IS
Mil
B. P. 8GHWEIER,
THE CONSTITUTION THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietor.
VOL. XLIV.
MIFFLINTOWN , JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 30, 1890.
NO. 19.
Awasih writer In the West says:
"If you do cot saw wood you hare no
rt. ht to rtowI became there la no fuel."
We cant see that there Is any special
objection to buying; it already chopped.
A Frenc h newspaper thinks that a
rash act on the part of Emperor Wil
liam will disturb the peace of Europe.
If a simple thlnj like that can precipi
tate a war the peace of Europe Is only
kin deep, something like beauty.
Mr. Georoe W. Ciulds, of Phila
delphia, states th.it since the Introduc
tion of foreign and native mineral
waters as a table beverage, the use of
wine has decreased nearly one-half
at dinner parties and entertainments.
Toe United States Labor Commis
sion has decided that the collection of
statistics referring to bu Ming associa
tions does not come with the scope of
the coming census. This is to be re
gretted as statist ics ii. .cu this matter
are much reeded and would have
served to show the good and evil o'
such orgauuatiin.
Wnn.K l e members of Congress
are devi.-dng a plan of coinage to use
up the products of American silver
iuu.es, t:.ey should incidentally consider
whether they c.mnot find means to dis
pose of all the products of American
iron ore and real mines, which are just
as much enllt'ed to have a government
market m ide for them as the silver
mines of the West.
The Orst quarter of the year, says a
trade review, has passed w thout the
financial disturbance which many saw
leason to tVar, with fewer failures than
iu the same quarter of last year, and
smaller by 12 per cent. Foreign trade
has been heavier than ever for the se.i-
s n, and domestic consumption ' was
much smaller than usual in coal, wool
ens and heavy winbr goods.
IT is now cetialu iU.it a large per
centage of Ice consumed the coming
seasou will be a manufactured article.
While the pi ice may be higher, the
quaiitv wiil be superior to that har
vested in man 7 localit.es from contami
nated stre.uns and ponds. The manu
facturer can choose the water used and
by the use of Improve 1 machinery,
produce a lower temperature than
nature employs to do the work, insur
ing a more solid pr.xluct and one that
will last longer.
A strike inaugurated by the Cen
tral Lubor Uuiou. iu New York, lias
come of the worst features of the coin
bin itlons of employers that are so
earnestly and rightly condemned by
labor reformer. Carpenters, brick
layers, plumbers and a'l sorts of bui'd
Ing mechanics at work in New York
have been compelled to strike, not be
cause they bad personal grievances, but
tecause contractors ror the Iron work
refused to employ union hands. That
kind of Interference never yet worked
well and probably never wilL
The farmers of Minnesota, In con
vention assembled, have iesolved that
the Supreme Court of the Uulted
states must be abolished. They declare
the highest judicial tribunal of the
land to be a menace to the rights and
liberties of the people, and therefore
lemand that it be abated. This is a
Jeplorable condition of things, but it is
feare 1 that a mere resolution of a lody
3t citi7eus, however, earnest and re
spectable, will not sullice to abolish the
supreme Court.
Wtomino will doubtless become a
SU'.e as soon as the necessary formality
fan be arranged. At a recent election
in that territory the Tote cast was 1S,
J00, of which 4,0 X) were cast by
women. But as these 14.000 adult
males vote the Republican ticket by 2.
JOO majority, it Is proposed to give them
pol Ileal power to the extent of two
Senators and one Representative In the
ower IIoii.e. The tienalty will come
we of these days for this rushing in
t new States for partisan purposes.
Buffalo Bill has attained an im
mense success anions the sons and
Jaugbters of Italy, and we may soon
look for an Irruption or d.irk-eyed den
izens of the sunny land beut on taking
the scalps of countless Indian braves,
and slaying unnumbered buffalos, and
armed Tor the conflict with hand oi
fans and little monkeys. And after
they hive found out their mistake they
will, as they li.t u t- the sweet strains
of 'McGinty" and other musical gems,
muse with sadness upon America as it
is presented abroad by the honest
William.
SrEi i"Ltive business enterprises
in the Njuth are organized on the prin
:iple that "man never is but always to
be blest." Kxcursiou trains are run
from New England to the site of what
is to be a new town in Tennessee, w lie re
a sale of lots will be held when the
excursionists are to arrive. The town
Is to le laid out from the proce ds of
the sale, and it Is to be supported by
the iron works to be erected by a com
pany that Is to be organized as soon as
ubscriptions have b eu received to the
millions of dollars' worth of ftock au
Ihortzed to be Issued. It may come out
ill right for the Investors, but every
thing aeeuis ueiendeut o i sonie.bing
Lie. m m
The people of Jersey city, who are
m Indignant over the frauds of the pol
iticians that they talk of forming a
Vigilance Committee, will probably
io nothing but vaporize. Really earn
Ht reformers ought to get together aud
io the work of a Vigilance Committee
. . landing every dis-
QV PW 111. - . W - , r. - ,
honest election otlicer In jail, and hold
Ing up to public scorn and contempt (
any of the bigger poli.icians who a.
tempt to excuse or protect their tools.
The frauds have been proved, and it
remains for the citizens of Jersey City)
to put the rascals who committed them
U, jail. -
WOSTH HEEDINO.
Married Lira la Failure;.
The men say, accordiux to an Atch
ison Globe When a wife thinks more
or tier relatives than of her husban I.
When a wire believes her husband
uiust love her whether she deserves it
not.
When a wife stoops to her husband's
level, and tries to equal him In beinz
mean.
When a wife fails to realize that pa
tience and gentleness are more natural
with her than with a man.
When a woman marries for conveni
ence, and preteuds that she marries for
love.
When a wife pays too much atten
tion to her husband's old vows, and
not enough to the nature of the man
she has actually married.
When a wife insists tliat her bus
band stiall be as good a his nio'.her,
instead of as good as his father.
When awsfe says that if her husband
earns three dollars a day. he ought to
put a dollar and a half of It i i her lap
every night, as "her s .are."
When a w ife, who is not expected to
do any sui'h work, says. Iu the pres
ence of the neighoors, hat she was not
"raised' that way, and will not saw
the wood.
When the wife blames all the trouble
on her husband, instead of accepting
her share.
When a woman imagines that all lite
women in the world arj In love with
her plus? of a husband.
The womeu say When a man say -be
cannot control his temper when wi.h
ins wife and children, although the)
know tie controls it when provoked b
a hirg, muscular man enemy.
When a man Is a liar, and bis wife
knows it. When a man is l.beral and
fair at.d cheerlul with every one except
h'a ife.
When a man is fool enough to etpecl
an angel will marry Irui.
When a m:m I patient a.d cringing
llh men when wiio do not care if the
displease him, and impatient with his
sxk children.
When a man expects thit bis wife
ou,ht to buy as uiuch with one dollai
as he himself can buy with two.
When a man frets because his wift
did not love him before she knew him.
When a man expects the fountain U
be higher thau the he d; when he ex
pects a better home than be provides.
When a in in smacks his lips In re
collection of his mother's cooking, and
forgets tliat he had a better appetite at
a Uy than he has a-t a man.
lien a man believes that a wift
s'l'iii J give all her time to their home,
and thru wonders that she never ba
any money of her own.
Indian Humor.
The Indian lias a keeu appreciation
of humor, aud is like a child In hi?
luirthf uluessw No orator can see lb.
weak points In his adversary's armor oi
silence a foolish speaker more quickly.
Old Sbab-bah-skoing, the head duel
of MiUe I-ac, brought all his warrior
to defetal Fort Ripley in ISfii Ti,t
Secretary of the Interior, aud the Gov
ernor aud luislature cf Minnesota
promised these lu.liaiis tliat for this att
of bravery they shoe Id have the special
care of the Government and never I
removed. A few years later, a specia'
agent was tent from Washington to ask
the 'jibways to cede the.r lauds and re
move to a country north of leecli
I .like. The agent asked my help. 1
said: "I know that country. 1 havt
camped ou it. It is the most worth
less strip of land la Minnesota. Th
The Indiaus are not fool. Don't at
tempt this folly. You wl.l surely couit
to grk'l." lie called the Indians in
council, and said: "My red brothers,
your great father has heard how you
have been wronged. He said, I will
send them an honest man.' lie looked
in the North, the South, the East au.l
the West. When he siw me, he said,
"This is the honest mn whom I will
senl to my red children. Brother
look at me! The winds of tifty-nv
years have blown over my head anil
silvered it over with gray, aud in all
that time 1 have never done wrong tc
any man. As your friend, I ask yon
to siirn this treaty."
Old Suab-bah-akong sprang to hi
feet and raid: "My friend, look at me!
The wiuds of more than fifty winters
have not blown my brains away."
That council was ended. HUhop
tYhijylt a SortK Ame, ictin Review.
There or Not There.
When at her first lesson Katie rea l
quite glibly : "What have you iu yom
hand, Anuie' A button-hooker,''
her teacher orde:ed her to be seated to
consider w bat was actually the passage
to be read.
A second trial was given her, and
l he child, with a perfectly so'einu face,
repeated :
What have you in your hand. An
n'e? 'A button-hooker. "
A third and lourth trial elicited
nothing different except a torrent of
tears from the pupil and much wrath
from the teacher.
"Bring your book to roe, child," ex
claimed the latter finally, "and show
me the bu. ton-hooker." The Injured
one did as she was bid, and placed a
quivering little finger on the interroga
tion point at the end of her sentence.
Mr. Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Mrs. Stowe lias been described as a
brilliant, fluent conversationalist, and
withal for that kindliness of disposition
in society which she transmitted to the
world through her pen. Her smile
hs always beeu especially winning.
Giving to the world so much fiction, it
i-i to be expected that she would be
subject to fits of abstraction. On one
occasion a party of young ladies was in
vited to meet her at luncheon. Mr.
Stowe appeared, but not the expected
II. w of entertaining words, the out
pouring o the wealth stored witbln.
Her principal remark was a request for
some otie to pass her the bread. The
I id:es were disappointed of course, and
It m aut'Sequentiy discovered that siie
was at the time in quite different com
pany from that which really surrounded
her. She was having a tete-a-tete with
the characters of "Old Town Folks."
Bsowxuta waa at dinner at the house
of a friend when he saw a phonograph
for the first time. He waa greatly in
terested in it, and started to repeat to
it "Tu Bide from Ghent to Aix."
When half through be stopped sudden
ly and exclaimed: "Good grae ons!
I've forgotten the rest!" The phono
graph dutifully repeated all he had
aaid, including the exclamation at the
end, add the nlm upon which the poet'
language was impressed, ia now jre
exved ae a precious relic
MONEY AND MARRIAGE.
Can the Youni Men of To-day Af
ford Matrimony?
The code of unwrltUn law regulat
ing social matters in these ''United
States'' has within the n emory of man
undergone a very extensive revision,
and things are no', as tiey used to be,'
writes Mrs. Frank Ieslie in the Pitts
burg thsfjntch.. In those good old days,
which I for one am very glad end -d be
fore 1 began, the stiudard of social life
was far .'1 in pier. l-ss expensive and less
burden-ome than is our?. The you g
wife provided herself with cotton
gowns and big aprons and went into
her kitchen daily, not simply to bold up
her skirts in one jeweled baud and
daintily point the other at this and
that. She took hold of her housekeep
ing literally with bath hands, and t .e
dainty and elaborate cooking of the la
dies of that day remains unrivaled by
the hired service of to-day, even thouii
one subsidizes a chef at ten thousand a
year and a piano.
And the thrifty young housekeeper
didn't need an army of servants, ho
that an income of $2,u00 or $3,0 JO sii
p rted many even of the "best faml
lies."
But all this has changed, aud nowa
days many mothers remark, a-t I heard
one remark complacently not long ago:
"My daughter does not know wlietner
the dressing is put inside of a fowl or
grows there." I am not saying that
the bride of to-Jay is less commendable
than the bride of fifty years ago; she
knows a great deal of what tha. sweet
creature was Ignorant; she 1m, perhaps,
better trained to be a compiulon and
sympathizer with her husband; she
knows more of the world aud of hu
man nature, and is vary likely either as
wise or wiser than her predecessor; but
she is not a housewife, and can neither
perform the duties of one nor instruct
anyhjdy else how to do them.
And the modern bride's deficiencies
-.e expensive deficiencies, so the wi-e
man makes provisions for the future.
The trouble has gone so far that the
young man cannot afford to marry.
And while the natural attraction be
tween the sexes continues, aud young
men are as eager to make love to young
women as they used to be, it is not
and, poor fellows, cannot be with the
same singh-miudedness. 'They st II feel
that they should like to make this or
that girl their wife, but they know very
well that they cannot, and that, more
over, they must be Tery careful not to
commit themselves to any such course,
left they should be held to It by s:ern
papas and belligerent b: others. What
is the consequence? Why, that they go
just as far as Is safe in love making and
there stop, oftentimes leaving the poor
girl utterly bewildered and uncertain of
their meaning.
Of course this course is not only dis
tressing to the wom.au, but deiuora'.iz
ing to the man; the honest instincts of
his heart try to assert themselves but are
crushed down, not so much by wisdom
as by cunning; the heart grows false
and the tongue frame i moving speeches
significant of loneliness, of the need of
sympathy, of the charm of meeting one
who cin understand, and a thousand
other pretty phrases, but it never
speaks the few plain English words
that offer all a man has aud is to t'.ie
woman of his cho ce.
I do not suppose men, or at least
every man, is conscious of pursuing
this course, but how is a girl to know,
for there are still men who can afford,
or will afford, to marry, and whose at
tentions are as sincere and full of pur
pose as all men's used to be in the old
time? How shall the girl know, or how
shall hei mother know for her, whether
the man who shows his admlrall. n iu a
thousand ways. bt.t his Intentions iu
none, is a genuine aspirant or a honey
bee desirous of storing up sweets tor
the dark, cold days of life's winter, or
mer.dy a butterfly, hovering and sip
ping and waving gorgeous idle wings in
the summer sunshine, but doomed to
perish in the first adverse wind?
Well, there is no rule like that of two
and two make four, that can be laid
down, and 'or one reason, the man
often does not himself know his inten
tions. Girls have changed as well as
men since the good old honest days,
and a wise man before closing any bar
gain likes to be sure of his ground, a id
before piylng down such a price as
himself he likes to know just what
"value received" means. It isn't at
all a pleasant idea that a girl Is being
viewed as if it were a question of a
horse or a yacht, and these dear men
are after all so transparent that they
seldom can carry through such a pro
ceeding without being discovered in
this u. gallant attitude of mind, it is
pretty certain proof that he has seri
ous Intentions.
Then I think there is a ceitain true
aud loyal tenderness in the manner of
the l-e that the butterfly lacks, and a
certain flavor of resect and deference
in his attentions aud pretty sieeciies.
Thus the marrying man will not l-e
likely to lead the girl who may lieco.'iie
his wife into questionable frolics or ris
que adventures; he always feels respon
Klble for her good name, while the but
trtly is only thinking of bis own
amusement. The marrying man will
s.ieak of his mother and sisters, and,
if they are living, try to promote a a
acquaintance; or if the mother is a tle.ir
memory he will very likely seek sympa
thy from the young girl he believes in.
Also her family wdl be a subject of In
terest to the man who is goirg to make
It his family-ln-Iaw, and lie may be
found studying the dispositions and
manners ot its members, while the but
terfly looks upon them with unfeigned
indifference; or simply as obstacles to
his tlirta'.ions.
There are a few of the Indications
which I have observed of a man's at
tentions in these conventional days,
bat, after all, the surest touchstone it
one not so easily defined, ant that i
that delicate and mtuiiive perception
with which most woman are endowed,
a surl of glorified instinct, quicker,
subtler and more reliable than man's
boasted reason. She is herself inter
feres ted in him, she rarely fails to
place him just about where he belongs,
and sometimes sees what he means and
what h-i wan't before he knows it him
self. In tliat case she either delicately
leads him on to say what he has to say
or as delicately shows him that It is
useless; or, if be is simply amuslnz
him-self, she occasionally makes him
feel in the end that the amusement has
not all been on bis side There are few
things that make a butterfly more
humiliated than discovering that he
has been seen through, has served as
the plaything of an Idle hour to one
whom he thought he waa thoroughly
deceiving.
But the trouble of this last test is
that girls do not pos.ess the essential
instinct vf Intuition as women do.
They are at once too simple and toe
sure or their own attractions. Bui
again, a girl cannot love so strongly:
cannot suffer so keenly, cannot be sc
crushed by dissppolntment as the w,
man, and so it remains pretty equal
after all, and both woman and girl had
best try to value themselves so highh
that "his intentions" matter very lit
tle, after all.
Old-Tlme Books For Children.
There is an t Jea that there never was
a time when there was so mu -h done
for children as now. No donbt infinite
time, money and pains are spent on the
getting up of new toys, new games and
new books, bnt I doubt very much it
the chihi of to-day is really as well off,
especially in the matter of books, as the
child of a generation ago.
I know I shall le told immediately,
think of the great minds, which are oc
cupying themselves with the tsk ol
entertaining children, and of the de
lightful magazines devoted entirely tc
their amusement; but, knowing all thin,
and enjoying, as all grown-np children
must, the books and stories written fot
little folks, I still cling to my belief,
that the few looks, whieh were offered
to the children of twenty-five year
ago were equally interesting, and were
of a style, which is really not equulec
by anything given to the children now.
There are many who will smile at
they think of the extremely moral and
didactio tone of the stories in "Par
ent's Assistant," and its compeers, and
wonder if that is what I mean. Tc
this I will promptly reply that this if
exactly what I do mean. Now-a-dayt
our children have bright stories o!
children, real, live children, who gel
into scraes, who are not always truth
ful, but who are so bright, "cute," and
and winning that they must be loved
they have stories of adventures anj
impossible daring; but they do not havt
the stories with the simple moral tone,
the alolute line between right am?
wrong, with the reward of the formei
and punishment of the latter, that were
found in "Simple Susan," 4 Lazy Law
rence," "The Little Merchants" anO
"The Orphans," of the "Parent's As
sistaut." Children do not know when
a story is moral aud didactic; they cart
only for the interest of the tula; aud be
fore thev are spoiled bv a course o:
modern childish literature, they take t
deep interest in the abstract mora'
question of the story. The reading o'
these old-fashioned tales, together witL
the stories of the Abbotts and Mis
Edgeworth, gave a moral lackboue U
the children of those times, which tin
writing of the preseut day is not at al
calculated to impart.
"Then, the very little ones, to whore
rhyme seems the proper vehicle o!
written amusement, what have they
to take the place of the "Songs for the
Little Ones at Home?" simple child
like ditties, every one with its mora!
attached, and every one w th its simple
teaching of kindness, charity, love am'
gratitude. I can remember how deal
they were to my childish heart, any
how my daughter preferred this !oi
to any of the more modern collections
Indeed, as a general thing, the moderi
collections of poetry for children an
far beyond the understanding of thos
for w hom they are supposed to be writ
ten. nnd always give one the impresshu
of having been written to challenge tin
admiration of older minds, with tliei;
quaint fancies and unchildlike con
ceits.
The literature for the young of tlu
present dav is not calculated to ronm
the same aJruiration for right, and dis
like for wrong, the same belief in tht
doing of simple duty, the same sense o
justice, of kindness and gratitude
which the writing of the past was in
tended to arouse and did aronse; thi
mural and didactic element is left out
and I cannot but feel that this is an lr
reparable) loss. These lessons, learnet
in childhood, fixed upon the mind whei
young, will last through lite to a
greater or less extent. If I were tc
write of "Books which have helpe.l
me," I should place first upon the list
Abbott's "TimlKio and Joliba," read at
the age of five, and 1 regret, that it n
likely to help very few id these childrei
of the present day. Iiuikeejcr
II crkly.
Ultra Realism.
Every school of thought, and o
criticism upou thought, has its day, iti
disciples, and its defenders. The
school of ultra realism has many suet
at present, but it is not without vigor
ous opponents, of whom the venerablt
Doctor Oliver Wendell Holmes is one
In an "Over the Tea cups" talk in the
April Alia ut in he says "The firs'
great mistake made bv the ultra real
ists, like Flaubert and Zola, is, as 1
have said, their ignoring the line ol
distinction between imaginative arl
and science. We can rind realign
euongh in books of anatomy, surgery,
and medicine. In studying the human
figure, we want to see it clothed with iti
natural integuments. It is well for the
arti.-t to study the ecorcfte in the din
sectiug-room, hut we do not want the
Apollo or the Venus to leave their skin
In-hind thorn when thev go luto the gal
lery for exhibition. Lancisi's figure
show ns how the great statues look
when divested of their natural cover
ing. It is instructive, bnt useful chief
ly as a means to aid iu the true artistic
reproduction of nature. When the
hospitals are invaded by the novelist,
he should learn something from the
physician as well as from the patients.
Science delineates in monochrome.
She never uses high tints and strontian
lights to astonish lookers-on. Such
scenes as Flaubert and Zola describe
would be reproduced in their essential
characters, but not dressed up in pic
turesque phrases. That is the first
stumbling-block in the way of the read
er of snch realistic utories as those tt
which I have referred. There are sul
jects which must le investigated by
scientific men which most educated
Iersons would be glad to know nothinc
alKint. When a realistic writer like
Zola surprises his reader into a kind ol
knowledge he never thonght of wisbiup
or, he sometimes harms him more than
he has any idea of doing. He wants tc
produce a sensation, and he leaves s
permanent disgust not to be got rid of.
Who does not rememl er odious image
that can never be washed out from the
consciousness which they have stained:
A man's vocabulary is terribly reten
tive of evil words, and the images tbey
present cling to his memory and wil
not loose their hold. One w ho has had
the mischance to soil his mind by read
ing certain poems of Swift, will never
cleanse it to its original whiteness.
Expressions and thoughts of a certain
character stain the fibro of the thinking
organ, and in some degree a!fe?t the
hue of every idea that passes through
the discolored tissues.
An impecunious German immigra u
in Pittsburg has such a severe attack of
home-sickness that his mind la weaken
n, and it Is feared be will go iusaaa-
In the Firelight.
COENK FIELD.
The fire upon the hearth In low.
And ther Is ntillness every w hero.
While, like winped spirits, here and there
The firellKlit sliailtmi flutterint; ko.
Aud as thr tihtiduws round me creep,
A clilldlh treble break the gloom.
And softly, from a further room
Comes "Now 1 lay me down to sleep."
And somehow, with that little prayer
And that sweet treble in my eais.
My thoughts co buck to dis'ant years
Aim lingt-r with a loved one there;
A ii'i as 1 hear my rluM'g Anien,
My mother's taitli comes back to me
1'rouclicd at her side 1 seem to be,
Aud Mother holds my hands again.
Oh for an hour in that Uenr place!
oh for the peace of that dear tunea.
Oh for that childish trust sublime f
Oh for a glimpse of Mother's face!
Vet. as the sh.tdows round me cieep,
I do not seein to be alone
Sweet magic of that treble tone
.yit "Now I lay me down to sleepl"'
BEMNIE-KEA.
It was a sad day at the old farm-house
a'heu Uouglas Kea closed his mortal
eyes, and his soul started on its journey
hack to the God which gave it being.
Only a few months before his patient
and loving wife bad laid down her
burden, folded her tired hands upon her
breast, and sunk to sleep forever. After
her death, Mr. Ilea had gone about like
one in a dream. Slowly but surely he
wasted away; his cheeks became sunk
en; his eyes grew prominent; his Bleu
lost its accustomed elasticity, and his
daughters lealized that they soon would
be orphans indeed.
They were pretty gir's, Ituth and
May. The former very much like her
father, tall, graceful, stately, with
heavenly blue eyes and golden hair; the
latter, small in stature, with wavy
brown hair, brown eyes and silken
lashes like her mother.
I'lan these two frail young girls de
volved the management of the farm and
the care of their little brother. Bennie,
two years old at the time of his
mother's death. They were brave girls,
and did not shrink from the trust; but
the farm waa heavily mortgaged, and
for two seasons there hud been almost
a total failure of crops; so that at the
time our story opens, four years after
the death of -Mr. itea, they found th"ui
selves without, money to meet the last
pavuieut of live hundrel dollars.
Tha mortgage had changed hands
seveial limes, and no one knew just who
hell it, except the agent, Mr. Gray, a
very close-Cstel, exacting man, who
never failed to be on baud when a pay
ment was to lie made, liuth and May
had succeeded, by hard work and close
economy, in meeting all the payments
up to the last and largest one now due.
But. wit-h all their management, they
were unable to raise but little more
than one hundred dollars; and it was
with sad hearts and troubled faces that
they saw Mr. Gray drive up and dis
mount before their gate.
Uuth lue him at the door and ush
ered h1:u into the family sitting-room,
wheie May sat in a little sewing-chair,
busily employed in putting the finishing
touches to a hat which she was trim -mil
g for a neighbor, and which would
add a couple of dollars to the sum they
were hoarding to pay off the mortgage
on the dear old homestead.
'Well, ladies, said Mr. Gray, in Irs
crisp, business-like tone, aud with a
dry cough which always sounded to
delinquent debtors like a command to
staud and deliver, 1 suppose you are
prenared to take up the balance betw en
u V
I am sorry, Mr. G .iy, said May,
who generally transacted the business
of the little family, 'but we shall be
able to pay you only a part of the money
due.
Mr. Grey's under jaw fell, and his
eye-brows seemed to come down over
his eyes iu a very unpleasant way; bis
hands, too, went deeper into pock
ets, and his head settled down betwteu
his shoulders, as though each of the
dollars shoit on the payment repre
sented a departing joint in his spinal
co'umi;.
'Vou do not mean to say that you
wi:l dishonor the paper?' he asked in his
cold, smooth voice, pressing his hand
against the pocket that contained the
last note.
'.No, sir,' returned May quickly, while
the color in her cheeks became a deeier
enmson, we will give you what money
we have to-lay, and then, if you will
kindly renew the mortgage for a year,
Mr. Gray, we shall be only too glad to
pay you the interest.'
'Impossible, 1 ilits,'he returned My
empl yer ha made other arrangements
for the use of his capital, and can em
ploy it In a more pi oh table manner.'
'1 ha girls api e iled to his sympathy in
vain, lie was not acting for himself;
the gentleman whj held the mortgage
had already given liixx instructions for
the investment of the money; he could
not even take the responsibility of call
ing his atteutiou to their proposition.
The money must be forthcoming at
once.
And so he went away, leaving the
girls in tears; and in a few hours notices
were posted about the country, setting
forth that the Kea homestead would be
sold ou a certain day to satisfy an un
paid mortgage.
Little four-year old Bennie, playing
on the floor with his tin elephant aud
camel, much the worse for wear leiiig
the sole survivors of a goodly menagerie
which Santa Claus had brought to him
the preceding Christmas had listened
to this conversation between Mr. Gray
and his sisters without much appareut
interest; and, except for a grunt of dis
approval when Uuth began to cry, and
another indicative of satisfaction when
Mr. Grey took his departure, no one
would have supposed that he was awaie
of lint gentleman's visit.
But Bennie verified the truth of the
old adage that 'little pitchers have
long ears, for nothing that was said by
Mr. Gray or Iks sisters had escaped him.
He had a confused idea in bis mind
that something was wrong; that Mr.
liiay was a bad man, for he had made
Kuthie cry, aud that both May and
Kuthle wanted some money very much.
As his s sters talked together in low
:0nes, Uuth with her fair hair pillowed
in May's lap, and May stroking her Soft,
rich hair, Benuie came in on tip-toe aud
lal I three pennies and a well-worn
uickle in Kuthie's hand his entire sav
ings for the coming Fourth of July
aud ran out hastily, so tbey might not
hear th$ sob that came up In his throat
as he saw his long-treasure J vision of lire
crackers and pop-corn balls disappear
Aith the niving up of his money.
How the hearts of the sisters were
touched! And how quickly they sough:
out the little fellow in bis biding place,
rubbing bis tearful eyes with his chubby
little fists, his pretty lips quivering with
suppressed sobs, so hard was it to give
up his long-anticipated pleasures, yet
with his baby heart strong in its devo
tion and self-sacriiice to his dearly be
loved sisters; how they covered the
tear-stained lace with kisses, and prayed
and romped with him, nd told him
fairy tales, until they won back the
merry light In his eyes and the roguish
laugh to his ruby lips!
But when B-'ni.ie said bis prayers at
Ruth's knee that night, there was a
lape of several seconds between 'I pray
the Loid my soul to keep,' and Go 1
bless May and Kuthie. Amen.'
Neither Uuth nor May knew what
the little lips whispered so low that no
human ear could hear. Aud when,
before retiring, they went to look r.t
him as he lay in his little bed, they
found traces of tears up in his cheeks.
The next morning after Bennie had
had his nic? warm breakfast of toa-'t
and tea, and having given Tabbie her
saucer of milk, he slipped quietly out of
the front gate and trudged off down the
dusty road toward the city. For Ben
nie, baby though he wa, bad a slro-g
purpose in li s heart, and that was to
earn some money for dear Kuthie and
May. Just how this w .s to le done
was not perfectly clear in his mind, but
he felt sure that it would come out all
right in the end.
So he walked briskly along, har.lly
stopping to look at the sheep In the
pasture lot half a mile from his home,
aud which bad hitherto posscsse 1 such
an irresistible attraction tor him. lie
even got safely past the cane m 11,
where they made the delicious sorghum
molasses; but when he came to the
budge across the creek aud stood iu the
cool shade of the ovei-hanging boughs
of the oak trees, aud heard the rippling
of the water below, and saw the mois
on the water-worn rocks, and the trail
ing vine 4 on the urassy banks how
could he help climbing up on the railing
of the bridge, and, looking down into the
limpid depths below, watch his reflected
image iu the liquid mirror and think
how grand it would be if he were only
a fish and could swim about among the
boulders and sunUtn rucks, no starched
collars to chafe his beck, and no haul
shoes to rub his lit els. How nice it
would be if hu had been bom a turtle;
or
Hello! what's that in the watei?
Something wiigiiliiig along, sticking up
its heid, and evidently coming right
toward him. A snake? iit-nnm knew
it was a snake, although he had never
st en oil"; and the irsUnct bequeathe 1 to
mankind by Mother Eve, aud liandcl
down through the misty ages of the
past bad lost nothing in its transmission
to Bennie.
He looked around for something to
throw at it. His eye caught siiht of a
stone, and he claniliered iluwj and
picked it up and clambeied back again,
and threw it with a tieu.bl ng band at
llie squirming reptile below. Aud the
railing swayed, and Bciuue lost h!s
balance a:id went down Into the swiftly
flowing water wi.h a dull plunge and a
half suppressed cry iiihui his lips.
Was poor l.Ule iienire's canUle of life
thus to be snuffed out at the very be
ginning of his ilesira to be Useful? Was
tht ieno friendly hand to iuteriose be
tween iTim death and the noble-hearted
little boy no strong arm to snatch him
from the closing p r:als of a watery
grave?
The little chipmunk upon the lowest
limb of the oak tree slopped eating his
corn, jiopped his 'uuny little tail up over
his back, tuincd his bright eye down to
the water, then jumied upon the railing
of the bridge U' d ran lack and fuith in
great consternation, chattering away at
a lively rate.
'Chick! chick! cliick-.i-ree! Chick!
chick! chick-a-ree. Why does not soma
i ne come quick!'
I declare,' said Ralph Harrington,
swing. ng his bamboo iole out over the
stream, jut a lowing a lly to skim the
sia face of the water, 'that sounded
deucedly like a child's cry! A pretty
heavy splash into the water, tool Up at
the bridge, I suppose, 'lhat squirrel
does make an outrageous racket. Some
one throwing a stone at him, I'll wager
a new hat! Well, 1 hope he will sc-ue
nil the trout this way; for 1 have had
wretched luck fo far.'
He wondered if it were not nearly
In ch time; consulted his watch, looked
toward the bridge, which was li.dilen
from his vie' by a bend in the creek
and a heavy growtli of timber aud
hushes, and went on with his fishing.
I're.-eiilly .something came floati-.g
down tip. m the water which caused his
air of lassitude to change to one of
quick interest. II looked at it sharply,
then his cheek turned a trifle pale and ;
he dropped his fine jointed pole without
looking to see what became of it, ami
went dashing up the bank of the creek
at the top of his s, eed, iuakiig the
stones lly and thu bushes Minp.
It was only a liule hat upon the wa
ter, its jaunty pluuie fluttering in the
breeze; but like lightning the quick
brain of K;:p'.i Harrington connected (
its presence with the cry, the splash,
and the chattering of the squirrel.
In a moment he was at the bridge,
his coat and boots off, a:id eagerly scan
ning the water. A ripple a little hand
raised above the surface that was J
enough; and a few seconds later he
came out ii,.oii the bank wi'li little
Bennie in his arms.
He was nearly uncons-eious; but
Ralph Harrington, iu his college days,
had seen many a classmate l.iouhl
back to life after a severe struggle with
the grim monster In the university
swimming matches; and he went to
work uion Bennie in a scientific man
ner, an I koom had him sitting on the
lank, wondering what had hapieiied.
'What is your name?'
'Bennie Kea.'
Where do you live?"
'With May and Kuthie.
'Wh;-re do they live?'
'At home.'
'Where is your home?'
'Down the road.'
'How did you fall into the creek?'
Head first.'
'So 1 stippo,' said Ralph, with a
smile. '.Now tell me how it hapjiened. '
So Bennie told him all about it; and
as h- listenexl to the innocent child's ac
count of the struggle of the sisters to
be self-supporting, and learned of the
brave little boy's resolution to help
them, a lump seemed to rise in his
throat, and the sun bein very bright,
he was obliged to pull his bioal
brunmed hat down over his eyes and
turn his back toward it.
Well, in a little while Bennie felt
much better; and he went down the
road, one chubby band testing confid
ingly on that of Ralph Harrington, and
the other holding tightly a ham sand
wich, in which he seemed t take much
Interest, apparently noaa the worse for
Ins bath. Mr. Harrington bad persuaded
him to go home, baying that it woulJ
be necessary to have a change of cloth
ing before seeking his fortune further.
When they arrived at the R?a cottage
they found Bennie's sisters in a fever
of excitement, hunting in all sorts of
inconsistent places for the missing boy.
'Oh, Bonnie, where have you been?
cried Ruth, clasping the dilapidated
child in her arm and fobbing for joy.
'You have nearly frightened us to
death.'
I've been in the creek,' responded
Bennie, placidly putting the last of the
sandwich in his mouth. 'Aud Mr. Har
rington's been in the creek, too.
In the creek!' cried tha sisters, turn
ing pale.
'Yes, I fell in. and Mr. Harrington
jumped in after me. I can't swim, but
Mr. Harrington can swim enough for
two,' with an admiring look at that
gentleman.
Mr. Harrington introduced himself,
and gave the sisters an account of Ben
nie's exploit. He was overwhelmed
with gratitude by Ruth ami May, who
could not thank him too much. In
spite of his wet and be lrabbled condi
tion, he could not help lingering at the
gte to a 1 mire the two sisters and
m utally contrast their styles and beauty
as well as observe the warm affection
they so plainly showed for little Bennie.
That young gentleman used his ut
most powers of peisualion to induce
Mr. Harrington to dine with him; as
suring him, iu a confidential side whis
per, plainly audible to every one. that
they were going to have apple dump
lings for dinner. But Mr. Harrington
w;u proof agaiust even this st-emingly
ovei'i lowering argument, and took his
leave, promising to call and see them
at an eaily day.
As he wended his way back to the
farmhouse, where he had left his car
riage, his eye caught si'ht of the hand
bill announcing the sale of the Rea
property; and when he had real it, he
understood more clearly Uennie's rea
son for wishing to earu money. And
a very grave loo' was on hu face as he
sat in his library that night, and ou the
table before him lay a mortgage, exe
cuted1 and signed by Douglas Rea. For
he It was w ho held the mortgage, hav
ing purchased it as an investment. But
he did not see 1?; for tefore his eyes was
a vision of a sweet girl, with lovely
brown eyes and rich brown hair.
And it came to pass that there was
no sa e on the day set by Mr. Gray;
and rumor has It that Ralph Harring
ton visits the Kea cottuue regularly,
and that May is busily engaged In con-:-trui;t.inr
a wouderful trousseau, which
is to be the admiration and envy of ad
the biides for a hundred miles around.
And Bennie sees all these prepara
tions with an improving eye; for he and
-Mr. Harrington have entered into a
conspiracy together concerning a won
der! ul Shetland pony, with an accom
panying dog-cart, from which he ex
IKCts great things at a time not very
far d stant.
Odd Chinese Customs.
In dating letters the Chinese write
the year first instead of last.
The Chinaman does uot shave hi.
face, but his head and eyebrows.
In speaking of the compass the Chi
nese always say it points sou'h.
In China the men are milliners,
"washer-womeu" and dressmakers.
The t'hinauiau whitens his shoes aud
buries his dead on ths surface of the
earth.
Americans shake hands with each
other; the Chinaman shakes bauds with
himself.
The Chinese launch ships sideways,
ring bells from the outside and tun;
screws from right to left.
The Chinese p.iy their doctors as lone
as they rea:aiu well, but as soon as the j
hki suit i ue pay sious.
Americans live, cook and eat usualh
on the first floor, sleeplug upstairs, but
the Chinaman reverses this order.
Black clothing is generally cons .I
eied a s'gn of mourning. la Chlut
white garments indicate the loss o! !
friends.
The Chinese do rot cut their fiugei j
nails. They consider it aristocratic to
let them grow from five inches to a fool
in length.
The Chinese do not uncover tlieii
heads as a mark of respect; they nol
only keep their hats on, but when wish
ing to be very polite remove then
shoes.
Iu the Celestial empire not children,
but old men rly kiie-, walk ou st'lts,
plav inaibh's, shoo; firecrackers, aud,
Mi lining this, use the.r feet as much as
possible Instead of the hands.
The Model Wife.
A midel wife is the woman iu whom
the heaitof her husband doth safely
trust.
She is the woman who looks aftr his
household, and makes ho-pitality a
del'ght to hi in, not a burden.
Who has learned that a soft answei
will tu.n away wrath.
Who keeps her sweetest tmiles and
most loving words for her husband.
Who is hi3 confidant in sorrow or In
joy, and who does not feel the necessity
of explaining her priva e afTjirs to the
neighborhood.
Who respects the rights or husband
and children, junl in itur:i has due re
gard paid to her.
Who knows that the strongest argu
ment Is her womanliness, and so she
cultivates it.
Who Is sympathetic in joy. or ii
grief, and w ho liuds work for h' r hand?
to do.
Who mikes friends aud keeps them.
lt4 is not made tpter by trouble,
but who strengthens aud sweetens uu -der
It.
The woman whose I fc-Vook has lovt
wntteii on every page.
Who makes a limine for a man t
home in a house and in a heart. A
home that he Is sure of, a home tiiat if
lull of love presided over by one whose
pi ice is aiove rubies.
She Is the model wife.
The Education of W men.
So prevalent among women is ths
amiable wish to please the lords of cre
ation, that it may reasonably be doubted
whether they ever do anything am.ss
the motive fo. which cannot be traced
to this desire. Though Eve ate the
forbidden fruit, it is nowhere denied
that Adam bad twitted her about the
comparative unimportance of her at
tainments, and had bred iu tier a rest
less appetite for miscellaneous learning,
which made her the serpent's easy
prey. Is it not so with our femile
education? If there is anything wrong
with it are not the men to blame? If
it is true, as Mr. Allen says, that the
present system produces literary wo
men, schoolmistresses and lecturers on
cookery, it will probably be found, on
investigation, that it is precisely those
species of educated female that the uu
mar led male most affects. No doubt
female education Is all wrong, If Mr.
Allen savs it is, but if he is to set it
right let him consider whether the bes
way to go about it is not to try and
teach a wiser discrimination to males.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
The number of patents, designs,
trade-marks, labels and re-issues which
have been favorably reported for issue
au April 15. is CM, the largest In the
history of the Tateut Office.
The Philadelphia Mint fore has
been working night and day to meet
the demaud for silver dollars, of which
it expects to turn out 1,800,000 this
month (April.)
It is estimated that only twelve '
per cent, of the population of Russia
can read and w rite. The number of
primary schools is 36.0JO for the popu
lation of over 10J.0JO.
What is probably the largest cargo
of petroleum ever s!iip)ed arrived at
Galatz, Romania, recently. It con
sisted of l.lOLI.lM.KJ gallons and was car
ried by a Russian steamer.
A new meteorological and volcanic
observatory Is to be oined next May
in Pompeii, when there will be a con
gress of scientific meu to celebrate the
occasion.
P. et Tennyson Is said to be an in
veterate smoker and the cheap clay
pipe is his siiecal favorite. Now we
understand w hat is meant by "piping
his lay.
A dog in Prance which was struck
by lightning and considered dead, af
terward partly recovered. It continued
leaf an 1 blind, and had to depend on
its smell for recognition of parsons and
things.
The development of Texas has but
just begun, yet there are 'JluG post
omcs in the State, thd receipts ar
more than Jl, 000,000 anncally, and tht
length of mail routes is more than than
22.0J0 miles.
An engineer who has been examin
ing the condition of the Panama canal
predicts that it will be finished by the
close of this century. lae is glad tc
find they are getting down to some de
finite time.
Senator Kvarts is noted for bli
courtesy. Even in th bustle of a bjg
city crowd lie never falls to lift his hal
aud bow if by chaxce he runs into any
one of the fair pedestrians who throng
the thoroughfares.
In Piedmont, while a peasant wai
engaged iu Jigging the soil, be discov
ered a deep hole in which were fount!
buried an immense collection of coppei
and bronze coins of the Roman em
pire and republic.
An English uaval officer has in
vented a pneumatic line throwing gun.
very light and jiortable, which fires s
hollow shell, bear.ng the cord to
wrecked vessel, or luto burning build
ings on dry lands.
David A. Wells, the greatest sta
tistician of the United States, est 1 ma tea
that the additional cost to this coun
try or steel during the ten years from
1878 to Isiss in consequence of the
tariff was $140,000,000.
Whenever Gladstone catches cold
lie at once goes to bed. This has been
his rule fir fifteen years. It is an In
teresting fact not generally known that
he wrote his election address announc
ing the dissolution of parliament of
ls74 in bed.
John Jacob Astor owned 2.70.
high class dwel'.lng houses, rented at
an average of 82,000 a year each. H
ow ned besides tenement houses in un
told number and no end of real estate
devoted to business uses.
During the last two years the
Ita'.lnn army has leen Increased by
3U.000 men, 200 field guns, aud ti.OOC
cavalry. Never was the army so nu
merous or powerfully organized as at
present uuder the attempt to keep uf
with Germany's military step.
A new stamp canceling machine li
being tried in the Philadelphia post
olliee. It is ojer.ted by electricity,
aud is said to cancel the stimps on let
ters at the rate o' 2.",00v' per hour, au
tomatically registering the number
cancelled.
Not every i ci son knows that the
sure test of genuine paper currency If
to hold the bill ui e light, so that
you ran discern tt .ies running pa
rallel across its entii5 length. These
are a red and a blue silk thread inside
t .e paper. No counterfeit has them.
Monuments bine no been com
pleted over the burial places of the En
glish, French and Italian troops killed
in the Crimea during the war of 1854-6.
Russian memorial over her fallen
soldiers on the same plains are on
grander scale, as she continues to hold
i he fort, Sebasto; ol.
In the medical museum, Washing
ton, there are two skulls all cracked up
like a couple of egg shells that had
been knocked together. They formerly
belonged to u couple of Norfolk (Ya,)
negroes who butted each other to death
because a woman cou'dn't decide
which of the two she liked best.
II. O. Forbes, Is rejorted to have
made ail imKjrtant discovery in thu
neighborhood of Christ Church, Nsw
Zealand. It is the discovery Iu a cave
of a great many v.uu.ible relics of men,
birds and beasts. Not the least Inter
esting jmrtiou of ti e find consists of the
bones of au extinct -pecies of swan.
Minnie M.iddern, the well-known
actress, has inarr.ed Harrison Gray
Fiske, the editor of Hit Dramatic Aftr.
ror. The ceremony took place at the
Larchmont manor, with only a few
relatives and immediate friends pres
ent. Miss Madderu's uiion with Mr.
riske is her second marriage.
Mr.
two
Fiske's wife died about a year ago.
At a recent duol between
young men at Warsaw, both fired
and
hit, but the bul el of one was flattened
against lite cigar case of the other, and
the bullet of the otliei was turned aside
by the pocket knife of Ins opponent.
The seconds decided that the young
men were not born to kill each other,
and declared the affair off.
Queen Victoria has written two
books which have never beeu published.
They are volua es of travel aud recount
her impressions of various places ou
the continent. She hits been so an
noyed at the criticisms of her published
works that, she has refused to have
these manuscripts put into print. Tbey
will be published after her death.
It is claimed that wall paper can
be made iu such a way that tha pas
sage of low-tension electric currents
will heat it moderately warm to tha
touch and d ff use throughout the room
an agreeable temperatuie.
"I don't see how a man can bring
nimself to open a pawn office," said
Gi'son. "Why not?" asked Bilson.
"Because it's such a auoiat busi
ness." --p-v ,
'!-'
nmhi- rr.nrM tf"r