IS mm V()l, XXXIX MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENN A.. WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 9. ISS5. NO. 50. P-F TEB O0I8TITUTI0V THS UIIOI AH) THE EIIOSODQ3T OP TfiE LAWS. . - ... Eklitor and Proprietor. . x' VV TV JS The Irony of Time. redirect the years acata C When life " th w-,ne: ''"rhevalneof ouryouili. His harvested our prime 'aoa'.J drain from every flower we meet , . , TLcUstaro;.of Us sweet! ffe kU the pre-:-.: Lour, and try to borrow Ln, ioi.eU.-fe of the morrow; ' las its morrow ami the paio OfW'321'!?1,, , , , 5t i the jears. til! Ase defeated Prsolate, mt'a et"i' ? t-nds. s 3 ,atinoar fathers trod before, ?-"we trace their footsteps o'er; fBirr befcat. in every vale we meet Siasof their tuiiiiiSf 6tebed oa the ixvfc and wounded by the thorn , Where we are s-un,; and torn. t -at wis it tlat they sjiight? O burniag fTes. , . Fisoic:i '.o western s.ie! jj, beck-iuin .dupi faat fejra so fair to nwiuiv - -c - njt lured the through tenip.- OOUS teas Berona the Ihbr.ues. Iiri parp'.e -e ot -iee ana goiun lands , , Toilis on frt;:ii: .erauds. :Be las no precloiw treasure stored away Viri hi no social paiden of ilulight loo lat'we iearn that tumble highway 5er i:.'- i... ,-ir li.irr: ISllUP-''" - 7t light that kindles iu meek, inaicen eyes Ull'lC Ol"' ' l T la ate, too U:e we find there is no more. roa th rieh offerings hav; ovtr- thntru, I-TM-nT Ti tXlkliOVTU. 4 Utsx'-'li Sjracyrod Ly wl.ich we can attain Vvuth s vanuea grace aain. clack nmi. verv treuv ;ri was Maudecn O'sbea the prettiest rouud about R js turei.ime said tl:e prettiest in aU he was sliint J suipie witn a cieerfal sunny nature that for ever babblel from !.er !:;? in song, She had dirt hair thai rirpleJ uacK lrom an iipratirow, leo; bitie ejes, aud lips that c?re ever curved in smiles. 5:ie liad tie true olive tint of the Celt; but Ler in was so: t as fa!:n, and Iter cheeks .rai "i: rarr.atiitns. Maudeen liv ed atone oa a httle farm with her mother i widow enj pied with rheumatism. Dtnais 0?bea had been dead many mis, and a'.one and unassisted the irave wrnuau had managed the little tan. It LaJ hxn hard up hill work itlidleLt her back and ruined her teal:h;lut now she had enough to isend and to spare she owed no man not even her landlord anything, and the owned the sweetest, prettiest col leen in the whole barony. Eossanure was not a place visited by many strangers, though the scenery fas delightful. There were grand mountains near by, a lake that teemed rJh trout, and the roar or the Atlantic was sometimes born in on the wings of the breeze. Miudeen had passed the twenty years of net life in this peaceful spot. Every market-dav she brought in ber butter ind eggs to the little town that lay two ante across the bog, and came back bermotLtr noted latterly, each day a little ia:er, each day with brighter eheeksand prettier smiles. "ATatiUeen honey," said the mother one market -day, taking the young face between the wrinkled hands and gazing ciiously into it, ''who's after spakin' ve-ord5t'ye?"' Maudeen lowered her beautif ul eyes, wd tossed her head and laughed. 'They're just fools!" the girl de ured. "Honey, hiney, the boys don't think if you do," was the quick rejoinder, j "IXsii 't be ah;r j layiii'fast and loose fcy any now, f.ir ye niver know how tacliUiiii'seiid."" Then the fr.xd woman sighed and ent her way wondering towards which of ber many admirers her beautiful Cdiieen leaned. "Andldoprav it's Hugh blievau, tie smith," si.e thought '-for he's a fraud iad with his tuste for work, while rra likm' has he for the dhrink. lad sure hasn't he, honest-like, asked jo be my son, and hasn't he got my tea-iii' by H e same token? Arrah, out it's tie rale love if ever I saw love -that shines straight out of his eyes len Maudeen stands foruinst him." The summer afternoon waned, and, len the cows were milked and all the Sock made comfortable for the night, sad the widow -ils settled over the rMt-fire with 1 er knitting and a week M tai-er, Maudeeu stooped and kissed pother, observina that, the eveu fS hews so fine, it tempted her to go f stroll. NUjatye'rei! afore dark and don't abeyant the bo-r, honey," stipulated " widow, smiling. "Hugh'll be ue.v she taught deUvUaUlti:! V'ent wi'-Lout furtljer U WuS a lovely evening; the solt wind J!a v,it1' tlie 3cenl of newcut hay f-a m the v.-e-t, wiiere the broad At- 1:1 'a? huslj('' in repose, floated a "pfbilWy cloud, scarlet and or- T .. . . . i: ""Ueea left the f.irm and furiipd 'rntLcgre,.a lane that, led to the Uoad A httie stream wellinz out -a under the grasses made music be bpltl'e 0!-!-V sound indeed that stillness of the moun adhogarouni tol T.n was usel to this loneliness, nsua;,y thought nothing of it But even Ug she was evidently out of r.0,lr W:i the peaceful and familiar jjp'w.aishe moved along, a look j J:. ,'-e.Dt spread over her face and ft'ped her. Were her im-i Wa!k1 n forabout quarter of Jr e' and then suddenly the look ctmn vanished, and her eyes be ning like stars. A turn in the leieT ,ro,!gIlt lier near to a gap stood. and leaning against a .wart rrni half veiled in 5ickh ierm" Jusk- The man Wils d it,ih f00t approaching "e ium.d, and as quickly went to Mu e!Tl The western light rest 4diedeoJr:tl!:it ia Maudeeu's k.d'' "S1"," she began psttishly, Hu , e for ever comin' dowu aikuKJ' can't so much as lave batu;;Vbreathof alfo' HilfaI1 straight upon you, like -BeTfil? eroin' toad stool." Ist-sw , 10 ,,e nor ia the dhrink iTll0,pWM the curt replv. "But double,. afler comia' agaiu if it IsI'dnotTjedoln'it!" asvier seemed both to appease and sadden the girL She stood still u puuea l me Drtars beside her for the man barred her way. In the silence she felt rather than saw that bis eves were fixed on her searcMngly. He was a tall black-bearded fellow weH clad hi homespuu, for he had closed his forge and donned his best to walk across the ..liinf rv and .nn i. rr: . . . . I "e ws Ptain of face, but the plainnss ! was redeemed by a look of daring and ""wi "u a pair or eyes at once clear and dark as a hawk's. "Black Hugh" for thus they called the smith "makes a staunch 'friend; but Heaven help his enemy!" said the people about After a moment's pause, the man ias voice low and hoarse spoke. "Maudeen," said he, "why do ye trate m-3 so?" The girl gave an impatient toss to her pretty head. "Ye're spasin' riddles the night, Hugh Slievan," she answered lightly. "Korbye it's but harsh words ye Ve got ten for rue ye can let me pass." Slivan thrust out an arm strong as an iron bar, aud laid hold of the stone wall opposite. "Pass ye shall," he said, with a little laugh, "but not till ye've heard me say." The girl started back, and glanced with mingled fear and anxiety into his darkening face. "Maudeen asthore. Maudeen asthore, ye'ro makin' a divil o' rue!" cried the man passionately. "Who is there in all the Wide world loves you like myself ay, and bas so done sinea the day we were so high "putting his hand two feet from the ground "just a doucy bate? Wasn't it the two of us that went hand-lu-hand to the school to gilher as children, and had ye iver a joy or sorrow but ye bid Hugh Sliven share it? Until of late we niver met j but ye had a kind word for me for ye made lelieve to love me, Maudeen I always and always till" here the man's voice shook with anger "John Elliott I curse him! came and stood betwane ! us!" "Let me pass!" cried the girl, whose pride could not hide her distress. "Xot yet" and the strong arm trembled with its fierce hold of the wall "aol yet. Till EUiott, I say, came over to take the bread out of the mouth of men good as himself lvery bit, ye were kind enoHgh to me there was not a truer pair in Itossanure. Maudeen O'ishea, do ye think I'll stand tamely by aud see my colleen carried off before my own two lookin' eyes, and by an Englishman, curses on hiui! Maudeeu," went on the smith, sudden ly lowering bis angry voice to accents of touching entreaty, and holding out both his hands to the girl, "say that ye'll love me say that ye'll be wife to me?" Maudeen shook her head sadly; she did not speak, nor did she touch the proffered hands. "Maudeen, your mother has promis ed ye to me!" ''She may have promised my hand my heart is my own to give," was the low response; and, before be could give vent to another word of anger or en treaty, the girl slipped past him, and was lost in the dusk. Slowly, his breast full of tumultuous passion, Hugh Slievan followed; bnt he paused on coming near the gate that fenced the green lane from the road, for there, leaning against it, the star light playing on her happy face, stood Maudeen O'Shea, and near, very near to tier was a man. There was no need to ask who he was. The sturdy well- built figure was known to the smith but two welL "I'll be even with ye jet, John El liot so help me Heaven!" muttered Black Hugh fiercely, as he leapt the ditch and wandered aimlessly across the bog. . "Twelve o'clock by the kiln." These were the words that, coming softly through the darkness, struck up on Hush Slievan's ear some few nights later, as he lounged moodily against the door of his forge. A low whistle was his reply to the mysterious sum mons, on hearing which a slouclung form started up and stole away rapidly, keeping well within the surrounding shadows. When twelve o'clock cime that night a group of men were gathered under the iv led wall of an old disused lime kiln, which stood in the woods of Lord Ballina's tlemesue. It was sheltered from the road at all times a lonely one by a thick belt of trees. Xot Tar rrom It rau a river which, chaDng within its rocky bed, broke the silence with its sullen roar. In the sun-light this lime kiln, shrouded by foliage and mantled by mosses, was a spot meet for lovers' trysts. In the darkness, far removed from the haunts of men and veiled from the keen eyes of police or watcher, it had come to serve another purpose. The group of men were dumb as so many statues. Tresently a voice broke the stillness. "Are ye all there the seven o' ye?" "The seven are here," answered one for the rest. "Good!" The sound of a match striking was heard the glare of a lantern fell on the motionless figures and then one by one each went into the interior of the kiln, a portion of which bad fallen away and so made ingress possible. The interior was broad and roemy, for nothing but bare walls remained; the men ranged themselves in careless at titudes round a couple of lanterns, the light of which flickered strangely on their dark determined faces. These, the members of the dread "Black Watch." had met by will of their chosen chief to debate either on political mat ters or on matters of a more sinister na ture. Their leader was a farmer, a tenant of Lord Ballina's. He was aa elderly man, of a taciturn mind; yet, though speaking but seldom, he spoke at such times to the point. He did not waste time now, but, the moment the men were settled, broached the matter that had led him to order the secret meet ing. , "Boys," he began, "ye have as usual answered the summons like thrue men. Now hearken to me. It is not the na tional welfare I've called ye together to spake upon to-night, nor yet whether we'll let the young lord do a bitof hun ting the coming winter, nor yet whether Patsy Flynn's cattle shall be let alone. It is none of such like things, but some thing nearer to home than all. It s whether John Elliott is worthy of death or no " There was a dead silence, broken at length by a low-browed fellow murmur ing in a snarling tone 'He sarved a writ on me last week, bad luck to him!" - . "He got my brother six months In Ballina Gaol for killin' a bit salmon and knockiu' the breath out of one of his lads," spoke up another. "He's a cursed Englishman!" volun teered a third. "That's robbin' us of a position and earnin' the rights of a Itossanure boy!" growled a fourth. "My father had it afore him," "It's him that's put the agent up to his doln's of late gettiu' the patrol doubled, and kapin' such a tight hand over things ye can't touch a snipe but your nose is snatched offl Ah, it was foine times we had when your father rest to his soul was ranger, Tim!" Thus spoke a fifth. "It's EUiott that's stolen the sweet est colleen in all Itossanure from the man that deserves her the most ay, and that was surest of her till be came amongst us!" said another, a hid in years, casting a look of deep love and pity at the black-browed man opposite. HughSlievan said nothing, but bis eyes flashed fire, and suppressed mur mur ran round the circle. " 'Tis a mortal shame!" said some; others cursed the ranger in a whisper. "Well, boys," resumed their chief firmly, "it seems fan example should be madeofbim. He has been weighed, and the scale against him kicks the beam. If any one has a good word for this man, let him say it Silence unbroken save by the roar of the river and the sad sough of the wind. The chief laid a watch between the lanterns and stared quietly at its face. Five minutes went by, and, not one plea having been registered in the Englishman's favor, the chier put the watch back into his pocket and remark ed calmly that time was up. Then he added carelessly "Boys, if any one or more of you thinks John Elliott worthy of life, let that one or more lave this assembly." Xone rose, not one left the kiln. "The matter is settled then John Elliott dies!" said the chief; and, open ing a sheet of paper on which waa a list of names, he marked that or John El liot distinguished already as "dan gerous" with a cross. He then han- ueu me sueei to uis neignnor, ana r., passed In tarn through the bands of all. When the ppe-r came back to him, eiaht black crosses doomed the ranger to death. And, when be saw them, a grim smile of satisfaction lighted up Black Hugh's face. Day by day passed, and John Elliot went about his work, little dreaming of the fate in store for him. The good l-eople of Itossanure had begun by ha ting him; they were slowly learning to like him. True, he did his duty fear lesslyhe would tell no lie to shield bimselt, let alone his neighbor he was over-scrupulous about bis master's property; but, all the same, there was a frank good-humor about the man that won its way into the heart of every wo man in the barony, and a quiet deter mination that gained the respect, if not the goodwill, of the men. lie would serve the writ that all others refused to serve, did he think it furthered bis master's interests. But be did not serve it at the bayonet-point. Alone and unarmed he would perform his disagreeable duty; and none had the heart to strike him where be stoo J, the' light oi day sninmg in the blue eyes fun or coinage and perhaps of pity. What they might do in the dark, when those eyes were not looking their way, was another matter. The doomed man often came across the "Black Watch," some of whom be knew personally. There was the chief who, never showed other than the strong dislike he felt for him. There were Hugh Slievan and his young brother Mike these two shunned him; of late he had come to learn the reason why. "But, Maudeen, I cant give yon up!" he would mutter, as they scowled on him in passing. Then there was a mau sue of the uuderkeepers on the Ballina estate who evinced a warm partiality for him. Elliot would sup in his bouse, and Tim would seem never to tire of his com pany. Tim had been told off to watch his movements and gauge his liabits, that notliing might mar the plot in the end; and he seemed to derive peculiar satisfaction from this duty. The "Black Watch" had arranged to spare the ranger till mid-autumn. The summer nights were short and bright detec tion would be easy. Besides, this was the first blood that would be shed in the barony, and on the threshold of crime there is sometimes a; lingering. But the hour came at last. It was a mild afternoon in autumn. The robins were piping as Maudeen gathered the last ot her roses. Sue was singing too, for that very day she had wrung an unwilling contest from ber mother to look with favorable eyes on the courtship of John Elliott. "It will break Hugh's heart," wept the widow, "and, oh, honey there's nothin' but harm will come of it he was dead set on ye was Hugh!" "Mother," cried the girl desnaringly 'I will marry him as you like; but my heart will rive in two. " And when the widow saw how pale her childs face had grown, she bowed her bead in sore trouble, saying "Let him come then, let. him come this John Elliott" And Maudeen bad sent of! a little lad who tended the cattle; and now at every sound she raised her bright face, think ing it must mean John Elliot Present ly a footfall did break the silence; but it was not the ranger it was Black Hugh instead, who stood leaning heav ily against the farn gate. "Good day. I'ye wish to see moth er?" asked Maudeen, stifling the pang of fear that seized ber at sight of ber rejected lover, to whom she had scarce ly spoken eince two months before, when thev met in the lane. The widow could heal burns and sprains better than any doctor. Perhaps Hugh had hurt bis arm at the forge, thought the girl his face was certain ly pale, and his lips were compressed as with ain. "It's you I wish to spake with," was the sullen answer, as he unlatched the the gate and strode up to her. "Mau deen, will ye not be after givin me a chance will ye not try to love me?" Tears crept into the girl's eyes. "I am after lovin' you, Hugh," she answered softly, "though not in the way you mane. I can't do that, Hugh I can't" "Try only try!" "Hugh, it's just not possible." 'You shall never marry Elliott-never so help me " A trembling hand laid on his Hps checked the final word. "Whisht, Hugh oh, whishtl Sure it's niver mischief you're manin him or me?" "Let him take his chance, as better men have done!" laughed the smith hoarsely, The girl seemed to stop breathing! she grew pale to the lips her beautiful eyes dilated with terror. Then th color surged over her face again, and she answered gently "Hugh, you frightened me sore for tin minute, but you're a true brave man that would never do evil in the dark. Sure I know tetter than that !" Hugh laughed again a wild fierce laugh tliat rattled in his throat The girl begau to tremble a Utile. "Hugh, if there's harm done by him it will be the death of me!" she said faintly. The smith made no answer, but turn ed to leave ber. He had barely reached the gate when she was once more be side him, her warm breath on his ashn cheek. "Hugh oh, Hugh!" she sobbed. Then a strong shudder seized the man; he turned and faced the girl where she stood. "Heaven knows how well i l ive ye, Maudeen O'Shea," he cried hoarsely "how well, how welll See now; give me one kiss just one aud put your two anil on my head aud say, 'Heaven speed ye, Hugh Slievan!' and I'll not be after troublin' ye again." And Maudeen, though she trembled still, did as she was bid. "Heaven speed ye, Hugh Slievan!" she murmured through her tears, and laid her two hands on bis bowed head and kissed him. Then the smith leapt the gate, and was gone from her sight A few bouis later, as the chill mists of evening gathered over the bogs, four men wended their way by separate paths towards the bend of a road that lay be tween the Ballina demesne and the farm owned by Widow O'Shea. They all made for the same spot a broken bit of wall enclosing a thicket of firs bordering the road. The first three who reached this place carried rifles; these they laid carefully ou the fern at tuetr feet, and then, cowering behind the wall, they began to search the road with impatient eyes. Half an hour passed. ' Seems to me he's desperate long in conu'!" muttered one. They were the first words that were spoken. "II.1I wish he'd been longer pres ently!" laughed another in reply. The crackle of a dry twig in the wood behind at that instant made the hearts of the watching men leap within them. They turned round it was Black Hugh. ".Sure, Mister Slievan, ye might have trusted us!" laughed one uneasily. "Troth, there's none I trust like yourself, Tim," was the re, ly. "I just came to see as ye wanted lor nothin.' Ye might make that middle loop hole deeper, I'm thinkm'. And, M ke, lad!'? His brother rauexl his h;ndsonie young face to him. "What's that, Hugh?" "When all's over, never look into the road, but run straight back to the forge. And see here I don't like that old blunderbuss ye've gotten. Ye'll put in a big charge, and it'll be 1 li e to burst -Here's my own fowlin'-piece it's load ? ed ready for ye." "All right!" said the other; and thcJ brothers exchanged guns . Shoot straight, boys, and steady." urged the smith. Then he laid his hand on young Mike's shoulder, looked him in the face, and gave a deep sigi -uooa nignn, iaar' ue said gently. Bat, as he turned to leave them for it was none of his duty to watch for what followed he muttered "Poor Mike! There's none will take truer aim, nor any that'll be so glad 'twas with an empty cartridge," "Seems to me Hush's tired to-night," remarked one of the men, as they watched him pass slowly through tho wood. "He walks heavy like." The dusk had somewhat deepened when those waiting for it at length de scribed a solitary figure advancing along the road that led past their ambush. The figure was tall, its gait was swift and steady, like that of one bound on a pleasant errand. "Be sure it's hiui, Tim!" muttered young Mike through his set teeth. "He wears alight coat; and twirls his stick about." "That's him ! " jeered auother. "He'll not go courtin after this night I'm thinkin'." "Xow, lads, steady your rifles!" The muzzle of three guns were im mediately raised to the loop holes. The solitary figure still advanced. They could not see the man's face, for his head was turned to the right, where in a hollow a mile distant shone a light from Maudeen O'Shea 's window. With swift steady steps the man walked straight to his doom. As he came in line with tue rifles there flashed out at him three tongues of fire. No ausweiing cry was heard; but, as the loud rattle of the volley stopped short, choked in the bog-mists, there followed the thud of a heavy body fall ing on the hard road. Silently, and but for a brief second, the men hung behind their shelter. Then they rose from their knees, and without one pitiful look across the wall each turned his back on bis companion and stole into the gloom. Perhaps ten minutes had elapsed when another solitary wayfarer approached the spot He whistled as he walked, striding along swiftly and without pause until within a few yards of the fir-wood. Then something on the road something that he at first took for nothing more than a gray bundle caught his eyes. When, in the dim light, he ascertain ed it to be a man, his steps insensibly quickened. The blood-sprinkled dust made him shudder as be stooped over the recumbent form. A swift glance, then he fell upon bis knees and raised the wounded man In bis arms. "Hugh," he cried "Hugh SHevanl Good heavens, what's this?" He thought be spoke to dead ears: but at the sound of his rival's voice the smith opened his heavy eyes. "It's all right," he gasped feebly it's all right, John Elliott; better me than you. Ah, this ball in my throatl liaise me. raise me! So now I can breathe. What was I say in'? Maudeen tell her it was or her I done it maybe she'll belave I loved her now! i Letmefale your hand the ill-will's dyin' with me, for sure. I don't mind so that she'll be -happy, Where's Mike? Mother o' Mercy V" Tte fierce eyes closed; the weary head fell back on the ranger's arm; the restless spirit of Black Hugh had fled to its maker. Nothing is so good as it seems before hand. An agricultural exchange la an arti- cleon "How to Feed Horsea," mentions feeding "corn In the ear," as one way. t ZhTLXrLW? it must be excessively horse. fwiwttii tu Vv "WHO'S COT TBK lUTTOXr' Buttons Viewed fHint a Standpoint of! Years .g. '. Twenty-five years atro the buttons used on dresses and cloaks were made mostly of metal, some in imitation of silver and some of gold. They were of great size, in fact quite as large as a modern individual butter-plate. Cali cos and chintzs weie adorned in those days with agate buttons in all colors, purples and reds predominating. After these, there came in smaller buttons of various kinds, among others the variety known as horn, which had a long run and was very popular. At this time, too, there weie worn immense buttons ot solid pearl, through which the pris matic colors were always shifting, in changing lights. There were nickel buttons, decorated with designs of stars; there were queer, brass buttons, and glass ones, wonderfully and fearfully made. There were conical, white por celain buttons, the more p tinted the more sashicnable; there were bras buttons in designs of acorns; there were buttons made of brass open-work, over red lining; these, and a myriad of others, made up the quaint sum cf buttons worn a score or so of years ago. After this, small pearl buttons, or shirt buttons, as they were then called, came into use. They were set very thickly together on dress fronts, aud for a time were so small as to be scarce ly visible. The metal buttons, too, depreciated perceptibly in the matter of size, the glass ones and porcelain ones as well, until the rage for small buttons was as great as tin rage for large ones had been. About this time there came In a craze for buttons in designs of gooseberries, currants, raspberries, blackberries and f raies. Masses of bright red little cur rants used to fill in the front of a wo man's dress, and great blackberries worn on silk attire used to half tempt the unwary into taking a bite of the lucious fruit Solid jet balls, too, were used at this time, and formed a trim ming for dresses not unlike the jets used nowadays. There were also used largely on dress fronts with braided plastrons and various other designs,and were considered very ndierdie, as they were always expensive and required incalculable time and patience to keep them sewed on in place. There was a time when buttons were not considered an essential part of a dress, so far as harmony of shade aud coloring were concerned, but that day is long since past The buttons nowa days are selected with more care per haps than any other element which en ters into the make-up of a costume. The colors In them must harmonize with the body of (he dress, down to the flues; shadings, and the size must be proportioned according to the style of goods used, and the design of toilet fol lowed. Street suits made of rough im ported cloths are now adorned with buttons ot enormous jjize, mostly in bronze, and decorated with various de signs. Some are made in medallion heads, some in landscapes, some in jfiavheit sheaves; others are made of shell land are many colored and brilliant; still others are imitations of cameo, and others are a curious mixture of gilt and "l silver. These buttons would never do for house wear, but worn in the street on heavy clothes they are quite appropri ate and very stylish. They are decid edly expensive, and their only rivals are the novel bronze buckles, some of which come in beautiful designs of locust leaves, and are made to serve the same purpose as buttons. The old fashioned button-molds, once so fashionable, have been revived of late in crochet buttons, and will be used this season on black cloth and silk suits. Small crochet buttons aud flat silk-covered buttons are always preferred by modest women, and so are always used to a greatextent The gaudiest buttons used are the big gilt ones, which are usually affected by school-girls and very young ladies. Handsome bronze buttons are the rage so far this season, and will probably continue to be so, judging from present appearances. An Old Mexican Town. In quiet Jalappa no souud of wheels is ever heard, and probably a carriage was never seen here, for these steep streets, as tiresome as picjuresque, were constructed long before such vehicles had been thought of. The backs of mules and Indians serve all purposes for which cars are usually employed, and horseback riding is an unfailing delight, for some of the finest views in the world are oltained from the sur rounding hills. The only drawback to unalloyed enjoyment in these otherwise perfect days is the frequency of chipi chipis, as the light drizzling showers arc called; and even. these are blessings in disguise, for they keep vegetation perpetually at its greenest, and render dust an "unknown quantity." Of all the queer plazas, quaint mar ket places and charmingly grotesque old churches it has been my good for tune to find, those of Jalappa bear off the palm. All the ancient stone sanc tuaries have curiously shaped roofs. with towers and buttresses, having been built in days when churches serv ed for forts and places of refuge, as well as for purposes of worship. The public laundry of Jalappa is a bit of.quaiutness to which no pen can do j us- tice. is a nuge pavuuon oi vtasierea adobe, resting on immense stone pillars, and erected exactly in the center of the city as if washing were the chief busi ness of life, as indeed it is among the lower classes, who make up the majori ty in this poverty stricken country. Great squares of Pompeian red adobe, answering for tubs are ranged along both sides of the running stream, which is fed from an exha listless fountain above. An aqueduct, meandering through the principal streets, carries off the refuse wuich has become a frothy river from the free use of amole the mountain root that answers the purpose of soap everywhere in Mexico-. Here, upon every day of the week the lavanderas congregate, young and old, shriveled granddames and coquettish Juanitas all gossiping and giggling together as they bend over the pools and cleanse their linen with jagged roots ot amole. This ancient fountain boasts a tradition slmiliar to that of the Roman Trevi. Whoever goes to quaff a parting draught throws ten drops over his shoulder and at the same moment makes a wish; whereupon not only will the desire of bis heart be granted, but such are the magical virtues of the foun tain that be will surely return again to this "Land of Roses." .. - -The debt of Jeisey City is 1129 16 (or each inhabitant The Sultan. His Majesty the Sultan or the Otto- man Empire, is a roost high and puis- sant nionarcn. His will is law and his nod is death. He has many palaces; he rules despotically over a vast eumfre; he makes Quantities of pashas cross their fawning bands whenever he looks at ?8 comp!e cly as the character of the them; he has the power to do anything j 'roa trade has teen changed ia 1U to anyone of his faithful subjects ex- method by the latroJnofion of pro cept recall him to life after he has killed cesses for maiiiig steel cheaply 011 a him. But so.-ial power he has 1 1 is life is passei lu au endless round of , uesirea iicgree ol tiardness, wiiluu a official drudgery, nay positiveservitude. 'rather wide range, may be commcnica Eacli minutest detail or business, from j ted 10 glass, and that uy very simp'e the hinbest visions of dinlomacv down mjans. It is notbiug mora than tl.c to the opening of a tew coffee house on the shores of the Bosphorus. lxtsses through bis august hands; and each discovery is credited to Frederic Sie incidetit tf every transaction forms a mens. focus of intrigues which, in their con- The difficulty of heating and cooling eiomerate mass, it would take twenty 'glass at an equal rate throughout is the Sultans with a hundred times Abdul- jgroat stumbling-block that has stood in 1 1 amid s power to disarm and defeat i the way of eaccesa. Without this tic What tin.c, therefore, can he have to inatr.rial was liable to crack or explode, spare society? The Commander of the: familiar illustration of which u far- Faithful may be seen any week as he goes to his Friday prayer. Then, before the gaze of an udoiirg populace, thr.i'igh lines of splendid troops, crowds of bril liant aides-de-camp aud pashas, fair veiled ladies, praying brass bauds and screaming dogs, there passes a thin faced, long nosed, grizzled bearded pale mau, in a half clostd carriage, nervous ly fluttering Lis hand before his face by way of falute, and rteeivins the Iw salaams of all in return. He hurries into the mosque, scarce giving himself time to throw a half frightened glance round, and so is lost to view before he can well be seen. When one considers why that face is o worn and so pale, while those hands are so nervous, how the heart behind l.l. , n. M;t . i. !,.. : that blue military coat must be beating like a roll or drums, one feels gratefui that one is but a private individual, and not hi3 Imperial Majesty the Sultan Abd-nl-llatuld II, living in perpetual fear of assassination. The head of the State neither caring nor daring to as sume his position n society, no ot'ier Turk essays the role of social leader ship. Not only might sueii an attempt cause him to be unfavorably regarded by bis sovereign, but the Turk h:u neither by temperament nor custom any inclination to mix in Europeau society. It is too gav.too animated for him. He is a quiet, sober, reflective creature, whoafter hisday's work, likes to return to his house, put on his old slippen and his old coat, and. after his evening meal, devote himself to con templative smokine among his women folk aud children. Or, if he is In a more social mood, he will perhaps invite some of his intimates to smoke, and chuckle over childish stories with them in the outer chamber. Again, he cau not return hospitality; the harem sys tem puts that out the question. Finally, he likes to go to bed and rise early habits incompatible with social duties. Complete Vindication. A fire occurred in an Arkansas to rn the other night, but the chief of the fire department paid no attention to the alarm. The next night he was sum moned to appear before the council. "Mr. Chief," said the mayor, "did you hear the fire alarm last night?" ..yes." Were you in good health at the time of the alarm?" "Yes, believe I was." "Then, you acknowledge a willful neglect of duty?" "No, sir." "Why. then, did you not respond if you were not determined to neglect your duty?" "Couldn't getaway." "Illness in your family?" "No." "Then, sir, I demand the reason." "Well, you see a passei of us fellows were in Anderson's lock room when the bell rang. I had four aces at the time, and " "What?" "Yes, held four aces. John Buckner began to bluff, and " "How did it result?" the mayor ask el with heightened interest. "Oh, I lifted him for about two hun dred." "You don't say so: Gentlemen that was doubtless a very interesting game. As there is no business of any import ance we'll adjourn and go down to Anderson's back room." Next morning, the daily paper cor.- tained the following notice: "The enemies of our chief of the fire department having circulated reports to 1 the effect that he had wilfully neglected his duty, that gentleman was last night answer the charges brought against him. The investigation resulted in a complete vindicarion of our worthy chief, and friends on every side pressed forward to congratulate him. The idler's tongue is ever flippant, and to our shame be it ' said, we are ever willing to hearken to the words of the traducer. Our worthy chief will be a candidate for re-elec- tion, and, as the matter now stands, it ; will be impossible to defeat him." 1 National Library r France. The Great National Library of; x ranee, na uiuiiuiueque auouam u tue larges. anu mosi vaiuauiecoucciiou or dooks acu manuscripts in iue wunu. - The number of printed volumes con tained in it is estimated at 2,500,000, and the manuscripts at nearly 150,000. The library at tho British Museum con tains over 1,500,000 printed volumes, and an immense collection of separate and distinct articles in tracts, pamp'i- I lets, and manuscripts. The British Museum Library is, with the exception i of the Parisian Library mentioned be-; fore, the largest collection ot printed inciM.uiD iu -vuu. a r""T'F" museums of the world are the British I Museum, the Museum ot Louvre, that of St Petersburg, and those of Dres den, Vienna, Munich and Berlin. Katen By VVolvc . , r i ! James Dempsey reached Helena, Montana, on the 19lh, from Fort M Ginns. and tells pitiable story of his i two companions oemg aevourea dt Alnd while nn thAiw vav ftrrrtfta TliA on tueir way across tue mouBMins. xneir names were .oua . Their iiimM wprn John . lueir names were oouu . j-iifntuwl a trM ni m hi nom- niornto SSL ond devoured ponions torn to pieces ana aevourea. UVK w-wi ri..uwv ' fw. j , He says Hoag was . resident umito. ! land, Ohio, and Scheller of Lafayette, ' 1 hebe is no great uiuerence tween the average young lady pos- sessed of a musical education and the squeaking toy. They both have to ba pressed to sing. THTJ CK OP GLASS. ' An I I mi purl ant iMscovor.Y Which iy lU'vuluUoiiizr Architecture. ! I important dL-Moierj has recently i been '""de in the manufacture of glatt. I which bids fair to revolutionize that art j large scale. It w in effect that auy equable distribution ot heat through tte mass and then an equable cooling. The ished in the breaking ol a tumbler when but water is poured into it, the danger of fracture increasing with the thick ness -of the glass. The application of radmut heat ororeorjes the first half tf tiio diflietiltr, aud the second is obviatt d by hnrrounding the edges with a niate lial that preveats the heat from loaving the tu more rapidly than that from other portions. By placing tue gla-is between plates of suitably-prepared metal the softened tabstauce can be embotsed with any wished-for design, and after leaving tho mold it is fonr or five time as hard as ordinary glass, being in fact so "firm" in its substance that tho dia mond fails even to scratch it Hence It must be made to exactly the b:z j acti shaiKj wanted, hut after having been so I 1 .r made it is at least three times as strong as ordiuary glass of tho same thicknesn, and appears to be even less liable to give way ou account of flaws than la cast-steel. Castings have already been made of door plates, grind-stones, pnl Icyg, railroad -slekpers, etc., and it is believed that its tuo can be indefinitely extended to many of the uses of wocd aud metal in tite arts, and especially in the building tradea. Nothing is said of the cost of the few glass, which is a most important point in determining the extent to which it will be employed for the purposes above noted. Bat r.t the first blush it would appear to be capable of lciug produced much more cheaplv than ita equivalent in iron or steel. It consists of about fifteen per cent of potash, seventy-rive per cent, of silex (sand), smaller quan tities of lime and alumina, and traces of other material. All of the articles named except the first ore literally "as cheap as dirt," and potash is not very costly; while tho quantity of fuel re quired is probably less than that needed to reduce the ore-s of iron to the metal lic form. Hence it is not impossible that many of those now living will sec the time when people will reside in glass-houses, and not be more afraid of throwing stones than if they tenanted structures made of ordinary bricks and mortar. It needs no great stretch ol the imagination to look forward in fancy to new era directly resulting from this discovery. Man has successfully passe I through the stone age, tho bronze period, the iron age, the golden age, more recently the ags of steel ha dawned upon us uad it has been pro posed to name this the age of paper. Next in order may come the age of glass - and then? C ome and Sre Me. At oue of the towns in Mississippi where we stayed over Sunday a couple of strangers got into a dispute about the age of the earth. They were sous of planters, and neither of them over 22 years of age. The dispute started in a good-natured way, but ended in one of them springing up, pulliug out a bowie knife, threatening to carve the other up if his word was disputed again. The other was defenseless and wisely held his peace. The man with the knife sat down, and conversation turned to other channels. By and by tho defenseless man got up and lounged away, and next we saw of him, half an hour later, he was resting the muzz'o of a double-barreled shot gun against one of the porch pillars of the hotel, and had us a 1 cov ered. The hammers were up, his fin gers on the triggers, and his eyes blamed like a tiger as he said to the man with the knife "Jim, it's my turn now?' "Yes." "I've got yon covered!" "I see." ' I said the earth was a million years 0ld, you stuck to 0,000 years JlD, come up to my hgurrs or 1 11 blow the top of your head oyer that fence!" ! "Say!" replied the other oa he crossed his legs in the coolest manner, "I'll tell you what I am willing to do. As both of us mipht be wrong I'll! leave it to tho crowd "Well, that's fair, rres wonts?" What's your tig- yye consulted together, menaced all jo time by two charges of buckshot, anj tha Colonel was authorized to call out "We reckon oa about 700,000 years, ; j but shouldn't be surprised if it went up ..v- T ui i. lowered ,ho gan leaued on tUe b ,.r Jon't say oi . or that I was born up Fighting Ureak, bat when it comes down to tha age of , the earth I 'am to home and the latch -string is oat! Come and see kc." Fat ins; Orange. j In BrazU the orange-eater begins by . iHnoftrlnff vifh f V t,A YATf t ft 1 1 1 . - " neiD.,.,pho.i of th Sonti. . T. a . -aiM.kn.,l, h tUrongn ,he riud , circnar cnt wLJcll may t, likened to the Antarctic . . , . .- ,T , . circle. Next he slices oil the whole of the Arctic sone. Then, cubing from north to south, he slices off the rind from one polar circle to another. The rind having thus been removed, and the luscious sphere being still transfixed and held in hts left hand, the eater, with the kmfo in hu rjpUtj glict9 off . trnni,-, ,;,, ,,lft nnUi ;, . m msmonfI, on tUe flat 8ide. or - d witu ,he m BiJo f tlje cntti - . - I :,,,, , r.n.i,tn . ""--- - , ... .nhot.. , -,,: iu -.(o,i 1 . . -nbstance 0, the fruit ia wasted tl, a vin.l anf etiAfhAV eivth ' ""- i tn cnttiu away th bnt wlth the . , . oranee. uai thn a cent each retai, no - atter; wc can afford to eat "rtlsticaily. ' - - i- v , . TuE papersare publishing the fact ; &t a. brass hand trave a coneprt. fir that a brass band gave a concert for tbe benefit of the flood sufferers,! iui before the band had finished the tune the sufferers jumped right ' back into the water. NEWS IN BRIEF. Dr. Schliemann is again excavating on the site of Tirgns. Land in the Island of Jersey rents for $75 a year per acre. 12,000,000 sheep per annum arc eaten in the United States. Japonicas are now regularly sent to England by Boston florists. Dumas the younger is 65 years cf age, but he does not look over 45. It is now settled that Paris is not to have Italian opera this winter. A large meteor passed over Santa Rosa, California, some time ago. uura camphor is the best thing to carry as a guard against smallpox. Diphtheria ia an unusually virulent form has appeared at Florence, A. T. Barnes, the Kentucky revivalist, says he has now converted 54,0uu people. A number of Boston women have formed an organization for the study of politics. About 40,000,000 pounds of rice goes into brewers' vats in this country annually. In Melbourne the letter curriers are clad In scarlet coats, waistcoats and trousers. Burlington, Vt, is making prepar ations to capture Montreal's carniva! this winter. The streets of Salisbury, X. C, are being macadamized with gol 1 quartz, worth $15 a ton. The Telegraphers' Brotherhood has been doing a great deal of quiet work since the strike. Mrs. Gaines denies that she is rich. She has not recovered enough property to pay her lawyer. A cargo of 7,000 frozen carcasses of sheep lately reached London from South America. The Goethe House, ia Weimar, is not likely to be accessible to the public before next spring. Two veterans who were with "Old Hickory" in the war are still living in Catawba county, X. C. 2,080,000.000 feet of lumber were cut by the mills in Minnesota and west W isconsin last year. Florida hotel-keepers exiiect to ac commodate two hundied thousand .Northerners this winter. A manin Williamsport, Pa., drank a pint of whisky in ten minutes on a wager. He died in two hours. An alligator two and a half feet long was found the other day in the P'ttsburg City Hall water-pipe. Piccadilly, London, was named from Pickadllh Hall, a shop where pic cadillas or lace ruffs were sold. Nearly if not all the mines in the Seattle ( W. T.) coal region are now operated without Chinamen. The Salvation Army has eleven stations in Pennsylvania, the latest one established being in Myerstowu. Prcfessor Sargent says that the nutmeg hickory of Arkansas is the strongest wood in the United States. " Prussia gives her Deputies $3.75 a day; Saxony and Baden, $3; Bavaria, $2.50. The Hanse Towns give nothing. Paris is asserted to be now far dearer than London. The octroi is thrice what it was in Louis Philippe's day. It is estimated that there have been Turkish rugs sold in Boston recently in sufficient quantity to cover Boston com mon. A naturalist, who has just returned from Spain, says that the natives keep locusts in cages for the sake of their "music." Springfield, Mss., possesses a cur ious guidestone on State street, near the head of Walnut, which was placed there in 17C3. The papers used in the trial of Aaron Burr for treason are deposited in the new Government building at Cincinnati. Wild coffee, which proved to be of good quality when roasted and made up, has been found growing in Butte county, Cal. North Carolina is as large as Eng land, yet it has only 1,500,000 inhabi tants, while the "tight little isle" con tains 20,000,0U0. A smart fellow in Warren county. Pa,, has done a good business this fall by selling well-dried Bermuda onious for hyacinth bulbs. Neither the Capitol nor the White House Is fireproof, notwithstanding the millions that have been expended upon them to make them so. No less than twe ty-five gallons of marrow were blown by means of cur rents of steam from the long bones of lioor old Jumbo's legs. A clerk in a leading New York store proposes to form au armed regi ment of clerks like himself to resist the oppressions of employers. Many of the spring chickens sold in New York city are fattened on sun flower seeds, which are said to impart to the flesh a very fine flavor. Ex-Minister Daggett, in a recent lecture on the Sandwich Islands, says that Captain Cook was not killed with a club, but with a wooden dagger. The men of the Fire Brigade in Paris are to drop their present epaulettes and to wear instead a wide strip of metal mail to protect the shoulders. There is a new sect in Canada whose doctrine is that women have no souls, because the Bible nowhere speaks of women angels. This is a curious fact Only two of the large number of prisoners in the Sioux Falls (Dak.) jail are women, and those two are confined for the highest offence known to the law. The feat of jumping in and out of ten flour barrels placed in a row was accomplished at Albany, N. Y., lately bv a sixty-year-old man named Dillon in two minutes. I Two one-thousand-dollar gieeu ' backs were found between the leaves of an old book by a Monongabela City, : Pa., citizen the other day. How the notes got there is a mystery to him. . V ""''"'"- """ oer Ol volumes iu me inusu ji use ura . . . . lo oe over i,ow,uuu. mere, are iw -. a . i . t i. a. . nines oi soeives, anaaoout twenty more miles to be filled. It is calculated that ..k r mrtnr ,tav t" Th " "" 1U blMJ The longest term of imprisonment in Anderson ville prison served by any TOldier it cllUm wa3 that of James t: . ' ... . JJCL.auguim, a uosumaii now eupioyeu on the Delaware and Hudson canal. He weighed only 43 lbs. when he got out, and is yet styled the "walking skeleto" ' t
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers