- - -ft-..- j A B. F. SCHWEIEB, THE OOffSTITUTIOlI-THE TTITIOir-UID THE ENPOEOEMENT OF THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. XXXIII. MI FFLIN1WN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, MAUCH 19, 1879. NO. 12. LOSSES. Vpoa the white atMtud There eel a pilgrim bend. Telling the loaeee that their Urea had known ; While evening waned away From breezy cliff and hay. And the strong tides went ont with weary moan One epake with quivering lip. Of a fair freighted ship. With all hia household to the deep gone down. Bat one had wilder woe. For a fair face long ago Lost in the darker depths of a great town. There were who mourned their youth. With a most loving truth. For ite brave hopes and memories ever green And one npon the want Turned an eye that would not rest For far off hills whereon its joy had been. Some talked of Tanished gold. Some of proud honors told. Some epake of friends that ware their trust no more ; And one of a green grave Beside a foreign wave That made him eit so lonely on the shore. But when their tales were done. There spake among them one. A stranger, eeeming from all sorrow tree -Sad losses have ye met. But mine is heavier yet. For a believing heart is gone from me." "Alas '." these pilgrims said, "For the living and the dead. For fortune's cruelty, for love's sure cross. For the wrecks of land and eea ! But however it came to thee. Thine, stranger, is life's last and heaviest Ices." Washing Day. said Mary Lennox. "It's just exactly like those working people to go and fall HI just when we need them moct. And every napkin in the wash, and not enough table linen to last two weeks, lou must be a very poor manager, grandma, not to have more of such thints!" Old Mrs. Lennox sighed as she rub bed the glasses of her siiectacles. "My dear," said she, "1 should have had more if I could have afforded them But times are hard, and" "Yes, I've heard all that before,' said Mary irreverently. "But the qtiestiou is, grandma, what shall we do about the washing, now that Katrina cannot come?" Mrs. Lennox heaved another sigh She was old and rheumatic, and the great piled-up basket of clothes seemed a terrific bugbear before her eyes. "I'm sure I don't know," said she. But if you girls will help a little about the dinner, 1 will try and see what I can do. It must be got out I suppose, and" But here a slight, dark-eyed girl, with a clear, olive complexion, and wavy black hair growing low on her forehead, turning from the table where she was rinsing china. "You will do aothing of the kind, grandma." said she. as resolutely as if she had been seventy Instead of seven teen. "Yon attempt a day's washing, at your age?" But my dear," said grandma Len nox, feebly, "who will doit?" I will," said the dark-eyed lassie. "Georgie I am surprised at you!" said Mary. "Why you never did such a thing in your life!" "That's no reason I never should." "But Georgie if any one should see you"? "We don't generally receive compa ny in the kitchen." said Georgie Len uox. "But if any one should come in" "Well?" "11 they like my occupation, I shall T much pleased; If they do not they are quite at liberty to take the othes way !" And Miss Leanox tied a prodigious crash apron around her, rolled up her sleeves, and resolutely ook up her stand in front of the wash bench. J "It seems too bad, my dear, with those little white hands of yours," said old Mrs. Lennox, irresolutely. Oh, my hands:" laughed Georgie 'What are they good for, if not to make themselves useful?" Mary drew herself disdainfully up "Well, said she, "I neveryet stooped lo such a degrcdation as that !" "It would be a great deal worse degredation to stand by and let my rheumatic old grandmother do the washing," observed Georgie, with philosophy, as she plunged her bauds into the snowy mass of suds. Old Mrs. Lennox had been left with a picturesque farm-house on the edge of Sidonla Lake, and nothing else. And sn old Mrs. Lennox bethought herself to eke out her slender means by the re ception of summer boarders. And in September, when her two granddaugh ter obtained their fortnight's leave of absence from the milinery establish ment in Troy, where they earned their daily bread, they came home for a breath of fresh mountain air, aud helped grandma Lennox with her boarders. For there was no girl at the farm-house, and no outside assistance called in except as German Katrina came once a week to wash and scrub. "It's drudgery," sighed Mary, who was tall and slender, w ith fair com plexion, dull-blue eyes, and a Byronic dissatisfaction with her lot in life. "It's fun !" said Georgie, who had no such exalted expirations, and liked to make custards, wash china, and decor ate the table with flowers. "You'll hang out these clothes for me, Mary, won't you ?" said Georgie, as she flung the last red-bordered towel n the top of the clothes-basket, "while I wash the pillow-cases?" 'Indeed, I shall not," said her sister. "With the Miss Fooleys playing cro quet in plain sight? Xever" "Then I must do it myself," 6aid Georgie, with a little shrug of her shoulders. "And" But just as she spoke there came a tap at the kitchen door. "Come in!" cried Georgie, valiant ly, while her sister, with burning cheeks, endeavored to hide herself and her occupation of peeling oulons, be hind the big roller-towel. And Mr. Raymond Abbott walked In accordingly. "I beg your pardon, Miss Georgie," said be rather blandly. "I didn't know I should disturb you." "Oh, you're not disturbing me at all," said Georgie, serenely, resting one dimpled, rosy elbow on the wash board, and looking at him like apracti- calized copy of one of Guide's angels, out of cloud of soapy steam. "But," he went on, "I was going to ask one or the servants for a basket bring fish home iu." vi will get one for you with pleas ure," said Gergie. And as she turned to the dresser, her sister answered the puszled expression of Mr. Abbott's face. "You are surprised to see Georgl oingthat?" with a gesture towards the plebeian tub. "And I don't won uer. nut it is only lor a iroltc a wa ger. Girls will do such things, you know." ' ' f But Georgie had heard the last words. nd turned around with -crimsoned cheek and sparkling eyes. "It Is not a frolic," said she. "And It s not a wager. It's serious, sober earnest. I am doing the washing be cause Katrina has sprained her ankle, and there's no one else but grand mam ma to do it?" "inueen, - said Abbott. "And can not I help you?" "Yes," Georgie promptly made' an swer. "You can carry that basket of clothes out to the bleaching ground for me." "Georgie !" exclaimed her sister Mr. Abbott cheerily shouldered the load and strode awav in the direction indicated by Georgie' pointing finger "lie asked me," said Georgie. shouldn't have asked him." "Judge Abbott's son!" groaned Mary. "The richest man in Ballston He'll never ask you to go out rowing on the lake again with him.' But the reappearance of the gentle man in question put a stop to the dis cussion. "Miss Georgie," said he, "I would have hoisted them upon the rigging for you, but the wind takes 'em off so." 'That's because you needed the olothespins " said Georgie, handing them to him with alacrity. "Could'nt you come and help?" said Mr. Abbot, wistfullv. "Two can man age so much bet'er than one. "Oh, I'll come and help," said Geor gie, '"and le glad to get my clothes out drying." she tied on her small gingham sun bonnet, and ran out into the yellow September sunshine, while Mary burst out crying witn mingled vexation and anger. I shall never get over the disgrace of it in the world," she said "never, never! Georeie has no dignity no proper pride! Xo; don't speak tome, grandma, or I shall say something dreadful ! I declare I've a mind never to own her as a sister again !'' "Have you finished the washing?" saiii Mr. Raymond Abbott. "Y'es, I've finished it," said Georgie Lennox. "But I shouldn't like to earn my living as a laundress. It a a very tiresome busiuesss." Georgie was "cooling off," under the shadow of the frost grapevines iu the woods, with a book in her hand, and the curly locks blown back from her pretty Spanish forehead. Mr. Abbott looked admiringly down on her. All his life-long, ins expe rience had lain among the smiling, ar tificial dolls of conventional society, ne had admired Georgie I-ennox the first time he had ever seen her; but that day's experience of her frank, true nature had given depth and earnest ness to the feeling. Miss Lennox," said he, "do you know what I.ve been thinking of since we hune out tbose towels and table cloths together ?" "Hani t the least idea,' said uncon scions Georgie, fanning herself with two grape-leaves pin ned together by a thorn. "I have been thinking, said he, that I should like my wife to be just such a woman as you are." A washerwoman ? said Georgie, trying to laugh off her blushes. 'I am only a working-girl, and very poor," said ingenious Georgie, begin ning to tremble all over, and half in clined to cry. "My own" love, you are rich in all that heart could wish !" pleaded Ab bott, taking both her hands in his own ; "and I want you for my own !" Raymond Abbott had fancied Geor gie Lennox when he saw her playing croquet, in p.ile pmk muslin, with a tea-rose in her hair; but the divine flame of love first stirred in his heart when she looked at him through the vapory clouds of the wash-tub Guido's aiigel'foldiiig her fair wings in a farm house kitchen. Just so curiously are romance and reality blended together in the world. Gold and Silver in Bulk. One ton (2,000 pounds avoirdupois) of gold or silver contains 20,163 troy ounces, and therefore the value of a ton of pure gold is f 02,7!9.21, and a ton of silver is 137.704.81. A cubic foot of pure gold weighs 1,21$.7" pounds avoirdupois; a cubic foot of pure silver weighs C5C.25 pounds avoirdupois. One million dollars gold coin weighs 3.6S--I.8 pounds avoirdupois; $1,000,000 silver coin weighs .S,929." pounds avoirdupois. If there is one per cent, of gold or silver iu one ton of ore, it contains 291.C3 ounces troy of either of these metals. The average fineness of Colorado gold is 7S1 in 1,000; and the natural alloy, gold, 781 ; silver, 209; copper, 10; total, 1,000. The calculations at the United States mint are mane n uie oasis idil iuny- three ounces of standard gold or !KX) fine (coin) is worth 800, and eleven onnces of silver 500 fine tcoin) is worth Shrewd) and Ability. Hop Bitters, so freely advertised In all the papers, secular and religious.are having a large sale, and are supplant ing all other medicine. There is no denying the virtue of the Hop plant, and the proprietors of these Bitters have shown great shrewdness and abiltv in compounding a Bitters whose virtue are so palpable to every one's J observation. Jixcnanuc. A Wonderful old Ship. The bark Truelove, of null, arrived in the docks at Hull, England, from Philadelphia, with a cargo of petroleum, and a flying flag twenty feet long, American colors, with the following on the white stripes : "The Truelove, built in Philadelphia, 174." The flag is present from the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company, for which company the Truelove carried a. cargo of kryoflte from Greenland, and it was the fulfilment of this engagement which took her back to the place of ber nativ ity after an absence of over a century It appears that the Traelove was built for the merchant service in 1764, and proving a handy, swift-sailing craft, she was employed by the Americans, during their first war with England as a privateer; but, being captured by a British cruiser, was purchased in null from the English Government about the year 1780. She was then employed in the wine trade between Oporto and Hull, and during the war with France was fitted up in true man of-war style, so that she could run without waiting for an armed escort. In 1784 she was transformed into whaler, being strengthened and forti lied to encounter the dangers of the icy North. This wonderful vessel has made no less than eighty voyages to Greenland, crossing the Atlantic and Polar Oceans one hundred and sixty times without any serious mishap. He last voyages as a whaler were in 1866 and 1867. During her career the True- love has brought to port between three hundred and four hundred whales. Although little, or perhaps none ot the first timber is in the Truelove, her register state? that she was built in 1(04. She is a round, or barrel-sided vessel. rlf-&aerUicliig. Zulika Sublitzky was but an unlette red girl, the daughter of a serf; yet by an act of sublime aud unreasoning de votion to one she loved, she hastened the dawn of liberty in Russia, aud lent fire to the heart of her emperor when the merciful mandate was uttered "Liberty to the serf!" Ihe estate to which she belonged was situated some miles from the capi tal ; along the banks of the Moskwa, a picturesque stream running through the country, and fertilizing the land with its baptismal freshets, and carry ing its musical lullaby through the very heart of the famed city of Moscow. The master of this estate was notori ous for his brutality and beartlessness. Cruel, arbitrary and debased, his atro cities grow npon him, and daily new sufferings were devised to gratit'y his craving to behold misery. But the mute endurance under this piteous thraldom was beginning to have voire, and the writhir.gs of the vt h ite slave was breeding revenge. I he social serfs, inured to this brut ish existence, at Iat listened to the di vine spark within them, and though helpless to rebel, yet groped iu the darkness of their low ly condition for redress. Secretly they met at ruiduight n their humble house of worship wen, woman aud children and night after night they called upon God to help them by removing this monster master from the earth. But their cries seemed in vain, for the lash grew more fierce, and the knout rent the flesh of man. woman aud child alike. Then there came a night w hen wo men and children remained within their huts to weep and pray, and the silent forms of men glided over the snow-laid earth like phantoms until they met within the little church, and only after the door and windows had shut out the bitter winds of Russh'.n frost that a low, stern murmuring was heard within, the burden of which was solemnly waited up to pitying heaven and floated like a dirge into the dark corner where Zulika Sublitzky was hidden, that she might learn the mean ing of the trouble upon the face of father and lover. "He must die !" She saw them draw lots with the firmness of desperation. She saw the fatal slip in the hand of her father fate had allotted the death-dealing knife to him. She saw liar lover take it from him, saying: I have neither wife nor children; let the hand be mine to remove this fiend, that the facerated flesh of our women and babes may heal." She saw the dim light extinguished nd glided out after the noiseless party ike a shadow. The young man bearing the fatal charge within his bosom, stood leaning against the door of his hut all the others had gone to their rest wiien a hand was laid upon his arm, and the voice her thoughts were engaged ith startled him. "Rockow." . "Zulika! Girl, why are you here?" "I have been at the meeting-house and know that you will slay the master, and that you will pay the penalty death at the knout." "Well, girl?" "I will die with you ! . I love you ! You are my life." He neither comprehended nor be lieved her. But be embraced per tenderly, and bade her "Go." The following night a grand enter tainment was to be given at the capital, and the master entered his coach to be driven there. lie did not notice tbr.t the coachman was not the regular driver, nor that he route taken led them away from the capital into a dense thicket. Xeither did the driver notice the figure clinging to the rear of the coach. Within a few yards of a cluster of trees the coach halted, the driver opened the door and in a calm, stern voice commanded : "Alight!" "What, brute! I alight at your bid ding !" shrieked the man between the most fearful curses. "Alight, I say, and ask God's mercy on j'our soul, for you must die !" A short struggle the strong young serf was the victor. The tyrant lay trembling and cursing under the vice like grip of the slave. "ow, monster, make jour peace ith your Master. We have prayed to him for years in vain. - By iudustry and peace we have tried to soften your iron heart; by patience and humility we hopod to win mercy. It has been useless. To cripple the strong and mu tilate the weak has been the only use you have made of the power the Al mighty has given you, even as lie now gives me the power to rid His earth of its brutalizad creature." A cry from the victim a ray of pity upon his executioner's face disappeared almost as soon as it came. A moment later the glittering knife was bathed In blood, and the tyrant's soul was sent to its account, but as the man was about to place the dripping blade in his belt, a hand snatched It from his grasp, and a flitting female figure disappeared in the darkness. The following morninirthe murderer presented himself to the authorities, and related the story of his people's wrongs, and his bloody deed. When he had finished a young girl stepped before the judge, saying : "His story is not all true, for 'twas I who killed the master!" "Zulika!" "O, sir, do not listen to him. lie would take the crime upon himself to save me. See, I have the knife with which the deed was done. Let my life pay the forfeit !" Together they paid the penalty of taking life, for they were both judged guilty. The knout sent them into eter nity. But the holy incense of that brave girl's sacrifice touched the soul of the just Alexander when the story reached his ears, and her loving act was the consummating mot ire which lifted the yoke from the Russian serf. Agassi and his Father. A story is told of Agassiz, the great naturalist, which, we believe has never yet appeared in print. His father des tined him for a commercial life, and was impatient at his devotion to frogs, snakes and fishes. The latter, espec ially, were objects of the boy's atten tion. His vacations he spent In mak ing journeys on foot through Eurojie, examining the different species of f resh water fishes. "If you can prove to me," said his father, "that you really know anything about science, 1 will consent that you shall give up the career that I have planned for you." Young Agassiz, In Ms next vacation, being then eighteen, visited England, taking with him a letter of introduction to Sir Roderick Murchiso'i. 'You have leen studying nature," said the great man. bluntly. "What have you learned ?" ihe lad was timid, not sure at that moment that he had learned anything. "I think," he said, at last, "I know i little about fishes." ery well. There will le a meet ing of the Royal Society to-night. will take you with me there." All of the great scientific sav.ins of England belonged to this Society. That evening, when the rmsines of the meet ing was over. Sir Roderick rose and said : "I have a young friend here from Switzerland, who thinks he knows something about fishes; how much, I propose to try. There is, under this cloth, a perfect skeleton of a fish which existed long before man." He then gave him the precise locality in which it had been found, with one or two other facts ceiicerniug it. The species to which the specimen belonged was of course extinct. Can you sketch for me on the black board your idea of this fish ?" said Sir Roderick. Agassi took up the chalk, hesitated a moment, an J then sketched rapidly a skeleton fish. Sir Roderick held up the specimen. The portrait was cor rect in every Nine and line. The grave old doctors burst into loud applause. Sir," Agassia said, on telling the story, "that was the proudest moment of hit life no, the happiest, for I knew, now, mv father would consent that I should give mv life to science. A Letter for Murphy little freckle-faced ten-year-old school boy boy stopped at the post-otlloe, Columbia, the other day and yelled out : "Anything for any of the M'.rphys?" "Xo, there is not." "Anything for Jane Murphy?" "Nothing." "Anything for Ann Murphy?" "No"" "Anything for Tom Murphy?" "Xo, sir, not a bit." "Anything for Terry Murphy?" "Xo; nor for Pat Murphy, nor Den nis Murphy, nor Pete Murphy, nor ul Murphy, nor ..Bridget Murphy, nor for any Murphy, dead, living, un born, native or foreign, civilized or un civilized, savage or barbarous, male or female, black or white, franchised or isfranchised, naturalized or otherwise. Xo, sir, there is positively nothing for ny of the Murphys, either individual ly, jointly or severally, now and for ever, one and inseparable." The boy looked at the postmaster in stonishment and said : "Please to look If there Is anything for my teacher, Clarence Murphy." Water for the Fyes. A writer in Frnner" Mtfjmine thinks that, whatever hesitation there may be ustly called for in recommending one or another of the vario otions now so popular, there need benosuch doubt la respect to cold water or pure water. Ue says in cases of much inflammation or difficulty in opening the eyelids in the morning, experienced by so many, the water should be warm, and it may be mixed with warm milk, but iu near- y all other cases it should be cold. AH those who have been engaged in read ing or writing during several hours at stretch, and especially at night, should carefully bathe the eyes with cold water before going to bed and the first thing in the morning's ablutions. All artisans, too, who work at the blaz ing fire, ought often to wash their eyes with cold pure water, and so should all who work in wool, particularly carders and spinners, and those likewise who are employed in woolen and cotton manufactures, the fine dust which such works disperse often producing cata racts, obstinate inflammations, swelled eyelids, etc. ...... Wise Ssjrlncs From Dow Quliote. Beauty in a modest woman Is like a fire or a sharp sword at a distance; neither doth the one burn nor the other wound those that come not too ! to them. Keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. The' absent feel and fear every 111. Self-praise depreciates. The dead to the bier, the Hying to good cheer. All women, let them be ever so homely, are pleased to hear themselves celebrated for their beauty. Squires and knights errant are sub ject to much hunger and ill-luck. Virtne is always more persecuted by the wicked than beloved bv the right eous. tvery one is the son of hi own works. Honey is not for the mouth of an ass Xo pedlock, bolts or bars can secure a maiden so well as her own reverse. Wit and humor belong to genius alone. The wittiest person In a comedy is he who plays the fool. i uere is no dook so Dad Out some thing good may be fouud iu it. We are all as God mad us ami often times a great deal worse. i.ei a nen uve, tuoilgn It lie with a pip. We cannot all be friars, and various are the paths by which God conducts the good to heaven. Covetousness bursts the bag. It is easy to undertake, but more dif ficult to finish the thing. The term is equally applicable to all ranks, whowever is ignorant is vulgar. By the streets of "By-and-by" one arrives at the house of "Xever." oetween tne "ies"and ".Xo 'ol a woman I would not undertake to trust the point of a pin. Patience and shuttle the cards. A soldier had better smell gunpowder than musk. Other men's pains are easily borne. A bad cioak often covers a good drinker. Pray devoutlyand hammer on stoutly. When a thing is once begun it l al most halt finished. Lay a bridge of silver for a flying enemy. The Jest that gives pain Is no jest. Longevity the Keaolt t Care. The fact that the late Richard Henry Dana was regarded as an invalid until he had reached 50, and yet outlived all his contemporaries. Is not so uncom mon as it appears. The opinion that It usually heathful, robust men who attain longevity, while it is prevalent, Is not correct. Many of our citizens now over 70, aud likely to last much longer, are not and never have boeu vigorous of body. They have been, on the contrary, delicate from childhood, ainl keep themselves in active life by prudence and the exellent care they take of themselves. Peter Cooper is a conspicuous example, lie was puny at his birth, and has continued more or less feeble ever since. Xevertheless, he has engaged in various enterprises ; has created from nothing a large for tune; has been a most generous bene factor to his native city ; and will have completed, on the 11th instant, his S8th year. The persons who go to their graves at 40 and 50 have frequently had any amount of physical stamina and have depended on it so entirely as to neglect all hygienic laws and disregard anything like discretion. There Is a certain arrogance of health which ruins health by excess of confidence. Men of this sort are persuaded they can do and endure anything and every thing, and, acting on their persuasion, they break down suddenly, and unex pectedly and slip out of existence. The semi-iuvalid, or valetudinarian, on the other hand, seldom incurs any risk. He guards himself at every point; he sees where danger is ami sedulously avoids it. His condition has rendered him heedful, and needfulness has grown into unchanged and unchang able habit. Ease ot circumstance also contributes greatly to longevity wheie a man either has simple tastes or is ju dicious in his mode of livinz. Ad versely to the accepted notion, proVer ty is rarely good for anybody; for it entails not only absence of comfort, but constant friction and endless worry. Other tilings being equal, the rich long survive the indigent. Sthr-tland Women. Xot far outside the town of Lerwick, on the Shetland Islands there is a great, black, muddy tract of land called a peat-bog. All about is utter desola tion. There are no huts even to be seen. The town is concealed by a rounded hill ; aud when through some opening between the bare upheavals one catches a sight of the Xorth Sea, it, too, seems deserted by mankind. The peat, or mixture of roots and e- culiar black soil, is dug here in large quantities; and all about the place are great piles ot it, dried and ready to be burned iu the fire-places of the Lerwick people. Peat takes the place of wood ; and in every poor man's but in Shet land will it be found burning and giv ing out a thin blue smoke. To prepare peat for market, a great deal of labor is performed. First com the diggers men, women and children. Entering upon the deep, miry bog, they cut the soil up into cakes about a foot long and a few inches thick ; and these they place in high piles to dry. After a few weeks they come again, and car ry the cured fuel away to the town. It is while carrying these loads that the Shetlanders presenta pecuiiarspec tacle. The men - are often very old, infirm, and poorly clothed; and the women are dressed in short-skirted, home-spun gowns, below which may be seen very red and very broad feet. On their heads they usually have white caps, nicely ironed, with a fluted ruf fle around the edge. Passing across the breast and over either shoulder are two strong, straps, and these support an immense basket hanging against the back. Thus equipped, the brave, etout wo- men, their baskets piled with peat. tramp off to Lerwick two miles away. to sell their loads for a few pennies each. They make many trips a day. always smiling, chatting and apparent ty contented. Often a long line may be seen carefully stepping along over the rough road, stopping now and then to rest. llie homes of these poor iieat women are many of them simply hovels When they wish to build a home, they go out iuto some fields usually far away from other huts and there they dig a trench about a square piece of ground. Upon this they build walls to a height of about eight feet, and fill the crevices with mud and bog. For a roof they gather refuse sea-wood, and, with this for a support, put on layer af ter layer of straw, mud and stones. But what homes they seem to us! There are no fire-place, only a hole In the ground, with a hole in the roof for the smoke to escape through ! Xo win dows, the door serving for both light and entrance ! Xo beds, only heaps of traw T Sometimes, in one small room often the only one the house contains will be seen man, wife, children, dog and hens, equal occupants, sharing the same rude comforts. Outside of the house, if the owner be moderately rich, may be seen a herd of sheep or po uies, and a patch of garden surrounded by a wall. But there is something a peat woman of Shetland is continually doing that we have not yet noticed. AH have no doubt heard of the Shetland hosiery; of the fine, warm shawls and hoods, aud delicate veils that come from these lar northern islands. Xow, all the while the poor, bare-legged woman is carry ing her heavy burdeu ol peat, her hands are never idle. She is knitting, knitting away as fast as her nimble fingers will allow. In her pocket is the ball of yarn, and a her needles fly back and forth, see weaves article of such fineness, that the Royal ladies of England wear them; and no travel ler visit the islands without loading his trunk with shawls, mittens, stock ing and other feminine fancies. Xot to know how to knit in Shetland Is like not knowing how to read at home. A little girl is taught the art before she can read ; and, as a result, at every cottage will be found the spin ning-wheel and the needles, while the feminine hands are never idle. It is one great means of support; and on Regent Mreet iu London will be seen windows full of soft, white good marked "Shetland Hosiery." Who first instructed these far north ern people In this delicate art is not surely known. On Fair Isle one of the Shetland group that art is first said fo have been discovered, very many years ago. On that lonely isle, even now, every woman, girl and child knits while working at any of her va rious duties. The yarn with which the Shetland goods are made is spun from the wool of the sheep we see roaming about the fields. In almost every cottage may be seen the veritable old-fashioned v heel ; and the busy girl at the treadle sends the great wheel flying, and spins out the long skeins, which serve to make baby pretty hood, or grandma a warm shawl. An I'nlueky Regiment. The receut fate of the 24th regiment of the British line in Zululand is pecu liarly melancholy. The regiment is nearly 200 years old, having leii-originally .embodied by William of Orange In l'!9l, for service in the Flemish war aud the Netherlands. Its records show a tour of service unsurpassed by any other regiment and it has always been unlucky. Its first experience was a disaster, being almost annihilated at the battle of Steenkirke when it wa hardly two years old. Subsequently it suffered out of all proportion to its comrades at Blenheim, Kami! lie and Malplaquet, and was finally relieved and sent home In the latter p.irt of Qiieen Annie's war, In consoiuenee of the iniiwissibilitv of keeping its rank recruited. Forty years afterward it had an almost similar experience on on the same ground, in the war of the succession, and still later, in the lsth century, it suffered Immense losses, and was at last captured bodily in the American Revolution. Returning to England, it enjoyed only a few years of rest, when it was sent to Egypt, and participated iu Sir Ralph Ahercroiii bie's operations, where its bad luck did not desert it. Thence the regime, nt went to the Peninsula, where it cam paigned five years, suffering, as usual, beyond all proportion. It was foremost at the storming of Cuidad Roderigoand S. Sebastian ; in the denies or the ry renees; In the forcing of the passage of the battles of Xivelle, Orthes and Tou louse. It escaped Waterloo only by coming to America, after the first abdi cation of Xapoleon, and participating in the ill-starred oerations which ter minated the war of 112 in humiliation to the arms of England. Then it was sent to India, where it had a hard round of service under Combermere, Hardinge and Xapler, suffering, as usual, exces sively in the first Sikh war. It was no novice at the Cape, either, for it had al ready borne the brunt of two Caftir wars, and had done as much to estab lish British rule in that quarter as any other regiment that ever served there. In short, England has had only one great war in nearly 200 years in which the old 24th has not borne a hand. 1 hat one was the Crimean war, which it es caped chiefly on account of the sympa thy at the Horse Guards for its unlucky traditions, and, though it. was on the roster for foreign service when the Crimean expedition was made up, an ther regiment was detailed to take its place, and it was sent to one of the colonies. Finally, after nearly 200 years of slaughter in every clime, and in battle against every enemy of Eng land, civilized or barbarous, the 24th has been annihilated by savages in South Africa. The more one love' one's mistress the nearer one is to bating her. Save by Old "Coronation. U was I Jo not remember the pre the cise year but it was when I was about seventeen years old, aud when I lived in the Xew England village where I was born, and from which 1 had hardly ever been away. It was the day before Thanksgiving, the only holiday that Xew England knows much about, and about which the rest of the world knows so very little. For three nights before, the cold had been very severe for that time of the year, and the newly formed ice on the pond was as smooth and clear as a looking-glass. What were we all to do the next day, the "gladdest, mer riest day" of all the year, besides go to churoh and eat the feast that had been so long in preparation ? That was the question asked by my strong, earn est. older friend who hail come from Boston to spend Thanksgiving. "Skate, of course." I answered. "But why not try the ice to-night he asked. I could sec no reason, anil so we bound on our skates and flew as It were over the glassy surface of the pond to the cove, about which were the piles of pine tree boughs. Once there, we con ceived the idea of how grand it would be to skate back to the village, collect to gether the w omen ami girls, take suita ble provisions for a picnic, place them all on sleighs and hand sleds, draw them to this place, and eat a super on these rocks, amid the glare of the burn ing tree tops. We were not long in carrying out our plans, for almost every house had its sleighs and skates, and those that were destitute of either, uni ted with some of their neighbors. An hour, and the little lake was covered by the merriest skating party fiat it ha4 ever witnessed. And then the supper, the bonfire, the songs, the merry-making. I shudder to think of such boister ous sport, with an Impending death so very near! The sport was over at length; the apples eaten, the cider drank, the songs sung, the stories told, and the once great flames among the resinous pine needles, were now smoul dering among the limbs or lingering in the stumps and ioo's. It was nearly time to go. And so the company was breaking up into little knof as we came. "Tie all the sleighs and sleds togeth er" my strong friend shouted, the last to leave the spot. The order from our leader was soon obeyed. Each little vehicle was ranged from ten to twenty feet apart, according to the length ot the ropes orleadinglines which we bad ; and three or four skaters were stationed between them. Then, two much longer ropes were stretched from either side of the long lines of which some twenty more skaters took hold. With a shout and whoop, such as Indians give when rushing to battle, we started on the ice. The line, first straight or waiving a little vt here the poorer skaters were, soon took the form of a crescent; and with a clamor of voices aud the grating of skate irons, we sjied over the ice. My strong friend and I were soon on one of the side ropts, and we held the place nearest to the sleighs. We had not proceeded tar before I perceived that the ice was bending up in front of us, and I could scarcely hear it crick, amid the noise of the skaters. I spoke not a word, but looked intently into my companion's face. I only thought that so long as we kept in motion as we were then doing, that we might pass the ter rible danger. But I knew very well if the true state of affairs vt'as discovered, a panic would spread along the line some skater would drop out, and then the sleighs aud their precious burdens mut sink to tiie bottom. , I cannot forget the horror ot that moment a moment that seemed an age. I was faint hit -elf, but I only shuddered lest some skater should fall. I could not speak for fear; but I almost feared lest the other voices should stop, ami the cracking of the ice should be heard by the women, who would be sure to scream. My thoughts were on God; my eyes were fixed on the face of my friend. I was fairly drawn up the curving ice, that seemed to rise higher and higher before us every moment. Cold sw vat was on my forehead, but I could not loosen my hand from the rope to wipe it oil'. My friend noticed that I was lagging, aud I was so exerl a skater. His eyes caught mine, aud by a sot t of intuitive language that we have iu times of great danger, he became aware of our dreadful situation, heard the cracking of the ice, and It felt it ri-ing in iront of u. What did the strong inan.do? f"lee like a coward from the dangers he had brought us lo, aud escape to the land? Iid the alarm seize him that had over powered me? Far otherw ise. Raising his voice so that it could be heard above the din of the skater, aud the merry voices of the women, he shouted : "All sing, so that we can keep better step; all sing Coronation." And without lowering his voice, he sang: -All ball the power ot Jesus' name. Let sneels prostrate fall? Bring fori h ihe ro al d adem. And crown Mm LurU of an. The order came so unexpectedly that few joined in singing this verse; but when he came to the next stauz. almo-t all the voices were beard. 1 felt a sort of relief, when the soprauo, alto, tenor and bass voices all struck the words, "frown Htm ye martyrs of our Oo.l, Who trow His altar coll:" but I feared the time when the bass should be left to carry a line alone. There were but three or four bass voices in the whole company, but any friend was numbered among them. 1 saw he husbanded his strength for this as a strong man saves his strength for some great effort. Xevertheless, I could hear alternating with the musical words, "Extol the stem ot Jesse's rod." the crack-crack-crack crack-crack of the brittle shell that was between us and eternity. It was" a wondrous relief when four parts Instead of one, and a hundred voices instead of four took up the words wb'ch seemed like an anthem of praise, "Extol the stem ef Jesse's ro1. Aud crow a turn Lore of all." We were now approaching the mid dle of the lake where the water was the deepest, so deep that no line in the vil lage could reach the bottom, and where the ice must be the thinnest, because it is the last to freeze there. I knew this; but I telt that now we were going with such rapidity, that there was no new danger, so long as there was no break in the song. I singled out a tree upon the shore we were trying to make, and calculated if at the rate they were sing ing, there were verses enough to last until we reached it. I feared lest the eader might omit a verse, as was some times done iu church, and there might be left a space over which they might pas in silence, or rather in a silence made dreadful by the cracking of the ice. I had no cause. There was indeed that awful crack-crack-crack of the ice distinctly heard during the singing of each line in every stanza of the hymn ; but it was either that I had become used to it, or that it was indeed more faint than it was before, that it failed to affect me as at first. So, too, there wa a little breadth of ice to be passed over, after the sinzers had closed the verse: Let every kindred, every tribe. On tills terrestrial hall, Tolliiu all nia). sly as4-rioe, .uU oruwu kllui Lord ol aiL" Cut our momentum was then such that I knew we could reach the shore iu safety, which we soon did. On reach ing It there was the same boisterous noise that marked our starting each oue untying his sled or sieigh, and joining the little party with which he came. But of the peril through which they had passed, the danger from which they had been rescued, not one had the slightest intimation. For my friend and myself the only ones who were aware of our wonderful deliverance we were left alone. And there, on that rocky beach, with the stars above use we sank upon our knees, our arms en twining each other's neck. It was a silent prayer we offered ; an offering of thanks to "the Giver of every good and perfect gift." Xot for us alone, but for all those who had been brought out of peril. Then we rose, and hand in hand. we silently walked to our home. The next day was Thanksgiving: we entered into no boisterous mirth. We kept our secret to our-elves that day. and during all the time since Uien we have not mentioned the affair to each other. Kut once, lonr after this, when we were in church together, and the minister gave out "Coronation, I noticed that he did not sing, but grasp ed my hand iu his, while the tears flowed from his eyes as though he were a child. riiantom Parti-. Phantom parties afford a great deal of amusement, and are inexpensive af fairs. The costumes for the ladies are those usually woru at an evening com pany, and then a white sheet, draped n Greek style, over the figure, under the right arm. and over the left, and ends of it caught at the wri-ts, quit, disguising the figure. A pillowA'a-e envelopes the head, and a long white mask, .ith friuge, which falls over the chest. The gentlemen wear shirts ar ranged like a monk's frock, and pillow case with masks the same as ladies- l'he opening is a room partly darkened ; the ladies standing behind a sofa and :ire auctioned off. the shorter ones auding on stools, so that noi,- can be listinguished by their height. One dummy is goiierally put up during the bidding, and of course dreed like the idie. After a lady is auctioned, the gentleman, after buying hi partner, goes tir her, aud taking her by the hand, pins a number corresponding to his own. upon her dress. When the dummy i bid offit occasions much mer riment: for when the gentleman offers his arm. she stands motionless. t surprise. Anecdote of a SrnoegrMr. . George II. Butler, when very drunk, applied to the genial John liauiber la in for a small loan. This, ol course, John refused. "John," said George, solemnly. "I shall, like the government, lie driven to a forcl loan, and, slipping a small mantle clock in the pocket of his ul ster, he added, "time's nioiiev, John: time's money." Again, when his uncle, an eminent Massachusetts statesman, was lecturing him on his evil conduct, aud to enforce his precepts said that a celebrated phy sician had informed him that he. George, was threatened 'villi softening of the brain, ami added: "What would you .lo, nepi.ew. if that calamity were to come to you '!" George looked up with a drtiuken gravity and replied : '"Io. do? Why, hang it, uncle, I'd br qualified to w rite leading editorials for the Xew York papers." The uncle found a more foiioru hope In-fore It i than the governorship of Massachusetts. "Are you this way every day, sir?" demanded the police justice, trying on the Roman grandeur of that dirty lo cality. "Every day ?" repeated George, in dignantly, "everyday? Why, you old diiff.-r. do you take me for a million aire?" Itttrnln' rror. A stalwart man rushed into a cliem st's shop, the other day, with the cry 'For heaven's sake, pump me out, quick !' What is wrong with you?' inquired the doctor. Get the pump ready while I am tel tingyou. I'm burning up inside. Hur ry ! I took a drink. They have put a job upon pie. I am poisoned !' The doctor suddenly interposed 'Why, I smeU something burning myself.' And opening the patient's waistcoat, he found a hole three inches in diaue ter burned in his shirt front. While the stalwart citizen was tak ing bis drink he had dropped a cigar stump between his waistcoat and shirt. 'Didn't you smell smoke?" asked the doctor. 'You're right. I did; but I thought it was coining out of my mouth '.' V'1
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers