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