iitiSi geiiiiip Jiik nil gepllim
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THE OOJSTITUTIOI-THE UH.OI-AID THE EfTOEOEMEJT OP THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor.
B. F. SCHWEIER,
VOL. XXXVIII.
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY. FENNA.. WEDNESDAY. JULY 2. 1SS4.
NO. 27.
A UKEASi or THE SKA.
I nw the sea In dream
Snch a great, wide, desolate
Hoofed by a dome of blank dead sky.
Walled bv blank cliffs that towered as high,
Wllhseabird. like phantoms, hovering by.
I heard It terrible voice
A it spread its lone white arms.
Catching and clutching at the shore,
And tailing backwards eTfrmore
With a hollow moan and au angry roar,
fvowly, slowly It crept
To bit feet with a cruel smile;
The seabirds mocked and shrieked at me
Whither, oh, whither could I flea
From the icy clasp of that awful sea ?
I looked on the Rtony cliff,
And then to a pitiless sky ;
There was ne help, no succour none!
Never before bail I guessed or known
Tie meaning of that dread word "Alone '
So Mewed human sound.
No faintest glimpse of God's sun !
Is it the night, or is tt day?
I could not move, nor think, nor pray.
But slared at Death, on the waters gray;
Coming stealthilv near,
Till his dank breath was on my face;
And far away a lurid slow
Like lightning glimmered to and fro
The jatrf of Hill swung opto slow'
O terrible realm of Death !
O vision wild of Despair!
Not, save in dreamland, can there be,
Neither in time nor eternity,
Such a di.-mal shore such a fearful sea!
THK KIVAI-S.
It was voung Count Linden's twenty
first birthday, and a grand fancy-ball
was Wins given in his honor at hi fa
ther's country-house in Schhws Mar
bun:, in Westphalia. The fine old man
sion was a Maze of light, the scent of
Cowers hung heavy in the air though it
was mid-winter, the music would have
inspired a hermit to dance, and the por
traits of dead and pone Lindens looked
down from their frames upon as motley
a throng of fairies, demons, knights and
ladies as had ever assembled in the
Ioftv rooms. Among the cavaliers, every
one noticed Conrad von Roseuhain, a
handsome young lellow of two-and-tweuty,
straight and lithe, who, in his
costume Uirrowed from the Court of
Louis XV.. attracted the brightest eyes
in the room, lie wore a doublet of
purple velvet, lilac silk stockings, shoes
of white kid, a velvet cloak lined with
white satin, a plumed hat, and a jeweled
sword ; and, though he seemed uncon
scious etioirgh, the vain young fellow
was enjoying immensely the sensation
he raa.le.
The fourth quadrille wa3 nnder way,
and Conrad, w ith a pretty little Alsa
tian easa:rt as partner, was trying Lis
wit against hers, to the amusement of
all who overhear!. But to the young
knight's flow of repartee there came
presently a sudden chilling shock ; mid
way in the dance some one tapped him
on the shoulder and said, in a sepulchral
wh:?per
'Make yourself scarce as soon as
possible ; you have a long rip in the
back of your stocking I" '
The horror or that moment was over
whelming for Conrad von Itosenhain
Le. the hero of the ball, changed to an
object of ridicule, if any one were rude
enough to laugh ! If he had only an
overcoat or a shawl to hide himself un
der anything rather than that foolish
little cloak hanging to one shoulder and
the .slashed unmentionables stopping far
above Iris knees. His mirth vanished,
and the little Alsatian girl looked piqued,
and shrugged her pretty shoulders be
cause her last sally of wit fell upon un
heeding ears. Her cavalier sneaked
through the remainder of the quadrille
more like a whipped hound being put
through a trick than a gat courtier.and
at its conclusion he vanished with the
biiefest j-ossible apology.
Raging at the flimsv products of all
modern looms, Von Itosenhain dashed
through the heavy silk portieres in search
of some one to restore order to his toi
let. It was a big rent, and he wondered
that the ieoile in the ball-room re
trained their merriment as well as
tli:y did. They were probably laugh
iag at him cow, confound them 1 A
man in livery told him that by going to
the end of a long corridor and pushing
ojfii a certain door he would find one
of the huly's-maids, who would take
the necessary stitches in the unlucky
Blocking.
Following the man's directions, Von
Roseuhain found himself at length in
a large dimly-lighted apartment, hung
at one end with half-drawn curtains,
through which a light gleamed, lie
advanced quietly, anil was about to
speak, when surprise at the tableau be
fore him silenced him. The lovely girl
silting w ith the light glinting on her
fair kiir was no lady's-maid; it her
light blue velvet dress, with soft old
lace aimut the neck and sleeves, she
seemed more like a young princess.
Nor were her sui round iugs out of keep
ing with her apiearance. The walls of
the little Umdoir were hung with pink
ish il i we red silk, rare Turkish mats
covered t lie polished floor, there were
luxm ioiislv-cushioned divans, and the
low chair in which the girl sat was a
quaint fancy in leopard skin, with silver
claws for feet. She looked not more
than sixteen, or icrhaps younger, and
the face bending over a mass of embroidery-silks
on the table at her side was
the loveliest Conrad had ever seen.
"1 have mistaken the room," he said
to himeif, "and had better take my
self off as quietly as possible."
r;'t. as he turned, he flipped and
r-earlv fell, and the girl startled looked
up frightened.
"1'iay do not 1 alarmed," said Con
rad, advancing. "I was sent in search
of a maid who would mend a rent in
my dress ; but I must Lave mistaken
the man's directions."
"N'o, fiere is no mistake I sent my
niaM t ld half an hour ago, as she
had a bad headache. Perhaps I could
renwy the defect in your dress," the
fiit! returned, with a charminjj smile.
"Oli, no : not for worlds would Itrou
you ! I will go in search of some
one e!e," said Conrad, with something
a blush.
Bnt the pretty little fairy would not
"ear of his going, and, almost before be
realize, what she was doing, she had
threaded a needle with a bit or lilac
J;'kaad had dropped upon her knees
""fo-e him on the wolf's skin upon
nih ,o S)0)X, jteftiy anfj quickly
' iee:i,.,i ,i,e rpnt jn tlie much-reviled
S fk!"g. :nd rose lightly to her feet,
freely tone!,;.:; Conrad's arm offered
111 assistance.
"J m very much obliged to you,"
jfsan the young man, in esonest tones,
in t '
. wvei ' mind thanks for such a
, -W one would have done as
j-'",, ow you may go back to the
u"e -'s,1'an peasant with whom vou
, - i, a 1 1 me eruiii.
U R iseuhain seeieed in no L".rrV
0 pi
vou !--ave sren uie beto- 1E tiD-
pearance here this evening ? Surely I
see you for the Cist time now?" he
said wonderiugly.
"Yes, I was among the lookers-on in
the gallery, near the musicians, and I
watched you particularly during tlie
hour that I was allowed to stay. My
aunt declares that I am too young to
appear at tlie ball as a guest do you
not think it a shame ? 1 shall lie six
teen next birthday, and I love danc
ing I"
"It is an unpardonable shame I" ex
claimed Conrad excitedly, ashe hoked
into her plaintive violet eyes.dewy with
tears. "I will go aud beg your aunt to
let you come. lescrile her to me, and
I will search tili I And her.'
Tray do nothing of the kind. Ilerr
von Itosenhain," said the girl, laying
her pretty hand on Conrad's sleeve ;
the whole household would be scandal
ized if it knew that you bad visited me
here. It is kind of you very kind
to intt rest yourself in me ; but is too
late now."
"I must do as you wish, of course,"
returned Conrad reluctintly. 'How
ever it ll.itters me that you cared to dis
cover my name."
"Vou would like to know mine, I sup
pose," she said, with a saucy smile ;
- but I am not going to tell it to you.
Call me Pent lope, or one of the Fates,
or any one who gits working busily
while others are amusing themselves,
and weave some kind of interesting ro
mance about me. Now leave me, I
beg of you, I hope you will enjoy the
remainder of the bail, and I aui very
giad 1 have been of service to you."
"I thank you heartily," said Conrad,
pressing one of her soft white hands
gallantly to his lps.
Upon his return to the ball-room the
festivity seemed to have lost all its
charm for Conrad von Rosenhain ; the
guests' voices were noisy ami discordant
comiared with the low girlis'i tones to
which he had just been listening, aud
there was not a face in all the throng
that did not pale before the delicate
loveliness of the one he had seen bend
ing over the heap of colored silks in the
little boudoir. He sauntered alone
about the conservatories and ante rooms
for the remainder of the evening, ask
ing himself who the lovely little fairy
could be whom fate had thrown in his
way ; be dared not inquire without act
ing contrary to her wishes that their in
terview should remain a secret and her
wish was law.
The next day was a dark one tor
Schloss Marburg ; the news spiead like
wildfire that the Countess Linden was
stricken down with a violent fever, and
the frightened guests were begged to
disperse with all possible baste. Vou
Itosenhain was obliged to take bis de
parture with the others, much though
he yearned to find out who his bene
factress was, of whose child ih violet
eyes and lovely pink-tinted face he had
been dreaming ever since. It would
have been heartless to pursue his in
vestigations at such a time, and he could
not stay and be a burden uion the
stricken house.
A few weeks later Conrad von Itosen
hain, together with many another brave
youth, was called upon to assist iu tlie
defence of bis fatherland against the
French, and in the excitement of army
life his mind had less time to dwell upon
the pretty little unknown who had so
fascinated him.
In an engagement near the village of
Kirchfelt Lieutenant von uosenhain
was wounded in the shoulder not se
verely, but enough to make him unlit
for service for seme weeks. As no hos
pital was in the neighborhorhood.Schloss
llohenstein. the home ot a certain
Baron von RemsthaL, was chosen as
quarters for the invalid, aud thither
Vou Itosenhain was sent to await re
covery.
Schloss llohenstein was a fine old
mansion rapidly falling into decay : the
shrubberies were tangled and mikempt,
the statues crumbled unheeded. And
within doors the desolation was nearlv
as great the once beautiful furniture
aud tapestries were worm-eaten and iu
tatters. Moreover, there were very
few servants ; and rumors reached
Conrad's ears of the Baron von Uem-
sthal's being deeply involved in debt.
One bright sunny day, as Conrad was
walking iu the garden, rejoicing at the
thought of soon being able to rejoin his
regimeut, some one advanced towards
him whom he bad not seen oetore at
Schloss llohenstein a graceful young
girl iu a pretty fur-trimined dress, her
cheeks flushed with the cold crisp air.
Surely he had seen those eyes bef re ?
Was he (Learning, or was this really the
sauie, mvsterious fairy who had mended
his stocking at the fancy-ball r
"Good morning, Lieutenant von Ro-
seahaiul" she said, with the lovely
smile he remembered so well. "I am
so glad you are well enough to be out
airain. 1 have inquired for you every
day, but have not had the pleasure of
seeing you before. I boi you have not
forgotten me."
"Never I" declared Conrad, retain
ing the little hand so frankly proffered
him.
"How odd that we should meet again
nuite bv chance ! But you do not know
me. I must introduce myself now, be
cause I am your hostess. I am Daphne
von Kemstlial, aud 1 live here wan my
f:itlier "
"So at last I know the name of the
fair unknown w ho helped me out or my
very unpleasant predicament at Count
Marhura's balL It is a question that I
have asked myself in vain thousands of
times since."
It was astonishing bow much these
fun who had never met before but once
found to say to each other in the old
garden, and the summons to luncueon
came ali too soon. From this day on
the invalid soldier found nothing so
beneficial for his health as a stroll in the
shrubbery, even when the weatherseem
ed to others unpropitious ; and Daphne,
as hostess, could net but chat with her
guest when they met.
Tim two were sitting one day near an
old moss grown sun-dial at the end of
the garden walk, and a very pretty tab
leau they made she wiui a origin, coior
in her cheeks, her light curly hair tossed
about her forehead, and her eyes like
diamonds,andhe with enough pallor, the
result of his illness to lend a new in
toresr. tn his face, and his fine figure set
off by his uniform. Daphne had gath
ered a tiny buncn oi winter vioieu, aim
was showing her treasures 10 onrau,
who bent his head over hers to see them,
when both were startled by a voice say
ing, in not the genUest ot tones
"Lieutenant von Rosenhain, you are
very imprudent to sit in this uamp gar
.iun k'iii von are still an invalid.
Daphne, you will accompany me to the
house, as traunen i.iuues,youi
rannw to li:iv deserted you."
Daphne arose with a rrightened look
in her eves, and took her father's arm ;
for it was the old Baron who had so
ruthlessly broken in upon her ttfe-a-ftfe
with Conrad.
The next day Lieutenant von Itosen
hain took his stroll in the garden alone.
towards evening he was requested to
honor Baron von Remsthal with a visit
iu his study. The Baron received the
young man with elaborate oliteness,
aud proceeded to tell him that a sum
mons had come for him to rejoin his
regiment; he would regret losing so
agreeable a g jest from his house, but it
Could not be heljied.
"By-the-way," continued the old
man, "it would perhaps interest you to
hear that my daughter Daphne is" about
to be betrothed to a distant cousin of
mine, Hugo von I'leyel. a man consid
erably her senior, but of excellent char
acter, and possessed of a handsome for
tune. It is au uuspeakable relief to me
to know that my child's future is se
cure." Von Rosenhaiu's congratulations,
which he felt called upou to make, die. I
noon his lips. Every word tbe old
Baron said was a cruel blow to hopes
he had ventured to cherish. He took
leave ot his host as soon as ossible,anil
liegau pacing up and dowu the avenue,
a victim to the gloomiest of thoughts.
That he loved Daphne with all his heart
and soul he knew beyond the shadow of
a doubt, aud from au occasional glance
and witrd of hers he allowed himself to
hope that she cared for him. But alas
for the fond dreams of either now I He.
a young officer, with no other property
in the world than his horse and sword,
could ill offer himself as rival to the
rich Baron von I'leyel when the Von
Remsthals were on the verge of bank-'
rupU-y. How the young man hated
this stranger who was to bear off tne
prize he so yearned for 1
As Conrad strode past a half-ruined
summer-house standing a little back,
f.-om the avenue, the sound of smother
ed sobbiiift reached his ear. Iu another
moment he stoed In the little arbor,
clasping both Dapne's hands in his, and
looking down into her tear brimming
eyes with a world of love and pity in
his cwn.
"Am I not to congratulate you on
your engagement ?" he asked, with a
bitter ring in his voice.
"Oa. no, no ! I am so unhappy. But
what can I do ? We are very poor al
most on the verge of want and 1 can
not disap:oint my father.
"Do you love any one else ?" Conrad
asked , eagerly watching her face.
For reply she leaned her pretty head
u poll his shoulder, and the young sol
dier knew the truth.
The next tlay Lieutenant von R.iseu-
liani tock his departure. His heart was
heavy at the thought that he would ier-
haps never see Daphne again ; but the
memory that she loved hi in awakened
a song of triumph within him, hopeless
though their love was.
There had been a sharp engagement
between French and I'russians on the
outskirts of the little village of Apfel
dorf, am' the contending parties hovered
stiil ai:ii the place for another attack
on the morrow. At nightfall lieuten
ant von Roseuhain aud a few other of
ficers and men gathered round a mea
gre camp-fire to try to snatch a few
hours' sleep.
'It is a pity we can have no better
fire on this bitter cold night ; go to the
house yonder, Wilhehu, and see it you
can find any fuel," said one of the of
ficers. The man took a lantern and went to
wards the deserted-looking building
standing in its own grounds, the abau
doned home of some rich family. He
returned with his arms full of books.
"The place has been plundered, sir,
of everything but these ; but they will
make a fine fire."
As no one objected, the soldier flung
the armful of books upon the dying
llames.
"Bring more the idea is not bad
and soon the camp-fire burned mernlv,
fed by scores of priceless old volumes.
"A pity a great pity ; but our men
csrnuot freez?," said a man, lying wrai-
led in his cloak, near von Bosenhaiu.
He had curiously piercing dark eyes.
and a mustache nearly white ; but his
figure was litne and actiye as any
youth's.
Von Roseuhain watched him narrow
ly, and wondered that he had not seeu
hiru liefore.
1 'resent ly Conrad leaned forward,and
with Ins sabre idiy raked a little vellum
ixmnl book towards him out of the
burning pile. It wasavolumeof Dante's
Infernowith the date lo'M. On. the fly
leaf were these words in faded ink
'7";.uie, fe son ami Loui.''
"Daphne," said Conrad, half to blin'
self "au unusual name, and a very
pretty one too."
"I ain glad you like it," observed the
dark eyed stranger at his side; 4 it is the
name of the girl who is to be my wife.
Conrad looked at the man in silence.
The idea took sudden possession of him
that his hated rival was before him ; but
he could not bear to hear the truth
from the man's own lips.
On the first opportunity that offered
lie asked one of the men who the tall
officer was with the eagle eyes and gray
mustache.
"That is Colonel Ilugo Ton rieyel,"
was the reply.
The next night it was necessary to
send an important message to a certain
point three miles distant Tlie way lay
through the village, ana was dangerous,
as many French soldiers were skulking
alwut. uonrau von itoseunaiu was
chosen as one messenger, and oddly
enough it fell to the lot of Colonel vou
1 'level to accompany him.
At aarfc the two men set forth on
their dangerous errand, the elder know
ing little of the hate for him in the
younger one s Dreasi. m uie way iney
snoke little, and followed each other iu
the darkness as well as they could. Fass
mg through a narrow gateway at the
end of the village street. Von Rosen-
bain's sword slipped and struck on tne
rrnnnd.
"Who goes there?" called a gruff
voice in French, followed by ine snarp
ronnrt of a musket-
"Foolish fellow to waste his bullet
aiming in the dark 1" said Conrad to
himself.
Outside the village the danger was
over, and Von Rosenhain, having wan
Himl out of hearing of his connauiou,
hurried on alone, delivered his message,
and returned to the camp. The next
niominrr. on inquiring for Colonel von
I'ievel Conrad heard to his astonishment
. . ,i- i i
that he had not returneu. t ouuei iuX,
he set out again over the roaa uiai uirj
i.q.1 traversed together on the previom
evening, and, as he neaied the little
gate at the end of the de.-ertel street,
he saw to bis surprise Color.el von Pleyel
sitting on a bench beside a coua,'e
w wpre wondering at your ateietiee.
Colonel," he was about to sav. but the
words froze on his Hugo voa
Pleyel was stone-dead, shot through the
brain.
Von Roseuhain remembered with a
shock the striking of his sabre on tbe
ground, the challenge of tlie trench
soldier, aud the bullet fired. That bul
let had struck down the man whom he
bated above all o hers on earth. He
hail fallen upou the stone bench with
out a cry, and, supported by the wall of
the house,had sat in ghastly silence ever
since.
A successor was needed to fill the
post of the lamented Colonel von I'leyel,
and to Conrad vou Rosenhaiu's delight
it was offered to him as a reward for
his past bravery. The first person to
whom the young man wrote of his ad
vancement was the ISaron von Rein-
sthal, and the letter contained a formal
request for the hand of his daughter
Daphne in marriage. Daphre herself
replied with a happy glowing letter;
and when the summer came the soldier
lover claimed his bride. Daphne in her
orange-blossoms was "beautiful as an
angel," the ueighlors said.
flow Magna trharta was Obtain!.
Tlie Barons of England excited by a
sense of their wrongs and tbe wrongs
of their k ngdom, took an oath liefore
the high altar, m the presence of the
Primate, to stand by each other in de
fense of their lights, and make war
uKn the King until he should grant
their just demands for liberty and law.
Yielding to the determined and united
force of the Barons in arms, John asked
for a conference at Runnymede. Magna
Charta was the result of this conference.
The name of Stephen Langton is the
first mentioned in Uie body ot the char
ter among the peers to whom its grants
are made, and his name is the first
among the witnesses to the royal signa
ture. The formation of the Baronial
league wuich assembled in arms to de
mand the charter was bis work. Was
not the preparation of the charter itself
also his work? We kuow that his
learning exceeded that of any man in
England of his day. We know that he
ixwsessed the only copy of the charter
of Henry that could then be found in
the kingdom, and we know that the
rough and hardy Barons were neither
men of letters nor learning. Do we
not, then, owe this great charter of the
liberties of the English people to the
band and the brain of a Cardinal Arch
bishop of the Catholic Church? It is
true that this great man subsequently
incurred the temporary displeasure of
pope Innocent, and was called to Rome,
where the diplomatic and artful repre
sentatives had deceived the l'aial Court
in reference to the condition of Eng
land and the doings of its Sovereign,
aud thereby induced the Holy See to
visit frpiritual condemnation upon the
Barons iu their war against the King
to maintain the charter they had
wrested from him. But it is equally
true that the misrepresentations of the
envoys of John were successfully cor
rected by Langton, and he returned to
England to resume his functions, and,
having revoked the spiritual condem
nation, subsequently caused the same
charter to be three times solemnly
confirmed aud ratified by the English
Sovereign.
"A late historian of England, in
speaking of the services of this distin
guished man, says: 'As Anselm had
withstood William the Red, as Theo
bold had rescued England from the
lawlessness 'of Stephen, so Langton
prepared to withstand and rescue his
country from the tyranny or John.'
For many years after the execution of
this great charter a solemn ceremonial
took place every six months in the great
hall of Westminster, designed for the
punose of impressing upon the Sov
ereign and the legislators of England
the obligation to observe its proyisions,
"Bishoi adorned with their pontifi
cal rotes aud bearing lighted tapers in
their bands pronounce-!, in the presence
of the King and the represenUtiveJ of
England, a curse against any one who
should break any of the provisions of
the charter. Tlie curse was well cal
culated to impress the mind, and its
terms illustrate the devotion of the pre
lates to English liberty. Its language
w;is: 'By the authority of Almighty
Go! aud the blessed Apostles and mar
tyrs and all the saints in Heaven, all
those who violate the English liberties,
and secretly or oiienly, by deed, word
or counsel, do miike statutes or o&serce
Hum Itiwj made against the said liber
ties, are accursed and sequestered from
the company of Heaven, from the sac
raments of the Holy Church."
A Good Story.
One day Bismarck went out snipe
shooting with a friend. THey had to
traverse a quagmire into which his
companion, a short, stout, ponderous
gentleman, sunk up to his armpits.
Alter struggling in vain to extricate
himself, he yelled for help to drag him
out of the vile bog hole, the muck of
which was fast raising to his mouth
and nose. "My beloved friend,"
answered Bismarck, with the utmost
calm, "you will never be able to
scramble out of that hole, and It is
quite impossible to save you. But I'll
tell you what, my boy, I'll spare you a
filthy aud protracted death agony by
shooting you through the head." "Are
you beside yourself?" screamed the
other, making frantic efforts to wriggle
out of the swamp. "I dont want
either to suffocate or to be shot"
Raising his gun to his shoulder, and
taking careful aim. Bismarck: replied
in mournful accents, "Keep still for
one second. It will soon be over.
Farewell, dear friend. I will tell your
wife of your last moments." Stimu
lated to superhuman exertions by the
danger threatening him, the unlucky
sportsman contrived to wrench himself
out of the mud and crawl on all fours
to terra firma. As soon as he felt him
self safe, he burst, of course, into a
torrent of violent reproaches. Bis
marck, smiling, listened to hiin a
while, then simply remarking: "You
see I was right, every one for himself,"
turned his back on his infuriated com
panion and strolled off to look after
more snipe.
Two Tree.
A curious tree, or rather two trees
grown together at the base and separat
ed twelve feet from the ground, is seen
a short distance from the trail leading
from the Sierra Valley to Weber Lake,
Cal. One of these trees is a spruce and
the other a cedar. They are firmly
united, and the diameter at the point
of junction is nearly four feet. It is
said that at a distance cf a quarter of a
a.ile, standing out in bold relief, the
letters "A. E ," in Gothic form, con
nected by a character resembling an
A:," nmy be seen. Upon closer in
spection uo trace can be found of the
letters.
Bow Musie noi are Made.
The rosewood music box that the
dealer raised the lid of with a confident
air after inserting a key at one eud and
turning it a few times, was of thesliape
and dimensions ot a small trunk.
'That is undoubtedly," he said, "the
most perfect mechanical music box in
this country. It was made in our fac
tory in Sainte Croix, Switzeiland,under
several recent patents, which make it
much superior to instruments of this
kind as ordinarily constiucted. The
price, too, is very low, only l,o00. Is
that the highest-priced instrument we
have? Yes. We do not keep higher
priced instruments iu stock. We only
make them to order. We have got as
high as $0,000 for a box but the music
produced was not so perfect as this, be
cause the instrument lacked tne patent
ed improvements which this has. This
has a regular set of reeds, with a me
chanical arrangement producing an al
most perfect imitation of the human
voice, together with bells, drums, cast
anets, and the harp, all -of which are
used with the fiuest orchestral effect.
Besides, by means of interchangeable
cylinders, the numlier of tunes may be
increased to any extent the owner may
desire, so that if he tires of one set of
tunes by a trifling expenditure he can
get another in fact as many additional
sets as he chooses, embracing tunes of
his own selection or ours, whichever he
may prefer. This box plays forty-eight
airs without change of cylinder. Ra
ther high-priced music, you think ?
Not at all, when you come to consider
the quality and amount of labor in
volved in tlie construction of these in
struments, the mechanism of which is
as intricate, in expensive boxes, as that
of the watch. Indeed, aliout the same
amount of mechanical skill is required
in their construction as is needed in
making and putting together the deli
cate machinery -of a tine watch. Our
different grades are the ordinary box,
with no accompaniment, and those with
bells, castanets, drums, zither, piccolo,
etc., producing the finest results in ex
pression and harmony. Indeed, the
harmony produced by some of our ex
pensive boxes reaches the sublime in
point of musical expression.
"We employ in our factory in Switzer
land about 800 skilful artisans. Our
instruments are shipped to all parts of
the world, the instruments playing the
favorite airs of each country to which
they are sent. We manufacture both
small and large boxes. I'rices range
from a dollar up to .000, or more if a
purchaser desires. The musical me
chanism of these boxes is also placed in
many fancy articles, made chiefly in
France aud Germany, such as albums,
work boxes, cigar cases, writing desks,
clocks, jewelry cises, etc. In clocks the
air is played when the hour strikes.
We place the mechanism also in cliairs,
which play when you sit down upon
them, automatic figures, mechanical
toys, etc. This mechanism, although
requiring great skill in its construction,
is simple in ordinary boxes. It consists
of a brass roller with projecting points,
a steel comb, the teeth of which gives
tbe sounds, a spring to give the revolv
ing motion to the cylinder, and a fly
wheel or fan to regulate the revolving
motion. The rough parts used in the
construction of a music box, such as
the bed plate, the blank roller, the
main spring, the comb, the running
gear, etc., are made in large machine
shops in Switzerland, which furnish
these parts to all the manufacturers
there. There are only two of those
shops that turii out really good works
In tbe shape of rough parts. The mu
sic has first to be arrauged for the boxes
bythorough musical artists. The cylin
der is then given to a person generally
a woman who, with the aid of the
written music and a very ingenious ma
chine, marks the places on the cylinder
where the points are to be inserted. An
other person then drills all the little
holes and another inserts the points.
The cylinder is then filled with molten
cement and then placed on a lathe and
revolved very rapidly. I he cement ad
heres to the inside surface lrolding the
points, arf! is then allowed to cool. On
another machine the points are Gled
down so as to'be of equal length. W bile
that is going on the comb is turned, tb
turner having first to file the teeth to,
give the proper flexibility. The tone is
lowered by filing near the base, and
heightened by filing near the point. Tbe
cylinder is set on the bed plate, and op
posite it the comb is fastened, so that
the points of the cylinder and the teeth
of the comb exactly meet. These are
the main features of the ordinary me
chanical music box. Of course the
construction and adjustment of the va
rious accompaniments, etc., in the
larger boxes are more complicated.
In Mexico.
Probably the largest sale of lands
ever made to private purchasers on the
continent was made some time ago by
Mr. Lawson, of Denver, to a syndicate
of English and Scotch gentlpmen. The
price realized was $1,000,000 and the
area of the country sold was larger
than some of the .New England States.
The possessions are situated in the
States of Chihuahua and Durango, in
the Republic of old Mexico. The
title to the lands purchased and sold by
Col. Lawson was the most ancient of
any upon the American continent.
This was the first transfer that had
been made in two hundied years.
Longer ago than that the King of Spain
conveyed this tract of country to the
ancestors of Don Antonio Ansunsola.
where it bad remained and descended
from generation to generation until tbe
present time.
More than 1,000 people as tenants,
are living upon this soil and growing
corn and coffee and wheat in the villages
and sheep and cattle in tlie mountains.
CoL Lawson went down to Mexico two
years tgo and bonded this splendid
country, paying a liberal amount of
money for the bond. He then went
over to London and Edinburgh and
formed a syndicate and effected the
sale. The price realized was Jl.OOO.OOO,
with an additional 1,000,000 to be yet
invested in cattle, blooded horses and
agricultural Implements.
This immense estate consists of two
immense ranches, the property of Don
Antonio Ansunsola, in the States of
Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico. The
property is contiguous, and consistsof
six (0) haciendas and ranches named re
spectively, San Jose," "San Ysidro,"
"Xoria," "Cienguilla," "Passida" and
"Ygacsios," situated in the southern
part of the State of Chihuahiia.two-thirds
of their area being in said State and
one-third in Durango.
The area embraced by these properties
is very large, being about twenty-seven
Spanish leagues in length by an average
width of nine leagues, or an equivalent
in English measurement ef seventy
j0) $aty-thxee ('23) miles, or
l.filO squire miles. The river Florida
flows for a distance of twelve miles
through the rancWs of "Sin Jose"
and "San Ysidro." The plains and
rolling lands are covered with the finest
pastures, consisting principally of
Mack gramma grass. These two
ranches have a large area of very fertile
and arable land, aliout 12,000 acres
under cultivation. The crops consist
principally of Indian corn, wheat,"
larley, Irish and nweet potatoes. These
lands will graze 10,000 head of cattle.
or 300,000 head of sheep. In and to
the al)ove descnlied six properties the
company purch ised two important
ranches, adjacent to each other, the
two different States known in Spanish
parlance as La Grande de la Estocad",
or I .a Grande de San Anosse. and a
part of the ancient Haciendo de Canoa.
These last mentioned contain from
250,000 to 0,OiO acres and most excel
lent grazing in the greatest abundance.
The grasses on the.se are black gramma
and bunch. There were also included
in the sale :55,Ouo he:ul of sheep, 1..1U0
head of nnbrokeu horses, 300 head of
saddle horses, eighty well-broken
mules, 3iM) head of work oxen. 'J')Q
hogs, 5,000 bushel of corn, 3,tnfl
bushels of wheat, 250 acres of seeded
wheat, one-third of which is estimated
at 2,000 bushels, furniture, farming
tools, saddles, harness, etc. In the
etc., was a new church just finished.
Tlie preacher was not included in the
sale, as no sum could be agreed upon at
present market value of the product.
Reason, market glutted.
The purchasers, a syndicate of
English and Scotch gentlemen, C. Mac
pherson Grant, Lord Tweedinouth, J.
Dalz'el and Messrs. Cran, Bruce and
others, the price being i.'2it0,0oo or !,-
000,000. Col. Lawson, or Djnver. it
one of the directors. The company
intend stocking the laud with the finest
and best breeds ft English aud Scotch
horses and cattle, and the lands wi 1 be
cultivated by skilled laborers and with
improved agricultural implements.
T10 Myaterv of Cayaca Lake.
"If you are ever drowned in Cayuga
I-ake, your friends need not go to tlie
exjiense or trouble of dragging the Iak
for your body, for they'd never finii
it,"
This was the cheerful remark ma.lt
by a resident of Ithaca who has a taste
for geological research and who has in
dulged it during the past few years in
investigating the bottom of Cayuga
I.ake.
"Fioui all I have been able to dis
cover," said he, "the bottom of Cayuga
Lake is a series of large ojienings and
cavities, many of them resembling the
craters of extinct volcanoes. Some o!
these are a hundred feet in diameter,
and are all surrouuded by raised rims,
Like the sides of a milk pan. Thex;
craters as I believe they are. lie at dif
ferent depths, or rather, are of different
heights. Their depth I have never
been able to sound, although I have
lowered many hundred feet of pluiut
line into them. They are undoubtedly
fathoiule-ss, and have become recepta
cles of the bodies of the hundreds of
persons who are known to have been
drowned iu the lake during the l ast
half century, and of the undoubted
thousand of people killed in tiie tierce
batth-s that were frequently waged ou
the shores of the lake between hostile
tribes of the 'original people' years be
fore the white man appeared ou this
continent.
"It was in Cayuga Lake that the
wretch Rulloff lowered the iKxlies of
his wife aud child, enclosed in a chest,
after he bad murdered them, twenty
years ago. The weeks that weie sjient
in dragging for the chest was tune
thrown away, for it had sunk into tlit
mouth of one of these dead volcanoes,
and, if it is not sinking yet, is no doubt
tloatiug about iu tbe bottomless depth:
where, iu ages past, fire and smoke and
ashes were the dominant elements."
I'rlr of Coin.
The progress of intelligence has af
fected coins hi these days no less than
books. It is only in the very out-of-the-way
places that coins are to be picked
up for a song. The chief hunting
ground, Asia Minor, is well looked
after by the dealer, and the private
collector has, of course, to pay them
their profit. The increasing in value
may 1 gauged by the following in
stance: A gold coin of Mithridates, the
size of our half sovereign, fetched 25
guineas in 1777. In 1S17 it came to
the hammer, and was knocked downat
JL'SO to a well-known collector. Un
fortunately for him a duplicate soon
afterward apeared in a safe and he
had to pay JLD0 for that. I-iter on still
a third turned up, and that fell to his
bid at 100. Yet a fourth came to
lrght in 1S40. The owner of the three
bid up to JC110, but had to give in to a
bid of 113 from a rival. Fancy his
feelings! The rare brass medaliions
Comniodus, intrinsic value 2L or 3 i.
fetch up to 30, and the large pieces ol
Syracuse, the finest coins perhaps that
we know or, regularly run up to 30
and 00. It Is evident, therefore, that
it is not evert one who cau indulge the
lassion for coin collecting.
An Ancient Trapper.
L'p a tributary of the Fend d'Oreille
river, on which is situated Thompson's
Falls, is a Frenehman named Baptiste
Duchrane. He is 103 years of age, and
first saw a railroad car last fall, when a
train crossed the Coriacan defile, over
which is the highest wooden bridge m
the world. This man has a half-blood
daughter at Fort Corville 70 years old.
of whom he always speans or. as -my
baby." Duchrane was a member of
Col. Ashley's expedition in 1302, and
trapped for the company all that season.
After that he trapped and sold furs to
both tbe Hudson Bay and American
Fur companies. He ascended the Yel
lowstone river in 1So4 and saw the gey
sers, but. like the other trappers who
saw portions of the wonderful scenery
of the Park, he was more interested in
furs than scenery, and never told any
capable writer of what he saw.
independence.
A bronze tablet has been placed npon
the front of the new l'enn National
Bank Building, Market and Seventh
streets, Philadelphia, Pa., bearing the
inscription: "On this site originally
stood the dwelling in which Thomas
Jefferson drafted the Declaration of
Indeiendence, which was adopted by
the Continental Congress in this city.
July 4, 1774. Erected 1775; removed.
1?64." The question whether Jeffer
son d rafted the document In the comer
house or in tbe one adjoining on the
west is still a matter of dispute, but as
the bank building covers both lots, the
accuracy of the inscription on the
tablet is not dispute.
tire In a Far-Away FIm-
Far up the ancient river Halys. on
either side, is many a village where al
most every house lias a man at work in
Constantinople; for tbe farming of
these villages Is Just as ancient as the
river, and neels outside help to hold its
own year by year. And as there is no
bank in Anatolia and no system of
postal Dotes, sometimes from 5 to 10
per cent, of the hamal's earnings is
consumed by the sharp politzadji tor
transferring the remainder from Con
stantinople to the old home.
These Armenian women and girls,
which they left behind them, are usually
robust, as well as the men. Indeed,
any one born there with frail constitu
tion dies before long running this
gauntlet of infantile disease and ex
posure, so that only the strong are left.
And the twojience worth per day on
which they live, of coarse biead and
curds, or hulled wheat and simple
souiw. help? to develop beautiful teeth
and bones, good digestion and iron
miefc-les. Some years ago an American
doctor, practicing in Sivas, told me it
was not at all uncommon for a village
woman to take her child, one or two
davs old, on her back and walk three
miles to town to inquire of him if every
thing was all right with them. But
when the doctor asked one of them,
"Why dont you learn to read," she
answered, with that peculiar shrug of
her magnifWnt shoulder : "Ugh! You
get out. What can a cow learn ?"
And some of them are about as awk
ward in handling a ceedle, too, as a
cow would be. When a hamal, or cus
tom house porter, returns after years
at Stainboul, he naturally brings with
him new ideas. I know one who pre
sented his wife with a full set ot civil
ized spoons, knives and forks ; but she
promptly traded them off and turned
again to rely solely on the great wooden
r poons of her ancients and on fingers.
Another steadily refused to sell bis
daughter till the villagers made him
pay il'i for a girl his boy wanted.
Ol hers discourse learnedly on custom
house tricks and on the different Euro
pean liuguas. Some of them are quite
eager for the mental improvement of
their women and children. I visited a
small village near Silvas which has a
g.xnl school for both sexes, supported
entirely by the interest on money con
tributed by its own citizens working in
StambouL Some time ago strolling
into an Armenian village cfiurcb, I
took a secluded corner and heard senti
ments in the address of the bishop there
which ten years ago would have been
considered rank heresy, worthy only an
American missionary. Among other
excellent things the bishop said : "Ed
ucate every one of yottr girls, and sim
plify your weddings. Here's one of
your young men. with elastic step and
beaming face. He has a future of vast
possibilities. Rumors of a wedding
ri-e. The young man goes to town.
At eve he returns, walking heavily.
You look into his face. It is no face
at all. 'What's the matter, man ? Got
a toothache ? Your girl dead ?' 'Oh,
nothing, no'hing.'he says, but I know
he has to-day run 0,000 piastres (?250
into debt for" the extravagance ot one
of our village weddings. A few months
later for that debt be goes to Constan
tinople to Le a slave for years, and
leaves his young wife to be another
here. Beloved ! by your own voluntary
slavery to evil custom we ara becoming
lioorer and fewer In this progressive
count IV.
An Animated Snow-I'louth.
Some time ago a hunter known as
'Uncle Bob Giddings" started up
Slate river to interview a den of bears
known to exist on the mountain side
some distance above Cloud City. Just
after passing Cloud he came upon a
trail in the snow which appeared to be
from ten to fifteen feet in depth. The
trail was as wide as though an ox had
ljeen dragged sideways, and the snow
was pressed so bard that a pony could
easily have been driven over it. Bob
threw away bis snow shoes and followed
this trail, which led along the mountain
side iu a northerly direction. Reach
ing the ruins of the bear den he found
nothing but the bones of the bears left.
While he stood in blank amazement bis
eye was directed to the valley beueath,
where he saw a huge serpent making
its wav down Slate river until it disap
peared in a fathomless lake near the
ranch of Frank ichols, some t'-ree
miles from Cloud City. The terror-
stricken man, on his return to town,
said that the snake was all of fifty feet
long. Its propelling powes seemed to
exist in its tail, which streamed behind
several feet.
There is an old Indian tradition about
this senient and that an old Indian be
longing to the Uncompahgre Ute na
tion, in speaking about this monster
sea serpent, described it as having a
neck ten feet long and as large around as
the body of a iony, its he-ad the size of
a tepee and eyes like saucers, alnjut
ore yard and a half apart. It lives in
a subterranean passage, which has an
entrance in an unexplored part of the
Dark Canyon, on the opposite side of
the range.
The Telephone.
A police inspector at Odessa has dis
covered a new use for the telephone.
One day a policeman brought to the
station a Jew, having in bis possession
a quantity of silver believed to be stolen.
But as the Jew stoutly declared the
metal to be his own property, the pv
lice lnsitector was put m a Gx, from
which all his cross-examination of tbe
presumed thief failed to extricate him.
At last a bright idea struck him. He
went to the telephone in the adjoining
rooni.aud, mentioning to the officials at
the police master's office what had hap
pened, instructed theni to utter in sol
enin tones, ou a signal being given, the
words, "Itsno Suieliansky, it will be
better for thee to;confess that thou hast
roblied somebody, otherwise thy pun
ishment will inevitably more severe."
Afterwards, summoning the Jew into
the room, he pointed to the instrument
on the wall and told him that it really
did not matter whether he divu'ged his
crime or not, as the "machine" would
do it for him. At this the Jew laughed
outright, while the inspector placed a
sheet of paper on the table and prepared
to take down the confession. hen
everyihiug was ready, he told the Jew
to put the tulie to his ear and decide
whether be would confess himself or
allow the machine to do it for him.
Then, giving the signal, he returned
to the table, when a second or two
later he had the satisfaction' of seein;
the Jew's face turn deadly inileat hear
ing the solemn advice mysteriously
conveyed to him by the "inachine,"and
of noting down directly afterwards a
penitent confession from the thief's
owu it;'.
iS'EWS IN BRIEF.
Connecticut devotes 90,000 acres
to tbe cultivation of the oyster.
Parlor cars, with bay windows,
are about the latest thing on wheels.
Bear meat is a regular dish at all
the hotels a. id restaurants in Russia.
There are 63 lawyers practicing in
Pottsville. They don't average $1 000
a year.
The telegram overtakes twenty-
nine criminals to one secure! b7 a
detective.
The longest express run is said to be
from St, Paul, Minn., to Helena, Mont.,
115t miles.
It is nroiwsed to make Easter Mon
day and Whit Monday general holiday
in i ranee.
There are more Roman Catholics
in New Y'ork city than any other city
in the world.
Twenty ier cent, more cotton luu
been planted this year in LouiMitH.i
than during last.
California is at present producing
cot far from f W.uiO.OOO of gold and
silver bullion annually.
No less than two hundred and
twenty-five thousand persons live in
furnished lodgings in Paris.
The public schools of Japan have
over 2.000,000 cf students, and are
modeled on the Amencau plan.
Ten million dollars lias recently
been spent by the Braz'li.tn Govern
ment on the new water supply of Rio.
Fifteen thousand bushels of oys
ters were planted in Great Bay, Atlan
tic County, X. J., recently. In one day.
Tlie bridge over the Schuvlkill at
Royer's Ford, Pa., destroyed by fire.
recently, paid a dividend of 42 per
cent.
Silver coins of the time of Eliza
beth have been found in large numbers
in the bed of a stream in the Island of
Skye.
At Rostov, South Rtiss;a, tl ere is
said to be a sect which gives iioisonou
narcotics to cbildreu as a part ot iU
religion."
Ida Lewis the American "Grace
Darling" ' is reported crtically ii!y iil
at the Lime Rocks Light House, near
.Newport.
A Venetian gondola, with nafie
gondoliers, is now a petic feature of
the Thames, fntroduced by a rica Eng
lishman. The ideal ear of corn is one with
twelve rows, ten or twelve inches long.
uniform in size from the tip aud well
capped at the tip.
The State of Xew York, it is
estimated, has about two hundred
Justices of the Peace who are over
seventy years of age.
The street car drivers in Xew Or
leans not only keep their cars clean, but
are expected to furnish the po!ihiug
oils for tbe brasses, etc.
Japan is Slid to have the cbe.itiest
postal service in the world, letters Wing
conveyed all over the empire for about
li cents of our money.
Austria lias no less than eightv-
four trade schools, in which stone cut
ting, carpentry and numerous other
trades and industries are taught.
Preparations are leing "made at
Brandon, in Coos county, Oregon, to
destioy the sea lions, which are a great
detriment to the fishing Interests outhe
Coquille.
At the present rate of consumption
and destruction, it is estiinale.l that
the pine forests of Minnesota, Wiscon
sin and Michigan will cease to exist in
a few years.
lo prevent ihe spread of infectious
diseases in Venezuela, a decree has
been issued by the Government order
ing the cremation of the bodies of
yellow fever victims.
Canada is trying the exiieriment of
manufacturing cutlery, the first factory
having beeu started at Montreal a short
time ago, with forty workmen brought
ver from Sheffield.
The dwarf. General Mite, whose
wedding in England, recently, was made
the subject of a cable message to the
newspapers, is said to be a nat ive of
Oxford,! 'henango county, X. Y., named
Joseph Flynn.
An acropolis of immense extent
has just been discovered at Ekhnieeni,
Lpper Egypt. Five great tombs, or
catacombs, already opened have yielded
rju mummies, ana site of over luo
catacombs have beeu verified.
A fox hound which had !eeii
brought to Halifax iu a close car from
a towu 105 miles distant recently disap
peared, and two days afterwards his
arrival at his old home was retorted.
A paper chimney fifty feet high
has lately been put up at Breslau.
Compressed paper pulp is stated to bo
one ot tbe least inllauiuiable of sub
stances, and to make au excellent
inateruu for hre-proof doors.
Detroit places itself near the front
rank of cities using the electric light by
appropriating 595,IHjO for the mainten
ance for a year of 72 electric light
towers. Of these towers six are to be
150 feethigh and sixty-six 104 feet high.
Oxford university's income for the
past year was 53,000. including 13,
3UO from estates, 1,000 from the press,
21,700) from fees and dues, and 11,
3O0 from miscellaneous sources.
Krupp's woris, at Eseu, now em
ploy 4 2) steam boilers and 400 steam
engines with the aggregate of ls,5oo
horse-power. There are 5J steam ham
mers, carrying weights ranging from
200 pounds to 59 tons.
Tbe largest fire insurauce ever effect
ed in a single order was recently takeu
out by the authorities of Hamburg on
the city mobiliary possessions. It
amounted to $0,000,000, and was divid
ed among fifteen com panics. Among
the Items was &40,U00 on the city li
brary. The general government owes Xew
Jersey 73 cents, an access paid on the
state by the direct tax of lt-Cl. The
United States treasurer s book showes
this and with interest added the
amount would le $1.70 0 but there is
no way of paying it without an act of
Congress.
The Irish Church Synod has been
principally occupied with tbe discussion
of a proposal to allocate 50,000 out of
tbe Church funds to the founding of
exhibitions and professorships in tlie
Divinity School of Trinity College,
md with another to endow the Primacy
vith 25.000.
Ten years ago the Wyoming Stock
mowers' Association was organized
ith ten members, representing 25.000
atlle, worth $500,000. The member
hip low numbers about 100, represent
ng 1,000,000 cattle, worth $30,000,000.
I-ast year 200,000 head was sent to
market, netting the owners about Ji,-