seilirf JUlk nil
1 p lllillCBII
II. F. SCIIWEIER,
THE C0NSTITTJTI05 THE UKIOS-AUD THE ESrOECEMEUT OP THE LAVS.
Editor ami Proprietor.
VOL. XXXIII.
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PEXNA., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY S, 1S79.
NO. 2.
a
v
EAKG CP ElEI'S STOCKING.
Hang np tbe baby's stoeking.
ISe sure yon don't forget;
Tbe dear little dimpled darling'
Sbe never aaw Christmas yet ;
But I've told her all about it.
AuJ ehe opened her bip. blue even.
Aud I'm sure she understands it.
She looks so funny and vise.
IVar! what a tiny stocking;
It down t take much to bold
Such little pink toes aa bahT 'a
Any from the frost and oo'd.
Kut then, for tbe baby's Christm
It ill never do at all.
Vi'uv. Santa wouldn't be lookirg
For anything kalf so small !
I know what we'll do f.r Cie babr,
I've tliouyht of the very best plan,
I'il borrow a stocking of panJuia,
The longest that ever I cau;
And you'd bang it by mine, dear mother
Riht bear in the corner. ,
And write a letter to r-atita
And f ttt n it onto t'.ie toe.
Write : ' This is the baby's stocking.
That hangs in the corn r. he re.
Von never have seen her. Santa.
For she only came tins vear:
But she's just the blcrsede-t bt.b!
And now, before you go.
Just cram her stocking with KOi'die
From t' e top clean doan to the ton."
The Kail Dov's Adventure.
Never did a boy Lave a wore lonely
ride. It w as the year after our family
moved tin from Newbury iiort into Pen
obscot county. Me., to Ugin liie anew j
on a back woods farm. .My father had
taken a cot. tract to tarry me man irom
I, . the town next below IIS, tip to
I) , eleven milt s above. Between
these two po;nts tlie mail was carried
twice a week. The sum received for
the services was only $110. The dis
tance was upward of tit teen miles, si ml
104 round trisuf over thirty miles each
were made during the year, lint my
father had counted on my doing the
carrying part or. l:ois"back. I was then
in my fourteenth year.
Eery Tuesday and Saturday morning
I had to set o!T for L at six o'cl.ick
with the mail bag, and lide over the
countv road to D . This road ran
. . 1. 1 l... 1 .... , t ... -
iniouy.j i u.e, .. .. ..r ,
uu..i i. ..... ....... .i... nil..-, i
ana two watering irougns in tne wnoie
distance. i nous, woous. uooos oor-
dered the road on both sjjes. Often I
did not meet a single team or ersoii
Irom the liiiK' I was fairly out of L
till I reached D . I sometimes s.iw
the tracks of bears in the road, and
sometimes my horse would stop and
snort, as the scent cf some wild animal
was borne, to him. Several times that
season 1 had g!itnses of bears crossing
the road -soma distance in advauce of
me. I commonly arrived at 1 by
eleven o'clock, but 1 hail to Wait there
till lialf-i a-.;, two far the d uu mail, so
that when autumn came I w; s always
Lite home.
The adventure of which I am going
to speak happened to me that summer.
Above I) , in the woods on the river,
a lumbering tirra had for the two years
previous been getting out spruce and
pine. They employed a large Lumber
of men both summer and winter, and
did au extensive business. Their mail
came to I) . and doubt'e.-s checks
and drafts for large sums mere often
sent to them in letters and were placed
in my mail-bag.. One afiernoon, as I
was going to L , and had left the
town of 1) four or five miles behind
me, I overtixik a woman dressed in a
soiled calico gown, with an old dirty
white "cloud"' on l.er head. She limp
ed painfully, and had quite a large bun
dle tied up in a calico apion.
I knew she was a Province woman.
As 1 came up to pats her, she cast a
most pitiful liM'k into my face. She
looked young, li"t more than eighteen
or twenty years of age.
"O my good bov." savs she. "can't
yer give me a lift on ther horse?"
"How f:tx are von going?" I asked.
. "loon ter L ," said she ; "and
from ther on to Hangour (Bangor in
ter saavice.
"Do you exiect to walk all the way?
'O yens! but I wouldu't mind that
at all, ef I hadn't a trod on the stoob up
here. Me shoon are thm-soled, an it
stook right inter the hollow of me foot,
an' I think as i!s in ther now. for it
hurts me that much I can hardlv bear
a pound on it. Oh, this is a hard
'nreld!' ami she concluded with
heart-moving s:gli.
Mv sympathies v. re stirred, and I
felt that 1 ought to let her ride, for she
looked very tired, and had a wonderful
ly pleading pair i.-f dull black eyes. I
had no thought, however, of lidingdoii
ble with her. So I goi off at the turn.
and leading my horse to a stump be
side the road, let her get on his back
with her bundle. Then unbuckling the
rein to make a halter of it, I threw the
mail-bag over my shoulder and walked
along, leading the horse. My passen
ger was quite talkative and very thank
ful. She told atxiut the trials and hard
ships of a servant-girl's life with a Mir
ency of expression that cave me little
opjoitiini':y to speak. Eveiy few min
utes she would say that I had better put
the "barg on the hoorse," and not car
ry it in v self.
No, I told her, I would carry it ; she
had her bundle to take care of. As she
talked and held her bundle, my atten
tion was drawn to the thuxb of her left
baud. Its nail was gone. It had ap
parently been jammed off, leaving a je-
culiarly fresh pink-red scar. In fact.
the entire end of her thumb abjve the
joint was red, and looked disfigured and
peculiar. Meanwhile she talked on, and
among other things told me that her
name was Betsey Ellen McXally. and
that she was from Woodstock. When
she had ridden a mile or two, my new
acquaintance began to coinp'ain that
the saddle was "barred tosit," Couldn't
I strap the "barg" on the saddle, and
let her throw her old shawl over il? and
so, as she said, "kill two burnds with
one stone," the would have the "easy
sate," and the "boois" wouli ctirry
the "barg."
Till that moment I had not had a
suspicion that lietsey Ellen was not
what sheseer ned to be; but the thought
that s imething was wrong, caused by
the tone of her voice, came suddenly
into my mind. In a moment I felt con
scious of danger and of my responsibili
ty, and that the sooner I could get rid
of mv new acquaintance the better.
"All right," said I. "I'll fix it."
We had just come m s;ght of one of
tlie watering-troughs. I led the horse
up to it, and told Betsey Ellen to slide
off and sit down on the eud of tie trough
while I did as she had suggested. Plac
ing ttie bag on the saddle, I first took
the extra strap and made it fast, then
spread her old shawl on top of it.
"There's a gay seat," said I, stepping
upon the side of the trough to pat it
down ; and before the woman could be
aware of what 1 intended, 1 had jump
ed on the horse and given him a llow
which caused him to bound into the
middle of the road.
Oh, plaze stop, an' fer the love or
mercy don t be roouiir away from me:
pleaded the girl, starting up and drop
ping her bundle.
1 glanced kick, but gave my horse
another blow, and seeing 1 was really
off, my persuasive friend suddenly
changed her conduct, ljuick as a flash
out came a pistol, and whiz went a ball
from it within two inches of my ear.
Hut old Jed was already on a gallop.
We went round a bend in the leafy road.
and that was the hist 1 saw of the
"iTOvince girl'' that day. Olllcers were
sent after the would-be-robber, but they
didn t catch him
The second winter after this my fa
ther put a stage (a large double sleigh
.!-.,, I ... o dii.ii it Ihinui n t I... .....il
u , oiaii ui n v'l ... .'it l i it mini
route, lu place of riding old Jed, 1 now
drove the stage and carried the mail
also. 1 had plenty of light freight and
express matter, and was often " full
of passengers. My route had been
lengthened, and extended beyond 1)
to a new place, w hich was called the
'supply deiHrt." One day in iVbuary
I had three passengers two "choppers"'
going up to work, and a well-dressed
young man, who sat well niuftled up.
for it was a pretty cold day. I stoped
at 1 for the passengers to warm
themselves and to have dinner, and this
young man was so long eating his that
1 had to go mto the dining-room tohur
ry him. He sat at the table with his
back to me eating as 1 went in, and I
saw his thumb as he held his fork. The
; m,ji
was gone, and the scar was of a
dull red color. 1 knew that thumb in
an instant, and was sure that this was
"Betsey Ellen.'' It made me nervous,
but I said, bravely, "All aloard!" ud
walked out.
I didn't know what to do, "Betsey
Ellen," was the only passenger from
D up to the lu oilier yard, too. He
had considerable to say. He probably
knew me well enough , that is, he knew
I w;is the boy he had fixiled and tried
to rob of the mail-bag. II is name, he
told me (this time), was Gleason. He
was a professional scaler," on his way
lltt trk .:,l ftr ttltrvft.1 t ba. u intur'a tvu?
v - ...iv. 0 vub
o1 himber at tMP -landings" on the riv-
er iie had his
"caliiKTs" and other
instruments with him. I felt uncom-
t,tr,.,0 .n,.iri, i,t b,.t i
....... .." v...'..,..., .juu t, V, M. QUI
sure 1 never suffered so much from fear
in all my life as 1 did in going up from
D that alternoon. The whole of
the way 1 had tosit with my back to
"Betsey Ellen," and of cdiirse 1 expec
ted every moment he would give me a
blow ou the head and rob the stage.
He did not, however, but instead he
was a very quiet passenger. That uight
at the "depot."' 1 found out that his
name was actually Gleason, and that
he was really their regular utnlr sca
ler, and was hired as such. But 1 knew
it was "Betsey Ellen" all the same;
his voice and the peculiar glance of his
dull dark eyes were only too well fixed
in my memory ever to be forgotten.
Next day at L I first told the
postmaster there, and we then got out
a warrant for the arrest of Gleason.
The sheriff went up on the stage with
me. Gleason was scaling two miles
above the depot, at one of the lumber
camps. The sheriff took two men and
went up to the camp that evenii g. I
went with him to iiut him out. Glea
son was smoking his cigar by the big
camp-stove when we went in. ''Well,
'Betsey Ellen,'" said I "you rather
played it on me two years ago, but now
it's my turn;"' and the sheriff collared
him. But he took it very coolly. He
sat quite still for a moment; then he
began to laugh, and laughed so violently
that it seemed us if he would never
stop.
The sheriff took him down to D
that night, and the next morning he
had his examination. To my surprise.
he laughingly admitted the whole charge
againr.t him. With apparent frankness
he explained the reason of his being dis
guised as a girl that day. He had been
stopping up at C , a town ten miles
beyond D , and was owing bills
there. Being out of money, he had dis
guised himself and ran away. He sent
for two witnesses, and proved what he
said ahout his indebtedness. His talk
nig and riding with me that dav was
done purely forsjiort, he said, and when
I ran away from him, he fired off the
pistol just to frighten ine a little more.
The rascal told all this in such a hu
morous way that it caused a gocd deal
of laughter. The lumbermen were all
his friends. The case was dismissed
and Gleason actually discharged, after
I had fairly caught him! He even had
the impudence to come and chat famil
ial ly with me, and tell me he was Sony
he had scared me! In fact, his version
of the circumstances made me out any
thing but a hero, and 1 was heartily
laughed at by the loafers and men 1
met. J couldn't stir for a month with
out hearing something alxmt "Betsey
Ellen."
They sa-ig a different tune, however,
about the 2.1th of March. Tlie lnmlier
finn who were doing business at the
depot" and in that region were to pay
off their "ehopiwrs" on the 2.1th, and
money had been sent them for that pur
Mse. It was in a chest in the large
back-room of the dejiot, where Briggs,
their foreman.al ways slept. During the
night of the 24th, the chest was robbed
of every dollar it contained and the
foreman muruered. 1 ne poor man was
found next morning dead from blows
upon his head. Gleason h-id been there
the night lefore but was now missing.
The amount stolen was between six and
seven thousand dollars. In the light of
this tragedy the people began to think
that mv "Betsey Ellen" was no chicken
after all. Then commenced the hue
and cry after the murderer; bnt they
did not catch him. nor could they so
much as get a trace of him. He had
made good his escape.
Time passed on, I drove the stage for
thiee years longer: then, at the age of
twenty-one, I went on to the new rail
road, the N. A. & E. line, where in
time I liecame a conductor. Going
from St. John to Bangor, my train pass
ed the station called Mattawamkeag at
about four o'clock a.m. Banning down
irom Kingman, I took up tickets for
Mattawamkeag. 1 he passeugers were
often asleep. One morning 1 had to
waken a man who was curled upou two
seats sleeping soundly.
"Tickets! tickets'." 1 called to mm.
He roused up, swore a little and be
gan to fumble in his pockets. At last
he foucd his ticket, aud held it up to
me between his thumb and finger. I
had tbe lantern turned full upon it, and
there, held against the ticket, was that
never-to-be-forgotten red thumb with
no nail upon it.
One moment," said 1. and held tbe
autern to his face. It was Gleason.
"O ho!" 1 exclaimed, "lietsey Ellen,
we meet again:"
He jumped np with an oath. But 1
was now no longer a boy. Determined
that "Betsey" should not escape me
again, 1 seized him by the collar, thrust
him down into the seat and called in
two brakemen.
Three hours later w gave him into
custody at Bangor. He was tried for
the murder of Foreman Briggsand sen
tenced to be banged. The sentence was
commuted, however, to imprisonment
for life, and 1 have since heard that he
died in prison.
Duds.
Kittle Mrs. Dagget was going thiwh
Brush street. She had on her store
clothes, and was sailing along like a
Baltimore clipper, when she met a
strange woman. They surveyed each
other as thev slowlv passed. Mrs
Dagget could tell exactly what the
other had on and the coet, and the
other could do the same by Mrs. Dag-
get. As their eyes met they both ele
vated their noses.
"Your coral jewelry is only wax!"
exclaimed the stranger.
Aud that's shoddy lace!" screamed
Dagget.
Aud that dress only coiit twenty
cents jer yard !"
It cost seventy cents, and I saw
your bonnet in a second-hand store!"
Then they gave each other love taps
on the mouth, aud pulled each other's
hair, and Mrs. Dagjret retreated from
the encounter to find solace in beer.
She was out on the war-path, half
drunk, w hen arrested.
Aud now," she said, as the charge
was read, "must a lady, when she
walks out with her tine duds on, be in
sulted by such heathens as that woman
trains with ?"
But you looked at her y ou criti
cised her clothing, too."
So I did your Honor. I thought she
had the worst taste lever saw. Did
you ever know a real lady to wear red
on her bonnet, green around her neck,
and yellow bows on her dress?"
"Never!" he exchiimed.
' Well, that's the way she was
fljjged out. Look at me, your Honor
see the soft harmony the pleasing
contrasts the mingling of the tender
and the beautiful. 1 his ribbon cost
ten cents a yard, and this calico is war
ranted not to fade, while this apron
can't be bought anywhere for less than
thirty cents."
" I have often been pained to see
women turn and glance at each other,"
observed the court. "I'm rather glad
you abused each o'.her, but I can't ex
cuse the intoxication. The line is five
dollars."
"Here is the same," she promptly
answered. " lieal ladies can pay double
that, w bile such trash as that woman
must go to jail. Good-bye, sir; I know
w hat belongs to good manners, and 1
pays my nne and goes out wlt.i a
Miiile."
flow to Prevent Jockeying:
The doubts aneut tiie true inward
ness of the Courtney-IIanlan race re
call to us an incident that occurred, lo !
these many years ago, in the neighbor
hood of Richmond, Va. A certain Cel.
a well known gentleman, e-teemed for
his fine qualities as a man and renow n
ed for his judgment of whisky and
horse-flesh, had entered his mare in a
race where the best stin k in the coun
try was engaged. His animal was ac
knowledge the finest trotter in that
section was one of theflne.-t trotters,
in fact, in the country at that time,
when Rams was an unknown bird
and at the meeting bets ran high bet
ween the assembled sporting men
planters, lawyers and merchants of
Virginia, North Carolina and Tennes
see. The Colonel was ever a heavy better,
and had pledged himself to the extent
of $25,000 on his mare. The morning
of the race his jockey came to him with
a blanched face and a cautious, w his
ering tone of voice.
"Col. , for God's sake hedge
while yoa have time; I break my word
with my friends to tell you, but I will
tell you our mare cannot win the
race !"
The Colonel's face turned an hones
ter w hite than his jockey's but a wick
ed smile came over his lips thin and
compressed and his voice, though even
in utterance, was cracked as he caught
the jockey by the throat with one hand
and with the other drew a derringer
from his fob pocket."
'My mar is the best blood on the
course, and can w in the race," he said.
"I have staked all that 1 aud my family
have on the trot. If you don't win this
race, I will bespatter the track wbh
your brains, and if you have brains you
can know that I won't be jockeyed."
The Colonel's mare came in ahead
everv heat.
Aralvpha Macrophrlla.
A plant from the South Sea Islands,
belonging to the Order Euphorbiacca;,
with foliage showing a great variety of
tints, bears the above title. Its stem
and branches are furni.-hed at short but
regular intervals with exstipulate
leaves, having hairy petioles from six
to eight inches long, from which the
leaf expands into a bold and broad
blade of the obcordate acuminate form,
serrate and prominently veined. The
leaves attain a length of from twelve to
fifteen inches, with a breadth of from
ten to twelve inches. Tne coloring and
markings of the leaves are exceedingly
varied, tints of red, yellow, plnk.brown
and greeu may all be found upon one
plant. The coloring is most developed
in tlie older leaves ; in some, blotches
of red or yellow ish red are scattered
over the whole leaf; in others, a por
tion sharply marked off by the promi
nent veins is colored ; in others again
the two preceding characters are com
bined. The general outline of tbe
plant is bolder and the color more va
ried than A. tricolor.
Four Yonng Heroes.
In New York there is a juvenile asso
ciation, tbe real objects aud practical
work of which are manifest in acta of
personal bravery and humanity. For
nearly four months two young men
and two bov have carried on what
they call the New York Amateur Life
sa ing association. They have formed
their association and elected a president
and vice-president. They do not need
a treasuier, and oue of them acta as
secretaiy, his services in that respect
being confined to making entries in the
"recoid book." These youug men are
William O'Neill, tweuty-three years of
age, residius at No. 02 Cherry street ;
Giloeit Louir, aged twenty, of No. IS
Cherry street ; Edward Kelly, aged 1(J,
of No. 18 Cherry Street, and Patrick
Mark, atct d ten, of No. 7 Oak street.
O'Neill is an overgrowu boy in appear
ance, and has been know n as "Nan, the
Newsboy," since lie was six years old
He sells pajteis and blackens boots ou
tbe Sylvan Line of Harlem steamers,
aidintr in tlie stippert of a widowed
mother. lie has saved fourteen lives
within the past two years, three being
placed to his credit ou Saturday last.
Long, is a tinker, employed in a shop
in Burlington Sliu : Kellv works in a
Gold street leather nianufacto y, and
little "PaUey" Mai k is learning the
painter's trade at a paint shop in Peck
Slip. Long has already saved four
persons from drowning in the river,
Kelly has saved two persous, and "Pat-
sey," has rescued one. All aie expert
swimmers and divers, aud a similarity
of tastes and ambitiou piobaidy led
them into each other's company. Near
ly every day in the week these four
brave volunteers meet at half past
seven o'clock on the Dover street pier.
Starting from thence, O'Neill takes
either Mark or Kelly with him aud
patrols the South street dock front
down as far as the South ferry or the
Battery sea wall. Iamk and the remain
ing patrolman go in the northerly di
rection and give their attention to the
river front as far np as tlie "Hook," a
ittle below Grand etreet ferry. They
have scraped together money enough
to buy two life lines of slender, well-
spnn hemp rone, each about 100 feet
ong and prowded with a cross-bar of
wood to which a person in the water
may readily cling, and which also aids
by its weight in the throwing of the
line. They remain on patrol usually
from two to three hours, always meet
ing again at the Dover street pier and
reporting the occurrences of the night.
Their plan of rendering assistance is to
allow one to plnuge into the river when
aid is needed, while the other remains
on the pier and aids the rescued and
the recuer with the life-line in getting
out of the water. A part of their patrol
duty consists in practising the throwing
of tlioir life-lines aiming to throw it j
accurately to objects in the water. At
present they, say they need several arti
cles of equipment, such as a life-buoy
or two, aud eventually they hope to get
rublx-r caps and capes to wear on rainy
nights. These young heroes seem to
feel some sort of contempt for men who
need boats to save life, because, thev
say, that many persons have lieen
drowned while others have been lock
ing for a boat and running around for
oars to go to the drowning j arson's
assistance. '1 hey would be willing to
have a boat themselves, however
merely because they would always
have it ready for nse, and they could
patrol their respective distances in
in front of tbe piers, see greater dis
tances, be more easily summoned, aud
could go over their patrol posts three
times where they now do it once. Their
method of saving a person is to go into
the water after them, seize them, and
support them. They will endeavor to
have a boat by next summer, but will
continue their foot patrols meantime.
O'Neill is trying to get an appointment
from tbe government on one of the life-
saving stations of the coast-
Major John Andre.
A New York walking club recently
made a visit to Tappautown, w hich is
invested with a melancholy historical
nterest, from having been the scene of
the imprisonment, trial and execution
of Major Andre. They paused long be
fore the old house, built of the red
sandstone of that region, facing the
main street in which Andre was con
fined. It is now unoccupied and dilap
idated, and its wood work Is sadly de-
ayed. but then It w as a bustling tav
ern, well patronized and doing a nour
ishing business. The present inscrip
tion above itsdocris"OM Stone House,
C." A little further on is a brick
church, with a white wooden tower.
from which a sweet-toned bell was
ringing for morning service. I Ins
church is comparatively modern, hav
ing been built in 13:15, but is interest
ing as standing on the site of the old
stone church In which Andre was
tried a.id condemned. In the little ne
glected burying ground behind it are
old sandstone slabs, bearing dates as
earlv as 1084, and queer old Dutch
names long since forgotten. After
walking nearly half a mile fiirthur up
a gentle incline they reached the sum
mit of what is interchangeably known
as "Gallows," Washington,' and
"Andre" hill, w here thegallant young
officer was hanged. All that now
marks the spot is an old cedar tree.des
tiued to stand but a short time longer,
the trunk of which is protected by
boards from the ravages of relic hunt
ers said to be oue ol the two that sup
ported the cross-pieces from which de
pended the fatal uoosc. Acccrding to
the traditions of the place, the con
demned man stotsl in a cart that was
driven between the two trees, the rope
adjusted ahout his neck, aud the cart
driven away from beneath him. A
wooilen post driven in the ground a
short distance from the spot marks the
place where he was buried, and from
which the body was afterward removed
and taken to England to be buried with
honor in Westminister Abbey. Far
down at the foot of the hill can be seen
the old headquarters, and the windows
from which Washington witnessed the
preparations for the execution, but
which he ordered to be closed and
darkened before the avent took place.
As long as the memory of the Ameri
can Revolution lasts, its most tragic
and romantic incident can never be
forgotten, and though every scliHoIboy
knows the main facts of that incideu
by heart, it can never become alto
gether commonplace. Andre was so
young, so handsome, so brilliant and
so unhappy, that his fate has provoked
as much pity from foes as friends. In
deed, he seems to have had no enemies
Even the stern soldiers who tried, con
victed, and sentenced him, manifested
the deeiiest regret for the necessity
w hich ilem.iii.led such a sacrifice, and
it is well known that Washington him
self made every effort to obtain posses
sion of Arnold, in order that the real
traitor nugnl sutler aud Iiis victim es-
cae. The sentinels who guarded him
the servants w ho waited on him, the
ollicers who escorted him to the fatal
lot all were charmed by the very
gentle aim graceful manner, the se
reue and lotty courage aud inborn
cuivairy oi the man. The whole ar
my, it U said, mourned his loss, w bile
recognizing that the violated laws of
war could be satisfied bv no lighter
penalty. It is known that Andre
hojied to the last moment his petition
would be granted, and that he would
perish by the bullet and not by the hal
ter. Au ollicer on whose arm he leaned
during the final march relates that
when the melancholy procession came
in sight of the gallows Andre suddenly
stopped. "You are not afraid ?" said
bis companion. "No," was the reply.
"I can meet the death, but I abhor the
means." The same authority informs
us thai the dismal arrangements were
not entirely complete when the pro
cession arrived at the scene of execu
tion, and there was consequently i
brief delay. Andre stood calmly dur
ing the terrible interval, showing the
emotion which filled his breast onlv bv
rolling a small stone over and over with
his te-.t, ami a pecnliar spasmodic ac
tion in the throat. When all was ready
he half whispered, as if in soliloqtioy :
"It will be but a momentary pang,"
steped lightly into the cart, removed
his cravat, adjusted the roie himself,
and then turning to theas-embled mul
titude, said: "I pray you all to bear
witness that I die as becomes a brave
man." The signal was given, the cart
moved off, and he died without the
slightest struggle. lie was buried as
he died, in full regimentals, his watch
and other valuables having been pre
viously given to his valet, who for
warded them to relatives in England.
When the grave w as ojiened some fifty
years later, preparatory to the trans-
Krtatiou of the remains to Westminis
ter Abbey, the buttons and a portion of
the gold lace of th; uniform were still
in tolerable preservation, and the roots
of a cherry tree planted at the head,
had grown through the coffin, and had
formed a perftct network around the
skull. No American, we think, ever
looked at the splendid monument in
the nohlct of England's temples with
out a throb of tender sorrow for poor
John Andre.
ut-Piue Forests of Neva!.
The valne of this species to Nevada
is not easily overestimated. It fur
nishes fuel, charcoal, and timber for
the mines, and together with tbe endur
ing juniper, so geneully associated
with it, supplies the ranches with abun
dance of firewood and fenciug. Many
a square mile has already been denuded
in supplying these demands, but so
great is the area covered by them, that
no appreciable loss has as yet been sus
tained. It is pretty generally known
that this tree yields edible nuts, but
their importance and excellence as
human food is infinitely greater than
is supposed. In fruitful seasons like
this one, the pine-nnt crop of Nevada
is.perlutps greater than the entire wheat
crop of California, concerning which.
so much is said and felt throughout
the food markets of this world. Tbe
Indians alone appreciate this portion of
nature's bounty, and celebrate the har
vest home with dancing aud feasting.
The cones, which are a bright grass
green in color and about two inches
long by one and a half in diameter, are
beaten oil' with poles, just before the
scales open, gathered in heaps of sev
eral bushels, and lightly scorched by
burning a thin covering of brushwood
over th uu. The resin with which the
cones are bedraggled is thus bnrned
off, the nuts slightly roasted, and the
scales made to open. Then they are
allowed to dry in the sun, after which
the nuts are easily threshed out and are
ready to be stored away. They are
aim tit half an inch long by a quarter of
an iuch in diameter, pointed at the up
per end, rounded at the base, light
brown in general color, aud handsome
ly dotted with purple, like birds' eggs.
The shells are thin, and may be crushed
lietween the thnnib and finger. The
kernels are white and waxy-looking,
becoming brown by roasting, sweet
and delicious to every palate, and are
eaten by birds, squirrels, dogs, horses
and men. When tbe crop is abnndant
the Indians biing in large quantities
for sale ; then they are eaten around
every fireside in the State, and often
times fed to the horses instead of
barley.
Snow and Clear Skies.
It is a familiar fact to inhabitants in
Alpine districts, that avalanches rarely
fall while the sky remains covered,
whereas they fall rapidly and in great
numbers in the morning when the
heavens art clear. On this account the
monks of the great St. Bernard do not
leave the convent in the latter case. M.
Dufour attributes this more frequent
fall of avalanches to the lowering of
temperature when the sky is clear, es
pecially before sunrise. The small fila
ments of ice which retain the snow on
the sides of the mountain, then con
tract and break, and the snow begins to
slide, carrying down other portions be
low. It is known that very slight dis
turbances, as the flight of a bird, a few
words in a deep voice, Ac, suffice to
bring down avalanches.
Eight yoong Chinamen are attend
ing school in Phillips Academy in An
uover, Mass. In the same school there
are twenty-two sons of ministers and
four sons of missionaries.
In Lombard, 300,000 women spin
flax for twenty cents per week.
Out of the Depths.
William Buder, a survivor of the
crew of the United States corvette
Huron, wrecked nearly a year ago on
the Carolina coast, north of Cape Hat-
teras, spin the following romantic
sailor's yarn: "Mv name is William
Buder, and I am a Norwegian by birth
and 23 years of age. I enlisted in the
navy as a landsman at Philadelphia on
the 2Sth of August, 1S77, and was sent
on board the receiving ship St. Louis,
Soon after I was transferred to tne re
ceiving ship Colorado, at the Brooklyn
navy yard, New York, and remained
there about four months. Just before
the Huron sailed from New York on
her way to Norfolk, en route for Ha
vanna, I was transferred ou board of
her. f was in the first gun division
aud belonged to the foretop, but do not
remember the name of the division
was at the wheel w hen the ship struck.
I was sent there at twelve o'clock to
relieve the man ahead of me. With the
accident everything became confused to
my mind. I can't recollect distinctly,
but some tune during the night I re
member finding the balsa blown up
somewhere forward, with a line at
tached to it. Probably it had been
made ready by Mr. Young, or for him
as he afterw ards attempted to carry the
line ashore with it. At the time
reached it it was guarded by Antonio
Williams, seaman, a Spaniard, who was
afterwards saved. I tried to cut the
line and throw the balsa overboard, but
was driven awav by Williams. I after
wards saw Mr. Young overboard with
the balsa. I can't say how long after
the vessel struck all this took place. I
believed I was the last man ou board
While it was still dark I saw a spar.
nrobablv the mizzentopmast, fall over
board. I was in the main rigging at
this moment, and jumped overboard
after tbe par. I succeeded in retching
it, and lashing myself to it with my
handkerchief. An ordinary seaman by
the name of Jesse Roll, a Spaniard,
dung to the spar w.th me. We drifted
out to sea with the spar, which easily
supported both of us, and the sea had
gone down enough to make it smooth
enough for us both to hang on. But
Roll became exhausted, and let go and
was lost. At the end or twenty-four
hours, as near as I can rcr..ember, I
was picked np by the Norwegian bark
Korto, Captain L. C. Skore. 1 do not
doubt I was tweiitv-foiir hours on the
par. for I wa picked up in the fore
noon, and the time was longer than the
first morning of the accident. The
aptain afterwards told me that I was
sixty miles from shore when he picked
me up. The hark was bound to Chris
tiaiisand, Norw ay, and made the voy
age in about two months. When I was
picked up I was almost exhausted. I
remcmlier first seeing the bark coming,
nd then the man at the w heel, to
whom I threw up my arms. I remem
ber the captain looking through his spy
glass, and theu being taken on board.
lardlv able to stand." He savs that
he did not recover his strength during
the voyage, but continued sick and ex
hausted. When he got to Norway he
made his way home, where his mother
took care of him and put him in a hos
pital. He lay in the hospital six
mouths. On his recovery his brother
furnished him with some money and
clothing, and he shipped on the same
vessel the Korto w Inch had rescued
hiin.
An Inrtilent of 14.1.
On a stormy night of February, 174.1,
a young lady, whom we shall call Miss
Scott, was sitting In her dressing-
room, in au old catle in Perthshire,
Scotland. She had been nrc'ipied all
day tending her cousin, Miss Hay, who
was ill of fever; and now, ere retiring
to rest, she thought of the contest in
which many of her relatives were en
gaged. The aruiy of Prince Charles
having retreated towards the High
lands, several detachmentsof the King's
troops were on the march to that cam
paign which ended in the battle of Ctil
loden. Amidst the roar of the storm Miss
Scott faucied she heard the bell of the
castle ring; and presently a servant ap
peared, saying that an officer wished to
see her atone. On descending to the
dining-room she found her cousin,
Captain Hay, who eagerly asked for
his sister. When he found that she
was too ill to be disturbed, he said that
in a vault below the castle, unknown
except to his parents and himself, were
concealed the family plate, and some
pajwrs which it was of the utmost im
portance he should now possess As
lie had only obtained leave from his
commanding officer to gallop before
his troop, he had not time to select the
pajiers, but he would ojen the trap
door, and Miss Scott must go alone
next night to take them out, and he
would send a trusty messenger to re
ceive them He took a shovel from the
hearth, and a small dark lantern.
Miss Scott followed him to the lowest
story of the castle, through chambers
and long daik passages. At leng'h
they reached a small vaulted apartment,
the only furniture of which was a
strong wooilen press, fixed to the wall
in one corner of the room. In front of
this Captain Hay scraped away the
sand, and Miss Scott saw the ring of an
iron trap-door. By united strength
they raised it, and, descending a stair,
they reached the lowest vault, where
the chest stood. Captain Hay gave his
cousin a list oi me requireu pnjer.,
and the key of the chest ; then he left
the tiap-dor so that she could raise it
without assistance.
Next night, when all nad retired to
rest, Miss Scott took a small lamp, and,
easily raising the trap-door, descended
to the chest, and took out the papers;
but, oh, horrible ! the heavy iron-bound
lid of the chest slid from her trembling
hands. The violent concussion closed
the trap-door, ajid threw open the door
of the strong wooden press above, so
that it remained immovable across the
trap-door. She became aware that she
must die of staivation in that dreadful
vault! In fainting, she must have ex
tinguished her lamp, for she revived
in the awful darkness. After praying,
as Jonah might have prayed, she be
came again insensible. On reviving.
she lay in bitter agony ; at last she
heard a sound. Had a most merciful
God heard her cry? Surely some one
was in the upper vault ! The trap-door
was slowly raised, and Captain Hay
looked down in terror and astonish
me nt.
When she became coniosed he ex
plained that, havingomitted to mark in
his list a document of the greatest im
portance, he had explained the circum
stance to his commanding officer, and
got permission to return to the castle.
It is supposed that Captain Hay per
sued at luliodcn, lor lie was never
heard of more.
l ears passed awav. JIiss Scott was
married to a pious and benevolent
medical man, to whom she had been
long attached, but he died of fever three
weeks after the union. In the depths
of despair the widow exclaimed,
prayed long; I prayed that I might be
united to hiin; 1 will never pray again,
nor see the light of the sun." For
more than a year she refused to see her
friends, and sat in a darkened room.
The Rev. Hugh Blair, (author of the
well-known sermons, and afterwards
professor of rhetoric in the University
of Ed in burg.) then a young man, be
came interested in her history, wrote
her a very sympathizing letter, and
asked leave to pay her a visit. He
found her sitting alone on a sofa, by
the light of a taper. What passed, is
not known, further than bespoke of
the wonderful deliverance God had
vouchsafed her that awful night in the
vault. She wept much. "And now,
madam, kneel and joiifme in prayer."
She 'id so, and when they arose from
their knees, he said : " Now, madam. I
will show you the light of the sun;"
and he ojiened the shutters.
From that day she admitted her
friends, attended the house of God, and
became exemplary for piety and sub
mission. It is not surprising that, to
the close of her life, a shade of melan-
holy tinged her countenance, and she
was unwilling to speak of the thrilling
ncidents of her vouth.
A Kentucky Crow Root
One evening while 1 was statioued at
Lexington, Ky., I rode out to see the
great crow roost. It was one of the
most remarkable sights I ever witnes
sed. The place was about seven miles
from the city, on the Danville.pike
The roost was so ancient that the oldest
inhabitant could not tell when the
crows first commenced coming there.
Many years ago the roost was nearer
Lexington, but as the trees were cut
away the crows moved southward, al
ways seeking the next piece of timber.
It Las been a subject of conjecture
whether the crows will ever abandon
their ancient roost, but judging by the
fact that hundreds, not to say thousands,
have already given up the trees, and
roost on the ground, 1 am inclined to
believe that when there are no more
trees in the section all will content
themselves with a bed on mother-earth.
It was about four o'clock p. m. when
I arrived on the ground, and already
the crows began to pour in. At sun
down they were coming from all direc
tions, and long lines continued entering
the woods from everv point of the com
pass until dark. Each flock had Its
leader or high-flyer, who flew over the
tree-tops until he found his roost, when
the head of the column alighted, the
rest circling around and around, and
winding themselves about their chief.
Only a few crows would alight on the
same tree where the leader alighted,
from which fact I judged he was a sort
of aristocratic p- rsonage, w ho did not
associate with the common herd of
crows, and that the birds who slept on
his tree were the royal family and
crows of high degree. Certain it was
that on one tree only two or three old
crows sat, who kept up an incessant
cawing; and now and then one would
quit the tree and fly to an approaching
flock, which he would apparently con
duct to its proper place in the wood,
and then return and report to an old
chap who sat on the topmast branch of
the highest tree, and who never qnitted
his station, but kept flapping his wings
up and down, constantly grumbling
about something. He was a stately and
solemn-looking crow, of evident great
resoectabilty, and may have been the
king of the crows. At times he became
great excited, hopped a!xut and spoke
in a loud voice; at others he cawed
gutturally, and if I might be allowed to
judge from his motions and manners
was somewhat of a tyrant In his ma
nagement of a Hairs. The rustle of
wings in flying was Due of the most pe
culiar sounds I ever heard : a large flock
passing silently over our heads, we
paused to listen, and could liken the
u ol. -e to nothing but the flutter of a
million fans, or the rustling of vast
pieces of silk. Although the crows
would not abandon their roost, it was a
most unncying and unsafe one for
them ; tlie boys from the city and adjoi
ning farms frequently going out with
dogs and guns to kill them, and
slaughtering hundreds of the poor crea
tures. A Henille lf.
"Sixty years ago,when I was a teach
er in Kilmalcum parish," says John
Fraser, "I w as nsiug whisky bitters for
my stomach's sake. One day I dipped
a piece of caka in it and gave it to the
dog. He grudgingly ate it, curling np
his lip to avoid the taste. Ere long he
became tipsy, he howled most piteously
and unnaturally looked up in ray face
as if for help. He began to stagger and
fall like a drunken man. The appear
ance of his face and eyes w ere extraor
dinary. He lay on the floor and how led
until the effects of the drink wore off.
This was supreme folly; it was wick
ed. The dog never forgot the trick.
Whenever afterwards I went to the
press for the bottle he hastened to the
outside of the house. One day , the door
being shut, he sprang, at one bolt,clear
through a pane of glass to get outside.
So much for the wisdom of the dog
infinitely surpassing foolish drinking
men."
A Baekwanl Cow Kl.le.
During the Revolutionary War,
when a corps of the American army
was encampsd near the borough of
Ellz ibethtown. New Jersey, an offiiier,
who, by the way, was more of a devo
tee to Venus than of Mars, paid his ad
dresses to a lady of distinction, whom
he was in the habit of visiting. On a
discovery of the repeated absence of the
officer, and of the place where Inter
views with tls Dulcina were had, some
waggish friends resolved to play off a
handsome trick at his expense, which
should deter him from a repetition of
his visits. The officer, it appears, rode
a very small horse of the pony kind.
which he left untied with the bridle
reins over his neck, near the door, in
order to mount and ride off without de
lay, when the business of courting and
kissing was over; and the horse always
remained until backed by the owner
without attempting to change his po
sition. On a certain dark and gloomy
night, when the officer had, as usual.
gone to pay his devotions to the object
of his dearest affections, and was enjay
Ing the approving smiles of the lovely
fair one, his waggish companions weut
privately to the door of the houe
where the officer was, took his bridle
and saddle from the horse, which they
sent away, placed the bridle on the tail
and the saddle on the back and the
crupper over the norm of a quiet old
cow, who stood peaceably chewing her
cud, near the spot. Immediately there
after they retired some distance from
the house, and separating, raised tlie
loud cry of alarm, that the enemy had
landed and were marching into the vil
lage. Our hero, on hearing this, took
counsel from his fears, and snatching a
hasty kiss, he shot out of the door with
the velocity of a musket ball, and
mounted into the saddle, with his back
toward the head of the cow, and plung
ing bis sharp spun keenly into her
sides, caused her to bawl out with ex
cessive pain, and she darted in her best
gallop towards the camp. The offieer
still plying his spurs with all wine on
board ri ulin j himself hurried rapidly
backwards, maugre of all his effjrts to
advance, and fearing the repeated bawl
ings of the tortured beast, imagined
that he was carried off by magic, and
roaring out the most lastly that the
devil had got him was thus carried in
to the centre of the camp. The sentin
els, hearing the noise, discharged their
pieces and tied, the alarm 'guns were
tired thedruuis beat to arms, the offic
ers left their q-iarters and cried "turn
out." with all the strength of their
lungs. The soldiers started from their
sleep as if a ghost had disturbed their
dreams, and the whole bo ly running
half naked as quick as possible in gal
lant dishabille, prepared to repel the
terrible Invader. When, lo! the ludic
rous sight soon presented itself to their
eyes, of the gallant ollicer, mounted on
a cow, with his face towards her tall
her to-.gue hanging out her sides gor
with thegonging of the spurs, and he
himself almost deprived of reason, and
half petrified with horor. A loud roar
of laughter broke from the assembled
band, at the rider and his steed; the
whole corps gave him three times three
cheers as he bolted into camp. He was
carried to his q-rirrers in triumph, there
to dream of Iov.ts, rueramorpho.es,
backward rides, stern way advances,
and alarm of in vision, ami thereby gar
nish his mind with materials for writ
ing a splendid treatl e on the novel ad
venture of a co ri-'-'.
A Kemark.oile Wmterfall.
A recent writer t ms describes the fall
made by Stephenson's Creek, a mount
ain torrent of the Sierra, that discharg
es into the San Joaquin River, in the
eastern part of Fresno county Here
are the falls, wherj Stephenson Creek
rushes ver the perpendicular walls of
reck to the river below. We could hear
the rushing waters distinctly when
within fire miles from them, and now
we had arrived at the spot where the
water began its descent. We tried at
numerous points to obtain a view of
them but without success. We then
retnrned to camp, and after laying in a
liberal supply of ammunition for snake
bites, Ac, we started on foot for the
falls. The distance from the camp was
three miles, yet it took us six hours to
make the trip. After a wenry journey
we finally ci me in full view of the
"Blasohydaha" Fills, and were well re
paid for all our trouble. The scene was
almost indescribable. The foaming tor
rent falls upon benches about five hun
dred feet apart, and themaddenii.g wa
ters pitch and foam as though they
could not fall fast enough. From these
benches is continually shooting upon
the precipitous walls adjoining a cloud
of spray and mist that gives to the whole
a fringe of poinpou grand-mr. At
length the water finishes its descent
and passes from the observer's eye into
a subterranean passage 500 yards in
length, and again re-enters its old chan -.
nel, passing on to form a part of the
great San Joaquin River and be forgot
ten In the sea. The opening, as near as
we could discern, Is through solid rock;
and our presumption is that after pene
trating the rock the water discovered a
loose stratum perhaps of sand and
forced its passage. On our return trip,
securing a rock as near roun d as it is
possible for nature to form, we rolled it
over and found that it took 91, seconds
for its descent. Allowing 1 seconds
for the sound to return, we have eight
seconds of perpendicular descent. The
square of time, multiplied by 16' X will
give 1,029'i feet, which I believe to be a
close approximation.
The United States manufactured
one .hundredTOilllon shoes last year.
The cause of the ex-Empress Eu
genie and her son against the State is
just now being tried in Paris. They
claim certain property of Napoleon 111
as belonging to them, particularly the
Fontalnebleau Chicago Museum, the
collection of armor at Compelgne and a
great many pictures. In 1373 a com
promise was signed between M.Rouher
nd the liquidator of the civil list but
difficulties of construction bar given
rise to tbe present suit.
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