1
. ' k ' , . ,
THJ CONSTITUTION THB UNION AND THB ENFORCEMENT OP THS LAWS. .
Editor and Proprietor
B. F. SCHWEIER,
VOL. XXXI.
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PEXNA., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14. 1S77.
NO. 7.
EEE A5SWER.
All day long rbe held mr question '
la her heart ;
Shunned rcj eyes that craved an utwer,
Moved apart ;
Touched my haul in Good-niht greeting,
- Couer prew
Should I leave to-morrow ? early ?
Then Adieu!
Kent her head in Farewell courteous.
Onward pawed.
While a cold hand gripped my heartstrings.
Held them f-
Ktiil I waited, still I liatened ;
All my aoo.
Trembled in the eyea that watched her
As tihe stole
I'p the stairs with measured footstep.
liut she turned
Where a lamp in brazen bracket
Brightly burned.
Showed me a'J the glinting ripples
Of her hair,
Veiltd her eyes in violet shadows
Glimmered where
Curved her mouth in soft compliance
As she bent
Toward me from the dutky railing
Where ehe leant
Ah, icy love! One nh.te hand wanders
To her hair,
Sljwly lifts the rose that nestles
Softly there ;
Breathes she in its heart niy answer
Shyly sweet,
A tid Love's message mutely flutters
To my feet.
BeiyracUx.
Mori's Dream Picture.
"It was a dream within a dream, I
tell you, Charlie. I was asleep in my
bed iii the next room, and there I
.1 reamed that I was visiting the Ran
dolphs over in Berkshire county. I
thought 1 had been up pretty late, play-
i ng billiards with Cale Kandolph and
tfiuie of the boys. I remember distinctly
scoring seventy-eight on a run four-b-ill
games. Well, I went to bed tired
our, dreamed I did. fell asleep, and
dreamed this which I call a dream with
out a dream."
'"Well, .Mort," said I, "the thing is
not so extraordinary after all. It is a
common enough psychological pheno
Ulcnoll."
"I Lei your pardon," quoth Mort
A merman, satirically, "would you be
good enough to reel me off a little of
that last again, please? Say a couple
of fathoms, or so."
"Xone of your chaffiug now!"
laughed I, "but tell me what has all
this Chinese dream-puzzle to do with
tiie picture you promised to show me?"
"Much, O Sahib! for on the silent
yet speaking canvas have I depicted the
scene whereof 1 speak, and now U
cWci;" and with that he threw the
cover from the painting on his easel,
and left me to examine it at my leisure,
w hile he went to his bed-room. The
ta-el was of course in the best position
in the studio for viewing the picture,
ami the soft, delicate light of the au
tumn afternoon lay full upon it ; mel
lowed, however, by an artlul arrange
ment of scieens and shadows, to gain
the precise effect desired.
The painting was of the ordinary
cabinet size, and appropriately painted,
being also relieved by heavy maroon
drapery, gracefully lestooned behind
and around it. I am not of those who
believe that a truly master-work of art
may be described aptly in words, yet 1
must essay the task this once, and if 1
render only the bald outlines of the ar
tist's thoughts, it may be, perchance,
that I shall still be enabled to convey
some glimmering of his meaning.
What firn fastened itself upon me
was the murky darkness of most of the
scene. There was a dense and gloomy
forest filling up the entire background
and much of the middle distance. Out
from tmoig and under the trees
streamed a wild torrent, and plunged
over ragged rocks and through and
about the gnarled roots, and between
rifts in the solid stone, and so down to
a leaping cascade that disappeared at
the extreme right in a black audgloom
ful pool. Stretching back from the
right, a broad expanse of gray moor ei
tended in prospective sight to the ba6e
of a range of blue-gray bills, that tow
ered aloft into the clouds ; a narrow
path wound through this moor into the
dim distance, and was lost, apparently,
In the shades of night, which were fast
falling.
On the very edge of a bold rock that
jutted over the pool, and on the very
boundary of the water-fall, was the
only seemingly living object of the pic
ture. A young man prostrate on his knees,
shading his eyes with his two hands,
and gazing intently into the pool be
neath. There was that iu the attitude of the
figure, so deftly and truthfully ex
pressed, that sense and meaning grew
upon me as I gazed. He was agonizing
distraught. His whole soul was look
ing forth Irom his eyes, and seeking in
the dim twilight, now fast fading, to
w rest from the obscurity beneath him
some terrible secret. So clearly was
the story told, that, my gaze instinct
ively followed his, and tracked, as his
must have, the secret of the blnck pool.
Twining about the base of the rock,
upon whose crest theyourg man knelt,
a meshed and tangled wrap of roots and
fibres first met the eye. But uow, cling
ing with a death grap to the largest of
these, I saw the round, fair arm of a
young girl and then as though I
should have seen it, and nothing else,
from the first, so completely did it now
fill the picture I saw the w hite figure,
limn white garments clinging to the
body, and the fine white face, with rich
Ml ileu hair floating aad tangled, on the
water and among the roots, and could
almost note the swnying to and fro of
the soulless form, as it wascanght by the
eddies, and dragged hither and thither;
still held, however,. I y that trusty dead
arm that clung so determinedly to the
slimy and black root above.
A touch on my shoulder so startled
me that I cried out ; it was only Mort,
who had entered the room unnoticed,
so intent was I in my concentration.
"Well, what do you think of it?"
was the tirst and most natural question.
"You never could bare dreamed
that!" said I. - i
"Just as you see it, dreamed I It,
doubter. Xow let me cover it up, and
let us go and have some lunch."
"But don't be in such ahuny !" I said,
seeking to stop him, as he again shrou
ded the painting beneath its cover. "I
have not half seeSi it yet."
But muttering, "Some other lime,"
be persisted in biding it from me, and
we presently went to lunch together.
Xow I was in nowise satisfied with
roy friend's reticence, and experienced
a very vivid curiosity to hear the par
ticulars of his wonderful dream, which
he bad so graphically lined upon the
canvas, but no effort of mine could In
duce him to say more concerning it
than that it occurred to him just as he
had paiuted it.
The painting was sent to the Aca
demy for exhibition that season, and
was sold to a particular friend of mine
for a goodly sum for so much, in fact,
that I often joked Mort on his dream
picture and the fortune it brought him ;
for it really seemed as though its sale
was the beginning of a season of great
prosperity.
The winter and spring passed, and as
summer came and began to empty itself
by the carloads and bteamboatsful into
the country, Mort and I, with a party
of other artists like him, or idlers like
myself, made up a trip to the Adirou
dacks. It is needless for the purpose of
tiiis story that I should detail our sun
dry adventures during the weeks we
passed among the lakes and hills, nor
need I relate our experience with fish
and flesh, In our numerous hunting and
fishing excursions.
We met many acquaintances, and
made many new ones, and among the
latter were the family of Mr. Santleld,
a merchant from Montreal, who, with
his wife and daughter, with the af
fianced husband of the latter, was pass
ing a few weeks iu search of rest and
relaxation from his customary labors.
Alice Sanfield was beautiful, a pet of
Canadian society, wealthy in her own
right as well as by prospective heirship,
and altogether a "catch." Iler lover
was an otlicer in the British army, sta
tioned at Montreal, and now on leave
a fine-looking and geutlemanly young
fellow, of good family, and apparently
desperately in love with Miss Saufield.
Captain Rowland had, however, oue
peculiarity, which he displayed on sev
eral occasions very prominently, and
which led Mort to remark to me one
day, when it had been more than usu
ally manifest, that he thought the cap
tain would lead Miss Alice rather a
lively dance when she became Mrs.
Row land. He had, in fact, about the
most uncontrollable temper I ever saw
displayed in a man. So violent was he
at times, that I commonly wondered
why he had not long before got himself
shot for intemperate Insolence in one
of his fits of passion. Another peculiar
ity of his was evinced in frequent
lonely wanderings quite away from the
hotel, from which journeys he would
not return for davs together. These
disappearances were accounted for by
t lie captain by various sporting ex -Uses,
and we certainly should have felt no
interest in them had it not been for the
incident which I will now relate.
One day Mort and I started out on a
trip on our own account, ostensibly lor
fishing purposes, but really for my
friend to obtain a sketch of a charming
vista which had not as yet been discov
ered by his lynx-eyed associates. Our
journey led us some twenty miles from
the hotel; we traveled a portion of the
way in an open wagon, and footed it
towar J the point desired.
On our route we passed a pretty farm
house, which we eyed with tiie satis
faction which such rural scenes always
a Horded us, and should have 'thought
no more of it, had we not suddenly es
pied Captaiu Row land, accompanied by
a young lady, engaged in earnest and
apparently excited conversation.
The lady was seated on a little knoll
a hundred yards from the house, and
the captaiu stood beside her, leaning
with one hand on the tree beneath
whose shades she sat listening to his
words. We were out of sight ot
them in a moment, and with a few
remarks as to Miss Sanfield's probable
appreciation of the scene if she had wit
nessed it, we continued on our way.
Guides had preceded us with a tent
and sundry appurtenances, and on
reaching the spot selected for encamp
tucnt we found these duly arrived aud
in order, and located ourselves for the
night, Mori iiiteudlng to make his sketch
the next morning.
It was a bright stsrii; evening; we
were located just on theedge of a pretty
brawling brook, and as we sat, after a
delicious trout supper, smoking our
pipes lazily, we felt about as comfort
able as was practicable. Tw ilight had
faded suddenly, and just as the stars
became rather necessary for illuminat
ing purposes a shrill scream startled us
from our seats on an old log, and
thrilled us to our very marrow s.
One of our guides said :
"That was a woman's scream, ami
near by."
Then w e dashed in the direction ol
the sound, w hich led us straight down
the cour of the brook. A few mo
ments brought ns to the outlet of the
little stream, and as Mort aud I turned
a prjecting rock we came upon a
thrilling scene indeed.
Mort saw it first, and crying, "My
dream! my dream!" he fell flat on his
face in a dead faint. And as I stood
over him, leaning forward, the moon
shone full upon the original of the
painting I had seen in Mort's studio in
Xew York.
Here was the cascade and the black
pool ; there were the gray moor and the
distant mountains. The guarled roots
and fibres t isted together far beneath
me, in the clast of a fair white arm.
and the white figure rose and fell with
the rise and fall of the running stream.
And on the bank opposite, prostrate on
his knees, shading his eyes with his
bands, while he peered into the rocky
chasm, was Captain Rowland.
Even as I looked, he rose to his feet,
and throwing his hands wildly In the
air, fled from the scene. The noise of
the falling water had prevented him
from observing our approach, and it
was impossible for us to reach him. It
took us a full quarter of an hour to
reach tjie bottom of the ravine, and
longer yet ere our united efforts could
draw the poor young creature to the
bank. We took her to the little farm
house, which was about a quarter of a
mile away, and tUeu leaving the guides
to follow with our traps, we pushed rap
idly on to our waon. The next eve
ning we reached the hotel, Mort nearly
crazy with excitement, aud I in a not
much better condition.
' Xow I had not informed the farmer
and his wife of having seen Rowland.
Xeither had I told tho guides.'who had
come up too late to see him.
To each and all of these I simply re
lated the finding of the body of the
young lady, who proved to be from
Montreal, visiting the old farmer, who
was a connection of hers.
I acted thus on both reason and im
pulse, which worked together in this
wise:
Impulse and reason both agreed that
as no human being but Captain Row
laud knew how the young lady came to
her death, any story which he Captain
Rowland saw fit to tell must necessa
rily be accepted. Impulse alone sug
gested to me a possible means of discov
ering the truth of the occurrence, and
as Mort had not seen the captain, but
only the body and its surroundings,
w hich so recalled his dream, I had only
to keep my owu counsel, and I did. The
farmer aud his w ife assumed that she
must have wandered into the woods, as
was her custom, aud fallen accidentally
into the jhkiI, and I aid not attempt to
change their opinion. They knew
nothing of her having had any visitor
that afternoon, aud 1 left them mourn
ing for the sad accident, and the. pain
ful duty which had fallen upon them,
of communicating the awful tidings to
the young lady's fiR-nds in Montreal.
At the hotel, the first persons whom
we saw, were the San fields, accom
panied, as usual, by Captain Kiw land.
He seemed in his customary frame of
mind, aud, as I started a messenger
with a telegram for Xew York, 1
ground my teeth in rage that time
must elapse before I could expose him.
Two days later a package came to me
by private hand, and that same eveuing
I invited a number of gentlemen in
cluding Captaiu Rowland to come to
my room and exuuiine a rare painting.
They came, the captain iu excellent spi
rits, holding his eye-glasses in readiness.
The painting 6tood ujmjii an easel, and
was shrouJed with black velvet. Cau
dles, with reflector, arranged in front
of it, threw a brilliant light upon the
gloomy covering. The gentlemen were
arranged in a seini-cirela iu front of
the easel, Captain Rowland in the cen
ter, and I drew aside the velvet cover
ing. 1 saw Rowland start as though lie
had been stung; he gave a jell which
was jKisitively inhuman aud sprang for
the door, 'ihere he found ine w ith a
revolver pointed at his face, and in two
minutes lie wai hi the custody of two
detective ftieers from Xew York.
That evening lie confessed every
thing. Entangled w ith the poor git 1.
he had vainly tried to buy her silence,
that he might marry the rich Miss S;m
field. Failing iu that, be had lured the
i'lri to accompany him in a walk
through the wood, and had ether
pushed her into the pool.
I lioed to have the pleasure of see-1
ing luui satisfactorily ex-cuted accord
ing to law, but, in this he defeated
justice. He bit a hole iu his arm while
confined iu the prison awaiting his
trial, anJ bled to death.
Thus Mori's uream-picture turned I
State's evidence, but as to the secret
power by w hich thissilent but sufficient
witness was created, months before the
iuciileut hail occurred I give it up.
Falling- In l ove.
There is nothing no moral or intel
lectual phouomena more strange than
falling in love. What is it ; whence it
originates; Low it is brought about;
those things are among the hidden
mysteries of our nature.
A girl has reached the age of eight
teen ; a yoaug man tiiat of twenty-one.
They have lived at home; traveled a
little; pursued their stmlies; atteuded
parties, aud been a good deal iu society
of other young people ; yet they never
took a very deep inteicst iu anything in
particular ; neither of them ever cared
very much for any other person.
They meet, and lo! of a sudden all is
changed! Each sees tho oilier iu
a different light from what any other
was seen iu ; the world seems changed.
Life itself seems changed ; their whole
being is changed, to belike what it
was, again, nevermore
Love is often as sudden as this, but
not always.
Sometimes it is of very slow growth.
Persons have kuown eacli other for
years, and been much in each other's
society, and been intimate all this time,
but never thinkiug of a tie stronger
than friendship; when some incident
or event a temporary parting, or the
intervention between them of athiid
person, friend or 6tranger reveals to
tliem, for the first time, the gieat truth
that they are mutually iu love.
Yet this love, sni ingiug up gradually
aud imperceptibly, is no less mysterious
and uufatboiuable titan that which is
sudden and at first sight-
It is not were friendship grown
strong; it is a' moie absorbing moie
violent, more uucoutroll.iblesentiuieut.
Whether a peison can fall in love
more than once is a mooted question.
Some people appear to fall in love
many times.
It is not nnnsial to see widowers,
who have been very devoted husbands,
marry again and seem to love the sc-
oud wife as well as the first.
The Camel ms 8eape-tHt.
A very singular account of the use to
which a camel is sometimes put, is
given by the traveller Bruce, lie tells
us that lie saw one employed to ap
pease a quarrel between two parties,
something in the same way as the
scape-goat was -used in the religions
services of the Jewish . people. The
camel being brought out, was accused
by both parties of all the injuriies, real
or supposed, which belonged to each.
All the mischief that had been done,
they accused this camel of doing. They
upbraided it for Vie ing the cause of all
the trouble that had separated friends,
called it by every opprobious epithet,
and finally killed it, and declared
themselves reconciled over its body.
A Festival li Antwerp.
There comes sometimes a day in the
summer season when the peasants from
the meadows press close npou the
burning, w hite pavements of Antwerp,
and gaze in wonder at the beauty of
the show. The whole life of the city
becomes one vast boiuage to the dei
ties in which all the thoughts and tra
ditious of the people centre their Vir
gin ana their Kubens. lue jojiui
voice of the cathedral calls out over
the meadows and the gala decked
streets: "Arise, O ye burghers of
Antwerp, for this is the great day of
the year! - The procession of Our Lady
forntetb below !"
Soon the house fronts and the peaked
nxifsare alive w ith round Flemish faces
aud fair hair aud white caps, and the
people swarm out of the houses aud
stand packed together on the sultry
sidewalks. In all the Windows great
waxen tapers are flat ing, and garlands
of paper roses hang over ali the doors.
The old women tell their beads, and
mutter a prayer for themselves and
their city and their homes and then
trades.
Within the cathedral, the peasants, in
their blue blouses, and brown kirtles,
are kneeliug about the cliaucel and the
9acruiuent-chapel. They are tired aud
careworn with the miles they have
walked this morning. Their - work-
knotted hands ate folded patiently
over their umbrellas, and their faces,
brown, honest, aud humble, are up
turned in reverent adoration to the
glory upon tiie altar aud the walls.
They are still with dumb instinct of
the beauty and grandeur that lie so
far above their simple live of sowing
and reaping, and yet reveal themselves
to them, dimly, imperfectly, it may be,
in every gleam of tLe silver vessel, iu
every breath of the vaporous incense.
The black veil have been drawn
away from the great passion-scenes,
and a blaze of scarlet and a shining of
yellow hair and a large white patch of
shroud and the iiery eyes of a great
brown horse aud a suggestion of grief
lined human faces look down upon the
kneeling worshipers through the dim
twilight of the nave.
Abont tho chapel hang old Flemish
altar-pieces, with grotesque faces aud
monstrous heads, and a leer of mockery
that breaks the solemn symmetry of
the edifice likea llippant laugh. From
over the gieat door streams a flood of
rosy and purple light that deluges the
daik pillars, and rests now on the
gilded vestments of the priests, now
on the low, gray tombs of the burgher
piiuees. A torrent of sound rushes
from the oigau loftdjwu the arches to
the dome, like a loud chant of victory
v.iiha wailing ui, tU i tone of grief for
the dead.
In the Ividy of the cathedral is nn
altar ciecUd for the festival, and great
wiiiie lilies and forest of oleanders
grouped about it. TiiO psie.-ts stand
Itcfoie it. with jeweled iuceuse-vesaels
iu their hands. Above, against a t!mp
I'eiy .f decp-srai let velvet, stands the
Madonna with the Child in her arms,
the wcais a train of cloth of gold em
bioiden d w ith- nxrs.and a petticoat of
solid silver studded v i li diamonds.
Her sceptre is set w ith rubies and em
eralds, aud there is a high-jeweled
now u u,ou her head.
See how the old traditions of the
land have been handed down! She is
noViigin, this royal dame with the
smrnful pl.ister face, but one of those
proud burgher-qucenes who rustle
about the streets iu stiff brocades and
jeweled coifs one of these haughty
Princesses that made an annual prog
rs through their lute domain of
Flanders.
But they are proud of her those Flem
ings ! She represents to them the old
time splendor and pomp and luxury
that once tilled t'..eir land with color
ami wealth. They bow their heads
reverently when the priest rings the
hell, and the proud (ignre moves to
ward the door, with the white robed
acolytes pressing about it. She passes,
this haughty doll, beyond the canvas,
from which the Mother and Son look
dowu iu their agony npou the hurrying
people, and Teaches the pure daylight
of the flower-decked strtet.
A low murmur sweeps through the
gathered crowds. Children come out
fioni the houses, and strew flowers
along the path of OurLady of Antwerp.
On she moves, amid the chanting and
incense, aud the blaze of gold and sil
ver, and the splendor of paiuted silken
banners, to the great Place, where,
above the mighty sea of faces, is raised
another altar, on which sits a pale
marble image, life size, of the .Mother
of Sorrow s. It is thrown out in ghastly
relief by the sheaves of arms and tro
phies behind her, and the daik-green
curtain above her head.
Here the procession halts. A breath
less silence falls upon the crowd. The
incense smokes afresh. The priests
ascend the altar steps, and baie their
heads to the streaming sunlight, and
say a mass for the well are of the good
city of Autweip during the coming
year.
Ay ! it is well that there where the
fins of the Inquisition blazed, aud the
gallows leared their eorpse-hungcrests,
the people should kneel to-day, with
bowed heads aud folded hands, and
wait with due humbleness and grati
tude for the benediction that the bright
robed priest, who stands thete among
the gold and silver vessels at the feet
of tho pule statue, shall shower upon
their contrite heads with one wave of
his jeweled hand.
Beyond the surging multitude and
the dimting priests aud the stately
altar, a great white house rises in the
distance. There is a marble bust high
up on the roof, dark against the sky.
It is the head of Rubens. Fluted
columns are on the marble front of the
huildjng, aud clieruln and gai landed
flowers about the windows, and there
is a princely air of welcome altout the
great square pile which tells the
stranger that here the life of Rubens
culminated. It is well that his face
should look down upon the people with
iU old, genial smile! It pleases him
well tohearihechautin tiiedistance.aod
see the flashing banners and the shin
ing vestments, and to niaik afar oft" the
multitude gathered abont the shrine!
It was fiom such gorgeous shows as
this that be drew his color inspiration.
Smail wonder that his spirit should
hover about such scenes to-day !
On the morrow there is a grand car
alcade of all the the mighty personages
of Spanish history and fable. The
marble Rubens gazes down UDinoved
upon the great horses be loved so well
and the graceful figures in satin aud
velvet and waving plumes and golden
chains and ermine bordered robes, and
the great painted pasteboard ships and
castles, and the sturdy yeomen and the
dainty pages. All pass him-by, and he
looks down unchanged upon the dazzl-
Iife beneath.
Suddenly the white face eeemsinstiuct
with life. Behold! there goes tho car
of the Guild of St. Luke, which ne him
self designated for the color feasts of
hisctty. It is a florid triumphal chariot,
all faded blue and gilding, supported
by cherubs and wide mouthed dolphins,
aud wreathed with fruits and flowers.
High on the summit is his owu beauti
ful head, with the broad, plumed hat.
About it young painter lads stand
grouped, their faces flushed with the
pride of their high charge.
Behind them, on loot, saunters a
group of figures in quaint dresses.
There is old Quintin Matsys, in his
long, dark robe, with a turban upou his
head; and Sny ders, in deep-blue velvet,
with his trusty spaniel by his side; aud
young Yaudyck, with his pale poet-
face upturned to the sky, and the long,
white plume of his bat sweeping the
ground. They glance np at the white
face on the house top, and their hands
rise instinctively to the motley cover
mgs of their heads. It is a supreme
moment. The great mister looks down
so silent aud yet so sentient! Surely,
Le is not dead ! He walks by their side
to day as in the olden time.
There is a moment's pause. The
great soul has cast down his blessiug
upon them, and they are satisfied. The
diviue promise of art's eternity has en
tered their hearts.
Thjy know that his body lies under
the marble pavement of St.-Jacques,
by the side of those lie loved, with the
glory of his own handiwotk shrniug
down upon him from the walls, with
the purple light of the stained windows
streaming over bis resting place, and
the sileuce of the church all about him.
But they know that his sonl hovers
about Antwerp, stands by their side in
their dark studios, shines through the
young hopefulness of their lives, and
moulds the city's revels and shows of
holidays into unconscious glory and
magnificence of color. Apple ton' Junr
nal. 311taken Advice.
Dickens tells us that his friends dis
suaded him from undertaking a work
to be issued iu monthly parts, price
one shilling, because it was a low,
cheap form of publication, by w hich he
would ruin all his rising hopes. Ma
caulay, iu his essay on Addison, has
recorded a fen of the instances in
which the friends of an author have
adjured him not to undertake the par
ticular woik by which he raised him
self to that eminence which now makes
him widely known, Herder entreated
Goethe bot to take up so unproiui-ing
a subject a- Faust. The History of
Chailes tho Fifth gave Robertson iiu
meuse reputation, and put forty-five
bundled pounds iu his pocket; but
Hume tried to peisuade hiiu not to
choose such a period for the exercise of
his historical talent. Pope advised
Addison to print the tragedy of Cato,
but not to ruu the risk of its being
hissed from the stage. Oue ot Scott's
U'st friends predicted the failure of
Wavei ley, aud urged him not to peril
his reputation by publishing it. The
list might be indefinitely extended of
intelligent persous who, with the most
cold in I good will to an author, have
advised him not to think of doing the
special thing which his taste or geuius
prompted hint to do.
Buy Ciiatbmea la Bassla.
The Russians are the best coachman
in the world. In order to acquire the
great skill in driving to which they at
tain they begin their training early
in fact, when quite children. It is
wonderful to see the boy co:ic!.man
driving a carriage-and-fourover rough
and dangerous roads, at full gallop, for
ten or twelve miles at a stretch. Rus
sia, as all know, is a country of vast ex
tent, being 11 ,0C0 miles at its greatest
length, with au average width of 1, 300
miles, and containing, as some estimate,
7,C09,CU0 of square miles. The ordinary
carriage roads are nearly the only
means of communication ; but these arc
of very inferior construction. Huge
hollows and large stones continually
intercept the the traveller's progress;
frail bridges of wood, without any bat
tlements or outside protection what
ever, stretch across wide and rapid
rivers; and over the dangerous roads,
and the still more dangerous bridges,
the Russian coachman dashes at the
fastest gallop. It seems a miracle that
travellers do not. as a ruie, lose their
lives and break their limbs aud coaches
every journey. The latter often takes
place; the coach being stopped for re
pairs sometimes half a dozen times on
the road.
Very Tltlble.
A London letter has the following:
There lives in this city a lady, a well
known authoress, who believes, in
ghosts, spirits, vampires, and anything
else of the sort you please. Among
other hallucinations, this worthy soul
cherished a belief that she possessed
the power of making herself invisible,
aud one sultry summer day a gentle
man friend of hers met her taking the
air of a suburban road in a light and
airy costume composed of hernightgown
only. It was very early in the morn
ing: t! : re fore, happily, that dreadful
imp, tiie London boy, was snoring in
his bed instead of forming a multitudi
nous and noisily-rrjoicing traiu at her
heels. Which fact probably inspired
the gentleman with courage to act a
chivalrous part instead of meanly slip
ping out of sight round a corner. "My
dear Mrs. C," said he, stripping off his
coat, "what in the name of all that's
respectable are you about?" "My dear
sir," said she amazingly, "you don't
mean to say you can see me?"- "Of
course, my dear lady, ( can. You're as
large as life, aud twice- as natural.
Here, put on my coat, and I'll send you
home in a cab !" Which he did.
Ilsaief diaries Mathews.
In his youthful days Mathews pre
pared a hoax as daring as Hook's Berner
street affair, lie and some frieuds
were In the habit in summer of making
pleasure trips to different places about
London. At the lime of the excitement
about Ferdinand of Spain, it occurred
to them that Mathews should make an
excursion as the Spanish Ambassador.
His "suite" was d'sjiosed iu two car
riages; Hill, the proprietor of the
Monthly Mirror, acted the part of in
terpreter. They halted at Woolwich
where his "Excellency" sallied out on
foot to view the place; ho was dressed
in a bright green frock coat, covered
with ribbons and orders, and wore an
enormous cocked hat with "Viva Fer
dinand" stamped Iu gold letters opou a
purple ribbon; of course he was lol
lowed and loudly cheered by all the
little boys; he went into shops, be ugh t
various articles. speaVlng a wonderful
jargon, w hich hisiiiterpreter translated.
By and by there came a message from
the Arsenal that it was open to his Ex
cellency's inspection and that ail the
employes were at his command, an of
fer of which he had the impudence to
avail himself. At the inn where they
dined the scene was the most ludicrous;
the landlord and his satellites were
tucked up iu their best, the whole
neighborhood was ransacked for plates
to adorn the table. Tiie interpreter in
formed the landlord that his Excellency
required everything in great profusion
vast numbers of napkius, spoons,
forks and plates. His bed-chamber w as
an illuminatiou or wax candles, anu
twelve dozen towels were placed for his
use. Everything he did and requited
was the reverse of ordinary rules. Xext
morning they went for a water excur
sion on board a Ashing boat. The mas
ter was greatly astonished by the doings
of his distinguished passenger.
Amongst various other refreshments
he was shown a large cau of lamp-oil
for his excellency's exclusive drinking,
and was equally astouished to see him
devour what he believed to be a candle-
end, but which was really only a piece
of apple cut Into that form, and wash It
dow n with what he was told was a
glass of the lamp-oil. Temple Bur.
Tbe oaa t ome Shortly."
"Odd come ehorliies never do well,"
said an old lady to me oue day.
"Will you please tell me what odd
come alio: tlies aiel" I asked.
'Will," said the old lady, "I mean
any odd acquaintance that you pick up
iu un irregular manner haven't been
properly introduced and know noth
ing about their antecedents, they
never turn out well. Did you ever
kno'.v them to do soT Think my dear."
I thought. I had at first dashed at
the conclusion that the old Itdy was
wrong, but to the question I replied la
conically, "Xo, ma'am, they d not."
Yet to whom does the confiding hear"
of woman turn as to nn "Odd come
shortly V You travel in the car with
her and she borrows your magazine
and lends yon her traveling enp, and
you confide to each other that it does
uot make you ill to ride backward, and
likeing the color of her eyes, you cement
a friendship, liecause of the surprising
coincidence that Ler little boy is t!;e
same age as your little danghter, and
that they both like cream cakes! Why
is she more likely to turn out badly
than if the were your second cousin's
daughter. I can't tell you. I don't
know; but she will. After she has
called on yoa, and borrowed your wat
erproof and your silk umbrella, and
begged a letter of introduction to the
pastor, aud hopes yon will call to see
her, and wondered that such congenial
souls never met In-fore, strange things
will happen; your waterproof aud silk
onilm-ila will be that were te you, and
you will miss the little vtrde antique
from the elagere, aud never see the
purse that was lying on the table again.
These people do not always vanish
so mysteriously. It is the mission of
many of them to become bores to
come, on the strength of the "fancy"
they have taken to you, to breakfast
and to stay to lunch aud afterwaid to
tea to look over your shoulder w hile
you write or read aud to ply you with
questions until you could shriek to be
always "commnuicative without hav
ing anything to communicate," and to
become as unbearable in the end; as
was Sinbad's Old Man of the Sea.
"Know her!" cries some long suffer
ing friend, "How I pity you! How did
she get introduced!" Then you re
member she was not introduced at all.
She called one morning to hope that
"her canary did not trouble you by
singing so much, because if it did, she
would send it away, much as she loved
it."
So sweet of her, you know. Yet
to-day, when you look at her, yon re
peat the old lady's Yankeeisiu and say,
"Odd come shoi tlies never tarn out
well.r Exchange.
Pe-sltlve People.
Of all the trials appointed by the way
of discipline in this sublunary sphere,
is not the greatest that of being forced
into the perpetual companionship of a
positive individual? One who is so
eminently and distressingly respectable
that he never did or could do a wrong
act In his life; yet who constantly Jars
upon your little harmonies and ideal
dreams, who darkens your rose-colored
atmosphere with a glance, and jars
every chord of life into a discord. To
be able to discover a flaw in the charac
ter of Euch a person would be more re
freshing to your mind than that "one
vote" would be to a defeated presiden
tial candidate; but no! fiom his im
maculate and appalling respectability
there is no appeal. Defenceless and
silent you must listen to bis oracular
opinions on every conceivable subject.
H is ground is staked out in right angles.
around which your feet, long accus
tomed to wander at will in their own
secret paths, must walk circumspectly.
Oh for the grace Oi adaptability!
Like charity it covers a multitude of
sins. Though your friend be more
wretched than a Patagouian, more un
comfortable in disposition than the
furies of old, yet shall Ids coming ever
give you pleasure and bis leaving pain.
A great virtue in machinery is that it
is easily adjustable to different work
and different operators. It is no less a
virtue in life. The gauges of actual
living must meet widely various and
widely different demands. Unforeseen
exigencies are ever arising. Crystal-
J ized opinions are not available for the
needs of to-day. The best of all things
lies iu a capacity of progression. The
persons who pride themselves upon
their being always the same yester
day, to-day and forever are not only
most tiresome, but detrimental to the
true ' interests of society. "Don't be
eonsMtnt, but be simply fine," says Dr.
Holmes. If you change your mind, you
are doubtless wiser than before, aud
console yourself with the truth that
the "consistent" people who uever
change their minds have no minds to
change. A sweet and gracious adapta
bility, a mental pliability, lends a charm
that cannot fail to be recognized, If not
analyzed. It is the slight and un assimi
lated culture that repels. The genuine
article attracts and, unconsciously to
itself, draws all around It upwward. It
is the perpetual life of beauty gracing
everything it sees with the "beauty of
its thought." It is the little learning, j
the little culture, the little thought that
. . . , .... .1
is a "dangerous thing," not the broad
aud sore foundations, iucrea!r!g every
day. Positive people do not grow
higher and wider in range of life, but
cry stalize, petrify, and stand dwarfed
monuments of an age gone by. The
rich, mellow years that should ripen
and perfect them into golden maturity
leave no impress upon their narrow,
positive lives. At tw enty years of age
they may be bright and shining lights
of the circle in which they move, full
of divine possibilities; but see if at
sixty they are not hard, unyielding and
uncomfortable.
Abaut Buttons.
When buttons were first invented is
a problem that very probably cannot
now be solved, but it is a question
whether they were used in the days of
Isaac. Silvio Manaigo, however, evi
dently thought such to be the case; for
in his picture of the sale of Joseph to
the Ishiunelitcs the coat of one of the
brothers is not ocly fastened, but even
decorated by their means. Lucas van
Leydeu, too, was bold enough to put a
chi.'nouou the head of Jael, the wife '
Ileber the Kenite, and not content with
this he surmounted the edifice with a
beautiful coal-scuttle bonnet. Salva
tor Rosa is another trespasser iu the
matter of head dresses. Au exquisite
work by this master represents the
Baptist preachiug iu the wilderness;
bnt the whole effect is spoiled by the
preseuce iu the background of some
jaun'y spectators iu slouch bats and
flaunting feathers. Van Iy ck himself
represents one of the apostles in . sea
i boats in his picture of "The Miraculous
Draugkt of Fishes," which is now in
the National Gallery .and PaulVeronese
paints someltalian peasants in felt hats
and pliitm s calmly coatcmplatiug the
Adoration of the Magi. Agostiuo ear
ned, in a picture ot "Tobias Auointing
His Father's Eycs,puN tho two mm
in shoes; aud X. Poussin, in his cele
brated "Passage of the Red Sen," in-
trndncs K'lm.m urim.r nf f!o tiniH if
... . , ....ii
me cnipc.oi rearu.c.ss- ui me eu
ascertained fact that the Egyptians.
about the days of the Hy csos, did not
indulge in metal armor at all. Iu one j
of Raphael's best works the Trans-
figuration monopolizes the nmer Part
of the canvas, while in the lower po-
tion the man possessed of au evil spirit
is being simultaneously healed; and
iu a Flemish painting of some bote
several corpulent boor?, with clay pines
iu their mouths, are giu.iug in wonder
at David who is carrying the head of
Goliath. Indeed, tiie history of the
poet king is male a Jrequeut medium
for anachronism, for in another picture
of the death of Goliath the giaut wears!
nn armor oteeil a noimeil l.ftmeK null :
in a third David is hurling at Lis ad
versary a rough stone instead of a
pebble. At his subsequent triumph.
according to yet another painter, David
is received by Greek maidens in trout
of an Italian building surmounted by
flags, while two pyramid- io tae bark
ground vainly do their best to lend
harmony to the scene.
Ilemely Hitzlms.
Take care of your pennies. Look
wll to your spending. Xo matter
what comes in sf more goes out yon
will al wavs be poor. The art is not in
making money, but iu keeping it. Lit
tle expenses like mice in a barn, when
they are muny, make a great wiste.
Hair by hair heads get bald; straw by
straw the thatch goes off the cottage,
and drop by drop the rain comes in tbe
chamber. A barrel is soon empty if the
cask leaks but a drop a minute. When
you begin to save begin with your
mouth; muny things pass down the red
lane. The ale jug is a great waste. In
all things keep within compass. Never
stretch your less farther than your
legs will reach, or you will soon be
cold. In clothes choose suitable and
lasting stuff, ana not tawdry fineries.
To be warm is the main thing, uever
mind the looks. A fool may make
money, but it takes a wise man to
spend it. Remember that it is easier
to build twochimneys than to keep oue
going. If you give all to the back and
board, there is nothing left for the
saving bank. Fare ha:d and work
hard when you are young, and you will
have a chance to rest when yon are
old.
4o lo Sleep.
Many children instead of being as
fresh as a peach are as wrinkled as
last year's apples because they do not
sleep enough. Some physicians think
that the boues grow oniy during sleep,
This we cannot say, certainly; but we
do know that those little folks who sit
up late at nights are usually nervous,
weak, small and sickly. The reason
you need more sleep than your parents
is because you have to grow and they
do not. They can fase up the food they
eat in thinking, talking and walking,
while you should save some of yours
for growing, ion ought to sleep a
great deal; if yon do not you will in
activity consume all you eat, aud have
none, or not enough, to grow with.
Very few clever children excel, or even
equal other peonle when they grow up.
Why is this t Because their heads, if
not their bodies, are kept U.o bnsy; so
that they cannot sleep, rest and grow
strong in body and brain.
zvsa ci Bxisy-
Six California sweet-potatoes
weigh one hundred and fifteen pounds.
Lord ReacunsnVld was 71 on the 21-a
of December, and GkuUtoue 67 oa the
rJtn.
Sims Reeves has been engaged for
fifty concerts In Australia, at the mod
est terms of f 75,000.
A monkey's kull was found recent
ly, in a sack of Rio coffee Ojieiietl in a
grocery at Raleigh, X. C.
At John Roache's ship yard at
Chester, there are five ships building,
giving employment to l.otx) men.
Over eight millions of people, near
ly one-fifth of our entire population,
have visited the Great Exhibition at
Philadelphia.
Senator Sharon of Xevada, ban
been assessed on Al,fHiO as thu value
of the furniture in the Palace Hotel at
San Francisco.
Jacksonville has grown faster than
any other city in Florida, the popula
tion increasing within a few years trotu
2,(KW to 12,000.
The Supreme Court of M;isichu
sests decides that Israelites must keep
the State laws regulating the observ
ance of Sunday.
.Uti lUUI.II. IIUlrfltlT Wilt 11 IVIVII
,iom.r esttmated that outside eompauie
The Indiana insurance eoiiiniUsiou-
have $jO,000,0JO at l.jan at ! and lu per
cent, iu that state.
Governor Colquiu of Georgia U a
very zeak.u Baptist, and prrachei
every Sunday t the negro workmen
whom he employs.
The Naval Commission reiioris in
favor of abandoning the naval establish
ments at Xew Loudon, Xew Orleans,
and Brunswick, G.t.
During 1S7C. 317.G0S head of rattle
were driven from Southwestern Texas
to Kansas aud Colorado, which is con
sidered a neat business.
The corjioration of the city of Lou
don has agreed to borrow a million and
a half of money, in order to make all
the London bridges free from toll.
The LimUvh Ttiejri'ih shows an
average circulation lor the last six
months of over 200.0W, the large-t ever
a'tained by f.ny daily new spaper in the
world.
Great Britain paid ever $7'.f0,lJ00,UJO
ftr intoxicating drinks in ls75. It can
not he told how much America paid in
the same time, so much ot ii un
charged.
The school populatiuu of Imliaua,
according to the Sutieriiitendeiit re-
Port "timbers CSH.0; of these lOJ.Wio
have not attended the schools (lin ing
the year.
A Roman chariot race lietweeu two
young women, Mi-ses Virginia Ma.-on
and Jenny Duplan, took place on
Christmas day wt (.;!. I-u Gate Park,
f in Francisco.
Marshall P. Wilder, of Massachu
sets, is proud of the I.ict that he ha
witnessed the inauguration of every
Govei nor of that Commonwealth dur
ing the past four years.
Agricultural H.ili, at the Centen
nial, is to be taken apart urnl shi:cii
to Spring Lake, near Sea Girt. Out of
its wool a hotel, a rail roa I iiei.t uuil
eight Cottages are to lie bmi;.
Trinity church, now nearly com
pleted in Uci'tou, willcoC io t'n vicini
ty of s.-veti hundred ami tiny tiiou.-.tn I
dollars, and on the day of ir consecra
tion it will be free from debt.
Among the relics recently added to
the Revolutionary collection In the (;!
S null, ISoston. are a pair of spurs w li.eii
were given
bv General Vt a-hin-'toii to
Thomas Lamb, at Valley Forg in 177-4.
Thu (le;;th rat of Ne .v Y,-k ei-y
j ,, u larger than PhiU-
Uelphia, Brooklyn, Boston, Baltimore,
and Chicago, a result an ive.l at by riie
Sanitarian, taken fr-m the be-" sources
ot information.
Firmin-Gerard's "Paris Flower
Market," intended lor A. T. S.ewari,
b.ic not finished before his death, has
ljeu on exhibition in New YorW. It
has been sold for if-MMi to a well
known connoisseur.
Before I 0 there were no horse
railroad-) in London. There are now
twenty-four routes m running or.ler,
an-1 the traffic hns increased from four
million passengers in 171 totweuty-
seven IllltllOll 111 Is,').
The Cincinnati C"ii'reini give
nearly "even columns of ghastly stati
tie's under the head of "American Kil
lings iu IS7tJ." The summary shows
that the number of killer was 032, and
the number of victims "i'X.
The Rothchiids are said lo lie wortii
all of them together the agreeable
sum of 3.-40U,Ooo,Ou. One of them,
liar on Edward, has just purchased at
auction a curious bit. of furniture, eov
ered with plate of Sevres, tor 700,000
francs.
The recently dowsed Egyptian
Troasurer, 1-inail S.uiik, might have
been able to retire on a competency if be
hadn't persisted iu spending $l,5oo,'mu
a year. He owned 0o,j acre-, and
$4 OOO.CoO in jewels and money were
found iu his palace.
The English revi-ers of the OKI
Testament have he'd forty-one sessions.
They have carried their revision as tar
a Ezeklel xliv., 14. The English re
visers of tho X.:w Testament have held
sixty-five sessions. At their lasi. meet
ing they reached tiie sixth chapter of
Hebrews.
The manufacture of cigars is be
coming an important industry in Cin
cinnati. In 170 there were loll manu
facturers in the city, who turned out
23.0nO,ii) cigars, upon which they p:n.l
a tax of f l-Jo.tM). Iu 1S7U there were
4Jl0 manufacturers, who turned out
10i),i.oi,i.hX cigars an 1 paid a tax of f sJ,
000. There I now living at Xorwich.
Eng., an old lady who was present al
the Battle of Waterloo, and took a pas
sive part therein. She was the daughter
ot the gardener at the chateau of Houg
ouinont, anil at the time five years of
age. Her fattier did not leuve the chat
eau until it was shelled by .lerome Bo
naparte. The most expenVi ve newspaper pub
lished in Paris is the Art, the yearly
subscription to which Is ?2l gold, and
the cheapest is the IPjuiie Pense-i, a re
ligious weekly, which costs only 12 cts.
a year. The oldest of Parisian journal
is the Junrnal natural !. Aiithet, which
is now iu its two-hundrei aud forty
seventh year of pubii-atioii.
Italy has declared Its seventeen
universities open to wxmdcii. The like
acliou has been taken by witzerlauJ,
Xorway Sweden, ami Ienmark. A
ministerial order has been issued in
Holland, opening every university aud
gymnasium to women. France has
opened tiie Sorbonne to women, aud
ftussia us Ullliirsfc iiwi? ui iucuii un.
i ami surgery
George Eliot's earning by literary
work: "sjcenes of Clerical life, "AT ,000;
"Silas Marn.!r,"Xl,.sH); " Adam Bod-,"
.'3,300; "Feiix Hart," -1,500; "Spanish
Giosey," 5 000; "Middteinareh," 3,
i K ; "J ubal," 400 ; " I miel Deronda,"
6.000. making i,4AM in all, or about
$165,000 .n our currency. This Is an
average ol 'J,000 a year "for the eight- "
teen years iu which she has been writing.
7
I
i,
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IS