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B. F. SCHWEIER, THE CONSTITUTION THH UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XXVIII. MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., JULY 22. 1S74. NO. 29.
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Poet ry .
LOVE f LOW ERS.
BT r. W. BOCEDIIXON,
Oh ! who ww watching when Love came by.
When Love came here in the glad spring
hours?
Use scarf was torn from his laughing eyes.
And he wore instead a wreath of flowers.
The wreath of flowers his head went round
And about his eysa, as the scarf had been;
iut is rain the flower; band was bound.
For he peeped the flowers and leaves be
tweeu.
lie wore no quiver, he bore no bow.
And innocent looked as a blinded boy;
With flowers about him, above, below.
The spirit he seemed of spring and Jot.
Cut here and there he let fall a flower.
The crneL the bright little blinded god;
And watrhin;, I saw that botir by hour
These blooms took root in the green spring
sod.
And whoso plucks the flowers that grow
From the blooms Love flung from his
wreath above.
Though sweetest-seeming of blossoms thev
blow.
His heart shall be hot with the madness of
love.
Tfte iitftalnr.
BY AHEU.1A K. Dai.lY.
Ouly a flower." the rich man said.
When he trod it down ii Ui i cu eless walk;
But his little daughb r raj&ed its head.
And tenderly held the 1 nih n stalk.
Aud from its place by the dusty way,
t-'he carried it home to her garden small.
And set it where, from day to day.
Sunlight aud shadow would ou it fall.
It lived aul thrived in the garden small.
And when the autumn winds were chill.
And the ruses died in the frosty air.
The hardy wild flower blossomed stiu.
The little maiden often smiled
To see it bloom when the rose was dead
And the father watching his happy child,
Thi sermon short in the blossom read.
Too often we crash with our careless feet
The flowers of love in our patha that blow,
Aud that, cherish!, would open full and
sweet
Wh n summer blossoms were lvinz low.
iralh.
There is no subject npon wbidi the
human tuiud can dwell that is invented
with Kti'-li sober surroundings as death.
What it is? This question tan been
asked billions of times ; we ask our
selves this momentous question ; every -Ih
I y asks it, because everybody feels
deeply interested iu its deep mysteries.
The subject is not a pleasant one to
contemplate ; the best of the race re
gard it with dread ; all classes put it
away from them as far as possible ; noue
like to commune with the great Terror
King ; bat no answer comes back to the
question. 'What is death ?' We have
seen it effects npon oar families, friends
aud acquaintances ; we are painfully
conscious that it destroys life, trans
forms beings of beauty, activity and af
feution into lumps of inanimate clay ;
that the damask rhet ki. the sparkling
eyes, the athletic frames, are rendered
food for the charnal house worms, after
death has placed the signet of mortality
npon the living. Of the nature ot this
great seytheman of onr race we know
absolutely nothing ; of the universality
of his sway we know all, bat finite
minds cannot fathom the immensity of
this change from life to death.
Is death the bridge between the
present and the unexplored future,
between earth and heaven ? Is it possi
ble for mot tals. after they have lost
their vitality, to walk safely over the
bridge that spans the two worlds ? Is
deatu an nubridged chasm which separ
ates the finite from the infinite ? If so,
may we not bridge it by a life devoted
to the right ? May not virtuous actions
erect a safe structure over this dark and
forbidden chasm ? We are told that faith
can explain all these things, but we
have not that faith, in the orthodox
sense.
Senile Hsril.
There is a magic power in gentle
words, the potency of which few na
tures are so icy as wholly to resist.
Would you have yonr home a cheerful,
hallowed spot, within which may be
found that happiness and peace which
the world denieth to its votaries ? Let
no harsh words be uttered within its
walls.
Speak gently to the wearied hus
band, who, with anxious brow, returns
from the perplexities of his dai ly avo
cations; aud let him, in his tarn, speak
gently to the care-worn woman and
wife, who.amid her never-ending round
of little duties, finds rest and encour
agement in the sympathy of him she
loves. Seak gently to the wayward
child; a pleasant smile and word of
kindness will often restore good humor
and playfulness. Speak gently to the
dependent who lightens your daily
toil; kind words insure respect and af
fectiou, while the angry rebuke pro
vokes impertinence and dislike. Speak
geutly to the aged; many are the trials
through which tbey have passed, and
now iu a little while they will be missed
from their accustomed places; the
spirit will have passed to its rest. The
remembrance of an unkind word will
then bring with it a bitter sting.
Speak geutly to the ernug one; are
we not all weak aud liable to err?
Temptatioua.of which we cannot judge,
may have surrounded him. Harsh
ness will drive him on the sinful way;
gentleness may win him back to virtue.
Male Milliarra.
In Paris there are now nine mantua
makers and six milliners of the mascu
line persuasion, each of whom is at the
head of a large establishment. They
are all gentlemen of unusually refined
manners and luxurious habits. They
never go abroad without a carriage.and
are always attired in faultless costume.
By uniting taste and tact with a business-faculty,
they are rapidly building
np enviable reputations and fortunes.
Is there not a lesson for ladies in their
career ? It is a little curious that, while
women are venturing into vocations
hitherto monopolized by the stronger
ex, men should turn the tables npon
them, and, taking np trades which Lave
been deemed their exclusive preroga
tives, quickly coin wealth and fame out
of the undertaking. Does not this tend
to show that there is not much differ
ence between the masculine and the
feminine intellect after all; that the
great disparity noted in their inclina
tions, pursuits, and achievements, is
mora the result of education than of
Nature ?
BETSEY BOBBETT.
My ! but Mrs. Betsey Bobbett was a
spry little widow. She walked as
though she was moved by steel springs,
especially if 'Squire Wilkins happened
to be passing her house. If she saw
him tilting by in his gig she was sure
to be busy at the front window, picking
an imaginary dead leaf off the rose
geranium, or culling i spray of migo
nette to fasten among her bonny brown
carls. Sometimes she would be coming
round the house from the cistern pump
and she would flirt her ruffles in a way
to show the 'broidered hems of her
marvelously dainty skirts and the trim
mest of all pretty-arched ankles.
She was as artful as a mink, Betsey
was, and it was very certain that she
had laid her plans to captivate the vil
lage 'Squire. Her brother thought so
-he was an old bachelor who lived
with her and all the trouble Ira knew
was the fear that Betsey wonld marry
and his cozy relations be broken np. He
embraced every opportunity to say
something against every marriageable
widower or susceptible bachelor in the
neighborhood :
''So, I don't like tha looks o' Squire
Wilkins, no how," he said one evening,
as he leaned back in his chair at the
tea-table and picked bis teeth leisurely.
"Them deep, np-and-down wriukles
'tween his eyebrows are enough for me;
when yon see them on anybody's face
you may look out for ill uatur' and a
cross fault-finding disposition. But
where they run this way, and he arched
his eyebrows np until his skinny-looking
forehead lay all in deep furrows
plowed horizontally, "why, then, you
may expect a good-natured man, not
fanlt-fiuding nor hard to please,
"It's nothing to me who's ill-tempered
or who has wrinkles, I'm. sure,
said Betsey, smiling demurely ; "but I
never believed much in signs. Ton
know our old Grandmother Tressway
was as full of contrariness as the old
fellow himself, and people looked in
her smooth face, as placid as a china's
doll's, aud they called her a saint and
a mother in Israel, and all sack holy,
significant titles. Yon remember how
she used to throw the teapot, or the
press-board, or the boot jack, or any
thing that came in her way at as young
ones."
And so the talk of the brother and
sister drifted on until it ran into the
past, and tbey both talked of old times
aud half -forgotten adventures, and they
speLt a very pleasant evening together,
as they usually did.
The next evening, just after dusk, the
'Squire called and stayed an hour or so.
He had not intended stopping long
j list ran in to see how Ira managed to
keep his sweet potatoes all winter he'd
never had luck keeping his, somehow.
Ira hurried and told him, secretly hop
ing that he'd go home immediately, but
the 'Squire was iu no hurry.
They talked election news and dis
cussed tue candidates for Governor
aud for Lieutenant Governor and Con
gress, aud yet the 'Squire lingered. He
was bmldiug a new house, frame, story -aud
-a half, with two dormer w unions,
that cost fifty dollars each. He said
"dormer windows were so charming to
sit iu aud watch the sun set in the sum
mer evenings when the mellar light
fringed all the hills with glory ;" here
be ran his spongy hands into his pock
ets and then plowed his fingers through
his well-dyed ambrosial locks, and theu
fell to milking his sooty black beard,
while he glanced over at the widow,
whose eyes spake again.
"Or," he continued, "it is pleasant
to sit in the dormer winder in the fall
o' the moon and watch him sailin'
amongst the clouds in ell his evangelical
majesty. One knows how to vally a
friend at such a time ;" and he rolled
up his eyes and milked on leisurely
while he sighed.
"That's so," said Ira, thinking that
he ought to say something to show
himself an appreciate listener.
"I've not planned yet how 111 have
my upper rooms divided off ; I want
them handy and to be as large as possi
ble," and he cast his round, white orbs
up to the celling, thinking that he
looked like a poet whose eyes were in a
"fine frenzy rolling."
"This is fine October weather," said
the widow, tossing her black curls aud
rocking gently to and fro, giving her
bead just motion enough to swiug the
glittering pendants in her ears and mske
them catch the light of the lamp and
sparkle there most bewitehingly. Oh,
it was a captivating little dodge, and it
worked like a charm. "Sq lire's heart
melted like a roll of July butter.
Her hands lay prettily in her lap ; she
continued : "I always think of what
the poet sang of October. He says :
There Is a vifcnr In the air
That brings aucb. lutht to beart and eye
An came uoc with turn auouuer glow
Of ilaya gone by.
She recited it rather mournfully,
and raised her voice at the end of each
line nntil she came to the last, and she
gradually let it die in a whisper.
That was artful dodge number two.
Ira was growing nneasy at the senti
mental turn matters were taking, and,
thinking of hospitality, he said :
" "Squire s'posin' we have a basket o'
black walnuts to eat some o' them
boosters that growed down on the bot
tom?" "No, I believe not ; I ate hearty
supper this evening," said the 'Squire.
"Now my family room is trifle larger
than this," he continued, and he looked
all around the room scrutinizingly.
The widow was glad that she had
swept down the cobwebs that very
morning, and that Ira had whitewashed
overhead the week before the State fair.
To all outside appearances she was a
tip-top housekeeper. But sometimes it
she was in a hurry, she did not make
her bed more than three times in one
week. Nobody knew it but Ira, and he
didu't care a cent.
Ira stood his ground and managed to
say something every time the 'Squire
spoke ; he was determined that he
shouldn't have an opportunity to talk
sentiment to Betsey, for if he did, dear
knows where it would end. There was
the 'Squire, a well-to-do widower, a
good provider, only two children, rich,
and looking about for a partner to share
his joys and sorrows. There was Ira's
sister, Betsey Bobbett, only turned
thirty-three, neat, handsome, smart as
a cricket, and her husband as dead as a
door-nail this eighteen months and
over, and why shouldn't she marry if
she took a notion ? But he couldn't
live in the same house with the 'Squire
and Betsey, even if they wanted him
to. He thought and thought and
scratched his head over the problem,
and his lower jaw fell, and for two days
he pondered sorrowfully over this di
lemma. One day Betsey was going over to
her cousin's to a quilting, and Ira wa
to keep house and have the tea-kettle
boiling at five o'clock in the evening.
Now, nobody wonld guess what a
naughty thing old Brother Ira did in
her absence. Oh, the selfi-th old ehurl
was driven to it I He knew it wasn't
manly or kind, but how could he give
up his cozy quarters and see Betsey's
smiles lavished upon another r
Poor fellow, he arraigned himself.
and while under this indictment he
said : "Xow. Ira Josephus Barnabee,
you know very well that you are the
viciousest mortal that ever lived, but
something muxt be done. You don't
want to be set adnft and be compelled
to try the realities of cruel world that
always was hard on orphans and poor
folks I
Ira often dwelt with pathos on the
fact of his being an orphan. He was
not a very tender orphan, being in his
forty-seventh year ; but that is the way
with some people, they will howl over
one old-time,by-gone sorrow all through
their lives.
Ira knew that Madame Wilkins, de
ceased, had been very pink of
housekeeper, and the bereft "Squire
thought this requirement the one thing
needful in a wife. She must mop all
the floors every Saturday, sweep down
the oobwetts. polish the tinware, and
do all the little things that his mother
used to do. Of course her successor
must be all she had been.
After Betsey had been gone an hour
or two, Ira walked leisurely over to the
new story-aud-a-half frame house of
'Squire Wilkins, aud seated himself on
the workbench and commenced playing
with the little enrly shavings.
The 'Squire came in and began show
ing him round through the house very
courteously. When they were up-stairs
Ira said : "Yon ought to have your
rooms divided off like my sister Betsey
has ; I think hers are very convenient."
'I wish I had the plan of her rooms,"
said the 'Squire, brightening np as
though the idea tantalized him.
"Get your rule and come right over
along with me ; there's nobody at home
to-day, aud we'll have full possession
ourselves."
So the two men trudged off together
to Widow Betsey Bobbett's little rose
colored cottage in the edge of the vil
lage. Now, I don't wish to insinuate, but I
verily believe that Ira Josephus, the
selfish old bachelor brother, had been
all through Hose Cottage, just trying
bow badly he could tumble together
the contents, and what a suspicion he
could cast upon that little housekeeper,
Betsey Bobbett. In the pantry, the
doors of the clipboard stood staring
wide open, showing a heterogeneous
mess of cold boiled cabbage, pork, fish,
turnip, pickles, buttermilk, and meat
fryiugs, with nut-cakes, broken pies,
dry bread, etc., etc The doors of the
clothes-press stood ajar, and bonnets,
hats, hose, gaiters, gowns and slippers
were thrown promiscuously together in
tumbled heaps dirty and clean, broken
aud whole, all just as though tumbled
out of a rag peddler's wagon in a hurri
cane. The sitting room was in prime
disorder ; a basket of walnuts and a
plate of apples with peelings and cores
among them, occupied a place in the
middle of the floor. But her bed-room
was the worst. The bed was not made;
on one post hang a night-cap (it wasn't
tiers ; Ira must have put his there) ; it
was made of red flannel, without a hem
r biudiug ; the back part of it was
pucktred all np by a string run round
m it. On another post hung an old
hoop-skirt that looked as if it had come
out of Noah's ark after good service for
Noah's wife and his son's wives. Stock
ings lay scattered about, and shoes just
as they had been kicked off, corsets,
bustles, underclothing, and all the et
ccttera of a bed-room, in a dilapitaded
coudition. Ira acted very naturally,
just as if everything was right and not
unusual.
"Now, "Squire, this bed-room is good
size 'bout square I should think,"
said the unimpressible Ira, taking the
rule and beginning to measure from
the wall right opposite the bed ; "take
the measure and see for yourself and
he handed it to the bereft widower.
He took it and continued on with the
same measurement that Ira had com
menced. Of course it ran right under
the bed. Now beds will get dirty under
them. I don't know what's the reason,
bat the first sign of disorder in a bed
room begins with a fluffuess on the car
pet under it. Then we women all know
what a glorious receptacle "under yon
bed" is for shoes, boxes, dirty clothes,
cast-off duds, and anything one wants to
put oat of sight "just for a little while."
Good housekeepers, sometimes, so far
depart from their integrity as to let
things get in a muss in their bed-rooms.
It is not for us to say whether Betsey
Bobbett's bed -room was generally tidy
or not.
Dreadful, wasn't it? that just while
the immaculate 'Squire was down on all
fours, away back under the bed, among
feathers, and straw, and boxes, and
bundles, and other things, a patting
little trip was heard .running up the
stairs as light as a kitten's springy step ;
and who should come bounding into
the room, curls a-flying, and eyes spark
ling, and cheeks aglow, but Botsey
Bobbett herself 1
"Oh, good heavens I" she screamed,
as one glance of her eye took in the
whole scene.
Ira was standing leaning over, anxi
ously watching the "Squire, who was
under the bed, save that his legs were
visible, or as much of them as wore
boots.
"What does this mean ? I'd like to
know," she said, in a shrill voice, hold
ing up both trembling hands aa though
aghast with horror.
The "Squire came hustling out, crab
style, from among the debris, with his
hair all pushed the wrong way, and the
tails of his coat tnrned up over his
back. He made a great clang and clat
ter and noise, and disarranged the hid
den things generally ; but he got oat
at last aud tried to look like a man who
had been following a legitimate calling.
"Now, I say no gentteman will enter
a lady's private room under such cir
cumstances," said she, looking at the
measuriug rule ; "and especially in her
absence I It's horrible I It's awful 1"
and the poor little thing clapped her
hands up to her face and sobbed hyste
rically. "He only wanted to measure the
rooms afore he planned his'n," said the
brother, in a cringing voice, looking at
his sister, and feeling really sorry that
matters bad taken such an unfavorable
turn. His plan had worked well, but
hadn't stopped there ; it had gone on
working ; and he could a' t see, as he
stood there scratching his head, where
the misebjef would end.
"I regret exceedingly, Mrs. Bobbett,
that I have subjected myself to your
displeasure,' said the disoomfitted
'Squire, twisting his fingers together
and looking Very miserable and red-
"Well. don't stand here, then I Go
home where you belong; and you
needn't be bit surprised, sir, if I have
you op before the session at their next
meeting," said the incensed widow, her
eyes flashing fire. Both men were so
scared that they stood like petrified
men.
"Where in the world did this old
thing come from, I'd like to know ?"
ahe shrieked out, seizing hold of the
funny flannel night-cap that was perched
up on top of the foot-post, and she gave
it a vicious jerk, breaking the string
that held in pucker the back part ot it,
and it slipped down over the post. En
raged, she pulled at it violently, tore it
off, and twisting it up in a little wad
threw it at the 'Squire's head. "Clear
out, I say both of you prowling dogs ;"
and she stamped her little foot very
much in earnest and followed them to
the head of the stairs.
"Mrs. Bobbett, my dear woman,'
began the 'Squire, apologetically.
"Away with you ; don't you go to
Mrs. Bobbettin me I" said she, and ahe
made the dearest little fist, which she
extended in the direction of his face.
He dodged his head, as if a wasp was
coming that way, and the two men
shambled off down stairs. She lay
prone on the floor in her dire distress
and cried nvers of tears," tears ot
sorrow, and mortification, anger and
spite, and grief, and disappointment.
But time brought an end to her agony
she grew calm and her sorrow was of
the subdued kind. While she lay on
the floor sobbing, her brother Ira was
lying on the floor too, down in the sit
tmg-room,and he was giving expression
to the exaltation that lifted him higher
than he'd ever been before.
No danger now, he thought, of the
poor orphan, Ira Josephus, being
turned out of house and home, to make
room for "Squire Wilkins. "Sold '
sold I" he ejaculated, as he lay on his
broad back and kicked his heels up in
in the air and gesticulated with his
brawny fists. "Oh, that was rich ! but
my 1 didn't her eyes blaze, and her
cheeks glow ; she looked like a harnsom
fury," and in his inexpressible exuber
ance of joy he beat his breast, shook
his head and acted like a crazy man.
We don't know how the brother and
sister settled the affair and became
good friends again, but we know it to
be the case, and that they live together
as snug as two chatty little mice, and
she "smiles again," and swings her
bonny curls bewitchingly, and is as
happy as the days are long.
'Squire Wilkins married that red
headed widow, with the lame boy, who
used to live on the farm he sold 'after
he came to the village. She and Widow
Bobbett are friends, and they gossip
and sip tea together in the summer
evenings, and see a great deal of com
fort. We don't know whether 'Squire
planned his rooms after those in Hone
Cottage, or not, but we guess by the
twinkle in his gray eyes that he often
laughs over the ridiculous figure he
cut, crawling around under the bed of
the widow, Betsey Bobbett.
Bell.
One of the most interesting subjects
which presents itself to the mind of a
musical student is that of bells. Being
ranked by musicians among the musi
cal instruments of percussion.the study
of them, like all such inexhaustible
subjects, admits of careful explanation,
which is likely to be a long journey be
fore the different branches which spring
from the parent subject are fully in
vestigated. In prosecuting such a study
there are halting places and by-paths
"thick as leaves in Valotnbrosa," with
historic treasures which the writer can
not reconcile himself to iieglectiug,aiid
yet to prepare a bird's-eye view of auy
great whole there must lie no lingering,
no stopping, but a hurried scauuiug
aud a rapid transilience.
As a writer of the present centnry
says, bells have been neglected by mu
sical antiquaries, aud there are very
few records which are wholly correct.
This is a matter of wonderment to
many people whose experience extends
to th'e limit of knowing that a certain
famous bell bangs in an accessible town
which is free totheinvestigation of anv
lover of research. But to the learned
there are very serious difficulties at
tending the examination of bells which
are hung. As an example, we quote
from the private diary of an enthusias
tic music-loving friend who was col
lecting facts of interest concerning old,
celebrated musical instruments. For a
portion of his time he examined some
of those brazen -ton gued sentinels, and
describes one of his tours which, as he
says, was an 'experience oft repeated:"
"Ve climbed up hundreds of stairs,
innumerable ladders, over beams black
with age and dust, to find at the last
moment an intercepting support which
prevented further progress. We could
see one-half of the 111, but a perverse
chance made the half which was hidden
bear the date and name which we so
desired to see." These are some of the
difficulties, and to auy one who intends
to pursue his studies of bells we recom
mend the practice of patience and a
diploma as a gymnast. From some ex
perience in watching an investigation
of this kind we learned that frequently
it is necessary to get through an apera
ture too small to admit the whole body:
to hang from the ceiling with one hand
and with the other to hold a light and
attempt-to decipher a date; or to crawl
close to the bell and try to rub off the
rust from the name with a prospec
tive fall of a hundred feet should vour
foot slip or the rope prove treacherous.
Weighing these attending circum
stances our readers will readily see why
so little is known of some of these most
important musical instruments.
Bible savans will tell ns that per
haps the first mention of a bell was
made by Moses where he described the
dress ot the high priest. This is cer
tainly excellent authority and we know
from profane history that bells were
common at that time as ornaments. It
is unnecessary for us, in fact it is im
possible, iu one article even to trace the
history of bells from that time up to
the Christian era; we therefore hastily
glance at a few records taken from
different years, giving enough of the
fictions relating to bells to color plain
facts. In the year 870 we hear of
chimes, one peal in particular which
were a gift to the Abbey at Croyland.
From this time, and years before.siugle
bells were used for church purposes, in
imitatiou of rude music, aud were
principally associated with the joyous
seasons of the church. During Lent
they were muffled, and runners were
employed to assemble the congrega
tions, or pieces of thin board were
struck together which were the unhar
monious substitutes for the silenced
bells. These hoards have been pre
served and in Florence sets of them are
still to be seen: they are called sacred
boards. At the Easter festival the
bells were uncloakeu.cleaned and rung
out in the most exultant tones to cele
brate the feast of the risen Lord.
The quality ot tone in bells depends
in a measure upon their size, and in
order to facilitate correctness in scales
immense bells have been moulded,
which are not, as some suppose, capa
ble of giving out a tone which will be
heard at a greater distance than that
which emits from a smaller bell, but
are simply to give a lower tone in the
register. The immense bell which
was cast in Moscow in 1053, by order of
the Empress Sophia, was intended to
Eroduce a note equal to any organ bass,
ut it came out a cracked bell in spite
of all care, and the 198 tons of metal
was useless. A second experiment gave
another enormous bell to the world,
weighing 13d tons, and measuring 21
feet in height. This gives out a note
which is too untrue to be of much ser
vice: it therefore serves only as a mam
moth heirloom of which Kussia is
proud. Father Le Comte, the Jesuit
missionary to China, speaks of a chime
of bells at Pekin.niue in uumlier, which
are more perfect than any he heard in
Europe. The largest bell weighed 190
tons, and is true in tone and wonderful
in its position as bass to the eighteen
parts of the harmony. The Chinese
have an aptitude tor the manufacture
of bells, aud enjoy a celebrity which
has been undisturbed until the last cen
tury. Chevalier VanEIewyck rallsBelgiuni
the "classic land of bells" with perfect
justness, for the family of Van den
Gheyns have carried to perfection the
science of bell making. That country
has been the scene of so much strife
that the bells of Belgium have bad as
sociated with them a strange and deep
significance, in addition to their in
trinsic value. In all the fortified towns
the most important strncture was the
bell-tower, which alike served the
friend or foe. So many tones struck
upon a bell in quick succession told of
danger; the ascending notes of the
scale were a sign that their armies were
victorious; while the clanging of the
chime of bells told of utter loss. The
Belgium bells were valuable trophies,
beiug considered great acquisitions to
the musical treasures of any city.
Naming bells was an eailv custom,
and from the time of John XIII., W8, it
has been preserved. I u Germany it is
not unusual to hear the citizens say
"how loud Beethoven speaks this morn
ing," or "Ilamlel is in In-tter tune." To
the unsophisticated this is rather an ir
reverent use of the dead masters'
names, but this mode of perpetuating
the musician's memory strikes a sympa
thetic chord in ourowu minds. Though
perhaps a little irrelevant to the imme
diate subject of music aud the drama,
we wish to speak of some of the suier
stitions which cluster about these
named bells, leaving the remaining
musical score of the subject unfinished
until a future time.
As was habitual to the ancient and
superstitious people of Italy, bells were
named at first after some departed
saint whose spirit was supposed to ring
the bell if its mission led it past the
tower. This was a remiuderof the im
mediate presence of the departed, and
in ltalv it is not unusual to see at night
some devout citizen cross himself ami
whisper a prayer as a far off bell-toue
is heard. They are wholly satisfied
that a spirit has passed by and left a
heavenly message embodied in the one
note. Priestly agency aud electricity
are a conjunction which the Italians are
I . I . 1-1 - t
Slow to latnom. i uus in ueniiauy, ii
a bell is struck, especially at night out
of its usual routine of duties, the spirit
of Beethoven or Handel has Iteen near
earth. If we picture what this super
stition must be to the enthusiast who
is poring over some uncompleted com
oosition. we ran readily see the influ
ence which mav lead htm to feel that
the finger of inspiration has leeii laid
Umiu him, aud that the mantle of the
master has fallen from heaven. We
would be loth to rob auy heart of this
belief iu supernatural bell ageuciestud
iu recounting the above fancies we do
it with the ever-present feeling that it
would make lile far less coiiiniou-place
if we could invest all music and musi
cal instruments with a touch of the
world that is the dwelling place of
those great departed spirits whose
legacies are immortal and heaveu-iu-spiied.
Horning the Cwndl of Life at
Bolta Ends.
The deadliest foe to man's longevity
is an nu natural and unreasonable ex
citement. Every man is born with a
certain stock of vitality, which cannot
be increased, but which may be ex
pended or husbanded rapidly, as be
deems best. Within certain limits he
has his choice, to live fast or slow, to
live abstemiously or intensely, to draw
his little amount of life over a large
space, or condense it into a narrow one;
but when his stock is exhausted, he has
no more. He who lives abstemiously,
who avoids all stimulants, takes light
exercise, never overtasks himself, in
dulges no exhausting passion, feeds
his mind and heart on no exciting ma
terial, has no debilitating pleasure, lets
nothing ruffle his temper, keeps his
"accounts with God and man duly
squared up," is sure, barring accidents,
to spin ont his life to the longest limit
which it is possible to attain; while he
who intensely feeds on high-seasoned
food, whether material or mental, fa
tigues his botly or brain by hard labor.
exposes himself to inflammatory dis
ease, seeks continual excitement, gives
loose rein to his passion, frets at every
trouble, and enjoys little response, is
burning the candle at both ends, and is
sure to shorten his days.
Niaall Mean.
The rtower of money is on the whole
over-estiniatsd. The greatest things
which have been done for the world
have not been accomplished by rich
men, or by subscription lists, but by
meu generally of small means. The
greatest thinkers, discoverers, invent
ors and artists have been men of mode
rate wealth, many of them little raised
above the condition of manual la
borers, in point of worldly circum
stances. And it will alwavs be so. Kiches are
oftener an impediment than a stimulus
to action, anil iu many cases they are
quite as much a misfortune as a bless
ing. The youth who inherits wealth is
apt to have life made too easy for him,
audhesoou grows sated with it, be
cause he has nothing left to desire.
Having no special object to struggle
for, lie finds time heavy on his hands:
remains morally and mentally asleep;
and his positiou iu society is ofteu no
higher than that of a polypus over
which the tide floats.
The Chief Editor's Datiea.
Says the Milwankee Sentinel . The
young man who is fitting himself for a
journalistic, career asks us if the chief
editor s position is dimuult. Un the
contrary, it is the most comfortable
place on the paper. He has only to
dash off a few columns of editorials a
day, aud then enjoy himself. All the
good-looking women witb poems are
shown into his rooms, and he smokes
all the cigars sent in for the reporters.
He receives invitations to deliver ad
dresses at county fairs, and carries
home the best of the books sent in for
review. When he hasn't anything else
to do, he looks over "copy," and care
fully runs his pencil through the joke
the writer struggled four hours with,
and considered his masterpiece.
Land Callare Per Mas.
The New Bedford "Mercury'' pub
lishes some interesting statistics as to
the amount of land cultivated by agri
culturists iu the following different
States, snowing unmistakably the want
of labor in those parts: Iu the States,
as a whole, the number of acres is 83 to
the hand employed; iu Alabama, 17
acres: iu Arkansas,18 acres; in Georiria.
30 acres; in Illinoisol acres; in Indiana,
38 acres; in Mississippi, 31 acres; in
Missouri, 35 acres; in Oregon, 83 acres;
in Texas, 18 acres; aud in California,
139 acres.
A ship should not be made to depend
on one anchor, or life on one hope.
Growth of Mavlaga Basks.
Of all the money schemes proposed
for the amelioration of the working
classes, there have been none more
successful than savintrs banks. The
system in New York Slate received its
iuiietus, as stated in a very interesting
address from Surveyor Kevs.in a letter
from Patrick Celquhoun, of Loudon to
Thomas Eddy, in 1810. The result of
the formation of these provident asso
ciations, as they were first called, was,
that during the fifty years following
their organization in this country over
3.000,000 persous deposited, and their
deposits amounted to $3,000,000, and
to-day these deposits have increased to
99Mi.ouu.ouu, representing tue savings
of 80U,'JU0,0U0 people.
The first of these banks originated in
Scotland and next in England, and
from there they were transplanted to
.1... I " : . . l -. . . T) . i . 1.
tue t.uiteu otaies. dubiuu uas luc
credit of having the first actual savings
bank, under tue name of "the rrovi
dent Institution for Savings in the
Town of Boston." But on November
18, 116, a society was organized with
De Witt Clinton presiding, for the or
ganization of a savings bank in New
York State, but with poor success. A
new society was, however, formed in
1817, and De Witt Cliuton being then
Governor, the charter of the new bank
was approved ou March 36, 1819. The
bank was opened in a room of the
Academy of Fine Arts.in the City Hall
Park, July 3, 1819, and on the first day
80 persons deposited !3,807.
In 1830 the Albany Savings Bank was
established, and in 1837 the "village" of
Brooklyn received its first bank (one
bank iu that city to-day contains 13,
000,000 on deposit). Iu 1839 the New
York Seaman's Bauk was opened, and
in the first ten years $5,438,600 were
deposited, and at the close of that pe
riod $3,083,000 remained ou deposit at
this one bank.
Iu the next ten years eight banks
were incorporated, and $7,000,000 were
deposited. In the next decade eight
new banks arose, with $13,000,000 ou
deposit. From 1848 to 1859 fifty-seven
banks were chartered, and at the close
of 1S59, $48,000,000 remained on deposit.
The number of banks chartered then
was tiltv-seven. From 1859 to 18(18
eighty-three batiks were incorporated,
and $170,000,000 were deposited iu 110
differeut institutions. Since 1868, sixty
bauks have been incorporated, aud to
day $326,000,000 remains ou deposit.
During the past fifty years of the sav
ings banks' existence $70,000,000 were
distributed as interest, aud the yearly
average now amounts to $16,000,000.
The average yearly interest is $30 per
person; the average deposit of each de
positor is $300.
The progress of savings banks in
this country is truly astonishing, and,
with better laws regulating their man
agement, aud enforced the benefit of
these institutions to the country, and
to the working people at large, would
be incalculable. The subject is one of
great interest, and was treated in a
very intelligent and iustructive manner
by the late Superintendent of the De
part men t.
Lord lljrsn's lar of Getting
tat.
Byron had not damaged his body by
strong drinks, but his terror of getiiug
fat was so great, that he reduced hii
diet to the absolute point of starvation
He was of that soft, sympathetic tem
perament which it is almost impossible
to keep within a moderate compass,
particularly as in his case his lamenesr
prevented bis taking exercise. Whet)
he added to his weight, even standing
was painful, so he resolved to keep
down to eleven stone, or shoot himself,
lie said everything he swallowed was
instantly converted into tallow, and de
posited on his ribs. I remember one
of his old friends saying, "Byron, how
well yon are looking I" If be had stop
ped there it had been well, but when
he added, "You are getting fat," By
ron's brow reddened, and his eyes
flashed. "Do you call getting fat look
ing well, as if I were a hog ?" and,
turning to me, he muttered, "The
beast, I can hardly keep my hands off
him." The man who thus offended him
was the husband of the lady addresstd
as "Genevra," and the original of his
"Zuleika" in the "Bride of Abjdos."
I don't think he had much appetite for
his dinner that day, or for many days,
and never forgave the man who, so far
from wishing to offend, intended to pay
him a compliment. He would exist on
biscuits and soda-water for days to
gether; then, to allay the eternal han
ger guawing at his vitals, he would
make up a horrid mass of cold potatoes,
rice, or greens, delnged in vinegar, and
gobble it up like a famished dog. On
either of these unsavory dishes with a
biscuit and a glass or two of Rhine
wine, he cared not how sour, he called
feasting sumptuously. Upon my ob
serving he might as well have fresh fish
and vegetable, instead of stale, he
laughed, and answered, "I have an ad
vantage over you I have no palate.
One thing is as good as another to me."
"Nothing," I said, "disagrees with the
natural man ; he feasts and gorges, his
nerves and brains don't bother him; but
if you wish to live " "Who wants
to live ?" he replied ; "not L The By
rons are a short-lived race on both
sides, father and mother: longevity is
hereditary ; I am nearly at the end of
my tether. I don't care for death ; it
is her sting 1 I can't bear pain." 7e
lawney't Last Day of Shelley and
Bjrun,
The Retwrt Car-tea.
A correspondent says : "For a place
where the varied humors, characteris
tics, and moods of human nature are
developed and exhibited commend me
to a crowded horse-car in a large city.
All the petty, mean, and manly traits
are shown forth by men and women in
these conveyances to their fullest ex
tent. A few evenings ago, while riding
to my home in one of these Sandwich
ing machines, a lady (?) entered, and
by dint of persistent crowding made
her way through the car to the front
end. Here a gentleman arose and
proffered her his seat. Just as ahe
turned to take it, without so much as
thanking him, she concentrated all the
venom of a hateful disposition in the
remark: 'If there were any gentlemen
in the car they would not allow the
lady to go the length of it before giving
her a seat,' She had not time to get
seated before the insolent remark es
caped her, when the gentleman who
had offered her hia seat quickiy slid
back into it again and quickly re
marked : 'I think the ladies are all
seated.' The rebuke was so deserved
and withal so capitally administered,
that a murmur of applause escaped
from nearly every one in the car, and
the crestfallen woman soon rang the
bell and alighted."
Here is the pithiest sermon ever
preached : "Our ingress into life is
nacked and bare ; our progress through
life is trouble and care ; oar egress out
of it we know not where ; but, doing
well here, we shall do well there; I
could not tell more by preaching
year."
Youths' Column.
Th Eixb Glass Bottle. "Good'
bye, darling ; be a good little girl," said
i anny Lee s mother as she kissed her.
Fanny was in high spirits : it was a
bright winter morning, and she was
going to make a visit at grandpa's, ten
miles from the city. Her fatuer was
going with her, but he would return
that evening, leaving her for a week.
The short journey was a pleasant one.
and she was warmly welcomed. Her
aunt Laura, with whom she was to
sleep, took her at once to her room.
and showed her where to put her things.
What a pretty room it was !
There were windows south and wast.
letting in a flood of sunlight, and giving
a beautiful view of the snow-covered
landscape. Fanny had not been in the
country in winter since she could re
member. There were pictures on thf
walls, books on the shelves, and many
little ornaments on the bureau, mantel
and dressing-table, a small cabinet of
shells and a portfo to of drawings.
In summer, there was always enough
oat-doors toplease and interest the lit
tle girl This time she had a long, de
lightful sleigh-nde every pleasant day,
aud Aunt Laura brought down from
the woodhouse loft an old sled which
bad belonged to Fanny's father in his
boyhood, and showed her how to coast.
There were happy times, too, in the
parlor and in aunt Laura's sunny room;
aud all weut well till Fanny's visit was
nearly out. She was a careful, tiJy
little girl, aud made very little trouble ;
so that her friends enjoyed having her
with them whenever she could come.
But her besetting fault was a habit of
meddling. She was curious about
everything she saw, and often handled
things without permission. Her aunt
had shown her everything she thought
likely to interest her, and Fanny, re
membering her promise to her mother.
had been somewhat guarded. But one
afternoon, when she was iu her aunt's
room looking over some pretty pictures
in water-colors, visitors came. Auntie
told Fanny she might go dowu with
her, or stay, just as she pleased. She
wauted to look through the portfolio.
and so auntie left her.
When she had seen all the pictures.
she began to look about for something
to do. Grandpa was not at home, aud
grandma was having her afternoon nap,
so she thought Bhe would stay where
she was.
She presently noticed a small bottle
on the toilet-table which she had not
seen before. It was of blue and gilt
glass, curious in design and very prettv.
A cologne-bottle stood on the bureau.
so she knew it was not for cologne, aud
her curiosity excited, she took it up,
withdrew the stopper and inhaled the
contents. Ah ! too heartily for her
comfort I It was the strongest ammo
nia. Her aunt often had headache, aud
this relieved her, so she kept it near
her hand.
Poor Fanny I The terra started to
her eyes ; she sneezed violently, and
dropped the bottle, shivering it to
fragments and saturating the carpet.
Just then Aunt Laura opened tbd door,
itiA was greeted with the overpowering
tuuies. Fanny was too much ashamed
to look her iu the face.
But not a word of blame came from
that dear, kind auntie, though her heart
as pained, for the curious little bottle
a the gift of a dear friend. She did
not even tell the little girl this ; but
Fanny's mother did tell her after she
went home. Of course it could never
be really replaced, though Fanny, as
soon as she could lay by enough pocket
money, bought one as nearly like it as
she could find, and sent it to her aunt.
But she never forgot the incident, and
its remembrance often checked her
when inclined to meddle with what was
not her own.
What a Horse had for LrscHzox.
A baker's cart one day stopped before
a house in Boston, and the driver went
in to see what the family wanted.
Pretty soon he came out, opened a
drawer in the back part of his cart,
where he kept his cakes and pies, and
took out some good things. He put
them in his basket, and weut into the
house with them ; but he forgot to shut
the drawer.
Now, a little way behind the baker's
cart stood a horse and wagon whose
owner had gone into another house. As
soon as this horse saw that the baker
had left his drawer open, he walked up
to it, put hia nose in, and rummaged
around among the pies and cakes ; aud,
when the baker came oat, the horse hail
finished a sheet of gingerbread, and
was eating an r.pple-pie with great
relish.
He began to back off when he saw the
baker coming. Perhaps he thought he
should be called upon to pay for the
apple pie ; or perhaps he thought, as
the baker did, that apple-pies were
rather too expensive for a horse's lun
cheon. There was another horse, that used to
be driven into a street beside the
Qaincy Market in Boston, and left to
stand there while his master was attend
ing to his business. Along the street,
at the edge of the sidewalk, there were
sometimes rows of barrels with molasses
in them. Iu each barrel was a hole
with a stick stuck in it ; so that people
who wanted to buy a barrel of molasses
could taste it to see if it was good.
Now, this horse was as fond of mo
lasses as anybody. So, when there was
nobody to hinder him, he would walk
along, take the stick in his teeth, pull
it out, and lick it clean. Then he
woald drop the stick, and walk along
to another barrel. The men near by
used to watch him often, and laugh
heartily to see a horse lick molasses.
"A friend of mine, whom I will call
"Mr. Smith," once had a little colt,
which was the pet of hia children. Tbey
named him Charley, and used to delight
in feeding him with bread and cakes,
and lumps of sugar. Charley liked so
well to eat from their hands, that he
would leave the grass-plat in the yard,
and walk right into the house, if he
saw the children there. So Mr. Smith
had a bar put across the open doorway
to keep him out ; for Mrs. Smith did
not like to have a horse in the kitchen.
Charley lived to be a very old horse.
He was never beaten, nor left hungry
or thirsty. He was never allowed to
draw a load that was too heavy, nor
hurried too much in hot weather. Aud,
when the good horse and his master
had grown old together, the boys, -who
had now grown to be men, bought a
young horse to do the work ou the
farm, so that old Charley might have
an easy time as long as he lived. Was
not that a good way to treat a faithful
horse?
"How do you keep out of quarrels ?"
asked one friend of another. "Oh,
easily enough," was replied. "If a man
gets angry with me, I let him have all
the quarrel to himself. "
The man who is venial himself be
lieves that everybody has hia price.
nnetieM.
A good name will outlast all riohea.
Better is a portion in a wife than with
a wife.
Baden-Baden still flourishes despite
the closing of its famous gambling halls.
Why is a solar eclipse like a woman
whipping her boy ? Because it's hiding
of the son.
"I say, Mick, what sort of potatoes
are those you are platting?" "Raw
ones."
Mankind has been learning six thou
sand years, and yet how few have
learned that their fellow-men are as
good as themselves.
A Boston woman wanted to elope, but
when her husband gave her the money
to go, she changed her mind it took
all the romance away.
"One of the most tantalizing things
in a small way." says the editor of the
Vallor Herald, "is that of being con
tinually bitten by an undisooverable
Ilea."
The truly beneficent man is the
happiest man. He derives a purer and
deeper joy from the luxury of giving to
make others happy, than he doea in re
ceiving from others.
One feature of this year's summering,
and probably a result of the panis, is
the frequent advertisements of those
who want to get summer board and
offer in payment part or otherwise
their daughter' pianos, grand or other
wise.
There is some talk of canonizing
Christopher Columbus, and it ought to
be done at once. 1 hough not a native
American, he was the first to discover
that there was a good stock in us, and
we ought to take a sort of national pride
in seeing the fair thing done by him.
The fishermen on the Hudson and the
oldest captains on the river steamers
unite in saying that the catch this
season is larger than for many years
pa.st. One fisherman took over 360 shad
at a single drift ; and the captain of one
of the boats being asked how he knew
the quantity taken was in excess of
former years, replied that be knew by
the greater number he had carried as
freight.
M. Pecroix, principle veterinary sur
geon to the French army, says that the
number of horses, mules and asses in
Europe is 30,780,00X1, France not in
cluded. Russia figures for 1,800,001)
heads, Austria tor 3,100,000, England
for 2,205.20), Germany for 2.300.000,
Turkey for L 100.000, Spain for 630,000,
Holloud for 3,000,000, Switzerland for
1 10,000, France, including Algeria
possesses 4,000,000.
Not a bad joke is attributed to one of
the suite of the II lssiau Emperor. The
talk of his English entertainers fell upon
the rat lie J worn out topic of invading
Liomlon, when the gentleman alluded to
saw the merits of the subject and re
market!, ".London is so immense that I
believe any small invading army landing
at the east eud of your capital would
lose its way, and at the close of a week
or ten days the soldiers would be taken
up by the police at the west end for
begging."
Men seldom give pleasure when they
are not pleased themselves ; it is neces
sary, therefore, to cultivate an habitual
alacrity anil cheerfulness, that, in what
ever state we may be placed by nature
whether we are appointed to confer or
receive benefits, to implore or afford
protection we may secure the love of
those with whom we have dealings. For,
though it is generally imagined that he
who grants favors may spare any atten
tion to his behavior, aud that usefulness
will always procure friends, yet it has
been found that there is an art of
granting requests an art very difficult
of attainment.
ThAFA livincr in TTar.t i n Annnl w XT
a negro mm sixty years old. named
S'ephen Miller, who has for the last
hfteen years been turning white, until
now his whole person is white as that of
any other man, only a few splotches of
the original color, a bright mulatto, re
maining on bis cheek and one on hia
forehead. He has been preaohing for
forty years, and is a very intelligent,
pious man ; says he has enjoyed the
best ot health for many years, and can
not account for the change in his color,
but he believes it to be a miracle of
God. He says that spots on his body
would first assume a darker hue, quite
black, then change to a pure white, and
in another year there will be no trace
of his original color remaining.
Ren it Ward Beecher was recently
asked "What can we do for a friend for
whom we have prayed a long time, and
all that we can say or do only make
him more determined to nave his own
way ?" Ami he makes this reply :
Nobody likes to live in an atmosphere
of incessant reproof. If you want to
win his heart and melt his opposition.
do not darken his life by making him
feel even bv your looks or air, that yon
are groaning over him as a miserable
siuner. Make his life cheerful to him ;
make your own love a source of joy ;
let your piety be full of sweetness and
good qualities, and be patient. The
case, as you state it is not a very bad
one." It is an entire sermon, and one
of the best that ever came from even
Mr. Beecher.
Ayonnglaly recently made a singular
display of mingled Vanity and creduli'T
in a London court. She had attain!
the not very heroic stature of 1ft, Tin.,
and having seen an advertisement from
a person who undertook bv a particular
coarse of treatment to mak short
people tall, she made inqnirie and had
been shown testimonials as 10 me
thoroughness of the elongating process
from grateful individual of both sexes.
The terms were very moderate. All
the woman had to pay for a reversal of
the order of nature in ihe matter of her
defective inches was one shilling in
postage stamps, ftie ent them, and
nlaned herself nnder treatment, bat she
soon found that she did not grow, and
then came to tb conclusion that ahe
had been swind-'ed, as she expressed it.
This KMuii'ful extrtct is from the pen
of Hon. Goorge S. Hdliard "I confess
that inoeasing years bring with them
an increasing respect for men who 'have
not succeeded in life", as those word.
are commonly used. Heaven is said to
Im a Dlace of those who have not suc
ceeded on earth ; and it is sure that
celestial grace does not thrive and bloom
in the hot blaze of wordiy prosperity.
Ill success sometimes arises from a
superabundance- of qualities in them
selves good from a conscience too
sensitive, a taste too fastidious, a self-
forgetfulness too romantic, a moaesiy
too retiring. I will not go so far as to
say, with a living poet that the world
knows nothing of its greatest men, bat
there are forms of greatness, or at least
excellence which 'die and make no
sign ;' there are martyrs that miss the
palm but not the stake ; heroes without
the triumph,"
i !!.:
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