?
11 I !K 11 Mill
WW
B. F. SCIIWEIER.
. THE C0ITSTITUTI01I-THI1 USI05 AITD TEE E5T0ECEMEBT OF THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor-
VOL. XXXII.
MIFFLIXTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2S. 1S7S.
NO. 35.
V
HAKE CHILDHOOD SWEET.
Wait uot till tba little hands are at rest
Ere too full of them with flower ;
Wail uot for the crowning tuberose
To make sweet the last sad boura;
But while, in tlie busy household band.
Your darlings still need your guiding hand.
On, till their lives with sweetness.
Wait uot till fie little hearts are still.
For the loving look and phrase ;
Hut while you gently chide a fault,
The good deed kindly praise.
The word you would speak beside the bier
1-alla sweeter far ou the bring ear ;
Oh, nil yeuug Uvea with sweetness, !
Ah ' wht are kisses on oold clay h
To the rosy mouth we press.
When the wee one flies to her mother's anna.
For love's ten defeat caress !
Let uever a worldly bauble keep
1 our heart from the joy each day should reap
Circling young uvea with sweetness,
tiive thauks, each morn, for the sturdy boys;
tine thanks for the fairy girls ;
W ah a dower of wealth hke this at borne,
W ould you title the earth for pearls ?
W ait uot for Death to gem Love's crown,
lut daily shower life's blessings down,
Aud nil young hearts with sweetness.
Ifenieniber the homes where t'te light baa
tied,
W here the rose has faded away ;
And the love that glows in youthful hearts.
Oil. cherish it while you may!
And make your home a garden of flowers.
Where joy shall bloom through childhood's
hours.
And nil young lives with sweetueaa.
The Vehm Court.
Tl.e terror which the secret Tribunals
ol that so called Vehm Court, iu the
thirteenth century, had struck into the
hearts ol the arrogaul nobility of Xorth
western Germany, aud especially ol
the rich district now constituting the
Prussiau province of Westphalia, had
long died i. way, when in the year 1417
it was suddenly revived, and speedily
became so intense and wide-spread that
many noblemen tied to Austria, and
that even such powerful Princes as the
Bishops of Munsterand Pederboru, who
ruled over large districts of Westphalia
were trembling iu their strongholds,
which had ln-en frequently but vainly
leiered by neighboring Princes.
It was a tine Julv evening in the
aliove-iiieutioiied year that a horseman
covered with dust galloed up to the
door of the Red Karth Tavern in the
village of Bergen, near Minister.
lie jumped from his horse, threw the
bridle t a hostler, and rushed into the
bar-room, w here some twenty villagers
were seated at the long oaken tables.
"Kad news! bad news!" lie gasped,
breathlessly.
What is it Bert hold Milieu?" asked
the fat landlord, while the others rose
from thtsir scab.
First give me a large glass of your
red wiue," said the new corner, throw
ing himself ititoali arm-chairaiidw ipiug
the perspiration from his torchead. "1
left Castle Freyeuburg but two
hours ago. You may imagine what a
ride that was. Iain utterly exhausted."
The landlord brought him a goblet
nlled ilii wine, which he quickly
gul(ed dow n.
-Now, tell us the news, Berthold
.Meynen," cried the villagers, w ho had
crowded around him w ith pale, excited
lai'es.
ur noble lord the 'omit of Freyen
burg, was murdered last night."
These words prodm-ed a profound
sensation among the hearers.
What !" they cried, "our good, kind
laijlord murdered? Why, he had no
cLemics !"
"He was found this inoruiug." said
Berthold Meyuen, "with his throat cut
I rout ear to ear, near tlie grotto of llad
den. The corpse was lying under a
tree, to which, by means of a small
dagger, there had leen fastened a piece
of parchment containing the words:
He has been judged !' "
The villagers looked puzzled.
The landlord's expression of counte
nance was one of intense horror.
Good friends," he w hiscred, "say
no more alwut this. The Count had
been condemned by a Vehm Court. The
parchment and the dagger show it.
Baron Eistensteiu, near Hereford, was
killed by them last week. They are
terrible Judges, I tell you, those mem
liers of the so-called sacred Vehm.
Many years ago they sat in sacred judge
ment in Westphalia for long aiouths.
aud 200 iioblemeii and thousands of
burghers were executed by their
orders."
"But," said one of the villager,
"why do not our Princes stop these
murderous villains ?"
Hush! hush! If you love your life
say nothing about the Vehm Courts; or
you will pay dearly for your evil
tongue," interrupted the landlord.
At this moment a middle-aged man,
iu a well-worn uniform of the Hessian
infantry, entered the room.
"A pint of wine." he said, sitting
near oue ot the open windows.
He was evidently a stranger to the
villagers, for they looked curiously at
him while the landlord was getting the
w ine for him.
While he w as drinking it the landlord
motioned to the villagers to keep silence,
hut he did not see that the stranger had
noticed the signa lie had made.
The villagers then speedily left the
bar-room.
Only Berthold .Meynen, the stranger
and the landlord nmaiiieJ iu the room.
It was about dusk.
"I suppose you have already heard
the uews about OoitntTreyenburg's ex
ecution by the Vehm Court f" "
" Ye-ye-yes," stammered tlie landlord
turning very pale.
"They say the Count wasalwid man,"
coiitiuned the stranger, w ith a lurking
expression of countenance.
"Xo, he was not, stranger!" cried
Berthold Meynen, indignantly. "He
was the kiudest and test of all landed
noblemen ia Westphalia! He was
" murdered by some scouu "
' "For .God s sake Berthold !" cried the
landlord, imploringly. J
"You will rue those words thia very '
night, young man," said the stranger
10 Jieynen.
Then he whistled three times in a
shrill tone out of the w indow.
"Oh, heavens !" cried the landlord
tailing on his knees.
A minute later two masked men rush
ed in.
They seized the landlord and Meynen
and handcuffed them. Theu they irainred
them and put black hoods over their
heads. All this had been done w ith
out a w ord being exchanged between
the middle-aged soldier and the two
masked men.
He made a sign to the latter, who
nodded their heads and carried their
two prisoners out of the taveru to a
neighboring grove followed by the
Soulier.
The masked men laid their living
nil mens on the ground. They then got
three horses, one of which the soldiers
mounted. To the other two the hap-
les-i landlord and Meynen were fastened
by means of leather straps. The masked
meu jumped into the saddles. They
then set out ou a brisk trot.
Iu half an hour they reached the
wooded hill Iriugiug the southern part
of the old Principality of Iiiependorf.
The soldier w hUlled three times, as
he had done at the tavern.
The signal was immediately answered.
A herculean man, dressed in black
velvet, wiih a mask of the same color
before his face, made his apiearauce.
The soldier said to him : "for justice's
sake !"
Justice w ill be done!" said the her
culean man, in a sepulchral tone.
The two unfortunate prisoners were
untied and then hustled into a small
grotto, dimly lit up by a few torchlights,
w here a number of persons w ere lying
on the ground.
They wore black hoods over their
heads, and the fact that theii hands were
shackled showed they were prisoners.
Meynen and the landlord were like
w ise stretched out iu their midst.
Six masked men with long halberts,
kept guard over them.
As time went ou, many additional
prisoners were brought in.
These hapless persons in the vague
light of the crowded grotto, with the
masked watchmen who did not utter a
single word presented a w eird and terri-
cle scene.
(Suddenly a solemn chant was intoned
close to the grotto by a number of male
voices.
Then a loud, deep bass voice- was
heard to shout out :
"I'udo Count Von Fiuken!"
Two masked men entered the grotto.
They seized one of the prisoners, con-
ductedhlmthrough a short subterranean
passage into a second grotto, w hich pre
sented a still more startling apearauce
than the one w here the prisoners were
confined.
Hound the deal table eleven men iu
black cow Is w ith black hoods were seat
ed.
A single torchlight illuminated the
grotto. Ou the table lay a grinning
kull.
When the prisoner stood before the
cow led hooded men, he was unshackled,
the hood was removed from his head,
and the gag taken from his mouth.
He was a middle-aged mail, in the
rich costume of the nobility of that
period. His countenance was decidedly
handsome, but its good looks decidedly
marred by an air of siillennessand bru-
talitv. '
The tw elve men rose from their seats.
Lifting up their right hands, they cried,
"woe! woe! woe!"
This was the ancient watchword of
the Vehm Court Judges.
I'pon hearing it the prisoners turned
very pale. The Vehm Judge occupying
the raised seat at the table a tall, broad-
ihouldered man said to the prisoner:
"Count Von Finken, the Vehm Court
accuses you of being a highway robber,
an adulterer, a disturlter of public
leace."
"I protest!" he cried.
"Is he guilty !" asked the presiding
Judge.
Guilty! Guilty!" said the other
Judges,
"For your manifold crimes," said the
presiding Judge to the prisoner, "you
deserve exemplary punishment. Your
hands and feet shall he cut off. lour
eyes will be dug out. Your tongue shall
lie toru out. If you survive this you
shall be buried alive!"
The unfortunate Count howled in his
anguish and terror. But theexecutioner
was called in, aud dragged him out
of the grotto.
A tew in mutes later his heart rending
yell? were heard, as theexecutioner was
carrying out the dread sentence upon
him.
Fortunately when the tongue had
been torn from his inouth.'he died, suf
focated from the rush of blood from his
throat.
Forty-one prisoners were judged by
the terrible tribunal in less than two
hours. Sentence of death was passed
uiKiii all of them. During all this time
the wails and cries of the victims as they
were bleeding under the knife of the
executioner continued to rend the air.
Among the sufferers was the landlord
and Berthold Meynen, w ho were accu
sed of having kidnapped young girls to
gratify the lust of Count Freyenburg.
Their hands were hacked off, and then
they were hung to the stont limbs of a
tree, with their heads downward. They
died in the most, terrible agony.
Xext morning the Vehm Judges and
their attendants had disappeared. But
the mutilated bodies of their sufferers
were found in the grove, w ith parch
ments and tell-tale daggers fastened
above their remains.
When the uews of the terrible butch
ery became known the population of
the neighboring districts were filled
with such alarm that a great many
people left their property and fled in
hot baste toward the Ktiine.
Most of the families of the nobility
deserted their castles.
Then the new Vehm Judges became
so bold that they threw off theirdisgui
ses. Their President, w ho called him
self Arnold Prince De Cleves announced
in a most, bombastic proclamation,
that be aud his associates bad come to
purify the land of the Red Earth (West
phalia) from iu rapacious and vicious
nobility, and to bring about an equal
distribution of the landed property
among the poorer classes.
He and his confederates seized valua
ble during the next few mouths, w hich
contemporary chroniclers said could not
have fallen short, in the aggregate, of
the sum of three million gold guilders
an immense amount of money at that
period.
They levied heavy contributions upon
the numerous nunneries and monaster
es in the district ia w hieh they held
sway, aud held nightly courts over per
sons who incurred their displeasure.
The Archbishop of Munster was pow-
erless against them, and he vainly
apiealed to the worthless Emperor with
whom poor Germany was cursed at that
time.
Ie Cleveseven offered a heavy reward
for the head of the Bishop.
He raised a large force and prepared
to beseige M unster, when his career was
cut short by the heroism of the Countess
of Freyeuburg, who attacked hi in and
his confederates iu the grotto w hich we
have described above.
The surprise was complete.
Notwithstanding their desperate re
sistance tlie self-constituted Vehm
J udges and their attendants were over
powered but the victors unfortunately
immediately put all of them to the sword
and thus it was iinuossible to find out
who these desperate adventurers really
were.
Those were turbulent times in Ger-
many and in consequence, this strange
and terrible revival of the Vehm courts
was Seeilily forgotten.
Mr Greelev's Wood Farm.
Auioiitf the recent entries of real es
tate at the Land Oitiee in White Plains,
is one for eighty-three and five-eighths
acres at Chappaqua, sold to A. J.
yuiuby for $10,000. The property is
memorable as being a portion of the
Greeley farm, though uot immediately
connected with the old homestead. This
still remains iu possession of Mr. Gree
ley's daughter, Ida and Gabrielle, who
are living at Tarrytown, Ida with her
husband. Colonel Smith, and Gabrielle
as a member of the household. Many
who were privileged to visit Mr. Gree
ley at his Chappaqua home will remeni-
!er the hill farm, or the woodland
known far and w ide from the mention
ot it in the " Recollections" of Mr.
Greeley. When a bit ot leisure offered
itself from grubbing among his $11
cabbages, or carrying out his very radi
cal idea of pruning, Mr. Greeley would
harness up a nondescript vehicle know u
in the whole country around as "Gree
ley's ark." and drive out about two
miles in the eighty-three acres just
now sold. It was as unsightly and for
saken-a-looking landscape as the eye of
man ever fell umiii. Some few sjiots of
it might have been turned into a Kssi-
blc use as a sheep pasture, but the rest
was strewn with boulders and filled
with ruts. Mr. Greeley had planted
over' the whole plot a ciop of locust
trees, and these had come up iu a rather
promiscuous fashion. Mr. Greeley
drove his stout piece of horse-flesh
among them, in his short-sightedness
paying not the slightest attention to
such trifling obstacles as holes a yard
deep, boulders as h!gh, young saplings
or overhanging boughs, though his
guests were apt to be of a different
mind, and all the time would talk ou
about the great advantages of forest
planting from a politico-social-scientific
view. When no visitor offered him a
victim he found his way out to the
wood-farm aud chopped about w ith an
axe. At present, the plot is covered
w ith a scrubby grow lb of locusts as big
as a man s arm.
A Vetera of Waterloo.
Charles Winter is the name of an
aged Frenchman who resides now in
Chippewa, and who claims to be 09
years old. He claims Strasbourg, in
Alsace, as his native town. He says
that in 1812 he was conscripted into
the French army under the first
Napoleon. He was placed in the 21st
Cavalry Reiciuieut, and took part in the
famous eutry into and retreat from Mos
cow. He says that himself aud teu
others were the only men in the 21st
who returned to France alive ; all the
rest fell under Russian bullets, Cossack
spears, or from the effects of the terri
ble cold. They were discharged from
the service on their return, but the next
year (1S13) he was again conscripted,
aud remained in the French army until
the star of Xajioleon's destiny finally
set on the bloody field of Waterloo.
He claims to have been in seven of the
great battles fought by Napoleon, and
in one of them was wounded in the
right foot. He has been a man of power
ful physique, and looks as though he
was good for several years yet. The
old man's story does not hang together
(terfectly, but we are inclined to think
that iu the main it is true.
Where He Gained.
He was a strawberry man. He drove
bU old horse and wagon under the
shade of a tree tired of screaming and
anxious to measure up what he had left
and see if his receipts agreed. He meas
ured, and there were eleven quarts.
He counted up his money, and he found
he was a quart of strawberries ahead.
He measured again aud counted again,
and be was puzzled.
"Let's see!" he mused, as he hid a
bad berry under the pile, "I measured
my thumb along with a quart of berries
twice ou High street, three times ou
Columbia, once on Bagg, aud twice on
this street, and that accounts for a pint.
Now, bow did I save that other pint?
I slid off six berries at that brick house,
three at the cottage, seven or eight when
1 sold to that boy, and and "
' He reflected for a moment, and then
as a bright smile crossed his face, he
exclaimed :
"Egad ! I have It ! I remember now
that I measured both thumbs at once
over on Montcalm street! That tallies
to a berry, and my mind is relieved of
a great burden !"
The l lubrrlla Trick la Paris'
The thief of the period has begun to
take himself to a new system of war
fare, in which the defensive is largely
combined with the offensive art. - A
very simple but effective strategem has
been doing duty in the jewelers shops
in Paris, which has never before iu its
history been so full of " knights of in
dustry." The new trick is most easily
erformed by a person of English ap
pearance, inasmuch as the use of an um
brella is essential for it; and as every
one knows our-countrymen are not ex
lected to abandon, even under the
clearest sky, a companion so familiar
to them. The operator, provided with
his umbrella enters a shop with it
in his hands, having pulled down the
silk covering, but uot securely fastened
it, so that the folds hang round the han
dle in a loose mass, forming a sort of
opeuniouttied net. Into the net thus
opened it is not difficult to jerk a ring
or two, or even a larger article which
will fall into it without the slightest
sound, and remain safely ensconced
there as long as may be required. If
the shopman should miss the Bijou thus
abstracted, he will of course ruu after
his customer, and equally, as a mat
terof couse, the other will protest inno
cence. A search will ensue at the end
of which, just as everyone is beginning
to lie hopelessly battled the owner of the
umbrella, will be struck by a bright
thought, and will himself bring to light
tlie desired object, apologizing in the
blandest way, and making merry over
a joke w hich was so nearly as he says,
assuming a serous character. The trick
has been tried as usual once too often
but it is dreadful to think what success
it may have had throughout a mouth
w hich has been so exceptionally favor
able for the use of umbrellas iu Paris.
Iu the Kogue' Gallery.
"Io you have much difficulty iu get
ting these characters to sit for their pic
tures !" asked a New York reporter of
the operator iu that branch of business
"Sometimes," said Mr. Heckt, "but
I find that if I treat them kindly and
reason with them they give in."
"What do you call reasoning with
them ?"
"Well," said Mr. Heckt, assuming a
logical air, "I talk to them something
in this way: "What's the use of losing
time about this thing? If I don't get
your picture to-day you've got to go
back to the station-house over night
ami come again iu the morning" yi.u
know- they are photographed before
they go to court and that argument
generally strikes them as pretty reason
able." "But what do you do w hen they re
sist?"
"i don't do any thing until I And that
reasoning does no good, and then I do
the lest I can," which rather vague re
spouse Mr. Heckt supplemented with
the observation that once he had to send
up to headquarters tor two extra police
men. That was ou the 21st of last
March. The fellow's name was Frank
Wyatt. He was a forger. He swore he
wouldn't sit "for no snoozer alive,"
and when he was finally got into the
chair he pulled the side of his head over
his ear."
James Baxter on the 14th of last Feb
ruary took off his coat and vest aud
dared any fellow to get him info the
seat. He offered to lick any man in the
crowd in auy style he wanted. He
was finally appeased, and when he left
a very excellent photograph had been
obtained.
"Yes. kind words does considerable,"
Mr. Heckt added.
"I've got strict orders." he continued,
'to take off their hats; but occasionally
some swells come along with stove pies,
aud I have some difficulty in getting
them to take them off. They think it
spoils their looks, and there's as high
toned chaps among the forgers as there
s in other aristocratic circles."
"Once in a while they hang their
heads, and they get their chins under
their shirt collars, but I kinder coax
'em into good positions. You know,
after all, the pictures wewantdon't have
to be works of art. It is only necessary
that they should ha recognizable."
"How do the women act?" asked the
reporter.
"I haven't taken a female picture
since I have been iu the business," Mr.
Heckt auswered.
'What are you paid for your work?
'We get five dollars a bead, and we
furnish fifty photographs."
The reporter next went to Mr. Smith,
the photographer, in Brooklyn, opposite
the Court House, who does the photo
graphing ( criminals for that city.
'What are your experiences in taking
pictures for the Rogues' Gallery?"
asked the reiorter.
Mr. Smith made the same answer that
Mr Heckt had made, He, too, had foiiud
that kindness went very far in securing
patient sitters.
'Kut you have of course met witn re
sistance?"
'Yes, several times the poster bad to
be held in their seats."
"But what do you do when they twist
their faces into all sorts of shapes?"
"I let them tw ist; they get tired soon
enough. I don't generally have to wait
very long, and sometimes, wheu I don't
care about waiting at all I just take an
instantaneous picture. Of course this
chemical forcing of a picture prevents
more than a mere outline ; but that is
better than nothing."
The rejjorter then asked Mr. Smith
what argument he generally employed
n reasoning with the criminals.
I tell them simply enough that U s
much easier to take their pictures
around from place to place for identifi
cation than to cart them about in person
and it's a great deal pleasanter for them,
too. They generally agree with me.
and they submit graciously."
IH you ever find any of them anxious
to be photographed ?"
"Oh, yes, very often , Some of these
fellows have never had a picture taken
in their lives, and they are delighted
with the prospect of having photographs
to send to their friends, their relatives
or their sweethearts to remember them
by while they are in jail."
Then referring to tne question oi re
moving the hats of the"tony"criniinals. '
Mr. Smith said that by telling them
that they could cover their handcuffs
by placing their hats over them, he did
avay with that difficulty.
What has been your experience
with women?"
"They are the hardest to take when
they object, because they are the slyest.
They sometimes burst into tears aud
contort their faces in that way, or else
they have hysterical fits of laughter, or
else they bury their heads in their hands,
or they get their hair all over their
faces. You know woman has a more
mobile countenance than a man as a
general rule, and they can keep up the
contortion business longer."
"But among women, too, you find
some willing to be photographed ?" .
"Willing? I should say so; they go
up to the looking-glass and fix their
spit curls aud their back hair and
straighten their polonaises and spruce
up generally. Every now and then one
or the other will bring forth a powder
rag and take to beautifying herself for
the occasion."
"How many pictures do you aver
age'" "About one a day."
"What do you get for them ?"
"Two dollars each and I furnish
eighteen copies."
Both Mr. Smith and Mr. Heckt have
but recently became the photographers
for the rogues' galleries of their resiiec
tive cities. The experiences of the men
previously employed are more varied, as
the criminals formerly, before they
learned to accept the "gallery" as a
necessary institution, were more rebel
lious, and had to be broken in. Odd
stories are told by policemen about the
different methods employed iu bringing
them to terms. Nut long ago a pick
pocket, who absolutely refused to be
photographed in spite of argument or
force, and w hose keen sense of the dis
grace was the cause of his refusal, was
paraded up and down Broadway with
the placard "pickpocket" on his back.
He finally succumbed in self-defense.
Another man, a forger, wheu placed iu
front of the camera, got blinking and
screwing his face to such an extent that
it was impossible to do anything with
him. While his facial gymnastics were
in progress tlie photographers, with a
sudden inspiration and by an extreme
ly dexterous movement, slaped a mus
tard plaster on the back of the culprit's
neck. In a minute all his facial expres
sion ciphered Itself down into a shac
of the lips necessary to produce the
vowel sound of "oo," and catching this
expression iu a jiffy, the artist got his
negative and brought out a tine picture
of a man with an astonished couuteii-
A Mysterious Pit.
Nearly fourteen miles on almost a di
rect line southeast from Bowling Green
Kentucky, there is a singular and mys
terious pit in the ground. It is situated
on a high bluff, in a w ild, flinty locality.
tangled with vine, bramble, briers,
bushes trees, aud shrubbery, ou the wa.
ters of Iirake's creek, below the mouth
of Tammel. The aperture Is a dark,
gaping hole cleft through the stony
crags as though the bluff had at some
time cracked aud split. The oeuiiig is
some ten feet long and four feet wide
at the widest part, its rocky yawning
lips Wing spread something in the
shape of a horse-collar, the apex, so to
speak, pointing westward. By some
of the people in that region it Is known
as "Hell Hole." while others call it
' Indian Pit." One remarkable feature
of the abvss is that there issues from its
deep depths, ceaseless as the rounds of
the seasons, a volume of misty vapor,
w hich, esecially on crisp, frosty mom
iugs, can be seen ascending above the
tree tops, and floating off on the air,
whitened with rays of the rising sun,
Flint, boulder-shaped stones, and others
worn bv the friction of time to perfect
roundness are scattered profusely all
about the place, as though thrown high
by some unknown upheaval and show
ered back like rattling hailstones of all
dimensions. In the fall and winter this
fog volume is warmer than the cutting
blasts that sweep along the deep gorge.
In summer the mist is cooler and not
o dense. The pit widens from the top
in its downward course, and woe to
any living thing once swallowed
through its dark mouth. Throw a
boulder or stone into it, and uot a faint
est echo ever reaches the ear as to
w hither it w ent. Some seasons since a
a party of persons assembled at the pit,
determined to fathom its hidden bottom.
They were provided with a strong cord
over six hundred feet long, to which
was attached a stilliard weight. They
dropped the weight into the hole and
paid out the line. Down, down, and
down went the weight till not a foot of
cord was left, w bile not a sound came
to tell the tale of its subterraneeu pas
sage. X'o bottom was reached and the
weight was withdrawn damp and un
soiled as though it touched nothing but
mist aud darkness in its soundings.
Grow Ilia the Jasmine:
Nature does not present a more fra
grant aud beautiful exhibition than a
mixture of roses and jasmines. The Ara
bian jasmine is very fragrant ; but as it
does not endure much cold or heat it
should be planted in an eastern aspect.
The yellow jasmine is not very fragrant,
but it forms an elegant variety. The
shoot of the jasmine grows so rapidly
and so luxuriantly, that if the plant is
allowed to luxuriate it will soon cover
any frame-work, or other fanciful de
vice, with its drooping beauty. It loves
to bang downward. In pruning this
beautiful plant, cut the branches to
an eye or bud, just by the place from
which they sprout and in such manner
that. the head, when trimmed, shall re
semble the headof a willow. This method
makes them throw out abundance of
branchesand fine flowers. Give fresh soil
to the jasmine every two years or they
will become weakened in their blooms.
The secret of having fine flowers is in
keeping up the soil to a regular degree
of strength. As the human frame lan
guishes under change of diet, and be
comes weakened for the want of food,
so is it with the floral creation.
Bulger Pays his Taxes wad Makes a
Prognostication.
Bulger went down on Saturday to
pay his delinquent tax, Bulger said
"I will go voluntarily and be swin
dled out of some money."
Then he went down to Smith field
street and up Into Tom Phelps gorgeous
headquarters like a man in a dream
He saw gilded walls and clerks with
jewelry and books bound in gilt. He
saw chandeliers and Brussels carpet
and oiled walnut furniture. Bulger
said to himself:
"This whole business is veneer
ing;" then he reflected and said, "and
I help to pay for it," and then he re
flected again and stated, "because 1
can't help it."
Then Bulger went down into his
clothes for his pocket book, it looked
as though it had been subjected to a
pressure of 17,!XH) pounds to the square
inch, it was so flat.
But it contained all the money Bul
ger had, and Bulger leaned over tlie
counter and said :
"Where is that whole-souled philan
thropist whose big heart suff ers a pang
every time he is necessitated, by a
stern fate, to collect taxes from a pour
man?
Where is that distinguished person
who has inaugurated, according to re
port an enstallment plan whereby
a man may pay his taxes in fragments?
Where is that gentle youth who Is so
kind that he would rather see a wash
woman dainued than see her sold out
for taxes? I think his name is Tom
Phelps."
Then a young man with gilt sleeve
buttons arose and said to Bulger :
"What do you want?"
"I am iu the delinquent list," said
Bulger.
"I apprehend that before long the
jail will be uncomfortably crow-J tl,
aud I would rather not go there. You
may regard me, if you please, as a will
ing victim. 1 will pay up; I have the
remnant of my fortune here iu this
pocket-book."
The young mau opened a ponderous
volume, and after some cogitation said
"Five dollars and two cents for water
tax and ten dollars for advertising;
total, fifteen dollars and two cents."
Bulger leaned his elbows on the coun
ter and said: 'Two cents being about
what I ought to pay, I presume the fif
teen dollars goes to the poor.
"Perhaps," said the clerk, dreamily,
"Shall I make you out a receipt?"
"You shall," said Bulger, "and 1
would like to borrow a microscope, if
you have one, iu order to ascertain if
there is anything left, iu my pocket
book." "We have none," said the young
man.
"Xever mind," lemarkod Bulger,
cheerfully, "if there's anything there,
my wife will find it; but say, don't you
think it would have been cheaper for
you fellows to have bought a Bullock
press ar.d done your own printing?"
"It makes no difference to us what it
costs," returned the young man.
"I had not thought of that," exclaim
ed Bulger, smiling his brow. "Singu
lar, 1 did not think of that. When 1
come to think of it, we, the people,
have to pay for the printing."
"Exactly," said the young man, with
a sweet smile.
"Well, now," said Bulger, 'here's a
funny thing. You don't have, to pay
for it, knd it makes no difference to u
what it cost3. See?"
"I can't say 1 do," remarked the
young man, with a troubled expression.
"I am sory," said Bulger. Vlt's a
remarkable thing, aud if you could put
yourself in my place you would see it
in half a minute," and theu Bulger put
his receipt into his empty pockelbook
and placed his empty pockelbook in his
empty pocket,and remarked to the young
man, "God bless you," and went out.
When he got half way down the stairs
a thought struck Bulger aud he came
back.
"Hi," said he to the young man.
"Well," said the young man.
"We have some nice legislators now,"
said Bulger.
"There are some tine gentlemen in
the legislature," answered the young
man.
"There are a good many flue ones
there," said Bulger.
"Yes-"
"But they'll never go back there any
more," said Bulger.
"No?" inquired the young man.
"Xo," returned Bulger, "never, no
more in this world." And then Bulger
went away from the gilt and the glitter
and the veneer, to try to borrow enough
money to buy a ham and a sack of flour.
The Instinct of Birds.
X"o subject connected with the history
of birds furnishes more interesting
material for study than that of instinct.
Young birds of different species show
that they have different degrees of in
stinctive knowledge. Some are able to
take entire care of themselves, and
do not need a mother to watch over
them; others, ou the contrary, are per
fectly helpless, and need teaching be
fore they can do anything for them
selves, except breathe, and swallow
what is put into their mouths. The
young chicken, a short time after it
leaves the egg, knows how to take care
of itself nearly as well as does the year
old bird. It can ruu after its mother,
use its eyes, pick up food, aud answer
the call ol the old hen ; and it does all
this without instruction. How differ
ent it is in all these respects from the
young barn swallow. This is blind,
and unable to run, or even to stand,
knowing only enough to open its mouth
when it hears the old bird return to the
nest, and to swallow the food placed in
its open bill. Far from knowing by in
stinct how to use its w ings, as the young
chick does its legs, it does not learn this
until It is well grown, and has had sev
eral lessons in flyiug, and even then it
flies badly, and improves only after long
practice. After it has learned to fly
it is still very helpless aud baby-like,
and very different from the active,
bright-eyed, independent little chick
of the barnyard, and, indeed, the young
of all tue Rasores, or scratching birds,
such as the lieu, the quail, the part
ridge, the pheasant and the turkey.
The scratching birds are not the only
ones who can take care of themselves
at au early age. This is true of the
running birds, such as the ostrich, and
the same is the case with many of tlie
wading birds, such as the woodcock,
aud among the swimming birds, there
are several kinds that take full care of
themselves soon after leaving the shell
Far from standing iu any need of in
struction, young ducks take to the w a
ter by instinct, even wheu they have
been brought up by a lieu, and they
know that they are perfectly safe uimn
it, although the nxinus lieu tries iu
every way to restrain them and to call
them back.
There are many ways in which some
of our young birds show their really
wonderful instincts, but there is noth
ing more curious in this respect than
the habits of the little chickens, which
most of us have opportunities of noti
cing, it' we choose to take the trouble,
These little creatures, almost as soou as
they are born, understand w hat their
mother 'clucks" to them, they know
that they must hide when a haw k is
about; they often scratch the ground
for food before they see their moth
er or any other chicken do so; they are
careful not to catch bees instead of
flies, and they show their early smart
ness iu many ways which are well
worth watching.
But, sometimes, a brood of these
youngsters fi!nl something that puzzles
them, as when they meet with a hard-
shelled lieetle, w ho looks too big to eat
and yet too small for a playmate.
1 urioiiA facts About Gold.
The bulk of gold in the world steadily
increases, though the amount is but
roughly approximated. Teu years ago
it was estimated at about $3,!) 50,01 "J,000
in value. It must be greatly larger now,
though we- have no fixed data for ap
proximating the amount. But it may
be of interest to see w hat the bulk of the
smaller sum ten years ago would be if it
were all melted and run together. Pure
gold is more than nineteen times as
heavy as w ater, ami a cubic foot of w ater
weighs a thousand ounces avoidupois.
A cubic foot of gold weighs, then, over
nineteen thousand ounces avoidiiMiis,
and every such ounce of tine gold is
worth (according to our coinage some
what more than eighteen dollars, so that
the w hole cubic foot of gold Would be
worth a little more than a third of a mil
lion dollars. A cubic yard of solid gold
would be worth twenty seven times as
much as that, or over nine million dol
lars; and titiO cubic yards would contain
somewhat more than the $5,950,000,000
of gold in llie world ten years ago. These
(150 cubic yards would lie contained
within a room alxMil fifteen feet high,
twenty-four feet w hie, and forty eight
feet long; say, a good sized parlor or a
store of moderate size." But, "says some
one, " gold is so malleable that even this
'mall bulk of it would gild over the
whole earth. But he either overesti
mated the malleability of gold, or, more
likely, uiider-estiinates the size of the
earth. It takes 1,20,000 leaves of the
thinnest gold foil to make an inch
thickness, or about fifteen millions and
a third to make a foot, or 4ti,000,000 to a
yard. A cubic yard of gold, then, could
be beaten out so as to cover 4(,0iio,0d0
square yards, somew hat less than 10,000
ncres, lor there are 4,8-10 square roils.
to the acre. Then, as there are 640 acres
to the square mile the whole titiO cubic
yards of gold could be beaten out so as
to cover about lo.lioo square miles; that
is, a tract oiilv loo miles square, less
than the extent of Vermont, and a little
more than a fifth of either New York or
Pennsylvania.
How to Avoid Huiistrwke.
Sunstroke is caused by excessive heat
especially if the weather is 'muggy.'
It is more apt to occur ou the second.
third or fourth day of a heated term
than on the first. I.ossof sleep, worry,
excitement, close sleeping rooms, debil
ity, abuse of stimulants, predispose to
it. It is more apt to attack those work
ing in the sun, and especially between
the hours of 11 o 'clin k in the morning
and 4 o'clock In the afternoon. On hot
days wear thin clothing. Have as cool
sleeping rooms as possible. Avoid loss
of sleep and all unnecessary fatigue.
If working indoors, and w here there is
artificial heat laundries, etc., see
that the room is well ventilated. If
working in the sun, wear a light hat
(uot black, as it absorbs heat), straw.
etc., and put iusule of it on the head a
wet cloth ou a large green leaf ; frequent
ly lift the hat from the head and see
that the cloth is wet. lo not check
perspiration but drink w hat water you
need to keep it up, as perspiration pre
vents the body from being overheated.
Have, whenever possible, an additional
shade, as a thin umbrella when walking,
a canvas or board cover when working
n the sun. When much fatigued do
uot go to work, but be excused from
work, especially after 11 o'clock iu the
morning on very hot days, if the work
9 in the sun. If a feeling of fatigue,
dizziness, headache or exhaustion
occurs, cease work immediately, lie
down in a shady and cool place; apply
cold cloths to and pour cold water over
head and neck. I f any one is overcome
by the heat, send immediately for the
nearest good physician. While waiting
for the physician, give the persons cool
drinks of water or cold black teaorcold
coffee, if able to swallow. If the skiu
is hot and dry, sponge with, or pour,
cold water over the body and limbs,
and apply to the bead pounded ice
wrapped iu a towel or other cloth. If
there is no ice at hand, keep a cold cloth
on the head, aud pour cold water on it
as well as on the body. If the person
is pale, very faint, and pulse feeble, let
him inhale ammonia for a few seconds,
or give him a teaspoonful ot aromatic
spirits of ammonia in two tablespoonfuls
of water with a littie sugar.
The believer cannot ilzh without his
God observing iu
The Migratory Dairymen
The migratory dairymen of Califor
nia some time ago started for
their summer homes in the Sierra.
Their cows have have all had calves
and butchers have made away
with them for veal. These migra
tory diarymen, though tlie name we
have applied to them dues uot indicate
it, are the most prosperous of California
dairymen. Their winter homes are lo
cated in the foot hills at about the
altitude of Folsom, Latrobe, Shiugles
Sirgands, Jackson and Oroville, and
their summer homes, and really
active dairy farms, are high iimii the
summit of the Sierras on the elevated
plains watered by living springs, gush
ing out of the surrounding elevations
in the secluded vales and gulches aud
ou the shores of the numerous lakes
that bound in those regions. Their foot
hill homes are the real homes of the
family. Here are their comfortable
family residences, nestled in some of
the numerous cosy and picturesque lo
calities so frequent in those sections.
The first experiments in this new en
terprise were made but a few years
since. These experiments proved so
successful ami profitable that they
were follow ed up by the enterprising
pioneers iu the business, and others
followed suit, until to-day migratory
dairiesof the foot-hills and Sierra sum
mits are not only numerous but exten
sive, and their owners are among the
most successful aud wealthy dairymen
in the State. The business is conducted
about as follows : The cows have their
calves from February to the middle of
April, .such of the heifer calves aa
are desirable on account of their prom
ising dairy qualities to keep, are raised.
all others are turned oil" for veal. From
the time the cow s begiu to come iu, till
about the Ist to the 15th of May, some
of the dairymen make butter while
some make cheese. At about this time
all things being in readiuess, the dairy
including cows, herders, milkers, but-
termakers and all the necessary dairy
tools and furniture are started for the
mountains, the owner and such of his
family as intend to spend the summer
with the dairy accompanying them.
Arrived at the place of destination the
spring is just opening and the grasses
are tender aud luxuriant, and iu great
variety. Red clover, white clover and
vatious California wild clovers, also
nearly all the naluial grasses of recogn
ized value asforage plants, such as tim
othy red-top, wild rye grass, orchard
grass, bunch grass, are found iu great
abundance. W ater for stock is plenti
ful everywhere and of the best quality
in every respect. The weather is cool
and delightful and the climate healthy
and invigorating. The summer resi
dence and butter house is put in order.
and the business of the season is com
menced at once iu earnest. With such
feed and such water and in such a cli
mate, the yield of milk comes up to the
utmost capa-fity of the cow s, the cream
rises rupidly and fully and the
butter comes readily, and is of the
very best quality in every respect. The
location is a most favorite one, not only
naturally hut iu a business point of
view. Being on the divide between the
mining localities of Nevada ami Cali
fornia, the very best market for butter,
is at hand on either side. The bulk of
the butter is generally sold each week,
as it is made for immediaate use. But '
such as Is not demanded for use in this
manner is reacMly contracted and packed
for winter consumption. The season
lasts from May to X'ovember, when
the campaign closes and the party re
turns to the foot-hills and goes into
winter quarters. The foot-hill home is
made the main base of supplies and
operations. And these homes generally
show the result of thrifty enterprise
and frugal prosperity. The cows are
dried up when brought from tlie
mountain in the fall and are kept upon
the dry feed of the meadows and stub
ble till the rains set in, when they all
are fed with hay till the early
grasses make their apearaiice after the
first rain. These grasses generally
help very materially in wintering the
cows and bringing them out in fine
condition for the next summer cam
paign in the mountains. We have thus
given an outline of one of the many
successful industeries of the interior of
this State which is prosecuted where
but a few years since, but little invi
ting for a home or business was sup
posed toexist. Each year develops new
values for the foot-hills and mountain
ous regions of the State, and the time
is not far distant when these sections
will be among the most desirable local
ities for residences and business.
The Puialed Miuer.
lHwn in the mine, underneath the
ground, ared-shirted laborer, toiled th
whole day long, aud when evening
came he ascended to the mouth of the
pit to get a mouth of fresh air and a
supper in his cabin. But there had
been a tremendous storm during the
afternoon. Many a house iu Virginia
City had been unroofed, and of his own
cabin at the head of Carson street, not
a vestige remained. It hail been blowu
down, the boards had been scattered
far and wide, and not a shingle re
mained to mark the spot where he hail
smoked his pipe, fried his potatoes, and
played draw-poker, with a dummy.
After the fury of the gale had come a
heavy fall of snow, and the miner
trudging home in the evening, found
all things changed. He reached the
spnt where his cabin had stood when he
went to work in the morning, but as he
turned aside to walk towanls the door
he missed the house. Thinking that he
had made a mistake, he went further
up the street, and uot finding his bouse,
concluded that he must have passed it,
and accordingly retraced his steps.
Facing about, and noticing the familiar
outlines, of his neighbors' cabiu, he
whistled, aud finally exclaimed:
"What in the deuce has become of my
house?" Then oue of his r"ighbors
opened a window and consoled hoi. "I
say, you'll find your house dowv -in
Seven-mile canon, as it was goiu' thar
when I last saw it." The dummy lost
nothing " in the draw" that night.
1
9