-euasassesa 9 si'tt ! Ml II I .4 B. F. SCHWEIER, THE OOSSTITTITIOI-THE UHOI-AID THE E1T0X0IKEIT 01 THE LAW8. Editor and Proprietor. f- i 4 VOL. XXXVIII. MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. "WEDNESDAY. APRIL 30, 1884. NO. IS. M.J ? f 1 i i 1 I Some find work wUi're some rial rest Anil so tbe weary world goes on; I sometimes wonder which is best. The answer comes when life U gone. Some eye sleep when some eyes wake, And so tbe dreary ni:ht hours go. Some hearf s beat w he re some hearts break; 1 often wonder why 'tis so. Some hands fold, where other hands Are lifted bravely m the strife; And so thro' ages and thro' lands Move on the two extremes of life. Some feet halt while some feet tread. In tireles march, a tharny way; Sote sTupcle on where some have fled: Some seek, when others shun the fray. Some sleep on while others keep The Tijii Is of the true and brave; Ther wiil not ret till roses creep Around their names, above a jrrave. UOW BKCOIiSIKr-SIOTHIX There were three of us, and terrible "pickles"' v e were. Cooks and nurs ery maids from time immemorial had impressed the fact upon us. Our near est ueiihbor. Miss Uachel Vincent, had often told us s, in the softest of pur ring voices but with a vixenish glance of her cat-like eyes. Our dear father himself had been lately bet rayed, by some wild fun r other, into a similar sentiment. Thereupon Miss Raspberry Vinegar, as Sam always called her, had laid a caressing paw upon his coat sleeve, whispering "IH-arest Mr." Venuey, the poor children need a mother." And our father had replied signifi cantly 1 thought "liearest Miss Vincent, we must endeavor to provide thciu with one." A personable man was our father at this time, one who boie his five-and-torty years well and youthfully a fas cinating nun to women young and old. by reason of his unvarying old fashioiied deferential courtesy aud the tender inflections that crept into his deep voice; in addressing them, but a man entirely unconscious of his own fascination a profound scholar, whose library was ever ten fold more attrac tive than any drawing-room a kindly, quiet, charitable, simple-minded gen tleman. Many, I couM remember, were the feminine jealousies and heart-burnings on his aceouu, and various the re tacts to which his constancy to our dead mother's memory gave rise. Most people had decided that it would last toreter. 1 imagined it would soou eLd, and so did Miss Vincent she be cause the wish was father to the thoulu and the thought had been so co!it:uua'.!y and ingeniously piesented to my fath.T that he might well have atiop't-d it; I because only a week be lt .re an escapade of mine had brought the loving cciiuiL.ent "Mad-ie, ii v d;irlirig, for fifteen years 1 lave lived a lonely life fori ycur mother s sake; but for yours and Bertha's I must place a wiser mistress than von, dear, at the head of niy hni-enol 1." had discussed this matter in solemn conclave Bertha) Sam and L "I'xUits" as we were, this sobered us; and we debated gravely thereon. Not that we were greatly dismayed at the prospect of a step-inother there were two sides to that question but that tep-mother" and Miss ''Raspberry Vinegar"' seemed to us synononious terms.- We saw through her delicate flattery of our father, her simulated affection for us, her wily approach to the covett d position, the head of his table. Whether they were equally transparent to him we could not telL We feared the worst, for day by day Miss Vincent's advances became more marked and the silent courtesy with which they were invariably received evcktd tiiumphont flashes from her feline optics. We were unanimous on one point that something no matter hew ue-perate mnst be done to defeat her dts.gn, but no course of action had kilheno suggested itself. It was late autumn, or rather early winter. Without the wind whistled weudiy around the dear old bouse; within a blazing wood-fire lighted somewliat fittuily the large low room in which we were assembled. We had dined earlier than usual, and our father had departed to deliver a lec ture at the nearest town to the young men of some Mutual Improvement Association. I Lad not yet rung for lights, lorme the gloaming is the pleas ante.it part of the day, especially fitted tor talk or meditation. Half buried in a roomy easy-chair, gazing at tbe crackling logs, my father's words kept relating ttemselves "I must pi ice a wiser mistress than you, dear, at the head of my house hold." At my feet, apparently dozing, lay fcain, at full length upon the hearth rugall legs and wings, as we girls were wont to tell h.ia. Bertha sat on a low s'ool at his head, playing alternately with l is cj-Is and vi h a tiny Skye, a look of intense ghe upon her mischief-loving lace. A piece of tape was in her hand, but what she wa doing with it I could not see. Presently she rose and ran l ghtiy across the room. "Mop, Mop, Mop!" she cried; and the ste ooumied toward her. A horrible yell burst from Sam, and a wnine irom me dog. "Mop, Mop. Mop!" Another bound from the dog, and, as Sam sprang to his feet, muttering inco herent but wrathful anathemas, I saw that his curls were carefully attached to Mop's leg by about four yards of white tape, it was some seconds before his cmoify lingers could find and open the hianj-bladed pocket-knife with which, 1 imagine, every boy of sixteen is pro- viueu. iiien ensued a chase, m which the effect of two vards of tape stream ing behind him, his excited face, and his aiiwieldly efforts to slip as deftly as Bertha round intervening chairs and woies was irresistibly absurd. At lengtn a spring forward was followed by a loud crash; and he. a small writing-table, pens, inkstand, paper-knife and blotting paas came to the n jor together. "Dearest Mr. Yenney," mimicked Bertha, in exact imitation of Miss Vin cent's dulcet -tones, "poor Sam is so clumsy; be requires female influence to veacu him the amenities of life." iu be hanged!" was Sam's polite rejoinder, '-.-see. to what yourleinale Jiuueuce lias brought mel" "Is the mk spilled?" asked I nervous ly, alter satisfying myself that nothing aa uroKen. "No ink to spill" said Sam turning tte bottle topsy-turvey. "Look here; you moukeyl" clutching Bertha by the ir. -Ask old Tom to fill it, and tell ousan to bring in the lamp." Older restored, and the lamp lighted, a little silence fell upon us. Sam broke it. "I say, girls, I've been thinking " "Nonsense I" interrupted Bertha, "We cant believe that, you know." "Of your nonsense," pursued Sam, "It will bring us Miss Raspberry Vine gar for a step-mother, if we are not careful." 'And If we are careful, too, I fear," remarked L "No," said Sam, decidedly. "There is' another aspirant for that doubtful honor." 44 W ho ?" asked Bertha, eagerly. Sam assumed a look of preternatural gravity, slowly closed his left eye and as slowly opened it. 44I know but one person whom I could bear to see mistress heie," said I "dear Mrs. Wood, of Fosse Cot tage," "Which she is the very identical I" exclaimed Sam. "What do you mean ?" was my re joinder. "That this amiable widow, fair, fat, and forty, blushes like a school-girl, when one Martin Venney pjys her or dinary attentions." "Dear little lady," said Bertha, "I could call her mother.' "You shall have that pleasure," as serted Sam, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "I am about to make her an of fer." "You ?" "By letter in the ixiier' name, of course and she will not refuse it." And the pater " Must make the best of the situa tion. If he declines to accept it, he is too thorough a gentleman to marry an other woman for many long montlis, at least," 1 listened wh.li mute amazement. Madcap Sam was displaying method in his madness. Here was a scheme, wild enough, but feasible, and one that promised to effect that great end, tbe discomfiture of Miss Raspberry Vine gar. "Draw up to the table girls," said Sam, "and let us each write a draft of the jtfifrr's love letter; but I depend on yours, Madge." For some minutes there was no sound but the scratch, scratch of our three pens ; but I soon became conscious that two had ceased to fly over the paper. Looking up, I saw Bertha nibbling her quill in a perplexed and meditative way, and Master Sam with one hand pressed to his heart and the other out stretched to her, his whole attitude ex pressive of extreme devotion. Bertha and I burst into a roar of laughter. whereupon he gravely rebuked us for unseemly levity and waste of precious time," scolding us until we resumed work. Five minutes later our compos itions were finished, and Sam proceeded to read his own. "Pear Mrs. Wood, Why should you and I be content with single wretched ness, when wedded bliss can be so easi ly assured ? I have a fair income, a good position, a large house and a small family. Y ith respect to the last, I must own that Madge is of somewhat uncertain temper" here I made a dash at bis hair, and gave it a good tug "and Bertha as harum-scarum a young madcap as you might wish to see" here Bertha jumped up and boxed his ears pretty soundly "but my dear boy Sam, the hope and joy of my heart, is so staid, so studious, so sweet-tempered, and so perfect in every way that he more than atones for the shortcomings of the others. Will you be a mother to them, and the honored wife of your devoted admirer. Martin i exxet ?" "Ridiculous!" said Bertha. 4 'Then we will hear yours," replied Sam, snatching it irom ner nngers. "Listen!" and with ludicous and exaggerated emphasis, he read the fol lowing 44 Adorable Cbarmer l our manifold perfections have kindled so intense a flame in a heart I had deemed almost insensible to woman's wiles that tbe great desire of my life is to call you mine. To descnDe tne rapture or love which fills this manly breast is indeed impossible; to make you feel it in some decree, if you will come to these dear arms as my dear wife, is the hope of my existence." "Pretty strong," said oam, "ior forty-five and forty. Read yours, Madge." "Mv dear Madam I have come to believe, for the second time in my life. that it is not good for man to be alone; and it is your sweetness or disposition, your goodness and amiability, and the certainty that in yon my dear children would indeed find a second motner that have brought me to this convic tion. I cannot offer you that passion ate regard which is youth's preroga tive, for my youth, dear Madam, is over, and 1 am iony-nve years oi ago. liut 1 can give you me aeepesi. uu truest affection, and it shall be my first aim, if you will confide your hap piness to my keeping as your husband, to prove worthy of the trust. What ever may be your reply, believe me, dear Madam, always faithfully and af fectionately yours. MARTIN V ESSEX. Here goes mine," cried Bertha, tearing her sheet in two. 44 And miner' inugnea oam, iouow ing suit. And mine." said L "Not so fast, old lady," chuckled Sam. snatchinz it from me. Why, yours is the precise thing! I will copy and post it in ton minutes; then you mav have vour precious nanawora, "We had one day's breathing time, for, unless Mrs. Wood replied Dy spec her letter would not ar rive till the second morning. All three of us were guilty quite; but our father did not observe it. lie starved ua at dinner by remarking r railed on Mrs. Wood yesterday, to ask if she would Join me in a s jup- kitchen scheme." ... . . "Did she consent?" I inquired. "She asked a day or two for consider- Th morninsr came. The letter-bag l nnonened by my father's plate, i,;l ho ,,nrvtnmedlV diSCUSSOd hearty breatfast. Bertha and I played with our knives and forks Sam ate well nothing less man a oocuu wvu m hv snoiled bis appetite. The eventful moment arrived; the bag was opened, two or three circulars were disposed ot, and then came a delicate little envelope somewhat tre r.i,,i addressed. My heart seem ed to stand still whilst our father pe rused its contents. "Girls," said our father, I shall ride u-Trntf m this evening and dine fh vfra Wood. She says she will , anvA mv nmnmL" A sense ot relief came to me, in his mind the "proposal' and the soup kitchen were doubtless intimately con nected. I glanced at Sam; he was bursting with suppressen laughter. "Very well, papa." About ten that evening we heard the ring of horse's hoofs on the way to the stables. Bertha fled innocently, bam had barely time to whisper, "All right, Madge my doing altogether. I plan ned and wrote It, you know," before my father entered. "Go to bed at once, both of you," he commanded, in the sternest tones I had ever heard him use. I stole one look at his countenance as I crept away; it was more young and merry-looking, I thought. lie saw the pitiful expression on my face, and he held out his arms. I sprang into them, and nestled close. "Forgive us, dear," said I; "we will never do it again." "I trust you may never have occa sion:" he replied; and a glad light shone in his eyes. "Meanwhile ge to bed; and, on your lives, be silent and dis creet, all of you." At dessert-next evening Miss Vincent was announced. We were near neigh bors, and two or three times it was her custom to run in and spend the evening sans cermouie. My father rose, drew a chair to the table, and filled her glass. "Dear Miss Vincent," said he, "to night I have a toast to give, which you will drink, I trust, with all your heart. Children fill your glasses. "My future wife!" We drank it with suppressed enthusi asm. Miss Vincent somewhat hysteri cally. "I hope," said my father and, as he spoke, I noticed what I had never be fore observed, how surprisingly like Sam's his eyes eould be when they twinkled in a certain way "I hope soon to present my establishment a lady more than worthy to be its mis tress" here a deprecatory expression hovered about Miss Vincent's face 4 to my children a mother capable of recip rocating their affections) with the utmost tenderness" here she made a gesture as though she would embrace the said decidedly unappreciative children and to gam foi myself a helpmate who may share the joys and soothe the sor rows," here Miss Vincent's handker chief came into active requisition "of the years I have yet to live. I have long felt that there was one woman in the world perhaps but one who could do all this. Here in the bosom of my family" Miss Vincent's unoccupied hand groped blindly towards my lather. and the twinkle in his eyes became more marked "I may say that that lady's name is Mrs. W ood, of i osse Cottage.' "Who?" cried Miss. Vincent, in a perfect transport of rage." liut noDody remarked me ejacula tion save Sam. and Bertha and I had our arms round our father's neck, and were smothering him with kisses. Sam rose and with a profound bow opened the door for Miss Vincent and in the confusion she escaped unnoticed. We religiously preserved the secret or the proposal, and our dear step-mother never suspected its authorship. She has been dead some years; but my father lives still, and only the other day he told me what passed between them at the snug little teto-a-tete dinner which terminated so happily. "She was charmingly dressed," he said, "and a delicate little flush of em barrassment made her look very young and pretty." The embarrassment wore on as tne meal proceeded, and they talked civilly enough upon the topics of the day, un til the cloth was removed. Then said my father "My dear madam, wild, reierence to my proposal?" To his astonishment, a vivia uiusn overspread her face. "It was so unexpected," sne mur mured. "But not unwelcome, 1 trust?" There was no replv: but the lady looked down thoughtfully and played with some filberts on her plate. "Think " ureed mv father, rising in his enthusiasm, "how excellent is the Idea, and how much good may be done by our union now my energy, wiseijr directed by you, may call down bless- intra uuon both our heads." To his utter amazement, Mrs. n oou burst into a flood of tears, rose, and threw her arms about his neck, cry inir o . . , "My dear Martin, 1 always loveu you always." To soothe her agitation by caressing the soft brown hair that rested against his shoulder was his first thought, his Acnnd. "What in the world does all this mean?" "I have read yonr dear letter a nun dred tunes," she sobbed. "What nextr" thougnt my iatner. "Pnnr thinir she has cone mad!" Meanwhile his arm stole round her waist a verv slim one; the situation hran to hAvrt its attraction. "It is like yourself," she continued "most kind and considerate, and most delicately expressed." -Let me see it strain." saia ue, catcu ing sight of a iaptr half hidden in bet hnsnm. and eentlv drawing it forth. The ladv hid her face while he pe rused it, and he pressed ner tne nearer to him, perhaps that he might ponder the revelation tor a minute. -men " raised her head, kissed her lips tenderly, ora IaH her to a chair. sv vitnwiiha mvdearwuer" ne liri Rnt this interview agnates you too much; we must end it. Good-by rill trt.mnrrnw " - My father always declares that he had rvr anmA time been attached to Mrs. A'wl and that our premature proposal only forestalled his own avowal. Bo that as it may, it is certain he never retrretted it. For two monuis tne nue ir. Fosse Cottatre was a thing of daily occurrence; after that tune.uie ooiwii providing ourselves with a step-mother. BCjrle. &rl la an imnenous tvrant. It bai subjects everywhere and they are gene mands of the master, however extrava ani hnv orrnat soever the sacrifice. are complied with, it not with absolute cheerfulness, at least without outward murmuring, xne iaimij ..hi. tnr aiavmi months in the year, in erder that tbe twelfth may be spent in style at some ootea summer rejoin . mniiim to others of the priva- tion. IX the inner histories of many of the devotees of style were launiuuy written, what a curious volume they a mav and how Dlain people would stare and smile and wonder when they read it. mt Twelve million clocks ware manu- fartni-H 1 year. Ft nonl LuaUes. Howard, the philanthropist, who crossed seas and rrountains to relieve the distressed, was a brute and a tyrant in his own family. Dr. Winslow savs of him: "His cruel treatment caug"d the death of his wife. He was in the habit for many years, of doing penance before her picture.- He had an only son, whom for the slightest offense, he punished with terrible severity, making him Btand for hours in a grotto in the garden. The son became a lunatic as the result of this brutal treatment." I am strongly inclined to the opinion that even the extraordinary benevolence of Howard was one of the symptoms of the disease in his brain for insanity may have good as well as evil mani tes tations, and such exceptional self-sacrifice as his so blind, so irsistent, so life-enduring is just as liable to pro ceed from a morbid state as the directly opposite qualities of ungovernable rage intense hate or cruelty. Alexander the Great behaved like a lunatic in the latter days of his reign, and the supposition is plausible that if he had survived a few years longer he might have become a most implacable and capricious tyrant. From being very abstemious he gave himself up to dissipation. His lust for power became a disease, and he strove for gigantic impossibilities. Robespierre and sime of the other leaders in the t rench Rev olution, were probably made more or less insane by the exciting events in which they took part. It ts certain that Robespierre was originally kind hearted and considerate, for Le began life by endeavoring to procure the abolition of capital punishment. Lojis XI of France was insane, both in his despotic cruelty and his caprices. He shut up his nobles in cages or hung them on the trees of the forest. He lived in the constant fear of death, kept in seclusion in his castle, was ou inti mate terms with his hangman, amused himself by watching battles between rats and cats, drank the blood of young children, and tried various and abomi nable compounds in order to lengthen his life. King Frederick of Frussia, without any reason whatever, treated his son and sister for a long time with the most unnatural and brutal severity. He kicked them about the room, pommeled their heads with chairs, compelled them to eat the most repulsive food, and in every way made their lives wretched. His insanity, lu this respect, was abso lute, and should have sent him to the mad-house. But his unnatural and whimsical treatment of his family was only one of the symptoms of his mad ness. He was inconsistently avaricious, scrutinizing every household expense with absurd attention, and lavishing fortunes on his army of giants. He would run through the streets caning the loungers and workmen who fell in his way until they roared for mercy. Dr. Johnson was hypochondriacal. and in various ways gave evidence of a morbid condition of the brain. At the early age of twenty he became the vic tim of melancholic delusions, and from tliat time forward was never happy. On one occasion he exclaimed, despair ingly; "I would consent to have an arm amputated to recover my spirits." r etchedness like this, when it is tem porary or spasmodic, may signify but little; but when it is persistent and life-long, it must be regarded as the symptom of cerebral disease that may aud often does advance to absolute madness. The violent impetuosity of Dr. Johnson, his unreasonable, almost furious prejudices, may be accounted for on the same theory. Fascal was one of tbe most original thinkers of France, but no inmate of any asylum ever presented more indis putable proofs of mental disease than those which characterized his whole career. All his life he walked in dark- ness.knowing not at what he stumbled, in constant fear both of the preseut and the future. He was the victim of ab surd delusions, was harrassed by exces sive nervousness, and was tne slave oi uncontrollable eccentricities. Un ex amination after death his brain was found to be seriously diseased. Our American poet, James Gates Percival. was troubled, I think, with a slow and chronic tvpe of cerebral dis- a t.l 1 . easA- it would oe nam. luuecu, iu uuu ony theory on which to account lor uie thousand and one eccentricities and inconsistencies of his enigmatical ca reer. His absurd fear of women was certainly full evidence of mouomanu, hut when we taKe tnis iact in connec tion with his life-lo:ig melancholy, his parlv and reoeated attempts at sen- destruction, his unnatural lugraiuuue to those who befriended him in distress aud his anomalous love oi soiituue, we Hurl it imnossible to accept any other intern re tat ion or nis uie man mat ue was never an absolutely sane and re sponsible being. The eifted poet Collins was at times a (uui ana moaninz iuiuilii;. uc ec . I :, Tl,A n v centricities and melancholy of Lord Bvron were probably the imcontrouauie manifestations of disease, and during his short and brilliant career he gave sufficient evidence ot insanity, nothing seems clearer than that the lrriUDUity, hvimMinndria and meanness or Aiexan rtpr Pod were the results oi organic u,wv cerebral conditions wnicn ne couiu no more control than he couiu rerueuy ms physical deformity, "i snail o;e at tne tnn first." ejaculated Dean Swift, as he sadlv eazed on a tree whose branches vprx iiecavintr. and he realized his ter rible prediction, lie was more or ieaa insane during all his active life. Tasso was a positive maniac, and, like many other unbalanced geniuses, iwiipve! that he was attended by a fmiiiar snirit. Madame de Stael had a masculine and powerful intellect, but she was a slave to idle fears and silly eccentri cities that in ordinary persons would certainly have been regarded as Kvmntoms of disease of tne Drain, var- Hinal Richelieu was subject to maniacal attacks, during which he lost all his self-control and behaved like a silly child. When the attack was over, he hail no recollection of what had passed. Alter of Boms. To please the voluptuous Jehangir, it is said, his ravorite suitana causeu. me hath in the palace garden to be filled to the brim with rose-water. The action of the sun soon concentrated the oily particles which were found floating on its surface, and the attendant, suppos ing the water to have rjecome corrupt, be?an to skim it for the purpose of tak ing off the oil. The globules burst under the process, and emitted such a delhzhtf ul odor tbat the idea ot prepar ing this beautiful perfume was at once suggested. rio-so-Brsa. An Irish emigration ship had been fallen In with by one of our cruisers, and the commander of His Majesty's sloop, the Hummingbird, made a selec tion of thirty or forty stout nibernians to fill up his own complement, and hand over the surplus to the admiral. Shnrt f Ighted mortals we all are, and captains ot men-of war are not exempted from human imperfection. How much also drops between the cup and th lip! There chanced to be on board of the same trader two very pretty Irish girls of the better sort of bourgeolse, who were going out to join their friends at Fhiladelphia. The name of one was Judy, and of the other Maria. No sooner were the poor Irishmen informed of their change of destination, than they set up a howl loud enough to make the scaly monsters of the deep seek their dark caverns. They rent the hearts of the tender-hearted girls, and when the thorough bass of the males was joined by the sopranos and trebles of the women and children it would have made Orpheus himself turn round an gaze. 44OU. Miss Judyl oh. Miss Maria! would you be so cruel as to see us poor cratburs dragged away to a man-of-war, and not fur to go and spake a word for us? A word to the captain from your own purty mouths, and no doubt he would let us off." Thus spake two of the emigrants who were regarded with special favor by the two girls. The young ladies, though doubting the powers of their own fascinations, tesolved to make the experiment Sj, begging the lieutenant of tbe sloop to give them a passage on board to sneak with his captain, they added a small matter if finery to their dress, and skipped into the boat like a couple of mountain kids, caring nothing for tne spray of salt water, which, though it took the curls out of their hair, added a bloom to their cheeks which perhaps contributed in no small degree to the success of their project. There is some thing in the sight of a petticoat at sea that never f tils to put a man into good humor, provided he be rightly con structed. When they got on board the man-of-war they were received by the captain. "And, pray, young ladies," said he, what may have procured me tbe honor of this visit?'' "It was to beg a favor of your honor," said Judy. 'And his honor will grant It too," said Maria, "for I like the look of him." Flattered by this shot of Maria's, the captain said that nothing ever gave him more pleasure than to oblige the ladies, and if any favor they intended to ask was not utterly incompatible with his duty, he would grant if. 'Well, then," said Judy, "will your honor give me back Fat Flannagan, that you have pressed just now." The captain shook his head. 'lie s no sailor, your nonor, but poor bog-trotter; and he will never da you any good." lhe captain again shook his head. "Ask me anything else," said he, and I will give it to you." 44 Well, then," said Maria, "give us Fhelim O'Shaughnessy." The captain was equally indexible. 41Come, come, your honor," said Judy, "we must not stand upon trifles now-a-day. I'll give you a kiss if you cive me back Fat Flannagan." "And 1 another," said Aiaria, "lor rhelim." Tbe captain had one seated ou each side of him; his head turned like a dog vane in a gale of wind. He did not know which to begin with; the most ineffable good burner danced in his eyes, and the ladies saw at once tne day was their own. Such is the power of beauty, that this lord of the ocean was fain to strike to it. Judy laid a kiss on his right cheek, Maria matched it en his left. "Well then," said he, "you have your wish; take your two men, for I am in a hurry to mane sau." If such are captain's perquisites, who would not be a captain? Lord Broug ham used to say that he always laughed at the settlement of pin-money, as lad ies were generally either kicked out of it or kissed out ot it; but his lordship, in the whole course of his legal practice never saw a captain of a man-of-war kissed out of his men by two pretty Irish girls. After this, who would cot shout, "Erin-go-bragh." Tbm Hiatoneal Game. A very interesting and instructive game is the historical game. All the players the number ot players need not be limited sit in a circle. One from the number is chosen, and he or she must leave tbe room. Tbe remain ing players fix upon some historical character, such as Gen. Jackson, Mary Queen of scots, Hannibal or Bismarck. After they have agreed the absent one is told to return. He then proceeds to ask a question from each of the players. For instance, he would say to the nrst player: "Is it a man or a woman?" The pet son must answer the question under tbe penalty of a forfeit, "What nation does he belong to?" The next person must answer, so questions are a&Ked until the player can form bis conclusion as to who the person is. Hade Tracks. In illustration of tbe quality with which Gen. Gordon has to deal, it is re lated that in 1S21 Ismail, son of Mehe- met Alt. Uie conqueror of the soudan. was ordered by his father to collect the tribute due from the tribes of Bedouins of Shendy on tbe Nile, half way be tween Berber and Khartoum. Ismail summoned a cheiftain known as the Tiger, and told him to furnish a large amount of forage and fodder in lieu of a money payment. .N ex; morning Is mail and his troops found with satis faction piles ot the stuff demanded around the camp, but their satis faction was short-lived. The stuff was soon set on fire, and those not burned were picked off by men lying in wait behind the burning piles. Mebemet to avenge his roasted son, razed the town of Shendy, but the Tiger made tracks in good tune into the fastnesses of tn interior. New Orleans still extinguishes her . street lamps when the moon uses. King Humbert of Italy surfers from dyspepsia, Young Jim Nutt Is fanning near Leavenworth Kans. Montreal is putting all electric wires underground. Tbe Connecticut legislature pro hibits the sale ot impure ice. Wars ol Wooing-. Sir Arthur Helps gave it as his belief tbat since the world was created no two couoles made love after the same fashion. An4 since "it takes all sorts of folks to make a world" they may be fairly supposed to do their courting in all sorts ot ways. For instance, the courting of the aboriginals of Australia consisted simply in knocking the wo man of his preference down wttn a club and carrying her off. This form of wooing was as efficacious as brief, and was certainly commendable on the score of economy, since it subjected neither party to the expense of lights. fires, oyster suppers, ice cream, elabo rate dresses, flowers, etc, which are the usual concomitants of civilized love making. But the method of the Aus tralian has been tried by other than the dusky savages. Some curious courting customs pre vail in Africa. In one tribe of Eastern Africa it is regarded as ne plus ultra of gallantry for the lover to parade before tbe hut of his inamorata astride of a huge boar. Mungo Park tells of a tribe in the Ulterior, where custom compels a woman to carry a calabash of water to the man who has expressed a preference for her. Seated on a mat before his door he washes his hands in tbe vessel, and then the woman drinks the water as a token of her affection. Less repulsive was the act ot the lover among the ancient Persians who burned his hand or cheek to prove bis devotion and then showed it to bis lady love. If she was " wiilin' " she bound the injured part with a silken scarf: but it obdurate she sent the man to the physician for healing salve. Among the Moravians it was the custom for tbe minister to select wives for the men of his congregation. If a "sister" had any objection to the "brother" selected for her life partner she was permitted to state it, but it was generally overruled by the priest's elo quence. Strange to say, the historian tells us that these marriages were gen erally happy. In Grsenland, the services of the pastor of his flock are also callod ia. A man who has made up his mind that his worldly circumstances warrant him in indulging In what has been called "the abstract desire of every man to furnish board and lodging to some young lady, and has decided which young lady" he wishes to be taxed for, calls on the reverend father, and states the case. Tbe inquiry Is made whether the girl knows of the suit, to which tbe man replies tbat he has made some pre liminary love-making, which was not very Kindly received, but adds: "Thou knowest the ways of mankind." In Greenland, be it remarked, it is an ac cepted fact in social philosophy that a woman's no means yes. The priest calls upon the young woman and pleads the case of her lover, assuring her that he is a good man; that he catches many seals, etc It is the custom for the woman to reject all proposals at first, but to yield at last an unwilling assent. If the priest thinks she is too obstinate, he generally remarks: 44 Ah. well, it is no matter; I cau easily find another woman who will have such a good pro vinder," and turns to leave, which action brings the stubborn maiden to terms at once. In St, Petersburg, Russia, a custom prevailed many years though declined greatly in importance, it has not gone wholly out of use which was designed to stimulate the laggards in courtship. On Whit Sunday there was held in the Summer Garden, one oi the city's parks, a fair of all the damsels ot the city who wanted husbands. Dressed in their best, with all the ornaments at command, and holding silver spoons or other ware in their hands, to show that they were not wholly portionless, they stood in rows under the trees, attenued by parents or guardians to insure pro priety of behavior and to iacuitate matrimonial bargains. The men in Eearch of wives stroled about scrutiniz ing all the candidates at leisure. When a man saw one that pleased mm ne usually introduced himself to ter cus todians, and if his statement of family, business and prospects were satisfac tory, be was made acquainted with the young woman and invi.ed to her resi dence. After this, the nuptial eere mony followed as speediiy as the would be bride-groom desired. We find a custom precisely like this still in existence in a district in the south of Ireland. There it is known as "shrafting," the name being derived from Shrove Tuesday, the day on which it is held. On that day all the mar riageable young people of both sexes are marshaled on the 'village green by the parents, the girls in all the glories of Sunday gowns and gay ribbons, as lovely as fresh-blown roses, evidently enjoying their blushe?, and the young men, also in their best attire, looking as foolish as only the male human can look on exhibition. The two sexes are stationed in line apart from each other, and the parents pass between to vouch safe proposals or to receive them, and to haggle over marriage portions. The preferences of the young people are folly understood by the elders, and commendable effort is made to gratify them, tbe main object of the parents beintr to secure as good a set-out as possible for the young couples. A California miner, having amassed quite a fortune, was returning by ship to New York to revisit old trends and to find him a wife. A young woman on board the ship serving in the capacity of nursery governess to the family of a merchant ou board, pleased him much by her neat and modest appearance. He therefore introduced himself one day, and broke the ice of his purpose with one reckless plunge: "Madam, my name is , my pa rents and family reside in New Hamp shire: 1 have property amounting to S200.U00 and expect to engage in busi ness in . I am a perfectly tem perate man, and can give you good reference to tepefy of my general up right character. I am unmarried and want a wile. Will you marry me?" The lady took in the character of her suitor at once. "Thank you." said ehe, "I wilL and on landing they were forthwith married. The Rev. Richard Hooker had no time to devote to courtship, and, there fore, deputed bis landlady. Mrs, Churchman, to find him a wife. She selected her daughter Joan, but the unfortunate divine no doubt often quoted in the recesses ot his soul in after years tbe old saying: "3iarry m haste to repent m leisure." For Joan proved a terrible shrew, and led tbe poor minister a wretched life of it. Courting by proxy is a dangerous thing. Thether a plausible old lady r tosom. friend Is employed to do it. So the Saxon King Edgar found it when he sent bis frieud Atbelstane to report on the charms ot a lady called the most beautiful in the kingdom, and to offer her the office of Queen should she prove to be as lovel.ly as reported. But Atb elstane tell in love with her himself, and wooed and married her, and theu told the King she was not beautiful at all, only being rich. When the King found out how he had been deceived, Athelstaue had to lose not only his beautiful wife and her wealth, but his head into the bargain. A writer, whose veracity, however, we dare not vouch for, gives the fol lowing as an actual statute recorded in the old Saxon code, giving to the lady the privilege that she has taken such poor advantage of: "Albeit, as of ten as leape yeare doth occure, the womanne holdeth preroga tive over the manne in matters of courtship, love and matrimonie; so that when the lady proposeth it shall not be lawful for the manne to say her nae, but he shall entertain her proposal in all gude courtesie.t' However, whether this law was ever placed on record or not, the practice of female proposals was never adopted, and seems never to have been more than a tradition. There have been in stances, of a woman who dared, but not many, for the rLk of a refusal was too serious a one to run. now tne Princess Louise of Savoy ever recovered ! from her humiliation after having offered herself to Charles, Duke of Bourbon, only to receive a grave but positive refusal, few women can under- stand. Ladies, however, are permitted ; to assist a bashful wooer. He Bobbed Stewart's Urare. A correspondent had an interview j with an unnamed detective, who savs that in the summer and fall of 1SJ Chief of Police McGariele. of Chicago, and two or three detectives held neso- tiations with Lewis C. Sweigels. then ' serving a term for robbery in the Clies- ter, I1L. penitentiary under an assumed name. Sweigels, who was known to be ; a professional grave robber, and was i concerned in the attempt to rob the grave of President Lincoln, told a very complete, circumstantial, ami niuin- tent story of the robberv of A. T. Stewart's grave by himself, Lrry Gavin, and a keeper of a saloon in Fourteenth street. New York. Saveigels promised to restore the body only on condition of his pardon from the penitentiary and receiving a part of the reward llis pardon was recured, and. accord- i ing to the detective's story, a syndicate With great ceremocy-the last stone with a capital of 110.000 was formed, ' as laid in the harbor of Trieste re whlch included McGarigln, Detectives cently. The work has takt-n fifteen Capin and Lansing, and E. J. Lehman, ' years and has cost over S7.0 J0,000. all of Chicago, for the purpose of work-! English pennies, silver plated. ing ud the case aud securing $100,001 from Judge Hilton for the return of Mr. ' fete wart's remains. Two or three vii:s were made to New York, and: negitia-! tions were conducted through Mrs. Johnson, a female detective of New York, and at one time connected with ; the Chicago force. Inspector Bymes, of New York, became offended because he was not consulted after the first visit. The remains were finally returned upon tne payment oito.uuu uy juuge uiium, as an evidence of which Seigels had plenty of money about that time." Interviews with Mcuangle and tne detectives are also published. They deny the formation of a syndicate to work on the case. Mcuangle admits the general detads of the story, includ ing Sweigels' pardon and the subsequent negotiations in New York, but says that they finally oecatce disgusted with Sweigels because he trifled with them, claiming tbat the daughter of the ex pressman who carried the remains to the place where they were buried in- creUy to anothor spot unknown to S wei- j gels. The latter could obtain no infor mation from the woman as to the where abouts of the body. McGarigle says he became convinced that this was meiely a trick of Sweigels' to secure a pardon, and that the nego tiations were broken oft before the re mains were returned and never resumed. "A Kale Stoat Mas "Yas. yas," smiled the old country man, as he stood talking to a city chap, who seemed to Know turn, tnar's a heap o' tricks played on thekentrymen; they gits sucked in lots o' times. But I kinder rigger that the sharper what tries to draw wool over my eyes '11 git git lef purty bad. " 4 I'll bet you are a good one," answered the stranger pat ronizingly, "I can tell a man when he's green." The rustic poked him in the side, and pulling down his eye, laughed: D'ye see any green tbeie." "ot a bit of it," memly replied the other; then in an advising tone he continued: "I've seen more of the world than you have, and would like to say that the most important action is concealing the money." "Oh, I've got thet down fine," broke in the countryman, point ing to his left sleeve, "d'ye see that 'ar little bump? Wed, thar's the cash, in side o' the llnin', and nobody can take it out 'thought me knowm' it," A few moments after they "parted, the countryman going into a clothing store to do some buying. He bad made his purchase and was waiting for the bill, when one of the salesmen approac lied him and said: "Can't I sell you a nice coat?" "Not me," answered the farmer; "I've got a plenty o' them fixins." "But, I see the sleeve of the one you have ou has been torn or cut, and, if you wish, one ot the ladies will mend it for you." With a ghastly look the farmer jerked off bis coat and viewed the wrecked sleeve. Then, turning to the clerk, he said sorrowfully: "Mister, kin ye tell me whar I kin git a rale stout man to kick a danged fool outin town." Tne Vetennarlaa. There is a pressing need of more educated veterinary surgeons in this country, in fact, such professional men are scarcely to be found at all in some sections, even where the most valuable stock is raised. The numerous medical colleges graduate thousands of doctors annually, but the few veterinary sctools are not overcrowded. t ben It is con sidered that the live sto?k of the coun try is worth $2,000,000,000, and that a single animal is sometimes value I at several thousand dollars, it is clear tliat there is lucrative employment in caring lor the health oC these animals and preventing loss. Now, the "horse doctors" are too often quacks, ignorant alike of diseases and remedies. Young men of education could hardly do better than to sriecially fit themselves for tbe veterinary calling, which is a pleasant avocation, and In a financial point of NEWS IN BRIEF. The State tax of Florida this year Is but 3 mills. Ira S. Todd died in Tolland, Conn, of glanders, caught from a hor-e. Itha a, th largest village in the world, has become a charteied city. Chicago dai'ies are driving out St. Louis papers In Southern Illinois. - Kansas City packe 1 5.,WX) more hogs than Cincinnati the past winter. Greek Wines are now introduced into France for admixture with the native wines. The Prince of Wales last year re ceived from the Dchy of Cornwall the net income of ioil.Uoa London has "00,000 houses and nearly 5.O00.UO0 inhabitants about seven people to each bouse. In France trardenirig is practically taught, it is said, in more thaa tweaty thousand primary schools. Sam Ke, a Chinaman, declaies that Mrs. Kee must go. He has fl'.ed a bill in divorce in a Kentucky court. Fruit, hop and other crop reports from the Tactile coast section are very encouraging. There are twenty-four Portlands In this country to bother the post masters. Platinum wire has been drawn so fine as to be absolutely invisible to the naked eye. 7ne Pension Office expends more than 500,000 a year investigating alleged pension frauds, The reviS!nl version of the Old Testament will be issued complete, it u in September. The agricultural wealth of Illinois for 183 was So7,4-4,C00 less than the previous year. Sergeant Mason h;is stopped exhib iting himself, and is now living at his j Virginia home. The Universltv of Lewlsburg. Pa, hVecei,?rJ,a S'ft. T1,0?0 froia U'am BuckneiL. of Philadelphia, A firm at Tullahoma, Tenn., is said to ship 7000 doz?n of eggs per week to the Northern markets. Idaho man has Just been mar Te& agala to lue woman Irom whom be was divorced twenty years ago. The Government has soli mors tham two hundred million dollars worth of public lauds in eight years. Of the preseut Citv Government of Belfast. Mf.. consisting of sixteen members, only three are natives of that have been made to answer for Amen can half dollars am mg careless Bos- Bos- touiaus oa recent niglits. It costs Turkey over fifteen mil lion dollars a vear to BUX'poru the Sul tan and his harem. The Fpectacle of a large party of school teachers out rowing, led acynical chap on s'nra to observe that it was "a whaling flt-et." A newspaper at Cherokee, Iowa, is o.vned, luantel and elated by a man w o is totally blind, ila Is assis ted by his wife. Major Low has been remonstrating with Brooklyn's street cleaning con tractor about the dirty condition of the highways of tsat city. Artificial ice made from distilled water is the final luxury for New York cocktail drinkers. It U of course very pur-, and as clear as crystal. The German G-jvernmeut, for the encouragement of electric lighting, has ordered the admission of Edison and Swan lamps ou pavment of nomi nal duties. Almond growin? In Northern Calif ornia has been declared a failure the fruit blossoming too early and not bearing a fall crop. A Montana ppsr relates that in Butte the other day a man fell to the bottom of a bhaft l- J feet deep without rec'jiviug serious injuries. Rhode Island savings banks have $-j2.400,'A)o intrusted to their care by 120,52 depositors. California is at present prod'icing not far from JlS.lOl UOU of gold and silver bullion annually. Ohio has coal in thirty of thirty- eight counties, and put out 6,220,229 tons in issj a gain ot i,ouu,uuu tons. Statistics show that there are at preseut about 1,000.000 people in Great Britain who receive charitable relief. When the territory of the United States is as densely settled as that of France there will be OSO.OuO.OOO people here, The .New York YouDg Men's Christian Association has a member ship of 3,330, of whom 1,569 were ad ded last year. The Niagara Suspension Bridge la 2,200 feet long, that of Kief. Russia, is 2,552 feet, and that between New York and Brooklyn 5,930 feet. Already the new Iowa prohibitory law is marked for the supreme court. ' It is claimed that two inembera who voted for it were ineligible to their stats, or something of the sort. Canyon C.ty, Colo., has the largest artesian well in the world. At the dept.i of 1,220 feet a stream was tapped which flows 400 gallons a minute. A dramatic performance in which all the actors were deaf and dumb was recently given :n London, and is rep resented to have been sustained with "intelligence and spirit." The value of thd telephone patent Is enormous, and we veiy much doubt if it could now be purchased for 523, 000,000. It is probably by Tar tne most valuable single patent which has ever been issued. A town In Ohio has adopted the plan of posting a list of habitual drunkards' names in every saloon, so as to give efficiency to the law prohibi ting the sale of intoxicants to such persons. It is said to work well. Of his native country Ireland, whence he has recently retained. Senator Jones, of Florida, ays: "While I enjoyed my Visit to the old country I could not live there again. That is the country of the past this Is the country of the future." The Nevada county of Clam has at last built a gallows. They had got along by borrowing from the neighbors whenever a hanging came, but business grew so lively tia; building seemed cheaper, and a carpenter was em ployed. -! . it I! I
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers