:- k -ax a.
B. F. SCIIWEIEIt,
THE OOSSTrnmOI THE UlflOS A5D THE ESFOECEYE3T OF THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XXXIII.
MIFFLINTO WN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1S79.
NO. 9.
I mi
Jt.
si
1
TEE OLD HOXS.
I h e gone I cannot always go, you know ;
BomI 'tia so
Home, across the distant ridgea of the yean,
With my tears ;
And the old house, standing still on the old
ground.
There I found.
In the parlor, in my fancy, I conld trace
Father's face ;
And my mother, with her old, accustomed air,
Sitting there ,
While beside them brothers, sinters, true and
good.
Silent stood.
Thro' the stillness swam the song of summer
bird
And there stirred
On the wall of the leaf-flecked sunshine ; and
the glow
Faded slow.
But from all the loving hps I watched srouud,
Not a sound.
Then I went upstairs, slow entering 'mid their
glooms.
All the rooms ;
And I trod with softened step along the floors
Opened doors ;
Bat I never heard a voice or met a soul
In the whole.
Of the breaths that stlred the draperies to and
fro.
Long ago ;
Of the eyes that thro' ths, casements used to
peep
Out of sleep
Of tbe feet that in those chambers used to
run
Now are none.
Of the sunshine pouring downward from the
Blue and high ;
Of the leafage and the ancient garden plot.
Brown and bot ,
Of the streamlet and the shingle, and the tide
These abide.
But beyond its azure vaulting overhead
Are my dead ;
Though their gTavea were dug apart' in many
lands.
Joining hands.
They have gathered and are waiting till I
come.
That is home !
Friola's Slory.
One morning there caine an Invita
tion for us all to spend the coming
Christmas week at Saunton Court, the
home of my mamma's cousin. My two
aunts at once decided that the weather,
and their ailments combined, would
effectually prevent their going; but at
the same time they absolutely insisted
upon my availing myself of an invita
tion that promised so much enjoyment
to one of my age. Keluctant as I felt
to leave them alone at such a season, no
argument of mine could shake their de
termination that go I should.
I bad been to few balls, and had had
but a passing glimpse of the gay world
which my cousin inhabited and adorn
ed, therefore it may be supposed my
anticipations were ent'rely of the color
called rose..
There was a cold, wintry gleam of
light as I left the train and made my
way to Sir Hubert's carriage which
was waiting outside the nation, and
thesunhadalmostsentfor.il his last
good night in red and yellow nys over
the moat and lake, w hen the arriage
drew up at the huge portico .-f the
Court. .
Without delay I was ushered into the
great hall, where everything spoke of
the season.
At sight of me. Lady Saunton left
a group of ladies, and coming forward
gave me a hearty welcome.
After luncheon and as soon as we
oould get by ourselves my oousin said:
"Friola, dear, I am going to beg a
great favor of you in fact, I hardly
know how to ask it; but I have been in
such a state of perplexity ever since the
post came this morning. You know
the house is quite full crammed I
might say, and this is my dilemma a
very vexing one, too; but I do hope vou
will not be much aunoyed, dear, if I
ask you to let Miss Archer share your
room for a few days. I can easily have
sofa bed put up in that corner for her,
and people who change there mind at
' the last minute must not be particular
if you do not very much dislike it."
Having talked herself out of breath,
and relieved her mind of its oppressive
load, Lady Saunton at once recovered
her natural, bewitching manner.
Of course I could do nothing but
comply.
"Well, Fri,'? she then said, "you
have certainly taken a mountain off my
back, and I feel very light and very
grateful. Only, dear, I hope you will
like this Miss Archer. I must find her
letter, though I doubt if we can form
much idea of her from a few lines."
"But don't you know her?" I ex
claimed, for I was somewhit foolish
and timid about strangers.
"Why no, I can't say I do," was her
reply. "Her family have been abroad
for several years. I do just remember
seeing this girl at an archery ball in
the Autumn; but I could hardly tell
what she was like. You must have
heard of her people, for they are coun
ty neighbors of ours, though I think
they had most likely gone abroad before
you ever came to Saunton."
Here Mary dived into the dainty
pocket of her little lace-bordered apron,
and drew from it the letter for my' in
spection. It was one of the oddest
looking missives I ever saw. The con
tents were word for word as follows :
DesrLadt SaC.ntox. I have only
just returned home from Scotland, and
heard of your most kind invitation,
which mamma and my sisters were un
able to accept. It will give me the
greatest pleasure to come to you for a
few days, and I hope to reach Saunton
Court almost as soon a my letter.
Yours very truly, Kate Archer.
Silently I returned the letter to my
cousin, whilst at the same moment the
sound of wheels on the drive made us
both involuntarily start. With a laugh,
and a remark about the state of our
nerves, Lady Saunton hurried away to
receive this much-talked-of fresh ar-
. -rival.
"Miss Friola," said my maid, a few
hours later, "would you mind coming
to bed a little earlier to-night? Mis
Archer's maid says her young lady is
coming up at half-past ten; so if you
come a little earlier, Miss Friola, I
could get your things put away com
fortable before they come In."
"Certaiuly, Brunton," I replied
smilingly. "I shall be very glad to go
to rest early to-night, and 1 promise
you not to be later than ten."
How vividly I recall the most trifling
incidents of that evening, and all the
surroundings of the scene. Lady Saun
ton was so much engrossed with her
numerous guests, that I had no pitor
tunity of being introduced to Miss Ar
cher until the ladies returned to the
drawing-room after dinner. Then my
cousin drew me up to Kate Archer,
and after the ceremony of introduction
she left us to sit together on a sofa and
so make friends.
I felt sure at first we should easily
establish ourselves on a friendly foot
ing, but on further acquaintance I be
gan to feel for her a singular instinct
ive dislike. I could not well define the
sensation but the eculiar strangeness
of her presence and language made me
just slightly uncomfortable.
Coming up to me, as our evening
was drawiug to a close, Lady Saunton
expressed herself quite delighted to see
me getting on so well with my new
acquaintance. Then telling her of my
pronT.se to Brunton, I retreated quiet
ly, before the rest of the party had be
gun the round of good-nights; but not
before a certain person; known to the
world as Major Barrier, but to me as
Cousin Keggy, had managed to escape
from the circle round the piano, and
crossed the room in time to open the
door, and follow nie to the foot of the
grand old staircase, to bid me good-night
Half an hour afterwards, Brunton
had gone, and I was in bed, trying to
compose my mind for sleep, when the
door opened, and Miss Archer came in,
candle in hand.
"Don't you wish it was to-morrow
night?" was her first exclamation, ac
companied by a disdaiuful toss of the
head. "I suppose Major Barrier is a
great friend of yours?"
"Keggy Barrier is my cousin, you
know," I replied.
'Oh, yes," said she. "I kuow, cou
sinly affection and all that sort of thing,
but it does not deceive me. I used to
to call him 'Reggy' in the old days
when he was my friend and playfel
low. Miss, Archer, then fell into silence,
as she sat on a low chair in front of the
toilet-glass, slowly and idly' combing
out her long Mack hair.
At length everthing seemed to grow
still; the gentlemen had evidently re
treated to Sir Hubert's smoking-room,
which was at an agreeable distance
from the sleeping rooms. There was a
great calm. For two or three minutes
she appeared to be listening intently,
as though to catch the least sound out
side our room; then having apparent
ly assured hersc!f that all was quiet,
she sprang up and walked to the door.
This she locked, and put the key in the
bosom of her wrapper. Then glancing
rapidly round the room, she jumped on
a chair, and seizing the oldfashioned
rope, tied the bell-cord as high up as
she could reach.
I had looked on at these singular
movements in speechless astonishment;
then reseating herself at the toilet
table, and opening a handsome dressing-case,
she took from it a silver pen
knife, beautifully cut in antique style.
Oh, how Intently I watched the glit
tering blade going backwards and for
wards on the sole of her slipper, as the
slender fingers guided it with monoto
nous precision! Strap, strap, on
went the blade against tiie leather sole,
growing sharper and sharper every mo
ment. My patience at last gave way; I
could bear it no longer.
"Miss Archer," I began and this
time my voice was earnest enough
"don't you think you bad better go to
bed ? we shall be up so late all this
week !"
For a moment there was no reponse;
then suddenly drawing herself up, and
looking at me with a pair of eyes that
seemed as though they might scorch
you to be near them, she replied slow
ly, and with unpleasant emphasis on
each word, ."Xow listen to me, Mrs.
Barrier that is tp be (this she said with
Intense scorn) ; you see how I have pu
the bell-rope out of your reach, also
the poker, shovel and tongs. The key
ol the locked door reposes snugly in my
bosom; the window is three stories
from the ground, with no balcony to
speak of. The chimney might do for a
sweep, but even he would be half
broiled by that cheerful fire before he
got to the top. There are no sliding
panels, and no convenient little doors
hidden behind tapestry by which to es
cape; wherefore and therefore I say
you are my prisoner !"
In terror, but still In silence, I wait
ed to hear what should follow, with a
sure conviction that what bad at first
apiteared merely nonsensical whim was
really the prelude to a direful tragedy.
"I mean to kill you," Miss Archer
went on, more quickly ; "yes In spite
of your great eyes and nut-brown hair
I say, I mean t) kill you, and this
ancient knife has to do the work."
At this juncture I started up, staring
wildly at my foe. ner eyes fell for a
moment beneath my frenzied gaze. I
knew nothing of the vagaries of insani
Ity, nor yet of the varying phases of
eccentricity or extreme monomania.
"Xow I am going to count twenty,"
she said ; "and up to that number you
can try to escape ; after that, if I lay
hold of you, I shall cut off your hair
and 6ever your throat from one ear to
the other. Xow I begin : One."
Xo scream came from my parched
lips as I heard that frightful sentence.
For several seconds I did not shake off
the lethargy that bad crept over me ;
but my eyes wandered round the room.
I suddenly became conscious that the
counting was going on, and had got to
ten! At that instant the instinct of
self-preservation seemed to awake In
my brain. .
Springing softly out of bed on the
side farthest from the toilet table, I
crept to the dim corner, when (oh joy !)
I saw there was a small door in the
wall, and the key was on my side
Rapidly I turned it, and rushed for
wards. A faint moonbeam came strug
gling in at a little window facing me,
to this window I darted, opening it
with an almost inspired force; but I
only saw to my horror the kitchen pre
mises were immediately below, and an
area made the height far greater here
than from the bed-room window. Cast
ing a wild glance around, I found at
once that this outlet was no means of
escape. It was merely a closet used for
china, but In my despair I took up a
Wedgwood vase and hurled it with all
my might through the window on to
the pavement below. Crash, crash It
went, accompanied by a long, piercing
scream, issuing from my hitherto spell
bound lips. I heard the falal "twen
ty," and I felt my hour had come. At
that moment there came a knock at the
door, and the handle was violently
shaken. With a gasping effort I cried
out, "Help ! murder !" and a strange
voice outside answered, "For mercy's
sake, hold on miss !"
'Again a moment's silence, in which,
partiilly revived by the hope these
words had awoke in me, I made a last
attempt to parry the coming blow, and
doing so fell, utterly exhausted, at the
foot of the bed ; but, as if in dreamland,
there came the sound of many feet, a
tremendous crash, and the door was
burst open.
Thank heaven I was saved ; though
at the same moment Kate Archer, with
eyes of fire, and wuh such a shriek as
I never beard before, and trut never
to hear again, rushed at me, and as my
dream faded, I felt something cold and
smooth piercing through my shoulder.
Then all was blank.
Months after this strange catastrophe
when my wounds were healed, and I
had recovered from the low fever which
prostrated my streugth for many weeks.
Lady Saunton carefully told me the
particulars of that eventful Monday.
It appeared that Kate Archer bad aim-ays
been extremely excitable and ec
centric; and once or twice her mind
had become so seriously affected as to
oblige her family to place her under
the care of a physician. This was not
known in the county, as they had been
living abroad for several years. As
there had been no outbreak for a long
time, her mother never dreamt of dan
ger in allowing her to leave home, es
pecially as she was always accompan
ied by a responsible person, who was
nominally her lady's maid. This per
son felt great anxiety when she heard
Miss Archer was to share another lady's
room, although her worst fears had
only imagined her charge might do
something strange, and so betray her
self. The woman tried vainly to find
a pretext for altering the arrangements;
but there was Utile time, and no excuse
to be found ; so she could only wait pa
tiently, and hope for the best. '
When Miss Archer retired she dismissed
her maid at the bed-room door, on the
plea of her disturbing me if she came
in. Baffled in the plan she had fomed
of taking away the door-key secretly
when she left her young lady, Mrs.
Tuckor then determined to come to the
door at intervals, to listen if her mis
tress slept, and during the long night
to keep watch and ward. To her wat
ching the saving of my life was due.
She had alarruei the gentleman who
bu rst open the door j ust i n ti me.
The unfortunate girl who had nearly
shortened the thread of my life never
apeared again. Her family took her
abroad to some retreat in the south of
France, which, I believe, she was never
allowed to leave ; and the story of her
projected crime was hushed up as
much as possible for the sake of her
family.
On my recovery, I heard that Major
Barrier had sailed for India with some
of his regiment ; but he came back af
ter a year's absence, and I returned
with him as Mrs. Reginald Barrier.
Old and Tonus Lords.
In the English peerage the oldst duke
Is the Duke of Portland, aged seventy
nine ; the youngest, the Duke of Mont
rose, aged twenty-seven. The oldest
marquis is the Marquis of Donegal,
aged eighty-two the youngest the Mar
qnis of Camden, aged, seven. The old
est earl in the House of Peers is the
Karl of Buckinghamshire, aged eighty-
six, though the oldest bearer of the title
is the Earl of Kilmorey, an Irish peer
aged ninety-one; the youngest is the
Earl of Russell, aged fourteen. The
oldest viscount is Lord Stratford de Rad
cliffe, aged ninety one; and the young
est Viscount Southwell, aged seven.
The oldest baron is Lord Mastyn, aged
eighty-four; the youngest, Lord South
ampton, aged twelve. The oldest mem
ber in the House of Commons is sir
Thomas Bageley, M. P. for Manchester
azed eighty-two; the youngest, Lord
Colin Campbell, M. P. for Argyleshire,
aged twenty-six. The oldest Judge in
England is Sir Fitzroy Kelly, Lord
Chief Baron of the Exchequer, aged
eighty-three : the youngest, the Hon.
A. H. Thesiger, Lord Justice of Ap
peals aged 41. The oldest Judge In
Ireland is the Hon. James O'Brien, of
of the Queen's Bench, aged 73: the
youngest, the Rt. Hon. P. Palles, Chief
Baron of the Exchequer, aged 43. The
oldest of the Scotch Lords of Session Is
Lord Ormsdale, aged 77; the youngest,
Lord Shaud, aged 50. The oldest baro
net is Sir M oses Monteflor, aged 95; the
youngest, Sir T. L. H. Xeave, aged 5.
The oldest prelate of the Church of En
gland is the Rt. Rev. A. 0111 van t, Bishop
of Landaff, aged 81 ; the youngest is the
Rt. Rev. Rowley Hill, Bishop of Sodor
and Man, aged 43. The oldest prelate
of the Irish Episcopal Church is the
Rt. Rev. J. R. Parley, Bishop of Kil
more, aged 79 ; the youngest, the Rt.
Rev. R. R. Gregg, Bishop of Cork,
aged 45. The oldest prelate of the
Scotch Episcopal Church is the Rt.
Rev R. Eden, Bishop of Moray and
Ross, aged 75, the youngest, the Rt.
Rev. J. R. Macharness. Bishop of Ar
gyle and the Isles, aged 56.
Starring' a Stranger.
Do you remember, some weeks since,
1 was greatly annoyed by an inquisitive
man down in Maine,and abruptly closed
my letter for the purpose of stuffing the
aforesaid man.
Well, I stuffed hlui.
"31 uch of a place, your town?" he
said.
"Oh, yes," I said, with the matter of
course carelessness of a citizen of tbe
great western metropolis, "about forty-
flve thousand, I guess."
The man eyed me with keen awaken
ing Interest. "So big as that?" he said,
I nodded, and he presently said
"Well, I had no idea there was such a
large city in Iowa. State must be
pretty well settled up, I reckon ?"
I said, "Yes it was. Some portions
of it pretty wild, thcugh."
"Any large game in the State?"
"Herds of it," I sail. "I killed deer
last winter not two miles from the
Burlington court house."
I pacified my conscious for this lie by
explaining to that rebellious and vocif
erous monitor and that there was no
Burlington court house, that it was
burnt down seven years ago, and the
county was waiting until it could buy
a second-hand court house for $1.75,
before replacing it. Therefore, I could
ti uthfully say that I had killed all the
deer that came within two miles of our
court house.
"I want to know!" the na'ive ax-
claimed.
"Do you, though !" thought I, "then
I'll tell you." And so I went on.
'Why the wolves only two years ago,
made a raid into Burlington and killed
all the chickens on South Hill.
Conscience raised a terrible protest at
this, but I hushed It up too quick, by
citing the well-known case of Meigs
Schenk's wolf that got loose and in one
single summer night ate np everything
on South Hill that wore feathers. The
native looked astonished ard doubly in
terested. "Any Indians?" he said.
"Land, yes," 1 told him yawning
wearily, as one who talks of old, stale
things. "Sitting Bull was educated at
the Baptist collegiate institute, in Bur
lington, and was expelled for trying to
scalp Professor Wormian w ith a horse
shoe magnet."
"You don't tell me!" exclaimed the
uative in wild amazement. By this
lime I was perfectly reckless, and told
conscience to keep its mouth shut and
give me a chance.
"Oh, yes." I said. "Yellow Wolfs
old medicine lodge is still standing,
right out on West Hill. The Indians
come into the city very frequently,
tearing through the streets on their
w iry little ponies."
"Ever have any trouble with them?"
the man asked.
"Oh, no," I said, carelessly, "the
citizens seldom do. The cow boys, who
come up from Texas with cattle, hate
them terribly and occasionally drop
one in the street just for revolver prac
tice. But nobodv else Interferes in
their lights."
"I suppose," the mill said, "you all
carry revolvers strapped around you,
out there?
"Oh, yes," I replied, "of course.
We have to; a man never knows when
he is going to have trouble with some
body, and in case of any little misun
der.-tanding, it w ouldn't Co for a fellow
not to be heeled."
I think the man shuddered a little.
Then, fearing he might ask to look at
my revolver, I casually remarked that
I never carried my barkers when I
came East.
He said, no, he supposed not. Then
he looked out of the windowa long time
and said nothing. Finally I asked him
in what part of Maine he made his
home. He looked up at me in surprise.
Me ?" he said, "Lord, I don't live on
this reck patch. I'm only on here vis
iting some relatives."
In a feeble voice I asked him where
did he live then.
The man yawned and again looked
listlessly out of the window.
"Oh," he said, "I live on a farm just
by Leffler's; about six miles out of
Burlington. I wish I was there now."
So did I. So did I. I w isbed he had
never left there.
We didn't talk together any longer.
Shortly after that the weather changed,
the car grew very cold, and I went in
to the smoking car to look for fire.
Artemus Ward Sold.
Artemus was lecturing, with his pa
norama r Salt Lake, in Canada, and as
business was good he was in correspon
ds high spirits and his pockets were
fu of coin.
The day before tbey were to leave,
Smith, his advance agent, told Ward
that as silks were so much cheaper in
the British possessions than in the
United States he had purchased a large
piece of silk and was going to take it to
his wife as a present, ward was
pleased with the idea, and in the same
confidence told Smith that he had also
purchased a piece of melton cloth, and
both conferred with each other as to
the best way to secrete the goods so as
pass the Custom House.
Ward suggested to Smith to wrap the
silk around his body and Smith in turn
advised Artemus to place his cloth
within the folds of his panoroma of
Salt 'Lake. They each agreed to take
the other's advise, and Smith left the
next morning to go over to the States
in advance. The bundle ot silk wound
around him made him feel quite un
comfortable, especially when he came
to the Custom House and commenced
answering about his baggage.
The official was very polite and
passed his baggage without a murmur
and then invited him in his private of
fice, handed him a cigar and begged
him to take a seat.
Tbe heat of the room began to make
Smith very uncomfortable and he rose
to go.
"Be seated, air, said the official, "I
want to have a little chat with you."
. "Xo: I must be going," aid the ge
nial John. "I can't stand sitting so
long, and then I've a great deal to at
tend to."
"You seem to be a very stoutish kind
of a man," said the officer.
"Yes," said Smith, his face getting
red and the warmth from the silk in
creasing, "I'm pretty solid, but I can't
stand a bot room."
"Ah!" said the inspector, "what's
the trouble? Anything the matter with
your chest or lungs?"
"Only a slight oppression," replied
Smith.
"Oppression about the lungs!" ex
claimed the officer rising and advanc
ing towards the suffocating agent.
"Let me make an examination for you,
sir, it may be dangerous. Please re
move your coat."
"It's nothing; it will soon pass
away," replied Smith, inwardly pray
ing for a chance to escape.
"My dear friend, you should not al
low yourself to suffer a moment," said
the officer, "and I insist upon exami
ning your chest. Doubtless I can re
lieve you of all your trouble."
The Inspector insisted and the dis
comfit ted agent, after vainly trying to
escape from his solicitation, finally ac
knowledged the corn, and confessed to
having concealed silk upon his person.
Ihe officer laughed heartily and said :
"I knew it all the w bile. Here's a let
ter I received this morning." And he
handed Smith a letter written by
Ward, informing the inspector that a
smuggler would endeavor to pass a
quantity of silk, describing Smith's ap
pearance and claiming one half of tbe
information. Smith was indignant, of
course, but determined to get even with
tbe incorrigible joker, so he told the
officer about Ward having the roll of
cloth concealed in his panorama.
The inspector appreciated the joke
nd let Smith go with a small penalty.
The next morning Artemus Ward ar
rived at the Custom House with his pa
norama, when the officer commenced
interrogating him and insisted upon
his letting him have a glimpse of his
beautiful pictures.
Ward tried every excuse, but the of
ficial was importunate, and finally he
was conielled to have his man unwind
one section of the panorama before the
inspector.
Artemus stood by and explained the
views until suddenly the cloth came to
light and as it slowly unwound in front
of the pictures Ward struck an attitude
like his performance upon the stage
and in the drawl of the exhibitor said :
"This view is slightly encumbered with
twenty yards of melton cloth. That
Smith told you all about It. What's
the damage ?"
The inspector soon settled the ques
tion of charges and tor ouce Artemus
found himseli caught by his own joke.
Urankennons In Olden Times.
The offence of drunkenness was a
source of great perplexity among the
ancients, who tried every possible way
of dealing with it. If none succeeded,
probably it was because they did not be-
ginearly enough, by intercepting some
of the ways and means by which the iu
sidious vice is incited and propagated.
Severe treatment was often tried to lit
tle effect. The Locriaus, under Zule-
neus made it a capital offense to drink
wine if it was not mixed with water;
even an invalid was not exempted
from punishment unless by order ot a
physician. Pittaens of Mitylene made a
law that he who when drunk commit
ted an offense should suffer double
the punishment which he should do
when sober; and Plato, Aristotle and
Plutarch applauded this as the height
of wisdom. The Roman censors could
expel a Senator for being drunk and
take away his horse. Mahomet order
ed drunkards to be bastinadoed with
eighty blows. Other nations thought
of limiting the quantity to be drank at
one time or at one sitting. The Egyp
tians put some limit, though what, is
not stated. The Spartans also had
some limit. The Arabians fixed the
quantity at twelve glasses a man, but
the size of the glass was unfortuantcly
not clearly defined by the historians.
The Anglo-Saxons went no further
than to order silver nail to be fixed on
the side of drinking cups that each
might know the proper measure, and
It is said that it was done by King Ed
gar, after noticing the drunken habits
of the Danes. Lycurgus of Thrace
went to the root of the matter by or
dering tbe vines to be cut down. And
bis conduct was imitated in 704 by Ter
hulus of Bulgaria. The Suevl prohibi
ted wine to be imported, and tbe Spar
tans tried to turn the vice into con
tempt by systematically making their
slaves drunk once a year to show their
children how foolish and contemptible
men looked in that state. Drunken
ness was deemed much more vicious in
some classes of persons than in others.
The ancient Indians held it lawful to
11 a king when he was drunk. The
Athenians made It a capital offense for
a magistrate to be drunk ; and Charle
magne imitated this by a law that judg
es on the bench and pleaders should do
their business fasting. The Carthage
nians prohibited magistrates, govern
ors, soldiers and servants from any
drinking. The Scots, in the second
century, made it a capital offense for
magistrate to be drunk, and Constan
tino II of Scotland, in 861, extended a
like punishment to young people.
Again, some laws have absolutely pro
hibited wine from being drunk by wo
men ; the Masslllans so decreed. The
Romans did the same, and extended the
prohibition to young men under thirty
or forty-five; and the wife's relations
could scourge the wife for offending
and the husband himself might scourge
her to death.
Sleuibeat Spaed.
It is claimed that two steamboat
launches lately built for tbe British Ad
miralty have attained the highest rate
of speed ever recorded of any boat, ice
boats of course excepted. The boats
are constructed of steel, 85 feet long
and 11 feet beam. Tbe best time made
was at the rate of 27.56 miles per hour
with the tide, and something less against
it; the average being 26 J miles.
Smelt Fishing la Maine.
On the coast of Maine smelt visit the
river about the 20th of December and
remain almost all winter. For bout
two mouths they take tbe hook readily,
and are caught in considerable num
bers through holes cut in the ice. For
merly, on cold days, it was very severe
fishing, without shelter except by pil
ing up cakes of Ice, evergreen boughs,
etc. Last winter one of the fishermen
made a canvas tent anj it proved so
comfortable that it has now become the
universal custom to fish in them. There
are now on the ice, above the bridges,
two village s of these canvas houses
much resembling an Indian encamp
ment In winter quarters. A light
wooden frame, with a sharp roof, Is put
together, and the whole covered with
light canvas or cotton cloth. In some
instances the covering is painted,
the better to resist the piercing north
west winds. The ordinary tent is about
six feet square; occasionally one Is lar
ger, for two persons. The interior is
provided with a stove, and a bench up
on which the angler sits while fishing.
The whole rests upon runners and can
be easily moved trom place to place.
When the fisherman reaches the
grounds he cuts a hole through the ice
places his tent over the same, builds up
a fire, closes the door, drops his line
through the hole and waits for a bite.
Eaoh man uses four lines. They have
two kinds of fish gear t lie tile sink
er and the triangle. The former is for
tent fishing and the later for out of door
fishing. The file sinker is made of lead.
about the size and shape of an ordinary
three cornered file. A common mack
erel line is made fast to one end of the
sinker, while from the other depends a
suell of colored line, six inches in length
to which a hook is attached. The ad
vantage of the file sinker is that tbe
tide causes it to cut and shear about,
thus keeping the bait in motion. The
triangle gear is made of wire, the line
fastened at the centre, while two hooks
depend, one from either end of the wire
which is bent into a triangle. The bait
used in this vicinity is the clam worm,
which is found in the clam flats. The
upper end of the line is fastened to a
rack above the fisherman's bead, while
the hook is from six to ten feet below
the surface. The fisherman sits on his
bench beside the stove and patiently
wait) for fish to bite. There is not
much skill in this kind of angling, for
when a smelt was takes the hook the
motion of tbe line conveys the fact to
the fisherman, and he hauls him in.
The fish bile better on cold, stormy
days, the recent heavy storm being the
best day of the season thus far. From
ten to fifteen pounds are a fair days'
work for one man, They sell in the
Belfast market for five cents per pound.
The wages made are not large, but the
fish are caught at a time when there is
but little else for the fisherman to do.
The tents are comfortable and homelike
the men are jolly, singing and shouting
from one end to another. Wishing to
change, bis position the angler hauls in
his lines, moves his tent to another por
tion of the ice field, cuts a hole through
the frozen surface and tries his luck
there. Those from the city pass the
entire day upon the ice taking their
dinners along which are eaten in the
tent, the tea or coffee being warmed
upon the stove. Tent are added daily
and before the season closes there w ill
be fifty or more upon tbe ice.
"Roaming- Kobrt.M
The wild, ungovernable passion a
barber has for trimming your hair ! Ou
the fourth of December I was in Boston
thinking about a lecture I was to deliv
er in the evening, and so badly scared,
that I couldn't r member the subject
nor what it was about. I went into a
Tremont Street "Institute of Facial
Manipulation and Tonsorial Decora
tion" and inquired for the professor
who occupied the chair for Media-val
Shaving and Nineteenth Century Sham
poo. One of the junior members of the
faculty, who was brusulng an under
graduate's coat, pointed me to a chair,
and I climbed in. When the perfor
mance was about concluded, the barber
said to me :
"Have your hair trimmed, sir?"
I believed not.
"Xeeds it very badly, sir," he said,
"looks very ragged."
I never argue with a barber. I said,
"all right, trim It a little, but don't
make it any shorter."
He immediately trimmed all the curl
out of it. I never discovered this my
self until a few mouths ago, and then
I was very much surprised. I discov
ered it by looking at my lithograph.
Well anyhow, he trimmed it.
On the 6:h of December I was at
Bth, Maine. Again I was shaved, and
again the barber implored me to let
him trim my hair. When I answered
him that It had been trimmed only two
days before, he spitefully asked where
it was done. I told him and he gave
expression to a burst of sarcastic laugh
ter. "Well, well, well," he ald at last, so
you let them trim your hair in Boston ?
Well, well. Xow you look like a man
who has been around the world enough
to know better than that."
Then he affected to examine a lock
or two very particularly and sighed
"Dear, dear," he said, "I don't know
really, if I conld do anything with that
hair or not ; it's too bad."
"Well, his manner frightened me and
I told him to go ahead and trim it, but
please not make tt any shorter.
"Xo," he said, "oh, no, It wasn't nec
essary to cut it any shorter, it was rt al
ly too short now, but it did need trim
ing." So he "trimmed" it, and when I raced
the Rockland audience that night, I
looked like a prize-fighter.
In four days from that time I was sit
ting in the chair of a barber down in
Xew York State. He shaved me in
grateful silence, and then thoughtfully
run his fingers over my lonely hair.
"Trim this hair a little, sir ?" he said ;
"straighten It up about the edges?"
meekly told I had it trimmed twice
during the preceding week, and I was
afraid it was getting too short for win
ter wear.
"Yes," he said, he didn't know but
what it was pretty short, but you didn't
need to cut it any shorter to trim it.
It was in very bad, ragged shape at the
ends."
1 remained silent and obstinate, and
he asked me where I had it trimmed
last. I told him, and he burst into a
shout of laughter that made the win
dows rattla.
What's the matter Jim?" inquired
an assistant partner down the room,
holding his patient in tbe chair by the
nose.
Jim stifled his laughter and replied :
"This gentleman had his hair trim
med down In Maine."
There was a general burst of merri
ment all over the shop, and the appren
tice laid down the brush he was wash
ing and came over to look at the Maine
cut, that he might never forget It. I
surrendered. "Trim it a little then,"
I groaned, "but in the name of human
ity, don't cut it any shorter."
"Xo," the barber said, "he wouldn't
make it a hair's breadth shorter."
When I left that shop, if it hadn't
been for my ears, my hat would have
fallen clear down to my shoulders.
When I reached the hotel, everybody
started, and a couple of men got up and
read a hand bill on the wall descriptive
of a con wet who had recently escaped
from Sing Sing, and looked from tbe
bill to myself very latently. That
nlghtseveral of tbe audience drew re
volvers as I came out on the platform.
Then I went to Amsterdam, Xew
York. The barber of that sleepy vil
lage, who, in the Interval of his other
duties acts as Mayor of the town and
edits the local papers, undertook to
shave me with a piece of hoop iron be
pulled out of his toot leg. When I re
sisted, he went out into tbe kitchen and
came back with a kitchen knife and can
opener, and offered me my choice. I
selected the can opener, and he began
the massacre, remarking incidentally,
that he used to keep a good sharp spoke-
sbave for his particular customers, but
he had lost it. Then he said my hair
needed trimming, very badly. I pro
tested that it was impossible, it had
been trimmed three times within ten
days and was as short now as a business
man on the first of January.
"Oh," he said, "it wasn't too short.
and tiesides, there was no style about it
at all." He could give it some shape,
however, he said, without making It
any shorter.
&o I surrendered and told him to
shape it up. And if that fore-doomed
abandoned, Amsterdam son of an oak-
umplcker, did'nt go out in the wood
shed and come back with a rusty old
horse-rasp and begin to file away what
little hair I had left. He allowed a few
threds and patches to remain however,
clinging here and there to my scalp in
ghostly holiness. I rather feared that
my appearance that evening would cre
ate a pauic, but it did not. I observed
that the majority of the audience had
their heads "shaped up" after the same
manner, and were rather pleased with
my com form ity to the local custom and
style.
Well, I got along to Corry, Pennsyl
vania, rustisd in for a shave and got it
in one time and two motions.
"Hair trimmed sir?" the barber said.
I supposed be was speaking sarcas
tically, and so I laughed, but very fee
bly, for I was getting to be a little sen
sitive on the subject of my hair, or
rather my late hair. But he repeated
his question and said that it needed
trimming very badly. I told him that
was what ailed it, it had been trimmed
to death ; why I said my hair had been
trimmed five times during the past thir
teen dajs. And 1 was afriid it
wouldn't last much longer.
"Well," he said, "it was hardly the
thing for a man of my impressive ap
pearance, who would naturally attract
attention the moment I entered a room,
(I have to stand on my tip toes and hold
oc with both hands to look over the
back of a car seat) to go around with
sucb a head of hair, when he could
straighten it out for me in a minute."
I told him to go ahead, and closed my
eyes and wondered what would come
next.
That fellow took a pair of dentist's
forceps, and "pulled" every lock of hair
1 had left.
"There," he said proudly, "now
when your hair grows it will grow out
even."
I was a little dismayed at first when
1 looked at my glistening poil, but af
ter all It was a relief to know the end
was reached, and nobody could torment
me again to have my hair trim rue 1 for
several weeks. But when I got shaved
at Ashtabula, the barber insisted on
puttying up the boles and giving uy
head a coat of shellac. I yielded and
my head looked like a varnished
globe with the maps leltoff. Two days
afterward I sat in a barbers chair at
Mansfield. Tbe barber shaved me si
lently. Then he paused with a bottle
poised in his hand and said :
shampoo?"
I answered with a look. Then he
oiled my hairless globe and bent over
it for a moment with a hair brush, tben
he said :
"On which side do you part your
hair?"
Manufacture of Hair Cloth.
Hair cloth is made from the hair of
horses tails, which is brought, some o
it from South America, but more from
Russia. In the latter country it is col
lected i. the great fairs of Xizni, Xov
gorod and Isbilt. It is of all shades
color and for use it is dyed black.
The poorest quality sells for 50 cents
a pound ; the b t for $4, the price rap
idly increasing ss the length exceeds
twenty-four inches. In the fabrication
of hair cloth, the hair is wet with
water, and when well soaked is put on
the loom to be woven with a cotton
wrap. The weaving mechanism is so
perfect in its operation that if one of
the hairs forming the weft is missed,
the device acting upon it continues to
work until It has grasped it, all the oth-
ker parts of the machine standing still.
Oldea Time.
About the year 17t or 1785 Mr. An
drew Rowan embarked in a barge at
the falls of the Oiiio, where Louisville
now stands, with a party to descend
the river. The boat having stopped at
the Yellow Banks, on the Indiana side,
some distance below, Mr. Rowan, bor
rowing a rifle of one of the company,
stepped on shore, and strolled into the
bottom, probably rather ia pursuit of
amusement than game, for, from having
always been of a feeble constitution
and adverse to action, he knew not how
to use a rifle, and besides, had w ith him
but the single charge of ammunitiou
which was in the gun. He uncons
ciously protracted his staybeyoud what
he intended, and returning to the spot
where he had landed, saw nothing of
the boat nor the compauy he had left.
It being a time of hostility with the In
dians, and suspicion of their approach
having alarmed the party, they had put
off, and made down the stream with all
possible haste, not daring to linger for
their companion on shore. Mr. Rowan
now found himself alone on the banks
of the Ohio, a vast and trackless forest
stretching around him, with but one
charge of powder, and himself even too
unskillfull in the use of the ride to pro
fit eveu by that, and liable at any mo
ment to fall into the hands of the sa
vages. The nearest settlement of the
whites was Vinceunes (now in India
na), distant probably about one hund
red miles. Shaping his course as near
ly as he could calculate for this, he
commenced his perilous and hopeless
journey. L'r accustomed to traveling
in the forest, he soon lest ail reckoning
of his way and wandered about at ven
ture. Impelled by the gnawing of
hunger, he discharged his rifle at a deer
that happened to pass near him, but
missed it. Tbe third day found him
still wandering, whether toward Vin
cennes or from it he knew not ex
hausted, famished and despairing. Sev
eral times had he lain down, as he
thought, to die. Roused by the sound
of a gun not far distant, betokening.
as he well knew, the presence of the
Indians, he proceeded towards the spot
whence the report had come, resolved,
as a last hope of life, to surrender him
self to those whose tender aercies he
knew to be cruel. Advancing a short
distance he saw an Indian approaching
who, on. discovering him as the first
impulse was ou any alarm with both
the whites and Indians on the frontiers
in time of hostilities drew up his rifle
to his shoulder in readiness to fire. Mr.
K. turned the butt of his, and the Indi
an, with French politness. turned the
butt of his also. They approached each
other. The Indian seeing his pale and
emaciated appearence, and understand
ing the cause, took him to his wigwam,
a few miles distant, where he cooked
for him for several days, and treated
him with the greatest hospitality.
Then, learning from liiiu by sign that
he wished to go to Yiucennes, the In
dian immediately loft his hunting, took
his rifle and a email stock of provisions,
and conducted him in safety to that set
tlement, a distant from his cabin of
about eighty miles. Having arrived
there, and wishing to reward well the
generous Indian to whom he owed his
life, Mr. R. made arrangements with
a merchant of the settlement, to whom
he made himself known, to give him
three hundred dollars. But the Indian
would not receive a farthing. When
made to understand by Mr. Rowan,
through an interpreter, that he could
not be happy unless he would accept
something, he replied, pointing to a
new blanket near him, that he would
take that, and added, wrapping his ow n
blanket around his shoulders, "when i
wrap myself iu it I will think of you."
A Tuoughtful Husband.
He went home one day last October
and saw his wife putting up peaches in
those old-f::shioned tin caus that close
withsealing wax. She had an apron on,
and two or three little blotches of seal
ing wax ornamented the floor, while
thebriudle rat under the table was lick
ing a piece the size of a trade dollar
with assiduity and unction.
"See here, Maria," he said 'you'll
cripple yourself presently with that
hot w;ax." But she made him no ans
wer. He continued oracularly : "Wo
men never have any mechanical genius
any way. If there's a way of doing
anything wrong they are sure to try
it."
"Do you think you can do better?"
she observed, witii some acidity.
"Why, of course I can," he replied,
with extrece self assertion.
"Well, here, just distinguish yourself
then."
So he sat down. She handed him a
fresh can, just out of the hot water. He
took it iu his hand and dropped It as if it
had been struck with lightning; while
he stuck his finger in his mouth and
looked sudden death at her because he
couldn't swear. She gave him a towel
to hold the next one with, and he took
it on his knee, lighted the sealing wax
stick, and commenced prodding around
the top, but the bottom burnt his kce ,
and he jerked, suddenly, bringing the
wax across the back of his left hand
with fearful precision. Then he jump
ed up and howled, and dropped the can
which emptied a tablespoonful of fiery
fruit into his slipper. This made him
well nigh frantic, and he went dancing
about the kitchen like an Inebriate 1
dervish, waving the burning wax wild
Iv, until a large drop detached itself
from the flaming mass and drnppel
plump npon his nose. In his fu.ious
anger he kicked the offending can
through the window, scattering its con
tents over the dog, who rushed Into the
street howling and raising an alarnie
of mad dog," which engrosed the at
tention of all the people within three
squares. Then hi submitted to be laid
on the sora and plastered with flour and
sweet oil, until he looked like a badly-gotten-up-scare-crow.
He is now wil
ling to make an affidavit the size of a
barn-door that he will let the women be
just as awkward as they choose.
J - -