uY rt B. F. SCHWEIER.. THE CONSTITUTIOH-THE UNION-AHD THE EJTFOEOEMEST OF THE LAWS. F.ditor niul Proprietor. VOL. XXXI. MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1S77. NO. 21. 1JS rt A A, A A 1 1 A aw-sawM-' i -ei v ---v v v - ' n i i v t -. 7 vew i v ---.. w -j a mm ""i r i i a. i atsc -- ." -sr--we; "r ' m & . v -a - v t m av knitting. "With blooming maiden sitting. While she nimbly phe her knitting. Pleased I gazed opon her beauty. While I fill my nappy duty, "Paying tut" the zephyr double, ' Bicliiy paid for pleasant trouble Jcet to a itch ber nimble fingers. And ber ruby lip where Ungate Many a beauty in ber nulling. All my loving eoul beguiling. Just to feel the wondrous thrilling. Of my heart with rapture filling. While beside the maiden sitting. "Paying out" while she is knitting, I am thinking how our knitting la an illustration fitting Of the real life we're living ; Of the mercies God is giving In the active world around him. When to woman man has bound him. Then are love and labor making All the Joys our souls are taking, Hisjo labor are supplying. "Psylng out" life's thread, and trying Ever to undo its tangling ; His to give life's thread and hold it Hers In love to gently mould it Ibto forms of use snd beauty. Thus they link their lore and duty." Winnie's Fortune. The handsome dining-room In the Mayberry mansion was all a-glitter with floods of gaslight and the general glow of the fire for Mr. Joslah M ay be ry was a very '-queer man," accord ing to liU wife's opinion, and this fancy of hi to have nasty, ashy fire all over the splendid mansion before the weather became cold enough was one of his "ec centric freaks," Mrs. Maybe ry called It, with a curl of her lip, a toss of ber head and a smile, almost of contempt, directed at the bale, hearty, honest- faced old gentleman who bad married her for her pretty face, ten years ago, when he was an immensely rich wid ower with his handsome half-crown son for a not undesirable encumbrance. They were sitting around the hand some table, discussing their seven o'clock dinner, with the solemn butler and his subordinate, in silent, obsequi ous attention these three Mayberrys, father, son, and haughty well-dressed lady who was wearing a decided frown of displeasure on her face a frown she had barely power to restrain from degenerating into a verbal expression of anger while the servants were in waiting, and which, as the door was finally closed on them, leaving the little party alone over their wine and nuts, burst forth impetuously : "I declare, Mr. Mayberry, it is too bad ! I have gone over the list of invi tations you have made, and to think there is not one no not one of our set among them, and such a lot of horrid people as you have named I" Mr. Mayberry sipped his wine con tentedly. "I told you, didn't I, Marguerite, that it was my intention to give an old fashioned dinner? And by that I meant, and mean, to whom it will, Indeed, be cause for thankfuluess. As to making a grand fuss, and seeing around our Uihle only the people to whom a luxurl rous dinner is an every day occurrence I shall not do it. As to the guests on the list being 'horrid' and 'common' you are mistaken, my denr. None of them have a worse failing than poverty. There is not a common vulger person among the ten names on that paper." Mr. Mayberry's good old face lighted up warmly as he spoke, and Ernest Mayberry's handsome face reflected the satisfaction and pride he felt in his father's views. Mrs. Mayberry flushed, but said noth ing. She knew from experience that, kind and indulgent as her husband was, there were times when he suffered uo appeal from his decision. And this was one of those times. "We will have dinner ordered for tw elve o'clock, as it used to be when I was a boy. We will have roast turkey, with cranberry sauce, and mashed po tatoes and turnips, boiled onions and celery, and all on the table at once. For dessert, pie, cheese and cider, and noth ing more. Marguerite, shall I give the order to Lorton, or will you attend to It?" ' "Mrs. Mayberry twisted her diamoud rings, almost roughly. "Oh, don't ask me to give such an in sane order to him ! I have no wish to appear as a laughing stock before my servants, Mr. Mayberry. It 'will be as severe a strain on my endurance as I am capable of to be forced to sit at a table with such people as the Ilurds and the Masons, aud that Tliyrsa Green and her lame brother, and that little Wilming ton and his granddaughter, and" Mr. Mayberry. interrupted her gently "Old Mr. Wilmington was a friend of mine long before lie went to India. Since he came home with his sou's or phan daughter and l'ved in such obscur itycomfortable, although plain, for Winnie earus enough as daily governess to support them both cheaply I regard him as more worthy than ever. Eruest, my boy, I shall depend upon you to help entertain our guests, aad especially at table, for I shall have no servants about to scare them out of their appe tites." .. . And Mr. Mayberry . dismissed the subject by arri.-ftij from the table. '-'' "' ' v; "Would I like to go? Oh, grandpa, I should I - Will w e go, do you think?" The little, wizened uld man looked fondly at her over his steel-rlmmed glas-es. ' 1 "So j ou w ould like to accept Mr! May berry's invitation to dinner, eh, Winnie? Tou wouldn't be ashamed of your old fashioned grandfather, eh, among the fine folks of the family? Remarkably fine folks, I hear, for all I can remem ber, when Joe was a boy together with myself. Fine folks,. Winnie, and you think we'd better go?'' ' '" ' ,' "I would like to go','."grandpa''l don't have maiij-pcreations I don't want many,' fr I ihiuk contented honest labor U the grandest thing iu the world, and the best discipline but somehow, I can't tell why, but I do want to go. I can wear my black cashmere, and you'll be so proud of me." "Proud of you, indeed, my child, no matter what you wear. Yes, we'll go." And thus it happened that among the ten guests that sat down at Josiali May berry's hospitable overflowing board that cold, blue-skied day, Winnie Wil mington and the little old man were two and two to whom Ernest Mayber ry paid more devoted attention than even his father had asked and expected. Of course it was a grand success all excepting the cold hauteur on Mrs. Mayberry's aristocratic face, and that was a failure, because no one took the least notice of it, so much more power ful were the influences of Mayberry's and Ernest's courteous, gentlemanly at tentions. "I only hope you are satisfied," Mrs. Josiah said, with what was meant to be withering sarcasm, after the last guest had gone, and she stood a moment be fore the fire, "I only hope you are sat isfied particularly with the attention Ernest paid to that young woman very unnecessary attention, Indeed." Mr. Mayberry rubbed his hands to gether briskly. "Satisfied ? Yes, thankful to God, I had it in my power to make them for get their poverty, if for only one little hour. Did you see little Jimmy Iluid's eyes glisten when Ernest gave him the second triangle of pie? Bless the youngsters' hearts, they won't want anytiiing to eat for a week," "I was speaking of the young woman who" Mrs. Ma -berry was Icily severe, but her husband cut It short. So you were pretty little thing as ever I saw. A. ladylike graceful little girl, with beautiful eyes enough to ex cuse the boy for admiring her." "The boy. You seem to forget that your son is twenty-three old enough to fall in love with and marry even a poor, nnkuoTn girl you were quixotic enough to invite to your table." "Twenty-three? So he is. And if he wants to marry a beggar, and she is a good, virtuous girl why not?" A little gasp of horror and dsmay was the only answer of which Mrs. Mayberry was capable. see "Grandpa!" Winnie's voice was so low that Mr. Wilmington only just heard it, and when he heard it and looked up he saw the girl's crimson cheeks and her lovely, droping face. "Yes, Winnie. You want to tell me something?" She went up behind him and leaned her hot cheeks caressingly against his, her sweet low voice whispering her an swer "Grandpa, I want to tell you some thing. I Mr. May we Ernest has asked he wants me to oh, grandpa, can't you tell what it is?" lie felt her cheeks grow hotter against him. He reached up his hand and caressed the other one, "Yes, I can tell, my dear. Ernest has shown his uncommon good sense by wanting you for his wife. So that is what comes of that dinner, eh, Win nie?" - "And may I tell him you are willing, perfectly willing, grandpa? Because I do love him, you know." "And you are sure that It isn't his money you are after, eh ?" She did not take umbrage at the sharp question. "I am at least sure it is not my money he is after, grandpa," she returned, laughing and patting his cheek. "Yes, you are at least sure of that; there, I hear the young man coming himself. Shall I go, Winnie?" It was the "young man himself," Ernest Mayberry with a shadow of deep trouble and distress on his face as he came straight up to Winnie and took her hand, then turned to the old gentle man. "Until an hour ago I thought this would be the proudest, happiest hour of my life, sir, for I . ould have asked you to give me Winnie fur my wife. In stead, I must be contented to tell you how I love her, and how patiently and hard I w ill work for her to give her the home which she deserves be cause, Mr. Wilmington, this morning the house of Mayberry & Thurston failed, and both families are beggars." II is handsome face turned pale, but his eyes were bright with a determina tion and braveness nothing could daunt Winnie smiled back ou him, her own face paling. "Never mind Ernest, on my account, I can wait too." Old Mr. Wilmington's eyes were al most shut between the heavy, frowniug forehead, and a quizzical look was on his shrewd old face as he listened. "Gone up, eh 1 Well, that's too bad. You stay here and tell Winnie I am just as willii.g she shall be your wife when you want her, as if nothing had hap pened, because I believe you can earn bread and butter for both of you, and my Winnie is a contented little girl. I'll hobble up to the office and see your father, he and I were boys together; a word of sympathy won't come amiss from me." And off he strode, leaving the lovers alone, getting over, the distance In remarkable short time, and presenting his wrinkled, weather-beafc n old face In Mayberry A Thurston's ; private office, where Mr. Mayberry sat alone, with rigid face and keen, trouhledeyes, that, nevertheless, lighted at the sight of his old friend. ' ;, "I am glad to see you, Wilmington, sit down. The sight tf tnan who has not come to reproach me is a comfort." J But Mr. Wilmington did not sit down. ' He crossed the room to the tible at which Mr. Mayberry sat among a hope less array of papers. . - - i "There Is no use wasting words, May-berry-atV time like this. Did you know your son has asked my Winnie to marry hiti?" Mr. Mayberry's face lighted a second, then the gloom returned. "If my son had a fortune at his com mand, as I thought he had yesterday at this time, I would say: "God speed you inyour woeing of Winnie Wilmlnirton." as it is for the girl's sate I disap prove." "So you haven't a pound over and above, eh , Mayberry ?" "There will be nothing less than nothing. I don't know that I really care so much for myself, but Ernest, It is a terrible thing to happen at the very beginning of his career." Mr. W iimiugton smiled gleefully. "Good. Neither do I care for myself, but for Winnie, my little Winnie. I tell you what, Mayberry, perhaps, you will wonder If I am crazy, but I'll agree to settle a quarter of a million on Winnie the day she marries your boy. And I'll lend you as much more if it'll be any use, and I'll start the boy for himself, If you say so. Eh?" Mr. Mayberry looked at him in speechless bewilderment. Wilmington went on. "I made a fortune out in Inda, and it's safe and sound in hard cash in good hands a couple of millions. I deter mined to bring my girl up to depend on herself, and to learn the value of money before she had the handling of her fortune. She has no idea she's an heiress my heiress. Sounds like a story out of a book, eh, Mayberry? Well, will you shake hands on it, aud call it bargain?" Mr. Mayberry took the little dried up band almost reverentially, his voice hoarse aud thick with emotion. "Wilmington, God will reward you for this. May he, a thousandfold !" Wilmington winked a very suspicious moisture on his eyelashes. "You see It all comes of that dinner, old fellow. You acted like a charitable Christian gentleman, and between us we'll make the boy and Winnie as happy as they deserve, eh ?" e And even Mrs. Mayberry admits that it was a good thing that her husband gave that dinner, aud when she expects to see Mrs. Ernest Mayberry an hon ored guest at her board, she candidly feels that she owes every atom of her splendor and luxury to the violet-eyed, charming girl who wears her own hon ors with such sweet grace. II ew le Hartineaa Began f Write. It was at the age of nineteen that Harriet Martineau felt the sensation, that is so delightful to most authors, of seeing her first contribution to liters ture in print. The account of her en trance upon the vocation of an authoress is full of Interest. For some years, It seems, she had aspired to this vocation. It happened that her brother James, who was going to leave home for col lege perceiving that she was fur from happy, advised her to turn her attention to some fresh pursuit which would dis tract and engage her mind, and sug gested writing for the press. The very next morning, before six o'clock, she was at her desk coniosing an article on "Female Writers on Practical Divinity" a ponderous theme for a girl of nine teen which, when finished, she sent to a small Unitarian periodical called the Monthly Bepotitory. Keeping her design a secret from the family, she carried the article to the postoflice, and awaited with palpitating heart the arrival of the next number of the JtepotiUr. It came just before service on Sunday morning, and when she turned the sheet her heart "thumped prodigiously" on see ing her article on the page. In the evening her cider brother, by chance, read the article aloud in his family cir cle, where Harriet was taking tea, praising it as he read. When he had ended it, he turned to her and said : " 'Harriet, what is the matter with you? I never knew you so slow to praise anything before.'" "I replied In utter confusion : ' "I never could baffle anybody. The truth Is, that paper is mine." "He made no reply, read on in silence, and spoke no more till I was on my feet to come away. He then laid his hand on my shoulder, and said, gravely : " 'Now, dear, leave it to other women to make shirts and darn stockings ; and do you devote yourself to this.' " "I went home," she adds, "in s sort of dream, so that the squares of the pavement seemed to float before my eyes. That evening made me an au thoress." Table Etlqaelte la Easland. English etiauette demands the ob servance of two rules in connection with dinners which it is the worst pos sible taste to violate in any country, many aeunqueme to tun contrary nut vitlmt.ninir Tliv era that all din ner invitations shall be answered at once no waiting to see if pleasanter enjoyment presents liseir, ana mat toe guest shall be punctual to the nour specified. That the success of the Dartv depends largely upon these is self-evident. TlukiiATt imnptant mAttsr lipft wit.ll the host or hostess, to settle before hand the correct precedence ana 11 tliin im nnnA. to consider which con riles best suit each other. There are sev eral methods of arranging the order in which the guest are to go down ; one a tnw Jio hrt hefni-A dinner is an nounced, to introduce each gentleman to the laay, wnom ne is to wise to din ner ; but this has its inconveniences, and the wiser plan is thought to be for the hostess to despatch the guests her self when the host has given his . arm tl tail hn takes down. Once ar rived in the dining-room, the host should tell each conpie as tuey appear uAM 4ko ,m tn ait.- An exoerienced hostess always takes special care sot to seat husbands ana wives opposite eacn other. j One thing should never be forgotten. Every gentleman must place the lady he esoortcn his right hand. He should ..loava whan desired to take her to dinner, offer his right arm. . Ladies and gentlemen enter me room singly, not arm-in-arm, and the ladies retain their glovee tey Pn ting them on again before leaving the dining-room.. . -t , . Tii Prince of Wales and the 'Duke of Cambridge are now the only field marshals in me rsriutn army. f Stereolvplas;. This art as most of oar readers are aware, consists iu producing, by a rapid process of metal casting, counterparts of the type forms set up by hand by the compositors, and with the work of bringing this art to the pitch of per fection to which it has attained in the present day the name of Walter is honorably associated. The invention of stereotyping dates back to about the year 1783, and is generally attributed to William Ged, a goldsmith of Edin burgh. His process, still nsed for cer tain classes of work, is known as the stucco process, stucco being the ma terial nsed to take the impression from the type and from the matrix. The stucco is poured on to the face of the page of type in liquid form, and bard ens in cooling. As, however, the stucco matrix cannot be bent into semi-circular form, it is useless for cylinder printing and for newspaper work has been entirely superseded by the paprr tnaeke process, which, though not in vented, has been chiefly developed and perfected in the Timet office. It was first taken in hand there being at that time a recent and crude invention during the period of the Crimean war, when with all previous known appli ances, it was found impossible to com plete the daily publication of tbe great journal before nine or ten o'clock in the morning. In the able hands of the engineers and mechanics of the estab lishment, a series of experiments, and step by step improvements, gradually led np to the admirably simple, rapid. and effective method used to supply cylindrical stereotype plates for the Walter press, and of this a brief de scription may be given. The "form" of type as set np by the compositor is oiled by means of a flannel covered roller; a wet sheet, consisting of sev eral thicknesses of soft paper carefully pasted together, is then laid on tbe oiled face and covered with a blanket. The form thus covered is passed under rollers, which by their pressure force the face of tbe type in the paper in such a way as to make it a perfect mold or matrix of the form. Another sheet of paper is then pasted upon tbe back of the mold to strengthen it, and tbe form with the soft paper still upon it, is placed upon a hot plate covered with several folds of dry blanketing, and a press screwed down on the top. In the space of two or three minutes the dry ing process is completed, and the mold lifts clearly off. The edges are then trimmed, and tbe papier-mache matrix, pliant enough to be bent into a com plete circle if need were, is laid face upward in a semi-circular casting box having a core of the exact diameter of the impression cylinder of the press. Metal just hot enough to run, and so co m posed as to sol idi fy rapid ly, is poured into the mould, and on drawing the core a semi-circular casting of the page of type is upon it. A sharp tap or two brings it off, and it is then put under.an ingeniously constructed circular saw, which cuts oil the overflow metal gathered at the edges. It is next dipped in water to accelerate the cool ing and harden it a little, and then fixed in a small double tooled hithe, a few revolutions of which finish the trimming of tbe edges, and cut the ledges, which are necessary to keep the dogs" by w hich it is held in place on the impression cylinder "flush' with the surface. From this lathe the plate passes to a revolving planing machine made to fit it. In tins it is placed face downward so that the inside of the plate is presented to the cutting tool by which it is "trued" so as to insure its having a dead bearing on the ini pression cylinder, for being placed on which it is now ready. Describing iu words, this process may perhaps seem somewhat complicated, but in practice it is extremely simple; aud how speedy it is our readers may judge for them selves when we tell them that in the Timt$ office the production of a plate from first to last is the work of only eight minutes. A practically unlimited number of plates can be cast from a single matrix, and by keeping it, re prints can at any time be made with out the trouble, expense, or delay of again setting np type. In conclusion, as bearing on the question of economy, we may point out that tbe plates, after doing their work for the day, are melted up again and recast, so that the same metal may be in use all tbe year round. Good Mori?. A Sine-nlar 1'harltjr. It may be thought a singular purpose of charity to provide for the "marriage of poor maids," and one that would ac complish but little in a field where the objects would be so numerous; never theless, the benevolent designs of men have been turned in that channel, as well as in other various directions men tioned in the statute. By' the will of Mr. Henry Kaine, a wealthy London brewer, a fuud was established lor just such a durpose. . Among the notable charitable insti tutions of London there is none more novel in inception, or unique in man agement, than Kaine's Asylum, estab lished by him, In 1736, for clothing, educating, and properly training for domestic service forty young girls, taken from a lower school previously established by him. On arriving at the the age of twenty two, any girl who has been educated at the asylum, and who can produce satisfactory testimon ials of her conduct while in service, may become a candidate for a marriage portion of 100, for which six girls are allowed to draw twice in each year on the first of May and the fifth of No vember. ' The drawing is In this man ner : The treasurer, In compliance with' tlte . explicit directions of Mr. Kaine, takes a half-sheet of white paper and writes thereon 'one hundred pounds." Next, . he takes as many blank sheets a3,rwitb the one written on will correspond with the number of candidates present. Each of these half sheets Is wrapped tightly round a little roller of wood, tied with a urrow green ribbon, the knot of which is firmly sealed.' Tbe rolls are then formally de posited in a large canister placed upon a small table in the centrt of tbe room. This being done, the candidates, one at a time, advance toward the canister, each drawing therefrom one of the rolls. When all have drawn, they pro ceed to the chairwoman, who cuts the ribbon which secures each roll, and bids the candidate unfold the various papers. There is no need to ask them which of them has gained the prize the spark ling eyes of the fortunate "hundred pound girl" reveal the secret more quickly than it could be spoken by the lips. The portion drawn in May is given after a wedding on the fifth of November, the November portion being given in like man nor on May day. Dereaeee fCewMaallaaple. The great importance of the Eastern question rests entirely upon the fear that Constantinople may fall into the hands of Russia. No other great power covets its possession ; with Russia the desire to obtain this great key to the East is traditionary. Both to England and to Austria the occupation of the Boaphorus and Dardanelles by Russia would be of paramount interest. Nor is it possible to suppose that either of th jso nations would consent to such an occupation except as the result of a long and unsuccessful war. It is for this reason that they wish for the im provement of Turkey rather than for her destruction, whilst Russian inter ests induce that country to hasten in every way the decadence of the Otto man Empire. Constantinople and its approaches being the great prize which is much coveted, it naturally follows that if this important position could be made so secure that a Russian occupa tion were impossible, a great political as well as military problem would have been solved. The superiority o! the Turkish fleet and the works of defence erected in tbe Bosphorus and Darda nelles have prevented tbe possibility of a Muscovite capture of Constantinople by a sea attack. It, therefore, only be comes necessary to strengthen the land approaches -to make Constantinople practically impregnable. And this could easily be accomplished. Tbe Bospho rus can only be approached from the north by a narrow strip of land, in some places only 23 miles wide. If a line of works were erected across this strip, with its right resting on the Black Sea, and its left on the Sea of Marmora, Constantinople would be se cure. An admirable position exists wbioh is so aided by natural obstacles as to reduce tbe front to be defended to between 17 and 18 miles. Bat can Constantinople be reached by a Rus sian army acting from the Caucasus snd marching through Asia Minor? From tbe Caucasus V, Constantinople by road is upwards ot nine hundred miles. There are no roads for artil lery, and the country offers every diffi culty relative to tbe maintenance of supplies. The flank and rear of an army so advancing would be exposed to attack by any power in command of the B'ack Sea. Finally the approach to Constantinople is also by a narrow neck of land only 26 miles in width and there would be ample time to erect a line of works extending from the Gulf of Ismidt to the Black Sea, and so blocking an advance from Asia Minor. Thus the line of works proposed by making the position of Constantinople practically impregnable to a Russian attack, would settle in a good degree that Eastern questions whioh now of fers such serious difficulties and dan gers. Isvant HeraUL "-Ifi;rualy." I don't think I ever wrote about Miss Grundy in the News and I want to do so now. She is a medinm-sized com pact lady, much given to emphatic colors in dress and pnnning witticisms in letters. As a correspondent I be lieve she holds ber own better than any of the other ladies. She is not spasmodic and never ridicules. She don't care much about fine writing, but in the description of society events she is clearly the most entertaining, and seldom makes a mistake. She works like a woman of intense practica bility, and I don't think won Id scream at a mouse. I rather think she'd sit down on it. She writes very rapidly, and so accurately that a revision is seldom worth while. Her writing is exceedingly English, devoid of "hor rid adjectives and seldom as weak as the subjects which perforce she is driven to take np. She baa the entree to the npper circles and is very much liked by all. Occasionally she goes for some with a whip, suapping with sting ing facts and language not easily pooh poohed. Her wit is not of the blue stocking order, bearing traces of para phrasing, nor does it smack of old medical almanacs circulated before yon and I were born, and hence out of our memories. Sue's an honest writer, not argumentative but assertive, free and unimpeded by half-evolved lack of understanding, she lives very quietly with her mother in modest rooms sur ronnded by books of decided worth and comfort, all the more enjoyed be cause well earned. Her motehr is a lady of great refinement. Her letters over the signature of "Fay," in the Louisville Commercial, show rare cul ture and parity of taste quite ont of the daily press. She is devoted to her daughter, aad bv mutual assistance each performs much of the best work that leaves this city Dy correspondence. Miss Grundv's name is Austine Suead. snd she comes of a fine Kentncky family. , . Night Workers. Bats live their active lives in the niirht : w he.n sunliirhf come they fly away to their holes, there to sleep until twilight comes again, when the re sume the occuatiou of iiiaect killing. The female lt has rather a hard time of it, as she 1 the nest ami the food of her voung until thev are tliemelves able to flv. Often hrre 1 seen a female hat, with her youn-r ones clinging to her breast, flying about iu search of food ; and the voung ones were not so small either. How else could they get along? . The old ones make no nest ; it they wanted to ever so much they could not, and the chances are that, from their wandering habits, they spend the day in one. place, and the next in another two or three miles' dis tant, just as they happen to be when day overtakes tbein, and if they left their young behind them, thrir exact locality might be forgotten. When the voung ones are able to shift for them selves the mother's life is easier, and until winter comes to kill their insecf food, she lives luxuriously. Then, when all nature is prepared to put on the livery of winter, bats, instead f leaving the scenes where they had passed the siimnwr, ' repair to their haunts iu the caves and walls, and hanging by their bind feet in little groups of five or six together, pa-ss the dreary season ill: one unbroken sleep. A word once spoken, a dozen hois s cannot overtake it and bring it baok. Seeking a Wile. Well, the formalities were duly dis penned with, and I find myself invested with the property of my late respected uncle all regular. And now, if I choose, 1 can set np an establishment, and keep it np in good stylo. But I never fancied a bachelor's hall, and where is the pretty Beatrice to make me a Benedict ?" So ran George Herbert's soliloquy as he walked home from bis office one evening soon after he had become the "heir of his nncle." "I declare," he continued, as he set tled into a solitary corner in a half empty car, "I wonld marry at once if I could find a genuine girL But how can a fellow trust thoee be-flounced and be flummeried doll-babies whom he never sees any other way. If I could only catch some of them out of 'company attire,' and know just what they are at home-wonder if I couldn't? I believe I have a plan for it 1 IU think a night on it, and who knows what may happen?" What did happen was that Mr. George set out at a very unfashionable hour next morning to call upon some of his friends. It was so early an hour that he knew they wonld not be expecting him or ready to receive him, and that was just what he wanted. His first call was upon Miss Lulu Granger, where only the night before he had spent so delightful an evening, admiring Miss Lnln's faultless toilet and soft sweet voice until a late honr. A servant who was sweeping tbe front steps told him Miss Granger was in, and as the door stood open, George stepped unceremoniously in, too, and walked into the front parlor. The heavy curtains were drawn, mak ing the elegant room somewhat dark, but the back parlor was wide opeu and George saw a vision. Mis Lulu, her hair twisted npou the top of ber bead about the size and shape of a peeled onion, her fair fore head adorned with several little paper horns, her pretty person arrayed in a soiled frayed wrapper, without belt or collar, and her pretty feet in slippers decidedly shocking, was tossing over some shining silks, in consultation with a plain little body, whom George guessed at once to be her dress-maker. Their backs were partlT towards him so they did not see him, and, quickly turning, George beat a hasty retreat, saying to himself as he ran down the steps 'The Fates portend ! If I had to live with a sloven, I should run away t Farewell, Miss Lulu ! I'll go to Belle Dorsey'a At Miss Dorsey's the door was ajar but George was about ringing the bell when the sound of voices within ar rested him. It was Belle herself, vociferously scolding a little sister, and George heard the sound of a smart slap, fol lowed by a child's sobbing, and the words, in Belle's own tone I "There, yon meddlesome little beast ' take that ! Ill teach yon to let my ! things alone, if I break yonr miserable little neck for it !" I George did not ring, but beat a re- j treat even quicker than he had from Miss Granger's saying to himself j "Cupid save us A scold is vorse than a sloven I I should take to drink if I bad to live with her ! I believe I'll try Miss Baldwin next." Just as he reached Miss Baldwin's-) door, her little seven vear old brotl er came bounding ont, ready for shool, and George asked him if his sister I Josie was in. j "I suppose you're Josie's young man I ain't you ?" said the boy. "Lord, yes, j she's in. She's in bed, and will be these five hours. Josie never gets np j till dinnpr time. Mother scolds heri for layin' abed to read them French I books o' hers, but it won't do no good. Maybe though if I tell her you're here, she'll get up. Shall I?" "No, ill call again. You needn't say I was here, and there's a shilling to ! bny some cakes with." I Aud as George walked away he bnrst ! into a laugh, saying 'Bless me, but this gets interesting. Three angels tumbled to clay iu one morning, and it not half gone e ther. Farewell. Miss Lulu. Good-bye, Miss Belle. Pleasant dreams. Miss Jcwie. Now, I'll make one more call on Nettie Hayes, and if she turns ont a fright or a fury, or a lounger, I'll go home ard be an old bachelor to the end of my days. So hear me, oh ye gods aud fishes CnpiJ aud Eymen into the bargain." With which ferocions oath George bent his steps to the Hayes dwelling and rang the bell. He rang twice, but no answer came, and then he knocked, still without suc cess. "Nobody at home," was his verdict at last, when he turned to go, when the notes of a song floated to his ear. Ho paused to listen. It was the voice of Nettie Htyes, for he had heard her sing the same sotg often, &n d it seemed to come from the back part of the house. "I'm determined to see her," quoth Mr. tidorge. With valiant ardor he followed the sound, till it led him to a long, latticed porch behind tbe bonse. He mounted the steps and beheld Nettie Hayes in a calico areas, and a white apron, her pretty hair falling in a simple, close knot, her sleeves pinned back from her pretty round arms, her soft hands fly ing busily, and her sweet voice singing merrily, over a hnge ironing table, with a well-filled clothes basket beside her. "Good morning, Miss Nettie," said George close beside her, with his hat lifted. Nettie started, and nearly dropped her iron. "Why, Mr. Herbert, did yon drop from the clouds ?'! she asked, blushing and smiling in pretty confusion. "No, I came the legitimate way, by the front door, but neither ring nor knock could rouse yon, so I took the liberty of coming round. . "I could not hear the bell," said Net lie, and yon might have knocked a half a day without anyone hearing it. Our girl is sick, and ma and I have the work to do for a day or so till she gets better, so I'm helping with the ironing to-day, yon see. Come in the house Mr. Herbert, and I'll make myself as entertaining as I esn. . . r "Tou could not be more so than yon are I cried George, ardently. - "But don't tempt me to come in. for I would be sure to interrupt your work too long. I came so very early, just to ask if you wonld like to attend Patti'a last concert to night ? There is a very attractive programme, and I should like to ecjoy it with yon. Will yon go? "With great pleasure," replied Net tie. "I was wishing this morning to go, but did not think I could, because papa is ont of town, and I could not go alone. "Then I am donbly glad I thonght of it," returned Oeorge, "I will call early, so that we can secure good seats. And now I will wish yon good morning Miss Nettie, and not interrupt yon any longer. Declining her second invitation into tbe honae, George touched his bat and hurried away with a very light heart. "Pure gold found once," he mused, as he walked in the direction of his of fice. "Sweet, neat, and industrious. Pretty as a pink, I always thought. A lady every inch, and a good little girl, not afraid or ashamed to be seen at work, as I have just found out. What more can a man ask ? He needs no more, I'm sure, so, Misa Nettie Hayes, if you don't become the mis tress of the handsome mansion in Bel gravia, it won't be for the want of the asking, I'll warrant." Whether the 'asking' was done as they went to or came from tlte concert that night, I can't say, as I did not go, but if not then it was soon after, for in three months there was a wedding and pretty Nettie became Mrs. George Her bert. Misa Lulu, Misa Dorsey and Miss Baldwin were all invited, and were there, lovely as angels, though they did wonder at George Herbert's bad taste in taking that baby-faced little srirl. when he mieht have had anv of them for the asking. And George never explaineL Materaal AMeelleau Woman's charms are certainly many and powerful. The expanding rose just bursting into beauty has an Irre sistible bewitchuess; the blooming bride led triumphantly to the hymeneal altar awakens admiration and interest, and the blush of her cheek fills w Ith de light; but the charm of maternity Is more sublime than all these. Heaven haslmprlutcd in the mother's face something beyond this world, something which claims kindred with the skies, the angelic smile, the tender look, the waking watchful eye, which keeps its fond vigil over her slumber ing babe. These are objects which neither the pen nor the chisel can touch, which poetry fails to exalt, . !.!vl the nnst eloquent tongue in vain would eulogize, and on which all description becoiuea ineffeective. In tne heart of man lies this lovely picture: it lives in his sympa thies; it reigns in his "aflections; his eye looks round iu vain for such an other object on earth. Maternity, ecUtie sound; so twined round our hearts, that they must cease to throb ere we forget ! 'Tis our first love; 'tis part of our religion. Nature has set the mother upon such a pin nacle, that our infant eyes and arms are first Hplifted to it; we cling to it In manhood; we amnt worship it In old age. He who ran enter an apartment, and behold the tender babe feeding on its mother's beauty nourished by the tide of life which flows through her gen erous veins, without a panting boom andagratefnl eye, is no man, but a monster. He who can approach the cra dle ol sleeping innocence without think ing tbaf'i.f such is the Kingdom of hea ven !" or see the fond parent hang over its beauties, and half retain her breath lest she should break its slumbers, with out a veneration beyond all common feeling, is to te avoided iu every inter course of life, and is fit only for the shadow of darkness and the solitude of the dersert. Trlrk ef Arlfal Ilaers. The police in London are smart, but notwithstanding their smartness, the problems, What has become of the Countess of Dudley's jewels? and Who took the mlsalng Gainsborough? are still unsolved. In the ease of the jew els, they were stolen out of the maid's arms as she held them iu a box at a railway depot. The theory now Is, that whoever snatched them hurriedly push ed the box into an empty railway car and then returned and took them away leisurely an hour or two afterward when the excitement, searchiug, 4c, were over. The Gainsborough picture was cut from its frame on the ,ery day of its sale for 10,000 guineas, ft was locked up in a strong building In that locality, Bond street, before which po liceman were patrolling all night. Another audacious robbery took place the other day in broad daylight at a railway station. A certain member of Parliament an earl arrived at a pro vincial railway station and found he had half an hour to wait. He strutted about the depot leisurely, but spoke to no one, and no one came near him, so far as he knows. As he was about to enter the train, a gentleman sitting in side said to him, "Have you not broken your watch-chain ? I see it hanging." The chain had been cut, the watch stolen! A lawyer told me that on one occa sion when he had a thief for a client, he asked hi unto show him, to satisfy his cu riosity, how he had done this very same tiling, which was then creating great discussion iu the community. But be fore he had finished speaking, the thief smilingly showed his learned counsel his watch which he had abstracted as desired ; end when the lawyer express ed astonishment at such marvellous dexterity and laid his hand on his vest pocket in sunrise, he found his watch was back again,' safe and sound. The redoubtable Ma.kelyne himself would not be ahamed of such a neat bit of ('.eight of hand as this. Shaking of that celebrated conjurer, let sue mention that this week he has offered some im provements in the already wonderful cabinet trick invented by the Dnven port brothers. Maskelyne now canes Cooke (his partner) to be tied up alone in the cabinet, thus exploding the the ory that the two help each other to un tie the fisherman's net, which is sewn up and then examined by a vigilance committee from the audience; also U whipcord used for lashingthe wrists and ankles, as being more difficult to untie t lis n rope; and still, In spite of this, the cabinet doors are barely closed beforo hands appear, banjos and guitars are played, and trumpets blown ; and when the doors are frantically opened there sits Cooke, quite calm aud secured as firmly as when first tied up in his net. Still the great feature of this entertain ment is the wonderful automatic card player, Psycho. Professor Pepper, of "ghost" renown, has invented some thing of this kind which I hear Is al most as marvellous as Maskelyne'. But both are surpassed by a new Paris Invention, If It has not been overlauded. We hear that a smart Parisian has In vented an automaton which gives a sensible reply to any question asked it, and in every case makes the respoiiae appropriate. We shall see this thing in its full perfection at the approaching Exhibition iu Paris. And yet the in ventor has not had time to construct figure in hitman shape for his auto maton talker and at present the replies come from a box. a small trunk full oC the wires aud wheels of an intricate machinery, which only makes the per formance seem more strange and ghastly. 4Hiv Lmfin. Ctslaese t lager Satis. The custom of wearing long finger nails obtains among the aristocracy ot parts of China and Siam. The disfig urement is supposed to add to the im portance of the individual, as it is evi dent that the wearer can not do any work, and must, therefore, be a person of elegant leisure, backed by a fortune corresponding to the length of his nails. The hand of an Annauiite dandy has nails four or five inches in length: The thumb-nail has a characteristic shape. and that of the first linger is cat short to enable the person to pick up small objects. Whithout this slight alteration the hands would be nearly useless. Nails of still greater enormity may be seen. They are said to have attained the extraordinary length of thirteen inches, and in this instance the nail of the first finger is not entirely cnt off. Aaoat Vrhf. In 1571 Queen Elizabeth received from Leicester, as a New Year's gift, "one armlet of ahackell of gold all fairly garnished with rubies and dia monds having in the closing thereof a clock." The first watches may readily be supposed to have been of rude execu tion. Tbe first great improvement the substitution of springs for weights was in 1550. The earliest springs were not coiled, but only straight pieces of steel. At first the watch was about the size of a dessert plate ; it had weights, and was nsed as a "pocket clock." The earliest known use of the modern name occurs in the record of 1552, which mentions that Edward YL had one larnm or watch of iron, the case being likewise of iron gilt, with- two plum mets of lead. A wooden watch was recently made by Victor Doriat of Bristol. The ease is made of brier-root, and the inside works, all except three of the wheels and the springs, are of box-wood. It is an open faced watch with a glass crystal, and is an elegant piece of work manship, displaying wonderful talent in the maker. It does not weigh more than an ounce. It is said the watch keeps good time. L.rly watches had only one hand, ana being wound np twice a day, they could not be expected to keep time nearer than fifteen or twenty minutes in the twelve honrs. The dials were of silver or brass ; the cases had no crys tals, but opened at the back and front. and were four or five inches in diame ter. A plain watch cost the equivalent of j?1,&hi in our currency, and after one was ordered it took a year to make it. There is a watch in a Swiss museum only three-siiteentha of an inch in di ameter, inserted in the top of a pencil case. Its ltttle dial not only indicates honrs, minutes and seconds, but also days of the month. It is a relic of the times when watches were inserted in snuff-boxes, shirt-studs, breastpins and finger-rings. Some were fantastic oval, octangular, cruciform, or in the shspe of pearls, melons, tulips, etc In tbe Academy of .sciences in at. Petersburg there is a watch about the size of an egg, and is said to have beeu made by a Russian peasant. Within it is represented the tomb of Christ, with a stone at the entrance, and the senti nels on duty. While a spectator is ad miring this curions piece of mechanism the stone is suddenly removed, the sentinels drop, the angels appear, the women enter the sepnlchre, and a chant is heard. Touch watches watches by which the time can be felt instead of seen have been frequently made for the use of the blind. The hour marka on such are generally raised studs, or pins, which can readily be recognized by passing the linger over the dial ; their position with respect to the pendant being quite sufficient to indicate the hour they represent to digits as sensi tive as those of blind people generally are. They are not only of use to blind people, bnt to all who wiaii to aaow the time at night. In 1540 a watch was presented to the Academy of Science at Paris con structed principally of rock crystals. It was made by At. tleueliier, ana is small in size : the works are visible : the two teethed wheels whijh carry the hands are rock crystal, and the other wheels are metal. Ail the screws are fixed in the crystal and all the axles turn on rubies. The escapement is of sapphire, the balance wheel of rock crvbtal. The watch is in excellent time-keeper, which is attributed by tbe maker to the feeble expansion oi tne rock crystal in the balance wheel, etc Tmy Time. Thing Tranre. Accumulations of knowledge and ex perience of the ino-t valuable kind are the result of little bits of knowledge and exerieiice carefully treasured up. Those w ho learn nothing, or accumu late uothing iu lite, are set dow it a. failures, Waiwe they have neglected little thini-. they may theinseive Consider that the world has gone against them; but, iu fact, tliey have been their own enemies. Ihere has long been a popular belief iu ohI luck;" lit like many other notions, it is gradually giving way. I he convic tion is extendin-' tnat diligence Is the mother of good luck; in other word-, that a man's snccess in life will lie pn Krtionate to his efforts, to his industry U his attention to small things. Your negligeut, shiftless, l.xx fellow s never meet w ith luck, because the results of industry are denied to those who will not make Ute pror effort to -secure heiu. 4 ' i I , 5 i 11 ' i i