BF. SOHWEIER,
Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XL.
MIFFLINTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. JUNE 2, ISS6.
NO. -23:
TH R flfiWU'lllll,lllrrw ifiw in am ihmiiiu ... - - . '
Spring.
little cWldren gather rouod their
kai&t'ha familiar tale to tell;
Jr. is dearer far than any other,
Baai so often heard and known so
veil;
.ad at the watch her, prompting should
ito taller.
And MT variation quickly see,
,l err,' "Kon't tell it so, don't change
md alter,
Levant it just the way it used to be,
e,, Jo we come to thee, O Nature Mother,
And never tire of listening to thy tales,
lell M thy epriufi-time story now, no
Ikd'hath a wondrous charm, which
new fa"--
Tel! it wi:h all the old-time strength and
florv,
it with many a happy song and
thou!;
Don't dims one bird or blossom in the story,
Don't leave one daffodil or daisy out.
Tell os each shade in all the tree's soft
grteni'iSi
pjn'l hkip one blade or grass, one bee,
one wren,
fjtli iiale thing has grown so full of
mean in;.
Is the dear story we would hear again.
0 Mother Nature! thou art old and hoary,
And wonderful and strange things thou
canst tell;
Bat e. lite children, love the spring-time
story,
And think it best, because we know It
well.
OUR NEW HOUSE.
We spoke of it as our new bouse sim
ply because we thought or it as such,
and not from any claim to the title, for
it was just about as old and as rickety
a a house supposed to be habitable
couM well be. It was only new to us.
Indeed, w ith the exception of the bouse,
there was nothing new about us.
Neither my wife nor myself were, in
any sense of the word, old, aud we were
still, comparatively s;akin, new to
each other.
It had been my habit, for the few
jeirs I had been in Somerset house, to
take my holidays at Littlehamptoa,
partly because I like the place, and
partly and chiefly, because it was
cheap. I used to have lodgings in the
bouse of a widow, Mrs. Crompton, in
a quiet street off the sea frontage. 1
bad this year, on ray summer holiday,
met there my fate in the person of
Mrs. t'roaipton's daughter Mary, just
home from school. I returned to Lon
don engaged. There was no reason
why we should wait, for I had few
friends and no near relatives living,
and Mary had the consent of her
mother. I was told that her father,
who was a merchant captain, had
gone to sea shortly after her birth, but
bad never been hoard of since, and had
consequently been lonx ago reckoned as
"with the majority." 1 never met any
of my new relatives; Indeed, there was
not the family opportunity afforded by
marriage under conventional social
conditions. "We were married in the I
mHt i.inminff f. t La rhnrrh Sit. T.ittlp. I
hampton. and, without any formal
wedding breakfast, came straight away
in the train. As 1 had to attend to my
duties at the Sjnierset house, the pre
liminaries were all arranged by Mrs.
Crompton at Littlebampton, and Mary
gave the re juired notice of residency.
We were all in a hurry to be off, as we
' feared miss'ng the train; indeed, whilst
alary was signing the registry I wa
settling the ites and tipping the verger.
When we began to loo 4 about for a
bouse, we settled on one which was va
cant in a small street near Sloane
square. There was absolutely nothing
to recommend the place except the
Mnallness of the rent but this was
everything to n-. The landlord, Mr.
Gradder, was the very hardest man I
ever came acros?. lie did not even go
through the form of civility in his
dealings.
"There is the house," he said, "and
you can either take it or leave it. I
have painted the outside, and you
most paint the inside. Or, if you like
it as it is, you can have it so; only you
must paint and paper it before you give
it up to me again ba it one year or
more."
I was pretty much of a handy man,
and felt equal to doing the work my
self; so, having looked over the place
carefully, we determined to take it
It was, however, in such a terribly ne
glected condition that I could not help
asking my iron-clad lessor as to who
had been the former tenant, and what
kind of person he bad been to have
been content with such a dwelling.
His answer was vague. "Who he
was I don't know. I never knew more
than his naice. He was a regular
oddity. Had this hou?e and another of
mine near here, and used to live in
them both, all by himself. Think he
as afraid of being murdered or robbed.
Never knew which he was in. Dead
lately. Uad to bury him worse luck.
Expenses swallowed up value of all
he'd got."
We signed an agreement to take out
a lease, and when, in a few days, I had
Put in order two rooms and a kitchen,
my wife and I moved in. I worked
nard every morning txifore I went to
oy cilice and every evening after I got
borne, so I got the place in a couple of
weeks in a state of comparative order,
n e had in fact, arrived so far on our
J to perfection that we had seriously
begun to consider dispensing with the
services of our char-woman and getting
a regular servant
One evening my landlord called on
me. It wag about 9 o'clock, and, as
Our temporary servant had gone home,
I opened the door myself. I was some
what astonished at recoguizing my vis
iter, and not a little alarmed, for he
was so bruta'ly simple in dealing with
jM that I rather dreaded any kind of
interview. To my sstonishment he
wgaa to speak in what he evidently
meant for a hearty manner.
"Well, how are you getting on with
your touching up?"
"Pretty well," I answered, "but
touching up' is rather a queer name
tlie l,,ace was w old
ash heap. The very walls seemed pulled
about"
"Indeed:" he said quickly.
m,i WeDt on- "ll ia getting Into some
wing like order, however. There is
only one more room to do, and then we
a" he all right"
"Do you know," he raid, "that I
been thinking it is hardly fair that
ould have to do all thia your-
I must say that I was astonished as
eu as pleased, and found myself
Jr'ng a resolution not to condemn
!! acam any one for barduess until I
"a come ta know something about his
J nature. I felt eomewhat guilty as
ordered: "You are very kind Mr.
"adder. I shall let you know what it
all costs me, and then you caa repay
me a part as you think fair."
"Oh, I don't mean that at alL" This
was said very quickly.
"Then what do you mean?" I asked.
"That I should do some of it in my
own way, at my own cost"
I did not feel at all inclined to have
either Mr. Gradder or strange workmen
in the house. Moreover, my pride re
belled at the thought that I should be
seen by real workmen doing laborer's
work I suppose there is something of
the spirit of snobbery in all of us. So
I told him I could not think of such a
thing; that all was going on very well,
and more to the same effect lie
seem'jd more irritated than the occa
sion warranted. Indeed, it struck me
as odd that a man should be annoyed
at his generous impulse being thwarted,
lie tried, with a struggle for calmness,
to persuade me, but 1 did not like the
controversy, and stood to my refusal of
assistance. He went away In a perfect
fury of suppressed rase.
The next evening he called in to see
me. Mary had, after he had gone.
asked me not to allow him to assist, as
she did not like him. bo, when he
came, l refused, again with what ur
banity I could. Mary kept nudging
me to be firm, and he could not help
noticing it He said: "Of course if
your wife objects" and stopped. lie
spoke the words very rudely, and Mary
spoke out:
"She does object, Mr. Gradder. We
are all right, thank you, and do not
want help from any one."
For reply Mr. Gradder put on his
hat knocked it down on his head hrmly
and viciously, and walked out, banging
the door behind him.
"There is a nice specimen of a phi
lanthropist," said Mary, as we both
laughed.
The next day, while I was In my
office. Mr. Gradder called to see me.
lie was in a very amiable mood, and
commenced apologizing for what he
called "his unruly exit '
"I am afraid you must have thought
me rude." he said.
As the nearest approach to mendacity
I could not allow myself was the sup
press io vert, I was silent
"You see," he went on, "your wife
dislikes me, and that annoys me; so 1
just called to see you alone and try if
we could arrange this matter we men
alone. "
"What matter?" I asked.
"You know about the doing up those
rooms."
I began to get annoyed myself, for
there was evidently 'some underlying
motive of advantage to himself in his
persistence. Any shadowy belief 1 had
ever entertained as to a benevolent Idea
had long ago vanished and left not a
wrack behind. I told him promptly
and briefly that I would not do as he
desired, and that I did not care to enter
any further upon the matter. He again
made an "unruly exit" This time he
nearly swept away In his violence a
young man who was entering through
the swinging door to get some papers
stamped. The youth remonstrated
with that satirical force which is char
acteristic of the lawyer's clerk. Mr.
Gradder was too enraged to stop and
listen, and the young man entered the
room grumbling and looking back at
him.
"Old brutel" he said. I know him.
Next time I see him I'll advise him to
buy some manners with bis new for
tune." "His new fortune," I asked, natur
ally Interested about him. "How do
you mean, Wigley?"
' Lucky old brute. I wish I had a
snare of it I heard all about it at
Doctors Commons yesterday.
"Why, is it anything strange?"
"Strangel Why, It's no name for it.
What do you think of an old flint like
that having a miser for a t;nant, who
goes and dies and leaves him all he's
got '40,000 to 50,000 In a will,
providing a child of his does not turn
up to claim it"
"He died recently, then?"
"About three or four weeks ago.
Old Gradder only found the will a few
days ago. He had been finding pots of
gold and bundles of notes all over the
house, and it was like drawing a tooth
from him to make an inventory, as he
had to do under a clanse of the will.
The old thief would have pocketed all
the coin without a word, only for the
will, and he was afraid he'd risk every
thing If he did not do it legally."
"You know all about it,"' I remarked,
wishing to hear more.
"I should think I did. I asked
Cripps, of Bogz & Saagley's, about It
this morning. They're working for him,
and Cripps says that if they dil not
threaten him with the public prosecutor
he would not have given even a list of
the money he found."
I began now to understand the mo
tive of Mr. Gradder's anxi-ty to aid in
working at my house. I said to Wig
ley: "This is very interesting. Do you
know that he is my landlord?"
"Your landlord! Well, I wish you
joy of him. I must be off now. I have
to go down to Doctors Commons before
1 o'clock. Would you mind getting
these stamped for me, and keeping
them till I come back?"
With pleasure," I said, "and look
here! Would you mind looking out
that will of Gradder's, and make a
mem. of it for me, if it isnt too long?
I'll go a shilling on it" And I banded
him the coin.
Later in the day he came back and
handed me a paper.
"It isn'tlong," he said. "We might
put up the shutters if men made wills
like that That is an exact copy. It
is duly witnessed, and all regular."
I took the paper and put it in my
pocket, for I was very Busy at the
After supper that evening I got a
note from Gradder, saying that he had
got an offer from another person who
had been in treaty with him before I
had taken the house, wanting to have
it, and offering to pay a premium.
"He is an old friend," wrote Gradder
"and I would like to oblige him; so if
you chose I will take back the lease,
and hand you over what he offan to
pay." This was 25. altered from 20.
I then told Mary of his having called
at the office, and of the subsequent
revelations of the wUl. She was much
lm.?OBob, she said, "it fa a real
romance." , ,
With a woman's quickness of percep
tion, she guessed at once our landlord s
reason for wishing to help us.
Wby.he thinks the old miser has
bidden money here, and wants to too
Rob" this excitedly, wis
noUnafuUof Tu
round us may hold a fortune, Let us
begin to look at oncel"
I was as much excited as ahe was.
'but I felt that some one must keep
cooi, so i saia:
"Marv. dear, there mav tm nnthlncr-
but even it there is, it does not belong
U US."
"Whv not?" she asked
"Because it is all nmnaaA in ta
will," I answered; "and, by the way, I
uave a mem. ol it nere," ana l look
from my pocket the paper which Wig-
uty nau given me.
With intfmsfl intornst. wa m1 it. tv.
gether. Mary holding me tightly by
the arm. It certainly was short It
ran as ionows:
"7, Little Butler street S. W.. Lon-
don I hereby leave to my child or
children, if I have any living, all 1 own.
and in default of such, everything Is to
go to jonn bradder, my landlord, who
is to make an inventory of all he can
find in the two houses occupied by me,
this house and 2 Lampoter street, S.
W., London, aud to lodge all money
and securities in Coult's bank. If my
children or any of them do not claim
in writing by an application before a
justice of the peace within one calendar
month from my decease, they are ta
lorieit ail rights. Ignorance of my
aeatu or their relationship to be no
reason for non-compliance. Lest there
be any doubt of my intentions. I hereby
declare that I wish in such default of
my natural heirs, John Gradder afore
said to have my property, because he is
me hardest-hearted man 1 ever knew.
and will not fool it away in charities or
otherwise, but keep it together. If any
fooling is to be done, it is to be by my
own.
"(Signed) Giles Aruer, Master
-Mariner. i ormerly of Whitby.
Wuen I came near the end Mary.
who had been looking down the paper
in advance of my reading, cried out:
-l. ilea Armerl Why, that was my
father."
"Good God!" I cried out, as I jumped
to my reet
"Yes," she said excitedly; "didat
you see me sign Mary Armer at the
registry? We never spoke of the name
tecanse he bad a quarrel with mother
and deserted her, and after seven years
she married my stepfather, and I was
always called by bis name."
"And was he from Whitby?" I asked.
I was nearly wild with excitement
"Y'es,' said Mary. "Mother was
married there and I was born there."
I was reading over the will again.
My hands were trembling so that I
could hardly read. An awful thought
struck me. What day did he die?
Perhaps it was too late it was now
the &Kh of October. However, we
were determined to be cn the safe side,
and then and there Mary and I put on
our hats and wraps and went to the
nearest police station.
There we learned the address of a
magistrate, after we had explained to
the inspector the urgency of the case.
We went to the address riven and
after some delay were admitted to au
interview.
The magistrate was at first somewhat
crusty at being disturbed at such an
hour, for by this time it was pretty late
in the evening. However, when we
had explained matters to him be was
greatly Interested, and we went through
the necessary formalities. When it was
done he ordered in cake and wine, and
withed us good luck. "But remember,"
he said to Mary, "that as yet your
possible fortune is a long way off.
There may be more Giles Armers than
one, and moreover there may be some
difficulty in proving legally that the
dead man was the same person as your
father. Theu you will also have to
prove, in a formal way, your mother's
marriage and your own birth. This
will probably involve leivy expenses,
for lawyers fight hard when they are
well laid. However, I do not wish to
discourage you, but only to prevent
false hopes; at any rate, yon have done
well in making your declaration at
once. So far you are on the high road
to success." bo he sent us away filled
with hopes as well as fears
When we got home we set to work
to .ook for hidden treasures in the un
liulshed room. I knew too well that
there was nothing bidden in the rooms
which were finished, for I had done the
work myself, and bad even stripped the
walls and uncovered the floors.
It took us a couple of hours to make
an accurrate search, but there was
absolutely no result The late master
mariner had made his treasury in the
other house.
Next morning I went to find out
from the parish register the date of the
death of Giles Armer, and. to my in
tense relief and joy, learned that it had
occurred on September 30, so that, by
our prompt action in going at once to
the magistrate's, we had, if net secured
a fortune, at least not forfeited our
rights nor allowed them to lapse.
The incident was a sort of good
omen, and cheered usj up; and we
needed a little cheering, for, despite
the possible good fortune, we reared we
might have to contest a lawsuit, a lux
ury which we could not afford.
We determined to keep our own
counsel for a little, and did not mention
the matter to a soul.
That evening Mr. Gradder caHed
again and renewed his offer of taking
the house off my hands. I still refused,
for I did not wish him to see any dif
ference in my demeanor. He evidently
determined to effect a surrender
of the lease, and kept bidding higher
and higher, till at last I thought it best
to let him have his way; and so we
agreed for no less a sum than 100 that
I should give him immediate possession
and cancel the agreement I told him
we would clear out within one hour
after the money was handed to me.
Next morning at 9.30 o'clock became
with the money. I had au our enecis
they were not many packed up and
i.u. ti a new lodging, and before JO
o'clock Mr. Gradder was in possession
of the premises.
Whilst ho was rearing uuwu mj .
,ii.TirrL and oullinz out the grates.
and sticking his head up the chimneys
and down the water tanks in the search
of more treasures, Mary and I were
consulting the eminent solicitor, Mr.
George, as ttfour method of procedure.
He said he would not lose an hour, but
eo by the first train to Littlehampton
himself to examine Mrs, Crompton as
to dates and plaoea .
Mary ana i went wim uu-. "
various documentsand the recollections
of my mother-ir-law, made out a clear
Sse,the details of which only wanted
formal verification. . .
Weall came back to London JnWlant
.J I were engaged on a high tea when
"eeknocking.tthe4oor
passage, and into the room rushed Mr
Gradder covered with soot and lime
ith haiTdisbevelled and eyea j
lwtoWrTaad haggard with want
of sleep. He .burst out at me with s
torrent of invective.
"Give me back my monev. vou thief!
You ransacked the house yourself, and
have taken it all away! ' My money, do
you hear r my money i" lie grew posi
tively speecniess with anger, and al
most foamed at the mouth.
I touk Mary by the hand and led her
op to him.
"Mr. Gradder.' I said, "let us both
think you. Only for your hurry and
persistency we might have let the time
laise, and have omitted the declaration
which, on the evening before last we,
or rather she made." w
He started as though struck.
"What declaration? What do you
mean?"
The declaration made by my wife.
only daughter of Giles Armer, master
mariner, late of Whitby."
Old Country Suspicions.
The country people of England are
suspicious of what they do not fully
understand. An amusing illustration
of this habit was given to the rector of
a parish in Sussex, on the occasion of
his marriage.
U:s parishioners were kind enough
to make him a handsome present the
sum being made up by subscription.
Some time afterwards, he was 6ar
ptised and amused to learn that a cur
rent criticism said It was "a curious
thing that our parson couldn't get mar
ried without sending the bat round for
money to pay his wedding expenses.
The parson, being a wise man, de
duced from the criticism an additional
argument for the utmost publicity in
all money matters, in which be and
the parish were both Interested.
"Ah, ma'am " said an Incredulous
cottager to a lady, a district visitor,
"my son has been up to the North
fob ; he tells me some things that I
realiy can't believe, though he is my
son. He tells me, ma am, that he has
seen with hi i own eyes ice bugs' as big
as a chunh."
The story may recall one which went
t irouh the papers some years ago. ;An
old woman, who ualted credulity and
incredulity in her habits of thought
had a sailor son. Once, when home
from a voyage, he told his mother of
the tlymg fih he bad seen. "Tom,
she replied, severely, "your mother
never brought you up to tell Hes."
"Well, mother," said toe graceless
rogue, knowing the old lady's habit of
mind, "we once anchored in the lied
Sea. The next day, on hauling up the
anchor, we found it unusually heavy.
Judge of our surprise, when we got it
above water, to see hanging from one
of the fl ikes, one of Pharaoh's chariot
wheel I."
"There, I can believe that, my son,
for the Bible tells us all about that
wicked king being drowned In the Ked
Sea; but don't tell your mother any lies
about flying fish, for she wont believe
such stuff."
A moie singular Instance of perver
sity in belief was that related of Dr.
Johnson, who, when informed of the
awful Lisbon earthquake, pooh-poohed
at it as absurd, but be &ir beil.vcj
in the Cock-lane ghost story. i
But Dr. Johnson, for a man of
learning, was remarkably superstitious;
aad it is a peculiarity of sueh people to
disbelieve the causes of ordinary nat
ural phenomena, while they have no
hesitation in giving credence to the
wildest s'ories of a supernatural char
acter. It is tor this reason, in a treat
measure, that what is called "Spiritu
alism" has developed so largely in mod
ern times. Its believers are mostly
among people of limited education.
The Next Orance Crop.
Turee months ago the calamity liar
was spreading broadcast throughout
the country the statement that Florida
had been ruined, that the orange trees
were all dead, and that the then recent
freeze had practically wiped out one of
the States of the Union. By the efforts
of the press and prominent citizens of
the State the evil effects of these false
and injurious stones were to a great
extent averted. W itliln the State lUelf
deep depression gave place to buoyant
confidence, and assertions began to be
made to the effect that the orange trees
were not inj ired at all, and that next
season's crop had not been disastrously
affected in the least. Another reaction
from this feeling of buoyant confidence
is making itself felt A number of
papers of the State are calling attention
to the fact that some of the blooms
which promised fruit are falling from
the trees in several localities, and that
this means the loss of the next season's
crop.
Before these stories are clven a more
ATtdn.ivA i1rii1;ir.irm than tiiav have
already nad, we ask our esteemed co-
temporaries ot me atate press io con
sider for a moment a few points ta
which we invite tneir aiienijon.
in tha fir jr. nlura neit spA.vm's CTOD
of oranges cannot now be estimated
with any degree of accurrxy. It is
probably true that in some localities
the premature blooms upon which
nrnniiwiM of a lanre croD were based
a few weeks ago have fallen and thus
disappointed expectation. It is also
true tnat this is not an exceptional
occurrence; that more or less of the
diAnmi fmm nna causa or another.
fall from the trees almost every year,
and especially aiter every winter w-a
win in which there has been excep
tional cold. It is also true that in
many portions of the oranga Den
where the product of oranges is the
iinutMt tha nrnmiRA of blooms is beinz
amply fulfilled in fruit and this fruit
is now upon the trees, suDject io no
mnra rhanms and Vicissitudes than
the orange crop is subject to every
year What proportion this actual
fruit bears to the fallen b'ooms, or to
tha vnnmi irnn nf the nast few vears.
It is not possible at this time to form
an exact estimate of; and certainly it is
not desuable, in the absence of well
.oortinad facta, to make nrozcostl-
cations, the effect of which can only be
injurious to the orange growers ana w
the business interests of the State.
A Pre Edison Phonograph. A Wrlt
in Caina claims to have discovered a
record of the existence of a speaking
phonograph in that country as far back
.a a aavanraanth centurv. Tha in
strument is mentioned as the thou-
sand-li speaker," and the description is
as follows: "It was a bamboo tube co
vered with a disk of glass and opened
by a key. After speaking into it sever
al thousand words, it was closed and
carried to a distance not exceeding a
thousand 1L On opening it and apply
ing the ear, a voice was still distinctly
heard. If carried a greater distance
Macgowan suggests that Indistinctness
might result from injury sustained by I
the arparatus in a long trip oyer tbj
rough roads.
The Xew California Senator.
The new Senator rrom California may
be a brilliant man, but if he is he is cer
tainly a very rcush diamond. With mil
lions to command he does not appear to
care for fine clothes, and his tall, lank fig
ure, thin face, and tangled head of gray
suggest the unkempt ness of the miner in
camp rather tlian the tidiness of the
capitalist. He Is plain in his taste, too,
apiiarvutly caring little for the delicacies
of the table. A night or two ajro. at
Chamberlain'sVLarry" Jerome aud the
Senator strolled in. ifr. Jerome called
a waiter. Hearst stood, with an indif
ferent, fatigued look, studying the black
boy from head to foot, evidently won
dering why he should wear a dress coat.
"Look here, young man," said Mr.
Jerome, "we want some dinner. This
is Senator Hearst from California new
Senator going to dine with us. Don't
you forget now. We'll have how
would you like a nice thick steak Seiui
toiV" holding his hands about two
inches apart.
The Senator, not taking his eyes off
the boy, and speaking for the first time,
asked, "Got any fried chicken?"
Y'es; he could have fried chicken.
"Don't forget the steak," put in Mr.
Jerome, anxiously. The Senator still
gazed wistfully at the boy.
"Got any fried hominy:"
The boy hesitated, but soon assured
the Senator he could have fried hominy.
"What do you say to a nice salad or
some sliced tomatoes?" suggested Mr.
Jerome. "(Jive us some sliced toma
toes," added he to the boy, as the Sena
tor gave no resjionsp.
"Got any corn bread?" went on the
new Senator.
Of course Chamberlain could furnish
corn bread or anything else.
"Well," concluded the Senator, "give
us everything Southern you can scare
up, and don't forget, d'ye mind, to put
in some slices of bacon, fried brown.
And let's have a pack of seven-ui-cards
with that dinner."
Popular Superstitions.
It Is very wise to set our faces against
superstitions, but who in his secret
heart does not encourage a favorite one.
I never met the person that did not.
There are many people who hate to see
the new moon over the left shoulder; if
they do, "somehow something always
goes wrong they declare. They do not
believe such things, of course; but so it
is.
Another cannot endure a stranger
wlw art3 him from a companion with
whom he is walking in the street: others
will not raise umbrellas over their heads
in the house, and there are men who
turn pale if they spill salt.
A dry goods merchant of great wealth
believed that his fortune would depart
w hen he ceased to patronize an old apple
woman on a certain corner, ami there
are many who would fe:ir for their lives
if they lost a certain trinket or jewel.
It is said that the mother of the IJoth
schilJs always lived in their queer little
hoitee, in a crooked street tito keep her
S'lti .their luck." Lvcry maraum ser
vants took her to -their splendid houses
in a sedan chair, but she always slept in
the house wliere they were lxirn.
Most people have a special dream that
forebodes evil; and I know many who
declare that it is a fact that one who
lioasts of being "so very well" Unlay,
finds himself 111 on the morrow. There
may 1 some good reason for this; it
actually haiuieiis so often.
To tumble up stairs h supjiosed to
postpone a wedding, "loull not lie
married this year," cries some one. And
to turn bark three times is regarded by
many as a warning to remain at home.
Terror se-iwjS a bride's heart if it rains
on her wedding morn, and to wear the
marriage ring for a moment before it is
put on for good is lelicved to 1 very iH
luck indeed.
As for au opal the prett.est stone
possible, though a very minor jewel I
confess to being superstitious about
that. It is the silliest fancy in the
world, but I would not put one on my
finger for anything. Its baleful way of
changing from red or blue to stone
color is fiendish, and its fire, that glows
anil grows dim by turns, is uncanny.
I believe a superstition or two to ue as
natural to every human being as are
those little sparks of vanity which we
refuse to acknowledge, but which, after
all, help to keep us alive.
The Caricature riant.
One of the most remarkable plants in
the vegetable, kingdom is that known to
botanists as the Justieta l'Ma, which
lias also been well named "I he Carica
ture riant."
At first sight, it appears to be a heavy,
large-leafed plant, with purple blossoms,
chiefly remarkable for tho lisl.Ljellow
centers of its dark-green leaves. When
I first saw this odd plant and was think
ing what a sickly, blighted appearance
the queer, yellow stains gave it, I was
suddenly impressed with the f;ict that
the plant was "making faces" at inc.
And my first impression was correct.
This curious slurub liad indeed occupied
itself in growing up in ridiculous carica
tures of the "human face divine," un
til it now stood covered from the toi
niost leaf down, with the queerest faces
imaginable. Nature had taken to cari
caturing. The flesh-colored profiles
stood out in strong relief against the
dark-green, of the leaves.
A discovery of one of these vegetable
marks led to an examination of a second
and a third leaf, until all were scanned
as closely and curiously as the leaves
of the comic papers that form the iri
cature plants of tho literary kingdom.
A hat a valuable plant this would i
for one of our professional caricaturists
to have growing in his conservatory!
hen an order was sent to him tor a
''speakina likeness' of some unhappy
politician, he could simply visit his Jus
ticiu Picia with pencil and paper in
hand, and look over the leaves for a
suitable squint, grin, or distorted nosa
to sketch from. He could, moreover,
affirm with truth that the portrait was
taken from nature." Cuthbert Cub
lingwood, the celebrated naturalist, says
of the Jiuttcia Pt'eta; "One of these
plants in the garden of Gustavo Dure
would be worth a fortune to him, sup
plying him with a never-failing fund of
grotesque physiognomies, from which he
might illustrate every serio-comic ro
mance ever written. I have nevfr
heard of the cultivation of tha Carica
ture riant in ',l,is country; but botanists
tell us that it is a hardy shrub. I think
we should be glad to see the funny faces
on its leaves. After all the lovely flowers
we are called upon to admire, I am sura
tliat a plant evidently intended ta make
us laugh, would receive a warm wel
come,
Hannibal Hamlin is a great fisherman.
!
THE FAMILY HONOR.
A Father's Desperate Deed.
Seven o'clock on a September morn
ing. Dressed in white, with a broad
brimmed Panama hat and wearing slip
pers, M. Uoumegas went down into his
garden to watch his jacinths. This was
his daily custom. M. Boumegas wa
tered his precious jacinths with infinite
'care. He evidently considered it a
grave operation, and gave it the earnest
attention of a man who has lltttle else
to do, and of an old man who has done
a great deal. He had retired from
business with a large fortune, made by
his activity, his Intelligence, and
esecially his probity.
1'robityl Behold the great strength of
Uoumegas, the cause of his success!
What a fine reputation was his! Pure
as crystal and brilliant as the sun. On
the street hats were lifted before him
like the wings of swallows. One felt
near him an atmosphere of calm and
well-earned repose. It was an honest,
a great man who passed when M. Bou
megas walked by. Such a life merits
recompense, but Heaven had been un
just towards the just, and had not
spared trouble. Ills wife was dead.
His only child, Antoine, was thirty
years old dissipated and completely
worthless. In the town he was named
only with a smile and a shrug. When
the tall, blonde, handsome fellow,
elegantly dressed, but dull-eyed and
stupid, was met in the street, people
hesitated about speaking to him, but
they thought of his father and bowed.
The poor old father suffered deeply. All
his ambitious dreams for his son had
proved vain.
"What was the good of workina?
Papa was rich and not eternal. Let us
amuse ourselves," said the young man.
Neither reasoning nor threats availed.
Wounded in his hope, his pride, his
love, how quickly poor Boumegas aged!
At seventy any one would have called
him eighty; under his great straw hat
his face looked wrinkled as a baked
apple: his scanty hair resembled threads
of silver; his figure was shrunken, aud
out in the garden, now and then setting
down the watering-pot, too heavy for
his feeble band, he had the air of an
old white doll amid the sunshine and
flowers.
A hesitating step on the gravel-path
iqade M. Uoumegas turn. Antoiue
was before him very pale, with soiled
linen, disordered hair and red eyes.
The old man shrugged his shoulders:
"Ah, here you are at this hourl Are
you not ashamed? Came to bed! and
try to be down by noon."
With a shrug, full of lassitude snd
resignation, be continued watering his
cherished jacinths. Antoine did not
stir.
Don't you hear me?'asked M. Bou
megas without turning.
"Father, " said the young man, ad
vancing a step.
This time M. Boumegas put down
the-watering-pot, adjusted his glasses,
and In a tone half vexed and halt indul
gent, asked: "What is it?"
. Antoina af)?ared to . try to gather
courage, and stammered, in a low
voice: "Last night at play M
"You lost lost again! Ah, misery of
my lifel He will kill me, that boy!
Y'ou had sworn to me. By Heaven!
there is only one thing to do: Pay, pay
again, and always, to the last coin!
There is tho Boumegas honor! Come,
how much?" Antoine remained silent.
"It is not that?" "What is it, then?
A qsarrel? Y'ou have been insulted?
Y'ou fought? Ah, those gambling
rooms! What was done ? They drank,
they smoked.they dlsputed.they played,
they" . A terrible thought crossed
the old man's mind; be anxiously
reached both hands toward his son in a
beseeching gesture "Oh, not that; it
was not?'" Antoine hung his head.
Great Heavens! it was true! His son
hl3 son a cheat, a thief! The poor
man tottered as if about to fall.
4Papa!" said Antoine. advancing to
support him.
"Don't touch me don't touch me!''
cried the old man, recovering himself
with wonderful energy. Pointing to
ward the bouse he said: ' Go to your
room."
"Fathei!" cried the young man,
"let me explain. I am not as bad ad
you think. I have been led away."
"Go to your room," repeated the in
flexible Uoumegas.
Hanging his head, and drooping like
a criminal, the son entered the house
and went upstairs. Behind, head erect,
eyes brilliant, with Jerky gait the
father followed. They reached the
chamber, a large room, with two win
dows on the street disordered, odd
books thrown here and there, guns,
swords aud pistols on the walls, and
pipes, pot ct tobacco and cigarettes
everywhere. M. Boumegas closed the
door behind him, and turning to An
toine, said: "Tell me."
Toe young man sat dowu heavily on
untouched bod, and with down-cast
uye3, crumpled with feverish Gngers a
banging corner of the spread, as he an
swered in a broken voice: 4 Tu? last
time, when I asked you far laoiiey, I
promised you I would not play any
more, l did not have trie strengtn. l
began. I lost again. I did not dare
to come to you a second time. J kept
losing all the tlm : lost eveiy thing.
Then fomo one proposed to me that I
should associate with him to play to
gether. We lost again always. This
person advised me. I was wear-,. A
madness, father a madness! I'ardon
me!" He half rose and extended his
arms toward his father.
"Go on," said Boumegas, erect be
fore him with folded arms.
Antoine continued; "Lasi night they
suspected and we were arrested ex
cepting met I have not been taken yet.
They don't know about me, you under
stand? And if Baptistiu does not
tell
"Baptistin? that Jewish boy your
accomplice a servant! Great God! but
you have fallen!"
"They don't know any thins yet,I tell
you. Many gamitiers ot me party are
suspected Vlth me. Baptistin is the
only one arrested if he keeps still!"
"And you will let them suspect inno
cent men? To preserve the little honor
that remains to you you would brand
the honor of others? Da you know
that Is infamous simply infamous?"
"Father! paidoal pardon! I promise
you .1 swear to you that in the fu
ture" "In future! Is there any future for
you?"
There was a sound of steps along the
quiet street 'hey stopped at the door
of the house, Antoine sprang up ani
listened breathlessly. The bell rang.
The young man rushed to the window.
"Baptistin has told!" he said, faintly
turning frightfully pale.
M. Boumegas looked out. The pjlice
were at the door. He let the curtain
fall, walked the length of the large
room, took a revolver from the wall,
assured himself that it was loaded, and
held It out to his son, who watched
him as if stupefied.
"Come," said he.
Antoine did not take the pistoL He
fixed upon his father wide-open eyes,
with no compreLeusioninthem. Below
the street door had been opened. The
servants and the police were talking.
The sound of their voices came up to
the room.
"Y'ou have lost your honor. At least
save ours!" said M. Boumegas. "Come,
come!"
The talking below had ceased. Steps
resounded on the old stone stairs, large
and sonorous like a chapel. They
reached the chamber.
"Coward!" murmured Boumegas.
"Coward to the very end. "
He quickly turned the pistol, aimed
at his son. fired. Antoine fell across
bis bed with the top of his bead blown
off. There was a knocking at the door.
M. Boumegas put the still smoking
pistol in his son's right hand, opened
the door, and, pointing to the bleeding
corpse, said: "Too late, gentlemenl He
has taken the law into his own hands!''
'"'air Young Vivisect ionists.
Here were five young ladies, two of
them rarely rretty, with their sleeves
tucked up to their elbows, dissecting.
But not the human, though I felt an
unpleasant twinge wbn 1 first crossed
the threshold and saw the keen knives,
and caught a scent of warm blood. The
students looked inquiringly at their in
structor as I entered, but she nodded
to them reassuringly, and they went on
with their work. It was vivisection,
that path to physical knowledge about
which so much has been said pro and
con, and on which I have been on the
con side. A tall, chestnut-haired girl,
whose arms were white as milk, except
where stained with blood clots, was
carving the arm of a dog, procured, I
suppose, from the pound. Ono or her
companions was operating on a cat, an
other had a rabbit, and 1 looked ner
vously about for a baby.
'There is no cruelty In this, sir,"
said my cicerone, perceiving my look
of aversion. "In the first place, the
animals are stuplhed by chloroform be
fore the knife touches them, and killed
almost immediately. They can feel no
pain. Neither would you if subjected
to the same treatment" At this the
tall girl glanced at me and smiled. It
sent a cold shiver all down my back. I
felt that in her Inmost soul she was
wishing that I was in the dog's p'ace
on that table and she had the carving
of me.
"There are matters we never can
learn from dead subjects," pursued the
l'roressor, "when the blood is clogged
in the veins and the nervous system is
paralyzed. Z'.p, sip went the knives.
and my beauty lugged out the dog:s
liver with the smile of a euchre player
who has made a march and secured the
first prize at a progressive party.
"But do not the young ladies find it
d.titiuit io attempt this Drancn of their
profession?"
"Nimetlnies," said the Professor, "it
is trying to the nerves at the beginning,
but that soon wears off. Xow, you
observe,' she added in a lower tone,
"that tall young lady dissecting the
dog?"
1 should think I had. I had hardly
taken my eyes off her for a moment
since I entered the room.
"Well, when she began she found the
greatest difficulty to keep up. She
fa nted several times, and it was unly
by the utmost discipline and self-control
that she succeeded in overcoming this
natural and embarrassing weakness."
("She has got bravely over it" I
muttered, for the lady in question was
theu delicately and scientifically sepa
rating the dog's head from Its body.)
"But she persisted, and to-day 1
would trust her to make aa amputation
without suffering the least self-con
sciousness, or displaying the slightest
trace of nervousness."
How Ladles Should Drive.
Ladles have much more need of a
driving tutor than gentlemen. They
must bear in mind that many family
coachmen safe, steady men are ig
norant of the first principles of their
business, says the Outing.
In going down hill with a pair ol
horses, the pace should be regulated by
the steepness. The drajj should not be
put on unnecessarily; that is to say,
only where the carnage would without
it be likely to run onto the horses' hind
quarters.
If it is necessary to go fast, the
horses should, as it were, run alongside
the pole with slack traces. If the car
riage is to be held back by the o!e
chains, a slow pace is essential. A bad
coachman either wears his horses out
with holding back, or by going too fast
down hill loses all command.
The whip is a part of driving appara
tus that can rarely be dispensed with,
yet which should be used as little as
pos-ible. Good horses who know their
driver rarely require more than a slight
indication. But if a horse declines to
go into the collar ami up to a bit that
fits, and Is not too sltarp for him. the
whip must be used freely, but without
temper, until he gives way. But before
resort is had to this ultima rulio of
charioteers, the driver should be quite
sure that all the harness fits, and that
the bridle suits the mouth and temper
of the animal.
A lady's whip should be very long,
and as she generally sits low, she should
be carefully taught neverto hit hors es
behind the pad, und, if possible, on the
forearm or shoulder.
Involuntary Heroes.
Many of the brave men you lead
about are involuntary heroes. To illus
trate, out on the Bio Grande a short
time ago, the engine pulling an official's
siiecial, going about fifty miles an hour.
"stripped herself," that is tore her side
rods oil and jumped the rail, running
along on the ties. The son of one of the
officials was riding on the fireman's stsit
at the tiiiie and both made a frantio
rush to get back over the Wilder, climb
ing over each other as they scrambled
through the coal, reatlied the coach
about the same time, the fireman a little
aheal, because he was the stronger of
the two and more badly scared, never
stopping until he had run through every
car on the train and taken, a position of
safety on the rear platform. What was
his surprise to reewve a check the other
day for $Ki fiorn the official and a letter
comweiiding him very highly for hi
bravery in bringing his sua back out of
danger. He doiit show the letter to
the boys on that division much. Probar
Uv ha is afraid they will get it soUM.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
Sparrows are overrunning northern
Alabama.
The Yuma Indians dispose of their
dead by crema'.ion.
General Moltke is the most taci
turn man in Europe.
Over 300,000 people are engaged in
lace making in France.
South Africa has 1.5C2 miles of
railroad in working order.
In the Connecticut valley tobacco
yields 1,4'JO pounds to the acre.
Grenoble. France, is the greatest
glove making city in the world.
Kansas ladies put side-saddles on
cows and ride them for exercise.
Heliotropes and geraniums in Cali
fornia grow 3 large as lilac trees.
Jerome Napoleon's younger son,
Prince Louis, ;s said to be very shrewd.
The Great Eastern brought 20,200
when recently sold at Lloyd's, in Lon
don. The Rev. Phillips Brooks' Boston
church, Trinity, has cost $750,000 so
far.
Xew Orleans exports 33 per cent
of all the cotton that leaves this coun
try. Professor J. G. Wood, the English
naturalist is Boston's greatest social
lion.
The Panama canal construction ia
costing at the rate ot thirty millions a
year.
A building in Atlanta only six feet
wide ccnimands a rent of $10O per
month.
Miss Susan B. Anthony is still in
Washington working for woman suf
frage. There are more colleges in Ohio
than in France and Germany com
bined. The Duke of Sutherland is a great
inventor and passionately fond of en
gineering. The refining of wines by electricity
is aa experiment that is being tried in
I -i s Angelas.
The army of artificial flower makers
in Paris is said to number not less than
30,1 100 souls.
Absolute stagnation does not exist
anywhere in the ocean, not even at the
greatest depths.
The pistol was invented ia Pistola,
in Tuscany, by Camillo Vitelli, in the
sixteenth century.
The Sultan of Turkey keel's around
his palaca 13,000 ot the best troops in
the Ottoman Empire.
Tiie common thistle plant is found
to contain an average of 03,000 seeds,
aud the burdock 38,000.
The names of fifty-six women are
on the registration list for the coming
election in New Bedford.
Baked apples are said th be Queen
Victoria's special weakness in fruits,
with walnuts as a good second.
A California man blew up a Urge
bowlder a short time ago and recovered
$8,000 in gold rrom the debris.
The estimated population of China
is 405,213,I."i2 or 203 souls per square
mile throughout China proper.
At Teheran the public dances are a
popular feature, but by law the dancers
must always be of the male sex.
Lord Adelbert Percy Cecil brother
of the Earl of Exeter, is holding,
-Gospel services" in New York.
The total number of troops fur
i;ished by all the States for the Union
army during the late war was 2,8o9,
l.li .Tohann Strauss, the composer, suf
fers from fainting spells that are as
cribed to an excessive use of strong
cigars.
The police at Laramie. W. T are
furnished blacksnake whips to use on
all l)ojs found on the streets after 9
r. m.
Dechinite, or vanadate of lead and
zinc, has been discovered iu Montana.
Ore of this nature is worth $10,000 a
pound.
There is a man in Georgia who can
write without knowing the alphabet, or
being able to read anything except his
own letters.
The new Prince's Theatre in Lon
don has an iron drop curtain. This is
the second of the kind constructed in
England.
Ernest Gye, it now seems definitely
settled, will succeed Mr. Abbey in the
management of the Metropolitan Opera
House, N. Y.
In 1059 the only printer in Penn
sylvania was warned that he must not
print anything but what the governor
approved.
Key West fishermen enclose pieces
of dogwood root bark in small fish and
throw them to sharks, which are killed
by the poison.
In Los Angelos, Cal., ostrich eggs
as a window ornament seem extremely
popular. Fifteen or twenty stores now
exhibit them.
The sum ofj-l.OOJ.OOO is asked for
the public schools of New Y'ork City
for next year. $2,000,000 beinz requir
ed for salaries alone.
A cloth with cork threads through
it h;is beenjinveuteJ. It looks like or
dinary wear, yet prevents the body
from sinking in water.
The Postoflice department discour
ages sub-offices in lar?e cities as delay
ing rapid delivery, and favors an in
crease in the carrier system.
The potato was introduced into
France one hundred years ago. and
the Agricultural Society proposes soon
to celebrate the anniversary.
New Y'ork has within her corpo
rate limits nearly twice as many dogs
as London, although tho latter has
three times the human population.
Bice liquor is a favorite beverago
that the New Y'ork Chinese sell and
drink. As it is alcoholic, the authori
ties have prohibited its sale without a
license.
Maryland has furnished 5,750,000
bushels of seed oysters per annum,
which in the Delaware and Long Island
Sound increase in size so as to make
17,000,000.
A rath y is one of the worst moral dls
e ises,as it not only Incapacitates us
from combatting the encroachments of
vice, but closes every avenue of our
fouls to the approach of virtue.
The roan who is curious to see how
the world could get alocg without him,
can find cut by sticking a cambric nee
dle Into a mill-pond, and then withdraw
ing it and looking at the hole.
Single-minded men always succeed.
The wedge, say3 Carlyle, will rend rocks,
but its edge must be sharp and single,
if it be double, the wedge is bruised in
pieces, and will render nothinz.
? i
iW.fTHf"""'
milll,l.'il yl rainthiriiti,
tin a.iin '.in