I 1
i i
if
i i-
B. F. SCHWEIER, THK COM3TITUTI0N THI CHIOS AAD TH1 ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XXIX. MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., APRIL 14, 1S75. XQ. 15.
HI
POCTBT.
Ah, I.Ufle Jlaidca!
Ah. little maiden, frank and fair.
With rosy hia apart,
Kith xnubesiua glinting in your hair.
Ait.l aniipliiuo at yonr heart !
:lI sonnjs about your aeiumi rise.
That have no vo for me ;
Hatha visions dance before your eye,
iliat mine may never sea.
And are tlw flnwen ho ram. lore ?
And M the day no bright?
For me the bonghs are tore, lore.
And chill daaremla llie nihL
Ah. me ! I miud me of a time,
I twp in the buried Ht,
When I. ton, dwelt in Uie sweet rliiae
Wherein yottr lot in cant ;
When fragrance floated on the breeze.
When heaven lient bine aliore.
And ev;ry wilj bird in the trees
Kji still of hoie aud love.
Icd arc those flowers ao rare, lore.
And diuinied that day so bright.
For me the boughs are bare, love.
And chill deacend tlie ni-lit.
(iritu clonus canie nn. and overspread
The lieaveim with sullen grey ;
The roses di-oofied. Uio fragrance fled.
The breezes died away.
And now, of all the happy throng.
One bird is left alone.
To miiiij a broken-hearted son
I if joys forever flown.
icad are those flowers so rare, love.
And dimmed that day so bright,
Fir me Uie boni;lis are bare, hire.
And chill deeceuds the night.
ISTKI.LaJT.
A blnnae Ktlsmsi.
An nnnsnal case, showing the fer
tility of resource and the qnickness of
thongbt of the better classes of Chi
nese is reported by the Xorth Ciina
Herald from Nakin. Dnriug the Tea
piug reliellion married Chinaman
resident in tue city, joined a regiment
which was ordered fur service against
the rebels. He did not return at ti e
close of the struggle, and nothing being
heard of him for several years a.ter
ward, his wife believing herself a widow
listened to the advances of another
man who professed love for her, and
who pressed his suit so ardently that
Hht consented to jo'n her lot with his.
They went liefore the proper authori
ties, were made husband and wife, and
lived together in conjugal happiness
at all events they were happy. This
otitinnd for a year or two, when the
first hnsband presented himself, alive
and well, and demanded the restora
tion of his wife.
"Oh, no," said No. 2, "yon left her,
remained away for years, nobody
heard of yon, she thought yon dead
aud nionmed f.r you. We are mar
ried now, and here are the papers."
No. 1, not having heard of the ex
rup'e of Enoch Arden, probably, still
clamored for his wife, and it was ulti
mately decided to take the matter be
fore the Cbensien. The magistrate
listened attentively to both sides of
the story, and at first appeared pnz
sied what course to take. The papers
produced by the second husband were
legal, bnt the first husband was obdu
rate and would not yield. At length
the magistrate told them to leave the
wife in bis hands for ten days, and
then lioth to eome back again for his
decision. This was agreed to.
About the fifth or sixth day the mag
istrate in great haste sent for the two
men, and with a mournful countenance
informed them that the wife had been
suddenly smitten with an illness Wuieh
had proved fatal, and that she was
dead ; and he asked the first husband
whether he wonld take away the body
aud provide for the funeral. The man
lorn m red, said he wanted living wife,
not a dead one, aud shonM have noth
ing more to do with the tetter. Tam
ing to the other, the iagisttate put
the same question to him, saying that
one of them must remove the body.
The man said he was very poor, but
the deceased had been a good wife to
him ; they had loved each other dearly,
and, cost what it might, he wonld
raise the money and pay for the
burial.
"Very well," said the magistrate;
"then here she ia take her away with
you,"
And drawing aside a curtain showed
the astonished men the wife, standing
aud living and in good health, efore
them. It being clear that the first
husband really cared nothing for her,
she willingly abided by tho magistrate's
method of settling the complication.
The only drawback to this story is,
that we are unable to band down to
posterity, in plain English, the name
of this Chinese Solomon.
t en an j.
The studio of Fortuity ha recently
Im cii opened for inspection at the Villa
Kiganti, in Koine, where he resided.
Everybody was curious to view for the
last time the chamla-r where the young
Spaniard wrought sneh wonders with
the brush, ami from tnorninir till
evening the Villa Kiganti was crowded
with visitors. A corridor artistically
emls-llislicd. and a staircase hung with
ivy, led to the enormous studio w here,
during the hist few years of his life.
Fortuity had leen in the habit of
working. At the time of his death the
artist was overwhelmed with patron
age, ami had enough commissions to
occupy hi biush for many years to
come. The studio appeared in that
magnificent disorder pern liar to some
artists of reputation and pecuniary
means. A gleat many water-color,
remarkable for their good drawing and
careful hnisli, still remained on the
walls, together with several unfinished
.ketches, and the cartoon lor Fortuity's
largest and most important work, 7 Ac
lUttllr of Tetmin. Alter contemplating
the vigor, dash, and breadth exhibited
in Ibis design, one could hardly Itclteve
that the same hand had also pa nted
such delicately-touched work as the
Marruiy in the dithrdral of Madrid
ami the Arouli. In a comer near the
studio door hung a port' of
D'Epinay. the sculptor, done iu pen-aml-iuk
noon a rough scrap of paper;
aud in an opposite corner stood a
im.-t of Fortuny, which, with the
exception of some photographs of the
anist.is the only portiait of htm that
remain. Fortuity had collected a vast
iiiiiiiIm r of art-treasure, chu tiv for use
in picture-making, and hi studio was
a lH-rfcct Waidour street shop in
valuable ta-stiic. rare china, and
glass armor and rich draicrie. One
very rcmaikable object iu this museum
of eui iosil ies was a st rangcly-rasliioncd
rapier, the blade of which was of
Damascus steel, and the hilt of steel
ami ivory, this Toledo weaistn was
desigm-d and entirely made by For
tuity himself, who tN-casioitally prac
tised the dillicult art of which Bcn
veituto Cellini was the great master.
Sliakeperin Motto for the Parsimo
nious. "Parting ia such swet
sorrow."
THE
"Snch a bargain, aunt Fanny! Lay
aside your work and express your
admiration. Half-a-dozen of these
pretty linen collar for one dollar. So
nicely scolloped and stitched ; just the
tiling for the morning, are they not V
"Exactly, Julia. They are a very
desirable: addition to your bridal ward
rohc. Hut I cannot but regret that they
wen- not higher priced."
"Why, anut Fanny! you astonish me.
I had no idea that yon were one of those
ladies who think nothing worth having
unless it cost an extravagant price."
"And yon are much in error if yon
think so now, Julia, lint in looking at
your cheap collars my sympathy is
called forth for the poor seamstress,
whose weary lingers performed the
task which was to procure her a
wretched sulisistence.
".Mercy, aunt Fanny ! How deep yon
look into things. It is enough for me
that I got the collar cheap. I shall
not trouble my head a to the maker of
them. Resides.7' continued the lively
young lady, as she noticed a cloud upon
the brow of her auditor, "you have for
ptttcn the sewing machine. They do
all the work now-a-iiays."
"Not quite, my young friend. I have
hail a licep behind the scenes. The
scolloped collars are not stitched by the
machines: weary fingers, as I said
liefore, perforin the task, for a compen
nation which will hardly sustain life.
You must rctncuihcr that when the
collar reaches your possession the
wholesale and retail dealer have both
secured their prolits, and still you justly
regard them as cheap. nly think then
what a mere trine must have been paid
for the making."
", it is all very trne, Annt Fanny;
and 1 am sure I uitv the poor a much
as any one. but as long as this evil
exists I may as well reap the ltenetit of
it. ion know it i an ill wind that
blows nolsMly good.
Aunt Fanny shook her head gravely
as she replied: "You speak lightly,
Julia. May you never have reason to
know the snllering which springs from
this waut of uniou of the interests of
the emplover and the employed. But
enough of this. Let us sjieak of your
approaching marriage, it is long since
you have sought my oittet room. '
"Too long. Aunt Fanny ; but my
time has lieen so much occupied. My
neglect ha not Iteen from want of
atleetiou, for yon know that I love you
as well as if you had a right to the name
by w hich 1 love to call you."
"I know it. dear. I did not mean to
complain. And now tell me when the
wedding is to take place, and all about
it."
"In two short weeks. I am to be
married at my guardiau's. of course.
You know he does not quite approve of
the marriage, or, at least, he would
prefer that we would wait until Henry
is established iu business: but 1 have
coaxed him into gotsl humor. You
know he might as well submit with a
good grace, for 1 shall Is- eighteen on
my wedding day, and then my little
property comes into my owu hands.''
"Your guardian has lieen a faithful
friend to von since the death of your
parents, mv dear Julia. I trust you
w ill lie guided by Ins advice.
"Not entirely. Aunt Fann-. lie
would prefer investing mv money iu
some safe and profitable wav. for mv
future Itcnclit, but I intend to have the
present good of it. let the future take
care of itself. Henry will be rich, I
have no doubt- So we shall begin life
in the style which we intend to keep up.
A handsome house, well furnished, and
in a pleasjint part of the city. You
shake your head, but will see that it
w ill all end w ell."
"I hope so, my child, but it strikes
me a imprudent Commence in a
Moderate way, live within your hus
band's income, let your own proM-rty
Ik- reserved for the hour of m-cd.''
"My guardian's exact words! Itnt
yon know I was always a wayward girl,
and must have my own way. And now
say will you grant the earnest request
of Henry and myself, and make your
future home with ns! I shall need an
adviser, and you shall be my second
mot her."
"My dearchild ! your kindness brings
the tears to my eyes. 1 Cut. I cannot
accept your invitation nt least, not at
present. A few days ago I received an
urgent request from an aged relative
in Fuglaml to come to her and be her
companion and friend for the remainder
of her life. She is wealthy, but lonely
in her riches, and lieing nearly blind, is
much deM'iidciit iitou the kindness of
thise around her. At preseut there are
none but servant to administer to her
want. She was the sister of my own
dear mother, and 1 feel it my duty tit
go to her and do what 1 can for her
comfort. I sail in the next steamer."
"Itcfore the wedding! Why, aunt
Fanny, you will not leave ns so soon I"
"My prayers will le with yon and
yours, dear Julia; but it is necessary
that 1 hasten my departure as much as
iMtssible. 1H not forget your obi
friend, and in the midst of your happi
ness sometime remember the words
of advice which she has so often
sjtoken."
With many tear the young maiden
bade adieu to one who, though in
reality no relative, had long been a
valued friend.
Julia Howard had ltecome an orphan
in early childltiMMl. Her father's dying
charge placed her under the care of
one w ho in many respects was worthy
of the trust, and had well performed
the duty which devolved npon him, but
he w as a bachelor, and could not supply
a mother's place to his orphan ward.
The want of female influence was
deeply felt. There was no one to
watch over each developing trait of
character to cherish the good and
gently and can-fully to remove the
evil. Something of this was done at
the time by annt Fanny, who hail been
an early friend of Julia's mother; bnt
her opportunities were limited, and the
lovely girl grew to womanhood, a
creature of impulses rather than tixed
principles luxuriant aud beautiful but
unrestrained.
At seventeen she Itecame attached to
Henry Lawrence, a young man of good
family and unblemished character.
Her guardian heartily approved the
connection, but a Julia stated to aunt
Kan n v, preferred that the young couple
should wait until Henry wa well
established in business, tint this prn
dent advice was not followed. Henry's
protqtects were good Julia had a few
thousands. Why uot liegin the world
at once f So on the very day. when by
a eciiliar coincidence, the bridegroom
was twenty-one and the liride eighteen,
they stood at the altar and plighted
those holy vows which bound them
together for wi-al or for woe.
All w a sunshine then. The present
was delightful, and the fntuie bore the
rainltow tint. Year passed ere the
dark cloud of adversity gatheied, but
they did gather, and the bright sun
shine faded away until scarcely one
iK-am found 1M way into those once
happy hearts. .
We will pas over the train of mis
fortune which had at length reduced
the young couple to altsolute poverty
and want Imprudence in their style
of living, failure in Itusiiies. long aud
severe illiuss. were the producing
causes. Few would have recognized in
the anxious, care-worn looking hus
band, and the feeble, disspirited wife,
the exulting bridegroom and happy
in ide of former days.
There were others also to share the
building. Three lovely children had
A PEEP REHISD
lteen Itorn to them. One had passed to
the spirit world, the others remained to
endure the trials of earth. Sail was the
fathers heart as he gazed noon them
and tear stood in the mother a eyes as
she pressed them to her Ihmoiii. The
eldest, a sweet little girl of seven years,
had a distinct recollection of a happier
home, and although w ith a prudence
and sensibility bevond her years, she
never reverted to it yet her ucvoteo:
affection, and her pecnliarly quiet and
somewhat melancholy disposition
evinced her sympathy with the trials
ot her parents. I he I toy was much
yonnger, and knew of naught but
poverty.
A miction should have drawn the
husband and wife nearer together
but, on Uie contrary, as we alreaoy
said, misfortune seemed to chill and
repress the love they had borne to each
other.
Unaccustomed to self-control, or the
denial of scllish gratifications, Julia
was ill preparer! to ttcar the rigid
system of economy which was now
necessary. She ttccanie irritable and
morose, aud thonghtlessly added many
a drop to the bitter cup which her
husband was drinking.
"Is there do hope of your obtaining
the situation with Mr. Markliam w inch
you mentioned some days ago?" she
suddenly asked, as her husband rose
from their frugal meal, one cold morii
ing in the early part of the wiuter.
"None at all," was the reply. "The
present clerk has decided to remain.
"Then we may make up our minds to
starve,77 was the despairing cry.
The gentle little Fanny drew nearer
to iter mother, and clasped her hand
fondly, while the husband replied,
soothingly:
"Not so bad as that, Julia. Even my
present situation is better than noth
ing. Three hundred will keep as from
starving.
"It were lietter to die, Henry, than
to live in this way. Life has lost all
its charms for me, and I would gladly
lie at rest."
"But our children, Julia. Think of
them, and keep your courage a little
longer. The day may yet dawn upon
us."
"Never, never. My own folly has
broug'it this upon me. My guardian
warned uie against marrying one, not
well established in the world, out I
slighted his advice. Thank Cod he is
not here to see how bitterly 1 have
lived to repent my business."
"And do you really regret it, Julia t
We may regret the imprudence in our
former style of living, and we may
sorrow for the misfortunes which have
come upon us. but we need not repent
our marriage."
V as not that the cause of all r7 was
the bitter reply. "It is of no use to
disguise the truth."
lieeply grieved, the fansltand turned
to leave the house, i n the threshold a
gentle touch detained him.
"Mamma is sick and sorry," whis
pered the soft voice of Fanny, in its
most pleading accent.
The appeal wa not to lie resisted,
and tltc father stooped to kiss her w hite
forehead a he replied :
"1 know it. love. Do all you can to
comfort her."
The cloud hail passed from his brow
and Fauuy was satislied, but it was
more dillicult to quiet the self-reproach
of the mother. The day wa a sad
one and when an hour or two before
the usual time for hi return, Henry
was Utrue into the house by two men.
ami the uiihappv little family were
lold that an accidental fall ou the ice
had resulted in a broken leg, the hist
drop seemed have lieen added to the
already brimming cup.
From the night of agony which fol
lowed, Julia was a dilfereut, and, in
some respects, a better woman.
Hitherto there hail lieen a lingering
feeling of pride which had prevented
her from coming forwanl at her hus
band s aide to struggle against the mis
fortunes which had come uuou them.
She hail shrunk btu-k despairing aud
powerless. Now she was roused into
energy. Her husband, her children
would look to her for bread. It would
lie long ere Henry could resume his
labors, and their slender means would
soon lie exnansted. fomenting must
be done, and with the consciousness of
what devolved upon her. came an
earnest prayer for strength a looking
upward which was not her wont.
Her education had lccn somewhat
showy bnt far from thorough, and she
felt qnite incompetent to teach any of
the various branches to which she had
attended. Nothing presented itself to
her mind but plain sewing, and this
she was well aware wonld atlbrd them
but a miserable pittance. Still it
would lie lietter than nothing, and
application was at once made to a kind
iieigniMir, ami iiiroiigu iter luuiieuce
woik was sicedilv obtained.
Jt was soon evident that this exer
tion was not uncalled for. The pain of
the broken limb and the anxiety of
mind produced by his sit nation, brought
on a fever, and for many weeks Henry
Ijiwreitce hovered on the borders of
the grave.
The grief of the wife wai over
whelming as site watched over him
and listened to the wild ravings of his
delirium. He was again the lover of
her youth, the husband of happier
years. Lack hasty word, or unmerited
reproach came to her ears with fearful
distinctness, and earnestly did she pray
for at least one look of recognition, one
word of forgiveness and love.
But the hand of the destroyer was
staved, and fehle as an infant, the
husband and father looked once more
upon hi little family and hade them
bless (iod that life was spared, and
that reason again resumed her throne.
- Almost exhausted in Itody and mind,
but with a heart tilled with thankful
ness, Julia redonbled tier exertions for
their maintenance. Every moment of
leisure during the day, anil many
weary hours of the night wereemployed
in finishing those garments for which
the compensation wa so small that it
hardly su diced to supply their absolute
necessities.
Often when her employers wonld
urge her to almte a few pennies on her
usual price, and assure her that it was
for her interest to work cheap, she
would sigh deeply a she remeniliered
her own feeling in former days, and
the truth of Aunt Fanny's words forced
itself upon her mind. The suffering
proceeding from the waut of the nuion
of the employer aud the employed
were not her own.
And where was Annt Fanny during
tlie lapse ot years! Faithfully and
unweariedly had she performed the
duties which she had taken upon her
self. That task was now ended. That
aged relative, to whose wants she had
mi ministered, had at length gone home.
Once more Fanny's heart turned to her
native land, rriends of her earlier
caire before her, and she longed
to meet them again face to face. The
few necessary arrangements were soon
made, and ere many weeks hail passed
she had once more crossed the broad
ocean, aud was welcomed with kindly
greetings by mauy whom she had
known so long.
One of her first inquiries was for
Julia, for it was very long since she
beard from her. News of the failure
of Mr. Lawrence in business had
reached her, and rumor of various
iindclined misfortune had from time
to time come to her knowledge, but
not one word of direct information.
The mother of Julia hail Iteeu a very
dear friend, and annt Fauny felt a
yearning for her child.
At torbt it seemed difficult to tra
them, for most of their former acquaint
ance had lost sight of them in the
humble sphere in which they were now
moving. Bnt annt Fanny was inde
fatigable, and the difficulties of the
task only gave vigor to her resolution
"Mrs. Alcott must lie able to give me
some information," she said to herself,
as she ascended the step of a hand
some house in one of the most
fashionable streets of the city. I
recollect that she was a great friend
of Julia's. I will take the liltcrty of
calling npon her.77
"Hot at home, madam," said the
spruce-looking waiter, who answered
her ring at the iiell.
An echo of the words met her car as
she turned from the door.
"Not at home ! I thought it was the
poor ouly who were not at home."
The simplicity of the words caused
her to oliserve the speaker attentively.
A little girl of seven or eight years
stood gazing wistfully toward the
elegant mansion. Her large dark e e.
clustering ringlets and delicate ski it
formed a striking contrast to the
miserable garments which served as a
scanty protection against the chilling
breeze. And yet there was an ellort at
neatness and even gentility in her dress
which could not escape the oltservation
of an attentive oltserver, and which
gave evident of lietter days gone by.
Irresistibly drawn toward her, aunt
ranny paused near where she stood
and said in a kind voice:
"And why did yon think that it was
the floor only who were not at home,
child r
The little one hung her head, but
answered modestly.
Because 1 never feel at home now
that we are poor, and I know that
mother never feels at home, nor father
either. It is like staying in a strange
place. But then if we are all good we
shall go to Cod's home. Is not that a
comfort r'
As she asked this onestion she raised
her eyes and looked with great earnest
nes in aunt Fanny's eyes.
1 ears dimmed the eves of the kind-
hearted old lady as she replied :
it is, ineecd, mv child, liut tell me
your name and where yon live, for I
should like to be a friend to you."
"Oh. thank you. ma'am. And per
haps you would be a fnetid to my poor
lather, now lie is ao sick, and my
mother works so nam. .My name
Fanny Lawrence, ma'am, and I will
show you where I live if you will come
with me.
A few brief enoniries convinced annt
Fanny that she had fouud the object
of her search, and giving her hand to
tlie little guide, with a voice trembling
with emotion she bade her lead her to
her mother.
The day had been a discouraging one
for Julia, even more so thau usual. A
little exertion bad brought on Henry's
fever again, and the physician who was
summoned to attend liiiu had spoken
in strong terms of the absolute neces
sity for perfect rest and freedom of
excitement. How was tin iHwsible
when hour after hour be must lie uimid
his back and see hi wife toiling be
yond her strength for their maiuten-
a a . -
mice i auu ineu it was sometimes
difficult to procure work,-aud Jnlia
absolutely trembled as she thought of
the snllering they must undergo should
this means of support lie cut otf. Some
kind neighbor had advised her to apply
at a collar manufactory near by, where
many women and Young girls found
constant employment. She had done
so with success, and at the moment
that her old friend entered she was
razing mournfully npou a dozen collars
which she had taken niton trial. I hey
were nicely stitched by a sewing
machine, aud she had engaged to bind
them and make three button-holes in
each for the small sum of one cent
apiece. "A starving pri-e," she mur
mured to herself, and she seemed lost
iua sad reverie, from w hich she was
aroused by the soft voice of Fanny.
Mamma. I have brought a lady to
ace vou. she will lie our friend.
Jiuia looked up in surprise as Fanny
spoke, but in an instant her wonder
was turned into joy. and twining her
arms around Aunt Fanny's neck, she
soblted like a child.
Composure wa at length restored.
and then there wa so much to tell and
to lie told, that the good old lady took
off her lion net, ami said she would
make herself quite at home, and pass
the evening with them.
lou cannot tie at home .here, said
Far.ny, "liecauso it is not pretty enough
for home."
Julia sighed as her child spoke, but
Annt Fanny answered:
Home is where wo find those we
love, little one. It matters little in
what place we find them. So this is
mv home for tlie evening, and now.
Julia, as vour husband needs attention.
just give me your work and 1 will sew
lor you. Aly tmmliie is in my pocket
as usual, l ou see l . retain my old
habits.''
"Yon are still the same dear Annt
Fanny," was the reply. "Here is my
work to hind these collars. Do you
reniemlK-r our conversation the day
that 1 purchased those cheap collars I
hverv word of it is fresh in my mind.
I was very thoughtless then but O,
aunt Fanny, I, too, now had a peep
IM-Iund the scenes."
"You have, indeed, mv poor child:
but now see to your hnsliand, aud w hen
he is comfortably arranged we will sit
together by his bedside aud have a
quiet chatA
.... . . ,
1 he events of years were soon uukcii
over, and ere aunt Fanny rose to bid
them irood night, she said :
"And now my dear young friends, I
am ready to accept your invitation and
become an inmate of your family."
"Oh ! annt Fanny," exclaimed Julia,
"we have no longer a home to nflur
you. This is the hardest trial of all."
'Listen, mv child. I am becoming
infirm and shall soon need the care
which I have liestowed npon others.
There are none who seem nearer to me
than yourself. My means are ample,
for my generous relative has added
largely to my little fortune. We will
look for a suitable dwelling, and yon
will be to me as affectionate children."
Tears were her only answer, bnt
these were sufficient to speak the feel
ings of tlie heart.
In after years neither of the party
had cause to regret this arrangement.
Closer intimacy only served to endear
them still more to one another. In the
midst of her liapuiiiessJulia never forgot
the use of atlliction, aud would often
feelingly refer to her peep behind the
scene. a
Shapa fa Chlaa.
Chinese shops are very inviting in
appearance. Daring the day they are
thrown entirely open in front with the
wares tastefully arranged on the other
three sides of the apartment, a small
stairway in one corner leading to the
npper or dwelling portion of the house.
They are very models of neatness, some
of them containing a varied assortment
of costly wares, and occasionally works
of art ; while the owners, with their
long qnenea and costly silken garmenta
ait in their places of business bike
princes in their drawing-rooms exhibit
ing a quiet dignity, and even courtli
ness, strangely unlike the manner of
the races about them. The fruit and
flower stalls are generally adorned with
pretty bird cages, while John Chinaman
deals ont hia dainty warea, served in
exquisite porcelain or glass, with lav
ishing salaams, courtly wards, render
ing to each purchaser the courtesy due
to a favored guest.
Life la Naplea.
Every mulewears hundreds of buttons
and little imgling bells. The carnages
creak as if creaking was the object of
their construction. The sellers of news
papers, and, in general, all itinerant
traders, shout in the most astonishing
manner. Every tradesman at the door
of his shop, or over his stall, makes a
pompons oral programme of his neb
merchandise, begging every stranger
to purchase, i be seller of scapulanes,
wunout Knowing anything of your
country or religion. Axes bis amulet on
your neck, while the shoe-black, no
matter whether your boots are dim or
shining, rubs then over with his var
nish, with or without vour consent.
The flower-seller, who carries bandies
of roses and orange-blossoms, adorns
yonr hat, yonr button-holes and your
pocxets without ever asking your per
mission. The lemonade-maker come
ont with a flowing glavi, which he
places at yonr lips. Scarcely have yon
treed yoursell from nia importunity
Trhen another tormentor approaches
yon witn a pan of not cakes, fried in
oil, whioh he asks yon to eat whether
yon will nor no. The children, accus
tomed to mendicity, although their
plumpness and good humor are indica
tive of proper feeling, seize yon by the
knees, and will not allowyou to advance
tin yon nave given them some money.
The fisherman draws near with a cos
tume the color of seaweed, barefooted,
his trousers tncked np and exposing
his brown le8, his head covered with a
red cap, his blue shirt nnbuttoned.
opening oysters and other shell-fish,
and presenting them to yon as if by
yonr orders. The cicerone goes before
aud displays his eloquence, interlarded
with innumerable phrases in all lan
guage, and full of anachronisms and
falsehoods, historical and artistic. If
yon dismiss him, if yon say his services
are useless, ne will talk of the peril yen
are in of losing your parse or yoar life
from not having listened to his counsels,
or been attentive to his astonishing
knowledge. Do not fancy yon can get
ont of all this by being in a carriage. I
nave never seen people jump npon car
riages more quickly, or stand upon the
step, er follow clinging to the back, or
to any part, regardless of your dis
pleasure. But if yon have the air of a
newly-arrived traveler, they will not
annoy yon with their wares, bnt will
fo-oe yon to engage a carriage of their
choosing. In half a second yon are
surrounded with vehicles, which encom
pass yon like serpents, at the risk of
crushing yon, whose drivers speak 'all
at once, a distracting and frightful
jargon.offering to take yon to Posuippo,
to ujio, to i'oxzuoli, to Castellamare,
to Sorrento, to Cuma to the end of
creation. Cantetlar'i "Old Ilime and
Aew Italy,
Haw l Ntair Bird.
When yon shoot them, do not let the
feathers get soiled or rumpled. To skin
tbem, go to a table or.stand ; lay down
a sheet of paper to work on, aud keep
the feathers clean. Lay the bird on its
back ; then, with a point of your knife.
split the skin from the neck down the
breast to the tail bone. Aow skin care
fully down one side to the wing and
leg ; cut these off at the first joints ;
lay a piece of paper inside to keep the
feathers from sticking to the body, and
proceed in the same manner on the
other side. Now bend back the tail
and cut the bone where it joins the
back ; turn out the skin nntil yon come
to the head ; cut the neck out of the
bead and take ont the brains. Now
take a small, wide-mouthed bottle, put
in some arseuie, with a little water, and
with a small cotton mop rub the skin
with the solution. (This is to preserve
the skin, and it also keeps out the
moth.) Now take some tow ; roll it np
to the size of the body, and wind with
thread, for small, or cord for large
urds ; take fine wire for the neck.
double it, put the ends through the tow
and draw back nntil yon have the
length of the neck : bend the ends over
and cover the neck wire with a very
little cotton on tow : put the end into
the skull and carefully turn back the
akin.
Then sharpen wires and pnnh np
through the feet into the body and
Lend over the ends the wings the same
way. Now carefully sew np the breast,
take ont the natural eyes and put in the
artificial ones, with a little cotton be
hind them. Then mount yonr bird on
perch and bend the wires, at the
bottom of the feet, around it, and
dress np the feathers. Thus, all yon
ant, to make a good job of it, is
patience.
Narvellea
Product! venesaj
Kellea.
r
The Strix Tinvr. joking on the usu
ally wonderful productiveness of relics.
says : 1 be custodian of what has been
Garibaldi's straw stuffed bed in Ischi
was heard to mutter, on seeing a lady
carry away a few straws as a relic
They will do it. I have stuffed it six
times already since the General left
and it is commonly observed that the
Royal George and "Napoleon's willow"
must have possessed a wonderful power
of "reconstruction." It is to be hoped
therefore, for the sake of her devotees,
that the nut-trees under which Marie
Alacoqne was favored with her famous
visions are of equally elastic tempera
ment. A correspondent of the paper
relates that on the occasion of the late
pilgrimage to Paray-le-Monial no fewer
than six thonsand pilgrims helped
themselves to a twig from the small
thicket of nnt trees surrounding the
statue of the "Blessed." A gendarme
stationed to keep guard over these
trees permitted moderate thefts, bnt
set his face against the abstraction of
what might be called genealogical trees
intended for distribution among a large
family. A stalwart pilgrimess, proba
bly blessed with many devout relations,
went so far as to climb np one of the
largest bushes, and, deaf to the en
treaties of the gendarme who conjured
her to descend, bore away a branch of
no ordinary dimensions. After the
departure of this pious nutting party,
the thicket in which poor Marie Alacoque
dreamed and prayed was as bare of
leaves we are told, within six feet of
the ground, as if a flock of goats had
been turned into it.
Wrltlag Lead ta 'rcctlalaeaa.
An old king of Thebes said that the
nvention of writing was a calamity to
the human race, for it wonld weaken
the memory, and prove in the end the
art of forgetting. There is doubtless
some truth in the remark, for the
memory of the ancients was more tena
cious than that of the moderns. Many
of the Greeks carried in memory the
hole of Homer's Iliad : and it has
eome down to ns from their retentive
brains, and not from the manuscript of
the author.
Sineerityistheaonl of virtne. When
she flies away, the whole body decays.
Paeelae, ar Blight la (.rain.
The following is from an essay read
by John Feast, florist, of Baltimore,
before the Academy of Science ;
This, from the earliest ages, has been
and proved to be a source of much
trouble and loss in crops, and not con
fined in one section of the globe, bnt
all over the world ; it ia a word of ob
scure meaning, possibly derived from
the Greek word etixa, (closely packed).
in allusion to the crowded manner in
which the little plants are placed.
Puocinea-graminas is a plant too well
known to farmers under the name of
blight. It attacks the stem and leaves
of all kinds of grain, at the first havicj
the appearance of orange colored
streaks, which afterwards assume
deep chocolate brown color. The little
plants chiefly attack the parenchyma
immediately below the stomata with
which the cuticle abounds, each indi
vidual ia so amalL that any stoma on a
straw will produce from twenty to forty
fungi, and every one of them will, no
doubt, produce at least one hundred
reproductive particles, so that the
progeny from a single stoma will lie
enough to infect a whole p'mt The
period of germination is supposed not
to exceed more than a week, ard as the
reproductive particles are exceedingly
iigni, mey are waiiea aioit in tne air.
which is thus loaded with clouds of
animated dnst, ready npon the first
favorable occasion to carry blight and
disease into all tne neighborhood, and
uuou eiaiu. jauuu a piece oi lniecieu
heat stem, highly magnified, will show
the disease as stated.
Agriculturists may eiamire not onlv
their crops, bnt the origin and advances
also of all those obstacles which nature
has opposed to the success of agricul
tural labor, as if to awaken the energy
of reason and to reward the farmer for
tne exertions of his intellectual faculties
by the satisfaction of surmounting
them.
Botanists have long known that the
blight in grain ia occasioned by the
growth of a minu e parasitic fungus on
the leaves, stems, and glums of the
living plant Felice Fontana published
in the year 1767 an elaborate account
of this distinctive pest so injurious to
grain, and since that time modern
Botanists have given figures both of
grain and grass affected by it, using
high magnifying powers in their re
searches, which have been of much
benefit to the farmer and the world at
large.
In order, however, to render explana
tion more easy to be understood, it is
necessary to premise that the striped
appearance of the surface of the straw,
which may be seen by the naked eye,
is caused by alternate longitudinal
partitions of the bark, the one i as per
forate, and the other furnished with
one or two rows of pores or months,
shut in dry, open in wet weather, aud
well calculated to imbibe An id when
ever the straw is damp. Pores or
months similar to these are placed by
nature on the surface of the leaves,
stems and branches of all perfect plants,
a provision intended, no doubt, to
compensate in some measure the want
of locomotion in vegetables. A plant
cannot, when thirsty, go to the brook
and drink, but it cau open innumerable
orifices for the reception of every de
gree oi moisture, wbicn either li.ll.su
the shape of rain or dew, or ia separata!
from the mass of fluid always held in
solution by the atmosphere ; it seldom
happens in the dryest season that the
night does not afford some refreshment
of this kind to n store the moisture
that has been exhausted by the heat of
the preceding day. By these pores,
which exist also on the leaves and
glums, it is presumed that these seeds
of the fungus gain admission, anil at
the bottom of the hollows to which
they load they germinate and push their
minnte roots. No doubt, they may lw
traces! mto the cellnlar texture beyond
the bark, where they draw their nour
ishment by intercepting the sap that
was intended by nature for the nutri
ment of the grain ; the grain, of course,
becomes shrivelled iu proportion as
the fungi are more or less numerons ou
the plant and as the kernel only is ex
tracted from the grain, while thocortial
part remains nudiminishetl. The pro
portion of flour to bran in blighted
grain is always reduced in the same
degree as the grain is made light. Some
will not yield sixteen lb, of flonr to
two bushels of grain, and it is not im
possible where the grain has been so
completely roblied of its flonr by the
fungus, that if the farmer chooso to
incur the expense of threshing aud
grinding it, bran would bo the pro
duce with scarcely an atom of flour for
each grain.
Stamp on lirka Ve.
For the information of business men
and all others who have occasion to
give or receive checks, we publish be
low a decision of the Commissioner of
Internal Revenne relative to stamping
them, under date of the 1'2'h inst.
"Section 1.1 of the act of February 8,
1875, provides : That a bank check,
draft, order, or voucher for the pay
ment of any sum of money whatsoever,
drawn npon any bank, banker or trust
company, shall be subject to a stamp
tax of two cents. By this enactment,
checks Ac, drawn on time, are liable
to the stamp tax, as well as those pay
able at sight or on demand ; so also
are rmipt, and all o'htT rouchrr,
taken by banks, bankers or trust com
panies tor the payment of money by
them." When the stamp is affixed, it
must be cancelled by writing the ini
tials of the name and the date on it,
thus effectually providing ag-iinst its
second ade. It is so much a violation
of the law to omit the cancellation as to
fail in affixing the stamp. In order to
be on the safe side, the maker of a
check should never allow it to pass
from his bands nntil the stamp is af
fixed and cancelled.
Iff Had I.eiare.
'If I had leisure,' I would repair that
weak place in my fence, said a farmer.
He had none, however, and while
drinking cider with a neighbor, the
cows broke in and injured a prime
piece of corn. He had leisure then to
repair his fence, but it did not bring
back his corn.
'If I had leisure,' said a wheelwright,
last winter, I would alter my stove
pipe, for I know it is not safe.' But he
did not find time, and when his shop
caught fire and burned down, he found
leisure to build another.
'If I had leisure,' said a mechanic, 'I
should have my work done in season.
The man thinks his time has been all
occupied, bnt he was not at work till
after sunrise ; he quit work at five
o'clock, smoked a cigar after dinner,
and spent two hours on the street talk
ing nonsense with an idler.
'If I had leisure,' said a merchant, 'I
wonld pay more attention to accounts.'
The chance is, my frieud, if yon had
leisure, yon wonld probably pay less
attention to the matter i than yon do
now.
lonnT cni.ru.
The Xew ..
Pc Wilt her, h.w pwrty
The mHi l4ok t n e!'t.
She - n-T.'r nu rnuimuc b.-f trf :
Hr two litlh brua
An-. Khari hrlht.
I hop Mie'u aoc gruw any at..
Iff wre np IVre
Wltb von ami my fiientls,
ld rnrfc ia 'it ttKvly. an;
'I .it in tli nitl.tlf
Aud h'tl tjr hsh rn,l:
O, what a tinxUt crmOl t'w..uM Iw !
I wnnlil -ll to tlw Mara
To Rvt out ot lb way,
LMt wf hmltt r-ot rer their trrs ;
Anil tbre 1 wn it n,'h
Till tltr tawn of Ow ilar.
Anil aav wu-re t.i pretty moon ft -ra.
Arvr Sen's Chats. Addie says they
are "going to have a fair to make some
money to pay for an organ" at her
chnrch ; and that she is a little bit of a
girl, bnt she wishes she conld make
something for it. Well, Addie, sup
pose yon begin by making some match
scrapers ; they will be very useful, if
the servants in your village scratch the
walls with matches as ours do. Get
two or three sheets of black sand-paper
(or emery paper.) at the hardware store
and one sheet of gilt paper, at the sta
tioner s. Cut yonr sand-paper into
pieces about six inches long by four
inches wide. Stick each of these, with
Hour paste, on to a piece of cardboard
the same size ; then bind the edges
with strips of gilt paper. Now make a
cord by twisting together some worsted,
(red and white, bine and white, or all
of one color, if yon choose,) put a little
worsted tassel at each end of the cord ;
pierce t$o holes in the scraper, and put
me com inrongn to nang it by.
men there is the "tomato-pin
cushion," which is very easy to make,
and very useful in the ladies' work-
baskets, both for pins and needles. Cut
two circles of crimson (or any other
colored) merino, about as large as one
of yonr little preserve saucers. Sew
them all round, enept a couple of
inches, on the wrong side: then turn
them. Fill the pincushion, (through
the two inch opening left nnsewed ) with
bran, or dipping? of fiannel, nntil it is
about enough, (you will soon find ont
what is "enongh") : then sew np the
two inches. Now take some sewing
silk of the same color as the merino ;
thread vour needle with it. doubled.
Pass the needle np through the center
of the cushion, take the silk over and
nnder, and pass the needle np through
the same bole again, drawing the silk
pretty tight ; repeat this until you have
divided your tomato into the right
number of sections, then fasten the silk
off carefully, and your pincushion will
be completed. -
Tire Twa ArrRKsncea. Two boys
were apprenticed in a carpenter shop.
One determined to make himself a
thorough workman ; the other "didn't
care." One read aud stndied, and got
books to help him understand the
principles of hi trade. Ha spent his
evenings at home, reading. The other
liked fuu best, lid often went with
other boys to have a "good time."
"Come," he often said to his shop
mate, "leave your books ; gu with us.
What's the use of all this reading?"
"if I waste these golden moments."
was the boy's reply, "I shall lose what
1 csn never make np.
winln the two nova were still ap-
prentices, an offer of 2.0iH) apjeared in
the newspapers, for the best plan of a
State House, to be built iu one of the
Eastern State. The student boy saw
the advertisement, and determined to
try for it. Alter careful study, he drew
ont bis plans, and sent tbem to the
committee. We suppose he did not
really expect to wiu the prize ; but still
be thonght "there is nothing like try
ing." In about a week afterward a
gentleman arrived at the carptnter's
shop and asked if an architect by the
name of Washington Wilberforce lived
there.
"No," said the architect, "but I
have an apprentice by that name."
"Let's see him," said the gentleman.
The young lad was snmmoned, and
informed that his piau was accepted,
aud that the &!.()IH) were his. The gen
tlemau then said that the boy must put
np the bnililing, and his employer was
so prond of his sncoess that ha willingly
gave him hia time aud let him go.
This stiidions young carpenter became
one of the first architects of the conn
try, lie made a fortune, and stands
high in the estimation of everybody ;
while his fellow-apprentice can hardly
earn food for himself and family by hia
daily labor.
Lonci Worps. "Hob," said Tom,
"which is the most dangerous word to
pronounce in the Knglish language?"
"Don't know," said B-b, "nulesa it's
a swearing word."
"Pooh !"' said Tom, "it's ntumtdnl,
because you are sure to get a tumble
between the first and last letter."
"IU! ha!" said Hob. "Now I've
one for yon. I found it one day in the
paper. Which is the longest word in
the Knglish language?"
"Valetndinanauism," said Tom,
promptly.
"So, sir ; it's tmiUn, because there's
a whole mde between the first and last
letter."
"Ho I ho !" cried Tom. "that's noth
ing. I know a word that has over thrrr.
mile between its beginning and end
ing." "What's that?" asked Bob, faintly.
"B riwred," said Tom. St.
Xicfvitti or April.
Tmt Widow avd Her Biblr. X poor
old widow was once asked by a city
missionary if she had a Bible, "Thank
Gist, I have," said she ; "what shonld I
I do without my Bible ! It was the 1
guide of my youth, and it is the staff
of my old age. It wounded me, and it
bealt-d me. It showed me I was a
sinner, aud it led me to the Saviour !
It has given me comfort through life
and I trust it will give me hope in
death."
Children, do yon love your Bible as
this poor widow did hers? Do you
read it often, and lay np its precious
teachings in your hearts ?
Let the Bible be yonr greatest treas
ure. Bead it every day, and pray to
God to bo'p yon understand it.
Love the blessed Saviour whom it
tells yon of ; try to be like him, aud
you may then hope to be one of the
holy, happy ones, who sing his praise
forever.
A littl,i girl being asked, "Can yon
tell me what beanug false witness
against thy neighbor is?" replied, "It
is when nolssly did anything, and
somebody weut aud toll of it.
It is an unparalleled mercy to lie pre
served from corruption in the midst of
general infection. It is far better to
tie innocent thau peniteut : to preveut
the malady then invent the remedy.
Tlie ntiivero wonld not l rich
enough to buy the vot of an honest
man.
TitlKTIKS.
Men of the time Chronometer
makers.
The traces of tears draw sympathy.
Yon should not stone yonr neighbor,
bnt yon may rock his baby.
Although a womans age is undeniably
her own, she does not orn it.
The best preparation to ke p a lady's
hand "free from chaps," is a report
that she has no money.
A Michigan man rained five lemons
in his hot house. They were good
lemons, but their culture took four
tons of coal.
Boh urn and Wagner, two German
scientists, have lately carefully estima
ted the nnmVr of inhabitants on the
earth to be l.ff.il.OOO.ODO.
Spring signs. Wild water fowl, who
are supposed to know a thing or two
about the weather, are winging their
way to the boreal regions.
Josh Billings has been writinir for
the press nearly twenty years, and he
doesn't know how to spell any better
now than the day he commenced.
Why did yon pass vesterd:.v withont
looking at me ?" said a beantifnl wo
man to Talleyrand. "Because, madam
if I had looked I conld not have
passed."
It is said that drowning men catch
at straws ; bnt straws, in gin slings
and other strong drinks, are caught
at by men who merely wish to drown
their sorrows.
By a new invention it is claimed that
glass can be made into building mate
rial for bouse fronts, n tors or pave
ments superior to marble in durability
and economy.
A New England writer is trying to
prove that a man ought to live one
hundred years. That sounds very well
but how would we like to have our
forefathers sitting around and forever
dinging into our ears the superiority
of the times in which they had control
of things ?
A young ofrWr of an old and noble
Saxon family fell in love with a shop
girl in Berlin, "handsome as a picture,
proposed, was accepted, put nu ler the
care of a nitidon aunt, who was to ed
ucate her for her fnture high position,
and finally married her the other day
in Dresden.
An engine on the Pennsylvania Cen
tral Railroad has been on dnty sinrw
1S.17, and has run iu that time 4 17,733
miles. Probably there is very little of
the original engine remaining except
the frame and minor parts. Another
engine, made in Loudon. Eug., in 1X3S
is stiil doing dnty.
Oil was struck at a depth of six hnn
dred and fifty fonr ftet ou the farm of
Daniel Beatly at Warren, Ta., on
Saturday March 13-.li. The gas foriwd
the petroleum above the top of the
derrick bnt the opacity of the well is
not yet disovereL This strike de
velois an entirely new belt of oil terri
tory. In Spain moras are not warmed by
stoves or fireplace, as tlir are not
brains enough in that country to mi
derstand these contrivance. They
use brazier's bris dishes f ,,f coils,
and all the gas remains in the room.
Alfonso's rm was warmed this way
at Avila. and His Majesty was pirtly
asphyxiated, but recovered.
Baron R itbschild visit.! the ouW
of one of his employes on the Northern
Railroad, where ho was not expected.
n. was startled at the itt tgriitleHtit pro
ductions of spider web iu all the nixr
corners of the room, and referred to
the subject. "Monsieur the Baron,"
said the man, "I leave thra so on pur
pose. Otherwise, the wall would lie
ruined by the flies."
The Grand Duchess Mirie recently
bought in France the upholstery of a
bed-chamber, all in the finest point
d'Alencon lace. It wo made for Mary
Antoinette, bnt the Revolution pre
vented her buying it. It was given to
Marie Louise by Xapoleon on the oc
casion of their marriage, and was sold
after the hundred days. The latest
royal purchaser paid only '2Ti,0iNI francs.
Some fifteen miles above Washington
are the great falls of the Potomac
river, said to lie the largest available
water power east of the Mississippi.
The capacity of the fall is estimated at
a mean average of twenty thousand
home power. This vast water power,
with all the mill privileges and fran
chises on both sides of the Potomac,
and nearly a thousand acres of land on
the Virginia side, is secured for manu
facturing purposes. by perpetual
charter of incorporation from the
Legislature of Miry land and Virginia.
A correspondent of the Carlion Dem
ocrat says : A novel way of popping
the question was indulged iu in our
borough. Enters Mr. gentleman for
merly a boarder of his lady love, for
the purpose of paying his bill, after
which the following dialogue ensued :
"Ton no vats de mens savs about me?"
"No." "Veil, dat yon got married by
me." "So dat vas vhat I heard," said
the lady. "Veil," says he, "ven yon
arry me to-night I will marry yon."
"Veil, I was ready." S the eonple
was made one. The aWve is a true
statement.
The curious water stones, ss they are
called, found at Beechworth, in the
northern part of the Austrian colony
of Victoria, are descrilted in the last
number of the published transactions
of the Royal Society of that eonntry.
They are not regnlar crystals, bnt
amber colored, translucent stones with
many sides, eah of which is an irregu
lar but well defined plane. In the in
terior is a liquid on which rests an air
bubble like that in a water level. This
liquid is water holding saline matter in
solution, as with the fly in the amber,
it ia very difficult to tell how it got
there. The stone itself is chalcedonic,
and about as hard as topaz.
The best rhubarb is s ill produced in
Kansnh, bnt one of the principle marts
for the sale of the drug is. it appears,
Sanyiian, in Shensi, in which province
also rhubarb is grown to a considerable
extent. The cultivation in both prov
inces has, however, it is said, I teen
serionsly affocted by the Mohammedan
rebellion. Consul Ilnghes, of Han
kow, states that much of the rhubarb
which reaches that port comes from
Szechnan, and is generally of very com
mon qnality, being nsually quoted in
the market at from five to eight taels
pea pienl (2j 1. to 41. per pmnd),
while the kind known as Shensi is
usnally quoted at from fifty taels (fll.
to "2s. 2 L per ponniL The inferiority
of the Szechaau drug is said to result
from the moist heat of the province,
which is injurious to the preparation
of the root. In both the provinces of
Kansnh aud Szxciinan the rhuhar!) is
prowu in the mountainous districts.
The plauta, when grown, are cut down
and thrown in hna ; they are then
taken to the farmer's honsM. where the
roots are pared and scraped.
4
3' s
i
n
I
i
. ?
'I