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