A.-
iSliSilM' Hiv
I t
B. F. SCIIWEIER,
THE C05STITUTI05 THE TJUI02T-ASD THE EJTTOBCIJlXJiT OP THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XXXII.
MIFFLIMWX, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1S7S.
NO. 2S.
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SPRI5G FEYIR.
I know where summer woods are green.
Where aummer shade is dark and deep.
Where f rondage forms a cooling screen.
Where wide-leaved lilies lie asleep,
Aud where the early blossoms blow ;
I know, I kuow, bat cannot go.
I know where laughing waters fall.
Where sapphire summer lakes are spread.
Where merry springs are musical,
AnJ brooks with fountains at the head,
And where the lordly rivers flow,
1 know, I know, but cannot go.
I know where birds delight to sing.
Where suirmls chatter at their play.
Where bees sweep by on busy wing.
Where fragrance tills the dying day.
And fireflies tparkle to and fro,
I know, I know, but cannot go.
I know where ocean airs are free.
Where salt waves daah u)on the beach, .
Where bright Bails glisten o'er the sea.
Where rock and sand strange lessons teach
llo k dark as death, saud white as uow,
I know, I kuow, but cannot go.
This wilderness of enow and brick
Kufolds me still from day to day ;
Mv soul is sad, my heart is sick.
And yet I cannot slip away
To pleasant places that I know,
I kuow, I know, but cannot go.
A Nest of Tigers.
In tlie year 1SU3 I was traveling in
the province of Bengal on business con
nected with a large cotton manufactur
ing house in Main best r. I was sent
as a judge of cotton, to buy up the best
that could be found, in order to supply
the demand arUing from the failure of
the American market.
lirown, Jones A Co., footed all my
lulls, ami 1 must say that 1 enjoyed my
trip.
I should have enjoyed it much more
but for the intense heat of the weather.
This caused me much distress in the
middle of the day, and at such times 1
have lieeii compiled to halt and repose
under the shade of the stately Intajan,
bv the lnmlcrs of some roadside tank.
.My bearers made no objections to
these halts, but, on the contrary, en
joyed them. I was travelling by JuH,
a it is termed in India, having relays
..I'lioarers to carry my palanquin from
village to village.
This method of journeying is one of
the uio-t luxurious in the world, as the
motion is so easy and gentle as to dis
;,s,. ne to sleep. All the comforts you
can need are carried in the palanquin.
The only improvement on it that I
know of is the Xile-boat, with its Insu
rious cabin; or a rich man's yacht.
I'.oth these are very esiieusive luxuries;
w iiereas .f.riri- traveling is as cheap as a
rail v.'ay.
After going iiImiiiI for some time on
the great cotton estates, and buying
many valuable crops for my employers
at favorable ore Jits, I legan to think of
returning homeward. I was stopping
at the time on the estate of Mr. ,
me of our best customers, a rich
Scotchman, who had immigrated to
India to start cotton-farming, and suc
ceeded well, like his countrymen all
the world over.
M r. insisted that I should stay
a week, now that our business was
done, and he would show me some
-port. Knowing that a week more or
less in my departure would make but
little difference, since my cotton was on
its road to Calcutta, I accepted his in
vitation, and passed a very pleasant
week, shooting the multifarious kinds
of game that thronged the neighboring
jungles.
lutsi.le the cotton fields lay a narrow
bolt of wood towards the south, separat
ing Mr. 's estate from the patches
of" rice, and the paddy fields of the
iieighlMiring "not. These fields stretched
for the next two hundred yards, and
were then lost in the thick jungle, the
home of wild hogs, pea-fowls, and
various other winged and four-footed
game. Hares and foxes were plenty,
and my host had two or three braces
of magnificent Fnglish greyhounds,
with which we enjoyed splendid sjwrt.
1 wis also shown the native Indian
sport of hawking, practiced with the
Indian peregrine falcon known as the
hithrr. ; where the great lead-colored
stork, the vra, with his crimson head
and neck, was chased down and killed
by a hawk half Lis size.
I shot numerous peacocks and black
breasted florikens, and went out hunt
ing the wild boars, or "pigsticking," as
it is now termed in India.
I had many risky adventures, out of
which I luckily came scot free, both
with hogs and snakes; but the climax
of all was one that I should stumble on
by accident one morning, and which
came near costing me my life.
I had started from the house about an
hour before daybreak to reach n certain
tank about live miles off, where I was
informed that game was very plentiful,
a- the tank was a regular watering
place.
Mr. 's chief rJkoH-arwe, or hunts-
man
, wont with me as a guide, and 1
warned to keen in the oien ground,
wa
and avoid the jungle, as the place was
very
tigerish."
and ardent as I was. It was
the chosen wish of my heart to ste a
tiger a filing I Wl not yet succeeded
in doing in the daytime. Thinking
that 1 should probably meet one coin
ing home from his nocturnal stroll if I
arrived early enough, I took my Henry
rifle along with me, resolved to bag
one ifKssible.
I had knocked overtooinany grizzlies
on the prairies to.be afraid of a sneak
ing tiger.
I was destined, as the sequel will
show, to have a surfeit of tigers; and if
it had not ln-en for the aid of my trusty
"rejieater," I should now be telling no
story.
Mohammed, the shikkaree, stole softly
along by my side in the gray dusk of
the moruing, bearing his long match
lock on his shoulder, and as noiseless as
a ghost, with his bare feet. A tultcar,
or curved sword, as keen as a razor.
nung ny his side, and be bore at his
back a bundle of whatdovou think?
by, skyrockets.
nai in tne world do you want
with these rockets, Mohammed ?"
asked I curiously. "Do you expect to
scare the beasts of the forest out of their
wits?"
"Sahib shall see," replied Moham
med, quietly. "Sahib tell Mohammed
take good care of Sahib, this morning.
He go very dangerous. Tiger much
angry if disturbed at sleep. Sahib get
eat up if no carry rocket !"
"Nonsense. Mohammed," I replied
"What in thunder is the use of those
things? They won't kill any one. And
here's old 'Sweet Sixteen' worth more
than all the bundle."
By "Sweet Sixteen" I meant my six-teen-shooting
Henry rifle, my compan
ion in several hunts. '
"Sahib shall see," replied Moham
med. "Maybe glad to have rocket near
by soon."
I ceased to argue with Mohammed,
and we proceeded iu silence along the
path. The east all aglow with the fer
vent blush that heralds the rising sun,
the dew was sparkling on every tree
and bush in the jungle, and myriads of
birds wore singing their moruiii melo
dies of praise to their Creator.
We walked briskly along the road
that wound through the jungle to the
lonely tank, and just as we arrived
there, up leaped the broad red sun,
pouring a blazeof gold on the surface of
the water.
'The tank was an Immense artificial
reservoir, built iu times past by some
pious prince to preserve the blessing of
abundant water iu that dry climate.
As we came near it was all alive with
water-fowls.
Ducks aud wild geese innumerable,
of various bright colors, swain to and
fro, gabbling loudly. Peacocks screamed
discordantly from the encircling jungle,
and monkeys aud parrots kept up their
harsh chorus.
At the further end of the tank,
nearly a quarter of a mile long, stood a
huge elephant, drinking peacefully,
while seyeral herds of deer and ante
lope stood near aud shared the enjoy
ment. I plainly saw that it was useless
to approach by the trout, and therefore,
motioning to Mohammed to follow me,
I plunged into the jungle, intending to
make a circuit aud intercept the ele
phant. lint I had miscalculated the dillicul
ties of t lie path. Ere long 1 had lost
the direction of the tank, hidden so
from view iu the thick jungle, and was
wandering I knew not where, among
copses of low bushes intersiK-rsed w ilh
taller treesand little open glades, where
the coarse yellow ri grass lay mat
ted all over ttie ground.
I toiled on for some time, thinking I
was parallel with the the tank, but
I could see no opening anywhere, aud
at last I turned around to inquire the
way of my follower. But Mohammed
had disappeared. Whether he was
scared at my temerity in venturing
alone into a tiger-haunted jungle, or
had failed to keep up wilii me on ac
count of his heavier load I could not
tell. All I knew was that I was alone,
and lost iu the jungle.
I began to fool a little nervous, but I
poo-hoohed the thought of danger, aud
would remember the direction to the
tank, I thought, and pushed toward it.
1 tried to calculate the distance of the
snn by this time from the east, and
started in the direction I thought the
tank ought to be. I stole cautiously
and quietly on. not daring to make
much noise on account of the snpiosed
vicinity of tigers, and began to flatter
myself I should reach the tank safely,
when I suddenly halted spellbound.
Right before me, within teu feet, lay
a huge royal tiger, as large as an ox,
fast asleep.
The old rascal had leen out all night, I
and was enjoying his morning nap,
curled up like an old tabby cat. He I
had not heard my footstejis, aud I
halted in dead silence. He lay right in
my path, and I could not pa.- him with
out waking him. I was afraid to lose
my direction, for fear 1 might wander
ad infinitum in the devious tangled
jungle. Still I could not pass oi with
out disturbing the tiger. I would have
tried a bullet, but, from the position in
which he lay, I should have probably
missed his brain or heart. 1 stepped
softly back to retreat, keeping my gaze
fixed on the tiger, when, as luck would
have it, my very first step brought me
on a dry stick, which snapped in two
with a loud noise.
In an instant the tiirer awoke.
Only partially, however, lie was
dazed with the light in his eyes, and
danced around with an inquiring stare.
No time was to be lost.
I was not twelve feet from the huge
brute, and well within his spring. I
sent "Sweet Sixteen" to my shoulder,
aud aimed right between the fierce,
green eyes, as the tiger half rolled up
on his side with his head raised. As I
pulled the trigger, the flash and smoke
obscured everything from my vision
for a moment, but I heard no sound;
and as the smoke cleared away, I be
held the striped monarch of the jungle
lying dead before me.
But I had scarcely time to note this,
when, horrors on horrors I up started
five tigers within a radius of twenty
or thirty feet, and stood staring at me
with apparent astonishment: They
could not have leon more astonished
than I was see them.
The striied coat of the tiger, bril
liant as it appears, is yet so well suited
to the color of the jungle, as to ke well
nigh invisible. Hence my ignoranceof
the proximity of the beasts.
My hair began to rise right up on my
head at the idea of my danger, as I
surveyed these five monsters, any one
of them being able to gobble me up at a
meal and want more. But I bad not
fought "Old Ephe" among the Kooky
Mountains to give up even among such
straits. "Sweet Sixteeu" had the lever
reversed and a new charge in the bar
rel before you could say "J k Robin-
on. ' I took a steady aim a. the tiger
immediately in front of me, and bowled
h.m over as dead as a door nail. His
companions started as they saw him
fall, and taking advantage of the pause.
1 dashed forward over his dead body
towards the tank.
My flight was the signal for pursuit
Scarcely had I cleared the dead tiger,
when four simultaneous roars of auger
greeted my ears, and I could hear the
crash of the falling bodies as all four
sprang for the spot I had just vacated
So eager were they that they fell one
against the other. But they were di
appointed in their leaps, and, like all
felines, looked ashamed, and hesitated
about taking another.
I saw that boldness was my only sal
vation. I was only six feet from the
foremost tiger, and pointing my gun at
his broad forehead, I had the satisfac
tion of seeing him bite the dust. What
I should have done with the other
three I cannot tell, for they were taken
off my bauds very unexpectedly. A
sudden hissing and sputtering arose
close by, aud a fiery-tailed monster
shot through the air into the midst of
the three tigers, blowing up with
loud report immediately between the
two rearmost.
You ought to have seen those creat-
u res get. The rocket took all the fight
out of them in a moment, scared them
almost to death. All three galloped
off, with their tails swelled out to three
times their natural size with terror
while I stood laughing unrestraiuedlv
at the ludicrous figure cut by my lately
formidable opjioueuts.
Mohainme J, the shikkaree, had proved
my salvation, lie had been hunting
for me when lie heard my first shot
close by, and hastened to the sjiot to be
of assistance if possible. He had just
arrived in the nick of time. His rockets
proved even more efficacious than my
bullets, and I learnt a lesson, not to go
too far into the jungle alone again, for
fear I might fall unawares into another
lest of tigers.
Some Obttervations on Good Breeding.
Gentlemen in the street car should
always put one leg upon, the other,
sticking the foot in the way of passen
ger, aud rub their clothes against it.
Gentlemen may be recognized by this.
It shows that regard for the rights and
comfort of others which is the princi
ple ot true politeness, and tne sign of
home breeding.
Gentlemen at the theatre, while the
orchestra is playing, should talk loud,
forcing their rasping voices (these gen
tlemen always have rasping voices) so
as to overcome the music. This makes
all in the vicinity comfortable, particu
larly those that have musical sensa
tions. And iu geueral what this style
of gentlemen have to say is far more
interesting to those thereabout than
any music.
Gentlemen who take young ladies to
a theatre, opera or concert, should en
tertain thein with talk while the per
formance is going on. Having paid a
dollar or two, they have a right to get
their money's worth. To suppose that
any play or mnsic can be as interesting
as their talk is prejiosterous. Love
making cannot stop for the rights of
audience; for the earth must lie peo
pled. Aud to the young woman these
are businessopportunities in husbandry
which she must not. neglect. Business
before pleasure is her motto.
Gentlemen should always spit. That
which distinguishes man from all other
beasts is that he spits. Spitting is al
ways in order. At the theatre, concert,
oera or lecture, the sound of its squir
ting and the spat of its fall on the floor
give a wholesome sensation to all
round. A person of a scientific turn of
mind, who timed a spitting gentleman
behind him at the theatre, lound that
the squirt and the dash occurred twice
a minute. Aud he was only a moder
ately accomplished gentlemen.
The spitting gentlemen should al
ways spit toward others, either the one
who sits next, or across the aisles, or
on the opMsite side of the car. It is
fair to say that the spitting gentleman
rarely neglects this polite attention,
which prefers others to himself in his
ejections. The elementary rule of po
liteness is to have the same considera
tion for the feelings of others as for
your own. The spitting gentlemen
carry out this by making every place
as nasty as their own mouths.
Japanese Children.
One of the first lessons prcsentedto a
foreign teacher in Japan is the reason
of the great apareiit happiness and
lightheadedness of Japanese children.
One may walk for hours through the
streets Tokio and scarcely ever hear a
child's cry of distress. Four principal
reasons for this sujeriority of the
children of Japan over those of other
nations have been suggested by an
English lady, resident there. They are
worthy of the attention of the teachers
at home. The style of clothing, loose
and yet warm, is far more comfortable
than the dress of our children. Japan
ese children are much more out In the
oien air and sunshine. The absence of
furniture, and, therefore, the absence
of the repeatedly given instructions
"nof to touch." The thick, soft mat
ting, forming at once the carpet and
beds of all Japanese bouses, and the
raised lintels on to which the children
may clamber as they grow strong, con
stitutes the vejy beau ideal of an in
fant's play-ground. Children in Japan
are much petted without being capri
ciously thwarted. A child is not culled
one moment and indulged the next.
To these four most suggestive reasons
the writer could add a fifth, which is,
that Japanese character is so constituted
as to bring their elders into strong sym
pathy with the little ones. It has been
well said that "Japan is a paradise for
babies," for you see old and young
playing together, at the battle-door
and shuttle-cock in the streets; while
on holiday the national amusement of
men, women and children is flying
huge paper kites. Puppet shows and
masquerades also have their votaries in
thousands rrora among both sexes and
I all ages.
Leara Your Business.
A young man in a leather store used
to feel very impatient with bis employ.
er for keeping him, year after year, for
three years,' "handling hides." But he
saw the use of it in after years, when
in an establishment of his own he was
able to tell by a touch the exact quality
of the goods. It was only by those
thousands of repetitions that the lesson
was learned, and so it is with every
thing in which we acquire skill. The
great army of "incapables" is large
euough; we would none of us willing
ly join its ranks. The half-informed,
half-skilled in every business outnum
ber the other, dozens to one. It was a
good suggestion, worthy of being re
membered, which Daniel Webster made
to a young man who asked him if there
was any "room in the legal profession.
"There is always room," said the great
statesman.
The better you know your business
the better your chance to rise. If you
drone through your allotted tasks with
out keeping a wide awake lookout on
all that goes on ab.mt you, your pro
gress will lie needlessly slow. You can
gather much information by making a
wise use of youreyesandears, and per
haps be able to surprise your employer
in an emergency by stepping into the
"next man's" place and discharging
his duties satisfactorily.
A fine little lad, some twelve years
old, was employed in a telegraph office
iu a Southern town last year when the
yellow fever raged so fearfully ill that
section. All the operatives were down
with It and others sent on by the com
pany were attacked. Xooue knew that
the lad understood the business, but be
had picked it up and kept up commui-
cation between the town and the outer
world all the time the fever lasted.
Ex-Governor Morgan, of Xew York,
was once a clerk iu a store in Water
ford. A trip to Xew York was an
event in those days, but the young man
had proved so faithful that he was en
trusted with several commissions.
among them being one to buy corn.
He came back in due time in the old
stage coach, and inquiries were made
aliout the corn. The price was verv
satisfactory, but the old gentlemen
thought it could not le good at so low a
price. A handful which the young
man pulled from his pocket convinced
him, but what was his amazement to
find that be had thought two cargoes!
'Why, Edwin, what shall we dr.
with it?" he asked in consternation.
"I have disposed of all you don't
want," said Edwin, ''at an advance.
I stopped in the stores as I came along.
I could have disposed of three cargoes
f I had had them."
The profits were clear, aud his em
ployer said the next morning, "We will
let some one else do the sweeping.
ami hdwin was made a partner under
twyuty-one.
The Terrible Tower,
The Tower of London is degraded
that is to say, made ordinary by being
put to commonplace uses by being ex
hibited in a commonplace manner.
They use the famous White Tower now
as a storehouse for arms. It contains
at this minute 100,000 gnus, all in good
order, besides a vast collection of old
armor and weapons. The arrangement
of the latter was made by Planche, the
dramatic author, who is famous as an
antiquarian and herald. I'nder his in
telligent and tasteful direction the effi
gies and gear of chivalry are displayed
iu such a way that the observer may
trace the changes that war fashions have
undergone through the reign of succes
sive sovereigns of England from the
earliest period until now. A suit of
armor worn by the detested Henry
VIII. is shown, and also a particularly
rich suit worn by Charles I. The sug-
gestiveness of both figures cannot be
missed. X'ature has written brute upon
the one, and dissembler uhhi the other,
in characters that admit of no doubt.
In a room ou the second floor of the
White Tower they keep many very gor
geous oriental weapons, and they show
the cloak in which General Wolfe died
on the Plains of Abraham. It Is a gray
garment, and the active moth has given
it-a share of his personal attention. The
most impressive objects to be seen here,
however, are the block and axe that
were used in killing the traitor lords of
Kilmarnock, Lovetaud Balmeriuo, after
the defeat of the Pretender in 1G45. The
block is made of ash, and there are big
and cruel dents ujon it which show
that it was made for use rather than or
nament. It is harmless, however, now,
aud this writer was allowed to place
his head upon it in the manner pre
scribed for the victims of decapitation.
The door of Raleigh's bedroom, is just
opposite these baleful relics, and it is
said his History of the World was writ
ten iu the room in which these imple
ments are now such conspicuous objects
of gloom.
The whole place is gloomy and cheer
less beyond expression, and very grea
must have been the fortitude of the
fortitude of the man who bore in this
grim solitnde a captivity of thirteen
years not failing to turn it to the best
account by producing a book so marvel
ous for its learning, philosophy and
eloquence. A ridiculous "beef eater,"
arrayed in a dark tunic and trousers
trimmed with red, and a black velvet
hat trimmed with bows ot blue and red
ribbon, precedes each squad of visitors,
and drops information and h's from
point to point. "The ard fate of the
Ilnrl ofllessex," was found to be a
particularly fascinating topic with one
of these functionaries; and very hard it
was for the listener as well as the earl
when standing on the spot where the
poor gentleman lost his life by the mad
spite of Queen Elizabeth, to hear bis
name so often persecuted. This spot Is
in the centre of what was once the
Tower Grsen, and it is marked with a
brass plate, naming Anne Boleyn, and
giving the date when she was here be
headed. They found her body in
narrow box in the tower graveyard.
and it now rests with the ashes of noble
sufferers under the chapel of St. Peter,
about fifty feet from the place of execu
tion. The ghost of Anne Boleyn is said to
haunt that part of the tower where she
lived, and it is likewise said that the
spectre of Lady Jane Grey was seen not
long ago on the anniversary of the day
of her execution, to glide out on the
balcony adjacent to the room in which
she is known to have lived in at the
last of her wasted and unfortunate life.
It could serve no good purpose here to
relate the particulars of these visita
tions; but nobody doubts them while
he is in the tower. It is a place of
mvsterv and horror, notwithstanding
all that the practical spirit of to-day
can do, and has done, to degrade it
am! that's much.
Life in Italy.
The Italians live very simply. The
country people are content with a diet
which most. American farmers would
despise. They have four necessaries of
life, the supply of which is a'. ways first
considered bread, maccaroni, oil and
wine. The ordinary bread is coarse
and rather dark, but decidedly more
nutritious than that made from our
finely-bolted American flour. We im
agine that bread is good in proportion
as it is tefute, and thus lose much of its
best property. The Italians sometimes
cook maccaroni in salt and water, from
necessity ; but, whenever possible, in
meat and broth, with the addition of
cheese and tomatoes. The olive oil.
which each farmer makes for himself,
is far better and wbolesomer than lard;
in fact, it is almost equal to fresh but
ter. hatever is fried in it Is sweet,
palatable and easily digested. A great
many Americans, knowing olive oil
only as a medicine, shudder when they
hear it spoken of as an article of food.
Yet I have often seen them, in Italy,
heartily relishing their chops, and
omeletts, and fried fish, without the
least suspicion of the fact that much of
the flavor was due to the oil. Wine
onions and oil, to a great extent, sup
ply the place of meat; but eggs and fish
are also plentiful, and usually cheap
The flesh of pigs and goats the raising
of both animals being little expense to
even the smallest land-owners is much
more common than veal or beef. Old
or disabled horses are fattened aud
slaughtered, and many an unconscious
visitor to Rome, Xaples or Florence,
takes his share of roasted horse in the
restaurants. After a little experience
I learned to distinguish the flesh, and
having no prejudice against the use of
it, I frequently ordered it for dinner.
It has a coarser grain than beef aud a
slightly paler color; the flavor is similar,
but with a suggestion of sweetness. If
the horse be not too old, he furnishes a
really palatable roast.
The people work steadily, but not
with haste or euergy; and they take
their full share of the many holidays
which their Church allows them. Their
houses are always solidly built of stone,
and last for centuries; but only those
who are in exceptionally good circum
stances have separate rooms for guests.
Ordinarily, the neighbors come and go
almost like members of the family, sit
ting beside the fire of fagots in the
winter, or under the vine trellis In the
sn miner, there are always a lew ap
ple and fig-trees near the bouse. The
latter bear fruit twice a year (in June
and October) and contribute a good
deal to the daily food of the people.
A Nw Caiiitaliht.
He didn't look as if his pockets held
fifty cents, but a rich man has a right
to dress as he chooses. He had loafed
up Griswold staeet until he saw the
right kind of a face, and then he asked :
'Can you show me a bank?"
"Yes sir; three doors below, or just
across the street."
"Thanks. I'd like to put some money
in some bank, but I'm a little afraid of
banks. I always did prefer a note of
hand to a bank."
The citizen pricked up his ears, and
asked :
"You have some money to lend, have
you?"
"A trifle," was the answer. -'Do
you know of anybody who'd like to
take some, and give me a note for a
year at seven per cent? I think of
going to Mexico for a while."
"I-et's see," mused the citizen, "I
don't know but I'd take some myself."
"Lemme git a drink, and then we'li
talk." said the stranger.
Yes certainly come on," said the
citizen, and the two went into a base
ment. Drinks were ordered by the cit
izen, one after another, until his shin
plasters felt lonely. He said he could
make good use of a few thousand dollars
for a year, and some of his friends
might also take a few thousand more.
The stranger put down gin, whisky
and brandy until his legs give out.
The citizen laid him on a bench and
tried to sober him, but the fellow went
ded asleep while they were trying to
force vinegar down his throat. The
barkeeper, said he was an old loafer,
and a policeman was sent for to take
him to the station house. When they
got him down there and searched him,
hey found four cents, a brass-backed
comb, and a door key in his pockets,
and the citizen who wanted to borrow
a few thousand dolla.-s went softly
around the corner to see if the mail had
come in.
Beware of Old gmoklng-Pipes.
Xicotin is not the only poisonous sub
stance in tobacco. It has been found
that iu old smoking pipes two other
poisonous compounds are connected
namely, pyridin and picolin. The cause
of the investigation was the death of a
child who bad been blowing soap-bubbles
from an old, dirty pipe. It was
first put down as a case of niootin poi
soning, but further investigation show
ed the correctness of the researches of
Vohl and Eulenburg in regard to the
poisonous effects of what they call the
pyridin series, a product of the dry dis
tillation of tobacco, which acts by par
alyzing the respiratory nerves, and cau
ses death by exhaustive convulsions,
terminating in total asphyxia; so it
was concluded that the child did not die
from nicotin, but from pyridin. This
view may be all the same to the public,
but it is not the same to the physician
and chemist, whose duty it is to ascer
tain the correct causes of disease and
death, in order to profit by this knowl
edge for the benefit of mankind.
The Ludicrous Sides of Life.
The dexterous leap of thought, by
which the mind escapes from a seem
ingly hopeless dilemma, is worth all the
vestments of dignity which the world
holds. It was this readiness In repartee
which continually saved Voltaire from
social overturn. He once praised an
other writer very heartily to a third
person. "It is very strange," was the
reply, "that you sjieak so well of him.
for he says that you are a charlatan
"Oh." replied oltaire, "I think it
very likely that both of us may be mis
taken."
Again, vou must have heard the an
ecdote of the young gentleman who was
discoursing very dogmatically about
the appropriate sphere of woman.
"And pray, sir," screamed out an old
lady, '"what is the appropriate sphere
of woman ?" "A celestial sphere,
madam.'
Roliert Hall did not lose his power of
retort even in madness. A hypocritical
condoh-r with his misfortunes once vis
ited him in the mad-house, and said, iu
a -a hilling tone, "Vthat brought you
here, Mr. Hall?" Hall significantly
touched his brow with his finger, and
replied, "What "11 never bring you, sir
too lunch brain?"
A rapid change from enthusiasm to
nonchalance is olten necessary in soci
ety. 1 bus, a person once eloquently
eulogizing the angelic qualities of Joan
of Arc, was suddenly met by the petu
e nt question, "What was Joan of Arc
made of?" "She was Maiw of Or
leans." A Yankee is never upset by the as
tonishing. He walks among the Alps
with his hands iu his pockets, and the
smoke of his cigar is seen among tile
mists of Niagara. One of this class
sauntered into the otlice of the light
ning telegraph, and asked how long it
would take to transmit a message to
Washington. "Ten minutes," was the
reply. "I can't wait," was his rejoin
der. Sheridan was never without a reason
never failed to extricate himself in
any emergency by bis wit. At a coun
try house, where he wasoiiceou a visit,
an elderly maiden lady desired to lie bis
companion in a walk. Heexcused him
self at first on the ground of the badness
of the weather. She soon afterward,
however, interrupted him in an attempt
to escape without her. Well," she
said, "it is cleared up, I see."' "Why,
yes," he answered, "it has cleared up
enough for , but not enough for
tin.."
It was this readiness which made
John Randolph so terrible in retort.
He was the Thersites of Congress, a
tongue-st:ibb:.'r. Xo hyperbole of con
tempt or scorn could be launched against
him, but he could overtop it w "th some
thing more scornful and contemptuous.
OpMisition only maddened him into
more brilliant bitterness. "Isn't it a
shame, Mr. President,' said he one
day in the Senate, "that the noble
bull-dogs of the Administration should
be wasting their precious time ir. worry
ing the rats of the opKsition?" Imme
diately the Senate was in an uproar,
and he was clamorously called to order.
The presiding officer, however, sustain
ed him; and. pointing his long, skinny
fingers at his opponents, Randolph
screamed out, "Rats, did I say? mire,
Winter Sport In Kuwia.
The evening had been passed in social
james and occasional dances, but all
the fun was evidently regarded as
merely preliminary or introductory to
something better in store Occasionally,
I caught a phrase, which pointed to
s Huetbing which every body looked for
ward to, but was entirely ignorant of
its nature, and presumed it to be tab
leaux or theatricals. Finally, at about
10 o'clock, a general call for furs and
wrappings arose, and in a few minutes
the whole company had passed Into the
garden. The moon bad just risen, and
its pale beams revealed the unshapely
forms of snow covered trees aud shrubs
the tops only of the latter protruding
over the thick bed of snow, with its
glittering crust. In the center of the
garden I soon discovered the attraction
which had caused us to torsake the
warm aud lighted rooms two katoks of
moderate height loomed up before us,
and a number of sleds were strewn
about, ready for use. A general pair
ing took place Immediately, and in a
few moments the sport was in full blast.
The two platforms faced each other,
and the tracks ran side by side, so that
the parties would dash past each other
amid laugbidg, screaming and shout
ing. I looked around for a vacant sled
in order to try my hand at the game,
but just as I was climbing the steps to
one of the platforms I was informed
that no gentle-nan could be permitted
to ride alone on such an occasion, and I
was quickly provided with a passenger
a young lady from the country en
dowed with considerable eniboupoint.
Without possessing the least confidence
in my skill as a steersman I was some
what coJiforted by the thought that
the well-rounded form of my passenger,
made still rounder by an ample fox
skin robe, would not be liable to 61.0" r
any serious damage in case of mishaps.
With the utmost nonchallance I ad
justed my sled at the very edge of the
dazzling, shining and glittering incline.
It is necessary that the steersman
should seat himself first etiquette
being entirely waived on the katok, but
when the fair Anna Ivanovna dropped
down iu front of me with the grace and
ease of a snowflake, though a trifle
heavier, and, to use a slang phrase,
"cuddle up" to my manly breast with a
glance full of charming confidence, my
innate modesty and diffidence caused
me to recede a little, and as I was
already seated on the extreme edge,
there was a fall, a scream and a laugh,
and the whole delightful performance
had to be gone through with again. At
last we were both seated, and the sled
adjusted, as I imagined, with the utmost
mathematical precision, so as to run a
straight course to the end of the track.
Full of confidence, I gave the start, and
with an impetus that almost ttok my
breath away, we dash ahead to land in
the snow bank on one side, only half
way down the incline. The force wi'h
which the sled struck the snow caused
it to overturn, and my fare and I rolled
down the snow band to the level. My
profuse apologies seemed to be alto
gether superfluous; the partner of my
disaster was none the worse for it, and
only remarked that it was very naughty
of me to play that trick the first time
The iuuoeeiit little bundle of fur
thought I had upset us on purpose.
With some misgivings on my part the
experiment was repeated, w ith nearly
the same result, and by that time I
dawned upon the other participants in
the fun that they bad a "greenhorn
among them, and plans of mischief
were concocted accordingly. One ot
the gentleman approached me and ob
served that 1 seemed to be bewildered by
the crowd dashing down before me and
beside me, and that they would give
me a chance of descending alone, aheac
of them all. The company accordingly
assembled on one o( the platforms and I
took my place once more on the brink
with my fearless passenger before me.
The suppressed laughter and the mis
chief sparkling in everybody's eve
might have warned me that some plot
was afoot ; but unsuspectingly and care
fully I launched my sled.
Exactly what followed I cannot tell,
and would not care to enlarge upon it
I could. In less than a second we had
reached the level, but there my sled
struck a broom -handle or something of
the kind, and with a jump seemed to fly
from under ns, while we glided a piece
down the track on our own responsi
bility, my companion clinging to me
loruear lite; and then there came a
shock, aud then another, and I don't
know how many more until the whole
scene becrme exceedingly shocking, for
as each succeeding sled dumped its
loij over us, the confused mass of
laughing and squirming bodies became
more bewildering, and the placid moon
grinned down upon a sight it is to be
hoped not often enjoyed by the chaste
Diana's symbol. At last everybody
succeeded In extricating his or hr own
robes and furs aud overshoes and linibs
and something like order anil propriety
was once more restored ; but the mere
consciousness of my spotless innocence
did not save me from being accused by
all parties as the author of what they
pleased to call a "shocking mishap."
Though very much bewildered and con
fused, 1 had in my mind one clear idet
that I was not destined to shine in
that peculiar institution of Russian
society, the "katuk."
Training for a Corpse.
A carpenter in Virginia City, Xevada,
newly raised to the dignity of 'prophet'
in the Improved Order of Red Men,
cam9 near burning up his shop a short
time ago. .A frieud and brother in the
Order was lying very ill at the point
of death, it was thought. In case of
his death there were certain ceremonies
to be performed over the body while
lying in 'wigwam by the Trophet.
Xow,our Prophet bad never undertaken
the performance of these ceremonies,
an 1 be was not sure that he would be
able to acquit himself creditably when
be came to undertake them with the
whole lodge standing about looking
solemnly on. He thought he should
like a little previous practice. With
this in his mind he persuaded his part
ner, also a Red Man, to join him In a
rehearsal, and take the part of the
corpse. The partner saw no harm in
having such a rehearsal, and thought it
would really be a good thing for bis
friend, the Prophet. Accordingly a
broad board was placed on two trestles,
and the partner who was to be the
corpse stretched upon It full length,
aud told the Prophet to proceed with
the funeral ceremonies. The Prophet,
in full war paint and a cow's tail stuck
behind his ear, then began prancing
about the remains. With some prompt
ing from the corpse he got through
with his mummeries in very fair shape.
He then caught up a torch made of fat
splinters, and began a solenn dance
around the decorous and appreciative
corpse. When in the midst of the dance
and a dolorous chant, he suddenly dis
covered that in waving his torch he had
left a trail of fire behind him in the
shavings covering the floor, which com
pletely encircled the sedate remains.
The corpse took in the situation at the
same moment as did the Prophet, and
the two wound np the rehearsal with a
very lively little light to save their
premises. Both had their hands and
clothes badly scorched, and the partner
swears that it is the last time be will
ever 'train for a corpse.
Exciting; t'omhat of Snakes.
An exciting "mill" took place at the
Xatinnal Museum the other day. The
live snakes, of which there are quite a
number, are kept in four glass cases, the
bottoms of which are corered with sand.
Recently a water snake was put in the
case which the king snake occupies.
His kingship resented the intrusion and
attacked the visitor, and the two went
tumbling around the case together in
approved pugilistic style. Three rounds
were fought. In the first two the
king snake forced the fighting, and the
water snake confined himself mainly to
getting out of tue awkward and danger
ous positions in which the strength and
skill of his adversary placed him. But
as the "dodo will turn when trodden
upon" so will the water snake when
bitten too hard, and when rubbed down
with a sponge after the second round he
seemed to get his second wind and was
eager for the fray. Meanwhile the
king snake bad opened bis mouth to its
full capacity, and was sharpening bis
teeth against the side of the case. Then
came the fierce encounter, and both
snakes fought nobly. Finally the king
snake took his adversary's head en
tirely in his mouth and began to chew
on it, which seemed to discourage the
water snake, and caused bis backer to
throw up the sponge. The- victor of
the match is an old hand at contests of
this kind, and recently bit an offemUug
neighbor completely in two.
Wisconsin has over 20,000,000 acres
of good farming lands that have never
been ploughed.
Wharf Rata.
Wharf rats are long, lean hungry
looking vermin. Did you ever see one?
Their haui.ts are between old bales and
barrels, and in holes that long ago rot
ted out of the spiles, posts and logs of
wharfs. They are sharp-eyed creatures,
and of course avoid the sight of man
kind. Your rat of that sort is a know
ing animal.
But there is another knd of wharf
rat a more interesting object of study
that I have in mind. It is the human
"wharf rat." He is as keen, almost as
quick, and a good deal more dirty, than
bis namesake, the quadruped.
One pleasant morning, not long since,
I went down with twofriemis upon one
of the wharves in Gotham, to get a view
of the harbor. As we were standing
quietly watching the shipping, our es
oon., Harry, exclaimed : " W hy , w hat U
this?" and he poked with a stick at
something between two bales.
"Hallo! that's me, that is!" cried a
shrill voice; and there slowly rose to
view a curious sjiocimen of humanity,
bearing a general resemblance to a child
of some six years, but probably more
than twelve. His face was unique.
small, droll, old and strangely pathetic
in its urollness.
"Look here, mister, what right 'a
you to come into my boarding-house?"
he asked. '-When a feller pays for
board and lodgiu, he doesn't ginerally
like to be "sturbed;" and he pulled at
an imaginary visor, the real one having
probably been torn of in yesterday's
tights.
"How many of you are boarding
round here?"asked Harry, much taken
with the whimsical idea.
"That's telling," said the youngster.
with a provoking smile, his grimy hand
fumbling iu his pocket.
"Will that help you?" asked my
friend, showing a bit of bright silver.
"Well, Governor, it will I reckon;"
was the quick response, and never in an
old miser's face came a greedier look.
The small, cunning eye fairly devoured
the coin.
"There's sometimes a dozen, and
sometimes more." said the small bov.
There's two or three stowed way in
there," pointing to several bales ami
barrels. -'It's snug in there, and they
keeD each other warm."
'And have you no other oome?"
I hasn't, sir. I've lived round the;
wharf ever since I was a little feller. I
never had no home as I knows of ; I was
raised in a bospiile, n' I never saw no
body b'longing to me."
"Do you come down here only to
sleep?"'
The boy gave a droll, evil sort of
glance as be answered :
"We git jobs, you know. The sailors
are goxl to u sometimes, and then
sometimes we find things."
"What do you mean by lindiug
things?"
'Well, you finds 'em in boats, ami
you finds 'em some foggy nights on the
ships. There's little punts along these
yere wharves, kept out of sight mostly,
and there's old men been at the business
a good while, and they're the ones as
finds things, and we gits somethin' for
helpin' 'em. Sometimes there's a smash
or the watchman sees 'em, or the periice
is aboard. Golly, then we puts! Xo
matter "bout boats we jest swims for
it."
"IhMi't you know that this is wrong?"
asked my friend, with an innocent ex
pression.
"Well, we don't know nothiu' down
here." was the answer. "We jos gets
a livin", that's all."
"Ami a pretty hard one muttered
Harry, as two or three shock of un
combed hair were seeu emerging from
the nooks and corners sleepy, blear
eyed boys, with faces the cunning mean
ness and cruelty of which no painter.
however skillful, could portray.
Probably they were all thieves of the
meanest sort; though Hill Hiltz, who
was pointed out to n the bouquet-
seller in summer had a better expres
sion, clearer eyes, and a really sweet
mile. Some of these boys had parents
ot the baser sort. One of them said his
father was in the hospital with a broken
leg.
'Yes." rried another, "he got caught
a-burgling, and fell out of the second
winder; that's wot's the matter of
him."
They were all ragged. One or two
had armless overcoats, and others fur
caps, from which the fur was worn in
ridges. I never saw a queerer assort
ment of old clothes. And the pinched
faces, haggard and gray, as if genera
tions of sin and shame had sifted all the
evil of their wicked lives into them !
I wondered whether these "rats"
ever played like other boys at the merry
old games that seem to have come down
from the time of the deluge; but w hen
I turned to ask, the speaker, who was
unquestionably the brightest among
them, bad gone for a wash.
The last I saw of him he had crept
dnw n close to the water, and was dip
ping his shaggy head under, while only
hi heels and a few fluttering rags were
visible.
Intemperate Water Drinking.
Improper drinking has killed thou
sands. There have been instance
where thirsty armies, after long march
es, have come to some river, when the
men would lie down on their laces ami
quaff an inordinate quantity of water,
with these result; some died almost
instantly, others became crazy and
staggered like drunken men. Avoid
drinking water a much as possible
while walking. When you feel thirsty,
rinse the mouth with water, but do not
swallow it. Drink only when resting.
Men, wheu heated, should not drink
anything cold. Drink slowly ; half a
tumbler of water will suffice the thirs
tiest man in the world, if he drinks i j
by sips. In fact it is almost impossible
)o get down a full glass of water taken
in this way.