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