.... ,- . , - w,v,,. -:---... -. ..r ' ' . Z.
n" riW- naffifr' ni Proprietor.
F. SCHWEIER,
THE C05STIT0TI0N TH1 C5I03 AKD IHB ZKFOBCE STENT OF TH1 LAWS.
TOJL XIX.
MIFFLDOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., APRIL 5. 1876.
THE CROSS-ROADS.
When the roads crossed we net,
My lore and I ;
In the near bey the ahipe
Tossed heavily.
Lamps were gone oat on earth.
Cat those in heaven
Trembled, for two more heart
That God bath men.
Bis accents broke the pause
My tongne was tied ;
He foond last words to say
My sobs replied.
Then he drew my white face
Cp to the light,
And said: "Farewell, poor lore
Dear lore, good night !"
At the cross-roads we kissed
I stood alone.
His was the seaward road.
Mine led me home.
He called, "I shall return V
I knew, "not so
Sot one ia ten returns
Of those that go.
Dreary the great world grew.
And the son cold ;
So young, an hour ago,
I bad grown old.
Oar Ood made me for him ;
We loved each other ;
Yet fate gave him one road.
And me another.
Tom Hay ward's Proserpine.
"Lower the boat and let her drift!"
This was the order given by the captain
of the brig Levant, coasting one cloudy
midsummer night along the western
shore of X . The Incredulous
sailor hesitated to obey. A second or
der, brutally made explicit, left him no
choice.
Into the boat the enraged captain had
flung rather thau lifted a woman and
a child.
"What do you say now?" he asked,
as the hastily lowered boat rocked gid
dily betwixt sea and deck. "Do you
repent your rash oath?"
"Never!" answered firmly and fear-
lesslv a woman's calm voice. "I prefer
this."
"Cut her loose !" cried the master to
the subaltern, who of all his crew was.
morally as well as physically, his slave;
while, livid with rage, his face glared
upon the woman one parting look.
The boat was cut loose. The. brig
levant veered on its tack; the Doat,
with its silent burden, fell hopelessly
astern; the rolling waves, the darkness,
fell between.
The woman, hardly more than a child
in years sixteen years she might have
known at the most remained passively
unobservant, instinctively hugging her
child to her breast. One wild scene
had revealed to her the terrors of Life
and obliterated forever the terrors of
Death.
The boat bounded along not ongently,
The sea was not running high, and the
night air was not chilling. J lie clouds.
lowering closely against the face of the
waters, so as effectually to shut away
all light from the sky, were surcharged,
it seemed, with gentlest rain, ueatn
was inevitable, but it was not harsh.
To go down into the oblivion-bearing
embrace of the sea, to sink deep into
the bosom of the never-ceasing sleep
what were the few pangs that might
mark against the heart the edge or this
engulfing? Was there anything to be
feared after that? All terrible aspects
of destruction had passed in the parting
glare of one human race.
"My baby, too!" contentedly sighed
the girl.
What was it, then, that made her
, suddenly start and quake? Nothing
but a sensation of cold against the palm
of her left hand, that had lovingly laid
dormant beside the babe's foot a sen
sation of strange cold, startling her
nerves, piercing her heart, from the
little baby's loot.
By one of those singular transitions
that only the most subtle analysis of
mental mechanism can unveu, a sudden
change occurred In the outcast girl,
arousing her from stupid apathy to
eager life,
"The land where Is the land?" her
lips gasped, while her eyes, grown sud
denly Intense, peered through the
glooming space. Surely they were
drifting shoreward. Surely she saw
the looming of great rocks. Yes, and
now the flashing of a light.
They were borne in bravely on the
upbearing. One great wave, and now
another, friendly and gigantic, lifted
the boat upon its shoulders and urged
it oa. Only the rocks were opposing
bars. On each bar the billows broke
with a shock. On these bars the boat
was stricken plank from plank; but the
girl, with a voice rendered keen by the
motherly pang at her breast, sent shriek
and scream through the night, with her
eyes fixed on the Fight, crying, "Help!
help! help!"
Tom Hay ward, one of the most matter-of-fact
men among mortals, had
what he did not believe in at all-
Dresentiment that night. He was sit
ting idly smoking a cigar in the sea
ward verandah ol his hotel witn a tew
lounging companions, who had been
persuading him. forbidding as the
weather was, to go to the theatre of an
adjacent town to see a star actress in a
provincial cast; and he had been lazily
considering whether to accept the pro
position, when a sudden impulse, strong
enough to impel him from his noncha
lant attitude resolutely to his feet,
struck him with this clearly expressed
intent:
"Excuse me, for I must go down to
my cave. I have left D 's manu
script and R 's packet of African
rough diamonds upon my escritoire
shelf, and the postern gate unlocked.
He declined the proposal for the even
ing in town peremptorily, and went
towards the cliffs. "Confound my cul-
pible inertia!" he muttered to himseii ;
'it h hrpd these incoherent vagaries
of the braiu. What made me think that
some one is knocking at the sea gate to
night, knocking and crying ,or neipr
Not an ocular illusion, certainly; an
auricular illusion I have never heard
of. I suDiiose such a complaint may
exist. A nervous irritation of the tym
panum this undoubtedly is. The sounds
were low, but so distinct. At any rate,
I am on the track,"
Walkinir at a brisk pace. Tom Hay-
ward turned from a paved causeway of
a high road that stretched over tne
bluffs a mile or more beyond the hotel,
strode across a sunburned moorland
into a devious seaward path, and, leap
ing down sharp-hewn steps in the rock,
encountered a door formidably con
structed of iron, the "postern gate"
left this night accidentally unlocked
that opened into a masonried passage
connecting the beetling crags with the
subterranean vault known as Hay ward's
Cave.
Under the seaward gate of this cavern
in the cliff lay a horseshoe-shaped cur
vature of beach. And on this beach
Tom Hayward, answering a vague cry
for help, inaudible save to an inward
sense, whose existence bad forced itself
into recognition for the first time In his
life, found a girl in clothing drenched
by brine, evidently a waif of the sea,
and just awakening from a death-like
swoon an exquisitely sweet-featnred
girl, whose relaxing grasp bad unloosed
a dead baby from her breast.
Three days after the unheralded event
of a woman found half drowned noon
the beach, and a dead child buried In
the sands by hands unfamiliar with
such rites, the following letter by a
young man spending his vacation at
X was dropped in the Northern
post:
"Mi dear ArorsTA, I promised to
give you detailed account of my im
pressions of X . As we are off
at 3 p. m. to-day on a boating excursion
to the Isle or , I have all my pisca
torial preparations jet to make, and
most necessarily be brief.
"Postponing, then, a full narration
of minor incidents until we meet, I will
describe to you merely the experience
which, I am sure (considering the cap
tivating personnel of our host irre
sistible, I am told, to you girls), will
Interest you and your sister most my
evening at Tom Uayward's cave.
"Two or three fellows of Hay ward's
set have indulged iu the luxury of caves
down here; and the fitting up of the
sea facing caves has been a rage this
season. But nothing so far compares
to his. We were invited down to S)iend
last evening an informal invitation to
C and N and myself. The ap
proach, directly seaward from the road,
and wild in the extreme, has been some
what assisted by art. A tiled excava
tion leads by a fantastically lighted
passage into a cavern some thirty feet,
I should think, above high water-n ark.
opening in a wide mouth directly upon
the sea, and owing to a gully beneath it
which forces the waves into curious
columns more vociferous than 'howling
wilderness,' dashed wildly by spray.
and for several feet within the rugged
entrance made slippery with sea-weeds.
"Our visit was on a tranquil night;
but a measured booming sound, made
resonant by some acoustic properties of
the caverned arch, announced the near
ness of the 'mighty deep.' We soon
became accustomed to tbe ceaseless
roar, and settled ourselves comfortably
to a game of whist.
"But I forget. I must picture the
cavern itself, and the simple black and
white of paper and ink can hardy do
this. The interior is au Apocalypse of
color; the draperies of copper-colored
satin Orientally embroidered in bril
liant silks; the pictures; the musical
instruments set with gems colored
crystals, 1 presume; the lights arranged
in tinted groups, like flower arrange
ments in Parisian taste; the flowers,
exotic blossoms upheld against Uie cav
ern walls iu carved easels or racks ; the
Indian rugs; the couches quilted with
Cashmere shawls; the sombre book
cases inlaid with colored hieroglyphics
significant to the initiated, no doubt;
the bronzes and marbles gleaming from
mysterious niches in the rock ; au alcove
for refreshments but that I will leave
to describe at leisure. Last eveniug it
ministered to masculine taste; but at
times when ladies are invited, every
thing is made to 'suffer a sea-change'
ices shaped and tinted like shells, dishes
and goblets conchological from helix to
nautilus.
"Opposite the refectory is a veiled
niche, and the white lace dropped to
the ground is so heavily embossed with
embroidery of gold, that, although it
looks transparent, it is an absolute
screen. I emphasize this fact on ac
count of au episode of the evening,
which I may as well tell you at once.
"We had played two or three games
of whist, regaled ourselves with Uay
ward's choice cordials and cigars, and
the evening was drawing to its close,
when, from behind the embroidered
curtain arose the music, with harp ac
companiment, of the sweetest, most
plaintive voice that 1 have ever heard.
The effect was magical; involuntarily
every man of us 'might have been seen'
with dropped cards, leaning our heads
pensively upon our hands. 'Each
thought of the woman who loved him
best.'
"Never have I heard, my dear Au
gusta, such a penetrative, haunting
voice. Well, all our imploring and in
sisting demands upon Hayward failed
to force him to uplift the veil and re
veal the fair songstress. And for this
reason, we all surmised; her form and
face belied her voice, and Hayward
would not for the worlds have destroyed
the suggestive effect. Indeed, upon re
flection, and assisted somewhat by
N 's technical musical perception, I
was convinced that the voice had the
one rift in its divine lute of incipient
age. A faded prima donna,' N
said. A woman, I thought,' whose in
tense power outlived her life. You
know it is said that no actress can ade
quately play the - part of Shakespeare's
heroines until the bloom of youth is
past, and consequently the thrilling
accord of material and immaterial is
lost.
"At any rate, the song like the "one
look of passion' that Lainartine says
'sweeps the keys' of that charming 'in
strument,' the face of youth swept the
keys of our somewhat inured but not
yet age-worn hearts.
"But Augusta, my dear friend since
you will ouly allow me to call you by
that name I must conclude. Could
yea see the rampant melee of vandals
who have just flocked into my not sj
cious room, you would know why. I
will continue my cave story in my next
for there is a finis. But if the fishing
is good, we may remain at the island
tillSaturday; so do not be anxious if
you receive no word till Monday's mail.
Meanwhile accept, with my reminis
cence of the sweetest music I ever heard,
the dearest idealization of friendship
that so far has blessed the fond but
frowned-ou heart of your faithful
Cbari.es."
Not one of Tom Hayward 's comrades
conjectured the reason of his refusal
made at tbe last moment to accompany
the fishing excursion planned by him
self. Twilight of that memorable day found
him at the now carefully kept locked
gateway of his cave, exploring the
Libels of manifold packages desited
upon the broad paving-stoue curbing of
the postern gate. All sorts of the most
effeminate delicacies these packages
held. The jovial cave had become a
tender hospice. Tom Hayward was
entertaining a guest. As he summed
up mentally the contents of these pack
ages, his face a kind, frank, not par
ticularlv intellectual, but essentially
manly face, wore an iufinitely satisfied
look' . . ,. ,
He found his guest in the dimly
lighted interior reclining upon a couch ;
but the moment that be uttered the sig
nal which in the first emotion of plea
sure he forgot, she sprang up to meet
him. .. . . '
"No more of these wuu nignts ior
" he said, presently. "My friends
are all going away till the end of the
week, xoa snaii u , r"
peace. A laltniui waicnuiau
stationed just outside your curtain at
your feet. Yes, truly, I have come to
sUv for good : are you glad ?
'k)h, so glad!" said the girt. "And
last night I did not die of fright."
"Why not.'
"Because a mask is being drawn over
the cruel face. And it Is your nana,
my benefactor can I ever be grateful
to you enough ? that has done this. I
begin to see afar oil oh, but very far
off 1 that life is or may be, might be,
perhaps, sweet."
"My dear child," said Hayward,
"depend upon it, life is a treat. The
past your past, 1 mean is simply a
bad dream. Consider it so; and now
awake. Come and show me where I
shall put some of these things which I
found dropped down for you at my
gate."
Ah, the strange, unworld-like, child
like, devout happiness of that night!
Hayward actually beguiled his guest
into the extravaganza of smiles, the
unknown rarity of her young lips.
Had the whole aspect of her place of
refuge been less strange, less unreal
and like a dream ; had her rescuer been
less ofi-hand, debonair, aud boyishly
kind and good ; less inherently ehival
ric, and so apart from any being she
had known, the mental shock which
had left her nothing in life of hope, and
the physical exhaustion incident to the
excitement of the rough mode of her
advent to the cave, would norhave been
so readily counteracted. This place of
rest was to her a complete new world.
She had been dead, and come to life.
Her experience was a realization of "an
owning paradise," until memory should
be re-established, and life, that never
loses itself in more than momentary
dreams, should catch up its lost links.
Reaction came. One day when Hay
ward had been absent many hours, he
returned with something like an ex
pression of care, and "to have," he said,
"a serious talk."
He had thrown himself Into an arm
chair with a weary air, and his guest
drew a cushion near, and seated herself
at his feet. It was the nearest attitude
of affection she had assumed; it ex
pressed gratitude, the trusting subser
vience of her heart.
"I will not ask yon," he said "you
know I have not aked you for days to
tell me anything of the history of your
past. It is enough for me to know that
this woman here is you. I trust you
perfectly, as you trust me; but I can no
longer shelter you here. I knew this
could be but a brief haven for you from
the first; and I have been studiously
making arrangements for you such as
seem lor the present best. I want you
to-morrow morning to arrange your lit
tle wardrobe awkwardly chosen, I fear
it is, I am such a novice; and at noon
that is the time when we are most de
serted here I shall have a carriage
waiting for you at the brow of the cliff."
The girl while he was speaking hail
turned deadly pale; she leaned her
head, with a sigh of pain, against his
knee. "I made a solemn vow," said
Hayward "a resolution, I mean, to
myself that while you remained my
guest in this cave I would not speak to
you of any thing Uiat has bearings upon
outside life. But to-morrow 1 shall be
released from this voluntary restraint.
I shall visit you to-morrow eveuing in
the house where I have arranged to
have you brought, ami then you will
find how a blunt downright fellow like
myself is ready with good advice. And
always" for she looked grief-stricken
beyoiid power of words to express
"always, forever you know thin for
ever your friend."
It was nine o'clock by his watch when
Hayward left his cave. He returned at
eleven. He was priding himself, as he
descended the steps, that Impressible as
be had been to the charms of his guest
complete, incomparable, they seemed
to him in form and voice and mind
and clearly as he had seen that grati
tude in her was the quick key of love,
the key that his hand held he had
never, in tenderness for her isolation,
conveyed to her by word or look the
passionate thought which assured him
day and night that this waif of the wild
sea was the woman among all women
destined to he Dearest his heart.
H prided himself upon the silence
that was to wreak uKn him from that
hour forth the ceaseless slaying of re
gret. Unlocking the gate, he gave the sig
oal of return ; he entered the enshrin
ing space with the joyous pulse of ex
pectation. The silence at first did not
shock him, the emptiness of the dimly
illuminated corridor opening upon the
wide sea did not at once alarm. He
waited for the tremulous uplifting of
that curtain which had become to him
dcliciously mysterious, like the veil of a
bride.
He waited, but she came not. He
sought her at last with the wild im
pulse of one stricken with the remorse
like dread of an inevitable fate. What
storms swept through his breast as he
tore each curtain from its place, as he
stretched his groping hand into each
darkling niche, as he knew step by step
the growing knowledge that she had
left him, that she was gone gone back
forever into the breast of the dark wave
upon whose crest she had been one mo
ment lifted to see that life may be,
might be, perhaps, sweet; what storms
swept his breast, the wildest leap and
most despairing wailing of the sea, that
year and year dashed up beside the
lonely cavern to teach it the woes of the
vast abyss, were in comparison but a
fairy ripple and a whispered laugh.
Every heart hides its own Avemus.
But strange it seems that a man like
Tom Hayward, the jovial boon-companion
of careless, fortunate young
men, tbe bright-hearted favorite of the
pirls, the generous, the gay, the smil
ing, honored guest at the feast of life,
should have learned that fatal descent.
In the midst of some convivial scene,
in the midst of music and of dance,
there comes into his frank, bright eyes
a dimming, absent-minded glance.
Iu the very sanctum of his soul one
passionate dear remembrance drags
from the flower-strewn field of earth
the beautiful doomed Proserpine of his
life.
Lei as Help Aaalaer.
'This little sentence should be written
on every heart and stamped on every
memory. It should be the golden rule
practiced not only in every household,
but throughout the world. By helping
one another we not only remove thorns
from the pathway and anxiety from the
mind, but we feel a sense of pleasure iu
our own hearts, knowing we are doing
a duty to a fellow creature. A helping
handorau encouraging word, is no
loss to us, yet it is a benefit to others.
Who has not felt the power of this lit
tle sentence? Who has not needed the
encouragement and aid of a kind friend ?
How soothing, when perplexed ' with
some task that is mysterious and bur
densome, to feel a gentle band on the
shoulder and to hear a kind voice whis
pering, "Do not feel discouraged. I
see your trouble let me help you.
What a strength is inspired, what hope
created, what sweet gratitude is felt,
and the great difliculty is dissolved as
dew beneath the sunshine. Yet, let ns
help one another by endeavoring to
strengthen and encourage the weak
and lifting the burden of care from the
weary and oppressed, that life may
glide smoothly on and the fount of bit
terness yield sweet water; and He,
whose willing hand is ever ready to aid
us, will reward our bumble endeavors,
and every good deed will be as "bread
cast upon the waters to ieturn after
many days," if not to us, to those we
love.
First EzperleaeesaraCktaeaeBlaaer.
At dinner, we had all sorts of queer
dishes, many of them very palatable;
but alas! for me, there were only chop
sticks to eat with I And my predica
ment was very much that of the stork
when invited to dine with the fox. All
my essays were in vain ; tbe dainty
titbits I was longing to taste would not
be coaxed between the ends of my deli
cately carved chop-sticks, and my eating
was a very burlesque, which my gentle
manly host and his well-bred family
vainly tried not to notice. At length
be apologized by saying that he sup
posed I would prefer, at a Chinese table,
to use tbe chop-sticks; and he then
ordered a knife, fork and spoon to be
brought for me. Tea was served in tiny
silver tea-pots that held less than half a
pint, aud each was placed on a silver
waiter with fine little porcelain cups,
without saucers or spoons, sugar or
cream. This is the way the Chinese
always drink tea, and one of these
miniature services is placed before each
guest, while a servant stands by to our
the tea and replenish the tea-pot when
needed.
After d'.nner we had some music,
several games were played for my
special entertainment, and my host
showed me a rare collection of paintings
done by the famous artist, Lang Qua. I
was urged to remain for the night, but
preferring to return, the sedan chairs
were ordered to the door, and, attended
by the son of my host, I took my de
parture, loaded with gifts from my
hospitable entertainers. As the presents
were all wrapped in tissue paper, I did
not examine them till I reached my
own home. Each contained the card of
the donor; a pair of vases from the lady
of the house, a silver card-case from her
husband, a wreath of wax flowers, only
less lovely than her own fair self, from
the gentle bride, and a pair of chop
sticks, with which,I have no doubt, the
donor thought 1 needed special practice,
from the waggish younger son of mine
host. St. Xickotas.
Lee; taxis-The Hasrtasarked Masl-
cImb.
Long ago there lived at Aix-la-Cha-pelle
two musicians both of whom were
hunchbacked. But a great difference
existed in their faces and characters.
Friedel was well looking and aimable,
a fine musician, for his soul was full of
goodness and it found expression
through the tones of his violin, itut
Heinz had ugly red hair and a more
ugly temper, and his playing was so
unmusical that none ever listened to
him for pleasure. Thus it happened
that Fried le and his violin were always
in demand for all occasions of merry
making and frolic, while Heinz was
lett unemployed. Now Friedel loved
Agatha, the daughter of a rich wine
merchant, and she, perceiving his soul
and forgetting his deformity, returned
his love. All went well with the lovers
themselves, but knowing the pride and
love of money of the maiden's father,
they determined not to speak to him
uulil they should be compelled to do so.
At last a very rich suitor desired
Agatha for his bride, and obtained her
father's consent. Then it was that
Friedel was obliged to speak, though
with sinking heart. The wine merchant
drove him away with harsh words.
Poor Friedel, quite distracted, wandered,
he knew not whither. It was late when
the chilling dews recalled him to his
senses and he sought the town. As he
approached it strange sounds were in
the air aud sights more marvellous met
his gaze. Daws and all sorts of night
birds were screaming, and above the
tops of the houses the broom-riding
witches were trooping. And all made
their way to the fish-market, or Par
wisch, as it was called, in Aix la-Cha-pelle.
Friedel also went there, and
great was his amazement at what he
saw. The square was illuminated . by
little flames in tbe air, and crowds of
female figures were moving about. Then
Friedel remembered that this was
quarter-day, and the witches were said
to hold a pinic on that day in this very
square. As he thought of this a woman,
who looked very much like the mayoress
of the town and seemed to be the leader
of the others, advanced to meet him and
led him to a table loaded with all kinds
of delicacies and delicious beverages.
She invited him to eat, and after he had
refreshed himself, placed in his hand a
violin aud asked him to play music for
dancing. As soon as the violin sounded,
they moved away the tables and seats
aud prepared to dance. It gave Friedel
a very novel sensation to perceive that
while all appeared to be busily talking
and laughing, no sound reached his
ears. Soon the lady president gave the
signal to begin; then the violin of
Friedel seemed as if bewitched, for In
spite of him it would go quicker and
more quickly, and the dancers faster
and more swiftly till all was as witch
like as could well be. At length Frie
del fell on a seat exhausted, aud the
lady-president thanked him for his
sweet music, and commanded him to
kneel and receive his reward. Then
she whispered words of strange sound
above him, and laid her hand on his
poor deformed shoulders, and quickly
removed the hump from them and
placed it in a dish which she instantly
closed. As she did this the clocks
sounded the hour of one and in a twink
ling all vanished and Friedel was alone.
Weary and confused, he hastened home,
and to bed, where for the remainder of
the night strange dreams came to him.
But in the morning he found the most
wonderful part of all to be true. He
was straight and comely in form as In
face; moreover, a goodly sum of money
was in the pocket of his jacket; enough
to make him equal to any of the suitors
of Agatha. As soon as possible be re
paired to the house of the wine merchant,
and told him his story under the prom
ise of secresy. Now his reception was
quite different from the former one, but
it was more the sight of the money that
decided tbe merchant to make Friedel
his son-in-law than the loss of the hump.
Then were the lovers made happy.
Although this adventure of Friedel's
was to be a secret. It escaped in some
way, and among others Heinz heard the
story. His envy and hatred of Friedel,
which had been bitter enough before,
were increased, and he reported wicked
stories of Friedel and accused him of
the most immoral Intercourse with the
witches. But he secretly determined to
attend their picnic on the next quarter
day and try bis fortune among them.
Now as he came to the fish-market the
same scene met his gaze as that which
Friedel had beheld, and Heinz advanced
boldly, bearing his own violin, and
making signs that he was willing to
play, i'he dance was formed but Heinz
was so occupied in gazing avariciously
at the plate on the table that he forgot
bis music and played even more dis
cordantly than was his custom. Soon
the dance became a race, and Heinz be
lieved he was doing so well as to give
the witches great pleasure, when they
all ran up to him and shook their fists
at him. He had also been so unwise as
to call by name some wives of the town
be thought he recognized. When the
lady-president commanded him to kneel
be thought it was time to claim a re
ward, so he seized a large gold drinking
cup. The lady gave him so smart a box
ou the ear that be gladly dropped the
cup; she then took from a tightly
covered dish the very hump she had
taken off the shoulders of Friedel; and
fastened it on the breast of Heinz. At
that instant the clock struck one and he
was left alone. Who can describe the
rage and despair of Heinz? He added
also to his misfortune by foolishly tell
ing the story, and thus became the
laughing-stock of the whole city. Only
Friedel felt sorry for him, and he, out
of his goodness of heart, maintained
Heinz comfortably all the rest of his
days.
Eacllsfcanea asd Cterauui Ladles.
I have seen, says a writer in Fraer
for January, English gentlemen intro
duced without due preparation, into
strictly German circles, made misera
ble for a whole evening, and finally
driven to the verge of distraction by
the gentle persistent attention of tbe
ladies of the bouse. When be realises
that be is being waited upon by these
fair damsels the Englishman jumps
wildly and apologetically from his
chair, stammers confused and bashful
excuses, clutches tbe cups aud platters
out of the ministering angel's hand,
and subsides, red and rultied. into his
seat. He hopes it will not happen
again ; he devoutly trusts it is over.
Bus no : scarcely is his complexion re
covering its normal hue, when mother
lovely being is "staying him with ap
plesbringing him butter in a lordly
dish or ottering sausages lit his shrine.
Again he bounces out of his seat like
an India-rubber ball, again clutches
convulsively, apologizes, confounds
himself in horrible polyglot inarticu
bite excuses, and subsides exhausted
in his chair. He looks round and sees
that all the other men are being waited
noon : be perceives that it is "tbe cus
tom of the country ;" that it proceeds.
not from tbe paucity or the servants,
but fiom a plentitade of female devo
ion. If servants were wanting, then
sorely the men would wait upon the
ladies. He tells himself severely that
when at Koine yonr behavior should
be of the strictest Koman type ; he re
minds himself that the first condition
of good breeding is that you should
explicitly conform to the usages of the
society in which you find yourself, he
will submit; but when the third and
most beautiful daughter of the bouse
presents bim with Uanngslat his feel
ings are altogether to much for him
and entirely overcome his good resolu
tions, lie goes through the same Iran
tic formula again, with the secret im
uression that he is making a most ab
ject fool of himself, plunges wildly
and nepainngly at the comestibles and
subsides into a limp and melancholy
condition. He is like a china-shop, the
girls think, and they hold firmly to the
family crockery, aud the best glass.
"They are dreadfully restless. die Eng
landerP said a young cousin to me ;
"see how quiet and well-behaved our
gentlemen are aud wait on their turn."
That was all the poorchivalrous young
Hritoii got for his pains. Paius they
were tortures, agonies.
Ilia Owa Detlsr.
A man of high intelligence, well edu
cated, and of vigorous understanding
in most things, was nevertheless given
to the practice of self-tormenting in
regard to the state of his health. He
was fairly robust, ate and drank well,
slept easily, walked with remarkable
energy, was capable of service aud
long-sustained mental labor and of
much physical exertion. L nluckily
for himself he began to study domestic
medicine, and straightway a too active
imagination led him to simulate in his
owu case the symptoms ol almost every
disease he had happened to read of.
He was apopletic, paralytic, rheumatic;
he had heart disease, his lungs were
affected, tiis liver was congested : gout
threatened bun ; his vision became en
feebled : obscure sensations alarmed
him as to the state of his brain : fevers
of one kind or another were perpetual
ly hatching in his system. The roan's
life became a bnrdea and a misery to
him ; he half-killed himself with ter
ror, and nearly succeeded in getting
poisoned by a succession ot varied and
opposing remedies.
At last he was cured. Reading the
symptoms of a condition from which it
is physiologically impossible that men
should sutler, he found to his horror
that each particular symptom was dis
tinctly maiked in his own case. He
went over the ground again and again ;
each renewed examination only served
to bring ont the symptoms with more
alarming distinctness. Then the affair
became too ludicrous ; a hearty fit of
laughter dissipated not only that par
ticular ailment, but all the rest, and
the sufferer was cured. English Von
gregnttonalixt. Vlasaaw.
Though many of us speak of this an
cient Scotch city, comparatively few
think of it as a place ot 000.000 inhabi
tants. Its growth has, in its rapidity,
resembled that of one of our estern
cities, for a centnrv ago it had a popu
lation of alraut 40,0110. A correspondent
of the Louisville lourirr-Jonrnal,
speaking of this remarkable growth.
savs : "Iron, coal, cotton and the Clyde
have made Glasgow. No one who sees
the Clyde for the first time as be jour
neys turongh Dumfries and Lanark
a tiny stream, scarcely larger than one
of our numberless American creeks
could suppose that ere it has run a
course of fifty or sixty miles the largest
iron steamers in the world would be
built upon its banks and launched upon
its waters. Fed by mountain streams
and deepened by dredges, from the
Broomeden downwards, it expands be
low the Victoria Bridge, into a broad
and deep stream, capable of floating
the largest war and merchant ships.
Unlike most other cities in the United
Kingdom, Glasgow does not depend
upon a single industry for her prospe
rity. In woolen manufactures she has
hitherto been a competitor with Brad
ford, and Leeds, and Iludderstield ; in
cotton with Manchester. No city
makes more chemicals, while in ship
building neither the lyne nor the Mer
sey can come into competition with
her. The Clyde, from I lovan and Pat
rick to Dumbarton, with the deafening
noise from thousands of clanging ham
mers, bears witness to the industry
which has made Clyde-built iron ships
famous all over theworld.
Keep the Teas as frosa laklndaeas.
Words are sometimes wounds. Not
very deep wounds always, and yet they
irritate. Speech is unkind sometimes
when there is no unkindness in the
heart; so much the worse that needless
wounds are inflicted; so much the
worse that unintentionally pain is
caused. Keep it from falsehood. It is
so easy to give a false coloring; to so
make a statement that it may convey a
meaning different from the truth.
while yet there is an appearance of
truth, that we need to be on our guard.
There are very many who would shrink
from telling a lie.who vet indulge them
selves in such inaccurate or exaggera
ted or one sided statements, that they
really come under the condemnation
of those whose "lying lips are an abom
ination to the Lord." Keep it rrom
slander. The good reputation of others
should be dear to us. Sin should not
be suffered to go unrebuked ; but it
should be in accordance with the Scrip
ture method, "Go and tell him of his
fault twixt thee and bim alone." And
it should be borne in mind that what is
too often considered as merely barm
less gossip runs dangerously near, if it
does not pass, tbe confines of slander.
A reputation Is too sacred to be made a
plaything of, even if the intent be not
jnaUcious. .Sural Xeto Yorker.
Tae Talae af Jewele aad IwrlaslUes.
Collectors must be curiously-minded
people. One can understand a man
collecting pictures or jewels which are
really beautiful in themselves. - Old
armor and old weapons are interesting,
and so. to a certain extent, is anv old
relic. Bat the passion for old china
and old books, and other such things,
is irrational and perfectly inexplicable.
The etlitio prineep of Aristotle is worth
any price almost that its fortunate
possessor may choose to ask for it, bat
it is no better for any practical purpose
than the second or Basle edition of
1550, which can be bought anywhere
for a few shillings. This being so, the
only possible value of an eilitio jrrinrrp
can bave mast be due- to the fact that
very few other collectors have it ; and
tbe man who bays anything, whether
it be a book or a teacup or a Chinese
monster, simply because other people
have not got it, must have more money
than he well knows what to do with.
In a rich country, however, there
will always be such people, and a pro
fessional dealer and collector can eas
ily make a fortune out of them. Jew
ellers, it is said, do this to a very great
extent, for people have already begun
to put artificial prices upon precious
stones with reference to their rarity
and not to their intrinsic beauty. A
diamond with a fly in it, if there was
such a thing, would be of great interest
to the chemist, as settling the question
of the circumstances under which the
diamond originally crystallized. But,
apart from this, it would fetch literally
any price as a curiosity. Fashion, too,
baa a good deal to do with these
things.
Some few years ago the. Princess
of Wales took to wearing sapphires,
and a demand for sapphire oarures
sprang np at once. Sapphires, of
course, rose enormously in value, but
they have since, we believe, falleu al
most to their old price. It is said that
the next stone likely to come into
fashion will be tbe jacinth, and that,
forseeing tbe probability of this, the
leading London jewelers are "making
a corner," as Americans call it. in ja-
ciutbs, by buying them np and patting
them bv. in the serene assurance tbat
the money thus laying idle will ulti
mately earn its interest and a good
deal more. When the time comes at
last iacintbs will be no prettier than
they are at present, but their value
will, for the time being, be doubled or
quadrupled. London Examiner.
Enlafsl Welsbsaea la the railed
It late.
Between the arrival of the first Welsh
settlers in Pennsylvania and the com
mencement of the Kevolution in
ninety-four years had passed away; the
emigration from Wales had been slow
but constant; and in New England,
New York, New Jersey, Maryland,
Delaware, Virginia, and especially in
the city of Philadelphia, many of the
Welsh had become celebrated as mer
chants, lawyers, doctors, clergymen,
teachers and statesmen. e are justly
proud to name among these Thomas
Jefferson, and among the signers of the
Declaration, besides the illustrious
author, we find the names of the fol
lowing Welshmen : Stephen Hopkins,
William Williams, William Floyd,
Francis Lewis, Button Gwynett, Lewis
Morris, Kobert Morris. In that pro
tracted struggle many of the elsh
covered themselves with glory on the
battle-held. Others, by their generous
contributions, rendered enective aid
Kobert Morris, a rich banker of Phila
delphia, by his unbounded liberality
and great skill as a financier gave the
young republic invaluable assistance in
its davs of agonv and strife. But "the
tribulations of those days" had a de
pressing influence on the Welsh
churches. The congregations were
often scattered, and the organizations
abandoned. Atlantic Jlvnthly.
Beaas la a Barrel.
The Lowell (Mass) Courier savs: "One
day last week a party in a wholesale
country produce store in this city pro
posed a guessing match in regard to
the number of pea-beans in a barrel of
that vegetable, there were several
grocers in the store and their estimates
varied Irorn 40,000 to 4,000,000, all
giving wild guesses. It was ascertained
that there are about atiC.OOO pea-beans in
a full barrel; this result being obtained
bv counting the number of beans in a
lound weight, and multiplying that by
the number of pounds in the barrel.
This of course would give only an ap
proximate number, as the figures lor
each pound will very probably vary
slightly, and tbe stated number ol
pounds In a barrel may also vary. A
gentleman of an advanced mathematical
education who happened in was asked
to guess the number or beans. lie
reached a result by measuring one bean,
and then figuring how many of the
beans could be put in the barrel, tie
placed the number in the barrel at 2,000
less than the result obtained by tne
easier method of calculation, and his
figures may be even more correct than
those by the loose method."
Ckaraeter.
The character of a man's life affects
thousands besides himself. Wickedness
cannot be kept inside of a man's heart
any more than stench can be kept in
the gutter where it is generated. It
spreads abroad and mingles with the
air of the whole street, and all who
pass the spot must breathe of its tainted
odor. There is a moral atmosphere in
which we all live aud to which we all
contribute some ingredient. We spread
contagion through it or we make it
pure and healthy. We cannot remain
by ourselves any more than the drop of
water can remain by itseir when it is
fallen into the stream. We become a
part of the whole and tbe whole is af
fected by the part. Sin is contagious,
and therefore we bave no right to har
bor It In our hearts. Impropriety is a
crime not alone against ourselves, not
alone against God, but also against
mankind. Tbe voice of the entire race
is lifted in protest against the crime
and the criminal. Every day is a day
of judgment, and the moral sense of the
whole world pronounces condemnation
upon every man that doeth evil. (foUlen
fiule.
frleaela.
i uric aiv iiicuun w uv am uivjuus
only for the hour, friends for the noon-
..iT ... .1 a i 1
tine ana tne nooa ; tney nave no reai
rooting, as you discoerif your horizon
gets clouded over and foul weather
comes in place of fair, if your rushing
waters run dry and your goodly ves-
c. I otra a th. tMMUh ThBA
are the parasites of life, the clinging
,w am) ma. Ha attMancrlA thnm
before they die. And there are the
real menus, wuo, u you get into iiou
ble, stick closer to you than a brother,
.nil m-h, Mil. aj1 .a 1 ,MitJWi tA ftllOW
that they are of pure gold all through.
But this kind is apt to be a little stiff
i -.t i...n thinn trn well with
you, and yon feel it rather hard that
yon must be in sorrow or distress be
fore you can get tne starcn out oi mem,
i .n,,iii Mttmr ihf wata more fa-
jju " suu . - j
milar now, if less devoted then con
tent to discount tne cnances ot tne iu
ture for the advantage and pleasure of
the present. i
lorrair coixxs.
Only A Fly. Has any ever told you
of the wonders of a fly's body T I sup
pose not, else yon would never think
of finding pleasure in hurting me.
God has given me wings, which are
so light, and nicely fitted to my body,
that 1 can fly or walk about just as I
please.
I can spread them out, and fly away
like a little bird ; or I can fold them up,
and take a walk wherever I choose.
I can walk with my feet np, and my
head down, just as well as on the table
or on the floor. It is all the same to
me.
Perhaps you wonder why I do not
fall. My feet are so formed, that I can
press them firmly to the ceiling, and
walk about there without any fear.
Bat you are too young yet to know
how I do that. 1 only tell yon of it
now, that you may begin to know how
much there is to learn in all the things
that God has made.
Have yon ever noticed how quickly I
fly away when you try to catch me.
I can see you. little boy or girl, even
when you try to hide your hand behind
me. Perhaps yon would like to know
bow this can be. iet me tell yon.
Yon think that I bave only two eyes.
like yon ; but I have a great many,
though they do not move about like
yours.
Each of the eyes that yon see in my
head is made up of a great many little
eyes. There are several hundred of
them, though each of them is only a
little point.
Wit! Ii some of them I look ont before
me. and with others I look behind. It
is with those that 1 look behind that I
see yoa when you pat yoar hand be-
uiuu we.
I hope that I have told yoa enough
to make you feel that yon should not
try to hurt a little ny.
The Company I'lan. Here's some
thing, my dears, that the editor of St.
Michola said long ago to a crowd of
youngsters. As 1 never heard of its
doing them any special harm, it occurs
to me that it will not hart my little
folks to hear it :
Did yon ever notice what an amiable,
pleasant feeling steals over yoa when
yoa are visiting and on your "good be
havior l"1 how willing yoa are to over
look anything that interferes with
your comfort J how anxious to please,
and how ready to take an interest in
all that is going ont At theoe times
yonr face lights np, your voice grows
sweet and cheerful, your very move
ments become giaceful. "What plea
sant persons these friends are P yoa
say to yourself ; and they very natu
rally consider yoa quite winning and
delightful. So far, so good. It is just
as it should be.
Of coarse, when yoa go home yoa
take all your pleasaut ways with yoa.
If these friends who have known you
but a little while, and who care for yoa
merely as friends, have power to
brighten and sweeten yoa, certainly
when you return to yonr own relatives,
who love you so much more, you'll be
brighter and sweeter than ever.
Is it so T Perhaps it is. But if, by
any chance, it should not be if, for
instance, you choose to let yourself be
sour or indifferent at home, thinking
any tone of voice, any glum look, and
any careless word good enough for
"the folks" I'm soTy for yoa, that's
all- Yoa lose a great deal of comfort,
and yoa miss a great opportunity ot
making o:hers happy. But it is never
too late to improve. Suppose yon try
the company plan. lie polite, 'sunny,
aud charming at home. Commence to
morrow no, to-day. The home life it
only a visit, after all, for nofamilv can
remain together always. St Sirnoltit.
A Baly't Soliloquy.l am here. And
if this is what they call the world, I
don't think much of it. It's a very
flannelly world, and smells of parego
ric awfully. It's a dreadful light world,
too, and makes me blink, I tell yoa.
And 1 don't know what to do with my
hands; I think I'll dig my fists in my
eyes. No, 1 won't. I'll scrabble at the
corner of my blanket and chew it np,
and then I'll holler ; whatever happens
I'll holler. And the more paregoric
they give me the louder I'll yell. That
old nnrse puts the spoon in the corner
of my mouth in a very uneasy wav,
and keeps tasting my milk herself all
the while. She spiit snuff in it last
night, and when 1 hollered, trotted me.
That came of being a two days' old
baby. There's a pin sticking in me
now, and if I say a word about it, I'll
be trotted or fed ; and 1 would rather
have catnip tea. I'll tell yon who lam.
I found out to-day. 1 heard folks say,
''Hush, don't wake np Emmeline's ba
by;" and I suppose that pretty white
faced woman over on the pillow is
Eainieline.
No, 1 was mistaken; a chap was in
here jast now, and wanted to see
Bob's paby; and looked at me and
said, "I was a funny little toad, and
looked just like Bob." He smelt of
cigars. 1 wonder who else I belong to.
Yes. there's another one that's "Gam
ma." "It a as Gamma's baby, so it
was." 1 declare I do not know who I
belong to; but I'll holler, and maybe
I'll find out. There comes Snuffy with
catnip tea. I'm going to sleep. I won
der why my hands won't go where I
want them to. Sanitarian.
A Chihr$ Uearen. Children of de
licate natures are always fond of birds.
A beautiful child of mine, who died at
six years of age, was an instance of
this. Seeing his end approaching I
said to bim:
"Are you willing to die, dear, and go
to heaven f
He put his little arms around my
neck and was silent for many minutes,
while my heart sank within me. At
length he lifted his face and asked :
"Are there birds and flowers in heav
en, mamma V
"Yes, my darling, all that is beauti
ful here, we shall find there."
"Then I am willing to go.
In a few hours his pure spirit had
passed away. Oar Dumb Animal.
A little boy whose grandmother re
cently died, has a new sled, but as
there is no snow he is really worse off
than it he did not bave if.
Yesterday be remarked to his moth
er: "I wonder why it don't snow V
Receiving no answer to this, he con
tinned :
"God could make it snow if he wan
ted to, couldn't he ?"
"Yes." said the mother.
"I wonder why he don't I he added
somewhat pettishly. Then suddenly
brightening np he said:
"1 guess he is so busv making grand'-
nia an angel that he ain't got no time
to UO 11."
latfiaa Cera.
It is generally supposed that onr In
;an ...rt . nr maize, is a native of
i !...;. kMn fnnnd among
the Indians at the time of the discovery
of the country. But nothing is known
in regard to iu native country oejena
.i;Mn it h&jt never been
found growing wild anywhere. The
Japanese seem to have been well ac
quainted with maize for a long time
nothing until of late years; but wheth
er they procured it originally irom
America, or the Americans from Japan,
will nrnhahlv remain one of the Hn-
solved maizy, problems.
ATW3 Hf B&H7
Florida has 200,000 Northern visi
tors. Reverdy Johnson's life was Insured
for $100,000.
California has a population of about
3,000 Chinese boys.
Mr. Beecher has engaged his usual
quarters at Twin Mountain House for
next Summer.
Portland, Oregon, has shipped di
rectly to Liverpool in one cargo 90,000
bushels of wheat.
Ablngton, Mass., has not a pauper
and the Selectmen have advertised the
almhouse for sale.
There are nearly 200 French flat
houses in New York, aud many more
in process of erection.
Prairie du Chien has an artesian
well 717 feet deep which throws 30,000
barrels of water a day.
The Pennsylvania railroad com
pany has reduced the rates of passen
ger fares to three cents a mile.
All the employes of the Concord
(N. U.) Railroad bave been compelled
to sign the temperance pledge.
Four hundred gamblers are collec
ted at Cheyenne, ready for the opeuing
season in the Black Hills country.
Massachusetts expects to send
three ex-Governors to Congress next
year, and then have a number over.
There are 21,253 Baptist churches
in the United States, with 13,117 min
isters, and a total membership of 1,815,
000. A bill has been introduced into the
Legislature of Mississippi to make edu
cation compulsory throughout the
State.
Three hundred and thirty-seven
American hotels were burned in 1875,
aud not a hotel clerk was so much as
scorched.
In 1S74 only one person was killed
on all the Massachusetts railroads
while 76 were killed by accidents in the
city of Boston.
Another of Boston's revered land
marks has got to go. The lease of the
old State House expires July 1st, and it
is to be torn down.
Among an invoice of old paper
stock received at a Norwich paer
mill recently was $.V),000,000 in can
celled United States bonds.
That New Capitol at Altanv, If it
is ever finished, will cost $12,000,000.
Yet viewed from an artistic point of
view, it is pronounced a failure.
The butcher's bill of a single hotel
in New York city averages $2,"00 a
week at this season of the vear. It av
erages $1,000 a week in the summer.
The amount of deposits in the Mas
sachusetts savings banks is $237,848,
iTM, an increase of $20,000,000 in 1875.
The average rate of dividend was 6 3-20
per cent.
Trov, New York, manufactures
collars for the whole country. It is
said that there is not a linen collar fac
tory in successful operation outside of
that city.
It is generally believed that the
stock of the Direct Cable company has
passed into the hands ot the Anglo
American Cable and Western Union
Telegraph companies.
The boring for mineral water con
tinues on the camp meeting ground at
Hound Lake, Saratoga county, and a
depth of 835 feet has been reached, but
no mineral water found.
There will probably be more ice
housed on the Kennetec than ever be
fore. At least 300,000 tons have al
ready secured a sale, requiring 2,000
vessels to carry it, or ten a day during
the shipping season.
The Washington correspondent ot
the Virginia Chronicle says that the
family of ex-Senator Nye are in abso
lute destitution, and that the ex-Senator
is in the Flatbush Asylum in a
state oi hopeless imbecility.
A bill is now before the Kansas
legislature and likely to become a law
offering a bounty of five dollars a
bushel for collecting and destroying
locust eggs, and sixty cents for every
bushel of unfledged locusts destroyed.
David R. Standish, who was the
olilest locomotive engineer iu the
United States, has been placed on the
retired list by the Boston and Provi
dence Railroad Company, in whose em
ploy he had been since 1842.
Silver mining is likely to become
popular in Texas. Cher one million
acres of land bave been located iu
Mason county in three months. Two
shafts are already sunk,and one is yield
ing at the rate of $18 per ton.
A reverend divine, being accused
of negligence in his calling, aud styled
"an unfaithful shepherd," Irom
scarcely ever visiting bis flock, defenud
himself by saying that he was always
with them at "shearing time."
The task of providing for the
Queen's children and the Duke of Cam
bridge, not including salaries drawn
by any of them because of offices they
hold In the civil, military or naval ser
vice, has already cost the British pub
lic $8,575,000.
At a New York matinee lately in a
fashionable theatre, by actual count
there were 389 velvet dresses In the or
chestra seats and boxes and 511 cream
colored hats in the house, and all hut
twenty of them supporting ivory white
feathers.
Tbe eleven blast furnaces in Alle
gheny County, Pa., bave a capacity of
237,000 tons o'f pig iron per year, ami
average of 21 ,545! tons for each fur
nace; the fifty furnaces In the Ihighr
Valley have an annual capacity of 533,
600 tons, 10.C72 tons for each furnace.
The meanest man in America now
appears to be John Stevens, of Logans
port, Ind. He inherited an estate of
$12,000 two years since, and spent it in
riotous living, and now sues the trus
tees for its value, alleging that he was
not of age when the property was
turned over to him.
Schenectady, X. Y., will send to
the Exposition groups of .life-size wax
statuary among which will be forty
eight figures in full Continental cos
tume, representing the signing of the
Declaration of Independence; also,
figures representing the death of W ar
ren, the capture of Ticonderoga, and
the treason of Arnold.
The little town of Batavia, Cler
mont county, Ohio, which contains
only seven hundred and fitty inhabi
tants, is a good place for raising office
holders, ft 1872 forty-three of its cit-
t wam ff lot-. I nttfer- and at this
,
time twenty-four are employed in
Washington, and some others hold gov
ernment offices elsewhere.
TTnatAt, trr . .mall cltv. and a pro
vincial one' at that, has many clubs.
Among them are the Athenian, Papy-
.j Aiviilln Crnnmonveillh. Bovlstou.
Orpheus, Art, Somerset, L inon, Tem
ple, central, iremoiii, auuuia, xiru,
'I'KkmiI,. V vn i n rr SatiinlAV- Massa
chusetts. Banks, and Agricultural;
while those patronized by ladies are
the New England Woman's, the Satur
day Morning, the Brains club, and the
Young Ladies' club.