r B. F. SCHWEIER, THE OOSSTITUIIOH-THE UKOI-AID THE EjjPOEOEMEIT OF THE LA'tfS. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. XXXII. MIFFJJNTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1878. NO. 4. i .-4 i J AS DfDEPESDEST FAK1KIL Let siilors sing of the mighty deep. Let soldiers prai-s their armor, Bat in my bean tin tout I'll keep The independent farmer. When first the rose in rote of ireeu Unfolds its rnmson lining. Around his cottage poich is seen The hootjsnckle clitubing ; VThen backs of bloom theirs wet tness yield To bees that gather honev. He drives his team across U.e field, Wheu skies are aoft and sonny. The blackbird cln ks behind the plow. The quad pipes loud and clearly. Ton orchard hides behind its boughs The home he loves so dearly ; Tne gray and old barn door tin 'old. His anipls store in measure, -More nch than heaps of hoarded cold, A b eeeed precious treasure ; While yonder in the porch there stands Bis wife, the lovely charmer. The sweetest ruse on all his lands Tbs independent farmer. To him the spring comes dancingly. To him the summer blushes. The autumn smiles) with yellow lay, H a sleep oli winter hushes. He cares not how tbs world may move. Ko doubts and fears confound him. His little flock is linked in love. And household angels 'round him. He trusis to God and loves his wife. No grief or 111 may harm her. " He's nature's nobleman in life The independent farmer. Mr. Dayton's Housekeeper. "Wanted. A housekeeper. Xo one f tut an elderly person, comitetent, and of the highest respectability, need ap plv. Call between the hours of three and four, Thursday, April sixth, at Xo. Michigan Avenue." Kate Franklin read this in the paper which lay on the counter in the little grocery while waiting to have an ounce or two of tea done up. and a roll of baker's bread. She reiieated the number of the house over to herself, as she received the change from the grocer. She prepared the tea after she re turned to the little b:ire attic, and ate her scanty meal mechanically. She forgot how unsatisfied her apotite still was, in her busy thought. A stranger In a strange place, succes sively she had tried to find a situation as teacher, copyist, in a store, or sewing. She had failed in the first three, and was starving on the last. She would apply for that place, but she would need references. Only one person she knew in the whole great city, of sufficient influence Mrs. Dav enport, the rich, haughty stepsister, who had ill-treated her gentle mother while she lived, and had hated Kate herself. Perhaps, Kate thought, she would permit her to refer to her, because glad to have her descend to menial employ- ment. Kate was competent for the situation, for during her mother's long illness, and her father's absence, she had en tire charge of their large family and splendid house. Hut an "elderly woman." Xow Kate was not an elderly woman, being only twenty; but she remembered, with a sort of pleasure, that in private theat ricals in happier days, she had Imitated the voice, and assumed the character of an old woman with great success She knew how to stain the skin to give an old and wrinkled appearance, and she had, in the bottom of a box, some false grey hair and a muslin cap worn on one ol these occasions. She did not need to look so very old only to pre sent a mature and matronly appear ance. Mr. Edward Dayton waited at home after his dinner to see the respondents to his advertisement. He was a hand some man, not yet thirty, with a gay frank, good-natured countenance. He leaned back in a nonchalant way, w ith his feet on another chair. "There ought to be a 31 rs. Dsyton to manage these housekeeping matters. Well, there's time enough." Two applicants were seen and dis missed in Mr. Dayton's gentlemanly manner. A third was ushered in. M r. Dayton instinctively laid aside his segar, and placed a chair for his visitor. The lady-likeness and propriety of her manner pleased him at once. "Fal len fortunes," hecommented to himself. She answered his questions readily, but in a few words. "A silent woman a good thing," was his inward remark. "I think you will suit me. Mrs. w hat may I understand your name?" "Franklin." "Mrs. Franklin you will be required to go out of town" about seven miles, to my country house, Oak Grove in the town of Kmbury, on the Grand Central Railroad. The salary 1 pro jose to pay is six hundred dollars per annum. Do my terms suit you ?" She answered quietly that they did. "Then it is all settled. By the way, I suppose you have references, though that is a mere matter of form." The name of Davenport was given. "Davenport? ' Roltert Davenport? I. know them. All right. If conven ient, you will please go to-morrow, Mrs. Franklin, or the next day. I shall not come till the middle of next week, and probably bring a friend or two with me. Have the chambers in the center aud wings prepared, if you please. The housekeeper there now will not leave nntil Saturday. She w ill how you round." "Is Mrs. , your w ife there, or to go soon?" He laughed. "Mrs. Edward Dayton? Xo, she is not there, and I do not know of her m going at present." Adding more seri ously, "I have not the pleasure, Mrs. Franklin, of haviug a wife;" with a slight 6tres on "pleasure." A vivid color came into the brown heek of the housekeeper, and her man ner showed evident embarrassment. "I thought I believe I cannot" and stopped. He did not notice it. His mind had already turned to other things. He rose. "It's all settled, I believe, By tha way," his aye falling on the rusty black dress, "you may like an advance, as an evidence of the bargain. It is quite customary, I believe, to do so." The housekeeper's hand closed ou the fifty dollars that he gave her; and the words she would have said, were left unuttered. She moved to the door. He opened it for her courteously. ."Good morning, madam." "Good morning," she replied. "I cannot starve. I must go. I can keep tip my disguise," she murmured. Mr. Dayton, accompanied by a friend, arrived at his country house the middle of the ensuing week. Everything within and about the house was in per fect order. If the new housekeejier had made a few mistakes at first, they were soon rectified. Every room that she had touched showed a magical change. Her predecessor had been one of the kind who believed in the sunlight never entering a room for fear of fading the carpets. Mr. Dayton felt the change without knowing the reason of it. He looked around him with a satisfied air. It was not possible to find fault with the variety and quality of the food placed before them, nor the manner of its being served ; aud the table appoint ment were perfect ; and Dayton con gratulated himself upon having secured such a jewel of a housekeeper. The weeks assed. and a holiday came. Mr. lhiytou had gone to towu the day previous, to remain the rest of the week. The housekeecr had given permission to the servants to go also. She felt a welcome relief to have the house and day to herself. She locked the doors carefully after the last ser vant. She would make the most of her day. She would have no dinner, only a lunch. She had almost forgotten her real chajacter in that which she had assumed; but to-day she could be her self without fear of intrnsion or dis covery. She laid aside her cap and grey dresses, washed the stain from her skin, and arranged her luxurious hair in becoming curls ami donned a pretty, fresh muslin, which fitted well the slight graceful figure. This done, she entered the parlor and stood before the mirror, as attractive a figure as one would often see. "Truly, I have forgotten my own looks ! I am Kate Franklin, after all !" she laughed. Removed from the long restraint, her spirits rebounded. She felt gay, light-hearted, and like committing any foolishness. "Miss Franklin," she said, in the mincing, affecting tones of an exquisite, "it would be inexpressible pleasure to hear the music of that long silent voice. "It would be a great pity te- deprive yon of it then," she answered in her natural voice, "and myself also," she added ; and going to the piano she ojiened it and played a few pieces w ith exquisite taste aud skill, aud then she sang song after song, in a sweet, clear, cultivated voice. She chose at first the brilliant and triumphant, then the sad and plaintive succeeded. There were tears in her eyes w hen she rose. But to-day her moods were capricious. "Mrs. Franklin, who is playing on the piano?" she asked in an excellent imitation of Mr. Day ton's voice. "It is only I, sir, dusting the keys. They need dusting so often," she re plied, in Mrs. Franklin's mature tones; aud she dusted them vigorously with her pocket-handkerchief. "Ah, me," she said. "Xow what other foolish thing shall I do to prove to myself that I am not an elderly housekeeper, but a young girl, who, by vir.tue of her age, should be gay, by right of birth, wealthy, and of consid eration, visited and visiting, as Mr. Dayton's lady visits and is visited. He is i.ul.le. good, and handsome," she said with a sigh. "She will be happy. How gracefully she danced here at the party the other evening, when the old house keeper was permitted to look on. She looks good and amiable too. Mr. Day ton danced w ith her three times. I wonder if I have forgotten how to dance?" and humming an air, she floated gracefully altout the room. She stopped breathless, her cheeks brilliant from the exercise,her splendid hair disarranged. "I believe I feel like stiff, old Mrs. Franklin, with whom dancing doesn't agree. "One more song by that heavenly voice, Miss Franklin, ami I shall go away dreaming I . have heard angels sing," in the ludicrously aflVeteJ voice she had before imitated. "Ah," she laughed, yet half sadly, "the compliment oor old housekeeper Franklin receives, I hope won't quite spoil her, and turn her silly old head." She aat down again at the piano, and sang "Home, Sweet Home," then played one of Beethoven's grandest, and solemn pieces. She arose and closed the piano. "The carnival is ended. Kate Frank lin disappears from the scene, and Madame Franklin enters." ' Neither Mr. Dayton nor the servants would have suspected, from the placid and dignified deKrtment of the house keeper when they returned at evening, f what strange freak she had been guilty. ' - The housekeeper, as usual, when Mr. I lay ton was alone, sat at the table. It had commenced to rain violently, aud the weather had grown suddenly cold. Mr. Dayton, as he had done occasion ally, invited her to the libnry, w here a cheerful fire burned in the grate. He read the letters and papers which he had brought with him from town, while she knitted. An hour or more passed in silence; indeed, the housekeeper seldom spoke except when asked a question. At length Mr. Dayton looked up at her and said abruptly : , ... "Tours must be a lonely life, madam. If it is not a painful subject, may I ask how long since you lost yoiirhusband ?', Two hands suspended their employ ment, two eyes looked up at him with an alarmed expression. In his serious. sympathetic counteuance there was nothing to frighten or embarrass, but the red grew deeper on her brown cheek. "It is a painful subject," she said at last, faltering. "If you will please excuse me." One morning he was speaking of the great loss to children in being deprived of their parents. "I never knew a mother," he said. "She died before my earliest recollec tion. I believe that, mar. as I am, if I had a mother, I should go to her with all my griefs, as a little child would. 1 have sometimes thought of asking you to act as mother iu the quiet eve nings, when I have longed to confide in some one. My mother would have been about your age, 1 think." Again there was a vivid color in the cheek of thej housekeeper, such as is rarely seen iu the aged, but it is accompanied by a quiver of the mouth, and ends in a cough, but both month and cheek were quickly covered with a handkerchief, and quite a violent fit of coughing succeeded. Mr. Iayton, however, did not seem to notice, though he had given her one curious glance, instantly withdrawn, aud he continued : "For instance, respecting matrimony, whose advice of so much value as a mother's? Who so quick to see through character, ami make a good selection? Had you a son, whom about here would you select for a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Franklin?" "I am not acquainted w ith any of the young ladies, Mr. Dayton," she answered, faintly, after a pause, during which he seemed to wait for an an swer. "True, but you have seen them all, aud are, I should judge, a good dis cerner of character, from observation. Whom would you select from those you have seen?" he persisted. She reddened and paled. "I have heard the Misses Graudison highly sjMiken of Their appearance would seem to prove the truth. I doubt not that you agree with me," she re turned quietly. It was now his turn to color, w hich he did slightly. 'I do agree with you," he answered, emphatically. It was late in September. Mr. Day ton and the housekceer were both iu the parsor. He had been unusually grave all day. It seemed to the house keeper that his manner was changed towards her. "I l-ave a few questions to ask, if you will permit me, Mrs. Franklin?" She felt instinctive alarm at his tone. "Certainly," with an effort. There was an ominous pause. "I have been told," he said, "that Miss Kate Franklin, a young lady, by disguising herself, palmed herself off upon me for several mouths as an elderly lady. Is there any truth iu the story?" looking searchingly at her. "Yes, it is true," she murmured, fal teringly. "I confess I fail to sec for what ob ject. My heart you could hardly ex pect to gain in that 'haracter." "Your heart!" she repeated scorn fully. "I had no such laudable ambi tion ; I hail never seen or heard of you till I saw your advertisement. Would you like to know for what purpose I took upon me a disguise so repugnant? Yon shall. To save myself from starv ation. Iliad eaten but one meal a day for a week when I applied to you, and was suffering with hunger then. My money was all goue, except a few pen nies, w ith which to buy a roll of bread for the next day's meal, aud I had no piospecU of more, for I had been re fuged further sewing. But why should you find fault?" her pride rising. "What matter if I were Miss or Mrs. Franklin, old or young, if I fulfilled the duties I undertook? Have I not taken good care of your house? Have I not made you comfortable? If I have not, deduct from this quarter's salary, which you paid this morning, what ever you like." "I have no fault to find, except for placing yourself and me in an awkward position, were this to becon.e known." Waves of color mounted to the poor housekeeper's temples. ''I thought I meant, that no one should know, least of all you besides I thought w hen I engaged to come, that you were married. Oh, what shall I do?". Jkud she burst into a passion of tears. Mr. Dayton's manner changed. "Kate! Kate! I did not mean to distress- you. Xobody knows but me nobody shall know." And he soothed her tenderly. "Kate, look up. I love you with my whole heart. I want you to be my little housekeeper my wife always Kate, what do you say ?7 taking her in his arms and laying his cheek against hers. "My own Kate, is it not?" She murmured something between her sobs, that she must go away this minute. "Xonsense, darling! Haven't you been here for months? What differ ence can a day louger make You are safe w ith me, Kate. Oh, because I know you are Miss Franklin, will you give me the Inexpressible pleasure from that long silent voice? Oh, Kate, you bewitched me that day! I am afraid you will bewitch me always. But, Kate, let's take off these trap pings," untying her cap, and remov ing the grey hair, and with this action down fell the wealth of brown tresses. "Oh, Mr. Dayton, you were not surely you were not home that day?" looking up covered with confusion. eV'Yes, Mr. Dayton was in the 11 brary." with an accent on his name which Kate understood. "O, Edward ! and you teased me with all those foolish questions when you knew." ' "Yes, my Kate, why not?" "But you looked so innocent." He laughed. "I shall soon, I hope, have somebody, if not a mother, to confide in; aud Kate, it is my duty and pleasure to give you a husband, so that in future you can answer without so much pain, when he is inquired after. "You are too generous." "I can afford to be generous," he said earnestly, "when 1 have the pre cious gift of your love. Kate blessed forever be the day that I first engaged my housekeeer." A SUmofe Hturv. One of the strange circumstances of life, more like fiction thau truth, came to our notice recently. It seems that several years ago a family of Ger man people, consisting of a father, mother and two children, lived In Xew York, where the wife and mother sick ened and died, leaving the man with but little money, and the two children to care lor. The father had two sisters In that city, who, like himself, wero strangers in a strange lmd, and to each be gave a child. The children, separa ted from their father and mother, aud from each other, fretted themselves sick, and it was thought best to place them in one of the various orphan asylums in that great city where they could be together. Here they seemed to thrive, and the father by his labor as able to support them iu a style that guaranteed them a home and comfort for the time being. This w as nine or ten years ago, a d the children at this time were about seven and nine years of age. The father wandered out West in hoies ol bettering his condition, and finally found himself in St. Louis, where soon after his arrival, he was prostrated with the typhoid fever, fiom which he only recovered to take the smallpox. He was a long time in recovering, and found himself without money for his own support, and in the long time in tervening no money had been sent for the support of the children, and the managers sent them with hundreds of others to Missouri ami elsewhere in t'.e West, finding lituies for them wherever they could in the best families. Atter his recovery and when money matters, were better with him, he wrotein regard to his children, but could get no word from them. As soon as possible he made his way back to Xew York, but was refused information as to where his children could be found. After searching the city in vain he started out West again, and finally found him self in LnuUiaiia, where he undertook farming, but was drowned out, his partner losing his life. He sold hie farm for $.t,000 and with the proceeds returned to New York. This time he tried the potency of gold, and by the offer of $5 JO to the manager he learned (hat the children had been sent out IV eat to Ottawa, Iowa, where they had found homes with a man by the name of J. W. Carpenter, This place he visited, but u ithout avail, and despair ing of ever 6eeing his children again, he ent to St. Louis. In that city he was relating .his life history to some of his German friends, when one of tlx m suggested the idea that as the names were somew hat simi lar Otiumwa, Iowa, was meant. He immediately vrote to J. W. Carpenter, Ottawa. Iowa, and also to the s&nie gen tleman, Ottumwa, Iowa. In due time the mail brought him the good news that his children there here and in good health. As may be exected he was not long on the way, and a day or two ago arrived in that city, where he found his children, i early grown, occupying a good home with Mr. and Mrs. Carpen ter, to wbom they have become greatly endeared. Such Is the story he tells himself. The children will remain with their foster parents, while Mr. Miller will probably make his home In th atpart of the country. A Sleeving-Car Episode. Only a few nights ago an accident oc curred on the Xorthwestern road In which a sleeping coach was turned ovar on its side. As the car went over, a ladv iu a berth on the other side was hurled out and landed iu the berth of a gentleman whose weight was about 230 pounds. She was sound asleep at the time of the accident and so was he. Both awoke, startled at the turning of the car, aud scarcely knowing whether they would be hurried into eternity or not. The clothing had fallen out of the lady's berth and was almost suffocating the gentleman. She , heard his deep breathing for a moment; then it sud denly ceased, and the horrible thought passed . through her mind that he had beeu smothered to death. He recovered himself, how ever, to find that his nose was flattened against the cold glass window. Xot knowing what manner of person had fallen upon him, he held the lady up off his head, and at this juncture, when the conducter asked If any one was hurt, he cried out breath lessly: "Xobody's hurt, but I wish you'd come and take this fellow off my head." The lady attempted to move, but found she could not. Lights were soon procured aud both passengers were relieved of their awkw ard dilemma. Hut IHsappointed. A mite ot a boy, jtoorly dressed and barefooted, was wandering around the Central recently, in a chilly, hungry way. A pompous citizen, w ell dressed and carrying a big cane, caught a sight of the boy and loudly cried out : "Here, you come here!" The boy approached, and the citizen demanded : "Where are your shoes, sir?" "Hain't got none." "Aru't your feet cold ?" "Y'es, sir." "If I give you a nickle what would you do with it?" "What was left after getting my shoes out of It I'd Invest in wind" de murely replied the boy. ' He didn't get any to invest, but he was not disappointed. He never knew one of that style of men to give any thing unless a reporter was on hand to make a note of it. There are falsehoods that represent truth so well that it would be Judging ill not to be deceived by them. Jtuckt-oucauld. A Bnsslaa Story. A rather sensational story comes from Russia. The greatest poet of the empire of the Czars (and there is a good deal of poetry both in Russian life and Russian literature), was a man of the name of Poushkiue. His wife was not very faithful to him, and one evening. while a Frenchman by the name ef Dantcz, whom he suspected, was at his house, he put out the lamp, as if by ac cideut, and kissed his w ife, asking her pardon for the mishap. Taking advan tage of the darkness, he had quickly blackened his lips with charcoal before kissing her, and then went out of the room to light it again. When he came Dautez had his lips all black. The next morning a duel took place, in which the poet was killed. Dantez was banished from Russia, while the widow after a few years' reieutance, married the son of the Minister, Count Lanskoy, oy whom she had a daughter. ' This daughter married a General Warning, who recently shot himself in conse quence of a verdict of guilty returned in a criminal suit brought against him by the w ife of a money-lender of the name of Sanftlcbeu. It appears that the General had borrowed large sums of money from the Jew ish capitalist at the high rate of 200 er cent, per an num. In consequence of these business transactions au intimate friendship sprang up between the creditor and the debtor, and the former appointed the latter executor of his w ill. At Sanft lehen's death. General Hartuug took possession of all his papers, and de stroyed all the bills bearing his own signature. When it became know n to the deceased's widow, she brought an action against him. Count Lanskoy, the General's father-in-law, was also indicled, but the jury acquitted him, returning a verdict of guilty against the General, who blew his brains out in the very court-room as soon as the verdict was returned, and before the Judge had time to pronounce sentence. An Irish Itonutnre. Mr. Alexander Sullivan relates iu l.is sketches of ' Xew Ireland" an interest ing romance connected with the mar riage of Kevin O'Doherty, one of the prominent members of the branch of the Repeal party called "Young Ire land." O'Doherty was at the time of the outbreak in 184t", a young medical stu lent iu Dublin. He was an active contributor to the .Viifin, the organ of the Repealers, In which the principles of the party were most openly and earnestly promulgated. Among the women who furuisiied verses for the seditious sheet was a Miss Eva Mary Kelly, the young daughter of a County Galway gentleman. O'Doherty was first attracted by the verses of the young poet jss, and soon w as attracted by her self. Tha love of the two sjed smooth ly until O'Doherty was arrested among others, as a conspirator against the British Government. When his case was brought to trial, the jury twice disagreed, and liefore his third arraign ment lie was offered a virtual pardon a merely nominal sentence it he would piead guilty. The young lover sent for his sweet heart to visit liiiu in prison, aud inform ed her of the proposition. " It may seem as if I did not feel the certainty of lierhaps loosing you forever," said he " but I don't like this idea of pleading guilty. Say, what shall 1 do?" " Do" answered the noble-hearted girl: "why be a man, and face the worst. 111 wait lor you however long the sentence may be," ' Next day," writes Mr. Sullivan, fortune deserted Kevi't. The jury found him guilty. The Judge assigned him teu years transportation. ' Eva' was allowed to see hiui once more in the cell to say adieu. She whispered iu his ear 'be you faithful, I'll wait.' And she did. Years fled by, and the young exile was at length allowed to tread Irish soil. Two days after he lauded in Kingstown Eva was his bride. O'Doherty is to day a distinguished member of the (Queensland legislature. A California Wedding. A wedding In California, twenty-live years ago, is thus described by Jessie Bentou, Mrs. John C. Fremont. During the time I was iu Sail Jose I saw in perfection the good riding of the country. From my hammock, sw ung under the open gallery of the house where we were fortunate enough to have a room, I heard and saw the festivities of a California wedding. These lasted three days. It was a wed ding among the vaqueros, and attended, therefore, by good riders. The bride's house w as not much of a building, but extensive temporary shelter had been put up for dancing-rooms, covered over with green boughs a ramndn. But the point of rivalry among the guests was more in riding than in dancing, though after riding all day they would dance all night; and all day and all night that one air was rejieated by violins, guitars aud voices, until the drone of it got into the air, and made as much part of it as does the whirl of locusts in the autumn mouths. The first day the procession started for the church, where the marriage was to take place to go down and along the Alameda, a beauti ful double aveuue of willows, three miles in length, planted by the early fathers. The first day was to go to the church for the marriage ceremonies; the second, to take out the bride for a general pnirar through the town; and the third, a series of contests and rival ries in feats of horsemanship. There were about five hundred horses; the riders were more. In 'many cases they had w ith them a woman mounted on the horses; the woman sat on the man's saddle, while behind her, w ith his arm around her waist, ami holding the reins, sat the man just the reverse of our country habit. They advanced in regular order, eight abreast, the musi cians, also on horseback, playing their violins and guitars as calmly as though they had a floor under them. The bride sat alone on her horse, under an arch of flowers and ribbons, which was car ried by a groomsman on either side, the ends of the arch resting on their saddles, and on either side of them her bride-maids; the bridegroom, on an exceptionally flue horse, surrounded by his friends; and then the rest of the company, most of the men riding singly, but many riding as I have described, with a girl on the saddle a bright glit tering mass of ribbons, flowers, bright beads, gold-lace; the women in satin dresses and slippers, the men in the dress of the time in California,, w hich is exactly what we see in Spanish pic tures short velvet jackets, covered w ith braid and gold embroidery, the velvet trousers open over the full whita drawers, while a string of bells down the seam jingled even more than do the bangles of ladies in church. The starting-point was almost facing my place of observation. They would form in great order and quiet, the horses knowing the order of the pro ceedings evidently as well as their mas ters, aud the signal for starting was the exploding of fire-crackers by the hundred boxes undr the feet of the horses. What with the sparks and noise, it looksd as If the w hole thing had gone up like the end of a panto mime. It was a Kiut of honor to show which horse behaved best under these circum stances. The horses were trained in the way that has always been favorite with Spanish people, to make any number of dancing movements in imi tation of progress, while in reality they do not go forward at all. I think they are trained to this by having weights tied to their legs. Each one was a perfect horseman. Each man did not simply ride hishorse, hut was in the habit of living with it and upon it, and was consequently in perfect report. Each one of these put in force every art known to him to ex hibit the spirit and the beauties of his horse. As they passed down the one street of the tow n the correct thing was for people from the side to advance aud throw lire-crackers in mass under the horses feet; the firing of pistols was of course; no end of little shrill screams, laughter, voices in every varying into nation, couplets sung to the air which was being played, and taken up with shouts of laughter; the chorus by every one w ho took the local allusions. With all this the musicians played with as much sleadiiiess and animation as though seated on a platform instead of the saddle. The third day I feel myself incompe tent to describe. They had their fii-IJ-sports for that day on the large open green just by my perch iu the ham mocks. And here the evolutions in a small space the rush with which they would go, as though shot from a liow, across the plain ; the bringing up all standing, without auy slacking of the speed, leaving them motionless as an English horse-guard on duty; the con tinuous whirls in a small circle, wind ing nearer and nearer in tow ards the central point, until it seemed as though man and horse must fall from sheer dizziness; the mounting of a vicious, screaming young iiorse, w hich would spring like a cat into the air, w ith all its legs stiffened out and its back bowed, making one jump this way, another that, until it would seem as though every thing would dislocate iu its rider were a part of the exhibition which lerfeetly fascinated me. Walking. Of all the exercises that a man can take that of walking has justly held first rank. It is one of the most natural ami, w hen taken under proper condi tions, one of the most pleasurable. It puts iu action all the organs ami tends to produce healthy blood. The lungs become freshened with oxygen and the brain grows clear. All the muscles are exercised, that gentle degree of fatigue is brought on which makes rest desir able, aud if a pleasant companion shares the walk a very agreeable stimulus is given to the mind. But it is not every man who knows how to walk, nor every woman either, though Miss Von Hillern's successful accomplish meut of one hundred and fifty miles in fifty hours shows what women, properly trained ami witn strong natural pedes trian capabilities, can expect to do. You should not walk just after a meal or w ithout an end in view. If possible select a companion who enjoys pedes trianism and who is both intelligent and good natnred. Begin by walking only a little and extend your jaunts day after day. The thing will pay in the long run. Thousands of business men might enhance their healih aud prolong their lives by walking etch day to and from their places of business. German lalvrrsities. The (irrmim 1'nircrtity Annual states that there are 21 universities in the Em pire, with 20,22S student, of whom 2, .100 do not attend any lectures. Of the 17,720 others, more than a third follow the lectures on philosophy, which com prise the sciences as well as those on philosophy strictly so called. The fac ulty which has the smallest number of students is that of theology, the lectures on which are attended by onl 2,223. The Berlin University is the most fre quented, having 4,o!7 students, of whom nearly half, however, do not attend any lectures. Leipsie, on the other har.d, has more than 3,000 students in regu lar attendance. The Strasburg Uni versity is eleventh on the list, with 700 students, and Rostock is last, with only IU. The number of Professors paid by the German Empire is l,3n0,aud that of the prirat-dcntet 1,0.10. The German universities receive about $2,300,000 a year from the Imperial Budget, but this sum was largely exceeded in 1S75, w hen Strasburg was alone allotted nearly 1,000,000. The ot'..er German univer sities situated beyond the confines of the Empire are Basle, (Switzerland,) Dor pat, (Russia,) Vienna, Innsbruck, Prague and Czernowiu, (Austria,) so that altogether ther are 23 of them 'n Europe. Whe! a man haia house lot on which he cannot pay tne taxes, he has a site , too much. Horseiue-w of tb North. The horseman of Xinnipeg is thus described. Mounted on a little wiry ash-colored pony, he rides with that free swinging motion peculiar to the practised equestrian. And he is, per haps, one of the finest horsemen in the world. His long dark-blue capote, aud jaunty fur cap with pendent tassel, im part something of a military air to his appearance. He sits squarely upon a small pad of deerskin, and rides with a long stirrup. Every motion of the horse, guided more by the pressure of the knee than the bridle-rein, is antici pated and met intuitively by the rider. There is no halfway gait with this im pulsive horseman ; he goes either at a walk or a mad gallop, and seldom ex changes this method of locomotion save for a canoe, the snowshoe or a dog sledge. Common pedestrianism is to him a lost art. The fact that he could walk to his next door neighbor's house never seems to occur to him. His little lithe, sinewy ponies are faithful beyond description, yet a fine-looking one is seldom seen. They stand about the door-yards with a discouraged, heart broken air, and will take considerable pounding without much exhibition of life. Yet they endure privations and hanl-his better than their more deli cately nurtured brethern. True, if you ride them about the settlements, you are at first nearly pitched over every gate and fence you come to. When your pony catches sight of one of these he makes for it, and suddenly stands stock still, as a hint to you to dismount and tie hiui up an illustration of the gossiping habits of bis late owner. But out on the plains the daily distances compassed by these ponies without breaking down altogether under it seems scarcely creditable ; still less doe it apear possible 0on the food w hich they have to eat. Neither hay nor oats is given them nothing but the prairie grass, often dry as tinder, and eaten only during the frosty hours of the night. From forty to fifty miles a day, stopping only for one hour at midday, and going on again until late at night, is but average travel. Of course the stranger journeys on in constant fear less the game little limbs will grow weary and give out; but no, not a bit of it. An Indian pony does not die of hard travel. His shaggy coat roughens and his flanks grow a little thinner, but still he goes on as pluckily as ever. If very tired he sometimes lags behind until his companions have disappear-! behind some distant ridge in the prairie; then he begins to look anxiously around whinnying and trying to get along after his comrades, and suddeuly breaks into a w ild dash down the trail until he regains his fellow s far-away specks in the great waste before him. When the night camp is reached, the little animal is strip)ed, the throng of soft buffalo skin untied from his neck and twi-ted well about his forelegs as a hopple, and he jumps away into the darkness to find his night's provender. He feeds aud lodges himself and car ries his master; all tie eets in return is a water hole cut in the ice for him in w inter, and not always even that. Little Thing. Little villages are nearer to being atoms of shattered paradise than any thing we know of; and little fortunes bring the most content, and little hopes the leat disapjiointnients. Little words are the sweetest to hear; little charities fly furthest, and stay longest on the wing; little lakes are tha stillest, little hearts the fullest, and lit tle farms the best tilled. Little books are the most read, and little songs the most loved. And when nature would make anything esecially rare and beautiful, she makes it little; pearls, little diamonds, little dews. 'Everybody (-ays a writer,) calls that little that they love best on earth. We once heard a good sort of a man speak of his little wife, and we fancied that she must be a perfect little bijou of a wife. We saw her, and she weighed two hundred and ten pounds; we were surprised. But then it was no joke; the man meant It. He could put his w ife in his heart." The Man and Bear. A wrestling match between a man and a bear is thus noticed in a New York pajier : Then came the grand erforuiance. Eiuil Regnier, the protrean wrestler of the Western Hemisphere, the greatest Graco-Roman of them all, with on or two exceptions, was to engage in a ter rific wrestling combat with the re nowned wrestling bear, Leni, who was positively about to leave the Metropolis, being on the eve of beginning a starring tour through the Provinces. Leni, it is said, is the only bear, with one ex ception, that has ever ben taught the) astonishing feat of throwing his antago nist in true Roman style, three points to touch simultaneously, two shoulders and a hip, or two hips and a shoulder. Loaded dow n with these accomplish ments, Leni made his appearance. That is, he waddled on the stage, slightly aided by a long chain in his keeper's hands, and pawed a little at the big muzzle that covered his nose and mouth. The minute his feet touched the stage, he raised on his hind legs walked about the stage, ana threw his fore paws around like a boxer, facing his antagonist. As soon as the bear came iu and showed himself the place began somehow to loose the bloody gladiatorial look it had borne. It was prooably because the bear looked so tame and so kind, and so very, very much as if nothing but a good square meal was needed to put him to sleep. Mr. Regnier entered. The bear turned. They approached. They clutched. For full two miuutes they were locked in each other's deadly tmbrace. Then the Frenchman fell. Xot ou three points simultaneously, but on one point, with a thud, aud very simultaneously indeed. The bear stood over him, clawed him, squeezed him, and poked his nose about his shoulders as if he was eating the Frenchman's ears. His life seemed to hang by a thread. But just as the bear was about to make a Christmas tragedy, a flea or something attracted his attention in another direc tion, and Mr. Regnier sprang to his feet. For nearly half au hour they hugged each other, the bear continually trying to w the Frenchman's face, until, while both were stooping low, Regnier gave the bear a fair tumble, and was awarded the first fall. This decision, how ever, was not satisfactory to the bear, and he made a spring for his antagnni.-t, grasping hiui about the shoulders and giving him a hearty Christ-iias greeting. It was notice during the first round that the bear was trying to beat the wrestler at his own game, and was decidedly at a disadvan tage. He could not possibly know that he must put his antagonist down on three points at once, aud it is doubtful w hether he cared to throw him at all. His only movement was to grasp hiui with his fore paws and lean his weight on him. On the contrary, Regnier tried constantly to throw the bear, and the only real obstacle was the bear's weight about otind. The bear was ready in-tanti-r to begin the uext round, hut the Frenchman was out ol breath, and, during the time allowed for rest the two young geutlemeu with undeveloped calves settled their little ditlictilty. For a few minutes the air was full of revolving broomsticks and then somebody was pronounced the winner, but the name was undistin guishable. The second round between the bear and Regnier was so exact a counterpart of the first that even the bear fouud it a trille monotonous toward the end. Regniyr bore off the laurels and the bear was borne otr the stage to gnaw his Christmas bones. Hcd. It is curious to notice the habits of different nations in regard to beds. However dress, food, manners, cooking, political conditions, may vary iu other countries, the beds differ as notably as anything do. In Eastern nations the bed is often nothing but a carpet, ami is carried about and spread in any con venient spot, aud the tired native lies down in his clothes. I remember a child who used to be puzzled with those miracles of our Saviour, who, in restor ing an impotent man. directed him to take up his bed and w alk the child's idea of abed consisting in a four-pot bed.-tead, v ith its palliasse, mattrass, and feather-bed, besides blankets, sheets and pillows. But even in very cold countries the beds are very closely al lied to the Eastern carpet. In taking a furnished house in Russia, on inquiring for the servants bedrooms and beds, it conies out that the Russian servants are in the habit of lying anywhere in the passage, on the floors, on tne mats at the room-doors, or even on the carpets in the sitting room- generally as near as possible to the stoves in the winter season. But in Russia the bouses are kept so warm, by the system of stoves through the walls, that much bed-covering is no more required in winter than during the heats of summer. In Germany the construction of the beds gives one the impression that tne Ger mans do not know what it is to lie dow n. The bedstead is a short wooden case; there Is a mattrass extending from head to foot, but so formed that at the half way, the upper end is made to slope ut an angle of considerable elevation, and upon this are two enormous dow u pil lows, w hich reach lrom the head of the bed to half way down to the feet: consequently the occupant of the lied lies at an angle of at least forty-five de grees, and is nearly in a sitting position ail uight. In some parts of Germany there are no blankets; there is a sheet to lie on. and another over it. which is tacked to a quilt wadded with down: and this is the entire covering, w ith the exception of a sort of bed, a thick eider down quilt, but not quilted, w hich is placed on the top, and which, unless the sleeper is very quiet in his sleep, is usu ally found on the floor in the moruiug. In hot weather there is no medium: either a sheet is the only covering, or one of those over-warm eider-downs. As the traveler proceeds more and more northerly, the size of the beds seems to decrease, and the covering provided to be less adapted to the changes of the seasons. Curtains to beds are rarely or never met with in Germany or in Rus sia. While the bedsteads dwindle down to the smallest possible size in the north ern parts of Europe, in the parts of N'orth Italy near Count and Milan are found enormously large ones. Beds have been stuffed with feathers, wool, horsehair, what is called flock, w hich is an omnium gatherum of all sorts of production, shavings, hay, straw, and in the south of Europe w ith the soft and elastic dried leaves of maize ; dried seaweed has also been used, but, pleasant as it was when perfectly dry, the sea-salt abiding among it attracted the moisture in every direction, from the atmosphere, from the perspiration, Ac, and it became damp anil unpleas ant. In one of the seasons when hops were abundant in England it is related of a farmer that he sold the feathers from all the beds in his house, and re placed them w ith the hops. In another year or two, when the hops failed, and the price became very high, these satin; hops were disinterred from their beds, and fetched a considerable sum, far more than stiftieietit to replace the orig inal feathers. History does not say whether the farmer's family slept more soundly for the hop beds, or whetln r the hops thus preserved were found to have any peculiarly fine flavor when made into beer. There is no doubt that a vast number of people in health we say nothing of invalids lie too long in bed. It may also be said that they sleep too hot, as well as too long, to be likely to preserve health and live to a good old age. It has been long known that those who have far exceeded the ordinary length of human life, whatever their other habits may have been, have been early risers; also, that very old people who keep their health usually have slept with very little bed covering. Young children aud people w ith feeble circulations require more clothing than others, but only at first ; and Vhen once warmed, they would become too hot, their sleep would be broken or tin re freshed, unless some of the extra cloth ing was removed. i t f i t p.--:
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers