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' IT,-...
liiiili
B. F. BOHWEIEB,
TBI O0I8T1T U T10I THE UJIOI-IJS TXZ EfTOlOIXEIT OP TEE LAYS.
Editor and Proprietor.
V OL. XLTI.
MIFFLINTOWX, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENN A.. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 21, ISSS.
NO. 13.
Mountain flowers.
Th wi(d tiowen from the hills have fill
ed ay rorm
With ac-auge magnificence. Amid their
bloom.
An unfamiliar guest,
I atand uiunl; auch high. Imperial air.
Such pomp of color these bright bljsaoma
wear.
Proud atranera of the west.
Hjw beautiful they arel Celestial bine
The barebella lilt their dalllm- spires to
view;
And warm with golden aheen
The popp'ea hold their uitn aplendor up,
Aud the wilil daiy in ita gilded cap
Mill hidra the mountain dew.
The lllire while, but da.hed with crimson
Are daughters of the suut These purple
apirea
Jtloomed on a crag high
The rohea ot uiornit.g ami or evening swept
Their oi-mug buds, aud their rips peta.a
kept
The kisaee of the aky.
And yet, aa one entranced may stand alone
In eome great festival where all unknown
A thousand i.ice grow.
And auddeniy, from lur-loro.ten day a,
Some auadow fare, wi:h pleading, tender
arrives the lonj; ao
So, as 1 pile upon the, banghty Mower
Of the bierraa, dear New l-.Dglaud bourn
breathe bark their lost pertunae;
I see the niaytlower, with its tianb of pink,
A nd, aweeter still, upon the river'a brink.
My own wild row blowl
GRANDMOTHER'S SIGNS.
We were nil very glad when Grand
mother Kyder came to live at our
bouse. She was my mother's mother,
and one of the best lntentioned little
old women in the world. When graial
father died, my brothers and sisters, as
well as myself, were afraid that grand
mother would make her home at our
Uncle Nat's or at our Aunt Mary's,
and there was ere it rejoicing when the
letter came In wti ch she wrote:
"I did think at first that I'd better
go to Mary's, but the grounds In my
coffee-cup n-ver pointed favorably to
it, aud last night I I. ad a dream that
I've dreuipt three times running, that
made it clear to my mind that I'd
better eonie to you. I would start to
morrow if it wasut Friday, and I
sou.etirnes think the Friday sign runs
Into Saturday, too; so 1 will not start
until Monday, which will bring me to
your house ou the day the moon full.,
and I take that to be a good sign."
An amused smite came into father's
face as he read this letter aloud to us
children, and he burst out laughing
when I said:
I'd just like to know what coffee
settlings and dreams aud the mouu
have to do with it?"
"Nothing, uiy de.tr; nothing at all,"
said mother, laughing softly, "But
grandmother bus odd notious that we
need uot say anything about, or mind
at all, when she Is here."
We lived in the country on a splendid
farm. Ou the next Wednesday after
noon, to our great del.ght, we saw
father driving up the long lane leading
to our house, with Grandmother Kyder
seated on t:.e spring seat by his side.
.She waved her handkerchief, and six
aer children set oil on a run to meet
Uer. We Lad not seen ber for three
years, and as soon as we were near
enough to hear, she began saying:
"V hy, bleas my soul, bow you have
grown! I declare, I don't know tother
trom which, but I guess that's Bertie,
and that little girl with a ruill-fd apron
is Mamie, and That's Tommy with the
red ribbon to bis neck. Looks 'zactly
like the ambrotype of him I've got.
Bless ail your little hearts, anybowl
I'll know which is wblcb 'fore two
hours."
When father beeped her out of the
wagon, she struck ber foot on some
thing, aud would have fallen bad be
not caught her.
"Mercy ou us!'' she said. "I'm glad
I stubbed my right toe. If it bad been
the left, it'd been a sure sign that I was
going where I wasn't wanted."
"Vou know that you are wanted
here, no matter what the signs say."
said mother, as she took grandma into
her arus aud kissed her many times.
"Yes, dear, I know it, 1 know it,"
said grandma; "but all the same, I
couldn't have helied worryin' some if
it had been t:.e left toe."
We soon discovered that grand
mother had a s.gu for everything that
happened, and lor much that didn't
nappes. When anything unusual oc
curred, graudma suddenly recalled the
manner in which she had previously
been forwarned of it. The fact that
ber signs and predictions generally
failed ot fulfilment did not disturb ber
.In the least.
Oue day I overheard mother say:
"IX; nt jou often notice, grandma,
that your Bigns do not come true?
You sail yesterday, when you saw the
cat scratching the lence, that it would
ram, sure, before night; but there was
not a cloud In the sky all day, and not
a ilroo ot rain fell."
"Why, Susan!" cried grandma, in a
tone of great surprise. "The morning
paper says ttiere was a perfect flood
yesterday down in Alabama."
The proef was Incontrovertible, not
withstanding the tact that Alabama
was fifteen hundred ailes from our
borne.
My youngest brother was but three
mouths old when grandma became a
member of our lainily. She was very
fond of bafy Danny, and was gratified
to know that the signs she bad re
Carding him were tavorable to bis
future happiuess.
"If lie live to grow up,' she said,
"he'll be a smart and a rich man. See
that mole ou his neck. That's a splen
did sign. And he's going to have a
'cow-lick,' too; that's another good
a'Kn. I hope to goodness, Susan, that
you haven't allowed him to look into a
looking-glass jet."
"I don't know. I'm sure," Baid
mother.
"Why, Susan," cried grandma, "be
Dttst not see himself in a glass until
bis lrt birthday I You'll never raise
fcim If be does. I'm glad he's al read v
tumbled out of bed; it's a sure siu
he'll never be a fooL '
Grandmother's signs and Oaiens were
source of uneasiness to herself only.
Mother early took occasion, privately,
to instruct ua older children on the
subject. She told us that dreams had
ho meaning, and that 'signs' were
silly and meaningless inventions. We
were not, she eaid, to mind what
iraudina said, but were to love and
respect her under all circumstances.
baby T.in s ii a ....... i,,t
- " ' nilllllUH 141.IO 1V1
ow, whom we all loved so dearly that
Were glad eramliuu'a nmma
not portend anything disastrous to
nim, even thougu we did not believe
J" gns. uut oue day, grandma came
loan to breakfast
aoralng smile and cheery greeting.
She looked very solemn, and spoke
soberly wben site spoke at all.
"Are you not well?" asked father.
"I hope this whole family may keep
as well for a year to come as I am
now," she said, mysteriously.
Baby Dan sat in his high chair by
grandma's side, and In the midst of tb
morning meal she suddenly dropped
ber knife and fork, threw her arms
around the b tby, and burst into tears
"Why, grandma, what Is It?" cried
mother, in real alarm.
"Poor, little dear," she cried, "he
ain't long for this world! I've dreamed
three nights of white colts. I told
you, Susan, wbat'd happen if you cut
tils toe-nails of a Sunday, or let the
other children raise your parasol In the
house. I told you!"
Grandma s . Iistress was so evident
that none of us felt like laughing, and
mother said:
"Don't worry, mother. You know
that all signs fail at limes."
"Mine don't." said grandma, la a
tone of deep conviction, "And as I
was laying in bed this morning, a little
bird flew In at the window, and lighted
on my bedpost. I kn,w what that
means, Susan. Danny ain't going to
be here very Ion; you'll see that he'll
be took off sudden, and in some uncom
mon way."
To reasoning could shake grand
mother's conviction in the least, aud
her continued depression and gloomy
predictions made us all feel very un
comfortable. Indeed, so strong is a
superstition that nt one of us cbildreu
could help looking upon dear little Dan
as a doomed child, in spite of mother's
argument to the contrary.
Grandmother bad other unfailing
signs indicating Danny's early demise.
A white kitten came to the door one
day, and grandma shook her bead
gloomily.
"Uut I have always heard that it
was a sign of good luck to have a kitten
come to the house," said father.
"Xot a white kitten," replied grand
ma. "A black or gray kitten is a good
sign, but a white oue is a Fign of "
She stooped over, caught Danny up in
ber arms and hastily left the room.
An old white rooster that we bad
crowed on the doorstep that day, and
grandma ordered his instant execution
as the only means of averting his share
of the disaster threatening Danny.
Grandma's slgus multiplied fast, and
were of a positive, never-faillng char
acter. She came dowu to breakfast
oue beautiful June morning, bowed
down with the dreadful conviction that
the end would come that very day.
Danny's conditi u did not warrant an
expectation of death from disease, at
all events. He semeed to be snapping
his little pink Augers at all kinds of
signs as he lay in bis cradle, kicking up
his heels and crowing gleefully. lie
was almost a year old at this time, and
grandma had said be would never live
to see bis first birthday.
During the forenoon we were visited
by some of our relatives who had driven
a distance of ten miles to spend the
day at our house. We were delighted
to see them and gave ourselves up to a
day of enjoyment. Kven grandma
joined In our pleasure, seeming to for
get her doleful prophecies of what the
day would bring forth.
After dinner, which was the great
event of tba day, the eutire family,
with the exception of grandma and
baby Dan, strolled out icu the orchard
ith our visitors, t rem the orchard
we went on over a bit of meadow land
in search of wild 8trawberr.es, which
were abundant. Then we went up a
grassy hillside and Into a little grove
f oaks and elms. 1 hen we all sat
down on the grass and enjoyed what
we called "a real sociable time," until
father bethought himself to look at bis
watch aud said:
"Why. it's nearly four o'clock. e
have been away three hours. Danny
will have quite woau grandmother out
with the care of him. We must hurry
home."
Wben we reached the bouse we
found grandma fast asleep In ber rock
ing chair ou the piazza, a lock of ber
gray hair blown over her face by the
June wind aud ber wrinkled bauds
crossed peacefully in the sunshine that
fell across ber lap. sue neara our
footsteps and was awake in an instant.
Where is Dauuy?" asuea mouier.
It isn't possible that be has slept all
this time."
I guess he has," 9ld grandma: "I
haint beard a souud from bicj."
Mother stepped hurriedly into tne
room In which Danny always took his i
noondav nan. She came out Instantly,
quite pale, and saying in a trembling
voice: "He isu't there; he's gone!"
" What did you say, busanr "
asked grandmother, rising to ber feet
and speaking with painful deliberation.
"He's gone," said motnsr, again.
Grandmother gave a low moan, sank
back iu ber chair, and said, solemnly:
I knew it would be so. 1 ou laughed
at my signs, Susan. You wouldn't
hear to them- I feel in my bones that
Dannv Bertram wul uever De seeu
a?ain on this earth. The signs don't
fail me."
I remember that I set up a dreadrul
howl, In which Iwas joined by my
brothers and sisters. Father aud our
friends began an Immediate and thor
ough search for Danny, but no trace of
him could be found. Grandmother
encouraged us by saying, from time to
lime, between ber broken sobs: "It s
no use to huut for him. lie's gone.
He'll never be seen again ou this
earth." . ,
Mother broke down entirely after a
short time, and lay crying on a lounge,
with one of my aunts bathing her tem
ples and talking soothingly to her.
We looked everywhere u places
that the little feet could never have
strayed Into.
In the bigheat and the lowest and tbe
loneliest spot
They eagerly sought, but they foand him
uot."
"It looks to me like a case of kidnap
ing." said one of my visitlnt uncles to
fait ber
"So" It does," said father; -'and yet
it don't seem possible that "
"it ain't possible, David," Inter
rupted grandmother. "I'm satisfied
that I haden't been asleep ten minutes
when you folks came home: and I
know that no one was near the house
before you came. o. no. Davii d, hu
man hands never cheduoxxi,l'r
I didn't dream of whit colts with four
wings apiece for nothing."
i.rv.... rth would colts of any
kind want with Danny?" asked one of
my aunts. . ,
An hour and more passed, and panr
found. We hurried to the
nearest neighbors. They had not seen
any suspicious co;k " yt
..orbood. and knew nothing bout
, " j r n Thev came to
isanny ujt-' -... f
oar house In great numbers,
avmnaUur and harrowing reminiscence
of similar disappearances in which tb
missing children were either found
dead or were never found at all.
The evening drew on. Tbe sun went
down. Mother bad sai 1 over and ove:
again that we must find ber baby befoic
night came on. She could not end urt
the thought ot having hfin away wber
the darkness came. Father began U
grow pale and his voice tremoled wber
be spoke. 1'artles of men and boy:
were searching the neighboring woodi
and planning to drag the streams. It
was nearly dark, and we were pitting
tearful aud anxious, in mother':
room, wben we beard a loud commo
tion outside. In a moment the door
was thrown open and there stood oui
big. jolly Uncle Darius lie tram, and
high on bis shoulder, laughing ant
making a desperate effort to talk, sat
Danriylj
"Well, such a time and nobody b
It!" said UucUDarluJ, as he put Darin:
into mother's outstretched anus.
"O Darius! where dil you find him?'
cried mother.
"I found him lying in bU bed abou
half -past three this afternoon. M
wile and I were driving Into town an
called here to see you, but found m
oue at home but fraud mother and th
baby. Grandmother was asleep ant
baby seemed to be having a bineiy aor
of a time of it kicking up bis heels ii
his cradle. So wlte aud I thought we't
take bim eut for an airing, the da;
being so fine. I wrote a little note on
leaf of a pocket-Jiary. telling you wt
bad him. Didn't you find it?"
"No," said father; 'where did yoi
put it?"
"Why, I pinned It to baby's pillow
didn't I't I know wife said for me to
But I'm such a forgetrul fellow that 1
don't know really wheie I did put Ilia
note. It was written ou a small lea'
like this." He drew out bis pocke
diary as he spoke, opened it, and s.a
dow n looking very foolish.
"Well,I swan," be said, "ef I didn'.
clean forget to tear the note out aftei
I'd written it. I must be getting
loony!"
"We were detained in the vlllagt
much longer than we expected." sail
Aunt Harriet, Uncle Darius' w ife j
" and J. was afraid you would worrj
about baby; but be has been just a;
good as he could be, aud be seemed t
enjoy the ride so very much. I couldn't
Gnd his cloak to put on bim, but I had
a light shawl with me, and I fouuc
his little every-day suu-bonnet out li
the yard. It was good enough to wear.
To think of the anxiety tbe Utile chap t
ride has cost you!"
Grandmother was down on hei
knees crying over Danny, and of courst
not one of us said a word to ber about
those unfulfilled omens. It was month
before tbe words "signs" and
omens" passed her lips. Then sh
spoke c them as though they wen
things beneath her notice.
They certainly bad do power ovei
Danny, for 1 have often heard him tell
in this story to bis own children."
Vounif Women Not Kluctoil.
Miss Nell e Laicretla Cook, of Wol
cott, and Miss ill leu Kate Clark, oi
.taacedon, both in Wayne county, New
York, ran for school commiisioners al
the recent election and made tbe cam
paign exceedingly lively; but neithei
was elected. This Is not so very won
derful, however, for Miss Clark was s
Prohibitionist in a district where there
ar barely enough of that persuasion tc
till the Hit of committeemen, and Mlsi
Cook as a Democratic in a district
overwhelmingly Republican. But the
latter was successful in creating a fu
rore that left her opponent but a small
majority, and In creating an enthusiasm
for female candidates which ought tc
delight the woman suffragists.
Miss Clark is, perhaps, 30 years old,
very sedate In manner and Blow to
move lu politics; Miss Cook, ou the
contrary, is but 21, quite handsome,
ardent in ber political faith, vlvaciour
in bee expression and peculiarly sifted
in campaining. She canvassed her dii
trict thoroughly and spoke with marked
ability on the advantages of having a
woman for school commissioner. Hei
arguments were really quite ingenious,
turning chiefly upon the facts that
many more women thau men teach iu
the district, and that women are the
divinely appointed teachers of tbe
young therefore ber deduction ran,
the lady teachers should have an official
to whom they can speak freely, and a
lad? can see many points in the economy
of a school room which a man cannot.
So well did she present this tbat scores
of solid old Republicans were convenea,
and If ber own party had beeu unani
mous, she would have been eiectea:
but the old Democrats were a little too
conservative for her. they "couian i
vote for a woman, and so Alias eiue
Lucretia was defeated.
And now comes a romance. Among
her young Republican converts was
William I Coon, a lawyer, and so en
thusiastic did ha become that he devo
ted the last two weeks of the campaign
entirely to her service, conducting her
from meeting to meeting. .Many au
hour did they pass on country roads
lrlvin? to the "next appointment."
Vt oral conseauences followed. The
marriage is set for an early date; and
while scores or admirers grieve, me
all admit that Mr. Coon has fairly wot
the priza aud join in coagratulatlua
the b.lde elect.
Artificial Stones.
Though the appearance of artificial
precious stones is now so exactly lmita-
a tha fronntnn article as to render
tbe Judgment even of an expert fre
quently at rami, it ia cmimcj wo-i. i,uc
nr hiritnnM U at.il! infallible. Thus.
the beautiiul French paste, from which
such attractive imitative uiamwius are
made, is a kind ot glass, with a mixt-
r ..M.nf load the more of the
latter the brighter the stone, but also
the sorter, and tnis latter is uie serious
defect. But by careful selection of
t.A innn.iinti mul skill and maniou
LUC iu4iv"i -
lation, the lustre, color. Are, and water
. hnimt htnM are. to the eves
4jl U, .uv.vkw . - -
of the ordinary purchaser, fully repro
duced; mere are a lew ueucacra w
color that cannot be perfectly given,
depending as they do on some undis
coverable peculiarities ot molecular
arrangement, and not on chemical com-
.i.i.n thau however, not being
umwvu
apparent to the uninitiated. M. Sidot,
however, a weu-anowa ireu cwnu
: i. rorvnrtoii tn have near! v reDro-
duced the peculiarities in question
including tne aicuruiaui ui mo aj
..i.in h means of a composition, of
which the base is phosphate of lime;
and other chemists have produced
rubies and sapphires having the same
composition as me genuine wjuca,
most as hard.
kS THE GREAT SAHARA.
Strange Adventures or an Kxplorer.
For several months of last year a
white man in the garb of a Mohamme
dan wandered half starved and in peril
of bis life among the roving Moorish
shepherds of tbe Western Sahara. Tbe
remarkable adventures and hairbreadth
escapes of Camille Donls may be seen,
at first glance, to have not even the re
motest connection with the fears re
cently aroused in Europe by tbe ru
mored death of the Sultan of Morrocco.
It is nevertheless true tbat the same
causes recently filled the statesmen ot
Spain, France and Italy with alarm,
and sent men-of-war hurrying to tbe
ports of Morrocco, produced the state
of things in the Sahara that crowded
Mr. Douls rash jouruey with thrilling
adventures.
It was the purpose of tbe young man
to explore, on behalf of the French
Government, the rich mineral region
of Sus, which skirts the Atlantic sea-'
board just south of 30 degrees north
latitude. He bad the advantage of pre
vious experience in Morocco and of
familiarity with Arabic Knowing well
that the jealous fears ot the Sultan
would thwart any attempt to reach the
mines of Sus from the north, be de
termined to land on the coast south of
Atlas, and then make bis way north
into the unexplored 1 Dorado, from
whose treasures of silver and copper
the Sultan has for some years derived a
large revenue.
For various reasons Mr. Douls wm
unable to set foot on tbe coast until he
had reached Garnet bay, over 300 miles
south of Sus. There, late in January
last, a fishing boat from the Canary
islands landed the daring young man
with bis boxes and provision basket.
The wastes of the Sahara stretched be
fore him. He set out over the scorch
ing sands, scanning the horizon for
signs of the desert nomads. They
mmht kill him, but at any rate he
could not live without them. lie wore
a Moorish while garb, and his story
was that he was an Algerian merchant,
shipwrecked on the Atlantic coa?t.
After a while be saw a troop of
camels in the distance. Ills sudden
appearance, like an apparition in the
little desert community, frightened the
black slaves and astounded their fierce
owners. They did not believe a word
ot his story. No Mussulman had ever
come to them from tbe sea. His dress
was white, while their garments were
made of blue cloth, lie was a Christian
dog, trying to deceive the faithful, and
deserving tbe death all unbelievers
merit. Suddenly seized from behind,
he was thrown to tbe ground, and
while one put bis foot on bis throat,
others bound his bands. II is clotlung
was stripped off, bis mousy and re
volver were taken, aud one assailant
hit him on the mouth with the back of
a dagger, breaking two teeth.
A tnau named Ibrabalm saved him
from immediate death merely that be
might be further questioned. Whfcii
one of the nomads, crying. "Let
strangle tbe Christian," made another
rush at the helpless explorer, Ibrabalm,
gun in hand, said be would shoot tbe
first man who touched him. He took
t 1 ... T .. n hi. .a... -. A nIJ l.im
ir jiig uis bcui- ouu iviu utui t.o vou
sider himself Lis prisoner until be
could prove that be was a Mussulman.
Tbe next morning a large party
went to the seashore to get the boxes
which the prisoner said he bad left
there. The Moors did not easily find
their booty, and, shaking their daggers
in the explorer's face, they declared
that tbe Christian was trying to lead
tbem where his friends lay in ambush
to kill tbem. lbrahaiin, w ho had as
little faith as tbe others in Douls' story,
told bim be would bs killed if the
boxes were not found. Just as he
bad given himself up for lest they
were discovered, and everything the
explorer possessed was soon divided
among the Arabs, the women and
children coming In for a small share.
I? or some weeks the explorer ex
pected every day to be his last. It was
fortunate for him that be was proficient
in the forms of Mohammedan worship.
and that he could recite passages from
the Koran. Nothing could have saved
bim, however, if several sheiks and
holy men, to whom be was taken for
examination, bad not expressed tbe
belter that be was a Mussulman.
He was kept in irons until a chief of
one of the nomad tribes, before
whom he was summoned, told his
captors that they had been too hasty
iu fettering and despoiling him, and
that they might be called to account
at the day of judgment for inflicting
great Buffering upon one ot their
brethren." Even then be was not re
leased until a Moor of great authority,
who had been to Mecca and bad
traveled much, assured the nomade
tbat their prisoner was a Turkish
Mussulman. He was then at liberty,
uot to leave the nomads who had cap
tured him, but to cast his future
fortunes with the Arabs and become,
like tbem, a wanderer in tbe desert.
For five months he helped drive
herds of camels and sheep over the
dreary steppes of the Western Sahara,
traversing territory that no white man
had visited before, and crossing here
and there the path of Dr. lenz, who,
in the guise of a Tuikish physician,
traveled over these plains to Timbuc
too a few years agoj In their wander
ings from one oasis to another the
nomads took their white captive as tar
south as the sandy wastes of El Jut,
within 3J0 miles of Timbuctoo. He
visited Tenduf, tbe great slave market
of tbe Sahara, whence slave caravans
from the Soudan are sent north in all
directions to the Mediterranean coun
tries. His new ways of life so changed
his appearance tbat his best friends
would not have recognized him. His
bead was shaven, only one tuft of hair
on top escaping. He was burned red
by tbe sun, and his privations made
him very thin, as he lived wholly on
camel's milk, with an occasional treat
of sheep's flesh.
At last in their travels the nomads
reached tbe southern boundary of Mo
rocco, and a way then opened for the
escape of the white man. He bad so
far won the favor of Ibrabaim, who
bad saved his life when be first entered
tbe Saraba, tbat tbe Arab thought he
would make a desirable son-in-law. He
was accordingly betrothed to the
twelve-year old daughter of his bene
factor. It was necessary, however, for
biai to visit his home to procure tbe
means needed for bis marriage, and,
after tbe betrothal had been celebrated
with speeches and festivities, Douls
was permitted to join a caravan that
was starting for Morocco. He traveled
through the Sus province, whose ex
ploration had been the sole object that
took bim to tbe Sahara. He says this
region is very rich, cot only in min
eral, bat also la agricultural resources.
New perils awaited him in Morocco,
for the nomads with whom be traveled
suspected that he was an lmposter, in
formed the Sultan of their suspicions,
and be was put In Irons at the capital.
There is little doubt tbat be would
have been killed if tbe Europeans in
the city had not heard of bis plight.
He was rescued through the interven
tion of Sir William Kirby Green, the
British Minister to Morocco, and sent
to the coast, where be embarked for
Europe.
Morocco teams with riches of many
kiads, and is naturally one of tbe most
desirable and accessible parts of tbe
world. Why is it tbat it has no wagon
roads, that its resources are un
touched, that its exports are almost
nothing, that white men dare not
travthere, that its government is
baV laVous aud that its people are sink
rag Into degradation? It is simply
tfecMse several of the great powers of
Eorope, each eager to grasp the prize
-are determined that It shall not pass te
outer nations. Their mutual jealousies
Have had the effect to keep them all
out of Morocco, and so civilization and
progess bave avoided ' rich region,
lying within sight ot - Europe, that
needs only good government to be a
blessing to its inhabitants and to the
world. For the sake of the Moors, for
th- sake of commerce, and for the sake
of white travelers like Mr. Douls, who
er-ter Morocco and the country tribu
tary to It only at the risk of their lives,
it la to be hoped tbat the European
powers will some day be able to unite
upon a pol cy that will give Morocco a
chaece to thrive.
SlorlN !y Rlloy.
George A. Sheridan went up to Bos
ton to deliver a lectua in a course
there. It was his first appearance
there, but be thought no more of it
than he would of appearing In any
other city. The night of tbe lecture a
solemn-looking old fellow, chairman of
the lecture committee or something of
the kind, took Sheridan off to a room
ani said; "General, 1 don't b-lleve you
recognize the importance of this occa
sion, "
"I don't see anything particularly
important about it." replied Sheridan,
who is not generally overpowered or
a"d by surrounding greatness.
"You do not seem to keep In mind
the fact," said the solemn bean-eater,
'that you are about to address a Bos
ton audience."
"Ob, yes, X do." said Sheridan.
"That's exactly the 'kind ot audience I
do expect to address. Now, if I was
in Philadelphia or New York, it
wouldn't be reasonable in me to expect
to meet a boston audience, but here I
didn suspect there would bs any other
kind."
"I don't mean tbat," said the Bos
tonian. "You will bave a magnificeut
audience here, representing the culture
s-.i refinement of Boston. 1 must con
less that I feel a little nervous myself
over the outcome. There never bave
beeu but twq lecturers who have been
swla to hold this aud ifenoe. They were
Henry Ward Beecber and Wendell
I'hllllps, and I would not be surprised
to see fully six hundred of them get up
and go out before you were through."
"If they do," said Sheridan, confl-
dentitllj, "I'll be if I don't go
a ith 'em."
Mr. Riley had just received a per
sonal letter from Bill Nye, in which
tbat humorist bad discussed, in his
original way. the advaulagesaud disad
vantages of being a persoual beauty,
and concluded: "1 often bave reason
to be thankful, James, that God, in
His infinite wisdom, has seen fit to
give all my beauty to Mrs. James
Brown Potter, and all my balr to the
seven Sutherland sisters."
This recalled a witticism of Henry
Guy Carletou at the New York
Authors' Convention. Carleton is a
very bright writer, but he stutters
dreadfully when be talus, and one even
ing be said to Nye: "M-m-is-ter Nye.
ca-ca-can't you co-come up-p-p to my
room for a couple of hours, I wa-wa-want
to ha-have about fif-fifteen min
utes cou-con-convereatiou with you?"
1'liyi.lcal Training In franco.
"You bave spoken, monsieur, about
the government providing exercise for
the youth. In what way J"
"Hardly is a boy in school before be
is made to enter upon a series of gym
nastics. It is a regular part of the cur
riculum, and increases in importance
uutd the end of the course. Now, tbe
peculiar feature of all this is that al
though the general character of tbe ex
ercise is calculated to develop bodily
vigor, the main thiDg sought for is uni
formity of action. Tbe drilling Is all
In platoons. In tbe gymnasiums tbe
same feature obtains. You cannot
imagine tne curious evolutions that the
future soldiers have to go through to
gether. There is soma individual work,
but as a rule if you enter a gymnasium
you will be met by halt a dozen men
hopi iug aljng on one foot, keeping
their alignment as faithfully as if
marching on dress parade, or stridings
in single file across the flonr, their fists
doubled and their arms swaying back
ward and forward synchronously, anJ
you may be lucky enough to see a mn
standing on the shoulders of two com
rades driving with long reins several
pairs of men, who hold tbe reins lightly
in their bands above their heads. This
is a favorite accomplishment of the
gymnasium, and Is an interesting
j teature of the public exhibitions. Tbe
wuoie lDQueucc oi eveu puysicai nam
ing, you see. Is military, and tbe
French, though by no means weak, do
not tend to develop muscle at tbe ex
pense of skill and the mental faculties,
as it seems to me the Americans do."
To Ventilates Room.
The best way to ventilate a room
that I know of hi to put a board, long
enough to fit exactly in the window
frame, and about six inches high, under
the lower sash. If you remember the
construction of window sashes you will
know that this consequent raising of
tbe lower one will leave spaces between
tbe glass and the wood work, through
which fresh air can obtain a gradual
entrance into tbe room. Its course is
made somewhat tortuous and all
draught thereby prevented. When It
reaches tbe inside it has au upward di
rection, too, and is not likely to come
in contact with tender craniums. It is
important, in using this kind of ven
tilation, that the board fit accurately
under tbe window, so tbat no little
spaces be left for tbe air to blow
through.
Broadway, the longest street in
New York, extends ten miles, while
Benson, the shortest street, is not more
than 100 feet long.
DELb'S WAGER.
IxTes Devious Path.
"What a queer-looking yellow bouse
that is," said Dell Duval, pointing
with ber parasol in the direction of a
canary-colored cottage.
"And tbe owner is queer, too," said
Minnie Hammond, who with her sister
Sarah male one of the party on the
hill, that bright day.
'His name is Isaac Golden, and the
story runs that be was crossed in love,
and since then has lived all alone in
that yellow house which be calls -Tbe
Sunflower.' There be is now," as a man
of about thirty came out of the cot
tage and disappeared among the trees.
"I should like to meet him, very
much," said Dell who was something
of a flirt. "I am alwsys interested in
a romantic life."
When they were leaving the hill for
borne, she turned to Minnie and said
with a laugh: "Minnie I will make
you a wager of my opal ring against
your volume of Mrs. Browning's po
ems that I will get Mr. Golden to pro
pose to tne before tbe Summer is
over." The other full of the spirit of
mischief readily agreed to the wager,
and so they separated.
Opportunities were not wanting for
Dell to meet Mr. Golden and they
were soon on friendly terms with each
other. One day when she was out
boating, in trying to reach for some
water lilies she fell lu the lake and
would have undoubtedly perished If be
had not appeared opportunitely and
saved her life.
She began to be a little ashamed of
her wager after that, but the Summer
was drawing to a close and still he did
not speak. One day as she was driving
by the yellow cottage be came out and
asked ber If she would not like to look
at bis flu tver garden. So she hitched
up the horse iu the shed and went in
the gate among tbe sunflowers and
blooming plants.
Dell laughed wben she saw them,
but the view of the surrounding coun
try was very line and she praised it to
Mr. Golden's content. Then she said
she must go at once, for the girls
would be uneasy about her.
'J. must bid you good-by." she said,
as her host placed ber upon her horse,
"for I am to go home to-morrow."
"So soonl" he exclaimed, quickly.
"Yes, and 1 may not see you again.
Good-by."
"Good-by," be returned, taking her
hand. "Always wear blue riding
habits, and smoking-caps with feathers
ou them, for they are very becoming.'
Blushing rosily she rode away.
"Smoking-caps, indeed!" she ex
claimed. "Well, 1 have lost my wager;
and more, too," she added, with a
sigh; "but no one shall know of it."
Toward evening she sat under an
apple tree. In the corner of the gar
den, thinking of her folly, aud the
tears rose to her eyes. Suddeuly she
beard footsteps approaching, and in a
moment Mr. Golden stood beside her.
Strauge to say, be seemed nervous
and excited.
She rose In embarrassment, the result
of her recent mood, and to- cover her
confusion Invited bim to go Into tbe
bouse.
'Stay please," be said, gently detain
ing ber, "I've something I wish to tell
you." And he went on rapidly. "I
love you, Dell, earnestly and sincerely.
Wont you take pity on me and accept
me for your husband?"
Startled by this abrupt declaration.
Dell's face grew red and then uhlie
and, finally, she burst into tears.
"You wouldn't care for me If you knew
bow I had talked about you," she said,
ut last.
'1 don't believe yon eaid anything
very dreadtul," he replied, with a
smile, as he drew ber to bim. 'lull
me about it,"
After much persuasion she told him
of the waser she had made w ithMiu
itiB. "is that all?" be replied, coolly. "I
know it a'ready, for I beard you."
At this she dried her eyes, and true
to her character, even in tbat blissful
moment, boxed his ears.
i "1 think I am entitled to the ring,"
be said. "Won't you give it to me,
please?"
"Yes," she replied; "though I don't
like to see gentlemen wear rings."
"Nor I;" and be slipped it on his
watch-chain. Minnie spied the ring at
once, wben they entered the bouse, a
few minutes laUr.
"You don't bay" She bean
laughing.
Dell blushed.
"We do, indeed,' said Mr. Golden,
smiling, as be took Dell's band in bis
own. "Allow me. Miss Minnie, to
present to you the future mistress of
Sunflower.
The Quaint Cureaoa.
Although Chinese and Japanese dig
nitaries bave long beeu familiar in this
country, there is enough that is novel
in tbe costumes and customs of the
members of the Coreanue Embassy at
Washington to excite great attention
at tbe capital. Their walk is described
as a "stately glide," and tbe Minister
especially, although hardly up to the
average height, is credited with an un
usually dignified gait, set off by "a
serene smile." A mass of skirts and
furbelows of tbe richest silks is a lead
ing feature in their garments, rustling
as they walk; while their "tall black
bats of horse-hair, set daintily on the
crown of the bead, which is itself
topped by tbe coil of hair." were not
removed, it Is said, during the prelimi
nary interview with Mr. Bayard. This
bead-gear, through which tne air can
circulate, is hardly such as an Ameri
can would fancy for this time of the
year-Jbut then Americans without prac
tice could hardly balance tbe bats at
all. Their features are of the true
Mongolian type, and the visitors seem
well pleased with their novel surround
ings, and with customs which would
doubtless appear more singular bad
not Americans been for years in favor
with the King of Cores.
Tbrasbed Iliin ami Then Mairied
Him.
Some time ago County Superintend
ent Taylor, of Dea Moines, was called
to tbe country to settle a trouble which
had arisen in a school. The differences
arose over theact that a young lady
teacher had severely flogged three
young men who were attending school.
The Superintendent made due investi
gation of tbe case, got acquainted with
all the parties and settled the difficulty.
Since then the Superintendent has re
ceived an Invitation to a wedding, and
to his surprise the parties were tbe
young lady school ma'am and one of
ber unruly pupils whom she had chas
tised. There will be little question in
I that household who is the woman of
the bouse.
Story of a Haunted Ship.
It had been a terrible winter, with
heavy gales, and hurricanes which bad
deterred many brave captains from
leaving port. And many gallant sailors
bad found a resting place at tbe bottom
of tbe Atlantic through an overdaring
spirit when the ship Albatross, with a
"right good Yankee" crew and a cargo
of general merchandise, set sail from
New York on the 19th of January,
1871.
Captain Frost was a most worthy
seaman, but not one who would endan
ger the lives of u good crew through a
careless experiment. He was often
won't to say, -If God wills it, we go
to the bottom in fair weather or foul."
and with 11114 as his motto he set sail
for Gibraltar.
During tbe first week at sea the
weather was fair, but on the night o'
January 23 a squally wind sprung up,
which soon ripened into a full fledged
tempest. The stanch ship was rocked
and tossed like an eggshell on the
mountainous waves, which threatened
to engulf her. The night grew darker,
and through the rigging the weird
shriek of the wind caused the moat
superstitious fears to take possession
of the sailors.
"Boys, it's a fearful night," e-toke
an old tar. "1 am no landlubber, lads,
but such nights as these ghosts hold
their sway iu doomed ships. 1 can re
member "
"Hark! hark! me lads," lnterupted
one of the listeners.
"Listen, there it is again," said an
other, as a plaintive sound echoed
through the Bhip. The wind grew
louder, aud from its mournful ca
dence came this weird strain:
I wish that I were lying, too,
Tieueath the wavea of the ooean 1 w.
My soul with God,
My body in the sea,
Aud the blue waves rolling over me.
There was a rush for the deck, where
the sailors were mot by the captain.
"What means this?" he demanded.
"Why did you not tell us the ship
was haunted?" said tbe old Bailor.
'Have you, too, beard the sounds?"
said the captain In surprise.
The men looked at each other iu
astonishment, but no one answered.
We will search the ship," said the
captain; "perhaps we have some stow
away aboard."
Down into the hole went the captain
and crew, but nothing rewarded thtir
search.
The night of January 29 was starlit
and beautiful. The day watch was ou
deck enjoying tbe customary smoke lie
fore turning in, and spinning yarns,
when suddenly the dismal wail of the
previous storm rang through the ship.
The tars with oue accord made for the
ship's side and in their terror threw
themselves into the sea.
The captain stuck to the ship for
some days, but eventually became niad,
mid in a moment of frenzy embarked
in a jolly boat, leaving the ship to its
doom.
After daya of suffering be was
picked up by a German brig.
Tbe Albatross went down in a gale
which occurred February 1.
The relator of this legend of the sea
is an officer in the United States navy,
v.ho heard it from the lips of Capta n
Frost, who, lie says, never overcame
the terrible strain nf the last voyage or
ti e Albatross..
JVMM-l SM-.-tMl-rwfllf V.
Young ladies who fear to cross the
"old Maid" chalk mark may find com
fort in this. The longevity of girlhood,
according to the ethics of society, has
inert ased iu the last dozen or til teen
years. A girl is not an "eld taaid"
now until she is past thirty. Once she
was an "old maid" at twenty-live. She
is a girl now for five years beyond that
ase. It is even deetued not ouiy posi
b but probable that some man will
lind her fair and lovable after that ad
vanced age aud marry her. In the let
ter circles girls do not enter e-ticieiy at
as early an age as they did when the
t igoid maid" was alllxed to them if
they didn't marry by the time they
weie twenty-five. The lass or sixteen,
eighteen, or even older is in school Oi -cupied
with her music and other stud
ies now, and uot receivinj beaux alone
iu the parlor evenings. She is getting
ready to be a young woman. She Is not
attempting to le one before she is.
It n a time-honored fallacy tbat girls
reach mental maturity lu advance of
boys. The average lad of sixteen or
eighteen is quite as matured in intel
lect as the girl of that age. She is no
more fitted at that stage of growth to
assume the role of womanhood than he
of manhood. There are exceptional
instances of astonishing development
at an early day with both boys aud
girls tbat entitle them to rank as men
or women. But this is not ttie average
with humanity, aud the girl who does
uot attempt to be a "young lady" until
she is twenty-one is far better off than
she who starts out iu this endeavor two
or three years younger.
The largely increasing number of in
dependently situated women who pre
fer to live unmarried is likely to work
a decided change in tbe status of the
"old maid." Tbe elderly girl who pre
fers the luxuries or comforts of her
father's home to the sharing a flat or a
boarding bouse with a salaried young
man it multiplying so rapiily that she
is bound to have a show In things gen
erally, the same as younger maidens
and ber married Bisters.
Put We'd Eicept the Prlnce.
Tbere Is one difference letweeii
Americans and Englishmen, and it is a
difference in favor of the Americans.
The I'rlnce of Wales sat in a box at a
London theatre the other night with a
party of young earls and lords and talk
ed and laughed so loudly that the play
had to wait until the 1'iince was ready
to give his attention to it. We don't
happen to have any princes over here,
but if we had and they behaved in ttib
manner the manager of the theatre
mould either have to put them out oi
see bis own apple cart upset. We may
not cut out the pattern In hats for the
world, but we know what to do with a
boor, and we usually know bow tc
do it.
Wu It Faith Curt-?
A Salt Iake mother arose in the
night at the solicitation ot ber daugh
ter and rubbed fifty cents worth oi
cough medicine on the latter 's rheuma
tic limbs. Tbe cure was immediate,
but tbe pains returned as soon as the
mistake was discovered.
A vulgar man courts publicity with
the hope of wedding notoriety.
EVS IN BRIEF.
An Arkansas suicide filled hi?
south with powder and then applied
l lighted match. The explosion tort
away a portion of his face.
A shark cauuht ot the shores ot
:h9 l'aclflc not long since, upon being
opened was found to contain a pair ot
loots with a man's fet ia them.
Professional beggars are onct
more au lmiKirt int factor iu the "so
lial" life of San Francico, where th
police are keyt busy trying to arrest
them.
The pope has already received
many jubilee gifts, including a ring
from tiie Sultan, a splendid Sevres vast
and inkstand from M. Jules Ferry,
Sevres vases from Marshall MacMahon.
and $100,000 from the prior general ot
the Carthusians.
The remains of an unknown man.
which bad been taken to a San Fran
cisco hospital and partially dissected,
were recognized by a youn woman sj
those of ber father, llenjamin Arm
strong, a wealthy miner, who disap
peared from Ueno, Nevada, in Jan
uary. A cannon used in 1S70 for protec
tion against the Indians was excavated
from a bed of eight feet of gravel at
Dead wood. Dak., recently, it Is said
to have disappeared during the Da
kota flood, and this is the first that has
been known of it since.
A blind man who died at Woicej
ter, Mass., recently, bad bis sense ot
touch so developed that lie could tell
the denomination of a bank note by
feeling It, and in weeding a large gar
den be could always distinguish a
young vegetable plant from a weed.
There has been invented for the
use of the trumjwturs in the Freuch
army, an instrument w hich at will can
be turned so as to throw the sounds
backward. A Mew pattern of drum,
smaller and lighter than before, has
also been prescribed for use in the
army.
The great English coal shipping
ports are, in order of magnitude: Car
diff, Newcastle-ou-'1 yne, Sunderland.
Newport, Shields, Swansea, Liveipiol,
and llartlt pil. Cardiff and New
castle are nearly equal, and account
for more thau half the total. Cardiff
doei the largest foreign and New
castle the greatest home trade, Sunder
land running very close.
The average annual dpatti rate of
the world is 31 for every l.UUi persons.
The average death rate for the leading
citie3 of the Vnited States Is 22i in
every 100 persons. Old cities "like
Taris. Vienna and Berlin approach the
world's average iu their death rate. In
18H5fthe death rate for the City of
Mexico was oS for every 1,0ia) persons;
in Vera Cruz it was 'M.
It Is said that in the southern part
of Russia the peasants use a coin of
such small value that it would take
250,000 of them to buy an American
dollar, and these coins are so scarce
that a man who has a hundred Is
looked upon as rich, and one who has a
thousand is considered very wealthy.
It is strange to think a person wealthy
who owns two-fifths of a cent, and
comfortably well oft on one-tweuty-fiftu
of a cent. B'it Ihe value or
money depends, of courte, on what it
will buy.
The King of Dihomey is descriled
rs "a tall, well built negro of about 4'J,
dressed m a blue Hilk short gown reach
ing to his knees, covered with silver
half moons, stars and quaint shaped
spangles about the sia? of half dollars.
On his head he had a cap of red velvet,
with gold lace, and the figures of a
skull and cross bones iu front. On
his feet were gold lace 1 sandals. In
his hand he held a scepter of solid
gold surmountej by a red skull."
Mrs. I'roctor, widow of Barry
Cornwall, is the most itderestiug old
lady in London poclety. Sl.e Is 87
years of age, but "goes everywhere,"
as the pluase is. and is eminently
popular for her v. It, rood spirits anil
conversational powers. Her father
was the famou3 IlaMi Montague. Mrs.
I'roctor lives in a handsome fiat in the
Albeit mansions. Charles Dickens
used to say that when he wanted to
brighten up." he, went to see Mrs.
I'roctor. She has known intimately
the famous men of England for some
generations past, mid her memory Is
stocked with luteiesting facts.
i Some curious phenomena are ap
leanng in the section of country be
tween Surumerville and Charleston,
which was so greatly disturbed by the
earthquake sdiock ot August 31, 8H0.
There are many deep pits on the mar
gin of which have b, en thrown up pure
white sand, such as is seen only on tbe
seashore. On this sand has sprung np
a dense growth of sea plants. It is evi
dent that the seeds Trom which these
plants have sprung bave been ejected
from great depths, where they have
doubtless been buried ninny centuries
without losing their germinating
powers.
The ex-king of Ou le, who lately
died al Calcutta, was as particular
about neatness and cleanliness as the
proverbial Dutch housewife. If, when
walking in bis garden, he found a stray
bird's feather among the flowers or a
few straws or withered leaves lying
about he would fine the gardner and
the watchman of the day three days'
pay. The same penalty was inflicted
on any indoor Bervant who left a speck
of dust or scrap of lltu?r about the pal
ace, where floors, walls and furniture
were being dusted and cleaned all day
long.
The Bank of England doors are
now bo finely balanced that a clerk, by
pressing a knob under bis desk, can
close tbe outer doors instantly, and
they cannot be oened again except by
special process. The bullion depart
ment of this and a number of other
banks are rightly submerged several
feet in water by the action of the ma
chinery. In some English banks tbe
bullion department is connected
with the manager's slefp ng room and
an entrance cannot be effected with
out shooting a bolt in the dormitory,
which. In turn, tela in motion an
alarm.
Qaeen Margaret, of Italy, Is much
in teres text In art aud devotes a portion
of ber private income to tbe purchase
of paintings and statuary. She is also
something of a poet, and now and then
reads aloud to a select audience
some of the verses which she has
thrown off during a moment of lei
sure, between a reception at the palace
and a state dinner. Her lines flow
along barironiously with an exquisite
finish, and often the poetical Images
i are painted with a richness of color,
thai Is astonishing.
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