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.