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to ft
III. Mil
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B. F. SCHWEIER,
THE OOISTITUTIOI THE TJTIOI AID TEE EJTOBOEKEJTT OF TEE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XXXIX.
MIFFLINTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 14, 1SS5.
NO. 3.
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1116 gray"" SUa'-lit lbe aruoon w
oil '"KC-i-'Uins in th silent air,
blre thS rim fields
K-neath my foet unrolled
way
the
toug, wl He
Drear as my heart nu.l brightened by no
ray
From the wlde winter sun, whose disc re
clined In distant copper suH.rnness behind
l le broisn network of iho western hed-
A ci uison blot upon the farting day "
T1,'irr' tra colors went before me one alou
aut-ii io together, who their
tliruit
lingers
U-ep ii. their
the first
pockets: and I walcled
Lapse Iu the carUit;
tl.row n
tlie aiow bus l,a.l
Acioss the vista which bad been mv own
ex t vanished the chill comrades.' blotted
cot
l-!k, him they followed, but I did not
doubt
1 hat theie beyoud the basse the travelers
Waked iu the fashion that my sight had
kuowu.
Only "beyond the haze;" oh, sweet bclefl
That this is also Death ; that those we've
kiKted
J'-ctwcen our hods, are just "beyoud tho
mist ;"
An esy thousht to juggle with ; to grief
'ihe g i!f seems measureless, and Death a
thief,
Cn we, who were so high, and are so
low,
So clothed in love, who now in tatters go,
Ivcho serenely : "Just beyond the haze,"
And of a sudden tiud a trite relief?
"KIVB YEARS AtiO."
TLU d;iv five Ion? years ago! Oh.
liow tuy heart aches when I thiuk of
that Lot aftermxjn iu the merry mouth
of Max, when two stood together
for the last time in tlie old orchard, un
iler the aile-trees w. ich seemed bent
down with thMr weight of soft pink
and white blossoms, the soft cl-irp and
, hum f birds and insects mingling
' dnaimily in the warm golden sunlight
; tlickering in bra ht light and shadow on
; the green grass 1
j I can see it all now, as I sit here try-
t nii.' to put it down on pajier. Vi Ijrn I
t suffer my mind to dwell uior. that day.
a kind of deserate longing and reiuorse
1 comes over me, and 1 wculd gladly give
. ten of the best years of my life if I
7 couia imi live one snort Hour over
y again. But, alas, it may not be 1 JUv
J grets and repinings are alike useljss.the
1 lost opjwrtunity can nerer come again.
the day that is ptist is gone for ever,and
y the word once sjioken cannot ba re-
cal ed. Five years have come and gone
- si-ice then. Five times since that day
have the trees m the orchard be-n
white witu blossom ; and, when l see
them, I feel as if my heart must break
? with the agony of remorse and the
. weary longing for the hope that never
1 conies.
fl ' There are times in our life when a
J word spoken or left unsaid may alter
s the whole tenor of our future, when we
hold the scales of destiny in our hand,
and are permitted to say the word that
1 may prove the turning-point of our ex
's istence for either weal or woe. Such a
2 moment was mine ; and now, five years
A after. I sit, i-n iu hand, thinking it all
over, and every word and every look
$ come back to me, as though the occur
rence took place yesterday, instead of
so many years ago.
I was staying on a visit with my mar
ried sister in her sweet country home ;
and a happy visit It proved to be, for
theie I met Harold Broughton, the hero
of my life. Lven now my hand shakes
as I write his-name, and the sight of it
brings back the romance of my life that
isalloer and gone, laid away in the
tomb of the past, but, though dead,
never foigtten.
It was sach a lovely evening when I
saw hiiw first, all nature looking her
brightest and freshest :a the spring sun
shine. There was a visitor coming to
lUsebauk an old gentleman, Uelen.
my sister, told me, smiling ; and, after
she had s-en her husband start for the
station to meet him, she carried me off
with her to pick flowers for the stran
ger's room.
"Poor old Mr. Broughton," she said ;
"he is so particular, and so fond of
flowers I"
I was up-stairs dressing for dinner,
and wondering somewhat at the trouble
Helen took to make me look uy best ;
but she laughed, saving, as she fastened
a lovely bunch of lily of the valley in
my hair
"It is all in honor of old Mr. Brough
ton, dear."
Then, bearing the trap driving up the
avenue, she ran off to welcome the vis
itor ; and, soon following her, I found
them all assembled in the drawing-
room, and was immediately introduced
by Helen to Mr. Broughton, who, to
my utter astonishment, was neither old
I nor u-'ly, but decidedly the reverse. In
f utter bewilderment, I looked at him,
' while I felt my face growing crimson
- with confusion. Mr. Broughton was
tall, broad-shouldered, and certainly
not more than thirty years of age. with
a kind open face, and pleasant brown
i eves that contrasted forcibly with bis
i fair hair and moustache not handsome
! so far as regularity of features went,
I but altogether brave and mauly-look-
ing, a man who one instinctively felt
? was to be honored and trusted. Such
i was my first impression of Harold
- Broughton, as, in tlie awkward pause
- that followed, I looked up into his face,
? and then turned to Helen and her hus
": band, who both seemed highlv amused.
The little m vstery was soon explained
1 amidst much laughter. There was no
? "old Mr. Broughton;" it was all
5 Helen's fun, whe seemed more than Ue-
lighted at the success of her little plot.
The laugh however broke the ice of
formality letween us, and we soon got
on capitally together. Dear Helen al
? ways so bright and merry, and yet so
s. sweet and loving no wonder her hus-
band idolized and almost worshipped
his "wild Irish rose," as he called his
1 pretty golden-haired wife, with her
? latiehiug blue eyes and sunny smile I
e "Tom," she would say, clasping both
-S white hands on his arm. "now confess,
" would you ever have thought of the
' wild mischievous Helen McDermot is
" she had not led you that madcap ra
over the downs, and you had been sure
i I w.is run away with, and pictured me
; at the foot of a chalk cliff, or something
i equally terrible ? Ah, you little thought
i I culd make rrincess answer whip and
ri bridle so welll" , .,
And Tom would look down, witn
1 love in his eyes and voice, and assure
i her that his mind had been made up,
i his heart irrevocably lost, from the mo-
ment he had met the first glance of her
blue eyes, and that the memorable race
on the breezy downs only brought mat-
ters to a crisis that was all.
I But I find myself wandering from
I my own story, and more inclined to
l- write about my dear sister Helen. Fer-
haps it is that I hesitate to commit to
!auer a nwnni n .
j .. . V " sunny nappy
1 tu nuuiw 01 now through a
mist of blinding tears, while the happi
ness seems blurred and Indistinct from
all the misery that came after
What need is there to tell a'gain the
iear old time worn story which has
been written so often in poetry and
prose, and is being enacted in real life
every day ? It is enough for me to say
that, after six of the happiest wteks of
".j uic, iiaroiu uroughton asked me to
ls his wife.
I was sittinK at the onen fin,;
room window listening to Helen's clear
sweet voice singing, and thinkiug. as
...B t uuoeiess grier ana sorrow,
how very far off ana distant all trouble
seemed to be, and that life and love
had not always a dark background of
angry storm-clouds to creep up and blot
uui me uiue SKy.
x ue gentlemen were pacing up and
down the terrace, talking earnestly.
Tom was smoking, and the scent of his
( igar noated in pieasantly at the open
window as they passed backwards and
forwards. Then, as the evening shadows
usejieuea, iney paused and stood look
ing in upou us, and Tom Killed Helen
to come and take a turn with him
rose to follow, but a hmid was laid upon
my own, and the voice that brought
mo qu is mooa to my race whispered
iow aiiu earnestly
"Flease stay ; I have something to
S3y to you."
Then they went ; and we two were
left alone in the fadin? twilicrhlL
Later in the evening Helen came to
my room and kissed me, saying
Oh. .Nora darling, I am so plad I
Harold a just beeu telling us, and,
dear, he is so fond of youl"
I dare not trust myself to write of
tnose uays of more than happiness,
when to fulfil my lightest wish seemed
the sole desire of a brave noble bean
those days when, side by side, we paced
the shady 1 ines and thought that life
itself was too short : for love eilded all.
and earth to us seemed nothing short of
araraaise. mat happy time of light
and sunshine, how it seemed to fly
bow the glad sunny hours glided by I
nut at ;er wards they dragged slowly
aua wearily euough those long sun
mer days and still longer nights. It
seemed u the dark still hours that the
dawn would never break and disperse
at least the outer darkness ; and in the
long warm days I used to think the sun
would never set behind the purple
mountains ; lor the lengthening gloomy
twilight was more grateful to my weary
heart when the sun of my life was set
ror ever. 1 et for all that followed I
can blamo no one but myself ; never,
even in my inmost thoughts, have I But
tered myself to cast a doubt upon him.
The fault, the folly, call it what one
will wra all mine. And surely 1 have
sutlered enough for one foolish word I
It was all a chapter of accidents from
beginning to end ; but it blighted two
lives ami struck the death-blow to all
our bright hopes and fancies.
AVe were playing a spirited and loug
coiitested game of croquet one lovely
afternoon, Helen and Harold against
Tom and mvself ; our side was nearly
victorious, and Tom was triumphant.
He was a bad player; and I, being a
rover," was helping on my unlucky
partner and taking a peculiar delight
in sending Harold, the rival "rover,'
bowling to the other end of the ground
'There is no need to send me quite
so far," he said, laughing ; "I am quite
tired of walking up and down after my
ball. Xow stand back every onel Here
comes the winner 1"
"Well done I There's a good shot I"
cried Tom, as Harold's ball came flying
over the ground straight as a die, and
hit mine, which was unfortunately near
the winning post.
"Xow. then, I shall put this danger
ous character out of pain ; and then,
Tom. you had better retire gracefully
from the contest," said Harold, hurry
ing up.
o. no dont ; it is not lair 1 iiar-
old, it is horribly mean of you to put
me out"'
But I pleaded in vain. He was mer
ciless, only saying, as my ball hit the
stick and bounded off
"Can't help it, Nora; all is fair in
love and war." Then suddenly, witn
a laui;h that had more of annoyance
than mirth in it, he added, "I wish we
could put au end to all doubts and diffi
culties as easily as I have put an end to
this game."
What did he mean r 111s eyes were
fixed on me so earnestly that I colored
lienpath his elance and turned away,
saying, as I knocked about the balls un
easily
"Don't talk nonsense i"
"Perhaos it's not nonsense," he re
plied.
Vnw. Tom. confess that you are
thoroughly beaten 1" interposed Helen,
coming up triumphant with success
and quite patronizing. "Here are Nora
and Harold fighting over the rules of
croquet. But never mind, Tom if
your poor little 'rover had not been
finished so ciuelly, you would have
won. ' '
"It was all unfair," I said, half
cross, half amused, as we all sat under
the lime-trees and talked about the
match.
"You have a great deal of determin
ation," said Helen to Harold. "I shall
never forget Nora's beseeching face
One would have thought that the fate
o nations hung on your reply.
"Them are moments," he replied,
"when one needs all one's determina
tion ; but I assure you ll is qtuue allow
n but I assure you it is quite aiiow
le to put au enemy out of the game.
, i't you think so yourself. Nora ?"
i'in" up into my face, "But it's not
able
Do
worth an argument, ror puy a ..,
don't let us fall out about tr ties ; real
trouble may not be so far off from any
one of us."
"Dont talk iu enigmas, Harold ; you
are veiy cross to-day ! Charlie was the
best croquet-player I ever knew; and
he never did anything half ao ' mean."
"And who. may 1 ask, is this great
i"5 r -., i.
player ?
Is he a mytn, a cnanu;i.:r in a
book, or wl
bat? Charlie I wuocanne
be?
Harold was laughing now, and trying.
as 1 thought, to keep u w-uii.
were fcist drifting into a .foolish quarrel
about nothing ; but, had I known then
Urn doubts and fears that were on his
mind, 1 would never have spoken as I
dl"Who is this great authority on cro
quet?" he went on. "I am dying to
kU"There he is!" I replied impetuously
opening a locket at . my neck which
cEned the likeness of my favorite
brC"heaskeo,takmgthe
ffiilSk a peal of laugh-
te0h, dear, dear, listen, Tom 1 X do
believe narold to Jealous of Charlie I
Bat Tom had wandered away amongst
the flow-.T-beds and did not hear ; and
Helen, beaming with fun and mischief,
went on, "Don't tell him, Nora ; there
Is nothing like a secret, as I always tell
Tom."
"He is a very good-looking fellow at
any rate," said Harold, scrutinizing my
brother's baudsume face ; "and indeed,
Nora" looking up with a smile "I
dont know that I shall allow you to
wear this till you tell me who the owner
of the good-looking face fs."
"Won't 'allow' 1" I repeated, laugh
ing in return, and taking the locket
playfully from him. "Well, then, Har
old, what will you say when I tell you
that he is an officer in a cavalry regi
ment, and that ne gave me this on the
night before he sailed for India ?"
"What?" he cried, suddenly starting
up from his recumbent posture, while
the blood rushed over his face. "OU,
Nora, what did you say ?"
Helen was convulsed with amuse
ment ; and, thinking he too was enjoy
ing the joke, I repeated my statement :
and, the spirit of mischief seizing me,
I added
"And I promised 'him I would never
part with it never, never 1"
"Nora" laying his hand on my arm
"once for all who is it ? I must
know."
"There is no 'must' in the matter,"
was my reply, spoken in jest, for we
were all playing at cross-purposes.
My harmless joke had bitter conse
quences. To my surprise and conster
nation, be suddenly snatched the locket
from me and again examined it, while
his face grew graver and darker each
moment. On the other side were two
locks of hair mine and Charlie's.
"Yours and his, I suppose?" said
Harold, looking up.
"Exactly and he has a locket with
my likeness." I answered recklessly,
for I was annoyed at his cross-questioning.
"Oh, I suppose so I" be said ; then,
with suppressed passion in his voice
"Euough of this nonsense 1 I insist
upon knowing ! I desire you to tell
me."
" 'Insist' 'desire' ! It is rather too
soon for that, I think I" 1 replied in
dignantly, turning crimson beneath his
glance and driving back the hot tears
that rushed to my eyes at the first angry
words that had fallen from his lips to
me.
His face softened ; he went on in a
lower tone.
"Nora, I have a reason, dearest ; I
wouldn't ask it otherwise."
If Helen had not spoken then if we
had been alone it might have been all
so different I But her clear voice
broke in
Now, Nora, don't give in to either
threats or persuasions ; lie has uo right
to use the one, and you must not miud
the other."
"Yes," I said, still hurt and surprised
at his strange manner; "you know,
Harold, there are times when one needs
all one's determination.'
"This Is mere foolery!" he exclaimed
passionately. "It Is as I supposed then
Very well choose between us.
At that moment Tom rejoined us.
The opportunity was lost, goue forever;
and, seizing the locket that had been
the innocent cause of this most strange
misunderstanding, I held it up, saying
"There I have made my choice;
good-bye for ever !" Then, catching
sight of the astonishment on the faces
of Tom and Helen, I turned from Har
old, who, with folded arms, was stand
ing moodily regarding me, and, ex
claiming, "Oh, if we liad never met 1"
I hurried away, w th my mind in a
whirl and my heart full of bitter re
sentment.
A hasty step sounded behind me 011
the gravel, and in a moment Harold
was beside me. Without a word on
oither side, we walked on till we
reached the orchard ; then he stopped
me, and his voice was strangely cold
nay, almost indifferent, I thought.
Nora, I have come to say that I
forgive you fully and freely."
1 turned then ana tacea nun.
"Forgive me 1 Why, it is your place
to ask for forgiveness! You need
scarcely have followed me to say any
thing so ridiculous."
Yes; it seems I have come on a
fool's errand."
He spoke sarcastically; yet, as I
glanced up into the face of my hero.
with the eyes that bad ever a smue ana
soft look for me now looking gloomily
and coldly into mine, my great love for
him rose up In my heart, and I longed
to throw myself into his arms and im
plore forgiveness make any concession
if he would only take me to his heart
and whisper that he loved me still; But
his next words brought crimson blushes
to my face and tears of indignation and
pride to my eyes.
Then 1 numbly beg miss jucuer-
mot's pardon for all offences commit
ted." I bowed low. with defiance in every
gesture, while my heart swelled with
mingled feelings.
"Mr. iJroughton's request is grant
ed."
For a moment we stood and looked
straight into each other's eyes, each, I
knew afterwards, misunderstanamg tne
other. Then he spoke in a hurried
voice, holding both my hands in his.
Good-bye I It is all over between
w . . . . r , I
us : ana 1 tuanx iieaven 1 uiscovereu
my mistake before it was too late ; for
a woman may make or mar a man's
happiness. Good-bye!"
Then he left me, and, walking a few
paces, turned, his face softened, and his
voice changed to one of loving reproach
ful entreaty.
"Nora, vou might have trusted me.
Oh, my darling, my darling, come I Oh,
surely it is a mistake r"
He held out bis arms. On. the pa-
thos.the yearning that one word "Nora''
conveyedl Often and often since, in
the still hours of the night, nave 1
went vain useless tears at the thought
of that last loving appeal which I re
jected.
I.ovewas strong; out at inai mo
ment pride was stronger. Weak, fool
ish girl that I was 1 1 felt proud of the
storm 1 couia raise ana qaeu witn a
word, and resolved to bring him to my
feat. I returned his loving entreaty
with a mocking little curtsey, and
lauehed actually laughed hi the face
of the man whose noble heart prompted
him to make the first overtures. When
I think of it now, and know what he
must have thought, how he must have
utterly despise me, I hate myself, and
wish I could lose alike the powers of re
gret and memory.
Stung to the quick, he stood erect, his
face whiter and sterner than I had
ever seen it yet. uorror-stncJcen at
the passion I had roused, I stood trem
bling ; for I was afraid ot him then,
afraid to approach, to speak. He spoke
first. Slowly and distinctly the words
came ; but I felt that be meaut what he
said.
Heaven forgive you, Helen McDer
mot ; for at this moment I feel as if I
never could I"
Theu he went away ; and I was left
aloue, too utterly heart-broken to utter
words to stay him. He never looked
back never once. I watched him till
the green branches bid him from view ;
and then I walked away, to be alone'
with my misery.
And so we parted my love and I
under the pink and white blossoms in
the old orchard. But, oh, if I could
sve him once again, to kneel at his feet
and tell him bow he was mistaken if
1 could only hear bis dear voice whisper
forgiveness I should be happy !
Harold left that night without a word
or a message for me. Helen came to
ue iu tears to ask for some explanation.
"Poor little Nora!" she sobbed.
"Dear, he will come back poor Harold!
Oh what did you say to him ? His eyes
were full of tears and he could hardly
eak when he said 'Good-bye.' Oh,
Xora, a man must feel very deeply when
he cries like a woman ! He made me
promise not to tell you till he was goue;
and be took that little gold heart out of
your work-box. dear, and said. 1 sup
pose I may keep this as a recollection of
a happy time that after all was simply
a mistake ?' "
"Don't, Helen !" I cried. "Oh, stop
you will drive me mad !"
Three long days came and went, and
I watched and waited for Harold's re
turn ; for I thought he would surely
come back, when in a calmer moment
he had considered how little ground
there was for disagreement. Alas, I
did not Know then the real reason that
had sent him away, and only fancied it
was a foolish lovers' quarrel that a few
words would explain 1 And so I
watched and hoped, and started at
every sound, every step, and longed for
the moment of his return the moment
that never came.
"Here, Nora," said Tom, tossing a
letter across the breakfast-table to me.
"From Harold, who, I conclude, has
come to bis senses. Post-mark 'Dublin'
not so far off after all."
With my door locked, I tore open
the let 'er and read it all through to the
end in a blank numb sort of a way,aud
then sat still and tried to realize it alL
"Good-bye 1" ran the last words.
"Heaven bless you and make you
happy ! My last wish is that we may
never meet agaiu. Surely the world is
wide euough for us two !"
Tears of bitter shame and sorrow
coursed down my cheeks as 1 read and
re-read Harold's letter, and saw too
late the game of cross-purposes we ha 1
been playing
"Captain Warner, the ollieer In the
cavalry regiment" Charlie's regiment!
What did it mean?
Airaiu and again I read those last
words liefore I could fully understand
it all those last words so full of min
gled sorrow and reproach.
"I am going away." he wrote
"away to the other side of the world,
and in all human probability shall never
set foot on British soil again. It was
accidentally that I heard of your en
gagement to Captain Warner. Nora.
think you it is such a light thing to
wreck a man's happiness to blight his
whole life ? Does not your conscience
upbraid you that, while wearing one
man's likeness and being engaged to
him, you can lightly break that vow
and unreservedly give your iieart to an
other? Who he ls I know not ; but,
from the bottom of my heart, I pity
him. Oh, Nora, you can never know
how I loved you, my first and last love
how blindly aud fully I believed and
trusted in you ! Now that all is over,
all proved false, I feel as if I could
never have faith in man. woman, or
child again !"
Hour after hour passed unheeded,
and yet each minute was bearing him
farther and farther away over the wide
blue sea, away to another country,
thinking I had been false, when all the
time my heart was breaking for love of
him. My engagement to Captain War
ner what was it? A fabrication from
beginning to end ! Oh, why did not
Harold ask me? One word would have
explained it alL
Again and again did Helen piteously
implore me to let her in ; but not even
my own sister could see me in the first
hours of my sorrow. Afterwards the
whole world might come ; but for one
day I must be alone to battle with my
grief and remorse, aud weep in solitude
over tlie grave of my dead hopes.
When the darkness came, I knelt down
and prayed that I might one day meet
Harold and tell him how he had mis
judged me.
I never told Tom and Helen the facts;
I buried my sorrow in my heart, and
hoped that time might make all plain.
Harold told no one not even his
mother whither he was going: and
weeks lengthened into months, and
months into years, yet no tidings came,
till at hist Harold Broughton's name
ceased to be mentioned.
"Make our house your home," said
Tom and Helen ; and so I lived on, as
people will live, in spite of all sorrow
and disappointment,
Five years have isse 1, and, at the
age of twenty-three, I am living on
with the vague hope that has never
quite died the hope that I shall see
Harold before I die, Charlie came
home yesterday. He is the same dear
affectionate brother as of old; and,
alone with him, I told him everything
just as it happened, how I had loved
and lost. Kissing me tenderly, he
softly quoted the words of the poet
"It better to have Toctd rod Umt
Than never to luive luvtd at all "
My heart grows weary aud my ho
faint as the days glide by, with never a
word from Harold, who perhaps may
be in a lonely grave in some far-otf
laud ; yet but for that hope I think I
should long ago have been sleeping iu
the quiet churchyard.
It is a glorious evening in the month
of may ; there are bustle aud confusion
on the pier at Kingstown. Thd even
ing sun is shining 011 the range of blue
mountains and making the deep-blue
waters of the bay glisten and sparkle
like diamonds; and the mail-boat is
steaming in, with the suulight dancing
on the foam and spray that follow in
her wake. Standing on the deck.eagerly
scanning the siiore, his face bronzed
and aged, is Harold Broughton the hero
of Nora's love-story. There is the
light of anticipation in his dark eyes as
be springs on shoie and h.tstily enters
the train that is standing by the plat
form. Leaning back in the carriage, he
folds his aims and seems lost in bis
own thoughts. The stern face softens,
the expressira of care fades troui his
brow, and he looks once more like the
It irold Broughton of old.
The twilight is stealing over the lod
orchard at Kosebank; and Nora is pac
in? up and dawn, a strange weight of
sadness on her heart to-night. Lartre
tears roll one by one down her pale
cheeks : the soft breeze stirs the apple-
blossoms, aud the pure petals fall uiion
her bowed head. A hasty step falls
upon the green turf, a band is laid upon
her shoulder, and a well-known voice
whispers
"Nora!"
The strong arms are round her now,
the welcome voice pouring incoherent
explanations into her ear. What does
it matter ? All the sorrow is forgotten.
irone as a dream in the buss of meeting
II irold again.
"Can you forgive me, Nora?" he
pleads. "And, dearest, I found out
my mistake by chance. In my restless
wanderings I came across Capta n War
uer, aud he eelightened me. The first
vessel that sailed brought me home ;
and here I am to ask you to forgive aud
foreet all, and be my own again."
"Oh, Uarold,"she sbos, "how I have
prayed and hoped and waited for this
day I"
And so, after five long years, they
have met, never to be parted again in
this me.
Once more I take up niy'pen. We are
to be married to-morrow. The past.
with all its sorrow, seems now more
like a dream, and my only wish at
present is that I may grow more worthy
of Harold's love. e talked it all over
to-day under the very tree beneath
which we discussed the croquet-match
live years ago : and Harold's voice was
tremulous when he kissed me and whis
pered
"Well, darling, the trouble is all
over. We have both suffered deeply ;
but Iieaven grant we may be happy
now I"
Jewels of thm Orient.
The history of gems Iu the East is
the history of the governing princes,
for so often has the course of history in
the Orient been affected by intrigues
about precious stones that they assume
a state of importance. I he traditional
diamond in the East is the Great Mo
gul. The original weight of this stone
was 7S7 carats, but by cuttiug it was
reduced to 297 carats. The stone dis
appeared at the last Tartar invasion,
when treasures to tlie value of $35U,-
000,000 were captured by Nadir Shah.
It is believed to be at present hidden
away in some obscure fortress in Asia
Minor, aud it may be recovered at some
future ti-ne.
Some idea of the abundauce of pre
cious stones in the East may be gained
from the fact that when Mahnioud, in
the eleventh century, captured Suuinat,
au idol statue was broken open and
found to contain three bushels of dia
monds, rubies aud emeralds. Ala-ud-ileeu
obtained from the Rajah of M th
rattas fifty pouuds of diamonds and ru
bies and 175 pounds of pearls. Shah
Jehau, the greatest of the Mogul sov
ereigns, left a treasure ot incalculable
value at his death, a throne valued at
$30,0tKI,00d and a crown worth $12,
000,000. The throne was the celebrated
peacock throne, so called from the im
ages of two peacocks which stood be
fore it, each made of precious stoues so
matched m color and position as to re
semble the natural colors of the bird.
The throne was six feet long and four
feet wide, of solid gold and crusted
with diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
Steps of silver led up to it, while a can
opy of gold, fringed with pearls, sup
ported by twelve pillars emblazoned
with gems, surmounted the whole. On
each side was a sacred umbrella made
of velvet, embroidered with pearls, the
handle of gold being inlaid with dia
monds. It was tlie most costly work of
art ever made. Its only rival was the
cerulean throne of the house of Bah
mei.ee, in the Nizam. This was built
ia the Seventeenth Century, was nine
feet long by three feet wide, was made
of ebony, covered with plates of gold
crusted with gems, and was valued at
8:10,000,000.
A late traveler gives an account ot
the magnificence of the Persian crown
jewels. In the jewel room he found
treasures valued at $35,000,000 among
them the crown, a mass of diamonds
surmounted by a ruby as big as a hen's
egg. The King's belt is a wonder of
barbaric magnificence, weighing about
tweuty pounds and composed of a solid '
mass of diamonds, rubies and emeralds.?
As Persia is the native land of the tur-;
nnnisA it. is hut. natural that th finpstl
stone of this description is to be found
in its collection. This royal specimen
is four inches long, iwrfect in color, and
without a flaw. When the Shah was
in Europe, some years ago, he wore a
variety of diamonds and other precious
stones that be kept the cetec' lves in a
constant fever of fear lest he should be
robbed of some of them, for one, even
of the smallest, would have been a for
tune for a half-dozen thieves. The but
tons of his coat were five in number,
and each button was a diamond larger
than the Koninoor, while every part of
his clothing seemed to be useful, not as
a covering for his body, but as places tt
bang diamonds on.
Sleeping Draught.
A word about sedatives, or sleeping
draughts. It is impossible to speak too
strongly against the habitual use of
these. They should never be taken
without a doctor's orders. Chloral,
though not produciug the ill effects
which follow opium, is depressing.
One or two teasp3onsfuls of the syrup
is the dose for an adult. "Chloral-
drinking" is a fearful evil, against
which none can keep too sedulous a
guard. Of bromide of potassium, five
to tweuty grains is the ordinary adult
dose. It is a powerful sedative to the
nervous system, but should never be
used as a habit, for, besides other evils,
it leads to an eruption on the skin.
Laudanum is the preparation of opium
most employed by the public Children
are exceedingly sensitive to it, Oue
drop of laudanum has killed an infant.
It should never be taken without a
doctor's prescription. Dover's powder,
a ten-grain dose for an adult, is useful
in checking a cold. Every ten grains
of this powder contains one grain of
opium. Therefore it should be used
with great caution. We warn moth
ers against all manner of soothing sir
ups for their babies unless such are or
dered by the doctor.
G xxl tahte rejects excessive nicety;
it treats little tuinrrs as little things,
uJ is not liar by thcai.
A Ca3iI4X EtfiaBAVT "The fuuds
ail gone?'' shouted the depositor.
''-Every cent," replied the President,
"Are yon sare that be left nothing?"
."He left nothing bat the eoantry."
Art Xenlla W -re.
"Has there been any improvement ii
ait needlework t" asked a reporter of
lady artist, who was busily putting the
mushing stitches to a beautiful desigi
on satin
'Oh, yes, many, and of a truly artis
tic nature. Everything no seems U
tend to high art. The Oicar Wild
craze has come again, I believe aud
likely to remain. Etching art work with
the needle is quite the rage now. It re
quires an artistic taste, an inborn fac
ulty you might aay, to produce on sa
tin or cloth of any kind designs or pic
tures which so resemble nature, and
look like etching in art. For instance,
here is a tidy of that style. See how
the delicate shades of thread are sc
bended as to give life and tone to tin
sketch as a whole. It looks more likt
line art on canvass than needlework on
cloth."
"Ha vent you a special cloth to work
on?"
'There are many different kinds of
cloth that can be used, but of them all
satin is the favorite. Plush is used fre
quently. Of late three new black
grounds have been introduced: Battis.
transparent canvas and Chh.ese crape.
Wonderful results in design and shad
ing are accomplished on these surfaces.
The work is at all times tedious, but
not arduous. It requires patients and
a good eye for coloring to be a first
class artist In needlework art, besides
years of experience. Some nevey learn
it. 10 convince yru that it is not
merely mechanical, 1 have frequently
given one or two lesous to a lady, ex
plaining the methods fully and have
been astonished at the rapid progress
she has made. Others I have taunht
for many months, without success.
lleu-e you see a lady must have ability
in that direction or else no progress can
1 expected, every color that a flower
has cau be stitched on canvas, even to
the minute shading of the leaves. The
most popular stitch in art needle-work
is the Kensmgtou outline stitch. It
would be impossible for me to explain
to you the way a Kensington stitch is
made; it has to be seen while it is be
ing done to fully comprehend its com
plexion. "Another popular method of this art
work is Kococo work of ribbon embroi
dery and cau be done very rapidly,
Combinations of ribbons, flowers and
arrasene leaves can be made superbly
artistic. The be-t flowers for the work
are the wild rose, forget-nie-nots, wild
clematis, daisy and Russian suow flow
er. The method of working is as fol
lows: tor a rose take three or five
shaV3 of rose pink eros grain ribbon
No. U or Surah silk.cut the same width;
cut five pieces (one of each shade) two
niches long, commence with the daii
est shade; make two small plaits in one
eud and tack it 011 the outer eud of the
Ietal end with a few strong stitches;
theu bring the other eud of the ribbon
over and pass it down through a slit
made in the centre of the rose, being
careful to draw the selvages a little
tighter than the center in order to make
the petal stand out soft and puffy ;make
the other petals in the same manner,
theu fill the center wi h French knots
of maize embroidered silk, also make
the stamens by carrying stitches of silk
up onto the ribbon, witha I reiich knot
at the end to represent polleu. Other
flowers with large peta!s,reqiuring wide
ribbon are made in the same manner;
but for the fiuer flowers like forget-me-nots,
the ribbon may be threaded iulo a
large sized needle aud worked through
aud through, taking a single stitch for
each petal."
' 1 lie designs are generally flowers.
are they not?"
'1 es, flowers of rare beaut y.grouped
in every conceivable shape are more
popular than figures of nymphs or he
roes clad in bright armor, ueuieuiuer
to embroider nicely and shade, is art."
lien. Washlnctoa Appeanine.
An old gentleman whom I met above
the Braddock Hotel told me he had for
years heard George Washington Custis
talk of bis adopted father. Said he:
"Custis looked ud to Washington as a
god. He described him as straight as
an American Indian and as free in walk
a the savage. From the stories I have
heard of Washington I have tried to
picture him in my mind's eye. He
was a tali man padded with muscle.
He was six feet two in his shoes, and
he weighed 210 ponnds in his prime.
He wore hout No. 11 shoes, and had
glves three times as large as the aver-
age. tils hands were so large that
they were a enriomty. and his whole
frame was bony and iarge-joioted. He
had a broad chest, bat not a full one.
It was rather hollow, aud he was trou
bled in his last days with a cough. His
mouth was firm and his lower jaw grip
ped the npper with a determined grip.
In later years he lost his teeth, and the
false ones he got did not fit well and
pushed ont his lower lip. He bad eyes
of cold light gray, which could look
stern and angry upon occasion, and
which seldom smiled. He was as wide
at the hips as at the shoulders, and
kept his straightness of stature to the
lust. He had large legs and was a good
rider and runner. Yoa have heard the
stories of his wonderful strength of arm
aud how he threw stones wide distances.
His nose waa rather thick and coarse.
I have never heard that it had a blossom
on it. He was rather fastidious as to
dress, though he wore plain clothes
when not on military duly. He a ways
shaved himself, but had a servant to
comb and tie his hair ev,.ry morning.
I have heard Mr. Custis say that he
rose very early at Mt. Vernon, often
before daybreak, and as early as 4 a. m.
He would, at sunrise, go to his stables
and look at his blooded horses. When
he came back he had a light breakfast
of corn cakes, honey and tea, or some
thing of that sort, and then he ate
nothing more until dinner. I am speak
ing of his later years. After breakfast
he rode over his estate, aud at 3 had
returned and was dressed for dinner.
Dinner was a big meal at Mt Yernou.
and Washington ate nothing after it.
He usually drank five glasses of Mad
eira wine at desert, but I have never
heard of his being drunk. He was not
opposed to the moderate use of liquor.
aud when be was first elected to tne
House of Burgesses of Virginia, among
the items of his election expenses were
a hogshead and a barrel of whiskey,
thirty-five gallons of wine and forty
three gallons of beer. In the the Vir
ginia House be did not cat a great fig
ure. He was not much of a speaker,
but he was pooular or he eould Dot
have held his place for fifteen years, as
he did. I have understood that he
treated his slaves very well, bat that he
made them work and would ail-w
no foolishness among them. Washing
ton liked thet ire. wnd he was fond
of dancing in early life,
Head Gear.
Tlie issue of an iiupei ial decree for
bidding the wearing of round hats,
frock coats, vests without sleeves and
pantaloons was supposed to be a meaus
of gratifying a grudge Paul bore toward
Euglishmen. His aversion to round
hats seems to have been constitutional.
It was more expedieut that the hateful
garment should be prescribed than that
the tranquility of a Czar should be dis
turbed. The sudden apparition of
crowds of bareheaded gentlemen on
the streets of St. Petersburg announced
the new decree; wherever a round hat
appeared it was snatched by ambushed
policemen, and the muscular pedestrian
who ventured to repel the assault aud
knocked down the thief was carried bo
nne the guard and fined. The combaU
Ive Englishman was, of course, the
chief actor iu these street breils.
By the influence of Charles Whit
worth the ukase, so far as it affected
foreigners, was modified; the chief of
the police was instructed not to confis
cate the head-dress, but to detain its
wearer till evidence was produced that
be was not a Russian either by birth or
naturalization. Paul's hatred of hats
was of old standing. While Grand
lJuke, aad living at Gatchiua, he saw a
workman wearing oue. He caused the:
man to be brought before him and ad
ministered to him a lecture on his at
tire. Turning to the Grand Duchess,
Paul asked for some pins, and raising
the flaps of the round hat, transformed
it into a cocked oue aud ordered the
workman to wear it so till it was past
service.
The ukase caused a run on the shops
for head-dresses that weie not a civil
offence, and as the stock was soon ex
hausted people had to walk the streets
bareheaded or batter their hats into
another category. A n ambassalor who
qeutured to laugh too loudly at these
eccentricities bad his passports re
turned, l'aul paid the dress of Eng
lishmen the compliment of a special
police decree. The costume he enjoined
was a three-cornered hat, a long cue
with a curl at the eud of it, a single
breasted coat and vest, buckles instead
of latches at the knee-breeches and the
shoes. On one occasion, seeing one of
the hate d race wearing long boots, he
sent some policemen to cut them into
the size of shoes; but as the man refused
to be reformed they dragged the boots
oil aud left him to go home 111 his
stockings.
It is written somewhere that a lady
at Court provoked the innx-rial dis
pleasure by wearing her hair too low at
the neck, aud that as a punishmeut she
was ordered into close couhnemeut and
fed on bread aud water. Again, au
English servant was dialed from a
sledge and caned on the street for wear
too thic-ka neckcloth. The inhabitants
of St, Petersburg fled in all directions
when they saw the Czar's carriage in
the distance, only to be followed by
mounted Cossacks, who brought theiu
back and compelled them to prostrate
themselves iu the mud before his
Majestv. A short-sighted Englishman,
who pleaded defective vision, when
isked w hy he had skulked down a back
lane, was ordered to wear spectacles.
He was kuown iuthe capitol ever a'' r-
ward as "tlie gentleman who
spectacles by ukase.
Flannels In t'AAhtou.
Oue of the prettiest and most useful
materials iu this season's market is the
Jersey flannel, which is worn by persons
of all ages and pretensions. It is soft,
warm and serviceable ; it requires no
trimming, and its pliuut folds serve at
once to define a good figure or to dis
guise a poor odo. The Jersey dress is
what they call those gay-striped Louse
garmenht which are made quite plainly,
without oversikrts, with a snug, round
waist, and no garniture save bows of
satin or ottoman ribbon, bancbing all
the colors of the costume: The favorite
combinations are navy blue and red,
olive gold and red, red and black, gray
and black, and blue and gold. The latter
makes an especially stylish costume,
and will bear a sailor collar and culls of
blue Astrakhan cloth. In 1 l iiu coitr'.
Jersey flannel is used for charming
negliges of pale pink, and bine and
cream, elaborately trimmed with bice
and bows. It ls the material pre-emi
nent for children s coats, aud the gayest
stripes are chosen for that purpose.
though ladies seldom wear this conspicu
ous material out of doors. Ihese soft.
warm materials encourage the wearing
of white dr&sjs through the winter.
AU manner of shaggy cloths are in favor,
and Turkish toweling has a share of
the furor.
Some of th9 wool fabrics worn foi
walking are suggestive of horse
blankets.bat they are none the less ad
mired. There is oue style of twilled
cloth that has raised figures like Berlin
work, and another that shows rich plush
designs on a cashmere grouudwork.
Dark rich plaids are also fashionable.
bnt for street costumes there is nothing
more pop alar than simple, plain cloth
iu mushroom, garnet, dark blue or the
green shades trimmed with reed feathers
or bands of fur. Otter coutiuues to I
favorite fur trimmiog, but woven
bands of ostrich feathers swan's down
are worn by those w ho can afford them.
This feather tnmmmg averages about
six inches in width, aud costs from fout
to six dollars a yard. It is put around
the bottom of the 'long, straight over-
skirt of tailor-made suits, around the
neck and sleeves. The very short
basques have a plain finish. These
several costumes have no display be
yond the rather ugly ''waterfall" back
I which bunches all the fulness in a
I single, bouffant puff close np to the
j waist over the fall of the basque. Some
' of these walking oostamaa are trimmed
! with'braid, metal braids being worn,
with cords and clasps of metal to match
' the general gtruiture. Oxidized silver
j is especially popular, and reappaara in
j the fashionable jewelry and bnt tons.
: These are made to 1 uitate old -and
battered coins, bearing theprofile head
of some classic ruler or celebrity. At
evening entertainments fancy wraps are
I worn, embossed velvet raised upou otto.
' mau silk ot gold, crimson, amber, or
ecrn, white and silver brocade; India,
ea-thmere and feather trimmed plush.
Chenille fringe, mixed with silk and
tinsel, is often used to finish these
evening wraps. A great rage this sea
I son is the plash opera bag, which la
! carried on the arm by a silken cord. It
is lined with some contrasting silk or
satin, and may be ornamented with a
monogram.
For small houses an appearance of
greater aiae is given by haviug the
whole lower floor carpeted alike.
Nothing make the world seam au
ipacioua as to hare friends at a die-
anoe; they
make the latitude and
tuittujes.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
John Bright has turned his seventy
third year.
Scarlet fever is rviorted prevalent
iu Jersey City.
Canton, in China has a popu'ati jr,
of over l.iiOO.iVHJ.
Gophers are eaten as a delicacy in
portions of Georgia
A paper chimney 50 feet high has
teu erected at Breslau,
Licorice is profit ibly cult ivau I iu
Sacramento Couuty, Cal.
--No rain fell in some parts of Geor
gia in more than lilo days.
Wild ducks are becoming plentiful
m various parts of Florida
Foreign cattle companies owu
. (KiO.tKiO Texas cattle.
Boston shipped -10,000 hju-rels of ap
les to England in two weeks.
Falastitie was united to the Otto
man Empne by Selim 1. in loliJ.
Tlie Japanese are said to be the
greatest lish eaters 111 tho world
Four thousand invitations were
lately issued for a wedding in Chicago.
Philadelphia has seven public lib
raries, containing 1,000,000 books.
Newspaper compositors receive
ll.'M a day of ten hours In Par's.
There are three chandeliers in the
White House that Co.-t 5-",IKK.I apiece.
Riots were made treasonable offjii
;es against En-'lish l iw bv au act of
1.K
I'aper is now used in Germany in
stead of wood iu manufacturing lead
pencils.
Fifty-four hundred incandescent
lights are used at the Imisvdle exposi
tion. Gardening is practically taught in
more than 2J,m0 primary schools iu
Fiance.
The yearly cost of the
Academy to the State amounts
JiA) francs.
Six handled and ninety
French
to 0.-
woluen
Seattle.
voted at a recent election In
w. r
There ate 2ji clergvina t it I.ou-
don. There are f7iH pub.ic houses and
wine cellars.
It costs over "i.Ono a ear. it is
saitl. to keep and clean thcrowti jewels
of England.
The day schools of the city of New
York hae 1o0,ihh pnpits.aiid the night
SclltK)lS 12.0IJO.
Eating out of doors, even candy or
fruit, is regarded as a m 11 k of ill breed
ing iu Mexico.
The olilest newspaper ever Issued
was the '.i-iff.-. which appeared iv
Yenice iu l."s:t.
N'ew York capitalists have inves
ted S.;.tJU0,OUO iu Montana lands tho
pa-t four months.
The area of Philadelphia is l.KJ
Stpiare uiiles. The area of liidou is
Ii-, sqaare miles.
Iu the hist ten mon1 lis the olii jeis
sei.ed 43,22. barrels of unlaw f a! gro
at Portland, Me.
Two pioe logs recently cut hi Clay
County, Fla.. measured respectfully
1.4"7 and l.&JS feet.
Portland, Or., is getting up au ex
cursion party for tlie s;ndv:c!i Islands,
to leave iu January.
Panoramas were invented by Rob
ert Uaiker, and the first was exhibited
at Ediuburg. in 17SS.
It ls estimated tliereare40,uK3 per
sons iu New York dependent upou
gambling tor a living.
The era of the Hegira dates from
July l., 022, the day wneu Mohammed
lied from Mecca to Me lina.
New York customs officials found
SiXl artificial eyes concealed iu a bustle
belonging to a lady voyager.
Kentucky has a white school popu
lation of 47S,.y7. Her white enroll
ment is 24X,07'J, or 30 er cent.
Mushrooms are reported to have
been so plentiful iu Englai.d this season
that they sold for half peuny a pound.
During the past year nearly 10
boilers have exploded. Killing outright
and maiming for life more than COO per
sons The New Yor Police B-ard has
decided that hereafter ollicers shall wear
service stripes, oue for e;ic!i fiv years
of service.
The pauper population of England
exceeds by some 10.UUU souls the entire
population of the great colony of New
South Wales.
The production of gold in IS-vJ was
;27,Slij,04'i; of silver, $ W,07.,101; of
copper, ,0.'l 'J-'l ; of lead. js,lrj:t,,".u;
tola!, $S4,?.V-ili.
It cosUKKOOO francs per year
to support the penal institutions of
Italy, while only 2,000,000 francs are
devoted to education.
Fifteen orauge trees :iuar Plant
City, Florida, yield this year, 10,000
oraiigt s 10,000 to the tree. Tliess
trees are about 40 years old.
Wooden shoes of the old Dutch
type are now made at Danbuiy, Conn.
They are of butternut and while imper
vious to water are very light,
The distance of Sirius from the
earth is estimated to lie l.37.,Oi0 tliiisa
greater than the distance of the sun.o'
about 12-';,7."ki OiKt,uoO,000 miles.
Cholera and siiort crops together
are likely to make a very hard wintei
in the south of Europe, and a stagna
tion iu trade is expected throughout the
countries.
The highest priee ever paid for a
work of art was $12:1,IKX), which was
given in 1-m2 for a picture of the Vir
gin from the hand 01 the great Spanish
artist Murl!.
Although newspaper readuig is
greatly oi tho increase iu Austria
Hungary, it is estimated that some
twenty millions of the nation never see
a paier.
It is stated that the Champs iid
Mars has been selected as the site of the
Paris Exhibition of lsS'.l, and that M.
Autonin Proust has beeu selected as
Commissioner-general.
Despite the distress in the north of
England this autumn, there is a de
crease in the returns of paupers as com
pared to last year, and a very decided
diminution in crime.
Maryland with a population of 213,-o-'.'J,
has an enrollment of 1:14,210, or
C! per ceuL ; and with a colored popu
lation of &S.0UI. has an enrollment of
2S.221, or 44 per cent,
Florida h enrolled N,571 out ot
a white school population of 4d,4l0, or
41 per cent, ; and 20.444 out of a colored
school population of 42,000, or 40 pei
cent. Her annual expenditure on this '
account is illt.Sy.'
4
' if"ifT'