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TBS OOI3TmmOI-TEE IIIOI-IXD THE UTOMDOJT 01 THE Hl
Editor and Proprietor.
B. F. SCHWKIER.
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1881.
NO. 26.
VOL. XXXY.
iiiii
THE GOLDKN SLDK. .
There is many a mt on Use road of life
If we would only Mop to take it ;
And man; a tone from the better land.
If the querulous heart would wake it
To the sunnj soul that is full of hope.
And whuw beautiful trust ne'er faileth.
The irrass is green and the flowers are bright.
Though the wintry storm prevailetb.
Better to hope, though the clouds hang kiw.
And keep the eyes still lifted.
For the sweet blue sky will soon peep through.
When the ominous clouds are rifted.
There nvver was a nlgbt without a day,
or an evening without a morning.
And the darkest hour, so the proverb goes.
Is the hour before the dawning.
There is many a gem in the path of life,
Which we pass in our idle pleasure.
That is richer far than the Jeweled crown,
or the miser's hoarded treasure ;
It may be the lore of a little child.
Or a mother's prayer to Heaven,
or only a beggar's grateful thanks
For a cop of water given.
Better to weave in the web of life
A bright and golden Oiling,
And do God's will with a ready heart
And hands that are swift and willing.
Then to snap the delicate, slender threads
of our curious lives asunder.
And then blame Heaven for the tangled ends.
And sit, and grieve, and wonder.
THE DEAfOVS WOOING.
The sun had disappeared behind the
hills of Sew Bethany, and the lingering
light on the mountain tops was changing
from re to purple, when Deacon Pinch
stopped his melancholy old mare in
front of the village posteflice. It was
Saturday night, the only time when Xew
Bethany roused itself from its lethargy
and showed any signs of life and energy.
The rest of the week it drowsed and lan
guished after the fashion of small coun
try towns remote from railway and
manufacturing centers.
'Whoa, Mary Jane!" said the deacon
with nuneecessary emphasis, throwing
the reins on the mare's broad back and
springing to the ground.
But the despondent Mary Jane had al
ready ceased her shambling gate from
sheer force of habit, A ten year's ser
vice with the deacon had made her per
fectly familiar with the accustomed
round of stopping places. Wednesday
night it was prayer-meeting; Sunday,
the church service; and Saturday night,
invariably the postofliee, and, as a late
variation, an after pause at the house of
Mrs. Betsey Hill, the milliner, who for
a quarter of a century had snpplied the
women of Xew Bethany with head gear
fearfully and wonderfully made.
The moment the deacon stepped inside
the office he knew, from the unusual
buzz of conversation, that something
extraordinary had happened.
"Heard the news eh, deacon?" asked
one of the village loungers.
The deacon looked np inquiringly.
"Miss Keziah's had an auiazin' streak
of luck."
"It's leen nothing but an amazin'
streak of luck ever since she was born,"
returned the deacon. "If ownin' the
liest farm in town and hevin' money at
interest isn't luck, I'd like to know what
is."
"Tea; but this is something out of
common. You used to know her broth
er, who died years ago and left his only
child for Miss Keziah to bring up?
Wa'al, when old man Mead died Miss
Keziah took the farm as her share of the
property, and her brother, bein' of a
rovin' turn of mind, took the few thous
ands of personal property as his'n and
invested 'em in Western lands, which
turned out wnthless, and he lost every
cent he put in. Folks always blamed
him for bein so foolish and hasty, and
they say grief and mortification like
hastened his death. Wa'al it turns out
they hev put a railroad square thro'
the" lands, and it's sent estate way
up, nobody knows where. Miss Kezi
ah's been offered nigh onto 88,000 for
the lands, and they say she will get ever
so much more if she only holds on."
"You don't mean it?"
"I dew; it's as true as scripture."
"Shell hold out, never fear," said the
deacon; "and I hold it to be our bonnden
dutv as neighlwrs to advise her to that
end!"
Instead of lingering as usual for the
village gossip for New Bethany post
office on Saturday night answered the
purpose of a weekly paper the deacon
seemed in a great hurry to get home.
It was the nieht of the choir rehearsal
and in driving by the church he saw Mary
Lead, Miss Keziah's neice, going up the
steps. He suddenly wnippea up nis
sleepy old mare and drove home at a
breakneck rate of speed.
"Sow's your time, Solomon Pinch,"
he muttered to himself. "It's mebbe
Ions while afore ve'll have such a good
chance ag'inj She'll be sure to be alone
0 - - . FT- 111 T I
for a couple ol hours or so m, oia iauj i
no stoppin' here to-night," he added,
.rivinc the lines a sudden twist as Mary-
Jane showed an inclination to stop be
fore Mrs, Betsy Hill's house; "we've
other fish to fry now, old girL
When he reached home he drove the
mare under the horse-shed and tied her
there, instead of unharnessing her as
usual. Then he entered the house and
hastily swallowing the scanty supper
which the hired woman piaceu oeiuic
him, donned his best clothes and drove
itt nimin at a rapid Dace.
"Law sakes alive 1" exclaimed the
wrnman amazed. "The deacon's got
sumthin' on his mind, sure! It's the
first time I ever knew him to disremem-
tur in ask a blessin .
Ever since the death of his wife Dea
con Pinch had looked on Miss Keziah as
her probable successsr, for years he bad
gazed with covetous eyes on the fine
Mead farm with its sulwtantial buildings.
but he never could screw his courage up
to the point of facing the snapping inact
Ha. owner. Of late he had leen
seen several times knocking at the door
of Mrs. Betsv Hill's little brown house
and the worthy milliner was overjoyed
at the opening of the brilliant prospect
before her. But the news of the sudden
rise in Western lands caused Mrs. Hill
with her small possessions, to sink into
;nni'linuvi bv the side of the rich
woman with her well-tilled acres, her
prospective thousands of dollars.
tv, a iAaa. nf fail tire in his matrimonial
venture never for an instant entered the
deacon's head. "The way afore ye is as
plain and straight as a pipe stein. Solo
man Pinch," he murmured, rubbing the
palms of his hands together, as he walk
ed towards Miss Keziah's side door.
"Women is mostly alike eager an' wil
lin' to embrace matrimonial opportuni
ties. They'll snap at an offer like a
hnnirrv trout at a worm. She has got
the money, and I her got the promi
nence and influence; that's a rint not to
be overlooked; and deacons isn't to be
had every day. Put her money and my
influence together, and I rather guess
well stand about top o' the heap in New
Bethany."
Miss Keziah was sitting by the table,
knitting as usual. ' She had just begun
to narrow for the toe of the stocking,
when a step sounded on the walk. She
threw down the stocking and opened the
door, and holding the lamp high above
head, her eyes rested upon the amazing
spectacle of the deacon in all the Sunday
magnificence of white shirt and shiny
black broadcloth. "Well, I never!" she
ejaculated, and then, feeling that her
reception had been hardly hospitable,
she lowered the lamp and said kindly:
"Come in, deacon come in."
"Thank ve thank ve: I don't mind if I
I dew."
"Take a seat, deacon."
"Thank ye; I dont mind if I dew."
The deacon surveyed the attractive
room, which, with its cheery fire and
comfortable cushioned chairs, seemed a
veritable paradise in comiwirison with
his untidy, ill-kept home. He placed his
hat on the floor beside his chair, display
ing his scanty gray locks ingeniously
plastered over the top of his head so as
to cover as much of the bald surface as
possible. Then there was a long pause.
"Anything going, on deacon?" asked
Miss Keziah, resuming her knitting.
She was greatly puzzled to account for"
those Sunday clothes.
"Sothin' "within the range of my
oliservation. There wont be much agoin'
on now till lectiwn time; things'U le
pretty lively then."
"Want to bnv any hay this year?"
chirped Miss Keziah. "Mine is extra
good this season, my hired man says it's
the best harvest yield in town."
I rayther guess I'll hev enough to
carry me thro' the winter. If I don't I
shall know where to come for hay as is
hay. I declare your farm does leat all !
I feel kind o rigged like when I think
the best farm in town is managed by a
woman."
Afia xr7iti. mil1 fTTftcionslv. and
the deacon drew his' chair a little nearer
liia liratraa "If TOTlttl 1A & OTPAt load
for ye to carry alone, such a large farm
is a ireiueu-j' im ratpuimiuuuj i" a
woman."
"Oh. I don't mind it; It keeps me
proper busy."
The deacon hitched his chair along a
few inches farther. "Ye'd onghter hev'
a brother or cousin, or some relative
like, to share the burden with ye'."
"My shoulders are plenty strong,"
returned Miss Keziah, good natnredly.
"I'm glad to show folks that there are
women who are good for something lie
sides giddy-gnddying and tattling."
"Yis. vis;" answered the deacon.
"We can all testify to your valley and
wli Y.in'rrt a. rewl honor to voursex.
Vh'm Twii'ra a bricrbt And sliinin' bea
con light" to the trililin' and vain-niiuded
women of the world; ud tne speaKer
waved his hand at the conclusion of this
little oratorical flourish.
Then hitch, hitch, hitch went the
chair Miss Keziah-ward. "Don't yon
feel sort o' lonely at spells, he aked,
insinuatingly.
Miss Keziah glanced suspiciously at
the rapidly advancing chair. She drop-
rJt Iw.w LnittinlT an.l WTAtlt to the fire SJld
piled np the blazing sticks of wood.
Then she came lacK to tne tame, anu
Lot liaii nn tiio further side of iL
thus putting a barrier between her and
her visitor. TB never loneiy, aeaoon ;
plenty to do is the Iwst medicine f
1. trtii i itna
lor
"But woman's a tender, dependent
creatur'. Woman's a vine, here the
deacon took np his weekly prayer-meet-
an.l nuAilfl Rlltliill tii clinf? to
when the troublous, desolatin' waves and
winds o affliction and sorrer roll over
her.
"Stuff o.n.1 nonsense!" exclaimed Miss
Keziah, with a contemptuous sniff. "I
shouldn't have expected that a man of
vonr sense, deacon, would repeat such
silly trash. I have no patience with the
people who are always talking as if
trnmKTi wil,.Ti't stand alone, and needed
propping up like a rag doll that hadn't
any backlione. im no vine or sucn
creeping, helpless thing, I can tell you.
I can stand alone as well as anybody if
the Lord so wills it, altho' I admit.
deacon, that its pieasanter to nave some
one keep you company."
"That's jest it; ye hev hit the nail
sqnar' on the head! It's pieasanter to
hev' company on our sojourn on this
mortal earth."
The deacon seized his chair with both
l.A.1a an.l Vnr TI'Tl 1 ill 4 1 1 1 1 nf llitlh-
ing placed it within three feet of Miss
Keziah's table. "You're a forehanded
rl.mnn Afioa YTeTiAh- T'm a man of
prominence and influence in the coninin-
1 .. .. . .i . i m i.. .
nitv; it seems to me tuav 1 omu or
orJwi rhintr if we could walk hand-in-
hand thro' this vale of tears. Providence
seems to p'int its finger that way." The
J.n -,a tltinkinrr at that verv moment
urwu 0 .
of the money he would save by a thrifty
-. - r - - " 1 " it.- 1 .
manager like .uiss sveziau m uie
of his inefficient, wasteful, hired woman.
Miss Keziah was dumlrfonnded. She
dropped her knitting, and the ball of
T-.r-n mllml across the floor. "Mercy !"
she finally gasped.
"1 11 make ye a nrst-rate unsoamt, ami
oil nota mo a tmrwl wife. We've Ven
members of the same church for 30 yjars
. , , -v i r
or more, and we ve oeen memoers i mr
spiritool family, well now Ive memlvers of
the same hnman family."
Miss Keziah straightened herself up
:n l,;o-l..l.-l.-o.l iJinir And drew in her
chin, while her voice rang out shrill and
clear. "I rather guess it U taKe two 10
make that bargain.
A second look at her aged admirer,
who was edging np to her with a sheep
ish simoer. exasperated the old woman
bevond control.
"The old fool !" she said, wrathfnlly.
m.. Mnio inti tlm deacon's thin
A 11" '1 "i ...... ......
cheeks, and he skirted to his feet, look-
ing anxiously toward tne aoor, as u nieu
:: i,I-f-r. rotroot. Rnt the yarn
ikttlUig M"J ' ' "
was wound around his boots and he was
forced to remain.
Miss Keziah likewise rose, and folding
i,.t.i iin'mk in front of her remark-
111 jmiiii.i J
ed grimlv: "When yon first began your
f t,..ln' li leoHt iilea what VOU
iniinj A IIIMI11 " "
were driving at I thought you were
. . Tl '11 1 4 1 ...
l.inting about Betsey run, auu wamcu
. .i... :frt rnnr fvmfidencft. I never
uo": J" , ,, ,
dreamed that you meant me. ny, 1
supposed- that I wouldn t give np my
l, t.r tl.o luxtt man livinsr. Betsy
lltTT-wu .... . i
Hill is a pious, likely woman; shell
make a good home ior you auu mm ucw
a home herself."
The deacon was completely withered,
and Miss Keziah' continued: "If you U
-i . unto livelier, deacon, and
sunt ' , .
nick np the stones on your lots and put
them into good ienoen, T, ,
ii .v- iwla there's no earthly
reason why.your farm shouldn t look as
well as mine, u i " , , ni
. . t iiuuvin I hone you 11
nun your icr-iiio, - ,
overlook it Why. you. 're aUtengled up
in that yarn; i u uniaugre w
wm - I i t .nnmliiiii the varn from
ine aeia vi im.u. o - . ,
the deacon's feet gave Miss Keziah
t..nw for farther remark: "One word
iunu
more, deacon; have you heard about the
Western lands?"
The deacon wished he was anywhere
out of the range of those merciless black
eyes.
"I think Tve heern tell suthin' about
"em," he replied, meekly.
"I thought so! I thought so!" ex
claimed Miss Keziah, savagely. "Well,
deacon, those lands rightfully belong to
my niece, Mary; I only hold them as
her guardian."
. Tim .letuOTti rvMm.ii to look noon his re
jection as a blessing in disguise, for
without the Western lands juuss jvezuui a
attractions seemed tame compared with
those of mild, blue-eyed, buxom widow
HilL "I can trnst to ye never to men
tion this?" he asked, timidly.
"I shall not mention it Sow, follow
my advice, deacon; Make sure of Betsy
Hill before another week goes by. You
have my good wishes. See to this at
once."
Thank ve, thmk ve; I don't mind if I
dew."
The good woman followed her crest
fallen visitor to the door. As a sudden
gust of cold night air put out the light,
she said: "The air is snapping to-night;
have a frost, eh, deacon?
And the discomfited deacon felt that
he had been nipped by something sharp
er than a frost
The Giraffe" as a Kicker.
One of the Leaders and a Wheel Horse
of the Bqnd Wagon were discussing the
Giraffe's withdrawal from the Show.
" Of what use was the majestic animal
to the Show anyway ? " asked the Wheel
Horse. "Oh, "he was beautiful, princi
pally beautiful," said the Leader.
" Did he draw ? " inquired the Wheel
Horse.
" Draw ? Sot only didn't draw but
had to lie drawn. His shoulders were so
high he couldn't carry baggage or wear
a saddle, and he always insisted on rid
ing in the Triumphal Car next to the
Baud. Why, that animal actually
thought he was the greatest Show on
earth all alone by himself."
" Was he a good runner ? "
" In a Hippodrome. The ring had to
1 fixed for him. He's what they call a
Hipiodromer."-
" Why then was he considered so im
portant an animal ? "
"Well, he looked like a heavy Kicker,
and always acted as though he was go
ing to kick."
"And did he ever kick?"
"Once."
"Do any damage ? ".
"Well, I can't tell yet There's a
council of veterinary surgeons at work
trying to set his leg. He didn't hit any
thing." " Any moral ? " said the Wheel Horse.'
" Well, yes," said the Leader. " This
little one--' If you kick at the wrong
time you are liable to break your leg.
Economy In Fnel.
Dr. C. W. Siemens thinks it about time
that the economical use of fuel should be
nractieed in our offices and our homes,
as well as in large manufacturing estab
lishments. He has devised grate which
rives out a fine heat without noxious
gases into a room a grate which is very
cleanly and which meets fairly the re
quirements of economy in construction
and use. There is no patent on this
grate. An iron dead plate is riveted at
right angles to a stout copper plate fac
ing the back of the grate and extending
five inches above and below, where the
iron late joins it The dead plate stops
short alioiit an inch from the bottom bar
of the grate to make room for a half -inch
gas pipe which is penetrated with small
holes arranged zig-zag on its upper sur
face. This pipe rests on a lower plate
bent downward toward the back so as to
form a vertical and horizontal channel
of alxmt one inch in breadth between
the two plates. A trap-door in the lower
plate lelow the gas pipe serves to remove
the ashes. The vertical portion of the
channel contains a strip of sheet copper
arranged like a frill and riveted to the
back. This frill of copper conducts the
heat from the back and sets np a current
of air in the channel, and this air forces
the small gas-jets of the perforated pipe
to burn brightly. Instead of the pumice
stone, the front of the grate is filled with
coke or anthracite, to which the heat of
the iras-iets is transferred. Dr. Siemens
says that he holds it almost barbarous to
n e raw coal for any purpose and that the
time will come when all our fuel will be
separated into its two constituents before
reaching our factories or domestic
hearths.
Hare of Hestes.
Timblethom. who had not attended
ehnreh for some time, thonirht he would
co the other Sunday, and as he did not
have time to shave hunseli ne conciuuea
that he would not make his appearance
in fl.e KAcrcd edifice until after the
services had legun. When he got there,
however, he found mat mere were a
great many people of evidently the same
min.l ah himself, for the rear pews were
all fulL The palite sexton seeing hit
annoyance told him there were pieniy oi
aotu'l) ilf w-av nn the aisle, and Timble-
ilinm AsViAmed to turn lack now that
he had placed himself at the religious
plongh, proceeded tnrougn uie aim ugni
imrinii thA chancel, lie looaea niiui
arwl loft bnt could find no place until he
reached the vicinity of the pulpit hen
he espied a pew with only a lady and a
small boy in it They occupied the
upper end of it, and he modestly took
i,; iwwitim at tlifl opposite extremity.
He devoutly proceeded to kneel, when
the kneeling oencn snot up uite a rocaei
and struck the little boy, who was stand
ing sf ivinrvp nndor the chin. An
unearthly yell shot through the church,
II th memtiers oi tue concreeanon
sprang to their feet and the music of the
ni..nr vu tfvmmieuMV orowneo. iusi
next thing Tunblethorp anew was i
h was Iteinir escorted down the aisie
Hrn rwil icemen, preparatory to b in'
a charire of male ions
assault It was not rill the next day
. . 1 ' J il A ,ft
that the sexton aisoovemi uuu n- m
mischievous boy had twisted off the
underpinning of the kneeling bench at
Timblethorp's aide of the pew. Tunble
thorp was auschargea from custody, dm
he sajs that so saint ever endured so
mnch mortification as he. and that he is
sure of heaven if he never goes to church
again.
In tbe Hands of Brigands.
The following is an interesting account
of the capture of the Suter family by
brigands, near Salonica, Turkey :
On Thursday evening, the 7th of
April, at about 10.30, Mr. and Mrs. Suter
having retired to their sleeping apart
ment Mr. Suter being already asleep,
bnt some of the servants still up in their
room, Mrs. Suter'a attention was attract
ed by hearing the dogs round the house
bark furiously. Suddenly a dreadful
scream from one of the servants con
vinced her that brigands were in the
house, and prompted her to call to her
husband, " Harry ! Brigands !" Mr.
Suter then sprang out of bed, seized his
rifle and rushed to the door, which he
opened, but, seeing the gallery full of
armed men, instantly tried to close it
again. The brigands pushed it from the
outside, trying to keep it open, but the
united efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Suter,
were successful in shutting and locking
it Thus they stood for a moment in
their' nightdresses, face to face with the
terrible reality that they were in the
hands of brigands, and terrified at the
result of what was likely to ensue.
Their hesitation was short; a mute
glance at each other decided their course
of action, and convinced them that they
had no one but themselves to look to for
hone or protection. A knock was heard
at the door, and Mr. Suter asked quietly
and firmly who was there, and what was
wanted, while Mrs. Suter made a rush
to the window, threw it open and called
out as loudly as she could to the soldiers
in the house opposite. The knocks then
redoubled, and blows re wes truck at the
door with an axe. Mr. Suter then went
to the window and called to the troops,
when the brigands fired a volley from
the balcony of the house. This was
evidently done to show that they were
masters of the situation, and that an
attack by the soldiers would be perfectly
useless. The soldiers responded with
another volley directed at the house, and
the firing became general, the bullets
penetrating the walls and passing into
the rooms ; it was a perfect miracle that
no one was killed. Mrs. Suter and her
child lay flat on the ground under a
thick quilted covering, while Mr. Suter,
rifle in hand, stood in readiness to receive
the first comer. Seeing, however, that
the door was giving way, Mr. Suter pur
sued the wisest and only course left to
him threw open the door and welcomed
them with 'Kallot OricstC (welcome), and
extending his hand bade them enter. In
3 . .. ... ,
the mean time the tuing had reaouuieu,
the messengers of death from the rifles
of the Turkish soldiers entering the
dwelling on all sides. The danger was
imminent both to captors and captives,
the latter standing in their nightdresses
expecting instant death, till the brigands
told Mr. Suter the firing must le stopped
for the sake of all concerned.
Mr. Suter hastily dressed and went
out on the balcony to use his influence
to effect this indispensable measure.
Fortunately his voice was heard and the
firinir ceased instantaneously on lxth
sides whereupon he returned to the
room, and once more facing his raptors,
eight or ten in number, he quietly asked
them what they wanted oi mm. a ney
replied : "Your money or your life.
He replied : "Do what you use witn
me. but spare niv wife and child. I
implore you, frighten her not, for she is
bsctevte, and the result win lie iauu to
her." This he rejieated several times,
an 1 asked why they wished to harm him
when he had not wronged them. One
of the number, rougher than the rest,
approached Mrs. Suter, who was at the
further end of the room, and drawing
his sword, placed its point to her breast
and said, "Give me your money or I will
cut your throat" "Mrs. Suter neither
screamed nor fainted, bnt looking stead
ily at him said, "I have only four hras
in the house. They are. in that lxx ;
t ike them if you wish."
He replied, "It is a lie. I will kill
. . . . . . 1 x
you. She responded, "ion anu i
"believe in the same Christ, and in His
name I tell you that I have no more
money, and (laying bare her throat) cnt
my throat if yoti will ; I can do no more."
He then said, "It is a lie. What Eng
lishman lives without money in his
house? We have been told that your
household expenses amount to 20 a
day ; how can you have only four liras
in "the house ?" He again held his sword
toward Mrs. Suter, who then appealed
to her husband, and he addressed him
self to the brigands, and pointing to his
wife, said, "Did I not entreat yon not to
frighten her? She is a lady, and 1 ask
you to treat her as such." On this the
brigand left Mrs. Suter, who took out
the four liras and gave them to him.
Thev then began appropriating every
article that they imagined could be of
the slightest use to them. Air. suter
then asked the brigands again what they
wanted. They answered that that was
not the time or place to discuss that
subject -nd ordered Mr. and Mrs. Suter
to dress themselves and their child and
accompany them to the mountain. Poor
Mrs, Suter followed these instructions to
the best of her ability. Her little girl,
a pretty child of four years of age, who
had been lying half hidden by a Turkish
quilt 'witix big, wide open blue eyes,
quietly surveying the scene, now came
out ot her refuge and asked to be dressed
to go. Hastily throwing on some clothes,
she added to them some articles of wear
ing apparel belonging to her husband
with the idea that they might be useful
to him. Dressing was a difficult matter,
as the brigands had ransacked all the
drawers, boxes, Ac, in the room, and
heaped then contents promiscuously on
the flsxir. To an nncourteons command
made to Mrs. Suter to open a box that
was under the lied, she indignantly
replied, "I open the box for you ! open
it yourself, or call somebody to do so.
Mrs. Suter s quiet and dignified man
ner evidently impressed these men, who
now became very respectful in their
attentions toward her, and solicitous of
surrounding her with every comfort that
could be procured. One suggested that
the Madama, not being accustomed to
rough walking on the mountain, should
take the precaution of putting on
strong pair of boots. Another proposed
that tea, coffee and sugar should lie
carried with them ; while another occu
pied himself in preparing a bundle of
quilts, blankets, &c, and laid hands on
a pile of towels and sheets just in from
the wash, remarking that the Madama
would be sure to want these articles on
the mountain.
All beins? in readiness for departure.
the brigands, with their prisoners, passed
through the courtyard, out of the village
and up the mountain side. Air. and
Mrs. Suter were accompanied by four
men servants carrying coverings and
food. The journey to the top of the
mountain was very difficult, as there
was no pathway, and one had to climb
np m best one could over rock and
through brushwood. The brigands,
however, during the whole journey,
which took about two hours, were very
respectful and attentive to their prison
ers, frequently insisting on their sitting
down to rest offering water, making
cigarettes for Mr. Suter, and even going
back to find the doll which the child had
chanced to drop.
On reaching the top of the mountain
they found a grassy platform of consider
able size surrounded by bushes and
trees. But the moon had now set, and
the scene was illuminated only by the
torches of the brigands. The servants
were then ordered to spread rugs on the
grass, and the prisoners were told to sit
down, while the brigands formed a large
circle around them, some sitting and
some standing, while others seemed
posted all over the mountain, signalling
and whistling to each other. The bri
gands seemed to be mostly young men,
having no covering on their heads bnt
their ample locks, wearing fnstanellas, or
kilts, singularly black, and armed with
swords and rifles. The three captains
(Aristioi, Ghiorghio Kaizaro and Sieola
Dondouka) wore also a quantity of silver
ornament. They appeared to be all of
a superior class, speaking not only lireelt,
bnt Albanian, Italian, and one of them
even English, and most of them were
probably foreien Greeks,
On being thus seated on the top of the
mountain, Mr. Suter was closely ques
tioned as to his profession and means,
and whether he or his wife had parents
living, or relatives likely to pay ransom.
Mr. Suter replied that he had neither
private means or relatives who could pay
any considerable sum.
Finally, after a great deal of talk
among themselves, they said that Mr.
Suter must write to Mr. Blnnt Consul
General at Salonica, informing him that
the ransom they required was 15,000,
and that this sum must be paid in fifteen
davs. On this Mr. Suter exclaimed that
" they might as well kill him at once, as
there was not the least liklihood of his
being able to raise such a sum."
"Then," they said, "you refuse to
write ? In that case, not only yon, but
vonr wife and hild, will forfeit your
lives on the spot" Mr. Suter then
liegged to lie allowed to consult with his
wife, and they came to the conclusion to
write as the brigands demanded. They
then asked if it would lie for their advan
tage that Mrs. Snter should go to Salon
ica or stay, and Mr. and Mrs. Suter
replied that it would lie lietter for her to
go to Salonica, as, in case of pursuit, she
could not keep np with them. They
then made Mrs. Suter promise solemnly
that, if allowed to descend the mountain,
she would at once start for Salonica, and
use every means to prevent the soldiers
coming in pursuit of them, and they
threatened that as soon as any soldier or
armed villager approached them Mr.
Snter would 1m immediately killed. In
return, they swore the Bessa bess that
Mr. Suter would lie safe in their hands
pending negotiations for payment of the
ransom, on the condition that they were
not pursued, and were left free to com
municate with the village.
It was now alsmt 2 A. M., and after a
sail parting from her husband Mrs. Suter
was allowed to return with her child and
accompanied by tw of her servants, the
other two remaining with Mr. Suter.
Provided with a torch, they with great
difficulty found their way down the steep
mountain side and arrived at home
alxmt 4 o'clock in the morning. Mrs.
Snter immediately sent off a messenger
with the letters, and started herself two
hours afterward (6 o'cl ek on Friday
morning) for Salonica. This journey of
twenty hours she accomplished by the
afternoon of the next day (Saturday)
having ridden for seveateen hours and
driven there in the carriage sent for her
by Mr. Blunt the Consul General.
rialn Englifth.
Manager Piiier was colled out of the
box-office of the Opera-house by a man
who wanted to speak privately with him.
They stepped over to the foot of the
gallery stairs, and Mr. Piper said :
" ell, sir, what is it all aliont ?
" I want to lie engaged as a hactor."
"Oh, that's it. oh?" said Mr. Piper.
taking a survey of the applicant who
did not have any external marks of the
profession.
"What line of business do von do
best?"
" Well, I avent henny partickler line.
Hi thing hi should mention" here he
looked down and lowered his voice
hi'm a hammachure."
"You're a hammer chewer!" exclaimed
the astonished manager. " Some Don-
nerwetter is der man verrueck?" he
added, forgetting his English in his sur
prise and falling back on high Dutch.
"rli said a hammachure. sir. repeated
the applicant with dignity.
"Well, dots loost what . I thought
you said; bnt mr friend, look here.
what sort of hammer is it yon chew ? I
like to hev you tell me some more about
it Is it a sletch hammer?
The applicant grew red in the face.
He was evidently very indignant He
Raid :
. -
"Mr. Piper, hi spoke to yon, sir, like
a gentleman, sir. Hi told you hi wasn't
a professional hactor, bnt Bimply a ham
machure. . Yen see fit heither to poke
fin at me, sir to be insolent or else,
sir, yon re a hignoramus!
The man strode away with an air of
lofty scorn, and John Piper was left to
meditate.
" He said he was a hammer chewer.
but he wasn't a professional ; a hammer
chewer he meant to say he was a ama
choo. Ha! ha! ha! Well, it's all his
own fault if he got mat ; why don't he
speaghk plain tnglish?
The Cow Tree.
One of the greatest vegetable phenomena.
though not so useful to mankind as the
brad -fruit, appears le be the Folode I aco.
or cow-tree. This plant produces a gmti
nous liquid, like an animal. It rrequentl y
grows upon the barren sides of a rock, and
has dry, coriaceous leaves. For several
months in the year its foliage u not moist
ened by a single drop of rain, and its
branches appear entirely dried up. Uui
upon piercing the Vuuk, particularly at the
ruirg of tbe sun, there flows a sweet and
nourishing yellow Juice, having a balsamic
perfume, with many of the qualities oi
milk In the morning the natives of the
country, in which Uus vegetable fountain
grows, vist it with bowls in which they
carry home its milk for their children. "So
that this tree," says Humboldt, "seems to
present the picture of shepherd distribu
ting the milk of ms flock." The Araguana
call it the cow; the Laucs guana tne mux.
tree. Humboldt, Kunth, and Bredemeyer
saw the fruit of this tree, but no naturalist
has yet men the flower.
The, treasury of Texan contains over
51,000,000 lnoftah.
Adventures of a ftarroyar.
In April last, Frank Mathias, a civil
engineer on the Denver and Rio Grande
road started from Salt Lake City to locate
a route to Leadville. His path lay
through the southeastern part of Utah,
and thence through the Indian Territory.
He did not wish to excite the suspicions
or animosity of the TJtes by a large body
of men, and therefore took with him
ouly one companion, a yonng man named
White. Their troubles did not begin
until they reached the Indian country
when it became evident that their supply
of provisions was too small. The Indians
regarded the white men with an animos
ity which they did not seek to conceal,
and when midway in the reservation
demanded that the surveyor give them
some flour. Their supply was running
extremely short, and they said that they
could not sjiare any. The savages re
ceived the information with muttered
threats, and let them pass only after a
long )iarley. At the junction of the
Grand and Gunnison rivers the demand
fur flour was repeated, and upon being
refused, the Indians seized the wagon
and surveyor's instruments. It was use
less to resist half a hundred armed
savages, and the surveyors begged only
to be allowed to leave the country. In
a few angry words they were told to go,
but not to come back that way, or they
would be killed.
With this parting injunction they were
hurried from the camp and made their
way as best they could, up Gunnison
river. Their rifles were left them, and
on the first day Mathias shot a deer.
The next day they reached Roaring
Forks, and their terror can be better
imagined than described when they
found the stream too swollen to permit
of crossing, and the snow at the north
of such a depth that it would have been
worse than folly to have attempted to
take that direction. Death was certain
if they retraced their steps, and they
found themselves penned in a spot from
which there was apparently no escape.
Luckily they had carried a quantity of
the deer meat with them and were not
without food. They had first thought
of venturing into the stream on a log,
but it was plain that they would be
dashed to pieces in the nnaer tow, and
they reluctantly gave up the project It
was at this juncture, that Lafayette
Pierce, the man who brought the news
of .their situation to the city, found
them. Their voices could scarcely be
heard in reply aliove the roar of the
waters, but they managed to make him
understand that they were lost and in
want of food. Attaching a stone to a
note he had written Mathias concen
trated all hi strength and threw it
across the river. It fell at the feet of
Pierce, who. according to directions,
started at once for Leadville. Strength
ened by new hope the two survivors
watched and waited. Toward tne enu
of the week liefore last they could see
the savages steady advance, and the
chances for escape were growing nar
rower each moment. Toward evening,
on Sunday, the 22d, they heard the
report of a gun, and a body oi men,
with a lonsr train of iaeks. emerged
from the timber on the other side of the
stream. It was the relief party, con
sisting of six men, including the guide.
Thev held packed lumber from Red Cliff,
and with this at once began to construct
a flatliont In three hours they hail a
rough craft, bnt waited until morning
before making the perilous attempt to
reach the sufferers. At daybreak the
lioat was launched and reached the other
side in anfetv. The two starving sur
veyors were lifted in and the return trip
made.
Stopped by Jellv-Kih,
Those who live near the sea-coast are
familiar with the fish. The name implies
the delicacy of its structure, for the
jelly-fish is a mass of living jelly. So
unresisting is its bodily rabnc, that when
lifted from the sea it seems to drain
away into shapeless pulp. An English
writer compares it to the Scotch minis
ter s sermon, which, as an old lady said,
had "nae vitals.
But delicate and unresisting as are
jelly-fishes, when seen pulsating, one by
one, through the summer sea, they have
lieen known, when combined in masses,
to stop an ocean steamer.
One nieht in Septemlier. a year ago,
the Crocodile, an English steamship, was
brought to a full stop, while near the
equator, by a school of leUy-hsh.
They "appeared in myriads," writes a
passenger, "as far as the eye could reach.
and the thousands of luminous liodies
floating upon the water gave the appear
ance of a scene from fairyland.
" Some of the fish got into the strain
ers of the condensers and blocked the
holes, so that the water could not enter,
and the result was that the vacnnni
went down and then disappeared en
tirely." "The condensers, "he continues, "af ter-
ward liecame so heated that we had to
stop steaming altogether, take off the
strainers and clear them. Three attempts
were made to steam, and each failed
from the same cause.
"In this way we were delayed no less
than five hours ; but at daybreak the hsh
sank, and the ship was able to proceed.
The same thing occurred again on the
following night, the ship being delayed
four hours."
Curious as this incident is, it is not a
nniqne performance of nature. The
snow flake is so delicate that its beautiful
crystal fades as soon as touched. Yet
masses of snowflakes compel the swift
locomotive to halt, and stand for hours
in panting helplessness.
The Mocking Bird.
The mocking-bird of Florida is de
scribed as rather a dissipated character.
He forages about singing in his neigh
bor's vineyard whJe he rolxi him, until
the berries of the Pride-of-China are
ripe, then he proceeds to have a regular
frolic, acquires a habit of intoxication,
and gets as drunk as a lord. It is
cunons to see a Hock of these birds at
that time. They liecome perfectly tipsy.
and fly round in the most comical
manner, hiccoughing and staggering
just like men ; mixing up all sorts of
songs, and interrupting each other in the
most impudent manner, without any
regard to the politeness and decorum
that usually mark the intercourse of all
well-bred society whether of birds or
men. They will fly about promiscuous
ly, intrude on domestic relations, forget
the way home, and get into each other's
nests and families, just like the lords of
creation. After the hemes are all gone,
and the yearly frolic is over, they look
very penitent make many good resolu
tions, join the temperance society, and
never indulge again till the next season
cornea round, and the berries are ripe
once more.
Reading Mens In the sky.
A very little practice will enable any
body to read the language of the clouds.
About eight years ago Luke Howard,
an English Quaker, whose business re
quired him to take long walks in the
open air, completed a classification of
clouds that has ever since been in gen
eral use. One of the most wonderful
phenomena ever witnessed in the sky
was the great dry fog of 1783, that over
spread the whole of Europe and part of
Asia and America, reaching to the sum
mits of the Alps, and lasting from one
to three months, according to the local
ity. The greatest terror prevailed and
the end of the world was thought to be
at hand.
Howard noticed that there are three
principal kinds of clouds, which he call
ed curma, cumulus, and stratus. Any
body can see the difference between
these clouds at a glance. The cirrus is
the highest of all clouds. Yon must
have often seen it in the form of white
filaments sometimes called "mares' tails'
and "cats tails." Stretched across the
blue sky like delicate lace work, it is
very beautiful. Travelers say that on
the summit of lofty mountains peaks,
from which they could look down upon
the heavier clouds, they have seen these
wispy cirri floating overhead, apparent
ly as far awav as when seen from the
earth. In calm summer evenings, long
after sundown, these clouds may be
seen reflecting the most delicate tints of
color from the last rays of sunlight that
illuminate the higher regions of the at
mosphere. Ihe cuTi are composed of little crys
tals of ice. These clouds and their de
rivatives cause the halos that are some
times seen about the sun and moon.
Cirrus clouds indicate both storms and
clear weather, according to their ap
pearance. If they appear in their most
delicate forms after stormy weather,
they are a sign that a period of settled
weather is at hand. When they show
themselves in parallel streaks after fair
weather has lasted for some time, they
are the first indication of approaching
change. Cirri, when greatly tangled
and knotted, show stormy weather close
at hand. If their borders grow faint
and indistinct, there is rain coming.
Cumulus clouds are characteristic of
summer. Ihe farmers call them thun
der heads when they poke their smooth,
white, ronnded summits, glittering in
the sun hke silver, above the horizon.
In that form they are the forerunners
of local thunder storms. The.se moun
tainous-looking clouds sometimes act
ually exceed the greatest peaks of the
Andes or Himalayas in size. hen
cumulus clouds appear in a warm,
pleasant dav, not verv large, tushuct
though soft in outline, and resembling
cotton balls, they indicate continue!
fair, dry weather. On the other hand,
when they grow larger, darker, and
more formidable looking they foretell
storms. Jnst before a rain they some
times seem to throw off little fleecy
clouds around their edges. Goethe,
the great German poet, who was fond of
studying the clouds, said that as long as
cumuli have sharply defined borders and
a white color a continuance of good
weather may be expected. Cumulus
clouds often form soon after sunrise and
temper the heat of the summer day. If
they gradually disappear toward even
ing the weather will remain serene, but
u as the sun goes down thev grow duik
er and more numerous, then look out for
rain.
The stratus is most common at night
and in winter. They always appear in
the form of stripes or broad, low cur
tains, covering more or less of the sky.
The night stratus is formed of mists
from swamps, riven and moist ground.
It generally rises and changes into
small cumnii clouds on summer morn
ings. The other kinds of stratus, ap
pearing at considerable heights in the
fall, winter and early spring, is, as I
have said, an invariable forerunner of
stormy weather.
These three kinds of clouds do not al
ways appear in their simple forms.
They are frequently mingled together,
and four varieties of these derivative
clouds have been distinguished. The
cirro-cumulus consists of little roundish
white clouds, floating at a high eleva
tion, and often resembling a flock of
sheep resting upon the blue background
of the skv. In winter these clouds fre
quently appear before a thaw. Between
summer showers they accompany in
creased heat. Thev are common in dry
weather.
A Blasted Life,
Thirty years ago U J be it Francis Vertzcn,
a Frenchman, drifud into a sinail French
colony about three miles west of Sew
Albany, Indiana, lie was unhappy in the
society of human beings, and found a cave
in a contiguous wild region called the
"Knobs, He procured a chair, a box lor
a ta'ile, a pesTter plate, a tin cup and two
quilts, and moved Into the cave and became
"the hermit of tbe Knobs." How he lived
no one knew, as his only visable means ol
support was picking berries and selling them
in the town during the auuuucr time, li
was observed that whenever he appeared in
public be always carried with him a small
leather satchel, strapped to his side and
closed with a clasp. 1 be use of thu leath
er pocket was not apparent to any one.
Curiosity sometimes look people to th
neighborhood of his cave, but he seldom
admitted any one and was averse to con
versation. The only communication he
held with anybody e!se'a thoughts was
through a few old French book?, which he
read constantly when at borne. About ten
years ago, bowtver, asnapper-up of uncon
sidered trifles got a liule ways into hit con
fidence ai.d gained from nun some particu
lars of his ufe, which were printed at Uk
tijie, but have a fresh interest, now tual
the hermit is dead. He was born in Ver
sailles, France, in 1810, of gocd family.
and went to college. While finishing his
education, be fell in love with a girl '-auove
his estate in life, although in his veins ran
noble blood.' Tbe parents of the girl,
who was well inclined toward the student,
put a stop to the aseocauon of the pair,
which was ripening for matrimony. A ben
he knew that she was lost to him forever
ne had nothing more to do m the world.
He left college nn graduated and acrapinv
together what money he could he wandered.
He drifted on ths current of time some
years and finally lodged at New Albany
and tbcc.ee to hit cave in the Knobs, where
every beat of his heart for uirty years was
a pang lie had not been aeeu much of
laie, tor the weight of his yean and sor
rows was heavy upon him. The other day
he was found dead u his cave by some
chance callers at his open dour. Tbe secret
of the satchel was revealed. Within its
clasp, wrapped in thick paper folds, was
the picture of the beautiful French girl,
whose loss bad blasted his Ufe fifty yean
ago.
Laramie City has nearly 500 chil
dren of school age.
SEWS IX BPJEF.
V North Carolina has 96.500 colored
voters.
There are no horses in Greenland
and Lapland.
Mrs. John Mackav pavs her cook
$6,000 a year.
The Government is now feeding
12,000 Indians,
Senator John Sherman is worth
about $300,000.
Boston is to have a music hall that
will cost $325,000.
Counterfeit $20 silver certifieateH
are in circulation.
A son of Stephen A. Douglass is
quite a good orator.
The net profits of the Cnnard line
last year were $065,000.
The colored Baptists in the United
States numlicr about 300,000.
Mrs. Bell, wife of the inventor of
the telephone, is a deaf mute.
One of the Xew York Broadway
milliners nets $30,000 a year.
It costs 84 cents to send a bale of
cotton from X. Y. to Liverpool,
The Italian army nnmliers 1,700,000
men if the militia are called out.
CoL Bob Iugersoll has made $20,000
from his lecture on the bad place.
Alma Tadema's "Sappho" has Wen
bought by an American for $15,000.
About 5,000 dead bodies are sent t
the Morgue in Xew York every year.
Four million dollars have been
spent in improving the Tilier at Ronin.
During May the Philadelphia mint
coined 4,241,640 pieces worth $7,6iS,
550. One hundred and one people died
last year in London from actual starva- .
tion.
It is estimated that the acreage iu
winter wheat is 4 per cent, greater than
ast year.
The nunulier of Xew Yorkers who
will go to Europe this summer is said to
be 15,000.
The average age at whieh student-,
enter American collegus is 17; a century
ago it was 14.
The American Bible IIou.se issued
1,085,696 copies of the Scriptures during
the past year.
The Indiana aehool fund to the
amount of $1,036,405.20 has just been
apportioned
The new Texas Capitol will cost
$1,500,000, and will le built by a IV
troit architect.
All the flocks of Merino sheep in
Addison county, Vermont, are assessed
at $15 per head.
The railroad mileage of El., is 7,573;
it takes the lead, followed bv New York
and Pennsylvania,
There are 4,4)00 species of L-mprs
distributed over the world all adapted
to special localities.
In 1739 a society iu Loudon. Ena-
land, offered a premium of 100 for coch
ineal grown in India.
It is estimated that inseetj injure
crops of the United States to the valu
of $10,000,000 annually.
The West front of St. Albans
Abbey, England, is to be restored at an
estimated cost of $125,000.
California's wheat crop for this year
is estimat.il at 40,000,000 bushels.
against 53,000,000 bushels last vear.
Andrew Johnson's heirs are now in
litigation over the distribution of Lis
property, which is valued at $100,000.
Over 4.01X1.000 bushels of grain have
been shiped down the Mississippi since,
the opening of navigation in February.
Chicago bve stock receipts for tb
month of Mav were as follows: Hogs,
468,395; cattle", 122,413; sheep, 80,920.
On the first dav of its issue 2.000. 000
copies of the Xew Testament were soid
in England and 1,000,000 in this coun
try. The tunnel under the Hudson rivor.
between Xew York and Jersey City, is
being pushed at the rate of live feet a
Aiv.
The Beacowsfield memorial to bo
erected by the Conservatives in London
will consist of a fine statue of the late
earl.
It is estimated bv good judges that
the mills of Minneapolis will grind the
present year 20.0O0.000 bushel of
wheat.
Ihe receipts of the CunarJ steani-
s'oip company for 1880 were clone on
1,140,000, and the net profits about
2(Kl,(XK).
There have been 1.140 building
started during the present vear in Xew
York, the united cost of which is ncarlv
$19,000,000.
The Agricultural Department of
Ohio reports an annual increase in sheep
while the number of hogs has decreased
20 per cent
The stamp duty of six cents per
pack was paid on 1,091,823 packs of
playing-cards in England last year,
amounted to $65,659.
In 1863, when Jackson retired from
the Presidency, the number of post
ofliees iu the country was 11,767; In 1(.S0
the numlier was 42,980.
The tronssean of the Princes
Stephanie is worth $400,000, but the
dowry voted for the future Empress of
Austria does not exceed $50,000.
The son of General Ord, a young
man of twenty, whose sister married
General Trevino, has been offered a
colonelcy in the Mexican armv.
The 382.920 Congregationalists in
the United States gave last vear for
their religions work $3,692,922.24, or an
average of nearly $10 per member.
The most magnificent head of hair
in Russia belonged to the Princess Dol
gorouki, but she cut it all off, and placed
it in the codn of the Czar, her dead
hnsliand.
A steam-tug drawing 10,000 ton3 of
grain, equal to 3:13,000 bushels of wheat,
equal to 1,000 car loads, has just made
the trip from St. Loui3 to Xew Orleans
in five and a half slays.
The Woman's Medical College, in
Xew York city, has, during 30 years,
graduated 276 women as physicians, of
whom 151 are now in active practice, witj
average incomes of $3,000 per year.
The 2,586,468,320 bushels of wheat,
com, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat and
potatoes, raised last year in this county,
were produced on 105,883,605 acres, and
the cultivation is in most cases care
less.
Secretary Blaine is informed that .
the French delegation to the Yorktown
Centennial will consist of no mere than
ten gentlemen, descendants of Lafayetw,
De Ilochambean, sad -others of our
allies in 1781,