ftfii) 'In ftr THE O0I8TITUTI0I-TEE UIIOI-AID THE CTTOEOEHUT 01 THE LAVS. Editor and Proprietor. B. F. SCHWEIER, MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. JULY 16, 1884. NO. 29. VOL. XXX VI II. . . i i .i 1 JXTSK DS.YS. Orcfca d all In blossom, fields in growing grain, Clovsi ):.! meadow, violets In the lane; ganien, and where'er yon paw, Bound "T' 1,1 dandelions glowing in the Son tree-top. Jot in every shower, V j tv atom, bet in every flower, FieM- fiir with promise, blissful all The air; Frag " 118 fore6t8i sanshine every where. Bow U'j a'ow measure, or my halting Pod . far ! the spirit cf the blessed time? Cas- c- ' to stammer, cease my pen to giler . ' teth better June's transcendent To the Wooming meadow hie at noon away, Where lb- water-lilies spread their petals pay. In the liquid measures or the birdie s tune, you will find outspoken all the soul of Jane. THE LITTLE L1BT. What a sleepy place it was, to be sure, that little Uiverport ; with Its outlook cn tbe broad waters of a muddy river, its steep streets, its old-fashioned houses, whose curiously cut, small win flow panes wink d in the April sunlight, and its elms and poplars which cast a checkered shadow on the stones- It was not far from the sea, and occasional salt breezes roamed op the river, to wander fitfully through the by-ways of the quaint town. High upon the hill stood the church, its stained-glass win dows casting blue and gold shadows on the ground, and bathing the lazv lizards that crept out to sun themselves, with an unwonted glory, and in the church vard the tombstones gleamed white amid a tangle of ankle-deep clover, starred about with daisies. , In this peaceful spot, sentimental couples often wandered ; and some few persons came alone, and fell into a habit of gazing rather wistfully at the mossy graves, and wondering how it felt to t shut out from the light- One voung ladv, in particular, came often, tut sekioni alone this was Echo Tudor, our naughty heroine : imagine a pair of great, soft, provoking black eyes, hair'hke a tangle of rippled sunlight, crimson mouth, short white teeth, and a voice like a bobolink's in June. Echo was a bora coquette, and from her cra dle, upward, she had flirted her way throudi life ; at the mature age of five, trving her wiles on the youth next door, aiid then discarding him for the small boy across the way. Do not let us be too hard upon her, for her cruelty in not caring how much heartache she caused, for she was well punished one dav, for her caprices. Having flirted, successfully, with all t!ie eligible youths of Riverport, she declared herself tired of every one of thtm. and frowned severely upon all sentimental speeches, until relief ar rived in the Fhape of a stranger, Lance lot Verschoyle, a gentleman who came on a visit to one of Echo's friends. Luckily for Echo's peace of mind, May Fox, her friend's daughter, was engaged, and although very pretty, she was voted rather wonderingly by her acquaintances, "not a bit of a flirt." Lancelot was tall and handsome, with straight features, closely-cropped fair hair, the merriest blue eyes in the world, and a "prrfcztlj lmdyu mous tache. "Yes," mused Echo, as she brushed her curling locks, "It is fortu nate that he came, for I'm completely tired of every one here." Cm, Echo 1 my foolish Echo I It so chanced, thai shortly after Lancelot's arrival, they had a picnic in the woods near Kiverport, and on the day appointed, Echo paid especial at tention to her toilet, tying a blue rib ben around her round white neck, and tipping her hat bewitchingly on one side. Thens.e bade her affectionate mamma good-bye, and departed, ac companied by her sister Nellie, who, Lke .May, was engaged. When they reached the picnic ground, ttey found May Fox, Lancelot, Regin ald Browne, Lucy Lyndon, Lill Lav ender (a fair stranger from the tipper part of the river), Victor Despard, and a gocd many others, waiting for their appearance. To describe them all would take some time ; but they might be classified thus : Lucy, an amiable nonentity ; Victor, a fiery Creole, des perately in love with Echo ; Lill, a can did young lady who expressed her opin ion without the slightest regard for any one's feelings ; and Reginald, who de spised Echo and adored Lill. Like wise, there was May's lover, Mark Townsend, who seemed to consider the whole earth a paradise, and the resi dents therein, angels, m such a state of bliss was he ; and this innocent pair of lovers wandered together under the trees, privately wondering if two peo ple had ever before been so happy. ''Warm, Isn't it?" was Lancelot's first remark, as he sat on a bank be side Echo. "Ye-es, rather," was her equally brilliant resiionse, as she inwardly hoped he would drop that worn-out subject the weather. "It looks like a Sunday school, doesn't it ? I'm not very fond of picnics." "Ah," he observed briefly, and sub sided ; Echo smiled feebly in order to encourase him, and finally ended by laughing, more in despair than mirth. "Are you laughing," he asked, "be cause my last remark was so witty, and at the same time, so profound ?" "Exactly," she answered. "But it was partly at Mr. Browne's raptarous countenance, of which I just now caught a glimpse. He is in his element now, with Lill Lavender for a com panion, she is an innocent who never reads almanacs, and therefore he can make bad jokes with impunity." "Happy fellow ! he evidently has an appreciative listener," laughed Lance lot, tipping his hat over his eyes to shade them from the sun. "Miss Echo I may call you so, may I not ? sup Pose you show me the pretty places in tine wood." "Certainly," assented Echo, and the two strolled off, feeling as if they had mown each other for ages. "What a queer, pretty little name you have," lie said, as they walked fcong. "Ani how did you get it ?" ' Please don't think It is because I always have 'the last word.' My name Rebecca lovely, n Vst-ce pas T but waiifc goodness, they shortened it to no. Fancy being called Beckie all one's life 1" By this time they had reached the silver ribbon of a stream, Signified by the name of the BrawL ho knelt down on the bank and dab jd her pretty white hands in the wa Jr, and gazing upward from underneath Je shady brim of her hat, to see how J? companion liked the picture, she vwed that be was looking at her n an intensity which, however flat tering it may have been, wai not very agreeable. "Suppose we try our lurk at fishing," she suggested, and with the aid of two crooked pins and some string, this frivolous pair amused them selves for at least half an hour, sue ceediiig, at last, in landing one very small minnow and a crawfish. "One of the Brawl's fine points is its abundance of fish," said Lancelot, sinking lazily down into the grass be side Echo, to rest from his labors. "What is your chief employment in Rivet-port, Miss Echo ?" "I don't know exactly," arching her eyebrows. "We read novels, watch the passing steamboats, occasionally go boating, and dawdle very much. That is the sum of our daily lives. By-tlie-by, our party must wonder hat has become of us, Sir Lancelot" laughing a little as riie rose, and looking over her shoulder at the lazy figure on the clover "Hadn't we better go ?" "Stand just in that attitude for five minutes, please," said the knight, springing up with rudden animation ; "I waut to put you in a sketch just so; the attitude is perfection ;" and he pro duced his sketch book, going to work with great energy. At last he finished it, and she was free to change her three some position, as he gave his picture a few last touches, writing "Echo," in a corner where it would not be noticed. I wonder if he has it yet the arch, innocent face with its half wistful, half mocking expression, and the bright bead crowned with a flower-wreathed bat. "We must go now," exclaimed she, breaking the irksome silence. "Oh 1 not yet," pleaded Sir Lancelot, "It is so pleasant here." "I'm tired of staying alone," pro tested the wilful girl ; whereupon the knight said, with a reproachful look : "Alone I I must have been very stupid." But Miss Tudor had her own way, as was generally the case, regardless of any one else's pleasure. When they returned they found the party grouped in various attitudes un der the trees. "Where have you been?" was the question with which they were greeted. "Skipping pebbles in the Brawl," an swered Lancelot promptly. "Intellectual amusement," sneered the sardonic Reginald. "Well, but we were studying the habits of insects, such as mosquitos and mats, Mr. Browne," remonstrated Echo, trying to look solemn. Reginald subsided, and tbe graceless couple seated themselves under a broad beech. Fresent'.y they beard Reginald's voice say, "And so you are a poetess, Miss Lavender ?" "Yes," replied the poetess confident ially, "I have written poems on 'The Death of Columbus' and 'The Rose and Lily' and and "Washington I' " "She must have exhausted those themes," commented Echo. "What a varied genius !" was the knight's equally unkind reply. As the day wore on. Echo neglected Lancelot, flirting shamefully with Vic tor, who was in the seventh heaven of delight a proceeding at which Lance lot grew justly indignant, and tried to revenge himself, and pique Echo, by flirting with Lucy, casting the most tender glances, sighing, etc., all the time secretly hoping Echo was watch ing him; but finding that sVe coolly ignored his attempts, he ended by grow ing extremely sulky. Meanwhile, Etho, who was as capricious and as bard to catch as her namesake, was amusing herself very pleasantly; she smiled sweetly, and even went to the length of giving Victor a flower tied with a knot of blue rinbon, which he immediately kissed and put into his pocket. "Oh, you silly Victor I" sighed she, rather softly. "I am no sillier than any other fel low would be under the circumstances," said Victor Echo raised her eyes, and for a moment looked into his face, then dropping her long lashes, she bent her hi ight head, and affected to arrange her flowers. "What n awful flirt that girl is !" thought Lancelot gloomily. - No man cares how much of a flirt a girl is, so long as she turns her atten tions to himself ; but ro sooner does she toss him a smile, and cry, "An re tvir, monsieur!" then what says his lordship? "What a shameful flirt she is?" When the time came for their return home, Lancelot and Victor each begged to be allowed to carry Miss Tudor's basket of flowers. "Which shall I choose ?" she asked, looking from one to the other, in jiretty perplexity ; "You, Victor I" giving him the b.tsket with her brightest smile, re gardless of Sir Lancelot's tragic glance. The four lovers fell behind the rest, lin gering to whisper and loiter as only lovers know how. As the party neared Echo's home, Victor was obliged to tear himself away, as Mark Townsend "wished to speak to him for a moment ;" so Lancelot was left to carry the flowers. Nellie and her lover strolled along further on, and the two were alone at the gate. "Good night," she half whispered "Sir Lancelot 1" letting her hand rest in his for a moment. "I never knew before that my name was so pretty," he replied sentiment ally ; "Call me Sir Lancelot always, will you not?" "Certainly, if you like it," she laugh ed. "Good-night, again " "Good-night"," he responded, and as she stood on the door step, she turned, and seeing him still standing there, flung him a flower ; then without waitr ing for his thanks, she ran into the house, encountering Mrs. Tudor at the head of the stairs. "Who was that with you, Echo?" she asked, "Only Mr. Verschoyle, mamma," Echo replied, dropping her eyes. "But where is Nellie?" inquired mamma. . ,.. 'Oh ! She and Dick walked on a lit tle way." , ,. ... Lancelot often saw Echo after this. Nellie, who was soon to be married and to live in a rretty little house on the Lin octroi! hnr sister one day if she would not walk with her, as she was going to see about some of the arrange ments in her future home. Echo as sented, but being reaay sooner umu Nellie, grew impatient, and called out from the foot of the stairs, "N ell, I can't wait any longer. I'll walk on, and you can join me." nrrr ttpii and wait for me In the churchyard ;" so Echo turned her foot- . i At a:u -.(hum triA hrntm steps toward tne um. ."" i, .,vi distinctly against an in tensely blue sky, its golden cross glit tering like a star in me u.imw" and where a flowering tree, like a cloud Kwm aiiml its ratals on tne grass-grown paths. She opened the gate and walked In ; but the first object that met ner eyes, mauo stare in amazement ; it was Lancelot, ! evidently asleep, his hat off, his closely cropped head pillowed on his arm. and bis clearly-cut profile in relief against the gray stone. As she paused, un certain wtether to come in or to turn back, Lancelot lifted his head with a jerk, and exclaimed, "By Jove I Miss Tudor." "Sir Lancelot sleeping." laughed Echo, mockingly "His knightship in a new aspect." "I assure you, I wasn't asleep ; I Just strolled in, and it was so quiet and sun shiny that I flung myself down on the giass, aud cogitated, until I heard the gate opening," asserted Sir Lancelot. Then they were both silent. A wild passion-flower trembled in the sunny glare ; a shy little brown lizard darted along the fence, aud rustled into the leaves to hide itself. The wind shook lightly the purple blossoms overhead. It was all so still, so bright Echo was vaguely touched and stirred without knowing why. Such golden moments come into our lives sometimes, and often slip by unnoted. Ah I if Lance lot had only spoken then, what trouble they would both have been spared. "Echo," be began in an agitated tone, and sudden y broke off. "Oh I there is Nell ; good afternoon '.Mr. Verschoyle," she cried, and was gone in a moment, leaving mm standing disconsolately among the graves. That very evening as Ecno sat alone in the parlor, by the open window which faced the street, she saw several men coming toward the house. The room was dim, and where she sat in the shadow of the curtain, she could not be seen ; but she could hear distinctly what was said outside. As they passed they were evidently rallying one of their party on his devotion to some one. With surprise Echo heard her own name mentioned, and then a voice Lancelot's voice exclaimed impatient ly : "Nonsense t she is only a nice little girl, very pretty, and pleasant enough to fiirt tcith, vhen no one tetter is pres ent." Their voices and footsteps died away in the distance, leaving the street quiet and deserted. But Echo my poor Echo there she stood, straight and slim, with burning cheeks and heaving breast, one hand grasping the window-sill fiercely. "The wretch !' she muttered, be tween her teeth. "To speak of me in such a way after looking and acting so. Stopl I'll be just the same as ever, and not gratify him by letting him think I care euough about him to be angry." est day, Lancelot came to take Echo out rowing on the river, and outwardly she was the same as when they hat) parted in the churchyard ; therefore it may be seen that Mademoiselle was au accomplished actress. It was rather a grey day, except when a ray of after noon sunlight shot now and then thr-High the clouds, and as they stood on the banks. Echo expressed a fear that it would rain. When they were launched and row ing up the river, the girl found that her position directly opposite Lancelot was decidedly embarrassing, owing to his unpleasant habit of staring. She was very pale, and was dressed all in white, her long, bright, rippled hair dating loosuly back from her face. "How dreary how desolate everything looks this afternoon," said she, with a slight shiver. Gradually their conver sation flowed along, until they began to talk of the ancient days of jousts and tournaments. "What cnwl old times they were," exclaimed Lancelot, and npon Echo's saying that she did not think them so very cruel, he asked, "Could you be 'sans tnerci' to your own true knight, as some of the damsels were ?" "Let any one prove himself false, where I thought him true, and then 1 could be an merci,' "she cried, a sud den gleam in her dark eyes. "Besides," she added softly, "Like tbe Lady of Shallot, I have 'no loyal knight ana true.'" "Do you remember who would have been her knight, had it been possible?" he asked significantly. "I remember only one," she answered coldly, "for whose sake a curse came upon her." Lancelot spoke presently. "May I have your bouquet of forget-me-nots to remind me of to-day ? Darling mav I not ?" She flung back her golden locks, and said, with a solemn smile in her large eyes, holding out the bouquet as she spoke. "Take them, and keep them in remembrance of the little girl who was nice enough to flirt with, when no one better was present." Lancelot gave a sudden start, and drmreinir the oars, caught her bands in his. "Good Heavens, Echo 1 what do you mean ?" "Onlv that I am not the fool you im agine me to be. Let my hands go, and row me to the landing," she cried, and Lancelot mecbanically.obeyed. As they parted at the sate, he began passionately, "Echo, if you will listen tn me " But he was Interrupted by Echo's voice, saying quietly, "Good-Dye Air. Verschoyle ; you need not try to ex ciisa vourself." "Ah 1 1 perceive 'La belle dame sans mere? is being enacted for my benefit. Pardon me, if I say that a little wo manly gentleness would not be unbe coming." and he turned away. As he spoke, the setting sun burst through a cloud, bathing them in its aying raui ance. Xext dav Lancelot was gone. Soon Nellie was married, and went awav to live on the hill among the roses. Life was very hard to Echo at this time to be forced to smile ana look interested, when she was longing tn fpl awav and be alone. One night she could not sleep, so she rose, and go ing to the window, looked out on the purple night, and at tne starry sicy tToavon seemed so Immeasurably calm, m far awav ah I should she ever reach it ? She felt very romantic and miser able, and very much like "Mariana in the Moated Grange," Th low of the cattle sounded from the dark fields below, and just then the bell of a far-off steamboat tolled sol emnly through the silence, dying away h thek unft snlash of the current airainst the shore. "TFOfcou hnpe of changer sobled she, "Ah I that u i the worst Alow mucu uclwi it I were lying in tne cnurcnyaiw , nrtA Ti-vr OTPS souirht the quiet spot. When we wish for death, we little know how near the dread presence is to us. tko mrt mnminir the sun shone with a yellow glare through a veil of clouds ; a sort of a boding hush seemed to rest nrxm the little town, and the ring of footsteps ana voices ukuuiouuj in the arid stillness. Presently the .- vmraf. from the lowerrng sky. The rain poured down in a steady sheet. ani the people plodded along through j the mud. hopping over the pud.;i.--s. ana looking like gigantic bats, with their umbrellas and waterproofs. "The old est inhabitant" stood in his doorway. eyeing the swelling waters, and ex pressed his opinion that the river was risinir, alth mgti such au idea was laughed to scorn. True to his predictions, the river did rise, over its banks, ard kept rising steadily, until those that resided on the shores were obliged to vacate their lower apartments. The philosophic citizens of Riverport, living for the rme in the upper stories of their houses felt sure that the water would soon go down, and were inclined to treat the matter as a gigantic joke. Ihey vis ited each other in skiffs when the sun shone, made allusions to Venice and the gondolas, until they observed that the river was not falling and then they began to look anxious. "The oldest inhabitant" announced, I fear with some satisfaction (it is needless to say he lived 'on the hill), that, it was a regular old-fashioned overflow." There came a night, at last, when none of the Tudor family their house was upon the river bank could sleep on account or their anxiety. They be gan to think it would have been much the wiser course to have moved up the bill, instead of exposing themselves to their present risk. Echo was alone in her room, pacing restlessly up aud down, occasionally glancing out at the sombre scene below, which was now and then lighted up by a vivid flash. Pres ently she flung up the sash, to see how tar the water had risen ; to her horror see discovered that it was up around her window. Outside sounded the hiss of the fall ing rain, and the sullen wash of tbe tidtt, which fairly made the house rock in its ebb and flow. "How the river bas risen I" she exclaimed. "I am afraid the house will be swept away. and we shall all be drowned I" Just then a jagged arrow of lightning tore the sky asunder ; it was followed br a horrible crash. Blinded, dazzled, terri fied. Echo sank on her knees beside the window, and was unconscious to every thing farther. But when the watchers on the hill saw the water was rising, they sent boats to the houses on the riverside. Making its wav through tbe waves, a skiff came to Echo's window, and its sole occupant stepped into the room : what would she have said if she could have seen the one who came to rescue her ? It was lancelot, who, although tcho did not know it, had been in Riverport for the last few days. The lamp burned so dimly that he could hardly distinguish anything in the room, but as be groped bis way through the darkness, a glimmer of white caught his eye. "Echo I" he cried, "I have come to take you away." She neither spoke nor moved. as she asleep or amd t There was no time to lose, so hurriedly taking her in his arms. he place! her in the boat, and then springing in himself, rowed for land with all his might. Through all his trouble and anxiety, throi'gh all the fear tugging at his heart that tbe house npon the hill to which he was taking Echo wonld be a narrow, narrow one, in which he would have no part ; still, he was strangely reminded, as he looked at the white- robed figure with its flowing hair, of the Lady of Shallot, as she floated. dead-pale, between the houses high." He nullel hard against the tide, mak ing tbe skiff skim over the water, and reached the hill at last. Later in the night a noise was heard like the sound of a thousand thunders, followed by the mighty rush of the waters, as they poured out into the river. The grand jevee naa DroKen. ana tne water was rushing away from the River port side, to flood the opposite country. For many days Echo battled with the fierce fever which seemed to burn her life away ; but she did not die, for she was young, and youth d'les not let life slip from its grasp so easily. By the time she was able to go out into the open air, Riverport bad resumed its fa miliar aspect : but Echo did not Know, even then, who it was that had rescued ber,;until her sister elhe casually men tioned it. Echo sank back on her couch with flushing cheeks, longing, yet not darinz to ask whether he was still in the village. One evening she was in Nellie's garden gathering flowers, un conscious that Sir Lancelot's Diue eyes were watching her. The scene looked like a flimsy little bit of genre Maiden plucking rows blue sky golden clouds jasmine and honeysuckle lilies for a backtround tawny head in relief against white flowers and so on, ma in auite a pretty little picture. Sir Lancelot I" she cried, turning suddenlv. and seeing him. Perhaps encouraged by the sound of the old name, he came to the gate, ana said softly. "ISclle dame sans tiktci, will you let me in, and give me one or your roses ?" And perhaps just perhaps she let him in, and gave him-a nower. Distilling suu ol Bom, "Genuine attar of roses,' lemarked a New York chemist, "wnicn is maae in India and Australia, costs f 100 an mince at the Dlaces of distillation. It takes OU.UUU rose uiooma to j leiu an n,,na nf attur Tliftv am the common lUUVU W I . J roses, and grow in great profusion in California, wnere tne aisuiiauou oi l tor -Mil.! h made a vprv nroB table in dustry. I have seen hedge-rows near Samona, in that State, so aense wun ti.ocA iwuui that the odor from them on a warm Ml lfrr dav ranged a feeling of peculiar faintness and oppression hi the passer-ny. mis is tne eueut oi iuo hi. ar that is distilled hr the heat and moist air, and is held suspended, as It were, in the atmosphere, "There is money in that cause of faintness and indolence, but in this i . i t a. a l country not only tne sweetness, out mo great value of the flowers, is wasted on the desert air. In Northern India the roses are regularly cultivated. They aie planted in rows in fields, and require no particular care, nueu uiej vcmu in iiinnm thov ftrn nicked before mid- 1 j asiwu mw - r - day. The work is done by women and irhn seem to reirard it more as a pleasure than a pursuit of labor. The rose leaves are aiaunwi ui their weight of water, wnicn is arawn These are allow- UU. UJW V ) " ' tn ctanri nvpr niirht- being covered .u i- n w ,,n -;th ointh tn keen out dirt and in sects. Ill the morning the water is coated with a mm oiiy mm. iuu a row, ortor nf rnaA. It is skimmed in o lat u powh " - t - off with a fine feather and dropped into vials. Thi process continues daily untd the bushes cease to oiouiu. ou it, uuj .n h im-Krinnd that anv essence or od that requires the distilling of 50000 roses to fill an ounce rial has a right to bare a good price set upon iu - Aston Signatures. Joe Jefferson's penmanship would be almost undecipherable if the name were not recognized by the J's and fa. Those letters seemed strung along in an ink wave. Charles Wyndham has a breezy sig nature that wanders up the page in an erratic sort of way, but can be quite easily interpreted. Billy Florence writes his name witn- out allowing the pen to leave tbe papei until all is over. It is therefore hard to read. Rose Evtinge's signature Is In a wood- type size of letter, with a dash of di plomacy and a shriek of emotion in every character. John McCullough Is not a good pen man, the letters are not more than half formed, and look rude enough to have been written with a shovel; still they are plain. Margaret Mather's signature is very sick-looking. The writing Is that of a novice and the poorest in the whole collection. There is a great deal of dialect in Fanny Janauscheck's signature. It is about three-fourths German and the rest a mixture of Fulton street and the United States. Edwin Booth's cranky signature starts in wildly by jumbling the first three letters hopelessly together, but comes out clearly and distinctly in the last name, and winds tip with a great flourish across the paper. Thomas W. Keene's signature is in strange contrast with the style of his acting. Not a flourish mars it, and nobody would take it to be the hand writing of a voracious scene-eater. J. U. Stoddart, the comedian of the Union Square company, is a little ner vous in handling his pen, but signs his name in a neat, round hand, not unlike Oscar Wilde's style of penmanship. James O'Nell, one of America's rep resentative actors, would not represent his country very well in a writing con test. His style is large and unshapely, ana tbe signature is made without lift ing the pen. J. K. Emmet writes his name in a large, angular hand, the initial letters being tanglvd up as cleverly as any bank signature that was ever seen. Stuart Robson makes a separate start at each letter in his name, and is quite dudesque in his signature. W. U. Crane writes a plain, round back-hand, and finishes with a flourish under the signature. Alice Harrison signs herself in a mauly way for the whole family, which includes herself and her two clever brothers. "Three of a kind" Is what she calls tbe group. Maggie Mitchell's signature is plain an 1 uuassumiJas she is herself. Modjeska writes a pretty band, but foreign. "Helene Modjeska" is the way she puts it. Jeffreys Lewis writes a big. bold hand, aud evidently means it, too. Look at lb River. Mark Twain, in his "Life on the Mississippi," describes the daring deed of a pilot, upon whose mind the shape of the river was so photographed that he ran an intricate and dangerous cross ing at night. We condense the narra tive; There were several visiting pilots on board, going down to "look at the river." All agreed that it would be folly to attempt Hat Island crossing at night. An hour before sunset Mr. Bixby took the wheel. At last somebody said, with a doomful sigh, "Well, yonder's Hat Island and we can't make it." Tbe sun dipped behind the horizon, the boat went on. Inquiring looks passed. We bore steadily down the bend. More looks were exchanged. In sensibly the pilots drew behind Mr. Bix by. as the sky darkened. Mr. Bixby pulled the cord, and two deep, mellow notes from the big bell floated off on the night, Then a pause of one more note was struck. The watchman's voice followed from a hur ricane deck: "J-abboard lead, there! Stabboard lea.ll" The crea of the leadsman began to rise in the distance: "M-a-r-k three! . . . M-a-r-k three! . . . Quarter-less-three I ... Half twain! . . . Quarter twain! . . . M-a r-k twain! ... Quarter-less!" Mr. Bixby pulled the bell-ropes, and was answered by faint jinglings far below in the engine room, and our speed slackened. Every pilot in tbe lot was on the watch now. Nobody was calm and easy but Mr. Bixby. ne would put his wheel down and stand on a spoke, and as the steamer swung in her (to me) invis ible marks for we seemed to be in the midst of a wide and gloomy sea he would meet and fasten her there. Out of the murmur of half-audible talk, one caught a coherent sentence now and then such as: "There! she's over the first reef all right!" "Her stern's coming down just exact ly nghtl" "Now she's in the marks; over she goes!" "Oh, it was done beaut ifull beauti- fuil" Now the engines were stopped, and we drifted with the current. Presently I discovered a blacker gloom than that which surrounded us. It was the bead of the Ldand. We were closing right down upon it. We entered its deeter shadow. Mr. Bixby stood by his wheel, silent, intent, and all the pilots stood shoulder to shoulder at his back. "Shell not make it!" somebody whis pered. The water grew shoaler and shoaler, by the leadsman ?s cries, till it was down to "Eight-and-a-half! . . . E-l-g-h-t feet! Seven-and;" Mr. Bixby said warningly through bis speaking-tube to the engineer: "Stand by, now!" "Aye. aye. sir!" "Seven-and-a-half! . . . Seven feet! . . . Six-and" We touched bottom! Instantly Mr. Bixby set a lot of bells ringing, and shouted through the tuhe: "Abu), let her have it every ounce you ve gotl" Then to his partner, "Put her hard down I snatch herl snatch herl" Tbe boat rasped and ground her way through the sand, hung npon the apex of disaster a single tremendous instant. and then over she went! And such a shout as went np at Mr. Bixby's back nevar loosened the roof of a pilot-house before! Mr. Bixby was a hero that night. Fully to realize the marvelloas pre cision required in laying the great steamer in her marks in that murky waste of water, one should know these facts: She mus . pick her intricate way through sn ags and blind reefs, and then shave the head of the Island so closely as to brush the overhanging foliage with her stern. At one place she must pass almost within arm's length of a sunken and in visible wreck that would have pierced ner had she struck it. and destroyed a quarter ef a million dollars' worth of steamboat and cargo, and maybe a hun dred and fifty human lives. "But he's a lightning pilot!" said one of our guests, and a criminally reckless one to take such a risk. A Turkish Bortw Sailor. The owner was called for, and a strapping fellow about 10 years of age approached. He was attired in the Turkish costume, consisting ol a snort Jacket, blue vest embroidered and cov ered with bell buttons, baggy Dreecnes, yellow sash, goatskin boots, and red fez: his hair was short, face dark, with bright gleaming eyes, and a fierce mus tache. He was above the medium size, and withal a pleasant-looking fellow. "Now. my son." said the captain, "how much do you ask for the horse?" Making a salaam the Kura answerea: "Master, if thy servant hath found favor in thine eyes, thou shalt have the horse tor 200 sequins." "O. Father of the faithful, hear tne thief!" shouted the old fellovr with the swivel neck. Two hundred sequins for the brute, when I will sell my beauti ful lastfcr 100." "You ask too much, my son," said the captain. "Thou seest, O Frangistani, that my horse is swift as an arrow from the bow, and that be springeth like a jackal. See his loins; they are in strength as the lion." "I see all these things O child of the Faithful, but yet thou askest too much. "Well, please Gid, thou wilt buy him for 150 sequins." "Now. may dogs defile thy grave. thou robbeil" shouted the fellow who sported the blue gabardine and yellow slippers. "Wouldst thou cheat the stranger within our gates, when for eighty sequins he can buy my beast, the pride of riassora, instead ol mount ing thy old camel, which is fit for noth ing but lepers to ride?" "1 will count down Into thine band twenty sequins with the sultana of Jr rangistaa thereon for thy horse," saia the captain. "What hath thy servant done to thee, O master, that thou should thus revile him? Say eighty, and we shall rejoice," "No; I will give thee twenty." "Fifty sequins, and he is thine," "No." "He is of the children of Araby; but still thou mayest have him for forty." 'Twenty, or we shall depart in peace." "In Allah's name, say thirty." "No." "Well, thou shalt have him for twen ty; but be kind to Selim, for be is a good horse, and loves not beating." Every Other Haa4- Two residents of Springfield had a difficulty over a game of cards the other day and the result was the arrest of one for assault and battery. When the case was called yesterday the complain ant took the stand to explain how it happened. "You see, Judge, he began, "we were three points up." "What's a point!" blandly inquired the court. "Why. we were plaving five-point euchre. We each had three. A point counts one, your Honor." "Ahl" "He dealt, and it was my lead." "Deal lead. Please explain?" "Why, he shuffled the cards and dealt the hand, and it was my first play." "Well, go on. Perhaps I can under stand." "1 led the ace of diamonds and be trumped it with a club. That is, he refused suit." "Do you mean he refused to be sued?" "No, sir. I'd like to explain this thing to you, because it was about the suit we had the fuss." "I see go on. You said you put a diamond down on the table. Did he grab it?" "He trumped it with a club." "Ah! Did you see him carrying this club around before you sat down to play?" "Your honor, I'd like to take a pack of cards and explain to you. "No use no use. I've heard some of tbe Alderman speak about the right and left bowers, and I've heard of jacks and kings and aces, but it wonld be lost time to try to show me. You don't seem to have any case." "Bat that's because you do not un derstand me. When I charged him with refusing suit he struck me in the mouth." "Did, eht Well, there Isn't any case to speak of. The prisoner is dischar ged, and you'd better whack np on the costs " "And to think!" groaned the coun sel for the plaintiff as he reached the sidewalk, "that only the evening before this same innocent old J. P. beat me out of seven glasses of beer at that very game of euchre, and IH take my sol emn affidavy that he stocked the cards on me at least every other hand. She 'wont Go, He had been very kind and solicitous for several days and at breakfast yester day morning he suddenly remarked: "My dear, you dont know how bad it makes me feel to see you look so thin and care-worn." "Yes." she softly replied. "You must have lost at least Ave pounds in the last month." "I presume so." "And that haggnrd expression shows overwork and need of rest." Yes." "Dear me! but I could never forgive myself if you should go into a decline." 'See here, Henry I" she replied, as she laid down her fork and looked him sqnare in tbe eye, "you want to drop that! If yon think you can pack me off to the country for a month and leave you to gallop around here you have got hold of the wrong ena oi the string!" He sighed heavily, but made no reply. and yet as he stood on the comer wait ing for the car, and Smith asked him how his wife was, he answered: "Picking right np, thank you. She's gaining a pound a week right along, and was never in better spirits." Texas will send more cattle North this season, it is stated, than ever be- tora. A Dead Shot. A l-.t Af QnmmM tftnnt9 WrPT On thr beach at Los Angeles, San Francisco, the other day watching some fancy rifle shooting by a party of professional otter hunters who had come over from the Channel Islands for a Sunday lark. Thean rpallv wonderful marksmen. most of them native Californians, were killing gulls on tbe water, Dreaaini? bottles and hitting dollars thrown in when a dudish looking young man from 'Frisco yawn ed in a broad manner ana reniameu iu a very audible voice to a companion that he didnt see anvthing very won derful in that sort of snooting. This produced a series of sarcastical ly nnhtA retorts on the Dart of the original lords of the soil. "PerhaDS the gentleman could snow them something better?" "Well, I don't know," replied the young man, languidly taking one of the hunters' Winchesters. "I might if anmehndv would hold a cork or something on his head for me." The riflemen showed their teetn wan amusement. "Doubtless." said one of then, wink ing at his companions, "doubtless the gentleman's tnena win oDiige mm. "Whir tn Kb nrn " drawled the dude, looking around. But his fellow dude sauntered off and was standing some three hundred yards further along the beach meditatively smoking a long nine. "Ah! there's Cholly," said the lan guid party, cocking the gun. "Let mt Yon nhaerve that he has a cig ar in his mouth. Very well. I'll pat a hole through it," ana taning a care 1 sirrht h flrpil At the renort the smoker gave a sudden start, took out . .. .. i .1 ana examinea nis iiavana, ami uieu shook his fist angrily, ThApnrim crowd ran toward him. Sure enough, there was a hole right through tbe center or tne cigar, almost cutting it m half. "That's the fourth cigar you've spoiled for me," said the smokit-g dude in a vexed tone. "I wish you'd stop that sort of thing." "That's the most wonderful shot I ever saw," said an old gentleman to the shooter the next morning. "Such a terrible risk, too." 'Nothing wonderful about it," saia tbe California Tell, confidentially. " A II rnn hava In 1r is ti hav vonr confederate cut a hole in the cigar with a penknife beforenana. u s a doss scheme!" The Island ot gulo. A letter from Sulu savs, in Mainbun Chinese Seas, the residence of the Sul tans, there lives not a single European. A small number of Chinese once settled there, but they were driven away soon er or later by the natives. The whole town, which is very romantically situa ted, consists of huts built on piles. Even the Sultan's Palace does not deserve a grander name. In the inte rior of the island, which is in its primi tive state, there is net a civilized being. with the exeeption of a planter and his family. This planter, is a German, named Schuk, who has created a real ptradise in the midst of the wilderness. Ha was once a captain of a ship, and furnished the natives with German needle-guns and ammunition during the invasion of the Spaniards, He took first a schooner and then a steamer, which, with their cargoes, were confis cated by the Spaniards. Scbuck, strange to say. was not taken, and the then sul tan, Mahommed Imallo A lam, present ed hin'wilh a considerable piece of land, which he carefully cultivated, since that time Shuck has been on the most friendly terms with the royal family, educates the children, and is idolized by the natives. After residing for some years in Sulu, he sent to Ger many for his family, which at present consists of three daughters and a son, all under the age of twenty. 1 his fam ily paid us a visit on board the Ltipsic, where they wete most kindly received by the captain and officers. At present there is a difficulty about the Sultan of Sulu. Mahammed. mentioned above, died a few years ago, and shortly after bis son and successor also died, so that only the old Sultana, with two sons in their minority, is left behind. But there is a grown-tip son of the Sultan by one of his slaves, whom part of the subjects wish to have as Sultan until the real heir comes of age, which is at sixteen, while the greater part of the people, and most of the chiefs, have already acknowledged the legitimate successor in spite of his minority. The dispute is to be settled by a civil war, which would be very welcome to the Spaniards. DnpUeaM Wedding Presents. A vounz man drove up to one of TV.mrtsa livarrr tahlfl signaled to the proprietor, and gallantly handed a young lady out or tne carriage, a no pair were about te walk away, when the proprietor called out: "Ahemi une moment, young man, please." "Well?" said the young man, com ing back, reluctantly. "One dollar and fifty cents, if you please." "An yes. jlook nere a minute, tr They stepped into the stable togethre. "You saw that girl?" queried the young man nervously, "Yes." "WVre engaged." "Indeed!" "Yes; got engaged while e were out riding." "Well, l dont see now mat relieves you from paying for my team,' said the liveryman, dubiously. Oh, no, no it don't. But It sug gests a way to my mind." "What's that?" TTMd nn a rnnnla nf WM1rl and I'Tf " . - - - pay you in duplicate wedding presents." As A nolens Trapper. Ud a tributary of the Pend d'Oretlle river, on which is situated Thompson's Fails, is a 1 renenman namea capuste Duchrane. He is 103 years of age, and fiist 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 daujhter at Fort Corville 70 years old, or whom he always speaks oi as "my baby." Duchrane was a member of Col. Ashley's expedition in 1S02, and trapped for the company all that season. After that be trapped and sold furs to both the Hudson Bay and American Fur companies, ne ascended the Yel lowstone river in 1S04 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. NEWS BRIEF. Maryland forbids pool selling under penalties. Great Britain has ISO.OOO acres in apple orchards Pans has lately been having a mad dog epidemic Women now serve on juries in Washington Territory. A colored woman is studying med icine in Paris. This tear's cotton crop in the South is figured at 5, 700,000 bales. There are ISO women enrolled as students in the University of Michi gan. The total number of recognized species of Australian fishes now reaches 1291. The school teachers of Vermont are prohibited by law from using tobac co in any form. Prairie dogs, it is estimated, de stroy annually ten millon dollars' worth of grass in Texas. The value of the fish caught by Canadian fishermen during 1SH3 is placed at $ 17,000.000. A poorbouse at Mars HilL Me., has just lost by death an inmate who was 105 years old. Females in Great Britain are in ex cess of the males to the number of seven hundred thousand. Citizens of Victoria (B. C.) assem bled in mass meeting recently, and de nounced gambling. The total numler of separa'e farms in the United States is 4,0u0, 000, valued at $10,OUO,000,OUO. The great mass of the people of Mexico are Indians. The ruling class es are mainly Spanish. One million boxes of matches are produced daily by one machine in use at a factory in Sweden. In both Germany and Austria paper Is now being extensively used for the manufacture of bottles. War is being carried on in several cities in this country against the "swing ing sign nuisance" just now. Worchester is stocking her city reservoir with 20,000 laud-locked sal mon from the State hatchery. Ten cents a word is now the highest rate paid for telegraphing from one point to another in tub country. A new geyser basin has been dis covered in the Yellowstone Valley, ten miles south of tbe petrided forest, Fifty thousand dollars a year Is ex pended by the Bauk of England In feed ing its clerks during business hours. The entrance to St. John's harbor has been nearly closed, it is reported, by from nine to ten miles of icebergs. Petroleum, as a fuel on the locomo tives of Russian railways, is said to be 50 per cent cheaper than coal or wood. The United States raise nearly half of the number of bogs produced in the world. Iowa takes the lead with 5,170, 445. The Paris police arrested about 200 vagabonds in one haul recently in the Tuilenes Garden and the Louvre Square. Women it appears are at a premium in Washington Territory, $100 being offered by C'osmopolis for the first wo man settler. Within the past twenty-one years the number of female doctors in tbe United States has incieased, nearly 7000 per cent. The number of electors now on the regi.rter in Great Britain is 2 600.144 in England and Wales. 230,156 in Ireland, and 331,264 in Scotland. The total number of separate farms in the United States is 4,0u0,000, and their aggregate value is estimated at nineteen billion dollars. Denver, Col., bas a 900 foot arte sian well that is said to yield water al most exactly the same (by analysis) as the famous Spa water in Germany. It cost f 06,223 per mile to build the Pacitic railroads. The New Mexico Central has been built at a cost of $24, 0U0 per mile. The latter was fully as difficult to contract and as expensive. A telegraphic message at the rate of from twelve to fourteen words a minute, was recent!y sent over 7000 miles of wire from London to Calcutta. New York imports on an average about 30,01 0 bushels of bananas a week. None come from Florida, which barely raises enough for its own consumption. The Aborigines of the Chatham Islands dispose of the remains of a de ceased fisherman by lashing him fast in a boat, with a baited line in hand, and sending it adrift to sea. The liability of the American peo ple for the public debt is I-M.40 per cap ital; at tbe end of the war it was $78. 25; the interest liability is ninety-hve cents, as against $4.29 in 1S65. A company of Englishmen and Scotchmen have bought 28,000 acres of mineral land near Chattanooga, Tenn., and will put up two blast furnaces, with a capacity of 250 tons a day. It is said that in the Mesilla Valley in New Mexico apple trees bear the second year after planting, peaches the second year from the seed and grapes the third year. A sawfish was captured near Jack sonville, Florida, a few days ago, measuring 14 feet in length, with a saw three feet three inches long and about seven inches wide. A strange method of disposing of the dead is practiced by the Parsees. who, instead of burying the remains of deceased persons, allow them to be de voured by vultures. The Duke of Marlborough has offered to let the National Gallery have twelve of the Blenheim pictures fur $2,000,090. The Raphael and the Ru bens 'family picture" are included. London has seventy-six guilds en dowed by wealthy benefactor for the benefit of different trades, and their trust property alone yields an income of one million dollars annually. Sugar, which is the chief staple of Louisiana, employs in that State, it is estimated, ninety million dollars of capital, and is the almost exclusive sup port of four hundred thousand people. Tbe cabinet of manuscript of the National Library of Paris includes 92, 000 volumes, either bound in boards or portfolios, as well as 144,000 medal ct all periods, both French and Foreign. ' Word comes from Lei Angeles, CaL, of a terrible destruction of fruit by lin nets. More damage has been done in that vicinity by these vicious little birds this year than by all the other pests pet together.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers