l"- 1 r in it in in in X,n nun B. F. SCHWEIER, THE CONSTITUTION THB CHION ASD THB INF0RCK1TENT OF THI LAWS. Editor and Propritoi VOL. XXXI. MIFFLIXTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, APRIL IS.. 1877. NO. 16; "GOO KNOWS." Oh ! wild and dark was tha winter night, Wben the emigrant ship went down. But just ontside of the harbor bar. In the sight of the startled town I Thj winds bowled, and the sea roared. And never a soul coulJ sleep. Bare the little one on their mother 'a breasts. Too yonns to watch and weep. So boat could lire in the angry snrf. No rope could reach the land ; There were bo'.d. brave hearta upon the shore. There waa many a rea "y band ; Women who prayed, and men who atroTa When prayer and work were Tain, For the nn rose over the awful roid Aud the eilence of the main 1 All dy the watcbera paced the eands All day they earned the deep ; All niKbt the boomiug minute-grins Echoed from eteep to steep, "Give np thy dead. O cruel eea P They cried athwart the space ; Bat O'jly a baby', fragile form Escaped from ita stern embrace ! Only one little cbilj of a'.l Who with t'je .hip went down. That nigb;, wben the happy babies slept So warm in the sheltered town t Wrapped in tl.a clow of the morning libt. It lay ou the ebifimg aaud, As fair aa a sculptor's marUe dream. With a shell in ite dimpled band. There were none to tell of ita race or kin, God knoweth " the Tactor said. When the sobbing children crowded to ask The name of the baby dead. And eo wben they laid it sway at last In the chnrcb-yard's hru-bed repose. They raised a stone at the baby'a head With the carved word "God knows!" St. AuAoti. Jessamine's Happiness- BY MxET REED CROWKLL. They were aa unlike as one could Imagine two girls to be Maude Tre vanien, tall and stately as lily, with ; a haughty-. ;of carrjiDjj .her htad, and Iter Jow, iv.inT" voice,, that for worlds the would not have beard above a certain, well-regulated.- aristocratic pitch with black eyes an j pale, ivory complexion, contrating superbly with the curving, scarlet lips and inky black . bair; that was arranged always- in a stylish and becoming way a way that the country girls imitated in vain, o lar a. the effect was concerned. Standing in the open doorway of the Horton farm-house, where she had been a boarder" since the first blossom had been showered, like a rain of frasrrant snow, on the velvety grass, Maude Trevanien made a striking contract, In her young, proud strength and pulsing viulity, to the little thing sitting so de murely, so quietly, on the lowest step of the piazza a slight fragile girl, with pale, delicate skin, like the petals of a tea-rose, with bi, sorrowful eyes of liquid gray grjy as one seldom sees, with warm, bronze lights in their grave, wistful depths; and soft, flossy hair like a child's. Jessamine herself was so like a child that her eighteen years of delicate girl hood seemed almost a dream to look back upon to that time when she was left, a motherless baby, on the hands of the landlord of the little Inn, where a gentle-voiced, sad-eyed woman, herself erarce more than a girl, had laid down her owi life, and gven to the mercies of utter strangers this little waif, who, from that hour w hen the dying mother bad whispered ' Call it Jessamine," to the midsummer day when she sat on the farm-house steps, leoking up into Maude Trevanien's face, had known no home but Horton farm, no parents ex cept the big-souled. rough-voiced far mer and ills gentle, blue-eyed little wife, whose heart was equally divided between Jessie and herown child big, stalwart, handsome John, who Was heir to all the wealth of the estate, and who lorded It already over everybody, after his own joyous, frauk, cheery way, for which everybody, from Je.-amine clear up to Miss Trevanien, adored him. Jessamine was sitting very demurely and quietly on the lower -tep of the porch that lovely, sunshiny day, when Maude Trevanien came to the edge of the piazza, so beautiful, eo strengthful, ao soft-voiced and smiling, as she first looked down upon, and then spoke to Jessamine. ' . "A silver penny for your thoughts, Jessie; although I am sure I can guess about what they are. You are wonder ing whiit it means what Mr. Horton and his mother have gone to the city to-day to buy, with that old wallet fctufftid full of bank-notes." - . Her bright eyes did not betray the eagerness she felt, nordidshe allow her low, even tones to manifest It. Jessamine had (lushed ever so slightly when Maude's voice had startled her from her dreamy ."ittle reverie, and the mention of John llorton's name had deepened it a little; for it was of hand some John, who was always so good, so thoughtful, so tender, that her girl ish heart was dreaming. The practical matter-of-factness of Maude's question dissipated the slight eohfucion she imagined, and wrongly, that Maude had not seen. Her voice was very sweet soft aa Maude's own and with a true melody lr it. "Yes, I know, for auntie told me" she had bern taught to call Mrs. Horton .anntie. "They are going to refurnish the parlor, and buy a piano, and John is to have a chamber-set of walnut, mar ble tops." Her frank Mae eyes were looking in nocently into the half-mocking dark ones, whoseexpreasion matched Maude's lips as she replied : "Of course I know all that John consulted me about the parlor carpet and the bed room suit. But I ask you if you knew what it was all for?" Jessamine looked surprised. "All for? Why for nothing, but to have the house look nice and more fa shionable. Whatelse would it be for?" Maude spread her rustling silk skirt ' over Jhe clean steps, as the sat down. 1 "Is It possible that yea don't know any more than that, Jessie?" Why didn't you guess there was going to be a wedding?" Tkegray eyes opened suddenly wider. "A wedding? Why, no! Whose wedding, Maude?" There was a slow drawing of white pain on her face; of which she was not conscious; but Maude saw it and was satisfied. "You baby S Why, John's of course ! Whose would it be?" Her earnest, pain-st ricked eyes were looking so searchingly into Maude's face, and Maude blushed and turned away in a pretty confusion of manner, that startled Jessamine with the truth. "How do you suppose I know, Jessie, unless unless " Jessamine stilled the pang that was tearing at her heart, and finished the coquettishly hesitating sentence: "Unless you have a right to know, Mande. Tell me, please, her name !" Her heart told her who it was she did not need to have Maude's lips confirm the truth she felt in her own soul ; and yet she felt that if there was a shadow of a possibity that she was mistaken, Maude's were the lips to tell her so. So, with an agonizing little prayer, Away down in her heart, that she might be mistaken, she put the question. And Maude laughed, and evaded it gracefully. "I was afraid you wouldn't like it, Jessie, knowing so well as I do that you are in love with John yourself, and " "Maude Trevanien, stop !" Jessamine fairiy gasped the words, and her face grew white and stony; but Maude went' on softly, gently, mercilef sty : "1 speak in all kindness, dear, and you will thank me some day when John's wife comes, and yon will find What I have said is true, that you will no longer be welcome in the house where you will almost be a rival to her. You will thank me for teiling you, so that you can get away without any body's feelings being hurt for of course the future Mrs. John Horton will not want you here, and the old people would bate to send you away, delicate, weak as you are." "A hot. scarlet wave rushed over Jessamine's face. This from tne "fu ture Mrs. John Horton" herself! "No one shall send me!" she ex claimed, passionately. "1 know as well as you I have no business here, and you can tell the future Mrs. Horton I will never trouble her !" The 6weet, pained voice quivered, and she walked hurriedly away, as if the brilliantly beautiful face was a Medusa head; while Maud's red lips slowly curved into a smile of triumph, contempt, satisfaction, as she watched the slender, willowy figure. ''She is dispensed with, at all events. As if I hadn't read both her secret and her pride! And with her out of the sight of John Horton, it shall not be 31 y fault if he doe not propose to me, as that credulous little fool thinks he has already done! We will see whether or not the new furniture is for John's wedding and mine!" The round harvest moon was coming slowly up the dark blue sky, looking like a great golden ball, and Jessamine, with her eyes locking as if they had never known a tear, so bright and clear they were, for all she had been crying all the aiternoon, for all her fooIUh little heart was throbbing and pulling with pain Jessamine was waiting, be side the big, flagant, syringa bush, for John Horton to come. "1 will hear it from his own lips, that be is going to be married to 'Maude Trevanien, and if he is, I will go away to New York, where I will be able to earn my living in some of the stores I've heard Maude tell about where I will not be in their way." Aud she stilled the sobs she felt were coming, as John Horton's firm, quick footsteps sounded near by, and the tall, handsome fellow came striding along' in the golden moonlight, looking grand, manly enough to win any girl's heart. He stopped short when he saw her, and took her hand caressingly in his and drew it through bis arm. "Waiting for me, Jessie? That's good of you, puss. What a glorious night it is!" Jessamine plucked up all her cour age. " j "I was waiting for yon, John, to ask you whether or not whether-it Is true whether if John, it is really I true you are going to be married?" j Her sweet lace was pale with ear nestness, and John looked down on it, half amused, half gravely tender. "What of it, dear? Surely you will not be displeased? Tell hie who told you, Jessie?" Her face was averted, for her rebell ious lips were trembling he had a good as admitted It! . "Never mind, John I heard it, and I wanted to know if I were true, so I might tell you how tody happy I hope you will be." John caressed her fingers softly, a soft, subdued, light on his face, a great tenderness in his handsome eyes. . Truly happy? I 'could not fail of being perfectly happy, Jessie, with the darling-1 have dared hope Oil, Mamie, I b.-g pardon! We came very near running over you !" And seeing how easy Miss Trevanien accepted her own intrusion no, of course it could not be an intrusion, when John was her lover little Jessa mine stole away, with her last hope crushed, her one earthly happiness trampled down. "I will go I mnst go! I should die if I stayed here and saw them !" And while Miss Trevanien sang sen timental songs on the front piazza, and John Horton sat tilted back in his chair, listening and thinking we shan't tell what Jessamine was quietly explain ing to "Auntie Hortoa," in the kitchen, the necessity of her own future depen dence on her own exertions, and suc ceeded in coaxing from that gentle yielding old lady the direction of a dis tant relative in the city, who might aid in procuring her a pleasant situation. "Whatever John will ay, I daren't j think," she began plaintively ; but Jes samine smiled faintly. 1 "John will not care, and he need not know until after I am gone. He and Maude are so much taken np with each other, they'll never miss me, and I shall really yke it so." Mrs. Horton stared through her gold rimmed glasses at the girl's truthful, lovely face; and then, when she turned around to peep at the sponge just set, a grand, motherly smile broadened her dear old face. The afternoon sunshine came hot and bright through the one uncurtained window of the forlorn little station, where Jessamine was patiently sitting, waiting lor the three fifteen train, that should take her up away from . the sweet, wide, country she had known all her life away from John Horton aud the dear old home and deposit her among the bustle and confusing strange ness, and stilling heat, aud crowded raise rv of the metropolis. Sue was unspeakably miserable and home-sick. The red chimney of the farm-house, gleaming picturesquely among the button-balls a quarter-mile away, seemed thousands of miles dis tant, judging by the lonely pain she feit, sitting there, solitary, on her self iustituted terra of banishment, and shrinking off in one corner of the car-seat-seat, after the long, dusty, shriek ing train had stopped a second, In obe dience to' the little red flag she had hung out, and then dashed on, away into the new, strauge worid the new, strange, lonely life. It was dark whin she reached the city hot, breathlessly hot, and horribly noisy and dirty. And oh, what hail made Maude Trevanien tell her John wouldn't care for her after he was mar ried? What had made everything so miserable and tangled up, aud desolate? Her tears were coming in great salt gushes, and she was wearily! getting her little shawl and big satchel to gether, to leave the almost deserted train, with a heart heavier than lead, when a firm hand was l.itJ on her s'louljer, and her name, In a low, re proachful tone, was a'niost whispered in her ear. "Jes-ssamiue?" She turned affrightedly at first then, with a sudden bliss at her heart, met John llorton's eyes. ill . " Ton would iersist In running away from home, and I was just as persistent in followingyoii, Jessie f just caught the train by the rear car, too. So you are trying to get away from me, are you Jessamine?" Her eyes filled with tears. "Oil, John, how could l.stay after what she said? I would much rather go than be told I wasn't wanted, or to stay and be unwelcome! you have been so good to me, John !" John's face was a perfect picture of bewilderment. "Really, I cannot fathoia one word of all this mystery, Jessie. Who told you that you were likely to be unwel come at my house or my mother's home?'' He had coolly captured her satchel and shawl, and was looking at her very curiously. ''Your betrothed. John and she ought to know. Miss Trevanien " John's lips suddenly parted over his handsome teeth. "O-h ! yes, I see ! And so I am en gaged to Miss Trevanien. am 1 ? Jessie you jealous, loving little darling ! I never thought of being eng iged to her bold, scheming creature! nor is there but one girl in the world I would be engaged to. Jessie, Jtsnic, look at me, and see in my eyes who she is! Tell me if she says yes, after my chasing her a hundred niiks for the answer." And Miss Trevanien pail her board- bill, with the inward conviction that the Hortous and she would remain apart for the future, which conviction was well sustained by the Hortous; while to dear, foolish, loving, jealous Jessamine came such undreamed-of happiness that it more than a thousand fold atoned. He Would llnve IL Thedemand for blueglasslias been so great during the past few weeks that an advertiser in the paper, whose stock was nearly exhausted resorted to the following method to obtaiu exorbitant prires for what he had left. A customer comes in and asks:" Have yon any blue T" 'Yen, we have a little; I believe, one pane. hat (to yon want tor ill is it for a lady or gentleman V "It is for my wife." "Well, the glass used for ladies has been so much called for, that we have only a few feet left." Customer: " ell, I mnst have some. it I can get it. 1 have been to several places," Salesman: Take a seat, air, and I will send back and see. Tom, have we any No. 64 left r Tom: "1 will look." Hunts.for bine glass, and returns saying there is just one piece, about 7x13. Salesman: ell, we don t want to sell it all: we are terry sorry, sir." Cos omer: "I will give you yonr own price for that piece?" Salesman: "Well, yon can have it for two dollars; but I wonld rather keep it.'' And he got his price. ' Bide Yenr Time. Every man must patiently bide his time ; not in idleness, in useless pastime, or querulous dejection, but in con stantly accomplishing bis task, that when occasion comes he may be equal to it. The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well. without a thou eh t of fame. If it comes at all, It comes because it is deserved. not hec.iuse it is sought after. It Is a very discreet and troublesonicjimbition which cares so much what the world says of us; to be always anxious about the effect of what we do say; to be al ways shouting to hear the echoes of our voice. .; .; ; : ... 1 Daguerre. who gave a name to the dsgaerrotype, is to have a mouuineut in Paris. . " Sir George B. Airy has been Astronomer Royal of England for over forty years. WHY HE DIDST. "But, Judge, you never told me why you did not marry Miss Van Horn. We all thought that matter was settled, but suddenly we were surprised by the news that you had married a stranger in the city, and Helen Van Horn was left disconsolate. I wonder what has become of her; she must have married well, however, she had a fine chance to choose, for there was scarcely a good match in the city that was not at her command at one time." "Yes, yes," answered the gentleman addressed Judge Hume, a distin guished, handsome, intelligent-looking man of about forty-five years of age; a successful lawyer, who had some years before been raised to the judicial bench almost by acclamation "no woman could have married better than Helen Van Horn. Why I did not marry her is a short, simple story, not w ithout a moral; and I will tell it if you care to hear it. I have never told it before, even to my wife, ludicrous as some of its phases are. So take a cigar you will find it a good one and bear how, Hssibly, Helen Van Horn is not Mrs. Hume to-day. "You knew her father," began the Judgo, "and will remember that he was reputed to be very rich. However, It turned out, upon his death, and after his debts were paid, that there was left a mere pittance for Helen, obliging her, the petted child of fortune, to live with extreme economy ever since." "l)o you mean to say that, she has never married !" asked his guest. , "Married!" repeated Hnme; "no In deed ! and in that may l seen the moral of my story to which I referred. But do not let ns anticipate; let us be gin at the beginning. "One evening, going to fulfil an en gagement with Miss Van Horn, as the servant ushered me unannounced into the parlor, I found her engaged in an animated conversation with asingularly handsome young man, who, I saw at a glance, might readily become a formi dable rival, and I felt for the instant a sharp pang of that unsuitable, discon certing passion, jealousy. But as my entrance had been unobserved, I was able to recover myself before saying, in my blandest manner, 'Good evening.' The gentleman started, and stiflly re turned my bow. As for Helen, with suffused cheeks she said, 'Why, Mr. Hume, 1 did not hear you at all; you are absolutely as gentle as a lamb.' "Somewhat angry at her satirical tone, I observed that she was engaged in conversation aud probably did i;ot hear me enter, and ad Jed that I had called to attend her to the gallery to see the picture she was anxious about. "'Bit really, Mr. Hume, she said, somewhat confusedly, looking from the stranger to mc,I had entirely forgotten all about it, and so promised Mr. Churchill here to accompany him to see 'Kichelieu' to-night.' "1 glanced toward the stranger and he returned the glance with a slight frown on his face. Miss Van Horn continued, 'But oh ! I beg your pardon, gentlemen, 1 had forgotton you were not aequainled with each other. Mr. Hume, this Is my friend, Mr. Churchill, of Richmond,' and she carelessly fell back into the chair, from which she hid half risen for the moment. "'lam sorry ML-s Van Horn has so treacherous a memory: but I hope, Mr. Churchill with yonr approval can be prevailed upon to defer his engagement, for I assure you the picture is a rare gem, and well worth seeing. 1 persisted in this because I had become slightly roused by the imloleut way of receiving the homage paid her, and there seemed to be a gleam of triumph in the face of my rival. "The young man looked at me gravely, then silently turned to Miss Van Horn for some expression of her wishes. He was evidently very much displeased at, my interruption of their tetea tete, and was sufficiently interested in the lady to be seriously ruffled by my' seeming rivalry ; he was not altogether pleased with the fact that she seemed so careWs with resjiect to her engage ments, which did not cccord with his standard of women. He was a well educated, comely young man of good fortune, aeenstoined to be well received by women, and yet as he afterwards told me he could not help for the j moment some 1 apprehension that the lady's choice for the evening might go against him, for yon know I was called quite a lady's man in those days. ; "As for Miss Van Horn, she sat, meanwhile, demurely toying with a large tassel suspended from the arm of her ea-y cbair for a moment, as if in deliberation, tlieu exclaimed : 'lieally, I am sure it must be very wrong in me to be so thoughtless, is it not?' Here a captivating sinile illumined her beauti ful features and parted her bewitched lips, just discovering the pearly teeth between them, and she added, 'Will you not settle the question, gentlemen, between yourselves?' . "The , matter must be arranged in some way, and as I wu the most in timate friend of the family, ; and my rival a comparative stranger, I was about to magnanimously withdraw my pretensions aud leave the field, when suddenly there was a loud ring at the frontdoor, and Miss Van Horn startled to her feet with the exclamation: "Ah, that must be Mr. DeStultus! what an unfortunate, thoughtless girl I am, for I do believe I km engaged to go to the opera with him to-night?' "That quickly settled the question In dispute between Mr. Churchill and my self; and with a common Impulse we both rose to our feet, smiled .'at . each other pleasantly, and with mere a hurried 'good evening to Miss Van Horn, I stooped for my hat, which had fallen from my hand in my surprise, and struck my head against the corner of the piano. Mr. Churchill rushed into the hall, almost upsetting the diminu tive De Stulius, whom he met, the very picture of effeminacy and ultra-foppish-nes. .'' "Descending to the sidewalk where the brilliant equipage - of De Stultus, met our view, we both simultaneously burst into a laugh that seemed to break the ice between us, st we walked off together for several squares. As I com plained of a severe paiu in my eyes from he blow I had received, my companion said, 'I hope, Mr. Hume will pardon my recent rude persistence in my fancied engagement with our air ac quaintance, and let us be good friends out of sympathy for the denouement As we are here at my hotel, let ns enter and drink to the good fortune of Mr. De Stultus. "I gladly accepted the Invitation, and we were engaged in a pleasant conver sation when a loud noise was heard in the street, mingled with - the cry of a woman in distress. "Suddenly starting to our feet we rushed forward to render assistance. The first object that met our sight was Helen Van Horn, covered with mud, hut happily more frightened than hurt. De Stultus was also in a wretched plight, but too much engrossed, as might be expected from such a creature, with his own mishap, to give the leat attention to his associate in misfortune, whom he left to struggle to her feet unaided, and to make her way to the sidewalk, where her recent visitors met her, and where she hysterically ex plained how a truck, against which De Stultus' carriage had been care leftdy driven, had left them stranded in the muddy street, fortunately and inarvchmsly. however, without broken bones. - "Churchill. called a carriage and we escorted the wretched demoiselle back to her residence, at the door of which we congratulated her upon her lucky escape, and bid her 'good night.' "My new friend then projiosed that we should at once drive to the ojera, where he hoped we might meet a party of his friends, to whom he would be pleased to Introduce me. aiid in whose society we would find surcease for our disap pointments in regard to Miss Van Horn. I assented. Churchill's friends were met as he had promised, and among them were two beautiful sisters, so attractive that they siieedily drove all thoughts of a mere handsome girl, superficial and spoiled, like Helen Van Horn, out of the head of Churchill as well as i:iy own. A charming evening at the opera ripened into a serious attachment on the part of Churchill and myself for these sisters, which ended in our marriage, and no one ever had juster reason lr caving, Th-r, it m divialrr that aha-M onr vn-K KoUfcti liew tin-in lu we fill. than I have! And how you know why I did not marry Miss Van Horn, and also now two men, for a moment about to be made enemies through the reck less, unscrupulous coquetry of an in ferior, heartless woman, by a happy stroke of fortune became friends and brothers. "As for Helen Van Horn, she still lives in single blessedness, and upon the memory of her many conquests, finding her chief gratification for some years past in recounting the various eligible offers she had refused, includ ing always Churchill and myself among her rejected suitor. A heavy specula tion into which DeStnltus had been be guiled about the time of Miss . Van Horn's triple engagements for the Rime evening, resulted so disastrously for him that her doors were at onee rigidly closed upon that admirer, who disap peared like a quenched meteor from society. Meanwhile occurred the death of old Mr. Van Horn, which, as I have said, left the daughter no other attrac tion than mere physical beauty, that had now become so used that it ceased to ph'ase marriageable men, and she was no longer able to make three en gagement for one evening. , "Hers has indeed leen a life of lost opportunities." The K part rraieoairr- Falconry, an it need to lie practised, waa a most fascinating pursuit. 1U or igin is lost in the remotest ages of an tiquity. It is sufficiently clear, however that it came to Europe from the East, where, from time immemorial, it baa been a favorite amusement. The Ori entals have always trained the hawk. the greyhound and the cheetah or hunt ing leopard, and at this moment hawk ing is as much a rjational sport in Per sia as coursing in England. The first European writer of any eminence who treated of falconry, was one Julius Kir mict s, whose name would stem suffici ently to denote' his northern origin. This learned anthor lived about the middle of the . fourth century, and wrote a most able treatixe in Latin on the art of "Hawking." Fiom bis dav downward falconry became more and more fashionable, and in Doomsday Hook constant references to it are to b found. In tboee times an English gen tleman carried his hawk on his wrist, and was attended by his bound, almost aa a matter of course, and a hawk would sometimes fetch a price which when allowance is made for the differ ence in the value of money, would now le considered almost extravagant for a Derby winner. Toward the end of the reign of Edward III. falcons of good breed began to be scarce, and accord ingly it was made felony without bene fit of clergy to steal a hawk, while to take its eggs was punishable with im prisonment for a year aud a day, and a tine at the King's pleasure. Hawking, as a pastime, continned, as no student of Shakespeare need be reminded; long into the Tudor period. It died ont with the Protectorate, and on the res toration of Charles IL it was found to he practically extinct. According to a Dublin journal, this sport of the anci ent English gentry i about to be resus citated in Ireland. BtlCt Lift, , A Promise. A promise should be given with cau tion and kept with care. A promise should be made with the heart, and re membered by the head. A promise U the offspring of the Intention, and should be nurtured by recollection.. . A promise and its performance should, like a true balance, always present a mutual adjustment. A promise aelayed is justice deferred. -A promise neglected li an untruth told. A promise attended to Is a debt settled. The Silk-Wairrss. Is a catterpiilar and if it lived through the existence intended for it would eventually become a moth, which naturalists call a bom by x. It was dis covered a great many years ago that they produced a fine article of silk which might be used with advantage iu the manufacture of different garments; in other words that "there w as money in them." Consequently they have since been carefully fed and treated. The catterpiilar thrives best npon the leaves of the white mulberry. After hatching from the egg it feeds vora ciously, moults three or four times, and attains a length of about three Inches, being of a pale green color. It now ceases eating and prepares the cocoon in which It Is to pass the chrysalis state. If you would know the exact method in which this cocoon is constructed you have only to capture a few of the large green caterpillars so common upon tiie willow during summer and watch them for they both, perform the operation in exactly the same manner. They are near relatives to each other. The sub stance from which the. silk is produced is contained in two long sacs, one 'on either side of the body. A thread from each sac passe through a tube or duct in the front of the head, where they are cemented together by a kind of gum forming one thread. The caterpillar first forms a loose, irregular structure, Inside of which it constructs the firmer oval cocoon of one continued thread by moving his head around from point to point in a zig-zag course. If left alone he would after a while complete hi development, make his way through the end of the cocoon and become a hand some moth. But under cultivation, by ! steaming or otherwise the greater part of the chrysallds are killed within the cocoon. By placing the cocoon in warm water the gummy cement is softened, so that the silk may be reeled off. The cocoon of one healthy caterpillar will produce from C0 t l.Oon yards of silk thread. . Although what I have told you has been iu great part only interesting facts in the life-histories of insects, you may have noticed that in the investigation of the embryology and metamorphosis of insects, other facts have been dis covered which in a commercial point of view are of incalculable value to us, and from which we are all of us every dav deriving benefit The discrimination of noxious Insects from those we can utilize, the medicinal proierties pf certain, spevies and the finding out of the exact stage at which time insects are most damaging to our crops, and the best means of preventing the same, are all subject oi great Im portance to ns. The History er Kkallng. It can only be conjectured when skat ing waa first practised, but it was cer taiuiy very long ago. In that ancient collection of Scandinavian songs and legends known as the "Edda," ITller, the handsome god, Is described as being the possessor of a pair of skates. This proves that skating is at least a thous and years old. It is supposed to have been introduced Into England about the twelfth century, and into the central part of Europe sonfewhat earlier. It is curious, that, . although all northern nations had the sledge, those of America knew nothing of the skate, while the people of Europe did not have the snow shoe. The course of Invention varied, according to requirements. In America, in high latitude, the snows are heavy, ami open ice is comparatively rare. In the corresponding parts of Europe, there is much, niore clear Ice, and pro portionally less snow. The ancient skates were nothing but the shin-bones of oxen or other large animals, pierced with holes to receive the cords or thongs which hound them to the feet. Fit ztephen"s "History of Iondon," written In the thirteenth century, is the earliest English book in which skating is spoken of; aud we learn, from its description, that the per formers ou these bone skates kept them selves in motion by miking against the ice with an iron-shod pole.' Sometimes specimens of these bone skates have been discovered, in the progress of ex cavations, in several European coun tries; and a very well preserved pair, so found in England some years ago, can now be seen in the British Museum. It is unknown when or where iron was first employed in the construction of skate". It was probably in Holland ; tor skates, very much of a pattern like that of the ones we have now, not only were known in that country, but were extensively used by all classes of Its people, long before the pastime of skat ing became general elsewhere. Skat ing is something more than a pastime in Holland. There it is one of the use ful arts, and Is universally practised and highly esteemed. - It offers a very convenient mode of travel in winter over the canals that almost entirely supply the place of roads in the Land of Dj kes; and people skate from farm to farm, and from town to town, aud to chun-h and to market, often carrying heavy bur.lens. The Russians have constructed an Ice-looomotive, ' with ronghened drlvlng-whwls to lay hold oi the slippery surface, and it has proved a success; but in Holland every man is his own ice-locomotive. And so Hi every woman hern, for It has long been customary for ladies to skate in Holland; whereas in other countries. until recently, this most excellent of out-door exercise for them has been al most tabooed. The first skaters in our part of the world were the honest Dutchmen of the province of "Xieuw Xederlandte," who doubtless brought their skates with them in that celebrated vessel, the "Goede Vrcnw," which, we are told by the learned Diedrich Knickerbocker, "had one hundred feet in the beam, one hundred feet la the keel, and one hundred feet from the bottom of the stern-post, to the tafferel." . The Dutch certainly deserve high honor for bavins introduced skating and Christmas - presents Into America, If for nothing else. As they did so, the worthy St. Nicholas must be esteemed the patron of all American skaters. The Little Bemr. The Little Bear is a small but most interesting constellation. I do not tbink that the Little. Bear, like the larger, one, waa so named because of any imagined resemblance to a bear. The original constellation of the Great Bear was much older than the Little Bear, and so many different nations agreed in comparing the group to a bear, that there must have been real resemblance to that animal in the con stellation as first figured. Later, when s'ar-niaps came to be arranged by as tronomers who bad never seen bears' they supposed the three blight stars forming the handle of the Dipper to represent the tail of the bear, though the bear is not a long-tailed animal. They thus set three stars for Ihe bear's tail, and the quadrangle of stars form ing the dipper for . the bear's body. It was not formed by fanciful folks in the childhood of the world, but by astron omers. Yet it must not be imagined that the constellation is a modern one. It not only belongs to old Ptolemy's list, but is mentioned by Aratus, who borrowed his astronomy from Eudoxns, who "flourished' (aa the school-books call it) about 3ft) years before the Christian era. It is said that Thales formed the constellation, in which case it must have reached the respectable age of about 2500 years. But if the Little Bear is not a very tine animal, it is a most useful constel lation. From the time when the PbB niciaus were as celebrated merchant seamen aa the Venetians afterward be came, and as the Enghsa speaking na tions now are, this star-group has been the cynosure of every sailor's regard. In fact, the word "cynosure" was origi nally a name given either to the whtle of this constellation or to a part of it. Cynosnre has become qnite a poetical expression in our time, bnt it means literally "the dog's tail. Admiral Smyth gives some particu lars about the two stars in the Little Bear called the ''guardians of the pole.' "Kecorde tells n," he says, "in the 'Castle of Knowledge,' nearly three hundred years ago, that navigators used two pointers in Ursa 'which many do call the Shafte, and others do name the Guardas, after the Spanish tonge,' Kicbard Eden, in 1534, pub lished his 'Arte of Navigation,' and therein gave rules for the 'starrea, among which are special directions for the two called the guards, in the mouth of the 'borne,' as the figure was called.' (The pole-star would mark the small end of the home.) "How often," says Hervey ia his "Meditations," "have these stars beamed bright intelligence on the sailor and conducted the keel to iU destined haven!" St. Xichalai. Intntry nt Ralcnrlaai Weraea. The correspondent of a Loudon news paper writes: "Every house has its rude loom, of a make so primitive that one wonders how such good material is produced by it, for the Bulgarian cloth though lather tough in texture, is of excellent quality, and will wear for years; a finer kind is however produced in the towns and at Kazan, in the vil ayet of the Dannbe; I was assured that they could imitate- any quality of pat tern of cloth that might he giveu to them. The other woolen articles made are chiefly carpets, generally in long narrow strips of bright color, some thing like the Spanish blankets; rugs of different patterns, ensbions or pil low cases, and bed coverlets; they are sold either in the provinces or to the Constantinople market, and I do not think there is any export for them; in deed as the sheep of Komuelia give only about two pound and three-quar ters of wool to the fleece, the amount produced is probably barely sufficient for internal consumption. One of the most striking things in these villages is the apparently ce asless industry of the women and girls, every one of whom, whether seated on the doorstep, walking in the street, or going to the fountain with her pails over ber shoul der on a yolk like a milkmaid's, always carries a hank of wool tied on a distaff under one arm, aud twirls a spindle. In Kazan I walked twenty minutes without being aide to find one liber ally one woman or girl above eight years of age without this accompani ment, and mothers carry their babes in a sort of bag on their backs, so as to have their hands free to nse the spin dle. An Abnt-a)lall Palatrr. Mlsa Jane Stuart, daughter of Gilbert Stuart, the painter. In her recollections of of her father, published In Scriliier'$ Honlhli, tells the following anecdote of his lack of method in business matters. (Stuart onee painted a picture for Mr. Hare of Philadelphia.) "On its com pletion, Mr. Hare made the requisite payment to my father, who at once said : "Excuse me, this picture has been paid for." "Excuse me for contradicting, Mr. Stuart, but it has not, 1 assure you," replied Mr. Hare. My father conld not remember the circumstances. Mr. Hare persisted in paying the amount due, and handed him six hundred dollars, which was a high price at that period. The picture was a full-length of 3Ir. Hare, with his little daughter introduced. This anecdote was related to me by the daughter herself, when quite advanced in life. I write it as an instance of my father's utter inability to transact bus iness." It would aeem that Stuart in herited his absence of mind, for Miss Stuart, In the same article, says: "How well do I remember listening to my grandmother's stories of those dear old times; for instance, how they would both go to church on a pillion. On one occasion, my grandfather (who was the most absent-minded of men), while jogging along, lost In a reverie. dropped my grandmother on the road He soon became aware of hei absence, however, and turning suddenly, rode back, exclaiming, God 's-my-life, are you hurt?' There she sat, enjoying ber anticipation of his surprise when he should discover her plight." An American lady has a large prac tice as a physician among the women of Lower mala. XIWZ Ct BEEF Sir Walter Scott's house in Edin burgh was recently sold for $13,500. There are 1,110 student in the Uni versity of Michigan at the present time. The State of Virginia will collect a tax of one cent on each drink of liquor sold at a bar. The butter and egg trade of Web ster City, Iowa, last season aggregated nearly 80,000. The New York Open Stock Board has disbanded, and the Gold Board will close up May 1st. There are 901 lighthouse keepers employed by the United States, at a cost of $oU-i,600 per annum. Over oue and a half million dozen eggs were shiped from Nashville dur ing the month of February. Kev. Dr. Houghton has been pastor of the ''Little Church Around the Cor ner" for twenty-seven years. In point of railroad mileage Ger many heads European countries. In proportion to area, Belgium. Fred Grant has bceu sent to the State prison for burglary, but it was Fred Grant who lived in Uockland, Me. George Macdouald, the novelist, has eleven children, and the boys and girls alternate regularly through the whole number. General Hancock Is to be assigned to the Southern military district again, mueh to the sali-lacuou of the resident of Louisiana. EnglL-h capitalists have loaned to foreign countries a total of $:Uo,04, 423, which they are not likely to gel back again. The Home for Women, founded iu New York by the late A. T. Stewart, has been fully furnished, aud will shortly be opened. At Florence, Arizona, ihere is a res turant kept by a Chinaman, with a Mexican wife, a negro cook and a white man for a waiter. A grand ball is to be given in Musio nail, Boston 011 the tub ot April, In aid of the old South Preservation Fuud. Save the old church. The German Postmaster Genera' proposes the introduction of postal cards serving for all countries in the Postal Union, at the price 01 one penny each. Soup houses are growing in favor all over Germany, on iug to the distress caused by bu.-iuess depression and the resulting hard times among working people. Mrs. Jackson, of Boston, spends her time in collecting money with which to redeem articles pawned by poor people iu that city during the pan hard winter. Manufactories of wood at Chicago number 2Jt;, with a capital of $7,671,000; employ 9,23 hands, pay (4.0l:i,57t for wages and produce goods t tne amount of ii8,so;,0oo. Tha Dominion Government is said to have under consideration the ques tion of an appropriation to have Canada properly represented at the Paris Exhi bition of 1878. There are no less than twenty arte sian wells In Meeme, Wis. A fountain struck lm-l week throws out 3,000 gal lons per hour, through a hole eighteen inches in diameter. In England in 1873 Iron and steel rails were selling at 4.15 and 22 per ton, respectively ; now, they may be had for 5 5s. and XI 5'. l'i iron has fallen to less than half its price iu 1S73. The old Schuyler mansion at Albany, N. Y., where General Burgoyne was confined after his surrender at Saratoga, belongs to the w Mow of ex-President Fillmore, who at present resides in Buffalo. A Baltimore inventor is ruined. He Invent d a kind of air cushion for women's bustles, put all his money into their manufacture, and now a change ol" fashion has left the stock valueless on his hands. The Prince of Wales has decided to place his two eldest sons on the ship-of-war Brittania, in order that they may be subject to naval discipline, although not necessarily with the view to adopting the navy as a profession. A statistical Parisian boot-maker has recently given American ladies the distinction of having the smallest feet leet Dy nature among their sex. and from them he ascends iu the order of Spanish, Italians, Kussians ami r.nir;ish to the Germans. The Rhode I-dand Fish Commis sioners put 130,000 salmon and 20,0000 land-locked salmon into the various rivers of that Ntate last year, and stocked twenty-five ponds with black bass. Their efforts in shad culure have proved very successful. At the old King's Arms Inn. Lan caster, England, is one of the three clocks invented and constructed by Ben franklin. It has three wheels ami strikes the hour. It is soon to be sold with a number of othercurious and his torical objects. Secretary Schurz can speak fluently in the English, German and French languages, and it is said that his gift causes him a good deal of trouble as It enables otlice-seekers of three nationali ties to weary him with eloquence iu their native tongue. It Is estimated that about 10,000 of French revolutionists who participated In the revolution of the Commune are now in the United States, of whom about 2,000 reside in New York city. About 10,000 are still held i penal ser vitude at New Caledonia. Comptroller Hubbard of Connecti cut refused to purchase the portrait of Sir Edmund Andros, which tue Legis lature authorized him to buy, on the ground that the subject was not worthy of a place among the Governors of the State. The Senate sustained him. Mr. James Irvine, the great sheep farmer, of Los Angeles county, Califor nia, Intends to kill thirty-nine thousand sheep on account of the drought which prevails in that region. He owns alto gether about forty-live thousand sheep and one hundred and stven thousand acres of land. A large number of Roman coins and an enameled brooch, inclosed in a hand some vase, were dug up in London the other day, by some workmen who were laying gas pipes. The coins bore in scriptions which showed them to be of the reigns of the Roman Empetors be tween 81 and 193 A. D. Madame Bonaparte, of Baltimore, is now in her ninety-fourth year, and it seems probable she may yet realize her expressed wish to live to be one hun dred years old. Though feeble, she maintains full possession of her mental faculties, and takes an active interest in public affairs, especially abroad. An eft projKted scheme, the Eu phrates Valley Railway, is now to be brought forward in earnest. When the work is completed passengers will be able to start from London and, except ing for the passage, go the whole way to India by rail. The time which the trip will occupy is something short of eleven days. ; I s
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers