialty. Few,
indeed, can form any idea of its im
mense extent. It is estimated that the
sales in this city during the present year
will exceed $25,000,000, and at this rata
an aggregate of almost thrice that sum
will be reached through tho Union.
More than 40,000 persons are engaged
in the traflio in this city. There are
those who buy and Bell by tho fcargo,
while others job in a smaller way, and
then there is the countless variety of
oyster saloons, from the splendid Broad
way basement down to the street stand
where a capital of $5 is sufficient. When
I was a lad Canal street was the popu
lar center of the trade, and one often
heard of oysters "on the Canal street
plan." This term, however, is now for
gotten. Ono of the heaviest dealers is
James Boyle, who has been extensively
engaged in shipping oysters to England.
The great oyster market is now at the
foot of Tenth Btreet, where tho boats
daily discharge vast cargoes. You can
get a dime stew or buy a boat load of
the same man. Tho fashion of eating
on the half-shell is on the increase, and
this leads to a demand for exports in
the trade. A good " stabber," as the
term goes, may now obtain liberal pay.
The rapidity with which the work is
done is certainly marvelous, and the
amount which some will cut in this
manner is equally a matter of admira
tion. One man has been known to open
900 per hour, and keep this number as
an average ior more than half a day
making 5,400 in six hours. The reader
can hardly imagine the dexterity re
quired in this immense execution, and
in fact the statement seems almost in
credible. The late Sidney Dorlon was the most
popular oyster-man in America. He
began poor, but left a fortune. This re
markabledegree of success was duo to
his rare neatness and good taste. His
place was always attractive, and so were
his oysters. Hence he commanded the
best patrons of the city. Simple as the
cooking of an oyster may seem, there
was a fascination in Dorlon's style
which few could approach, no died a
few years ago, leaving $.r)0,0(M), all made
in a moderately-sized oyster-house. Van
Name, who kept at the coi ner of Broad
way and Fulton street, won a distin
guished reputation in this line and be
came rich. He afterward got above his
business and caught the fever of re
nown. Leaving the oyster saloon he
was induced to aid in organizing a sav
ings bank, of which he was made presi
dent. Instead of serving out shilling
stews he sat in a cushioned chair in a
business parlor, and signed such papers
as were placed in his hands. The re
sult was just what might bo expected.
The bank failed, and Van Name not
only lost all his money, but narrowly
escaped an indictment. It is a curious
feature in the trade that dealers when
sending home oysters to their customers
always use a pail painted blue outside
and white inside. Blue and white are
the oyster-man's arms.
A topper Mine.
One of the curiosities of Arizona is an
ancient copper mine on the east sido of
the Verde. By whom it was worked
it would be hard to determine, i'os
sibly by tho Aztecs; more likely by the
Apaches. This is more reasonable, as
the mine has not been worked for the
metal in the ore, but for the paint.
There are now on the dump rich and
easily worked carbonates, while every
spot where high-colored, soit material
snowed itself has been worked out.
Several rock tools which have been
found, with battered edges, and stains of
ore on them, prove that implements of
stone were used. They ran a tunnel into
the ledge nine feet high and from six to
eight feet wide. It is about twenty feet
long. In places there are walls built
and the waste matter thrown behind
hem.
Comets are wearing as long trains
this season as usual.
" JACK-IJ-THE-PCLPIT STORIES.
NEEDLES AM) THREAD THAT GROW.
The natives of New Mexico and of
some parts of South America have no
trouble whatever about sewing-tools ;
their needles grow, ready threaded, and
I'm told that anybody who wishes to uso
needles and thread just walks up to tha
plant and takes them. Tho needle is a
slender thorn that grows at tho end of
the leaf of tho maguey tree, and the
thread is a fiber which is attached to
the thorn. It is easy to pluck the thorn
and draw it out with its fiber, and the
two perfectly answer the purpose of
ordinary needles and thread, consider
ing the kinds of cloth and costume used
in tho tropical countries where they are ,
found.
MONKEY TORCH-BEARERS.
Your Jack has just heard of some
monkeys who were educated, not to
bog pennies nor to make bows, but to
do something really useful. They lived
in the Jimma country, which lies south
of Abyssinia, and they held the torches
at grand suppers, seated in rows on
high benches around tho banquet room.
There they silently waited, holding up
the light, until the feasters had finished; .
and then the monkeys came in for a
share of the good things. Sometimes
one of them would .become impatient
for his supper, and throw his flaming
light among the guests, as if to make
them hurry; but, as a rule, these
monkey torch-bearers behaved well.
CRADLED IN A LEAF.
It is not an insect nor a bird that I
mean, but a human baby, cradled in a
single leaf. The leaf is a big one, to
be sure, being five or six inches across,
and having a rim three inches high all
around its edges. It is the leaf ;of the
Victoria Regia, a gigantic water lily
found only in the warmest parts of
South America. Each plant has a num
ber of these huge pads, which rests
upon the top of tho water. A big bird
can stand on one of them without sink
ing, and, sometimes, when a mother is
gathering the seeds of the plant, which
are used for food, she will lay her baby
asleep on one of the leaves, where it is
perfectly safe until she is ready to take
it up. What nice cool cradles these
lily-pads must make, in that hot coun
try! St. Nicholas.
Seeking a Sunken Treasure.
Work upon the wreck of the British
frigate Hussar, which now lies on the
bottom of the Harlem river, New York,
is being pushed with great vigor.
Operations were begun last June, and
will be continued until floating ice
threatens to cut the divers' air-pipes and
life-Unes. What is left of the wrecked
man-of-war rests in from eighty to ninety
feet of water, and owing to the great
depth and the swiftness of tho tide tho
divers can make but 6low progress. The
schooner Hudson is held in position over
the wreck by five anchors two astern
and three forward. A steam engine on
her deck operates tho air and hydraulic
pumps and other machinery. Tho
mound of rubbish at tho bottom of the
river all that remains of the frigate
is mined with a hydraulio drill. The
enterprise is in the hands of a new com
pany holding a government . license.
Mr. G. W. Thomas, the acting manager,
when asked what progress had been made
this season, Baid that he would prefer
not to say; tliat so many previous efforts
to recover tho treasure having proved
abortive, the press and the public wore
disposed to laughter whenever tho sub
ject is mentioned. He. would say, how
ever, that the indications were such that
the gentlemen composing the company
were encouraged to persevere, and paid
their assessments with promptitude. It
is the oinnion of many clivers who have
worked upon the wreck that when the
nussar was blown up by other divers,
over fifty years ago, that portion of the
vessel holding the treasure was cut on
and carried away some distance by the
tide.
The Hussar, while on her way to Nor
wich, Conn., on November 25, 1780,
struck on Pot Rock, in Hell Gate. She
is said to have had on board, $4,800,000,
which was intended for the land and
naval forces engaged in the war with the
colonies.
Interesting mementoes of the wreck
are daily brought to the surface by tho
divers. A few days ago a metal box,
holding a number of British copper
coins, was brought up.
The Ingenious Druggist.
Tho druggist's apprentice during his
master's absence became again voluble
to tho customer. Said the apprentice,
half in soliloquy and half in narrative:
" The drug business is terrific. These
porous 'plasters. Tha old man has a
national reputation for them. Ho
makes 'em out of old sun bonnets, and
glue cuts up the sun bonnets and
smears on tho glue and when you get
one of his plasters on your back it is
there for life. There's a man comes in
hero most every day to swear at the old
man because ho put on ono of our plas
ters for a lame back in 1818, time of the
Mexican war, and as he couldn't get it
off, the skin grew over it like tho bark
of a tree, you kuow. That plaster has
worked further and further in, until
now its gone to his lungs, and it pulls at
liis left lung in a way to sot hi m crazy.
Ho is a very remarkable, chemist the
old man. I do believe he could make
paregoric out of umbrellas, and boil
down an illustrated weekly paper into
ottar of roses. He has tho blamedest
ingenuity. You wouldn't believe."
Only Great Britain and Franco now
possess a greater gold circulation than
the United States.