J; 1 B. F. SCHWEIER, THE C05STITUTI0S THE OTIOS-AHD THE EBTOBOLHEIT OF THE LAVS. Editor and Pi'oprictor. It i VOL. XXXI. MIFFLINTOWX, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENXA., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1877. NO. 11. WltSw BHII IIP IICIIIL CHEER. BY M.EMk MACLEOD, D. li. Courage, brother ! do not atumble. Though thy path ta dark aa Dight ; There' a etar to guide the humble Trust in God, and do the right ! Let the road be long and dreary. And ita enuiug out of ai-ht. Foot it bravely, never weary Trust in God, and do the right ! Perish policy and cunning ; Perish .11 that fear the lifa-ht ; Whether losing, whether winning. Trust in God, and do the right! Some will hate thee, aome will love thee ; Some will fatter, aome will alight ; Oaee from man and look above thee Trust in God, and do the right! Simple rule and aafeet guiding. Inward peace and inward lutht , Star upon our path abiding True; in God, and do the right! Dan's Photograph. Tlie queerest fellow without excep tion, in all Wexford, was Daniel Bat tles. He was sixteen years of age, yet lie had the reputation of possessing a much knowledge aliout old and out-of-the way things as any ten average lads. He was believed to have an inti mate acquaintance with every trout in the streams, and every bird in the woods, and every rabbit in the bur rows. He bail the largest collection of birds" eggs to be found in the country; and it was reported, and solemnly lie lie veil by all the small lioys in the iieiglilmrhood, that he had a secret uu derstauding.w ith the king-fishers and orioles, by which they agreed to sur render one egg of each litter to him, in consideration of his promise to let all others alone. He was always taking up some new idea to work out, and if he did not kuow all aliout many things, he really seemed to know a little about every thing. He knew how to print, how to bleed a horse, how to run the telegraph instrument, how to cultivate the silk worms, how to make the most outrage ous noises with his hands, how to grutt pears, how to play checkers with his eyes shut, and, in short, he knew how to do nearly everything that came in his way to learn. One day she neighbors opened their eyes and pricked up their ears at the news that Dau had taken up photo graphy; not that they were astonished, for they had long ceased to be aston ished at anything that Dan did, but they were interested in his enterprise, though regarding it simply as another freak of curious genius. 'Well, well," said they, shrugging their shoulders, "Dan is an odd stick. It's aliout time he went into something useful. Photography, eh?" The rejiort was true. Pan had ob tained a camera of good size, and was experimenting with it tip in his "den" in one end of his mother's garret. It would be hard to imagine a more untidy, chaotic-looking place than Kan' -den." It was full of bottles, old clothes, jars, bits of machinery, musical instruments, carpenter's tools, old maps, torn pictures, pots of paints and chemicals, fragments of old machines, stuffed birds, etc., and it smelled so fearfully that no one but Dan could ever stay in it long enough to make an inventory of the contents. Dan was as odd-looking a character as one would be likely to see in a year's travel. He was thin and lank in the body and legs. His head was large, and he had light blue eyes, and long, whitish hair, which he rarely combed, and which straggled aliout all over his head, as if the rats had made nests in it the last time he slept. He was uot much of a talker. He generally kept silent and stared. Nobody knew what an amount of think ing he did meanwhile, and in fact many who had laughed at his greenness had to confess afterwards that he not only saw all things that were going on, but knew more about what he saw than the smartest of them. Dan went on with his photographing for several weeks. He learned to take very good pictures, but he was far from satisfied. He grew thoughtful and almost melancholy. His fingers were always stained black and brown with acids that he could not wash off. and his clothing always gave out the peculiar scent of "collodion." Ihin's mother began really to be anx ious. The boy was growing up a loose Jack-of-all-trades, but without any particular turn for one profitable call ing. It was necessary that he should liegin to earn money pretty soon, and she w as anxious that he should choose some siugle business and stick to it She took the boy in hand and expostu lated with him. Dan looked distressed. "I'm trying to do something, mother; I'm just getting hold of it now, I guess. I only want a little more time." This was about as long a speech as Dan was in the habit of making at one time. His mother was pacified and, for the present, let him alone. Two or three more weeks slipped by. Dare made pictures of everybody he could get before his camera. He pho tographed the cat and her kittens; he photographed his "den" and all his miscellaneous trumpery; he photo graphed the boys in the street, and he photographed buildings, fences and trees. . Still he did not sucAed to his mind. His pictures lacked the peculiar shadi ng of "tone" that he wanted. His dream was to achieve this, which he believed would not ouly make them very beautiful, but give him a larg, profitable custom. He labored incessantly, now trying this plan, now trying that, but with out anv ierfect result. . In the course of his experiments out of his garret window, Dan made street pictures of people both near and re mote, In divers attitudes, and at nearly all hours of the day. Dan took them m single figures and in groups; he took them as they stood in windows and they walked below him, or rode past in carriages. Many of the photographs were clear and good, but still the sub tle finish was wanting. Ian could not realize his dream. Finally his mother begged him . to stop his amusement, as she called it, and go to a store, or some business where he might support himself. Ihin shook his head. "Can't mother." "But, Dan, I can't afford to give much more money for the acids you want." "Ah !" said Dan. He shook his head once more, and looked very dejected. He was at his wits' end. He believed he was on the verge of an important discovery. He only wanted a little more time and a little more money. Where should the money come from! This was a trying question. He could not imagine that any one would ever lend him enough cash to carry out his projects, and he did not seem to think of any way to earn a sufficient sum. He went up to his "den" and sat down in the midst f his bottles and rubbish, feeling uncommonly blue. There was his camera niton its three long legs, with its black muffler drawn carefully over it, and with its brass nose pointed out into the cold air. The boys thoughts iointed the same way. He must go out into the cold and find something to do, or some day he might have to stay out in the cold. He descended into the street and wan dered atmttt the town, moody and dis tressed. Aliout this time a trial was in pro gress at the Court. A man was charged with passing a forged check at the bank. The teller who paid the money fully identified the prisoner, described his movements, and related what was said between them at the time with the greatest minuteness. On the other hand, the accused in dignantly denied the charge, and pro tested that he was not in or near the bank at the time alleged, but in the of fice of a friend on B street. He remem bered his whereabouts, for his arrest was not so long after the presentation of the check, but that all his move ments on that day remained distinctly in his mind. From the first he had continued to assert his innocence, and declared the teller had mistaken him for some other man. Unfortunately for him, he was obliged to admit that he was alone in his friend's office at the hour iu question, and he failed to produce any witness beside himself to prove definitely where he was, though he had made every effort to do so. It was a question of veracity, man against man, but the clear anil very positive statement of the teller against the accused, anil the jiossibiiity of some motive presumed to exist in the man's financial circumstances had decided the direction, considering the interest at stake, to hold hi m to answer at the next session of the Court. And now the day for his trial had come. Everybody was extremely interested in his trial, for the prisoner was well known in the town, and had always been supposed to be honest. 'Hie anx iety was intense to know whether he would really be proved a criminal. The case seemed to be going against the accused, for one or two other peo ple had been summoned, who testified that "to the best of their know ledge and belief," they had seen this man in or about the bank at i o'clock on the day when the check was passed. The prisoner sat in the court-room, pale, but with a certain fearless finn nessou his features that scarcely seemed like guilt. All the known evidence was in, and to the last, save the statements of a few friends as to his previous good charac ter, nothing in his behalf beyond his own unsupported word had been brought forward. The prosecuting attorney rose and formally recounted the strong jioints in the case, dwelling especially on the failure of the prisoner to prove an alibi I.e., to show to the satisfaction of the Court that he was elsewhere than at the bank at the moment of the crime when suddenly to the astonishment of all present, a queer voice from a distant part of the room exclaimed : "But I can tell w here he w as." Everybody turned to look at the speaker, who was none other than our friend Dan. He stood w ith his mouth w ide open, clutching his cap w ith one hand, and with the other nervously poking his tousled hair. Everybody laughed. "Silence!" roared the crier, in a fierce tone; and then, assuming that the boy intended to make sport, he ordered him to sit down. "Xo." drawled Dan. "I guess I won't." , , . 4 Of course that set the crowd into a still louder uproar of laughter. The crier made an attempt to get at the bov. , , " . "Stop," cried the Judge, in a voice that w as heard in all parts of the room. As soon as silence w as obtained, he turned towards Dan, who was still standing. "Young man, do you know anything about this case?" "Yes, sir," replied Dan, slowly. "I know " "I don't wan't to know that yet, interrupted the Judge. "Come this way." The shrewd magistrate knew the youngster well enough to surmise that he would neither care nor dare to be fooling at such a time. - Dan, all stained and sotted, picked his way out of the crowd and walked forward to the bench. A curious spec tacle he was, with his uncouth form and dress and his mass of white hair. The Judge leaned forward and something to him i" very low tone, ...a .i.- nn w hisoered back to tke Jude. Soon the people saw the Judge and nod his heail. "Ah," said they to one another, "our ...o.l mi something new. It's ISail lima iu" ,-. i- just like him." . ..,,.;- was turned to cer tainty when the Judge announced, "ThU young man will produce itnport ovi.lence for the defense." - Dan made his way out of the Court room and disappeared. In ten minutes he came hack again, breathless. He had never been known to run before. In his hand he held a paper as large as the cover of a geography. This he handed to the Judge. The Judge looked at it curiously. Then at the paper again. In a moment he looked up and said: "Clerk, administer the oath to this boy." Dan was sworn. I cannot repeat his testimony here, hut be sure it was d roily worded and disjointed enough. It made everybody laugh, even while it Interested them profoundly. The substance of it was that on the day when the forged check was passed he was taking photographs between the hours of 12 m. and 3 p. m. Among other pictures l.e made one of a man standing in the window of a build ing on the opposite side of the street. The man that he photographed was the prisoner at the bar. Immediately there was a general buzz in the Court-room. The prisoner's pale face flushed, and he gazed upon Dan with a look of joyful gratitude. But there was still a very important question to be settled. "At what time exactly was that photograph taken " Dan took the picture ami looked at it closely. "There's the clock on St. Luke's Church, tip there in that corner there," said lie, pointing to the place and hand ing the picture back to the Judge. The Judge looked again, holding the pajter up to the light and turning it carefully around. "By the dial, here," said he, "it was just 1 o'clock at the instant when the picture was taken." The jury and the counsel now exam ined the photograph minutely. It could not lie disputed ; there was the identical man, and there he was, not in the hank at the moment when the forged check was passed. The teller was once more placed ukii the stand. He w as confused by the ev idence he had heard, and was by no means as iositive as he was liefore. At last he reluctantly admitted that he might lie tailoring under a mistake. And Umii that lie retired into the crowd with an appearance of great chagrin. Dan's triumph was complete. He was a hero. People forgot his strange dress and his w ild-looking head, and actually "lionized" him. The prisoner was discharged. He instantly went to Dan, and seizing both his hands, ex claimed. "You have saved me. You shall have anything you want. I cannot do enough to show yon my gratitude." From that moment Dan's star began to rise. He had money to continue bis experiments, and he eventually discov ered a process by which he suweded in obtaining the richest and nnst dura pie photographs that are now taken in Wexford. He still keeps the old camera that made his fortune. The Furitmm. The Puritans have been blamed lie- canse people have not stopped to con sider their real aims and the conditions of their existence, because they have not tried to put themselves iu their place. The Puritans acquired their land not merely by royal patent, but by the abandonment of home, of civiliza tion, and of every comfort. In a place so dearly bought they had an inalien able right to do as they pleased, and it pleased them to try a great 'political experiment. They had entered into the land and jiossessed it, aud there, in the wilderness, they founded a Puritan State, the asylum for men of their race and religion. In their new country it further pleased them to make Church and State one, and they believed that whoever touched one touched the other, and therefore they defended both with all their strength. They did not come to the barren shores of Massachusetts Bay to obtain for every papist, fanatic, and heretic freedom to worship God after his fashion ; they sought freedom to worship God after their own fashion. Whoever interfered with them, or threatened the existence of their gov ernment by attacks on Church or Suite, whether it was Charles the First or Roger Williams, they resisted to the uttermost, and, if they had the power, punished the assailant by exile and sometimes by death. By every law of self-preservation, by every law of common-sense and common prudence, and with all justice in so doing, they acted strongly and well. Xo doubt their judgment often erred, for they were human and fallible. Xo doubt they were often harsh aud narrow-minded if tried by our standards or by the standards of such contemporaries as Francis Bacon or John Seldcn. Yet it is folly aud w eakuess to make apologies for them, for they need none. The Puritans of Massachusetts acted accord ing to their best lights, aud they acted like w ise, brave men. They built up a strong, enduring state, the corner-stone of a great nation. All these men need is the exact and severe justice of his torv, and sooner or later the judgment of history must become the verdict of mankind. .VorO Amrrican Eerie. study. Anv man who is really anxious to study can do so infinitely better by him self, with the help of books, than he can possibly do by attending any lec tures that may be delivered, it is hardly jiossibly for any man, unless he attends a long course of lectures which a thousand unforeseen accidents may prevent him from being able to do to study iu this manner any subject sys tematically aud consecutively; and, moreoverinasmuch as the lecturer has to address himself to a very large ntim lier at once, and of different capacities, he must address himself In such a man lier as to lie understood , by all. But a man who studies and reads for himself can pick out for his reading that class of information which he is most capable of assimilating ana aigesniig. -Ti. mrld is as eocoanut; there is the vulgar outside shell good for beer cuds: and ine wniie ueuaw ... 1 1 . - i r . I. real worm, ioou ior um Fifteen Teara In Prlaon. Here is a scrap from the reminiscen ces of Hungarian nobleman who spent the best part of bis manhood's life in prison : "Fifteen years I was in this dungeon a rough, dark, noisome place, not more than ten feet square," he writes. "During six years I had a companion during nine years I was alone. I could never clearly distinguish the gloom someness of our cell. The first year we did not sleep, we talked incessantly together ; we related every incideut of the past which we could call to niiud told of our joys and our sorrows over and over again. The next year we re frained from relating experience, and gave to each other our thoughts upon all sorts of subjects. During the third year we grew silent. We w ere losing the power of reflection, and the old ideas were forgotten. During the fourth year we spoke but seldom, aud then onlv to wonder if the world without was bright and bustling as we had left it. During the fifth we w ere mostly silent. There had come a feeling of sadness of isolation which would not be broken in upon. The effort of sjieech was painful. During the sixth year my companion was taken away. They came and led him out, whether to death or to liberty I knew not. I was glad when he was gone. The jwile, vacant face, dimly visible in the ceaseless gloom, always in the selfsame place always an index of woe and suffering had become unbearable. Had he beeu taken during the first or second year, I should have lieeu crushed ; but now the solitude was grateful. I was thankful when 1 found myself alone with my great sorrow. One day, more than a year after my companion had lieeu taken away I heard the sound of a human voice again. The door of my cell was ojiened, and a voice said to me: 'By order of his Im ierial Majesty I inform you Sir Count, that your wife died twelve mouths since.' Then the door was shut. This great agony had been cast in uion me, and I was ieft alone with It. The next sjicech I heard was of my liberation. The liest part of my life was behind me. Heaven grant that I may live long enough to learn to be grateful for my lilierty." Yes, there is a depth of niisety that wants no compauy, and many are the men w ho have found and suffered it. The Hrnnnda Island. Iii the Atlantic Ocean, in latitude 32 leg. 13 mill, north aud longitude M deg. .".1 mill, west, almut H00 miles from aie Hatteras, North Carolina, and 730 miles from Xew York, lies a group of islands iu which lierjietual summer rcigiip. Although these islands ran lie reached bv steamr convenient! v ami comforta bly in a brief time at small exiense from this city, yet they are very un familiar to the nmst of our people Our relations to them, however, are of con siderable imjiortaiu'e, inasmuch as we take nearly all of their productions ami mpply them with three-nttlis of tneir imports. e have thought that a liner account of them would be welcome to our readers. The Bermuda or Somer's Islands, consist of live principal and innumer able small ones, embraced within an area of 20 by 8 miles. They are clus tered about the main island, or Bermuda projicr, which is 13 miles long. St. Georsre's. Somerset, and St. David's is lands are next in size and of about euual area, be ins some 3 miles in length each. Ireland island is 1'4 miles long ami strongly fortitied at immense ex- nense bv the British Government. I he other islands of importance are Cooper, Smith's, Paget's, Long Bird, Xonsuch, and Boaz. Several of these are con nected together by means of causeways and bridges. Their width varies from one-quarter to 3 miles. The highest laud is about 330 feet above lugti water. The climate is so peculiar, that seed time and harvest may be said to be co incident the whole year round. There is no extremely hot or extremely cold weather, but a hannv medium exists between the two. December, January and February are called the cold months, during which the winds prevail from the north and are occasionally accomp anied by heavy rain and hail. In the latter part of February spring commen ces, and the weather usually continues mild, with refreshing showers of rain and warm, gentle breezes rrom the south until the end of May. The sum mer commences in June, and warm. calm days and long droughts, relieved by violent thunder storms, are some what characteristic of the season, as with us. In September the weather again be comes mild and agreeable. Spring and autumn are the pleasantest seasons; but the changes are so gradual and, on the whole, slight, that it is difficult to say where summer ends and spring be gins. Heavy dews are frequent, and vegetation flourishes at all seasons. The thermometer seldom falls lower than 36 deg. or rises higher in the warm est weather than 8C deg. in the shade. Mornings and evenings are esjiecially delightful. The approach to the Bermudas In fine weather from any quarter, offers enchanting scenes in great variety. The undulating form of the hills, the snow white annearanee of the tops of the build! tins, the stately cedars, Pride of India, oleanders, and various kinds of evergreens, the number and variety of small islands covered with verdure, tne transparent sheets of water, with the pretty home-made cedar boats plying on their surface, the numerous coves and bavs all conspire to produce a most charming impression of the attrac tions contained within these compara tively narrow limits. The view from an elevated point of the main island is very fine, and has the added impressive ness of the wide expanse of ocean, elnnds and skv. The endless variety of vegetation is also seen in all Its beauty and minute or detail. These islands are of coralline origin, and contain numerous caves, as is com mon in calcareous formations. Fish are numerous and various, as are also birds. ' There are many miles of excel lent roads, and the drives are very pleasant. There are only two towns Hamilton and St. George's. The har bor of the latter is one of the finest in the world, and completely landlocked. Hamilton is the seat of government. On three sides of the Islands north, west, and south are formidable coral reefs and rocks, nearly all under water, and extending at some points, ten miles into the ocean. The soil is generally of reddish-brown color, varying in dif ferent localities in strength and char acter. Epidemics are rare, aud the death rate very low. There are no springs or fresh water ponds or streams, and rain water has to be gathered in tanks and reservoirs for all domestic puriioses. The houses of the islands are built of stone, and very durable- The population of these islands is 13,- 000, or one person to each acre of land. Less than 2,000 acres are cultivated; much of the balance is waste land, but a great deal of good land is neglected. The principal crops are vegetables, which are mostly sold in this city. It is through the Bermuda potatoes, onions, tomatoes, etc., etc., that the islands are at all known to the public at large. Three enormous crops of these are raised annually. Arrowroot of the liest quality is also produced largely, but it exhausts the soil, and is not so remunerative as garden vegetables. Fruits of great excellence are also produced, but not iu great abundance. Their diversity, how ever, is extraordi nary, aud both those of the temperate anil torrid zones succeed well. Oranges of fine flavor are raised, and the lemon grows wild. The mango, fig, banana, IMimegranate, paw-paw, lear, peach, apple, grape, and small fruits, grow and produce readily and without an effort. Straw -berries are in season from Novem ber to J uly . Fruits do not enter largely into the exports of the islands, though no reason exists for their not doing so except want of enterprise. A few strawberries find their way to New York iu mid-winter. The cedar is the characteristic forest tree of the Bermudas. It covers all the islands, and springs in some instances, apparently from the bare rinks. It reaches a great height, anil forms ex cellent lumlicr and timber for a great many purposes. Tropical trees such as eocoanut, palm, tamarind, India rublier, calabash, mahogany, Kilmetto, etc., are frequently seen. Flowers in endless variety and of the utmost beauty are found in great profusion. Hoses in particular are superb, and are iu the greatest Jierfection about Christmas time. There a dozen or more varieties of the oleander, which are used for hedges, and their masses of pink and white blossoms, may be seen every where. Geraniums of surpassing lieauty grow wild. Notwithstanding the favorable con ditions existing in these islands, agri culture is far from lieing carried on with system and energy. Nature sUinds by with such w illiug hands, that the indolent inhabitants are disjioscd to R-rmit her to do a great part of the work. But gradually a change is lie ing wrought, and w ith the constantly increasing demand for their produc tions, the ready contact with the great and profitable market afforded by this city, and the use of modern farm appli ances, the Bermudas must take rank at no distant day as one of our most im portant sources of food. Antiquity of C'hrea. The New York Urfrr thus discourses on the antiquity of cheese: "f'heese and curding of the milk are mentioned iu the Book of Job. David w as sent by his father, Jesse, to carry ten cheeses to the cauin, and to look how his brothers fared. Cheese of kine formed part of the supplies of David's army at Mau hanahn, during the relielliou of Absa lom. Homer says that cheese formed a part of the ample store found by Ulysses iu the cave of Cyclops. Polyphemus, Euripides, Theocritus and other early poets, mention cheese. Ludolphns says that excellent cheese and butter were made by the ancient Ethiopians, and Strabo states that some of the an cient Britons were so ignorant that, though they had an abundance of milk, they did uot understand the art of mak ing cheese. There is no evidence that any of these ancient nations had dis covered the use of rennet in making cheese. They apjiear to have merely allowed the milk to sour, and subse quently to have formed the cheese from the caseine of the milk, after expelling the serum or whey. As David, when voting, was able to run to the camp with ten cheeses and an ephah of parched corn, the cheese must have been very small." Seal and Salmon right. All interesting sight, says the Dundee Erttiin.j Tchgrah was witnessed off West Ferry the other day in a desjicnite fight between a seal and a huge salmon. The combatants were not above a hun dred yards from the shore, and the en counter was therefore plainly seen. For more than an hour the fight lasted, the seal all the while dashing about in the water after its agile prey. During the progress of the fight the salmon was tossed many times into the air after the fashion of a cat with a mouse. It was then seen to be a very large fish. After the fish was fairly exhausted, for the seal was the victor, the seal rose fre quently to the surface of the w ater w ith its prey in its mouth, the salmon, how ever, not being yet dead, as the move ments of its body plainly indicated. Whether or no the seal swallows it prey whole is not known to the writer: but to sjiectators of this morning's fight the protracted nature of the battle seemed to have origin in some desire on the part of the seal not to injure its prey or break it with its teeth. There are large numliers of seals in the river at the present time. Between seventy and eighty of these animals, many of them very large and of different colors, w ere seen sunning themselves at low tide on Ahertay Sands one day last week. Artificial Pearla. Formerly Imitation pearls were col ored with quicksilver, this dangerous metal being introduced into minute glass balls to give the required shade of color. Tradition says that Jaquin, a rosary maker in Paris, living towards the middle of the seventeenth century, distressed at the dangerous nature of goods he was continually selling to the public, was one day strolling on the banks of the Seine. He saw floating on the surface of the water a shining sub stance, the use of which immediately flashed into his mind as a substitute for the quicksilver. Having, by the help of a fisherman, secured the glittering substance, he found it was only small fishes. But he took them home, di vested them of their minute scales, and henceforth used only this innocuous material to produce his pearls. At that time these artificials w ere coated on the outside; now the coating is put upon the Inside, and the process may be de scribed as follows : A number of hollow beads of thin, transparent glass are blown with a lamp, and a drop of "earl essence," so called, is blown into them, and spread about by rolling the beads. This pearl essence is obtained by scrai ing off the scales of the bleak or Vjiriuu ulhuruus, a fresh-water fish, and reiieat edly washing them in pure water, until the whole of the foreign and animal matter is removed. To these, after they have been thoroughly washed, a little quantity of the solution of sal-ammoniac is added to prevent putrefaction, and then the prciuiration is ready for use. In employing it, however, the addition of a little isinglass or parchment size will cause the varnish to adhere well, and minute traces of carmine, satlron or Prussian or Paris blue may be throw ii in, so as to communicate a red dish, yellow ish or bluish tinge, in imi tation of the same shades as they may lie noticed in line jiearls. The esseuce thus described has become a regular article of trade, and is chiefly prepared for the Ftench and German manufac turers, at Eberliach. on the Neckar River in Germany. In old times the pearl-makers had to buy the fish and prepare the essence themselves. About seven pounds of fish scales will yield one jioiind of the genuine moist jiearl essence, and to furnish 'these would re quire 20,0110 fish. Whitebait are now said to furnish better scales for the "essence" than the bleak do. The scales of the roach and dace are also said to be good for inferior artificials. At one time there was a large trade iu the commodity of artificial pearls, when necklaces were greatly worn in Eng land, and fish scales were in such de mand that from one to five guineas a quart were paid for them. The strong clear scales of the corviuo fish the Spurns chitruia are excellent for the purHise indicated. So are the golden scales of the kingfish, the rullqtrra, and the large ones of the pirarueu fish of Brazil. A New Tratle for Women. Tn the course of the day, more from curiosity than anything else, I lictook myself to the rooms of the manicure, between the hours indicated on her business card for her reception of cli ents at home. To my surprise I found the place crowded, not only with la dies, but with gentlemen, patiently awaiting their turn for the favor of a sitting with the manicure. The dress and bearing of all present indicated their position, and in almost every case it was one of importance. Grave sena tors, y ung scions of nobility, numerous stately gentlemen decorated with the cross of the Legion of Honor, tastefully attired ladies with children attended by servants, two or three pretty Amer can girls, sat around the room and 'lanced over liooks and newspajiers to relieve the tedium of waiting. The manicure's ojieratious were performed in the same room, and under her skill ful scissoring and rubbing we saw hand after hand depart in a much more beau tiful condition than when it was brought there. After a tedious waiting my turn at length came, and I seated myself by the manicure's little table, upon which were scattered the tools of her trade. These were scissors and knives of a shape specially devised for the trim ming of the nails, files, nail-cleaners, a small basin of rose-water w ith a piece of soap near it, a tiny towel of linen cambric, a bit of lemon, and various polishing powders and sweet smelling unguents in the form of ruby-colored pomades. The first step in her proceed ings was to wash off the finger-tips carefully, then to dry them, after assur ing herself that there w ere no ink sjaits or other stain ujion them. Then she dipped and trimmed the nails into the approved filliert shape, neither too short nor too long, nor tw pointed nor too broad ; the "half moons" at the base ol the nails were gently brought into clear light; all "hangnails" were amputa ted; and after this she rubbed a coral colored iiomade of a delicious odor uhii the nails and the upper part of the fin gers. After allowing this to remain a Tittle w hile she w iped it off again, and scattered ujion the uails a golden brown ish powder, which she vigorously rubbed w ith the whole length of her Iiowerful forefinger, occasionally aided by the palm. More pomade, more pow der, more rubbing, and then the nails were show u with that beautiful gleam upon them, that pearly pinkness, seen in the iuterior of some delicate sea shells. As the pedicure had said, 'the manicure's manipulations greatly "ad vantage" pretty hand, but even lit a greater degree advantiged an ugly one. The manicure, like the pedicure, charged forty sous for a sitting, that is. at her own rooms. When she did the visiting her price w as a dollar. That she found her business lucrative was sufficiently iudicated By her handsome rooms, and her prosperous appearance. She was almost as much a fine lady in respect to clothes, as some of her custo mers. She was very iiuleiieiident, too; for when a certain new-comer arrived and stood at the door-sill looking about jat the waitiug crowd, she said to him : "Ah, Monsieur the Count, impossible to tike you liefore any one else. Old 'friendship count for much yes; but in business one must be just to all. To morrow must suffice for you." "That cannot be," he answered. "I ain going into the country this evening on a visit." "I am desolated," replied the com passionate manicure, rubbing away with great cheerfulness of manner on the finger nail of one of the pretty American girls; "but what will you have?" she concluded, taking time to give him a shrug. To a very astoni-hingly and magnificently-dressed lady w ho swept in, fol lowed by a little page in boots and but tons, she spoke so rudely that we con cluded the social status of the new arrival was not quite so real as her profusion of rich laces. "Ta! ta! ti!" she exclaimed, s-tu-lantly ; "always late. Your ride in the Bois first, the manicure after. Think you that it docs not want to eat, a mani cure? I cannot do your hands to-night. The present comiiany finished, I dine. Not a finger nail for me more to-night." "I am going to a fine dinner-iarty," pleaded the suppliant. "Oh, then, if vou have really absolute need " And some of us giggled among our selves at the idea of any one lieing iu "absolute need" of having her nails rubbed. "Imperative!" cried the lady. How they settled it I did not wait to see. But it has often struck me since my visit to the Paris pedicure and mau-it-iire that a lucrative business might be done at any rate in the "little surgery of the feet" by some steady-handed women in our large American cities, esjiecially if they had first gained a practical kuow ledge of the subject by early and long-continued practice in the nursery. On Tailor. "Coatl" said Kusseltnn, with an appearance of the most nuire surprise, and taking hold of the collar sus piciously by the linger and thumb. Coat, Sir Willoughby ! yi cull this thing a enil.'" A much abused class of people are tailors. They are ordinarily supposed to need less endowment than other men ;the ninth part of a man I think they call them), but I believe they need more. Poetry is a lesser art iu my esteem. Any man or woman may stitch they make a "cover-me-decently." The world goes clothed tow n and country though there are but few tailors, conijiaratively speaking. No true tailor makes a coat for a man liefore he sees him walk. The w ay you move is everything. If you have a crab's gait, sidew ay's. the hitch must be counteracted. If you are a meek man and carry your head low, the col lar must be set back to remedy the de fect. If your passions are violent, a tight sleeve or a close fit at the shoulder is imiMilitic. If your neck is too long or too short, your body is crooked or your bust fiat, or if you are a vain man and swell at the lower button, it must lie allowed tor in your coat. It is the tailors business to make you perfect or seem so, which is quite the same thing. Next to the human foim divine, the most beautiful thing in nature is a er fect coat. It is like a perfeet style it Ii-oks as if it was the easiest thing in the world. The collar lies loose and yet neatly to the shoulders. The back, buttoned or unbuttoned, fits nicely and under all motions to the figure. The skirts hang grai-efully and inde pendently of the bark, arallel aud slender. The sleeves work fitly w ith the arm and the brea-ts lie flat and yet amply on the chest, and the wearer ha that look iu it that a sjiectator would snpjiose it grew to him that it w as a part and evidence of his fair pro ortiotis and the skill of the artist. There are a few artists who have acquired immortality in the cut of pan taloons; but a man must grow gray in practice before he acquires even the theoretical principles of that article. Fault-finders should go through the cities and look at the popular tailors, and if there is one w ho can cut but a fragment of a coat well, w ho has not a fine head phrenologically then I'll cease to extol them. The headsof your quack tailors are as fiat liehind as the white sides of a melon. They are all face; any one can see they are sim pletons at once. Your talented artist, oil the contrary, has the head of a scholar a line lilt behind, a good eye, broad forehead and strong mouth. He looks like a mathematician large over the eyes, high check bones and promi nent organs. Men might just as well try to live without a baker, as a tailor they are indisieusaMc. Another thing in which, I believe, a good many will agree with me is, that the laugh generally comes iu on the other band the tailor plies his needle and stands all the ridicule Iic-ihm1 on his profession, at the same time grow ing rich, and iu this I think he shows not only his artistic ski II, but his phil osophical and good sound common sense as i mn. Vrtruit Frrr Pres. Little Thought ami Kig Ih Simple and unpretending ignorance is always respectable, and sometimes charming; but there is little that more deserves contempt than the pretense of ignorance to knowledge. The curse and the peril of the language in this day, and particularly In this country, is tiiat it is at the mercy of men who, instead of being content to use it well according to their honest ignorance, use it ill according to their affected knowl edge; who, being vulgar, would seem elegant: who, beingeuipty, would seem full; who make up in pretense what they lack in reality; and www ntue thoughts, let off in enormous phrases, sound like fire-crackers in an empty barrel. Richard Grant White. Is there a fool in all the world that cannot criticise ? Those w ho can them selves do good service are as but one to a thousand compared to those who can see faults in the labor of others. The Hygiene of the Eye. The following hygienic rules are condensed from eminent Frwneh aud Eugli-h authorities: For the worker the light should corneas much as s sible from the left side, that is to sav. from the side towards which one turns in working. Daylight is the best ; but direct sunlight and that reflected from mirrors should be avoided. The astiect should lie northern, and the li ght should come a little from aliove. White walls should lie avoided; highly var uished tibles, and. in workhos, shin ing articles like silk, should be protected from the sun's rays. Artificial light is always bud, on aci ount of the heat and the exhalation of carlionic acid. The best is that of lain fed w ith vegetable oil iiiiucli used in France, but seldom in this country) and furnished with a glass shade. Gas is bad, because of its heat, brilliancy and utobilitv; the lisrht of mineral oils is to hot; that of candles iiisullieieut and flickering. The eve of the workman should avoid the light coming to him directly or diffused through the room. Working im mediately after meals is objectionable: also uninterrupted use of the eyes for long periods of time, flue should write on an inclined plane, and not keep the head bent down more than is ahsolutely neeessary. Heading in lied is bad every way. Some good authorities commend washing the eyes w ith cold water, but the majority of the best ophthalmolo gists advice the Use of hot water for the less serious affections of the eye. For tired eyes, we believe, from our own exjMTience, that water as hot as can In- borne is refreshing and tieneficial. If the eyes are fatigued by bad artificial illumination, blue or slightly smoked glasses will be Useful, ami in order to avoid the Literal ravs thev should ! large aud round. If the irritation of the eyes persists, all work must le abandoned, and an examination made to see if there is any disturbance ol" refraction, of power of accommodation or of the mobility of the eyes. Pres byopia, or so called "far-sightedness," sujierveiies earlier w ith those w ho are constantly at work than with other individuals, and as soon ar it does con vex glasses should be at once resorted to, without w hich the luu-cle of accom modation would be fatigued to no pur pose. At first they should lie used for working in the evening, after the fatigue of the day ; but a long-sighted ersou should only use iectacles for looking at near objects, not at far ones. Work requiring close application favors the development of myopia, or "near sightedness," precisely iu proMrtioii as the conditions of illumination are bad. If the action of those caits.es con tinues, the myopia w ill increase until vision is lost. A slight degree of my opia may lie favorable to close work, hut, as a general rule, work requiring close application, by the derangement of circulation that it inevitably induces in the eye, is much more injurious to the myopic, and is the great cause ol the development of myopia and its com plications. Young people should lie examined, and if they are myopic, hin dered from undertaking tedious studies and all professions ilcinauiling close application of the eye. J;nruil of t.'lfitt itrij. A Sparrow's 1'ower of Reasoning. A curious story, illustrative of the intelligence and reasoning power, and ierb:ips of the characteristic rascality also, of the little twittering miscalled "English sparrows," now so common in all our principal towns and cities, is related by a friend, who had it from the w itness himself w ho saw the occur rence. The gentleman, who resides in New York, had erected, last spring, iu his back yard, a large box for sparrow -" nests. It was divided into three row s, each containing four compartment-. These were all sieedily taken posse sion of by a doen pairs of sparrow s, and the business of making nests pro ceeded amidst the ctistoiuery chirruping of these fussy aud pugnacious feathered colonists. Sitting idly at the win. low one Sunday, watching the birds, the gentleman saw one cock-sparrow come living to his place with a fine, soft whitu feather iu his bill. The box was so placed that he could see into the apartments, and he saw this bird fix the feather into an incomplete nest, and then fly away. No sooucr was he out of sight then a female sparrow from the adjoining apartment, who had evidently seen that proceeding, hopped into her neighbor's hou-eand pulled out and carried off the coveted feather. Becoming in terested, the observer watched the jier formance, expecting to see the little thief carry her stolen prize to her own' nest ; but here is where she displayed an undeniable reasoning process, and acted on a clear perception of cause and effect, making a prudent use of her knowledge of the character and dis position of her plundered neigiilior She flew off w ith the feather toaneigh boring tree, w here she securely fastened it in an inconspicuous place between two twigs, and there left it. Pretty soon the bird she had defrauded came hack with a straw to add to his nest. Discovering his loss, he came out w ith an angry chirruping that boded no good to the despoiler of his hearth and home, if he could only find the rogue. His first demonstration was to visit his next-dior neighbor, without any search-warrant. In that abodeof iece and innocence he found no trace of the stolen feather; and as for the actually guilty party, she was hopping inno cently aliout, and loudly demanding as far as bird tones could lie understood by the man at the window w hat was meant by this ungeiitlemanly and very impolite intrusion into a lady's bed chamber, and insisting that she was no such kind of a woman. The cm k-siar-row was evidently puzzled. The thief demurely waited till he hail got well off, and then flew to the tree, secured the stolen feather, and took it in tri umph to her own nest. Hrtfril TiW. Tb ruling colors In croquet Bl. ck and blue. r: aSOS" 'V - a.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers