'M ill ffil TEB O0BST1TUT10I-THE TJHOI-AID TEE EITOSOEimri 07 THE LA8. Editor and Proprietor. B. P. SCHWEIER, MIFFLINTOWK JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 30, 1884. NO. 5. VOL. XXXVIII. 4 5 i IMAUIMABE KVILS. Lrt to-morrow take care of to-morrow, Leave thing of the future to fate; What's the use to anticipate sorrow f Life's troubles come never too late. If to hope over much be an error, lis one that the wise have preferred, And how oft have hearts been In tern Of evlis that never occurred. Have faith and thy faith will austaiu thee Permit not suspicion and care- With invisible hands to embrace tht But bear what God gives thee to bear. By this spirit supiorted and gladdened; Be ne'er by "forebodings" deterred; Just think how oft hearts have been sad dened. By fear of what never occurred. Let to-morrow take care of to-morrow; Short and dark as our Ufe may appear, We can make it still shorter by sorrow StIU shorter by folly and fear. , Half our troubles are our own invention. And often from blessings cornered; Yet we shrink in wild apprehension From evils that never occurred. A BOLD BACKWOODS ltOV. Jad was eleven years old aud little Chlo, his sister, was two years younger. But this was a great many years ago when their father, Mr. Dunlap, had just moved into a township in the western iart of Maine, which was then a wild, uninhabited region, save where here and there an adventurous settler had planted his little log hut in the heart of the wilderness, and laid bare a few acres of the forest as a nucleus of the future home of himself and thriv ing family aimot always a small colony in itself. Ah, who can tell what homesick mo ments and longings for the old a.'s ciatious our pioneer fathers and mothers endured, coining as did many of them, from wealmy States aud pleasant sur roundings. There most have been a mighty attraction in the wild, free life of the backwood man and a genuine love of the simple aud homely joys of the rough hearthstone, to have held them in these rude homes, almost iso lated, as they were, from the world. But they lived in anticipation, looking eagerly forward to a future of plenty, when the wilderness should become cultivate! aud fruitful through their first persistent and hardy efforts. Wr.li an energy characteristic of the tiist settlers, Mr. Dunlap pushed his way on through toil, hardships and many j rivations, at lirst felling and clearing a patch large enough to put uy a log cabin for his family, then bv degrees cutting farther and farther into the primitive forest, till now quite a large tract lay open to the sun, a part of which was under tolerable cultiva tioH, the rest laying black aud still smoking from recent burnings. As before slated, 4 ad was now eleven, lie was a dark faced, sinewy lad; tough as a thong, inheriting much of his lather's pluck and endurance. What ever he undertook to do he was pretty ski e "to cany through. lu these unsettled regions wild ani mals were numerous, especially the wild-cat, lynx and glutton, or wolver ine. Theie creatures often come into the ck-arings, and their frequent de predations became a great pest to the settlers. There was aiso an abundance of huiaJergame to be had for the trapping, and this fall Jad was anticipating no end cf enjoyment in the warm Indian summer days, trapping for "musquash" (uiuskratj and mink along Kenny orook, which ran past the clearing half a mile away in the woods. His father had helped him make his traps, and on his very lirst visit he was greatly elated by finding a sleek and glossy mink in one of thein. This piece of good luck had set Jad half wild, for iu:uk f kins brought a high price at the '"big set tlement," twenty rive miles down the country, where his father always went to do Lis trading. Jad watched his traps eagerly as a miser watches his money bags. But with all his vigilance, what was his dis may to tind, one morning in the trap farthest up 61 ream, that a mink had been caught and taken out bv some wild beast and devoured. The tail and little featheily clumps of fur lay scat tered about the trap. Dire venegance against the wild marauder at once pos sessed his heart. Little Chlo was a keen sympathizer In his troubles. She was also his com panion in this trapping expedition, in which it was her duty to carry the bail sometimes a squirrel, ofteuer a trout caught from the brook. "What d'you s'pose got him."' asked Chlo, as Jad stood looking ruefully at the tail, which he held between his thumb and linger. "1 don't know, unless 'twas a glut ton, or a wildcat, l'a says they are al ways nosin' round to get the bait out of traps and what's caught iu 'em. Con found himl Seven dollaas gone down his throat!" he exclaimed, wrathfully. "It's too bad," cried little Chlo. "Can't you catch liim?" Jad thought a moment. His father had a steel lox-irap. He would set that and have the thief. Leaving Chlo, he hastened to the hou.-e, got the tiap and raced back to the brook. It was set at last to his satisfaction, and baited with a squirrel, which he had brought along to bait his mink-traps with. He drove a stake down through the ring m the trap chain, so as to hold whatever was caught. Two days passed and not a mink had been near, but the bait was gone out of the steel tiap, and also from two of the mink-traps. With his usual persever ance, Jad reWited them and waited!. Viie bait was agaiu eaten out of most of his mmk-tiapa, aad, what was more ex asperating, another mink had been caught and eaten. Jad's patience now nearly gave way, aud he was U uipted to tear hia trap up. But on second thought resolved to try once more. He wiuld bait only the fox trap. Jad did not visit it the next morning as usual, for he was obliged to finish harvesting the iwtatoes. Lut after dinner, his father having gone to assist at putting up a leg cabin lor a newly-arrived settler, some two miles uisiaut, jad and Chlo set oil for the brook, hatchet aud fishpole in hand. As they neared the place where the lox-tiap w as set they heard the chain clinking. "1 bet my head we've got him!" Jad cried excitedly, dashing through a clump of cedars. And, sure enoi gh, there he was. A big, rouud-headed wuu-catl At Jad's sudden appearauca the creature bounded aud leaped frantically to free himself: but the stake was a strong one. After cutting a stout green club three or four ftet in length, Jad stuck the hatchet beneath the strap which he wore for a belt, and going as near as be dared struck at the creature with all his might. He missed, however, aud ! the cat darted round U the other side I of the stake bringing up with a sudden ; jerk, where it crouched, growling low aud watching the boy wim nercy eyes aud ears laid back. "Oh, don't go so near him, Jad!" cautioned little Chlo, retreating across Uie brook. "He'll fly at ye 'fore ye know it!" "Let 'iin fly!" cried the now-excited boy "He's going to get his head cracked 'fore I'm done with 'im! Take that ye sneakiu' thief!" he added, ven turing up and bringing down the club, with a quick blow, just grazing the animal as he again jumped to the other side. Then rouid and round the stake they flew, Jad thumping the ground, trap, anything but the cat, which adroitly kept out of his reach, all the time furi ously snarling and spitting. It was hard telling which was pursuer as they gyrated about the stake amid a perfect whirlwind of dead leaves. But in an unlucky moment Jad's club got under the trap chain, and bringing it up suddenly he threw the ring over the top of the stake. With a bound the creature was off, the chain rattling after him and catching under roots and stones. There was not a second to lose, and the boy gave hot chase, They ran on tor fifty rods or more; then, seeing Jad so close upon him, the cat scratched up the trunk of a hemlock, trap and all, and from the branches glared at the panting and excited boy. Jad's courage was now up to the high est pitch, and throwing down his club he began to climb the rough trunk. "Dont go up there, Jad, for pity's sake, don't!" implored little Chlo. now- coming up all out of breath. ies,an' let him go off with p s trap in his foot, wouldn't ye? Just like a girl fraid of her own shadderl" cried Jad scornfully. "I tell yer, he's got to pay for them mink with his skin see if tie don't!" and he climbed on laboriously, giving vent to his in- dignatioD in threats which he meant to put into execution. Reaching the lower limbs, Jad grasped the hatchet firmly, ready for an assault. As be came within a yard of the cat it kept clawing and making attempts to leap down upon the boy's head, all the time growling fiercely. Throwing the hatchet back over his shoulder as far as he could reach, Jad struck at the big head in the crotch of the tree just above him. But the creature dodged the blow. He again struck and missed; but the next time he was fortunate enough to hit the oat on the head, fairly knocking it off the limb to the ground, where for a mo ment it lay stunned aud motion less. Jad slipped quickly down the trunk, thinking the victory won. But the animal, recovering itself, set upon the boy with true feline grit, aud the next moment they were engaged in a lively tussle, while little Chlo ran back and forth shouting for help at the top of her voi'.re. The wooils resounded with the con fused mediev. Jad now found that he must fight for his lfe, and with another desperate blow he again stunned the creature, and, before he could recover, the resolute boy dispatched him. Dropping the hatchet, Jad threw himself on the ground, panting and ex hausted, l'oor Chlo now came timidly forward, trembling and casting fright ened glances at the animal, as it she half expected it would even now leap tpon her. "Oh, Jad!" cried the little girl, see ing the boy's tattered frock, 'you must be awful hurtl Aud, on, see your arm!" ".N'o, I ain't hurt, neither," declared Jad, stoutly, sitting up, "not much, anyway. That's only a little scratchl" regarduig his arm ruefully. It was a pretty big one, however. Binding some birch withes tirmly about the creature's hind legs, Jad, with little Ohio's assistance, dragged him to the nause. "My patience alive!" cried their mother, running to the door, as she caught sight of the children. "Jad ltuulapl you venturesome boy, where did you get that wildcat?" "lie got into our trap, an' then run off up a tree with it, aud Jad dim' up after 'im," little Chlo hastened to ex plain. "I told him not to," she added, seeing the gathering reproof in her mother's eyes. "And you got well scratched," said Mrs. Dunlap, turning Jad about and eyeing his bleeding arm. "X guess 'twill learn you to let the wildcats alone!" He won't eat any more of my mink, anyway," muttered Jad. He did not get much sympathy from his father either, who chided him se verely for his want of prudence, and bade him be more cautious in the fu ture about attacking such animals. It took a long time to heal up Jad's lacerated arms and shoulders, and it was a numbei of days before he got over the sorecess and lameness enough to visit his traps. However, Jad was not troubled again that fall, while two more mink were added to this little pile of furs, which he sent on his father's load down to the "settlement" not long after. How To Spoil. To spoil steak fry it. To spoil tea or coffee boil it. To spoil custard bake it to long. To spoil house-plants water them too much. To spoil butter do not work out all the milk. To spoil a carpet sweep it with a stiff broom. To spoil pan-cakes bake them on a luke-warm griddle To spoil a breakfast grumble all the while you are eating. To spoil potatoes let them lie and soak in water after boiling. To spoil bread use poor flour and sour yeast and let it rise until too light aud it runs over. To spoil scissors cut everything from a sheet of paper to a bar of cast iron. To spoil garments in making cut them out carelessly and run all the seams. To spoil a school change teachers every time some one in the distric finds fault. To spoil childi en humor them to everything they happen to think they want. A Dmo1I Keglou. Soda Springs, Monroe County, Cal., has been called the dead sea of the Sierra, aud a writer from that section says: 'The southern end of Monroe Valley is a chain of obsidian hills and moun tains of scoria, which colli a volcanoes, extinct for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. These rise to an elevation of a thousand feet above the floor of the valley, and add a picturesqueness which aids lie entrancing panorama furnished by the valley itself. They are three miles long, and although surrounded by an almost barren waste, so desolate are they that they seem deserted here and left in isolation, rising like the parent limb from which all other desolation had strayed aud become lost in its wan derings. Their base is skirted by a belt of pines, and anon along their shies trees are perched and withered shrubs, but these do not diminish, but rather add another dreary feature to their loneliness. So song bird's notes, It seems, have ever awakened an echo here, and silence and desert solitude hold eternal court. When the snow storm rests her tired wings about their forms and when the midnight wraps them in its sable shroud, no deeper hush invades that stillness. Well paci fied at best, no death could calm, no grave subdue it more. I have seen, deep in the East, when the gathered claus of the elements stalked threaten ing upon the darkness, the lightning bent on some terrible mission of ven geauce, burn a path through the mut tering storm and pass like a vision of death, to destruction; I have seen the last rays of the retreating sun creep into the clouds, lighting them in their raised station into radient splendor; 1 have viewed those rays retreat, leaving the clouds bung like a banner of crape across the barren sky, and I have seen the moon stalk from the midnight like a gho-t to the grave, but notning so suggestive of glory deiutrted as this, a submerged cabin. But probably the most romantic and interesting object the lake contains be neath its surface is the walls of a cabin which lies against the base of one of the Lslands under fifteen feet of water. Who built the cabin here is a mystery. Indians born and iaised in the vicinity, who count their years in gray hairs, say the surface of the lake has never been but a few feet below its present level, and that less than sixty years ago it was higher by 100 feet. They know nothing of the cabin's origin. Some accredit the edifice with being the job of a pi imeval white race some stone mason of the time of the man of ancient Carson footprint fame; others find an author for the work in the nomadic priests, who a century since were in that section. Whoever built it, nobody oc- occupies it now. The roof is gone, the door has fallen down, and there is a general air of sad neglect about it. The owner has passed away and the agent for the property is out of town, But one day some enterprising show-man will nail a legend on the front garden wall and make a fortune exhibiting it to the tourist, who will then journey to view the live sea of the Merra. The two Islands on Mono lake, like most of its local surroundings, are of volcanic ori gin, and upon one of them internal fires are still apparent. Hot and cold mineral springs are nu merous about the lake, and everywhere signs exist of the terrible tumult of na ture which long ago convulsed It, but now so silent it seems even a sighing wind must be lost to wonder here. Awed, we approached the solemn scene, and silently we gathered around the sad and neglected grave and bared our brows. We were standing by the tomb ot a buried monarch which had given birth to mountains grand, aw ful, lasting. We had never stood in such presence before, we might never again. Our feelings could be imagined but by those who would unearth the remains of a mammoth animal ot ex tinct species among those of her sons. for such was this. JN o marble stone was reared above the lonesome spot, no dated page. Its work alone stood to sentinel its slumbers. And this is the grandest monument that Iteautifies the earth. Well may the man who leaves such living trace of his existence sleep upon the ocean's bed, or melt alone among the desert's solitude, for a me morial of magnificence rises over him, wherever he be. 2io other monument is fit to mark the sleep of such great ness, and no other sleep is ht to be marked. We had no fear now. It seemed so subdued that we stood reck lessly upon its brink, much as the timid citizen stands beside the corpse of the murdered desperado, and gazed fear lessly down at its impenetrable dark ness. vt e talked La subdued tones, standing by it. of it affecting solitude aiid of its desolate surroundings. Far down in the mountain subdued voices repeated what we had said. We tried again and again and learned that here was one of the most wonderful of echoes. It will repeat any conversation, however lengthy, it may hear. By standing here an orator may become an audience to his own speech and hear it repeated as he recites it in a refraction of his own voice. I have a weird melody re garding the labs John Bi own which I delight to sing to echoes, and I tried it here. I sang the first verse and chorus and we sat down and waited. Pres ently, from deep in the crater, a distant but singularly distinct voice begun, in a solemn, unearthly fcasso, to sing "Jolih Brown." There was sadness in the tone and it seemed to burden the air without with a melancholy that was affecting. It gradually receded as if being sung by a body retreating, and finally died away aud all was silent. Earthly songs sweeten as they grow fainter in the distance. This sad, weird, lar away voice from the dead, grew sadder as it passed and ceased, leaving sorrow in the oppressive silence succeeding it. The sound is no longer beard in the crater of Mono, but it haunts my ear and my memory, and I shall hear it again through every silence in my Life. Unconsciously our eyes moistened, and it was minutes before either of us spoke. It was amusing to hear its grim ren dition of a lively song. 1 exchanged song and hymns with it until 1 became hoarse, and then bade it adieu and was about to depart, but my companion said he was anxious to have his voice I repeaieu iroin me uiunui oi a moiinmin land 1 waited lor him. He lsacoui- ' iwaor .if vAroA Bnl It ua manv TYtmanH idyls of his own which he warbles, but his efforts in getting any of them popu lar with the public have been entirely , unsuccessful. I detected his designs. r IV ever having been abto to get one of his songs repeated by anybody, he was going to take advantage of this moun tain, and make it sing one. Out of compassion 1 reluctantly consented to become an audience, but not without many misgivings. He opened the con cert with one of his favorites, and we both rather impatiently waited- It was nearly fifteen minutes before the echo ventured on it, and then it made two jerky discords and became silent. After a brief interval it tried again, ceased again, and in the third attempt went off into a series of chatter in, like the drivelings of a maniac. 1 waited for no more, but started down the mountain on a mad run, and the reckless poet followed close at my heels. We did not stop until the valley was reached, and when we paused and looked back, the crater was swaying with convulsions, and that volcano, which bad slept away ages, turned over in its slumbers and muttered a terrible imprecation, and in fear that it would boil over and follow us with its fiery rath, we fled again. nor paused until we stood upon the sky piercing summit of Sierra and looked down upon it fearlessly from our haven of safety. At the Tlp-and" of England. A fire and dinner put us all right; having determined to come here, I was also determined to see all that could be seen. And so, as there was a slight lull In the storm, but not in the wind, we went out. All around the aspect is bare; a heavy mist has settled down upon everything, so that we cannot see many miles distant. The roar of the waves at the foot of the cliffs is loudly heard, and as they break upon the dis tant rocks the sea is white with their foam. The land here is 225 feet above the water, according to government survey. Endeavoring to get to the bottom, we zigzag here and there, and slip over the rough granite rocks, or around them, with difficulty. Over hanging are some detached one which seemingly might be easily toppled over. ith considerable dilhculty we w ent as far as it is possible to go; no human being could do more than this, so we were obliged to be content. Seventy feet or more sheer down the precipitous rocks, the sea .is beating with a thun dering noise, and sending up the spray in our faces. Here, then, we must stop, we are at the very western extremity; in a cleft a few feet beyond there is a bunch of grass, which we secure as a memento of the place. It is as near the base as can be reached, and we muse, and muse and muse. All around and below, the split and jagged points of granits are ttandmg up, threatening death to any unfortunate mariner who comes near them. The rushing sea, driven by the strong west wind, has honeycombed and made caverns in them, whence the gulls fly crying out ; and as the wind howls among these caverns and crags, it seems as if the demons of the air were let loose. The shading of tha sea from its foam of white into a light green, and then into a darker hue, I never seen so perfect before, bitting here, in a sheltered nook of the rocks. and endeavoring to describe the scene, 1 wish not a suggestion to be made nor a word to bespoken; silence becomes us now; the cruel, trackless sea is before me. At the very extremity of England I sit and look westward. Between me and the rocky Xew England shore. there is not an inch of dry land. Strain ing my eyes out over these troublous waves, there is nothing to be seen but mist and heavy clouds. Foralga Shores. He was a porter in a wholesale dry goods house. His salary was not large enough to warrant him in buying a fast horse and wearing silk under shirts, but be was growing fat and smoking fair to medium cigars. In an evil moment the tempter came and whispered in bis ear that be could make f J,000 as easy as rolling off a log. W ith that much money in bis hind pocket, he could cheese the racket and have a new tailor every week in the year. 1 esterday morning at v o'clock tne porter invited the senior partner to go upon the root with him to see about repairs. There was a wicked leer on his face and a cueer light in his eves, but the guileless senior partner noticed notning but the fact that mat tne porter was getting a brandy-flush on his nose. No sooner had they reached the roof than the villain seized his em ployer and held him suspended oyer the dizzy height and cried out: "Your check for 520,000 or i drop you into the alley!" "Say 1 15,000." "Never!" "Make it $17,000." "I will not I Give me w hat I ask or over you go!" "Very well I knock under." The senior partner sat down on the icy cover of the trap door and wrote the cieck for the sum named. The porter seized it and swiftly descended and closed the trap to keep the victim on the roof. It was but the work of five minutes to run to the bank and present the check. "Never had a cent on deposit with as!" said the cashier as he shoved it back. The porter bad made a false move, and he had lost. Ho crossed the river on the Ice, and is now a wanderer on foreign shores. Young Hyson and "rosebud," form the attractions at those delightful social entertainments knovn as "teas." There is something so charmingly informal about them, so chatty, so uniatenta- tious, and, withaL so dignified and re sectable, that they capture the Learts of maids and matrons. People who think balls 'homd," who claim that the hundreds of dollars spent for terra pin and such delicacies at evening en lertainment might be better tpent, and who look upon champagne as a "delu sion and a snare," such people just dote on teas. Some of these teas are unique in surprises that originate with the hostess some of them very charming. Beautiful bits of china are introduced; there are sometimes separate small tables for groups, and flowers as pretty favors or gifts to give away are not made much of. As they do not require muoh effort they are frequently made occasions for the first introduction in an official social way, if it may be so Urmed, of a daughter. After a girl has distinguished herself pouring out tea for others and older ladies and serving a few gentlemen she may safely venture upon the more trying ordeal of a large reception. Whr January 1 U New Tmr. Every one knows that January 1 is the beginning of the year, but not ev ery one knows why it is so. It marks no natural division of time nor any event in tha world's history which would give it Rnch distinction. The winter solstice (hat is, the perio 1 when tho sun appears to reach its greatest south ern declennion, or furthest point sooth ot the equator, occms Decemlwr 23, nine days before the new year begins. The summer solstice, another natural division of time, occurs on June 22, a point n-arly as fur removed from the new year as the calendar permits. The natural divisions of time which suggest themselves at once to the practical ob server are the winter and summer not stices and the veraal and autumnal equi noxes, periods at which the days and nights have equal length or their great est difference. These having been neglected, the moons phases wonld seem to have been been most likely to be fixed upon. Bat imperial Car, who in 46 11, u. gave us our new year, governed by caprine orreisonsof the most temporary duration; departed from the former Roman system of reck oning the year from the winter solstioe and made the commencement on January 1 for no better reason than the defcire to inaugurate his reform with a new moon. The Cesarean system, devised by the aid 01 ijoaigenes, constituted the ordi nary year of 3C5 days and the fourth or extraordinary year of 366. The sub division of the year into months was similar to the preoeut system. This di vision of time, though imperfect, is Btiil practiced in Russia. The error was in giving the year 365 days, which is too much bv about eleven minutes. Pope Gregory ill! ordered October 5, 152. to be railed the 15th, and that all oertnnal years whioli ara not multiples of 400 Bhould not be leap years, wa:oh ouiisiion of three leap years in every 400 years gives the civil year an average length of 305 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes and 12 seconds, which still exceeds the true solar year by a fraction of a seo nnd, which amounts to a day only in 8,806 years. The present, or Oregor lan, system is used by all Christendom, except Russia. It was adopted by Eugland in 1752 aud by France in 15GL I'nor to the reiormation of the calen dar by J alma Gatar, and many centur ies afterward, the methods of dividing time were various, complicated and im perfect. Tne moon was the plauet which influenced and governed mo it nations, and gave rise to naivsrsal vari ance between the naturd aud civil year. lbe religious feasts of the Caruttian church are still regulated by the moon. Tue Council of Nice provided that LAi-ter, the central point by which all other days in the church calendar are fixed, should fall on the first Sunday alter the first full moon occurring on or alter March 21. The complex method of making tueee lunar periods corre spond witu the civil year is evidence enough of the d.flicuhy of arranging any lyatem lor the computation of time by the "inconstant moon." Our week and month are not natural divisions o time, though some ingenious eflorts have been made to tracd some connec tion between natural phenomena aud the t.eriod of seven days. Eounomlainc tha Cm of Coal. The cpecing winter calls up once mare the waste that is visible on all side in the burning of coal. There are no bills that come along so promptly at this season of the year as those for coal, and they are pretty large ones, too, just now, for coal is not to be had at a merely nominal price. Oue would induce the utmost economy on the part of all who use this valuable fuel, but it seems to have no such effect. Perhaps one half the people who use anthraoite coal are indifferent to getting the worth of their money out of the coal they buy. ' The stoves, ranges and furnaces are filled day after day, the ashes, cinder and unoonsumed coal removed ana thrown away without thought or care. Nothing is more common in spring time, when cellars and yards are cleared of their accumulated winter ashos, than to see cart load atter cart load of this material hauled away to the dumping grounds without an effort to separate the nnconsumed coal from the mats. In most cases the result of doing this would well reward the labor required. Where large furnaces are used in heat ing houses tons of most excellent coal could be saved What is true in this caso applies in a lesser degree to the domestic stoves in ordinary use. There are, perhaps, none that entirely barn up all the fuel put into them. The common coal sieve will rescue many a poand of valuable coal. Xjet it be more generally employed than it now is. It seems but a small matter in every house hold, but in the aggregate it amounts to many thousands of tuns which are recklessly wasted. Im ana uuintsa. It is alleged that the Senate of the United States consumed during tne mouths of July and August, 1882, no lens thin two hundred and one thous and pounds of ice, which, according t) the chalk and blackboard of our es teemed contemporary, the ibun, gave no less than three thousand pounds of ice to each Senator. People will be puzzled to know how each Senator disposed of three thousand pt.nnds. Of course, some of it was used in connection with cooling drinks such as iced water and iced tea but no man could drink three thousand pounds of melted ice in twomonths and live through it. Perhaps enterprising Senators sent part of their ioe to their families through the pootoffice, but it is difficult to see how a package of ioe could be so wrapped up as to be sent from Washington to New Orleans, for example, without melting and filling the mail bag with water. It is pos tible that the Senators have adopted the practice of packing ice under then seata in the Senate Chamber, so as to enable.tnem to conduct important public business with coolness and comfort. If to, the practice ought to be adopts j in the other house, so that Mr. Richelieu Robinson could cool his heated brain and freeze into harmleasness the temble British speoirds wLich now haunt him. Suil theio is no evidence that the Senate sits on ioe during the hot months, and it is therefore impossible to aooept this hypothesis as au explanation of the enormous Senatorial consumption of ioe. In whatever way the ice was used it is clear that the Senators chilled them selves to au extent that was positively injurious, for they were compelled to take seventeen hundred two-grain quin ine puis at the expense of the nation in order to tone up their several 17s terns. "An amusing feature of Paris to a foreigner is the horse cars. The ap pearance of the car, driver and conduc tor would almost assure one that they bad been imported from America, but certain rules to be observed In running the cars, very quickly lemind him that he is in France. The cars are are al lowed to carry only a certain number of passengers ten standing on the plat form and as many in the car as are al lowed to have seata. Those inside pay 50 centimes (ten cents) and those on the outside 25 centimes. When a car has its complement, the gates are shut, a sign is hung out reading 'Complit,' and no one can enter. During the busy time of the day. between 5 and 6 o'clock when crowds are waiting for a car, it is necessary to apply at the office for a numbered ticket. For instance, say you applied and received No. 21. Vou wait for a car, and the driver, when ready, commences to call tme, deux, trots, and so on until he reaches your number, when you must be ready to enter; if not, you must procure another ticket and wait your turn again. The system has its advantages as well as disadvantages, and the French think it a great thing, but the amusing part of it to foreigners Is the calling of the numbers, and unless one is pretty well up in t rench, he is very apt to get left and has to go and get another tick el Instead of rinsing a bell like our con ductor, they use a kind of horn, which is attached to the dash-hoard and blown by a rubber bell which the driver pos sesses. The sound, which is not unlike that of a cow horn, can be heard dis tinctly for a block. It is not unobjec tionable unless the instrument happens to be out of order, aud then it is very unmusical. The cars are a great con venience and are liberally patronized. One sees in them the economy of the French people as a class, very finely dressed ladies standing ou the platform to save five cents Economy is observ- eble everywhere in France, and there is much truth in the aphorism lbe people could live on what the Americans waste.'" A PractiMl Joke. Recently, while five of of the Pioneer Club six-oar crew, at Uan t ranciaco. were sitting in their shell and swearing vigorously at the non-appearance of the sixth man, who was half an hour late, a well dressed and modest young stran ger strolled into the boat house and be gan inspecting the e uipments with great interest Til tell you what to do, fellows," said the stroke. " As No. 4 isn't com ing, suppose we coax that dudd to take a row and bast him ail up. Tue perpetration of this time-honored joke upon a "olty" was received with approbiatioo, aui the new-comer was, with a grand show of hoepitality.invittxl to take 1 he vacant oar. " Well, I don't know, gentlemen. said the young man, looking at his watch doubtfully. "I'm a stranger here. 1 do need a little exercise, though," " Oh, get in, said o. 2, wmking at his companions, " a little spin will do you goal." and they finally persua ded tne v ctiia of their kindly scheme to take off his coat aud assume a club cap. " .Now, keep your eye ou me and try to keep time." remarked the cap tain. lou 11 never, never make an oarsman unless you watch the stroke." " 1 11 do the best I can, gentlemen. said the guest meekly.' " I'm always willing to improve. The beat went down toward Hunter s Point, a couple of miles, at ah easy, three-quarter stroke, the new-comer pulling away manfully with the rest,and when they eased ou to turn back they were surprised to observe that the stran ger did not appear to be quite so much blown as they expected. "Sow, then, young feller, said the stroke, with a grin, "try and ksep up with the procession, Hit her up, boys. Hard alL" But somehow the stranger scratched along with the rest, and though the paco was something l.ke forty-six as they passed Batchertown, tie victim serenely sawed away, and the boman even imagined that he splashed les? than any oar lu the boat. V hen they finally drew up to tne rloat.and while the crew wero panting for wind, spitting cotton and wiping thrir dripping faces, the passenger looked aroana with a childish smile upon his unfluabed fae, and softly remarked : " Why didn't yon spurt her? " "Spurt? " pan el the stroke. "iWny er wtiat er I aay, young feller. where did you come from? " "rroni Aow XarX, replied tho stranger, modestly, as he slipped ou his coat and started up the wharf. "My name is Hanlan Edward Han- Ian." A Canons Rallroail. A correspondent writes : I wish I could give you a description that would do lustioe to a road I rode ou in Oregon. Tnere used to be some coal mines up at Coq tulle City, and a wooden tramway was run up from the head ot Coos Bay. The mines ran out, but the tramway was left. 1 heard there was a railroad, and when I got there the tram had backed up to the end of the track. Weil, you would have laughed to see that tram of cars. The old man wno had appropriated the tramway had got an old engine out ot the mine and moun ted it on a hand car, and connected tha driving shaft with the handle. This was the engine and tender. The bag- gnge, mail and express cars, aud Uie passenger caicbes were comprised in two rabble coaches, sucn as are used m that section for carrying tools, rails, etc The old man was a no less wonderful combination than the train. He was the company ; and the working force oi the road, president, vice president, stockholders, agent, conductor, engin eer, fireman and peanut boy were ail comprised in his lank lorm. He never had any trouble with the stockholders, and he carried the general offioe in his hat. My fellow passenger raised an umbrella when be got on board, and ou my inquiry as to the need of an um brella said 1 had better raise mine 1 would need it. When the train suited I found out he was right. The puffing, wheezy old engine sent soot and water flying over us in a perfect shower. We got along, however, very well, and would have made tne trip as quickly as we could have walked it if the tram had not stopped when we were about half way, and waited half aa hour for a mau who wanted to go with us, to finish his supper. Cbaoa fur a lnbl-Eal. "I recollect another instance," and the conductor s faos lost its look of in dignation an! a smile crept over it. "i which I completely on red a fat, fussy old woman of her efforts to beat heir way. She wonld invariably toader me either a $20 gold pieoo or a bill of the same amount, V e don t generally car ry enough change for snou Iarze dt nominations, and it so happened ttiat I was caught half a dozen times, and 1 guess she began to think she h id a soft Summer's cnap, and became a regular patron of my car, Oue day I fixed my self. I literally loaded myself dovr for the occasiou, and laughed atxat it to myeeif so often that my driver wan ted to know if I thought I had mashed the pretty girl who sat in the corner a previous tnp. Well, at the prop, r corner stood my small monument o flesh waiting my cooping. I stopped the car with cheerful alacrity, and as sisted the woman on board with snch a beaming countenance that I roilly feared I might give mvself awav. After she had fairly settled herself 1 started m to collect her fare, aao looknd up so innocently at me and s tid, ReIl v.I have nothing smaller than this $20 piece,' at the same time handing me a shining double engle. 'Well. I think I can change it for yoo this time,' says 1, and I did. I reached down in a pocket where there was a good sized leather bag, untied the string, and h-lJ it up side down over her lap. 'There,' I said as the content jingled downward.ynu'il find just 1.995 cents in that pile, 1 guess your exa?t chago. 'Oil I ' sss she. ' I think T have a nickel ia my pocketbook, 'AH right ; you'd better keep it, or else I'll take it for some of the other fares yon owo ma. At first she wai disposed to mk3 a row, bat I was so perfectly independent, and the passengers were ail laughing, thit fili ally she took her handkerchief, made a sack and tied up all tha money she could, filled her purse, her pozkets,inJ tbeu had a respectable little pile to shovel into her hand big. You may think I'm Btretchiug this, but a min who works 01 a princely salary has no Inducement to lie for a lew paltry pen nies." said the innocent looking con ductor, as he jerked the bell cord aad took on a dnde, starting the car again so quickly as to land the misrepresent 1 tiou of humanity into the lap of a spin ster who sat iu the farther corner. Door Deooratlon. The door, whioh is so frequently source ot anxiety to the ornamentut and decorator, might be mads the means of greatly enhancing the artistic com pleteness ot a room. Much of the diffi culty experienced in its treatment arises from the desire to disguise its functions. For this reason do us h7in; their panels covered I cannot say dec orated witu wail papers, etc, no mat ter how beautiful or co-tlr. fail to please, and the palpable effirt at dis guise is not only bad but reprehensible, aud whenever the position cr purpose of a door is thus sought to be hi i Jen, the result is a failure. In modern-built houses the architects arc devoting more care and thought to the design and pre portion, and the cabinet maker to the cons traction, than hitherto, and it is now. fortunately not uncommon to find doors so original, thoughtfully propor tioned, and broken np into panels, that they are in themselves perfect and, as a piece of decorative work, charming. Au attempt to still farther decorate sach doors as these would be unpardonable and a piece of vanity on tha part of the artist; bnt, on the other hand, there ars thousands of houses many of a supe rior kiud if we taka the rental as a cri terion the room of which are positive ly disfigured by d ors one ot all pro portion to their position, many being too short and wide, too high and narrow, or in aj intermediate state, wUicu is more aggravating than e ther, eft flu ally preventing a snoc stfui treatment of the roim as a wutde. Such doors form a stumiUng-block and eyesore to mauy otherwise comprehensive salient cf decorstioa, Tae embellishment bo comes a necessity, the difficulty is what to do? It may be only necessary to decorate It slightly to harmonize it with the rest of the room, or It may require much more substantial anl heavy treat ment, both in ornament and coior, the sanoandings will, ot necessity, deter mine this point. A most sstistactory sad effective treatment is to be ob tained by outlining the design iu warm browns, allowing the figure of the wood to show through; but the door mast be a new one, and capable of such treat ment. If, on the contrary, as is fir more likely, it be an old and Daily painted duor, then some such treatment as I lately saw would prove effect. va. The dimensions ot the panels were taken from an existing door divided into four, those shown ma beiuz the upper ones. Tais door being disproportion ate, and the panels coasequently 83, it has been sougiit to make it apoear wider by running the flower spray behind the centre stile into the other panel it a J the panels been too wide, a contrary treatment would have been followeX The desire to elongate panels may be realized by each having a separate de sign of some upward growia, sad, if found necessary, marginal lines to still further help tho illusion. We might advantageously make our doors an ob ject of uiteiest by using them as an op portunity for displaying decorative or nament. In such positions there is more latitude allowed, aad a great -r freedom to the artistic fancy; thus, rep resentations of the figure, birds, ani mals, etc. are here permissible, all of which are out of place and uafit for the walls of our dweliiug rooms, owing to the necessary repetition becoaiiag ob jectionable and devoid of beauty, and t the accessories hiding and mutilating their parts. The subjects f-r such pan els should bear the impress of having been designed to fit the place they oc cupy, and for no otber purpose, inira is plenty of scope for our selection, the panels of doors offering not ooly a val uable and legitimate means tor tho dis play of the wood-carver s art. but for porcelaLi painting, inlay, hand-painted or stenciled ornaments, needlework, painted silk or tapestry, the latter being sometimes particularly pleasing aad et fective TniBk. Great things are not accomplished by idle dreams, but by years of patient study. They who do nothing are in the read iest way to do that which is worse than nothing, Be haDOV if vou can. but do not de- . gpise those who are otherwise, for you I know not their troubles. Xtomatlfa irralng. A good Old hMiy uoaTSisford, Dal, some time ago dreamed that three of ber weli-t Mio neighbors each gava hr $1,000. So strong was her faith in J reams and in the realization of this particular one, that early on tha day following slie moaated ner saartiag Bucephalus aui ualer a lively "Caoter bary gallop," struck a bee hue for tho borne of oue of one of the gentlemsa who had given her. In her dreaoxs. $1, O'JO. She made known to him her dream, aid naively assured him that her conddenca in his liberality was such as t) lead her to believe that he would cheerfully do his part toward tha faldlment of the pleasant dream. Tue gallaut gentleuifh replied t oat he wonld ito much cheerfulness transfer to her 1,000 of his surplus cash, provided the other gentlemen woalj come down with thtir ttiousauds. Whereupon the good old lady hurriedly rode on to gentleman .No. 1, aud related her dream to him. No. 2 assured her that his 31,009 should be promptly forthcoming if tha two other gentlemen wonld had over theirs. oacephams was soon on the road to liousa of man Xo. 3, who nngaliantly pleaded that his batik account was so low that he could afford to give her oil'y ioJO, and oa condition tuat both tha other men would give her $1,000. Bat the two gentlemen first approached were inflexible and would give only ac cording to their original promise, o' coarse the ncshot was tliat the credu lous old laly naver realized tne fadl ment of that beaaafal dream. Two of tne gentlemen have since been sick, on of tuem dyiug. and the third is a great snlTerer from that Prometuean vulture. tne gnawing dyspepsia. Aul ths sim ple old lady ue-ciares that their affi o lions were put upon them by aa even- handed and watchful Frovideiicj to punish them for cruelty allowing her lovely dream to go nnfaidilel. An Amentia. Voleano. It has long been known that a little butte, rising about the oeutre of tae tue Santa Cruz Valley, some nine miles outh of Tucson. Ariz ma. Uis a crater. R.cently a prospec or said that when coming from tne Ome;a copper camp be certainly saw smoke arising fron t jo top of this bntte. Two gentlemen wno went out huuting to Anvaca soma three weeks ago wandered orf fxim tneir road aud one night camped at the baaa of this voluauio bucte. Tney heart strange, rumbling sounds in the night, as if water was boiling or some bard blasting was beiig done far tor;?th the earth's surfase. Tne next uay a small party left Tuc son to investigate tue alleged orater. An old Indian trail led up over several weil-defiued ledges till the summit was reacheJ, Hero the character of tha rocs changed t a pumioe-stoue or lava, a variety that is always found wnere vlcaiuo action has occurrea. Tue hdl rises about 3 JO feet above the plain and is all aloae. Descending on the east em slope a couple of rods to tne uortn-ea-tt there were louad two crater. Tue first oue reached is the smaller of the tiro. Tue depti is some tea feet by about twenty in diameter. Taa rooks aroaad tue rim contained some warmth. Wnea the thermometer was applied to them the mercury measured Hi 3 Fah renhsit. Ou tue opposite side a alight iBa.n of steam could be detected. A tew palo Verde trees aud some grease wood bushes a. lorn the butte, but other wise it is barren. A Nw Nut t Craok. "Do you want ij aca a vertable curi osity?" asked a Cu cago fruit and nut dealer, as be took a q Jeer-looking object irom a shelf aad placed it iu the re porter's Uand. "VVnat is it. any way?" "I can't tell yon the exact naau of it, but it is a nut from Demerara, anl it not ouiy came from that far-off land, but it is the first one ever seea in Chicago, and one of the first ever brought to tue Uaitei States." Tue nut is a strange-looking one. It has a very hard and rough sueiL of a dark brown cilor. Tae size is about to by oue aud a Lalf iuclies, and the shape hard to describe. I- looks very uiucn like a sm ail tobaooo-bag wit j the opening closed by paling tne strings together. Tue kerual is somewhat like tnat of a Brazd nut, and wiieu tha nut ia shaken tne kernel rattles. "Where did you get It?" was asked. "it was brought to me to-day by a gentleman who Uvea in New York, He was in Demerara a few months ago and brought fifteen barrels of them for $150 iu gold. uea he got them to ew York he was naabie to get taetn out of the custom house because the officers did not know what duty to charge on tuem, the oats not being on the o as torn list of dutiable articles, and there being tha first consigument whioa had passed through their hands. However, the gjn-Jeinan tells me he he has made arrangements to give bond tor whatever luty will be subsequently charged, ana I nave ordered a barrel of tuen sent to me as soon as they are released. ' "How is the nut trade this seasoar "Never better. Did you know that the fa yon to nut with the Germans is the E iriish walnut? Now, Americans seldom buy these, bnt stick to the almond. Here is a 1 ot, he continued. ' which grows iu Cain. It is osUed hcaeese, sad the heathen Uoiaee here in Chicago is crazy after them. A lew days ago 1 got la a iot of beech nuts. HJuireds of peoole h-jre in tne ouy never saw thnia before, but my cus tomers who were broaght up in dis tricts where the beech tree grows, aad who had not seen aay of tae nats for years, ars only too glad to buy the iittid things for the sake ot old reool lections." ''Are you doing much in hickory nut?" "Weil, my trade in those is mostly with confectioners, who use them ut making nut candies, and I sell nearly all of tuem m the meat' that is, ust the kernels. Wno cracks them? Way girls, and it is quite an art to do the j ob well. A girl will have to wors at it lor a week or ten days before she is any good, for at first sno will waste more until her labor is worth. Tha girls use a common bimmer, for there never has been a machine made that can do tha busiuess so weiL Tuere is a man out ou (jjincy Btreet who employs thirty girls who do nothing but crack pecans. These he sells to tue boys who soli traits suit nubs on the trams. Yea, indeed, the nut business in Coicago is quite au extensive oue, and at aruslei of edibility they rank hign." Nails are down in price so) S (100 lb.) keg. 1 5 J
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers