ft. 4: B. F. SCIIWEIER. THE O0NSTITTITI05 THE USI02T AND THE ESrOECEMEST OF THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor. 4 it ' VOL. XXXI. MIFFLINTOWX, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1S77. NO. 30. 1 aa. A AiMlTl A; a A, AA; - V 'vV 1 111 IN IMII I III II H 'ill " SsTScAl IK II II III III II II IK II ltty?SAl ' .'"v 1111! I I r III II I 'M II I III ill J 1 1 .AW II WE PART TO-NIGHT. by daisy ran The purple night ckmda hover down : I hear the wild bird' wandering flight ; 8 west breathe the heliotrope's blue aud brown, Warm odor on the dusky light. Ah, woe is nut ! I sobbing cry : Ah me ! alaa ! we part to-night Dear, strong, sweet a Mil, we part to-niylit. God pity me when morning breaks ! God pity me when noon ia hign. And when day after day awake. And when niht after niht draw uigh ! Ah. woe is me ! I sobbing cry : Ah me ! alas we part to-nisht Dear, strong, sweet soul we part to-night You are ao calm, and I so wild . My fcrif f burnt out in passu nalo toue, lake, as you eay, some peUed child Might weep, and wail and lone, and moan. Ah, woe is ma ! I aobbiug cry : Ah me ! alas ! we part to-night-Dear, strong. t soui, we part to-night, 1 1 nger vainly for relief Ton bold my b nda in clasp ao tight : The momenta glide by. passing Irief I sl.udJer witii mr njitnh, cold fright Ah! woeiame! I sobbing cry: Ah me! alas! we part fore'er Dear strong, sweet souL we part to-uight. Yes, or No. Terrible weather quite an old-fashioned Christinas the enow falling fast la flakes as large as dimes, and an icy, penetrating wind sweeping across the country, with a fierce determination to have its own way. Everybody said it was the coldest winter ever known ; but that is the annual saying. At the Elnn, the seat of a country gentleman, in one of the Northern States, a large party had assembled to spend the Christmas holidays. Mr. Fowler, the owner of the Elms, was a man of loth taste and liberality, and enjoyed nothing better than to gather his friends around him. He was a widower, with one child I.ucilla, a sparkling, sprightly girl of nineteen or twenty. . The" party consisted of several friends and neighbors of Mr. Fowler, and their wives ami daughters. There was, of course, a prortionate nuiulier of young men. and among them a certain I aptain Wilfred llerliert, a great ad mirer of Lucilla's, without, as yet hav ing actually declared himself. It needed not much discernment, however to erveive that he was devotedly at tached to the young lady, while she on her part was not indifferent to him. But just let me tell you a word about I.ucilla. She was one of those dear be witching creatures that will make you think that you are a very nice sort of a fellow, and that you are jut the kind of a man thai she always admired ; then without any perceptible effort, will cause you to suppose that you are a great, blundering thing that astonishes himself by his own conceit in supp ing that he, for a moment, could com pare himself with her; but underneath all this, there Hi-as a woman's nature that could le loving, and even sincere. Now, her father, who strange to say. could not read young ladies like a book seeing only a coquette in his charming daughter, was much pleased by the preference paid her by the handsome young officer, who came of an excel lent family, and in addition to his pro fession, had an ample private fortune, and. in his parental solicitude, was de sirous of seeing her happily settled with some deserving and eligible young man. Mr. Fowler himself was verging on seveuty years, having married late in life. It was about midday and the scene in the grounds of the Elms was ani mated and striking. They were of great extent, and in Milliliter most beautifully laid out. Now, however, their beauties were veiled beneath a waste of snow. The immense elms, yew s and cedars which skirted the lawn so extensively as almost to resemble the oiwn space in a iark, were weighed down by fantastically shaped conglo meration of snow , and the lawn itself was a vast sheet of w hite, 'reminding one as much of silieria. and its sable and mink hunters, as of atr" American landscajie and a party of- American Ialies and gentlemen. The guests of Mr. Fowler some thirty in number seemed to lie enjoy ing themselves amazingly. Some of the young meu had, for the amusement of the ladies, contrived to make a huge figure of snow, and they and their fair companions were now engaged in pelt ing the giant with snowballs. Others had rigged out. Russian fashion, some pretty little sleighs, which, drawn by three ponies adorned by silver bells, and each capable of containing two person, afforded an oportunity for flirting not to he lost by jieople snowed up in a country house. Most of the young ladies were clothed in fur suits from head to foot, while the gentlemen in fur caps and jackets, contributed their share to a very picturesque tab leau. The tinkling of the jdcigh U-lls, and the merry shouts of the party en gaged in ielling the euow giant formed a most pleasing accompaniment to the hilarity of the scene. Miss' Fow ler, who had lieen sleighing in turn with half the young meu of the party, had left the merry throng for one moment to confer w ith her father on some matter of domestic economy. Very pretty and piquant looked Lu cilla Fowler, inullled in a suit of rich sables, her black eyes twinkling like !. f a snuirrel and her nose dis- ..i... -t.i. . ,iit riiM fumicst suspicion of red" lit the frosty air. She laughed, chatted, mimicked, and flirted outrage- Ollnlr. ' - ' . . "You will have to take care what you are about, Lucilla, pet." wiiis.ered Mr. Fowler to his daughter, w arningly "or Ilerbci w ill 'cry off.' " . " "He has nevei been 'on yet, papa," returned she, tossing her head indig nantly, "lie bus never asked me, and if he did, I should say 'No' " "Oh, pooh ! pooh!" said the old" gen tleman' eood bumoredly. "Tell that to some one else, Lucilla ; it won't go down with nie." And he turned "away from his daughter aud began talking to some brother lauded proprietor about the scarcity of beets aud seeds, aud the prices fat bullocks were fetching at the country town. Captain Wilfred llerliert. who had been watching an opportunity marched up to Lucilla, a cloud on his handsome face. "Will you sleigh with me now. Miss Fowler? I think it my turn." "Oh, 1 don't know about anybody's turn. I was half engaged to Mr. Fitz gerald. Besides, I really think I've had enough of sleighing for one day." "Just for ten minutes," pleaded the young officer. "No, I think not," returned the wil ful lieauty, w ho, like other beauties, having hooked her fish, delighted in the torment she put him to. "It be comes fatiguing after awhile." "Well, then, shall we join the snow ballers?" 'Oh, dear, no! When hist I saw them, jioor Fi-fee-fum had lost his nose his ears, both arms, and everything else. There would lie no fun in pelt ing at the stump now. One might as well throw at the trunk of a tree." "Oh, Lucilla," said he, earnestly, "what makes you treat me in this b.an ner?" "In w hat manner?" asked the little coquette, affecting supreme uncon sciousness. "You will neither sleigh with me nor join the snowballing party, though I have asked you a dozen times; yet you have joined nearly all the other fellows in both pastimes." "Have I, really? Well the other 'fellow s, as you call them, are all par ticularly jdeasaut, agreeable young meu." "Am I not pleasant to vou. then?" "Not just now. Y'ou really look like some melodramatic tyrant.. Besides, you don't expect me to praise you to your fai-e?" "Lucilla," said the young man, with such M.ssionale energy that it startled her, "why torture ine thus? Don't you know that I love you w ith all my heart aud soul ?" Yes, she knew it well, and her heart beat fast with joy and triumph ; but the demon of coquetry had possession of her, ami she answered, though in a softer tone. "Ileallv, I had never thought aliout it." "Think alwnit it now, then," con tinued the young officer, speaking rapidly, and in tones of deep emotion ; "think about it now, dearest. I do love you, and think your father will approve of it. Will you lie my wife? Say, Yes!'" But Lucilla. though she had given her heart in return for Wilfred Her bert's, w as not to le carried by a storm in this provoking wav, and -he said: "No." "Y'ou can not mean it." exclaimed Herbert in great agitation. 'Why not?" replied Lucilla: but even as she sjioke she repented. "Why not ? Can I not choose w horn I please ?" "You love some one else," -aid the young man moodily. ( Lucilla gave 1 1 i in one little bit of com fort : "No, I do not," she said honest 1 v. '"Thank Heaven for that ! But won't you answer me, Lucilla?" "Not now," she said, wavering. Then her w oman's heart wi-hed to sur render, and she added with a tremu lous sigh : "What if I say 'No' again ?" Foolish young captain, he might have seen that this w as a wish on the young lady's part to capitulate, but he did not. He replied firmly : "No woman shall ever say 'Xn' to me twice." This roused all the pride in Lucilla's nature; it was almost a repulse. "Good morning, Captain llerliert," she said, as she turned indignantly away, "I have some business to trans act w ith Mrs. Knox, the housekeeper. And she walked rapidly toward the house, leaving the young mau half sorry, half triumphant. "I have affronted her," he thought, looking after her. "But I am sure she loves me." And with a lightened heart lie joined the other vi-itors on the lawn. All through the evening Lucilla maintained a distinct coldness towards the young officer, that made him feel exceedingly uneasy. If her heart had been touched by his avowal of the after noon it was evident her pride was deeply offended. She would neither dance with him or sing with him as usual. And w hen it became absolutely uecessajy to reply to any remark made by him, she did so with the barest s sible civility. Lucilla herself was far from comfortable, and she availed her self of the plea of a headache to excuse herself to her guests aud retire to her own room. Her maid, Dorcas, w as arranging the young lady's hair for the. night, when a low tap at the door w as heard, and one of the nnder housemaids presented her with a note. "From Captain Herlx rt. please ma'am and I w as to eg for an answ er before vou went to bed." "What coolness," thought Lncilla, but she said: Did you tell Captain llerliert I had gone to lied, Mary?" "Oh, yes, please ma'am said the girl, with an arch smile: but he said it was of great importance." "Very well; vou niay go, Mary, I will give Dorcas a note'to give 10 Ciiji- tain Herbert s servant. And Marv departed. With a beating heart and heightened color, Lucilla ojiened the note. It ran thus: Dean Lix-illa I cannot rest until ...... o..u er me. Forgive nie if 1 siKke "like a coxcomb this afternoon. Give mean answer, I entreat. Will you have me? Writ simply Y e or o. Lucilla, w ith compressed lips, took up a pen and ink and wrote ou a single slip of paper "No," lueu twisted it Into a note and save it to Dorcas. "Deliver this to Captain' Herbert' Iniruedialelr." shefcaid. And Dorcas left the room, after bid ding her mistress good night. Lucilla loved Wilfred Herbert, but her stern pride would not permit her to yield. She was determined to punish him for his dictatorial ways and his presumption of that afternoon. " What ! was he to be captain over the citadel be fore it had yielded ? Lucilla, lie it re membered, was an only and spoiled child, and had lieen used to have her slightest whim consulted. Who was Wilfred llerliert, that he should pre sume to constitute himself her master? Her heart told her that he was the ian who could subdue her wilfulness, but her pride refused to submit to the yoke. Suddenly she remembered young Her bert's w ords of that afternoon : "No woman shall say No' to me tw ice," and she had said "No" twice. At least she had said it once and now she had written it. Good heavens ! she had lost him then. Lucilla grew sick and pale at the thought. She rose up in her bed with a motion as if she would meet Dorcas. At last she knew she loved Wilfred Herbert. Not submit to him, Indeed ! Why, it would be her joy to recognize his right to demand of her a return for the love he bore her. Lucilla Fowler had been hitherto a willful, impetuous girl. Suddenly she had become trans formed into a loviiig, submissive wo man, Beatrice's words : And Beneilct. love oa; 1 will requite tbee, Turning ny lid h- art to tny loving band," rose to her mind, and thespoiled beauty and coquette, overwhelmed with shame for her ow n willfulness, opened her eyes to her ow n faults, clearly aud without disguise, ami sinking back in despair ou her pillow, burst into a pa siou of tears. Lucilla scarcely slept all tiat night ; but when Dorcas came in the' morning with the hot water and the intimation that it w as nine o'clock, she felt almost ashamed least her maid should remark her heavy eyes and haggard appear ance. "I'lease, ma'am, I'm very sorry," liegan iKtrcas, penitently, "but I for got all about it." "Forgot all alMiut what?" asked Lu cilla, listlessly. "The note, ma'am, for Captain ller liert. It's Christmas time, you see," pleaded the lady's maid, apologetically ; "and w hen I left your room last night, ma'am, to take it to the captain, I met Mrs. Knox, the house-keeper, in the corridor, and she told nie there was a hot curry of turkey, and mince pies, and elder wines, I don't know what else, ready in her room, and asked nie to go down: and so and so and bee lice, ina'ain" here Dorcas put her apron to her eyes, and began to sob: "1 forgot all about the letter, ma am. till this morning," she continued; "but when I went up to the captain's room, just now, be was up ami gone out. n. ma'am. I do hoe it ain't no conse quence. A light broke on Lucilla. " here is the note now , then ?" she -ked. joyfully. "Here, ma'am." And Dorcas drew it from her bosom. Lucilla seized it while she almost screamed : Oh, you good girl ! You dear good srirl!" Dorcas stared to amazenwiit. What, no scolding? Had her mistress gone out of her senses? Y'ou mav have that purple merino of mine, if you like, Dorcas," pursued Miss Fowler, "and that nice warm jacket. I sha'u'l wear it again. Then a light broke in m-mui Dorcas' brightened mind also. "Oh!" said Miss I'ert to herself, some lovers' quarrel, I gnes, and she's altered her mind, and she's glad he ain't got her note. Ah !" But the wary lady's maid kept her ideas to herself, and thanking her mis tress delightedly, proceeded to assist her to make her toilet. When Wilfred llerliert took his seat at the the breakfast-table he was in a ;iate of terrible suspense and ' uncer tainty, and utterly iiiiabletoaifouiit for Lucilla's radiant demeanor. as she glad to be rid of him ? Had his note been delivered to her? If so, how was it that he received no answer? He tor mented himself with these questions till everybody remarked his absence of mind. He helped his next fair neigh bor to deviled kidneys instead of game nie. mid electrified the Iiousckeeiier w no presided over the tea and coffee, by asking for more sugar in his cup oi coffee when he had already taken five lumps. Mr. Fow ler rallied the young officer ou his absence of mind, and suggested that where his treasure was mere it w a to be presumed his heart wa also. The voung ladies asked him H lie "had his considerine can on." while one acute damsel suggested that jmt- haps Captain II . was entangutl in tne fowler' snare. Rreakfast over. Lucilla anxious to make amends, ami too happy to cvre much about overleaping the conven tional fence, of maidenly propriety ad vaticed toward the young officer. "Vou have not had your answer yet, Cantain Herbert." she said; "if you an come witu me two minutes inioine 1 . conservatory, you shall have It now . Rewildered. but tumuliuousiy nappy the Captain followed Lucilla into the nl:ice snecitied. t . ., She came to the point at once, w uu- out any lieating about the Diisn. "I wrote vou last night, she saiu, placing in liis hand the note which tl. IihiI returned to Iter. Wilfred Herbert turned it over with a puzzled look. There was one anxious littl word "AO. ..wi.o. w. thl mean?" he -asked Honhtfullr. . - t "It means, '.' answered Lncilla blush ing and smiling at the same lime . N"o." I answered yon laat night ; Yea,'' this morning, air. I say, Colors viewed by caudleliEbt Do not look the same by day. -n.an ia- a ml. honest zirl as she u-.a she told him the whole story. "Dorcas ought to be pensioned," he said, rapturously. 'You do love uie, tbon. darllnz. after all." " reiilied T.ucilla. blushing. -nil O f 'w. ' " '-'' -1 "although I have both -aid aud w ritten 'No.' " "Never mind, Lucie, dearest, sweet est, best," said the young mau, taking her in his arms unrepulsed, "you know two negatives make an affirmative." Atromnrs. Orkney. The harbor ol Strom uess If formed by a projecting arm of the island of Pomona, the island of Gnemsay, and a northern projecting headland of Hoy. The tow n itself has a quaint Normandy look. landing at one of the small stone piers one walks into a nest of curiosities. The one street runs in a zigzag line through the ceutre of the town. From it crooked alleyways run at right angles. The houses themselves are of heavy stone, with gabled roofs, deep et winJows, and projecting turrets. However long one may stay at Strom ness, he will never see any signs of ex. clteiuent. The shop window's, filled with odd collections of fancy goods, at ways look undisturbed. The narrow street, paved with flat flag-stones, is always quiet. At rare intervals an un gainly, large-wheeled cart and pony come lumbering aloug, filling the street to the utter exclusion of foot-passengers. Even the boys of sitromness, hardy looking youngsters In their rough homespuu clothes, d not seem to act like boys of warmer climates. They lazily fish or stare at passing strangers, hut never seem to make noise enough to disturb the stillness of the streets. The women, too, passing with their short skirts, bare arms, heavy stockings made at home, and wooden shoes, are of that happy, fomented appearance so well suited to the general coiitenteduess of the towu. It is a quaint sight to see the wouicu and girls of Stromuess, or the neighboring towu of Kirkwall, meet around the public tnuntal i at evening. They perch themselves upon the blwl's e.lge, aud jabber over the week's go-sip; the long summer twi light softens the scene, and with sleepy town, bright tuces, and mellow light, the picture is one long to be remem bered. At some remote year in the history of Stroiuness her Inhabitants were w ont to smuggle goo Is Into their home'. Ail such practices have disap-! peared now; but the under ground I passages, the piers, the houses so near J the water, these all remain, and tell the story. Siromuess, too, claims it-elf to J be the home of "Torquil," Lord Byron's i hum flivelMriil flip niruf of Ynllr Sott, also lived here, aud even the character ol wild Nurmt was taken from a lonely old woman of the town who used to sell favorabln winds to de parting fishermen. lltrper' J;w. Value of sk Water. Ill a paJMT presvlilcd by M. Moi-on to the French Academy of Science, some interesting information is given con cerning the use of sea water in bread making, in France and Spain, from which it ap)M-ars thai, along the entire : eoa-t ot the ( liauuel. sweet water is used for the leaven only, and pure salt , water for .he i'o Igh, the bread thus, made having just the nei"esary degree ! ofsalinilr. When, however sea wateri is used for other culinary purposes, the : result is a disagreeable failure the ad vantage in the case of the bread lieing, apparently, that it undergoes a js-culiar change caused by certain of the salts dissolved in sea water, which change would not. for chemical reasons. l likely to take place ill any dissimilar: admixture. I It is suggested that probably the chloride of magnesium, which imparts to the sea water its acid ta-le, is deconi- i scd at the high temperature to which bread is excised in the oven : in such case, magnesia wouni ne pnsun-en, me effect of this Wing to destroy acridity . In the discussion of this subject M. Boussiiigault remarked that during paniticatiou glucose is formed, which is also capable of diminishing the acridity : and he stated that, during his travels In America, he had noticed that many Indigenous substances w ere dished up w ith sea w ater and a little cane juice, the latter neutralizing the effect ol" the former. It is well known, too, that M. Maumene some time ago combined sugar and salt together in such a man ner that the two ingredients neutralized each other, the mixture presenting a substance not unlike in taste to a com bination of wheat and sea water; these and other experiments showing that sea water with adequate admixture of sugar might be made available for many useful purposes. The I'srs of Beeswax. The product of wax in the United States is stated to be 20.(XHJ,0u0 pounds annual and increasing worth in nione least $;.( k),oij0. Of this alout J7,(W0,llo0 worth is exported, aud about l,2l0,f"J0 worth of honey goes abroad. The total product of honey and wax is worth at present in the I mted States nearly $13,OCK),000. The uses for w ax are numerous ana imioriaui. m projierty of protecting tissues and pre venting mold and mildew was well known to the ancients, who ued cere cloth for embalming, aud wax for encaustic painting as in the w all pic tures of I'ompcii. ax candles and tapers play an important part in the processions and ceremonies of the Ro man Catholic Church. Wax Is used by the manufacturers of glazed, ornamental and wall pajK-rs, aud on paper collars and cuffs for polishing the surfaces. It Is used In varnishes and paint and for "stuffing" of wood which is to be polished, as for pianos, coach work, tine furniture and parquet floors. Electro- typers and plasterers Use wax in form ing their molds. ax is an important ingredient in preparations for covering surfaces of polished iron and steel to prevent rust. Combined with tallow, it forms the coating for canvass and cordage to prevent mildew, as in sails, awnings, etc. Artificial flower consume much wax, and, despite the introduc tion of paralHne, vervain and mineral wax its use appears to be extending. One of the oldest of its applications is In the laundry and In polishing wood work. Boston BvlUtitt. . . What thou seeat, speak of with cau tion. - - IJltle Ilonse-BuIMer. Children, have you ever been sitting near a rose-bush or a trumpet honey suckle on a Summer afternoon, and caught the flash of transparent, many colored wings, and seen something as airy and graceful as a bunch of thistle down hang for a moment over a rose and then disappear? "That was a humnilng-bird," some one says, aud you w atch and wonder If it will come again, and perhaps a whole Summer will pass without your seeing another. There are several varieties of these wonderful little creatures, from the size of a small wren down to that of a humble-bee. They are found in America and some of the very warm countries, but not in Europe. The smallest hum-mlug-hird Is about the size of a hazel nut. The feathers on its wings and tail are black, but those on its body and under Its wings are of a greenish brown. It has a small crest on Its head, green at the bottom and, as It were, gilded at the top, aud which sparkles In the sun like a little star In the middle of Its forehead. The bill Is black, straight, lender, aud the length of a small pin. The large huaimlng-blrd la nearly half as large as the common wren, and with no crest on its head; but to oake amends It is covered on its thro and breast with changeable crimson feathers that lu different lights change to a variety of beautiful colors, much like an opal. The heads of both are small, with Very little, round eyes, almost as black asji-t. Tue.se birds are never still, but continually in motion, visiting flower after flower, aud taking out the honey as if with a kiss. For this purpose they are furnished with a lorky tongue that enters the cup of the flow er. Upon this honey alone they live. The rapid motion of their wings brings out a humming sound, and from this they have their name. Y'ou cin think how very small these wonderful little birds are when I teil you their nests can hang securely from the end of a leaf. An orange or a pome granate or a citron leaf are what they aeetu to prefer, but several kinds selec1 rocks and twigs, and some have actually been known to build right in a bouse where people were living, or lo make ue-ts hanging over the salt waters ot the sea, attached to a twig of w ild vine. The pretty uesta are funnel-shaped, and in some the end of the funnel U so long and narrow it may be called a tail. They are made of moss, the silky fibres of dow ers, the cotton-like down of eeed-vessdn, and a sort of wooly sub stance, which is suppo-ed to be taken out of some kind of fungus; and all these various materials are safely bound and knitted together w ith what do you think? Y'ou will never guess, so I hail better tell you at once with spiders' webs! We are in the habit of thinking that spiders weave their webs only to catch flics, and probably that is what the spiders think themselves; but the humming bird know better. To them the spiders are like what the masons are to us, who mix mortar to hold together the brick or stones w ith which we build our houses. There Is a great variety in these webs; some have long elastic threads, some are soft and felt-like; and the clever bird makes use of each just (or the pur pose for which it is most fitted. Wi ll the first, it ties the materials together, with the second it weaves through them, producing a Arm mass capable of resisting wet aud rain; and with these, too, it secures tin m lo the leaf. The nests are sometimes adorned outside with sefds aud sometimes with lichens. The saw-billed humming bird has a slender hill, notched in a saw-like fash- Ion. The nest of this bird is very curi ous Indeed, and 1 am sure you will agree with me in thinking so, when I tell you that It is made of fine vegetable fibres, woven together so as to look like an open net-work purse, the outside walls being so loosely made as to er mit the eggs and lining to be seen. Leaves, nioses and lichens are also woven into the nest and are packed rather tightly under the eggs. The edge, however, is always left loose, aud the nest Is suspended at the end of some leaf, usually that of the palm. The bar-tailed humming-birds' nests are made of vegetable fibre and moss, an J finished with the longest and queerest tails, the same as a great many humming-birds' nests, and for no rea son at all apparently. The nests are lined with hair, and are hung against the side of a rock or a wall, sometimes being attached to the wall Itself, but generally suspended from some twig or banging root. The bird always selects some spot where the nest can be sheltered by an overhanging ledge of rock, probably because the nest Is made so very loosely that the dear little bird knows she must protect it In some way from the w ind and rain. Churchman. Hunting for that Key. My wife looked worried and whispered that supper was ready ; but she couldn't "find that pantry key ;" she knew the company was hungry, for it was late; that sugar was in the pantry, and she couldn't find that key; wouldn't I please Audit? Certainly, I said, bless her heart ; don't be troubled, I'll find it; aud I started out quite theerfully. I looked on the mantle piece and the table, and side-board. It was very evi dent it was not there, so I said qnite gaily, It must be in the other room. So I went into the spare room and looked on the bed and the wash stand, the bu reau and the window seat ; went In the parlor and looked on the piano and the bookcase; upstairs and on all the niau- le-pieces, and beds aud chairs. I dime back ami asked if the vat nre she had had It lately. She said she was certain that she had it fifteen minutes ago. So I looked under the sideboard, and under the door mat and the fender, I went in the stare room and looked in the grate and in the water pitcher, under the pil low s and on the clock. I excused mv- self for Interrupting the company, but 1 1 went in the parlor and looked in the coal scuttle, shook the guitar case, and looked behind the pictures, and in the books, and iu the flower vases, aud shook all the shells. I then ran up to our room and looked iu my boots, and in the pockets of my Sunday coat, and then iu all of my wife's pockets. I came back into the dining-room and found my wife and cook and the house girl and two children all looking for the key. I asked my wife if she was right certain that she had had the key to-day, but she looked so hurt at nie that I asked her to forgive me, kissed her, vowed I would never doubt her again, and went up stairs declaring I would find that key ordic. I got a step ladder and looked on top of the wordrolie, In a hat box, and a batch of raw cotton, and sixteen paper collar boxes. Then I went in our room and took every thing out of my wife's trunk and shook them all carefully, and iu the soiled clothes basket, and laid each piece in a separate place ou the floor. I looked up the chimney. I went back in the dining room aud stirred in the gravy dUh, and run the fork through the butler, and looked in the match safe, under all the plates and under the beef steak. I went in the kitcheu and looked in the cupboard, the cooking stove, the refrig erator, the rat trap, the coal pile, the cider barrel and a rat hole. I came back in the parlor and moved the piano, and the book case, and the pier table, turned the chairs up side dowu ami looked under their bottoms. I apolo gized to the company and said we had only misplaced a key a little. They looked hungry, and seemed truly to sympathize with us. I heard my wife and the cook and the house girl ami the two children in the cellar moving cord wood, sheet Iron, empty barrels and flowerpots. I got a ladder and went up Into the atllck looked under the onions and on all the strings of red pep per, and theu I looked out on the roof, and just to feel sure that I had not neg lected any place, I looked dow n the chimney and at the lightning rod. Com. ing down stairs I met my wife and felt like telling her the key could not pos sibly be in the house; but she looked so troubled and worried that my heart was touched and I couldn't -ay it; but I determined that I would have that key if I would have to take up the carpels auJ all the lHe plastering. So I got the step ladder again and looked oyer every door and window in the house. I got down on the floor and felt all over the cariiets. I looked in the dog's mouth, and dow n both barrels of my shotgun; I happened to think about Major Andre, and felt iu my boots. I looked at the baby to see if he looked like he had swallowed anything. I shook the broom and looked iu the clock, poured out the ink, and looked in the camphor bottle; anil then I came into the dining room and felt inside a cold turkey Willi a sjmmu, looked in inv pocket-hook, blew through my flue, looked up at the ceiling, felt in my hair, and down the Iwck of my neck; looked under the eat. and ojened a can of oys ters .had to lie o'iied any how ). broke open a loaf of light bread, and felt the ouiid cake (diirned thing might have got iu the dough). I hated to say so, but I told my wife I would just have to give it up. but I told her I would have that door os il if I had to blow it 0-n wiih glycerine. I got a hatchet and a monkey-wrench, and a okcr. and a bootjack. I sen: to six of the neighbors and borrowed all their keys. I picked out one, and when I went to stick it in that pantry lock there was that pantry key sticking in the key hole. Mucicestions to House-Builders. Firt, let your cellars be large, w ell ventilated and lined w ith stone or ce mented aliove the level of the ground. The breath of life lu turnace-heated houses depends literally on the air ol the cellar, unless there lie a flue for fresh air extending from the furnact- out-ol-doors i never the case iu cheap, showy housesj. The air of the w hole hou-e is sucked through this narrow and often unclean apartit ent, the rare of which is usually lutrn-ted to Igno rant servant. We have sicken in a previous number of the malaria en gendered by massing quantities of veg etables in the cellars as is the practice in farm-houses during the winter. The lining of stone or cement not ouly pre vents dampness but is absolutely neces sary In streets through which the sew ers pass, as a protection irom rats. Terriers, ferrets, traps or poison are feeble defenses against the legions which swarm In nightly from a neigh boring culvert. Next to the cellars comes the kilciiu::, whico should be large, airy and sunny. To take no higher ground, conveniences iu this department are a politic investment which pays a full interest of capital, especially to the housekeeper w ho doe not live iu a large city. Stationary tubs, closets beneath the dressers for dour, dry groceries, spices, etc., will be likely to tempt into her household a better class of servants, and when she is forced -to turn cook and baker her self, will take half the lurden from her weary hands. . An addition to comfort much neglected by builder is the lighting of stair-ways, closets, pantries, We have in our mind's eye a modest little heuse, in a closely built neigh borhood of dark dwellings, which gives you a sunny, cheerful welcome in every corner : a result produced not ouly by windows wherever a window Is prac ticable, but by a sky-light of plate glass which sends down sunshine, through three doors of closets, halls aud pant ries. A mistake in ail e also, which re solves itself into a question of human ity, is the placing the servants' chain bers on tiie top of the house, be that three or seven stories above the kitchen, Pasting aloug a city street at night one cannot look up at the dim lights burn ing in these far skyey attics without groan of compassion for the wearied a retches dragging themselves to their beds ud vouder alter a day's hard labor. Seii'tner'a MvUthlg. There are bad examples which are worse than Crimea, and more States have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation ot iaw ' . . . ; The Tenl An Incident In the life -t Leon ardo Ul Viuci. BY MAISia J. BISHOP. The morning was breaking with that wild splendor nowhere beheld as iu the nights of the Abruzi. hand the wild tangled vine that overhung the path were just glowing iu the beams of the rising sun, as a traveler paused, ere he entered one of the most romantic and beautiful passes, and seemed lost in ad miration. He w as a young man, and the fire of genius lighted up eyes naturally bril liant. His slight graceful flgure was clad in a dark velvet slashed with sil ver, the fashion of the times, ami the small medal that graced hi cap showed that the wearer a-pired to the rank of gentleman. "By St. Julian, a lovely morning," he said; "and never lovelier scene charmed the eye of poet or painter. On my w ord, I am fortunate thus to stum ble on a iath so exquisite." High up among the beetling summits of the mountains, their dark scow ling countenances half hidden by the slouch ing hat and feather that shaded them, two men sat, sullenly Wilding their gaze down at the glen. "A pretty time we're having, Ludo vico," said the oldest bandit; for such they were. "The queen's troops are still scouring the lower pases, and no booty for this month pa-t, save some beggarly pea-ant, with a uiaravedi's worth of wood." "Hist!" said his companion. "Yon der is game, w inging to cuter, or I mis take me '." At tiie same instant, bring ing the short carbine to bear, whose sharp cling rang clear on the morning air. Some jieasant sure," he con tinued. "I'll take the care of his goats forever off his mind !" "Hold, comrade," said the first speaker. "Y'onder is no peasai.t, but a traveler; probably St. Christopher has sent us gold, at the last. Let us dow n and cut off his retreat." So saying, lsih ruffians descended the pass and approached the stranger. "Hold, brother, iu your tribute to nature, and pay tribute to as.'" said the foremost bandit. "We allow no intru sions on our walks here." "And I meant none. A sor artist my death or captivity would avail you little. I pray you giod friends, let ine pa-s." "An artist, tush !" said the outlaw. 'Some rascally government spy, rather. And thou die-t, unless thou presently tell down on the greensward a hundred Xoldeu marks." 'Now, Mary, help me. as have not as manv sous. "Tell thy heads then, stranger, for i.v minutes are numbered," said the itlaw, rongly glancing at the savage looks of a lliimls r w ho bad a cnibled mi the ss.t. 1 he youth cast a despairing gae at the hardened, reckless I'.i. es around him. lien down the precipice, which de- scended two hundred feet licsidcs the path. IJough hands had already seized him. and had lifted linn over the edge, while w ith a grin of malice, showing his close. hut ti-cth, the leader had hissed out. "A plea-ant journey to thee, sir ain:er!" when a low murmur ran through the throng. Hold ! Magdalen, our queen !" What sends h.-r here?" muttered the leader, releasing, however, his hold of the prisoner. "How now. I.udovico?" she said, 'methinks you are pressed for deeds of lairing, when thou inake-t war on a My: and that a ls-ggar!" The clear sweet tones echoed strangly imong the rock. while thesiM-aker, her lark hair loosened with the rapidity of her uproach. and ln-r beautiful face suf fused with intense pity, ls-nt her eyes upon the stranger. You mistake, lady, said the out law. "This is no mean peasant, as his garb bespeaks; but a ba-e government spy. "Is it even so. stranger?" said Mag lalen, "if so, I can plead thy cau-e no longer!" "Lady, I am no spy, he replied, but a poor artist, whom the love of the lieautiful, and no wish to Injure others, led me to intrude iisu your pa-s." "I'an-t thou prove it with thy wn il f " "I can," replied the youth. 'I'libind him, I.udovico," she or dered. Fair, fair!" repeated the brigands. throwing theui-elves in not ungraceful roups ou the grass around. The artist glanced around, and not even his terrible situation could repress a smile of pleasure, as his eye caught ravine and rock, hanging vine and frowning precipice and with lightning rapidity, the scene, in all its wild w itch ery, was transporieu to tne canvas. The painter paused for one moment: his eve fell on Magdalen, and there she stivsl iu all her macules beauty ; bend ing however a look of pily on Leonardo li Vinci. 'How say ve, comrades, ha he lost or won?" and the calm, sweet voice of Magdalen broke the silence. "Won, won! and a chain of gold lie- sides." cried the outlaws, as each bent above the sketch and beheld himself. Long did the the painter remain among thein, loaded w ith proofs of their appreciation, and still in the splendid works of this great master, the tall, graceful form in blue, the dark look, and moulded features, frequently ap pear a monument of his gratitude to Magdalene, the queen of the bandldts, f.reat Fat Mew. A question has recently come up for discussion before the debating society of the village of Swampville which interests us. It is, "Can a fat man ever lieconie a greit man ?" We have not had the pleasure of hearing the dis cussion, but presume that the affirma tive must in common decency have waived any rights they might possess In connection with size or corpcrocity. Greatness was doubtless defined by both side to mean intellectual aud "uoral superiority, cuuspicuousness of place apart from the common herd: that grandeur of soul and telescopic com prehensiveness of eye which the rank and file, the paw ns, the vast unknown, are ai-customed to associate with the ideal of human greatness. When t'assius desired to express his envy aud dislike toward the great triumvir, he said, "I'pon what meat does this our Casar feed that he is grown so great?" Cn-sar, from all accounts, was rather a sjiare man, and the allusion to the style of board enjoyed by the great conqueror at that period must, ol" course, have been used in a figurative sense. Julius w as a pretty good judge of character, and w hen he expressed his partiality for fat meu over lean and hungry ones, he doubtless meant to say that they were less given to w ire-pulling, plot ting, lying and other political trickery. Shakspeare's fattest man wa-s certainly his champion liar, but the preponder ance of evidence goes to show that fat ness and love of ea-e go hand in hand. There have lieen great fat men in the world, many of them, but it is a debat able question whether they did not acq uire their greatness before beginning to increase in adipose tissue. Napoleon was a fat mau ; so w ere Fox, Gibbon, Arkwright, the elder Dumas, and many others. Iu the Uuited Stales the Supreme Court has generally boasted a prepond erance of fat men, which may, of course, be accounted for by the frequency and length of the sittings indulged iu by that remarkable body. Fat men have not been uncommon sights in the United States Senate. Perhaps the fat test man who has ever graced that honorable chamber is Senator Davis. A writer who has made a study of the matter insists that it isaUnit as difficult for an average 2."0 pounder to become a great man as for a camel to go through the eye ol" a needle. Y'ou may respect a very fat man, especially when he has the upper and you the lower berth in a Pullman sleeping car or a steamboat's state-room, but it is difficult to discon nect his abdominal rotundity With a certain desire to laugh, and laughter is the grave of aw e. The Meal great man is till and massive, of muscular develop ment and magnificent figure-head. A spare little man, like Tha i Stevens or Lord John Rus-el, has a belter chance of being looked up to by the multitude than a fat man little man, a medium sized fat man, or a very tall fat man. On the whole, we rather sympathize with fat men. To lie courldential we know- how it is nursclf. They are un able to tie their own shoes with any comfort, and they cannot well run away from an infuriated bull or bull dozer. If they have feelings, which all fat 'r-otis have, these feelings are derided. Their only hope upon human sympathy is laughter. A fat man who cannot .-hake his sides i.. a mistake. Women pat him familiarly on the check, but avoid him matrimonially. He can not go into solitude and do the romantic, ami whoever heard of a fat man com mitting suicide? Eterylssly likes a fat man "he is gentle, he is kind" but few would think of a-king him to head a great movement or act as principle in some hemic deed. Fat men have their mis-ion in tiie world, but with notable exceptions, it is more in the line of joviality than greatnes-. Method of Chinese I'ritelty The greatest attribute of a Chinese) general Is considered to be his strategy. He is nothing worth if he fails to lea I his enemy into making a false step. The hero of the hour on this account is a general who led a body of troops against a walled city held by the insur gents. He besieged them, and In due course of time they pleaded for terms. Laudable promises were made by the dozens, the ai'ws being they should lay down their arms. This was done, when, the general's despatches inform us, they were immediately mas sacred as last as it was possible to do so, but the leader was "put to death by the extreme torture." This consisted in winding a w ire very tightly about the entire head and body to the feet, intervals of an inch being loft between each turn. This brought the flesh luto wales which were neatly and quickly sliced off by keen knives. The scene ended by decapitating the still living skeleton. A very greit deal of the evidence In criminal cases is elicited by torture. unless that given coincide with tb ideas of the magistrate. If, under tort ure, witnesses assert things detrimental to the side he proposes to favor, they remain in agony till they take It all back agiin. When he has got it all arranged to suit himself, ten to one he will administer another dose to them for not telling the truth ( ?) at once. There Is something frightful to the civilized mind in such abortion of jus tice, but even when the verdict is cor rect and the felon Is to suffer for the crime committed, the punishments are so truly barbarous you sink your de testation for the oflvnse In your pity for the suffering offender. The sight of a human being receiving two hundred or three hundred blows from a heavy bamboo, leaving gashes and flesh beaten to a jelly, and finally a helpless cripple for life, does not tend to exoite your love for your fellow-man. Kneeling on chains for many hours, the lash de scending at the slightest change of posture, pinching the finger lu vices made of split bao.boo; entwining metal tubes about the body anJ extremities, in which boiling fluij is poured, sear ingthe flefh wherever it touches ; wear ing a three feet sqiare, tw enty-pound wooden collar day and Dlght for weak, being unable to reach the mouth with the hand, and exposed to the gaze of the pa-sers-by In tbe localiry of the offence; placing in a cage with the head secured iu a collar which forma the roof, the toes jut to'iching the ground, and left to tile by starvation and strangulation; beheading; ai.d cutting into "ten thousand piece," are among the u-'ual puuishments ol ttwa enlightened race. No man becomes a saint In hly : V i T : ' ' I. . i ; U : Mi t t : li HI t-r i , I u tr 1 h i
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers