mm JUlfc Mi B. F. SCHWEIER, TEE OOISTITUTIOI THE 115103 AID TEE EHTOBGEMEST OP TEE LAVS. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. XXXVIII. MIFFLINTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 27, 1SS4. NO. 35. SSOI.ITCHR. Iauh, ami the world laughs with you ; Weep, and you weep alone. For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth, Uut has trotrKe enough of its own. Pine, and the hills will answer; Sigh, It is lost on the air; The echoes bmlud to a joyful sound. But shrink from voicing care, Itejuice, and men will seek you ; Grieve, and they turn and go. They want full measureof all your pleasure, l'.ut they do not need your woe. IV glad, and your friends are m.my ; lie sad, and you lose theui all. There are none to decline your nectared wine, l'.ut aloue you must drink life's gall. Feast, and your halls are crowded ; Fast, and the world goes by. Succeed and give and it helps you live, l'.ut no man can help you die Tin-re is room in the halls of pleasure For a laige and lordly train, ltut one by one we must all tile on Through the narrow aisles of pain. Hr.KVET DAVKNAJIT. "Brother llervey, I expect a vis.tor," Miss Jaue Davenant said nervously one tuon icg. as she handed her brother his third cup of tea. "I hoi you won't mind, dear." 'Now, Jane, what's the ueof hoping any such thins; when you know perfectly well that I shaU mind ?" Mr. Dave nant answered, with a grim smile and a shrg of his broad shoulders. 'I'm very sorr, dear.'' " Ytrv sorry 1" Mr. Davenant ex claimed. "That's so like a woman. Jane. Why do you invite ieople hpre ? If you didn't, you would have no occa sion to be sorry, and so escape a very unpleasant mental condition," he added, in an argumentative tone which his sis ter dreaded more than anything else in the world ; for if she were once beguiled into a contioversy with llervey. her point, whatever it might happen to be, w as lost. "I dou't like doing anything that dis pleases you, brother ; but in this in stance 1 dou't really see how I can help myself. I had a letter from an old schoolfellow, requsiing me to give her ' "There. Jane pray do not go into explanations. You've had letters from old schoolfellows, requesting the same thing, about every six months for the last fifteen years. Have her here by all means. I'll eliminate myself 1"' Mr. Davenant said, with a certain air of resignation. "I'll go to Wales, or Scot land, or anywhere out of reach of your old schoolfellows !" "Now, brother, that's scarcely kind of you," Miss Jane declared, with the faintest semi-tone of indignation in her gentle voice, and something suspiciously like a tear in her soft gray eyes. "I do not often have any one come, and M:ss Tieherne will stay only a few weeks." "Uh, only a few weeks 1' Mr. Dav enaut rejoined sarcastically. "And what is to become of me during that time ? Of course I shall be neglected ; I always am when theie's company." "That's not very often, llervey." o, fortunately. A tew weeks in deed 1 No rest, uo quiet, no study, late breakfast, late luncheon, late din uer, late everything I No, no. Jane I Enjoy your friend's society by all means ; be happy, my dear, over your afternoon tea and mutual reminiscences of by-gone days; but I'll vanish." "That's just what you must not do, llervey," Miss Jane replied, with an unusual amount of energy. "You must remain here, brother, and help me to entertain Miss Treherne." "Help you to entertain Miss Tre herne, Jane I Well, upon my word, that's the coolest request I've heard for litteeu years I" Mr. Davenant cried, in comical amazement. "It's the only request of the kind I've made, brother, during fiiteen years. I have iesiected your wish for seclusion and fallen into all your habits, and I think you might give way to me in this s-mall matter," Miss Jane said quietly. "True, true, sister I I'm very selfish a perfect bear, I know ; but then 1 hate women. You're the only endura ble one I ever met, my dear ; and, in consideral ion of yourgeneial be havior, I'll make a iuartr of myscif just this once. I'll stay, and endeavor to the best of my poor ability to enter tain this Miss Treherne that's what you want, is it not ? devoutly hoping that she will not be vivacious, or intel lectual, or philosophical, or strong minded, or have missionary sympathies or agricultural tendencies, though, after all, as boredom is inevitable, one might as well be bored one way as another. When does your friend arrive, Jane ?" "This evening," Miss Jane replied, after consulting a letter. "I should like to send the carriage to llailsham to meet her." "Certainly, my dear. What time do we dine ?" "The same time as usual, of course, brother Miss Treherne 's presence will make no difference in our arrangements, except that we shall use the large drawing-room instead of the small." "Where I am to present myself m Ienitential costume at a quarter-past six, to be irtroduced to your friend.and hand her in to dinner ?" llervey said, with his grim smile. "I'll be there, Jane, though 1 would just as soon go to the dentist and have my soundest premolar extracted. You may rely upon me, sister. And now go and commence those mysterious preparations which I have witnessed from time to time. Ha rass the cook, worry the butler, tor ment your maid, fldget yourself into a lit or a fever, simply because there's a woman coming to stay for a few days, Uo, my dear, and leave me to quiet con templation of the great event." Miss Jane, in mute obedience, took up her key-basket and left the breakfast-room, while her brother thiew down the Times and marched up and down the apartment in a sort of comic consternation. A tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested man of forty, looking much older, with brown eyes, deeply st under heavy brow?, brown skin, brown hair, whiskers, beard, and mustache, save for the streaks of silver they showed, a fine set of white teeth, and a firm decided chin a liandsome, healthy, wealthy man, with an iron constitution and per fect digestion ; by nature genial, socia ble, generous; with a good deal of sly dry humor ; by habit grim, sarcastic, taciturn ; a mail who, without any ap parent earthly reason, adopted misan thropy as a religion, and rigorously lived up to his creed such was Hervey Davenant. At five-and-twenty he had returned from a prolonged foreign tour to find both his father and mother dead and hiuisv'lf heir to a large unencumbered estate. AVithout any demonstration of Joy or sorrow, he had settled down at Davenant Hall with his only sister, where his persistent seclusion soon cut him off from old friends and prevented him from making new. Miss Jane, though ten years older, looked up to and reverenced her brother with a blind sort of hero-worship. Though person ally fond of society, she acquiesced in all llervey 's plans, and fell into his ways Insensibly. Miss Jane had met with a disappointment when very young, and, though neither soured nor blighted by it, people saw at a glance that "Miss Jane" she would remain to the end of the chapter. But, for all her apparent devotion to Hervey and unprotesling sanction of his mode of life, Miss Jane, in her se cret soul, was not satisfied. She thought it a sin and a shame that her fcrand, haudsome, clever brother should mope away the best years of his life in a gloomy library, surrounded by musty folios, and dusty dead bats and beetles, and other hateful dUbrti of animal life. She longed to see him marr'd and fill ing his proper place in society, and, not venturing to openly express her wishes, set numerous little .traps to catch his unsuspecting and unwary af fections. But, though Miss Jane fan cied that she arranged her plans with Machiavellian diplomacy, they were as transparent as water to the keen per ception of the intended victim. Her vey seemed to know by intuition when an ambuscade was prepared, and always maaaged to cover his retreat, if not with dignity, at least with security to himself and defeat to the enemy. But Miss Jane was an inveterate match-maker, and pursued her designs year after year, very hopeful of ulti mate success despite repeated failure; though the ninety-ninth matrimonial bait for Hervey failed, she set the hun dredth with unshaken faith. Miss Tre herne she meant to take the citadel by storm, Never before had she gone so openly and undisguisedly to work ; and her plan would at least have the advan tage of novelty. A bidy visitor at Davenant Hall the misanthrope regarded as a simple nui sance which necessitated his leaving home for as long a period as she chose to remain ; but, as he could generally contrive to make himself tolerably com fortable in a hotel somewhere, he did not regard the arrival of ore of Jane's f iends as a very serious disaster. But that there should be a visitor, and that he should have to remain at home, meet her, and help to entertain her, was quite another thing; how to set about such a task exercised his mind a good deal. S'."l. he reflected, Jane was a very good rrtature, who seldom troubled him in any way ; doubtless her friend was a very dear old one, or she would not 1 so anx'ous that he should show her some attention. She was not danger iis i mm a matrimonial point of view ou that head he was quite satisfied or she would have been introduced sur reptitiously, and made known to him without warning. In all probability she was a prim antiquated lady in lace mittens and siectacles, probably with extreme religious views, and ierhaps chronic broucbitis. She would be a bore however of that he was morally certain ; still, to oblige Jane, he would, if it were necessary, 1 civil to ai.y six of the most objectionable of her school fellows, for in his secret heart, far down below the cynical and misan thropical strata, Hervey Davenant dearly loved his sister. "This is Miss Treherne, Hervey. Ef fief'niy love, this is my brother," Miss Jane said hurriedly, inverting the usual order of introduction in her blind be lief in Mr. Davenant's absolute suprem acy. "How do you do, Mr. Davenant ?" The misanthrope was standing on the white fleecy hearthrug in the drawing room, looking down curiously at a young girl who knelt there, warming her hands before a blar'ng fire a very slight girl dressed in black, with pale golden wavy hair fastened carelessly with a black ribbon low down on her neck, bright hazel eyes, a delicate col orless complexion, and a sweet happy smile. She looked little more than a chi:d as she knelt in the firelight and glanced up half curiously, half fearful ly at Hervey, who, after making a formal bow and muttering some unin telligible commonplace on the pleasure of meeting his sister's friend, stood sol emnly silent. A bright imperious winning little girl, with a half-pleading, half-commanding voice and wholly fascinating maimer, Effie Treherne rubbed her del icate little white bauds, and prattled about her journey, her impressions of the country, of Davenant nail, and every object that happened to catch her observant eye as she was driven from llailsham. In a few moments dinner was announced, and, silent still, with a gravity that was more sad than grim, llervey took the young lady to the dining-room, and, with a politeness which Lord Chesterfield himself might have envied, anticipated all her wants and wishes. In her wildest flights of imag ination Miss Jane never pictured such a metamorphosis in her morose brother; aud yet she was not satisfied. All through dinner she was nervous and un happy ; there was a look of sad re proach and positive pain in Hervey's eyes which she could not at all compie hend. lie looked at Eflie Treherne in a strange thoughtful way, as though he were endeavoring to recollect an old ra ther than study a new face. Miss Jane was very unhappy ; she feared she had made some terrible mistake without having the faintest idea what it was ; so that, between her anxiety and Her vey's silence, the dinner was but a dull affair, in spite of Elbe's lively chatter and flow of eager childish questions. At length it was over. Hervey held the door open for his sister and her vis itor to pass, promised to join them very soon, and then made a dash up to his room, crammed some miscellaneous articles into a portmanteau, rang his bell violently, and by the time it was answered forgot what he rang for, kicked the portmanteau out of sight, anAJeturning to the dining-room, rest ed his elbows on the table, his head upon his hands, and indulged in a long reflection. His forty years sat more heavily on him that night than he ever remembered to have felt them before ; his brow seemed marked with deeper lines, his very hair appeared to him to have grown grayer, and a look of suffer ing had come into his eyes since they rested three hours before on Effie Tre herne's face in the firelight. The mis anthrope had received a shock for which Miss Jane's philosophy could in no way account ; there was something at the bottom cf it, she felt confident and so indeed there was 1 The romance of Hervey Davenant's somewhat unromantic life, the secret of bia gloomy misanthropical notions, bad at last come to the surface, drag ged from its hiding-place by the face and voice of Eflie Treherne. With pain ful distinctness they recalled to Her vey's remembrance the garden of a pretty villa on the South Coast on a sul try July evening twenty years before A young girl, with Eflie's hazel eyes, pale golden hair and winning voice, sat on a low garden chair, listlessly pulling a fc'.eat crimson rose to pieces and strew ing its velvety petals over her white dress and on the grass at her feet. Her face was very pale.her eyes had a strange unrest in them, though her voice was calm enough, as she told the dark-eyed eager-faced boy who leaned familiarly over the back of her chair that she ex pected a friend the next day the gen tleman to whom she was engaged. This whs in reply to some impassioned re mark of the boy's, as he secretly ca ressed one of the soft golden curls that hung over her shoulders. He remem bered, boy though he was, how the evening sky suddeuly became overcast, how the flowers seemed to lose their pei fume, and how the blue sea in the distance grew troubled and sighed in s miathy with the desolation that had fallen upon him. In the few seconds that silently elapsed after those simple words of Alice Leigh's he seemed to die and be buried, to experience a suc cession of infinite changes, to rise again a man, like in outward semblance only to the eager-laced boy of the past, lie had known Alice Ieigh hve weeks long, glorious, golden, utterly uncloud ed weeks. The first shadow that ever fell upon them was their annihilation. Alice was engaged to be married, and llervey Davenant was dead and buried passed away out of sight and mind as though he had never been. With a smiling face and unclouded brow Hervey said farewell to Alice and her father to the bright dreams and golden visions of the precious five weeks, to lioe and faith and ttust and happiness. With a gay adieu he left the villa, smiling bitterly to himself, as he proceeded down the path, at the sweetness, the power, and the cruelty of a woman. A few short weeks be fore he was a human being instinct with life and hope ; now he was a ghost doomed for a certain time to walk the eaith hopeless and joyless because Alice Leigh was engaged to be married. "Mast ou leave us, Effie ?' Effie Treherne bowed her head over her embroidery, blushed vividly, won dered where on earth "aunt Jane" was plainly she was very much at home amongst them and finally glanced up m mute appeal not to be questioned any further. But Hervey Davenant was sitting by her side ou the sofa, effectually cutting off her retreat, very grave, very reso lute, though not quite so grim-looking as ou that evening a month before.when she glanced up at him so curiously from the rug. "Tell me, dear must you leave us ?" he repeated more sternly. He meant to have an answer. "No, 1 mustn't ; but I should,"' was the rather vague reply, after much hes itation and sundry glauces in the direc tion of the door. " Why should you ? Are we not very happv, Effie?" "Yes ; but, but " "But what, dear ?" "I wish you wouldn't ask me so many questions, Mr. Davenant," the girl said desjerately. "I have just one more to ask, dear only one," Hervey whispered, drawing closer to her. "Listen, Eflie." "Oh, no, no please 1" and Eflie's little hands were clasped over her eyes in protest. But Hervey drew them both away with one of his and looked earnestly and tenderly into her face. It was a tell-tale countenance ; but Hervey had watched it once before and misinter preted what it said ; he meant to have a plain answer this time. "Look at me, Effie look up into my face aud listen. I love you, my darling I love you. Can you ever learn to care anything about me?" he asked very slowly and earnestly. "OU, Mr. Davenant, let me gol Please, please " Answer me first, dear. I must I will have a reply ; I have a right to it I Can you ever Urn to love me, dear ?" "No, Hervey" the reply came from the depths of the couch wliereon she had taken refuge "localise because I know how already 1" "My darling" and Hervey kissed the golden head very tenderly "my own little darling 1" Presently Miss Jane entered the room in search of her key-basket, and paused in the middle of the floor in dumb amazement, nervey looked round, not too well pleased at the interrupt:on,and Eflie seized the opportunity to make her escape. "Oh, Jane, Jane, are you not ashamed of yourself? See whrt your match making has resulted in I How could yon deceive your tru ting brother so ?" "Really, Hervey, I never meant " "Xo, of course not, when you said one of your schoolfellows was com ing " "I'm sure, brother, I never said any such thing I" Miss Jane cried indig nantly. "1 would have said, if you bad permitted me, that one of my school fellows had asked me to take her niece for a few weeks to avoid the attentions of a very objectionable young man." "And you ruthlessly threw the child in the way of a very objectionable old one I How could you, Jane ? In es caping Scylla oar Eflie has fallen on Charybdis with a vengeance I What will her uncle and aunt say, I won der ?" "Why, that she's a very fortunate girl, of course I" Miss Jane replied complacently. "But really, brother, I assure you it was but a mere chance, after all." "No matter, Jane ; I'm not the first fellow whose fate has been so decided, and I have no intention of quarrelling with any circumstance that has given me Eflie." "She's a dear good girl, brother, and as nearly worthy of you as any woman can be ; but she's not so pretty as her motUer was," Miss Jane added reflect ively. Womanlike, the moment her point was gained she began to regret it. " Who was her mother, sister?" 'Alice Leigh, sister to my dearest friend at school, a beautiful creature, but giddy, Hervey very giddy, and fond to distraction of her own beauty. She made what was supposed to be a grand match ; but Mr. Treherne failed in business, turned out badly, and treated his young wife shamefully. She died of consumption, the doctors said of a broken heart, I say. Eflie was her only child." "And she's like her," Hervey ob served thoughtfully "marvellously like." "Yes," Miss Jane assented, in some surprise, "she resembles her niottn r : but she's not nearly so pretty. Poor Alice I" "Poor Alice !" Hervey Davenant re peated, with a deep sigh. "Died of a broktn heart ; and Ellis is her daugh ter I" If Hervey Davenant wanted his re venge, he had it, after twenty years. Th rower of M Uftlo A gentleman, who was a first-rate performer of Scotch music on the vio lin, spent a winter at Exeter, and, of course, soon became acquainted with the musical diletanti of the place. Dm inz one day with a professor, the con versation turned upon Scotch music, and a strong argument arose as to its bearing competition with foreign mu sic the Scotchman, whom we shall for the present designate the Fiddler, in sisting that, when properly played, no thing could excel it. "I'll tell you what," says the Fiddler, "I'll lay you a bet of Ave pounds that if a party of Scotchmen can be got to gether, I'll make them shed tears one minute, sing the next and dance the third." "Done." said the Professor ; "and if your music is capable of that, I will not only pay the five pounds with pleas ure, but will be convinced that it is the most enlivening, pathetic and best mu sic in the world." The difficulty arose as to getting aa opportunity for a trial ; but being in formed that a number of young Scots men were to dine at a certain hotel on the anniversary of Burns' birthday, it was agreed to pay them a visit. It was considered a capital opportunity by the Fiddler, for these young men, being principally raw-loned, over-grown Scotch lads, who had recently left their own country to carry tea in the neigh borhood, were the very ones upon whom he was sure to make a hit. All being now arranged, and the ut most secrecy being agreed upon, the eventful day was anxiously looked for. At length it came, and the Fiddler and the Ycofessor. by an introduction to one of the party, got an invitation to the dinner. There were twelve alto gether sat down, and a right merry party they soon became, for the whisky toddy was not spared when the memory of any of Scotia's bards was proposed. The Fkkiier was not long in perceiving that he had got among a right musical set, and he waited patiently till they were in that happy state when they were fit for anything. At length he gave a wink to the Professor, w ho at once proposed that his friend should favor them with a Scotch tuue on the violin. "Capital, capital I" cried the whole party. The violin was brought, and all were In breathless anxiety. The Fiddler cnose for bis first tune, "Here's a health to them that's awa'," and played it in the most solemn and pathetic manner. "That's a wofu' tune," said a great, big, raw-boned youth to his next neigh bor. "It is that, Sandy. There's niickle in that tune, man. It reminds o' ane that's gane," Jamie at the same time giving a deep sigh and drawing his hand over his long gaunt face to hide the tears which w ere trickling down his cheeks. The Fiddler with his keen eye soon perceived that before he got through the second part of the tune he would have theiu all in the same mood. He therefore threw his whole soul into the instrument, played the tune as be had never done before ; aud as the last four bars cf the tune died away like the dis tant echo, there was not a dry cheek among the company. "Now is the time," thought the Fiddler ; and with out stopping a moment he struck up, in a bokl, igorous style, "Willie brew'd a Peck o' Maut." In went the hand kerchiefs, away went the tears. "Chorus 1" cried the Fiddler, and In an Instant all struck up For we are nae ton, weTe nae that loo, But Just a drapple in uur e e ; The cork but cratw. tbe itar mar flaw', But ajk we'll ttote lae Uiricj tire. 1 The song ended, up struck the Fid dler in his best style the reel of "Jenny dang the Weaver." "Scotland forever I" cried Jamie.and in an instant tables, chairs aud glasses were scattered in all directions, the whole party dancing and jumping like madmen. Out ran the affrighted Professor for he did not know what might come next up came the landlady with her terri fied train of inmates. But none durst enter the room, the hurrahs aud thumps upon the floor being boisterous ; and it was only upon the entry of a Scotch traveler, who had just arrived and who cried to the Fiddler for any sake to stop, that order was restored. It is needless to say that the Profes sor paid his bet cheerfully, and was fully convinced of the effect of Scotch music when properly played, and that the landlady took care that the Fiddler never came Into her house again for Bums' anniversary dinner. Mirrors. Looking-glasses used to be made by covering the plate with an amalgam of tin and mercury ; but this has been su perseded by deiositing a coat of real silver upon the glass, thrown down in a smooth film by adding oil of cloves or other organic substances to a solution of ammonia nitrate of silver, retained upon the plate bv a raised rim of wax. The trouble with the process has been that, though cheaper, the plates are in ferior in lustre, and lack the "black" color which silversmiths regard as in dicating the perfection of polish. The long looked for process of imparting the brilliancy of the mercurial coating to the cheap and durable film has at last been accomplished by chemical reac tion. After the silver plating is com plete the film is flooded with a weak aqueous solution of the double cyanide of mercury and potassium ; slow de composition takes place, and the mer cury is precipitated, which immediately amalgamates with the silver film. The result is said to be thoroughly satissac tory, the amalgam of silver being quite as brilliant as that of tin, and less sub ject to change, while the new process has the advantage of being readily ap plicable to the largest plates, which by the old method could be treated only with great difficulty, if at alL A recent chemical treatment of ven eers has been successful in London it is said, whereby the veneer can be made npple as leather and of lees than the usual thickness, while the strength and beauty of the wood are unaffected. We had better appear what we are than affect to appear what we aie not. i Call. A party of miners, four In number, were seated around their camp-fire at the close of an autumn day, at Pike's Peak. They were resting after a hard day's labor, each one smoking his pipe. "Let's have a story," said Phil Smith. "Well, suppose you tell it," spoke Harry Mason. "Not I. Come Dick, trim up your Ideas a little." "Kind, ain't you ! I say, Joe, you can tell the best yarn, I know." "Ha, Hal That's a good joke." "I tell you what we'll do,"said Phil, "lets draw lots." "Agreed 1" cried all with the excep tion of Joe Dixon, whose sunburned face turned pale ; but he did not speak. So Phil reached out his hand and plucked four blades of grass from be hind him one shorter than the rest and placed all within his closed hand. "Now, boys, draw." Harry drew first, then PhiL Both irew long blades. Next in order came Joe. With a trembling hand he drew. It was the short one. When he saw that it was the short one he had drawn, a shudder went through him. "What's the matter Joe ? Y'ou look as pale as if you had seen a ghost." call ed out Harry. "Nonsense! it's the light of the fire,!' said Joe. "Well, as I am the unlucky one, I suppose I may as well begin at once ; so here goes. "Ten years ago a party of four, like ourselves, started from Iowa to seek the mines. Tbey joorneyed on, cross ing the Platte river, and took what is called the Smoky Hill route. They had provided themse vee with ample provisions, as they thought, and were in the best possible spirits, whfling away the time with many a jest and song as they journeyed along. "They traveled by day and rested by night around their camp-tires, telling stories in turn, eaeh trying to see which could tell the biggest yarn. Things weut along smoothly for a few days. There was no lack of fun while their provisions lasted. But in taking this route they were obliged to cross what is called the Great Ameri can Desert, and as there was of course, no game at hand, they had to depend upon the dried venison and other pro visions with which they had provided themselves on starting. "Being longer on the way than they expected, they were startled to find that their stock had grown very low so low, in fact, that there was but one day's rations left. This was something they had net looked for. Hardships they had expected to encounter, but not in the shape of starvation. "Yes, it was too true; starvation stared them in the face. Tbey bad yet many a day's journey before them, and how were they to accomplish it with out provisions and with no hope of get ting mire ? "As they gathered around their fire to partake of the last portion left them, not a word was spoken. There was no merry jest nor merry song that night ; each man took his position in bitter silence, and then stretched himself upon the ground to get what rest he could find with this fearful fate star ing him in tle face. "Still, in almost utter silence, they again started ou their way by daylight; no breakfast that morning, nor dinner nor supper that night. Despair began to creep into their hearts, murmurs began to rise, their clothes were begin ing to grow ragged, their shoes to break, and fatigue began to tell upon them; in consequence of lack of food. "Among the party were two brothers. They walked together side by side during the day, and slept the same during the night. Many a wishful look did they exchange, as they thought of the home they had left ; but through all their deep despair they clung to each other. The other two members of the party soon noticed how these two brothers kept by themselves, as it were, and many an angry scowl did they cast upon them both. "At last fatigue, exposure and want of food forbade them moving any fur ther, and one glorious night they gave up all hope, and one of them declared that he was completely done out. "The moon shone down upon those wild, despairing faces in all her sott beauty, as if to mock them in their ut ter wretchedness. Not aneye was clos ed that night ; one fearful thought was possessed in the minds of all ; yet no one dared to express it aloud. The night wore on slowly, indeed, to these wretched men. At last the gray light in the eastern sky began to streak with red, and as the sun peeped through each man rose to a sitting pos ture. "A fearful gleam shone in the eyes of the four men as tbey gazed upon each other. "All friendly feeilng was gone ; they could think of nothing but that they were starving to death. "No word was spoken, not a breath heard, until that awful silence was bro ken by a low hoarse voice, which sound ed more like the growl of a wild beast than anything human : " 'Let us draw lots?' "At last that fearful thought was expressed I Yes it has come to that ; one of them must die or all per ish I They dared not look in each otlier's faces, sogreat was their horror. He who had spoken tote from his ragged jacket four strips of cloth, and, oue of them being short, he who draws that one has to be the victim ; or if the short one was left he who held it was to be the one. "That gaunt band was outstretched upon its fearful errand ; the two broth ers were to draw last, one after the other, and no one was to look at his strip until all had been drawn, and then it was to be done simultaneously. The signal was to be the dropping of a peb ble. "All had drawn. ''In breathless silence tbey awaited the signal. ,4A tiny sound broke the stillness I The pebble had fallen, each hand was unclosed, the youngest of the two brothers had drawn the shortest strip of 1 " i cloth. "With a wild yell the two men grasped their knives and sprang toward their victim. "Not so the eldest brother; he plant ed himself before the younger one to protect him, weak though be was. "What was his feeble strength against tbe other two? They were weak also, it is true, but two to one were the odds. "He was all alone, for his brother. when he saw that he had drawn tho fatal strip, had fallen back insensible, and therefore was alike unconscious of his own fearful position and his broth er's danger. tor one instant those three men glared at each other, before commenc-! ing their deadly strife ; that oue mo- j ment was their salvation. I A faint shout was heard, aud in the a large body of men, well mounted. oearing directly toward them. "Help had come at last. "In their despair and rase they had not noticed the aproach of any oue until they were close upon them. "In an instant all enmity had died out, and, throwing their weapons aside, they clasped their heroic brother to their hearts, and wept tears of joy at their deliverance and the timely pre vention of the fearful crime they had contemplated. 1 he brother who had swooned re turned to consciousness just as the other party came up. Mutual explanations were exchang ed as soon as those poor starving wretches had been bountifully fed. "All trouble was now over, and as soon as they had recovered sulhcient strength to proceed the two parties journeyed out together, and reached the mines in safety." Joe ceased speaking, and silently wiped away a tear from his eye. Har ry was the first to break the silence. That younger brother ougnt to think a sight of the other one." "He does" said Joe, with a trembling voice ; "he would die for him, I know, for I am the one who drew tbe shortest strip of cloth." FoUshiag ttt Mack. The first thing a woman should re member when she wants to improve her complexion is that nothing nibbed on the skin itself is going to help it very materially. The lotions and "creams" and preparations of one kind and an other which are prepared by quacks for "beautifying" the skin are all humbugs, and no sensible woman should ever be led into buying them. To ebtain a beautiful skin one must begin and diet properly. Butter, fat meat and greasy focd of every kind must not be eaten. Coffee and tea must be given up, so must claret and all kinds of wine, and milk or lemonade substituted. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten in abun dance, rich candies and cakes avoided. pie never should be touched, and pick les and acid food generally should be dispensed with. A woman who follows the above rules will find that her skin will become smooth and clear after sev eral months have passed. Of course the dieting must be thorough and care ful. .No improvement can be made un -less it isl A tablespoonful of sulphur taken every other morn'ng for a week, aud then not taken again for three days,aud then taken every other morning for an other week, is one of the best things to clear the complexion. It acts like magic It should always be mixed with molasses or something that w ill clear it from the system. Salt a tablespoonful dissolved in a goblet of milk is an old-fashioned re- f.iTkO fnr hoaiitifvinT tfio enTnitloYUin It. rrtinlT is a imnl rRmlv: and if it doesnot help the complexion it wnll j strengthen the system. A great deal depends on tbe constitution of the per son and fie kind of complexion she nas. What will help one woman wonderful ly will have no effect whatever ou others. One thing is certain, however. milk is always conducive to softening and whitening the skin, and it is a no ticeable fact that girls who have never been allowed t drink tea or coffee,and who have drank quantities of milk, have generally, when they reach the age of twenty, very beautiful complex ions. Boihng water is also one of the best things with which to keep the complexion in order. A tumblerful should be drank one hour before every meal. If it is disagreeable by itself the juice of a half of a lemon should be added, sugar should not be used. Most women in summer time are too careless of their complexions and when winter comes and they go out to bails and parties tbey regret it. The sun is excellent for the complexion if it does not get too much of it. A little brown ing and freckling ia ofttimes very bene ficial, but when the face is exposed to too great a measure of the sun's rays the skin Is apt to become coarse. Veils; very thin ones should be always worn at a seaside resort, unless parasols are carried. Tbe salt air and the sun to gether are bad for the complexion, though excellent for the general health. Fashionable women and girls in New York always have their arms and necks "polished" before going to a ball or other entertainment where they appear with very decollete dresses. The "pol ishing" greatly beautifies the akin. First the arms and neck are rubbed very thoroughly with glycerine and rose-water. After this has been rubbed off the arms and shoulders are covered with cold cream, which is allowed to remain on fifteen minutes. This is then rubbed off with a piece of fine soft white flannel, and the arms and shoul ders are covered with "baby" powder and rubbed very thoroughly. This fin ishes the operation. When this is com pleted they look like polished marble, and the skin seems to take on a wonder fully fine and beautiful texture. Some one has suggested that the face might be treated in the same way with good effect, but this would be next to im possible, as the texture of the skin on the arms and shoulders is always dif ferent from that of the face. The face should always be washed in water that has the chill taken off it. Warm water is not good for the complexion, despite all that has been said to the contrary; neither is real cold water. The one makes the skin flabby, and in time wrinkles it; the other roughens it. Cos metics of every kind should be avoided. Tbey are always disgusting, and even a little powder put on on a warm day to "take tbe shine off," Is objectionable. Powder and paint always stamp a wo man as common, no matter how small a quantity may be used. Oatmeal and Indian-meal water are both excellent fnr washing the face and hands in. The meal softens the skin and gives to it a delicate flush which is very becoming. The majority of women will also fiud that salt will help their complexions, Get ten cents' worth of rock salt every month and wash in a basin into which a good lump of it has been placed. Rain water is an excellent thing for the skin. and there is as much truth as poetry ic the saying that the "early dew of th morning will make like the face of at angel the woman who bathes in it." Oil and gas are still being struck at various points on tbe Pacific coast. la the Lien's Month. Lion-tamers are usually killed a doz en times or more by rumor during their careers, and yet, after all, they die in beds in about the same proportion as other men. For instance, Manchester Jack was reported by the newspapers as having come to his end in various ways, once after the following unenviauie fashion: He was said to have been ex hibiting the feat which Van Amburgh originated, of putting his head into the lion's mouth, and to have been roused to a sense of his rashness by hearing the animal growl and feeling his jaw closing uon his neck. "Does he whisk his tail. Bill?' he is said to have asked the keeper while in this horrible situation. "Yes," replied Bill. "Then I'm a dead man," groaned Jack. A moment afterwards the snapping of the lion's jaws fulfilled his prophesy. But thisthrillingstory isccntradictediiy the fact that Manchester Jack left ti e menagerie with a whole skin, and for a number of years afterwanl kept an inn at Taunton, where he died In 1SC5. With reference to this teat of putting the head in tbe mouth of the lion or tiger, it must be said, foolhardy as it seercs, we have been unable to find a single authentic instance in which the beast has improved the opportunity to remove such a foolish head from its shoulders. It is possible such instances may have occurred, but in comparison to the many hundred times the feat has been performed they seem to show that it is not really more perilous than many simpler performances. It is an utterly objectless feat, only introduced because of the fascination which terrible peril has to most audiences. When Van Amburgh was in England a certain gentleman went to see him for a hundred or more consecutive nights, following him from place to place solely, he said, because he was convinced that the per former's head would one day be bitten off, and he did not want to miss the tghk. In the daring and triumphs of Van Amburgh this country has taken a special interest, since he was generally known as an American, and it was here that he won bis first laurels. He was a native of Holland, however, but coming to this country as a young man, always regarded himself as an American citizen. He was a very handsome man, tall and well-formed, and when, some years after his appearance in England with his trained lions and tigers, tir Edwin Landseer painted him in the midst of his tamed beasts, the picture attracted a great deal of attention, and made Van Amburghsshow the fashion with the very highest circles, even roy alty itself. The duke of Wellington was an ardent admirer of his perform ances, and cultivated his acquaintance with interest. 'Were yon ever afraid?" once asked the duke, when the lion king was a guest at his house. "The first time that I am afraid, your Grace," replied the lion-tamer, "or that I fancy my pupils are no longer afraid of me, 1 shall retire from the wild beast line." Shop Terms. There seems to be neel for a diction- ary of shop terons as well as of accepted I ofiontifV rruvlianiiVLl terms asannlietl to practice. Even in our most popular technical periodicals the terms used by a contributor from one portion of the country are sometimes unmeaning to readers in another iortion. Lack of deliniteitess is one of thefauKsof our mechanical nomenclature. In a Becent publication of a mechanical paper, the question whether "spline," "key," and "feather" are synonymous was present ed. Perhaps this will be as good as any other instance of ' our lax system or lack of system. In thu shop talk where the writer was "raised," a "spline" would mean a fixed projected portion retained in a shaft and not specially connected with the pulley or other hub. Its synonyn would be a "feather." A "key" would be a wedge shaped fas tener, with or without a head, fitting corresponding channels in the shaft aud the hub, intended to secure the latter at some exact point. Aud yet "spline" and "key" are used indiscrimi nately by good mechanics. So long as these apielhttions are understood to have a definite meaning they have their value; but this value may be confined to the shop, to the section of manufac turing establishments, or to the manu factories where persons mainly of one nationality are employed, outside they may be confusing. In shop use why should cylindrical rod or metal beat one time a "bar," again a "shaft," a "spindle" an "arbor"'' Or if so used, wby not have a shop tbesarus or lexicon that would give the derivation of the words and the reasons for tl.eir use. A "bar" shows its origin; it means to hin der and is applicable to iron only in bars which may be used as obstacles. A "spindle" is derived from the spinning flax spindle older than our civilizatiou, which supose3 a a tapering shaft rota ting on its own axis. "Shaft" comes from our Saxon schaft, an arrow, im plying straightness. "Arbor" comes from the Latin, a tree, or a piece to which something may be temporarily affixed. A "man-drill" is a hand (ma ntis, L,) drill. Is the clearer of bored holes a "reamer" or a "rimmer"? Is tbe top of a machinist's hammer a "psene," "pane" or "pene"? Why a "broatch"? Why "drift pin" and "tamp pin"? The suggested glossary ought to contain the information that the ordinary screw jawed wrench is not a monkey wrench because of any peculiarftricks it plays in use, but sim ply because Thomas Muukey, an Eng lish mechanic, invented it. Many ether suggestions might be made to the ambitious mechanic who will under take to simplify our mechanical nomen clature by the compilation of a diction ary and glossary of mechanical and shop terms. Beet-Sugar. There is likely to be a revival of the beet-sugar industry in England. Some of the works long ago aliandoned are being put in order, and large planting ' of beets for sugar will be made in their I neighborhood. One difficulty in English 1 growing of beets for sugar is that the j growing seasons' are so cool as;to greatly diminish the proportions of saccharine matter in the root as compared with j beets grown in France and other warm ! climates. To make a good black varnish for iron or other metals, dissolve by heat three ounces of asphaltum, four quarts of boiled oil and eight ounces of burnt umber. Mix the compound with tur pentme while cooling. NEWS IN BRIEF. The Divina Commedia of Dante was first printed in 1472. The Chinese written language con sists of 100,000 characters. Mackerel, it is said, are never found south of Cape Hatteras. A Vallejo, Cat, farmer has a milch cow that weighs almost l'JOO lbs. Augusta, Me., is discussing the ad visability of readopting local time, In France only sixty stock brokers are permitted by law. The cost of the German army now amounts- to 110,000,000. Bears are reported in Essex county, N. Y. Japan has a fishing population of 1.601,400. Pittsburg, Penn., has banished hand organs. There were eight circussea in Rome, B. C. Italy is about to send out a Polar expedition. There are 20,000 deaf mutes in Great Britain. California produces Cgseight inches in circumference, There are 34G anthracite collieries in Pennsylvania. Meissonier's only family consists of his grandchildren. An abundance of good honey this year is promised. A boot black in New Orleans has a proud record of 1.47. The V. S. Signal Service employs 800 tornado reporters. The population of Texas l,."01,OJ0 in 180 has grown to-2,2-"0,000 in lS&i. A Jacksonville, Fla., man has made ilioO from a single rose bush this season. The Uuited States has become the fourth largest beer-drinking nation in the world. Of the I,o00,0u0 Masons in tbe world one half are on this side of the Atlantic. A Denison, Texas, man secured an advance of 2o cents on his cork leg in a pawn-shop. Emigrants are leaving Silesia and Posen in very large numbers for Texas aud California. Glove making alone gives employ ment in England to nearly twenty-five thousand women. A single apiary in Texas is said to have produced Guoo pounds of honey this season. There are over 20,000 stitches to take, says an English seamstress, in making a shut. The assessors of Philadelphia re port that there are 211,211 qualified voters in the city. .Japan now has, in round numbers, 30,000 common schools, 3,0u0,000 pupils and S4,7oO teachers. Mr. Spnrgeon the great London pre;'.clier, who is not yet 50, is com pletely broken in health. Four million barrels are estimated as the extent of the apple crop of Western New York this year. The irceptible earthquakes of the civilized world are estimated toarerap in number 110 per annum. Penny dinners for schoolchildren have been instituted under the direction of the London School Board. In changing the style of c!othin& for convicts in Ohio penitentiary, striped goods have been abandoned. Birch, until lately considered of little value, is beginning to be sought for to make floors for r.katiug rinks. 10,000,000 pounds of maple sugar were produced in this country last year. Pennsylvania supplied 2,b00,0O0 lbs. Six hundred million tons of white paper, it is stated, are required annually to supply the newspapers of the world. The number of emigrants who left Irish ports in 183 was luS,'J10, an in crease of 10,'JjO as compared with 18J2. The cathedral at Ulni, W urte ni hil rg, the largest Protestant church in the world, is to have a spire 524 feet high. Nine of the members of the British House of Commons are octogenarians, the oldest of w hom is eighty-three years of age. Of the 2299 counties contained in the United States, Texas has the lar gest number, 151; Georgia, with 137, comes next. Much mutilated and spurious coin, it is reported, is worked off in the Slawson boxes of bob-tail cars in New York for fares. There is a tree near Danbury, Mass. , which is over 200 years old. It is 100 feet high and twenty-two feet in cir cumference. Louisiana has school accommoda. tions for but 74,0uu,0UO children, though there are at least 350.0U0 little ones in the State. The dwellings and farms of widows, minors, and spinsters are exempted from taxation in several States of tha Mi ican republic. Holyoke, Mass., is expected soon to become not only the greatest paper manufacturing, but the greatest paper exporting city in the world. In Plumas county, California, quail are so plentiful that they run around like chickens, come into door-yards, and even enter houses. Unless the court issuing the decree gives its sanction, a person who pro cures a divorce under the laws of Maine cannot re-marry within two years. While plowing corn the other day William George, of Northville, 111., found a Spanish silver coin about the size of a quarter, with the date of 1730. Engine 137, on the Boston and Albany, between Springfield and Bos ton, has run 75,000 miles in 375 days. It was in the shop only two days out of this time, There are in the United States 3C varities of oak, 34 of pine, 9 of fir, $ of spruce, 4 of hemlock, 2 of persim mon, i of ash. 13 of willow, and 9 of poplar. Four hundred and thirty-seven of his descendants survive a veteran of the war of 1812, who died near Mon treal recently, at the age of a little over 100 years. The total number of separate farms in the United States is 4,000,000, the value of w hich is 2,000,000,000. The value of the annual products of these farms is JEoOO.000,000. The present registered British voters are aa follows: England, 2,613, 453; Scotland, 310.441; Ireland, 224, 013 total, 3,152,912. The present number of members is for England, 489; Seotl4, 60; Ireland, M4 total 6ijf
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers