r X r -Sr. our B. F. SOHWEIER, TIIK OONSTITUTION-THK UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS. Editor and Proprietor. VOL. MAY MIFFIJNTOWIS. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. AV EDNESDAY. JULY 1U, 1S90. NO. no. s-.sM''rMsWMMWS'MMa''s'' . Bet if. SORROW. Its Holy Offloa; The most important of all the condi tions affecting the spiritual develop ment of mankind has been sorrow. In death, the common lot of all, even the rich and the strong hare beheld the despoiler of all their rain shows. Against the inevitable calamities which shatter or dissolve the works of man's Land earth quake and tempest and Hood no human power has availed. These lessons of nature, who is no re specter of classes or persons as to the frailty of all human power and posses sion, have profoundly impressed all hearts. Loss has led to precions gain. Hut the greatest of human sufferings, those which imbitter all life, have been of human infliction. The situation of the great majority of mankind in an cient times those of which we .have any definite record was one of abject wretchedness. Arcttdy existed only in the poet's fancy. In a state of bar barism men's wants were few and sim ple, but their passions were violent, and for the weak there was no security. Kvery desirable garden on the earth was a bait to the rapacity of coi.qufst, the arena of invasion following njon invasion, lik-i the waves sea. Civilization, on the f a hungry other hand, wus orgaui7ed selfishness, and its ix-aec was, for the great lm.lv of the people, s level desolation. Their lot was one humiliating drudgery, of depressing, hopeless poverty. Hut it was especially unto the poor that the gospel of the Kternal Word was preached. To sti -h the v -ice o t It! comes nearer, because it is more wil- lingly and g!a ilv heird. The broken heart is open; there is uo pride to clone the way thereunto. An anel whispers iu the ear of every slave, nud npon him who hath nothing all heaven waits. Sorrow, too, lies near true repent ance, even as the broken becomes read ily the contrite heart; place in its chastened pri le has no 1 .i..i...i mood. The soul, weary of struggle and of its own discontent, receives the Oivine voice and is comforted. Kveu one's ignorance may help him here, iu this soft, unresisting attitude, making him more readily the recipient of the 1'iviuo wisdom, more pliant to tin." counsels of the Spirit of Love. tlod in His World. History and Mystery of the Comb. It would be eurions to know what .nivstio meaning our forefathers at tached to the simple act of combing the Jiair. We learn from old church Ins tory that the hair of the priest or bishop wits combed several times during ser- vies by one of the inferior clergy. The comb is mentioned as one of the essentials for nse during a high moss when sting lv a bishop; mass coral's of p recious nietitis are reckoneu among the costly possessions of most Kuropenn cathedrals. Besides those rnad of gold and silver, the poorer churches have them of ivory, while iu some the mur common kinds are used. Among those especially knewn to history are those of St. Neot, St. Iun tau and Malschias. That belonging t. St. Thomas, the martyr of Canterbury, is st.ll kept in the church of St. Se pulcher, Thetford; that of St. Cnthbert, the woman hater," at Durham cathed ral. From sundry references in old legends to the use of the comb in divin ations, and from its appearance in com bination with pagan einblemson rudely sculptured stones in various parts of Scotland, it seems probable that this was one of the objects of pagan venera tion wlrch early Christian teachcrf deemed prudent to adopt, investing it with some new significance. Sf. . 7.V" Superstition. Th'' nif pnne-ytes rrom ATliel.iu. but nn frein Suiert Itien - Jiliilus. 1 r. Holmes says somewhere "We are tutt ed in our cradles that with the beliefs of onr tribe." The name is true of all people under the sun. The missionaries report tht the preat-st oh-t'icle they nie t with in their work is the superstition of the people whom thev seek to enlighten and convert. They will listen attentively to the words of their spiritual teachers, and seem to absent to all they say, bnt let some omen" appear and the work is all undone. Is it so very different with civilized, enlightened and so-called Christian people right here in New Kngland? How many hundreds of mothers are there who will not let tb.-ir infants look into a mirror until tl ey have passe 1 a certain age? How many more are there who insist that their little ones must be carried upstairs le fore they ure cirried downstairs, to the en 1 that they may "rise m the world?" How many g;xd, sensible, well-educ tt ed people iu lloston feel nn pleasantly wheu a mirror is broken in the honse? Thousands. How many Consider it ill luck to see the new moon over the wtong s'.oulder? More thousands. Not so many, bnt ttiU very many, can not be tern pted to puss under a ladder, Tha list of th ngs that one mmd not do iua . . m ... is unending, and each one of them ha. its share or believers. Now, if people rightjhere at hotne.having theadvantao of si'hools.'ehurches. Isjoks. newspapers -ndthmrown common sense, cliuc to these senseless su(er.-tition, how can the "heathen in his kindness" le ex pected to renounce his, which are not one particle more ridiculous. l&mfttn Jlutlyt. Thr lnt r- k-run (Chicago') says: "In ten years woman's clubs have done more" for the actual good of society than all the man clubs of the pat fifty years have done. They have made the iuen a-hame.1, aud a large per cent, of the stag clubs have added to their eat ing and driukiug and smoking, the giv ing of lectnres, the having of debate, aud the cn tnre of literary taste and isv tereat. The thing laughed at has be come the model." A MOMENT WITH NATURE. Its Beauty and Influenoa. 'And tints our life. exempt from public liauut. Find tongt:? iu trees, books la run- nfng brooks; Sermons In stones, and good in every- thing. The great Shakespeare who spent his boynood days on ti e beautiful Avon, wrote these lines out of the fullness of a heart that bad held close communion with ii at u i e In ber varied aspects. To those who e souls are open to her "she speafcs a various language." this spring, especially, for could she ever have appeared in grander favor. With rapture we exclaim. "How could a resurrection be more beautiful, more lovely In this world?' Away In the distance stretches the panoramic view that the eye never tires gazing upon; in the fields, clothed with a soft verdure, we see grazing snowy stuep, sleet cattle, and the noble steed. Here and there are stretches of wood land In w tilch lofty giant trees, with branches covered with a wealth of green leaves, lift their proud beads to the sky; beautiful vines are reaching out their delicate tendrils to the trunk and branches of the strong tree for sup port; the hawthorue, in Its favorite spot, is holding up its profusion of blossoms to bird and bee; the Indian pink, the buttercup and the purple phlox wave their dainty petals In the rei re-iung zepuyrs; clear, sparaiiug brooks, almost smothered with vines, ferus and Dowers, and in which sport tl.e minnow, murmuring au 1 gurgling on their way to ttie sea; the bright colored lizard and the spotted snake crawl laz ly out to bask in the sunshine; the nimble sqili rel w hisks from tree t tree, with a fearless grace; the shy rab bit seems to lose a part of his timidity. anj st ps and gazes at the lover of nat- ure with his large, mild eyes; the bee hums drowsily in the sunbeams that tlnd their way through the thick foliage; the birds make the air resonant with their songs of praise, an I coo and twitter to their mates involving notes. Over all this expanse of beauty is suspended the blue vault of heaven, which is dotte I here and there by great son nanus oi ciou a, moving stuwijr through the atmosphere. Great ledges of rocks, in places, cov ered wild wild ivy and mosses, just out from the hillskhs; along hedges the wild rose opens Ils bright petals, and the sweet brier waved gracefully iu the wind; qutet farm houses nestle among the green foliage of the surrounding trees, and from hilltop and valley is heard the whistle of the plow boy. What has nature omitted to make the scet:e one grand beautiful one? ".Noth ing," is the involuntary reply. The beauty, the fragrance, is entrancing. For a time we forget we are in a world of siu and misery. With such surroundings It seems that the world must be full of purity aud ... k 1 n-vd ami in ti ronf nmnlitt Ion the BOU, js eu'ncuej and expanded; IS lifted IO a higher and uobler plane; is given a foretaste of the Klysiau fields of I'ara dlse, is filled with a love of all creation and an adoration ot the great being who waves his scepter over all. Can there be those who live in the Ulldst of such surpassing loveliness and yet be deaf and blind to Its moulding influence It is, alas, too true. There are many w nose sours are never luucneii by the beauty, harmony and symmetry of uatuie, but whose minds aud hearts are tilled with the coarse and groveling thiiiirs of this world. Some, iu the m dst of her beauty, if their hearts could be laid bare, would reveal the blackness of hell itself. There are many, however, that would yield to the soothing power of nature if they were situated so they could commune with her. Uo to the densest part of our great cities and towns and behold there the wietchedness and degredatlon; look titsjii t e tilth and soua'.or of so many thousands, and it seems as if no (iod was there, and that heaven is a long, lone way off. How near the soul seems to get to heaven in its comiuuuiou with nature. Out Iu the green fields, breathing the fraizraut air of heaven, (iod and Christ are very near, and the gates of heaven seem to 1 e almost open for the soul to ' catch a glimpse beyoud. I Hut how different the feeling in the hearts of so many in t e jostling, over heated city; the higher faculties appear bluule I, and the laer passions to have excluded the higher and nobler ones. Aud biking into cousideiation their bir;h and suit .uuding, the a'mosphere in which they have been reared, we wonder that tey are not lower down in the scale of human depravity. itstiy count ry lys and girls ion for the bustle aud Imrry of the city; life In the country grows exceedingly monoto nous, and they are panting to get away from Its quiet scenes. None of the beauty and harmony, or very little, at least, finds acce s to their souls. Some even consider it a u-l-fortune to have been born in tl.e country, and Imagine that their cdy coaslus have all the ad vantage of them. This is a very great mistake, for the I country boy has the advantages in his favor, except In a few things. The city boy, in the rush and excitement, has not the opportunity to learn to think deeply that the country toy has. How many of our great writers, statesmen and jurists have come from the country. To have leen born la the country Is certainly a privilege that far mers' boys an i gills should appreciate, and thus make the moat of their o por tunities. The laying out of parks in our great cities haj its beneficial iufluence on the Inhabitants. It Is true an occasional visit to a park c tunot afford the advantages ror cum- vating the love of nature that a home the country can. The love of nature cuIUTaUrf , lne ia chluiiloxi. The chUd should be taught iten U the vo.ces of nature and ln- ternret them. A momentous duty in this respect ia incumb nt upon parent and teacher. But many parents care nothing for the beautiful green fields and woods, tha soft azure of the sky them- w!vm you urge. That is too true but that should not be true of a teacher. i wcher who lacks that culture la flt for the rcliool room and should not aorure a place there. If teachers t.tea received the training they should. their souls will be filled to overflowing wri tha grandeur of nature. Better have less geography and arithmetic and ..rnf iucIi tiaiuing in our schools. An excursion Into the fields occaalon- a few lessons on flowers and leaves. caJling attention aver aad anoa to the spacious firmaaient above; thi pointing out of a glorious sunset; the study of selections from nature's poets and othrr wri'ers, such as Bryant. Wordswonh, Burns, Whittier, etc, all will contribute to that end. How much untold misery and unhan diness (tight be spared if teachers wou'd discharge their duty in this respect. The heart of the sincere admirer of nature is filled with love, pure and uo defiled, aud if you wish th child to love, not t ic evil, but the good, there is no easier way than to bring him in contact with the glorious scenes of nature. Ixve will christianize the world and fill it with peace and joy. In the pro portion that love rules will crime aud wretchedness diminish. As the soul contemplates the work manship of the Divine band, it invol untarily exclaims: There's beauty in the forest Where the trees are green and fair; There's beauty in the meadow, W here the flowers scent the air; There's beauty in the sunlight, Aud the soft blue beam above; Oh. the world is full or beauty. When the heart is full of love. POSTAL STATISTICS. Facts that will Interest you whether you ax Dec t a latter or not. The heaviest mail carried over any mail route in the United States is be tween 'ew York aud l'hiladelphla. The average dally we gut of the mail carried over this toule last year was 2U1.S13 pounds. For trains carrying the mails the best time Is made ou the Iehigh Valley railroad between Kaston. l'a., ard Metuchen Station, X. J., distance 54.20 miles. The average time of all mail trains is 40 miles au hour. The longest continuous run made by postal clerks is from Omaha to Ogden, a distance ot 1,035.30 miles. The greatest number of clerks on uny railway post-office line is 301 on the New York aud Chicago. There are 8,207 letter carriers, and they delivered last year l,"03,2b2,4'i pieces of mall matter. Total number of clerks in the rail way mall service is 5,48. The number of casualties List year was 193. There were ninety-e glit clerks killed and ninety-five seriously Injured. The total number of pieces of matter sent to the dead-letter otlice a as 6,47'.,- The sale of postage stamps of all kinds amounted to Jo..V.:H,7:-4.17. The weight of the mails dispatched to fore iu countries was 4,111,802 pounds. Of this amount 3,101.005 was sent to transatlantic countries. Great Britain, leading the lht, received l,.j4'.i,b"0; Germany comes next, liav ing received 544,673 pounds, while France is third with lo'J,40". to her percit. At the close of the last fiscal year there were 5'.i.'13 postma-steis iu the I'ni ed States, whose compensation was S13,lotS,yy0, an average salary of 4220 eacli. TLe number of clerks employed in postoflices was 7,8 9. They received for their services i5.919.3ol, or an av erage of $753 each. The number of clerks In the railway mall service was 5,040 w ho were pa.d an aggregate sum of (5,234,907, au av erage of it 92a each. The total sum paid by the Govern ment for the transportation of the mails, including railroad, steamboat aud star-route service, and also com pensation for the use of JhjsU -cars, was $25,732,545.59. The toUl sum paid for the trans portation of foreign mails was 021, 33S.03. The largest sum paid a single steamshlD line was flfS.C. M.l'J to the North German Lloyd. The Cunurd Line was second, having received ilu, 312.53. Ihere were 13,324.240 pieces of matter sent in the registered mail:, and 3,998 complaints were made of delin quencies In the service. Of this latter number 1,010 cases weie ret orted as losses, but subsequently the letter or parcels were received by the persons addressed. Intl,099 cases it was ascer tained that there was no just ground for complaiut, the irregularity arising from Improper address of the sender, from the failure of the sender to in close the sum intended to have been re mitted, and many other similar causes. There were 508 c.lss In which the in vestigation resulied in the restorat-on of the amount lost to the proper own ers, making a total of 3.2S3 cases in which no loss was sustained, leavii'g 715 ca es in which it was not po-ib.e to make recovery. Tennyson's Habits. Like almost all authors, Tennyson does the greater part of his litnary work in the morning hours, betwten breakfast and luncheon, aud aouietuncs breaks the back of his work before IreaafasU His invariable habit Is to take a long stroll before luncheon, ac companied often by a friend, and al ways by two ot nis oojs. i ne aner noon and evening are given up to rest and social recreation. The p-et Is seldom, as we have said. seen ou me streets oi me me rois.ns; but occasionally his La L bturdy lorni. his broad soft bat aud inevitable cloak. h;s shaggy, grizzled shocks of hair, bis deep daik eyes ueneat'i heavy brows, and heavy gray beard, n:ay be sieu threading the region round about St. Paul's. Although shunning the mad ding crowd, it must not be lufened that Teuuyson is in a social sense grim and gloomy. When with a few devoted friends be delights in conversation, ami often takes up himself the thread of talk in fascinating monologue; describ ing, sometimes, the days of bis own youth, and sometimes talking feelingly of the eminent people be has seen and known throughout his long life. Especially fond is Tennyson of read ing extracts from his own poems to appreciative listeners. 'Reading, is it,' says Miss Thackeray. "One can hardly describe it. It is a sort of mystical in cantation, a chant in which every note rises and falls and reverberates again. As we sit around the twilight room at Farrlcgford. with its great oriel win dow looking to the garden, across fields of hyacinth and self-sown daffodills toward the sea, where the waves wash against the rock, we seem carried by a tide not unlike the ocean's sound; it fills the room, it ebbs and flows away; and when we leave, it is with a strange music in the ears, feeling that we have for the first time, perhaps, heard what we may have read a hundred times b -fore. A green china silk cover Is worked with orange blossoms and a few tiny oranges on a brown stem. ABOUT STAGE FRIGHT. Ridiculous MIshaDS of Charles Kean the Famous Ensllsh Actor. During an engagement at Liverpool, Charles Kean acted In the "Lady of Lyons" three r four times. K r the first three representations, the promp ter was at his post regularly, and all went smo thly; on the last night, how ever, he was unfortunately called away. Claude commenced his description as usual, with the words: Nay, dearest, nay. If thou wouldst have me paint thee At this moment he fixed bis eye on the spot wliere the prompter should have been, but found him not. The l'rince of t'ouo paused and cried back, raying: I If tliou wouldst have me paint I 1 say if thou woul 1st have me paint ! time I Then be collapsed utterly, exclaim- in audibly to Mis. Kean. who bad In vain attempted to prompt him: It's uo u-e. Klleu; I'm Hum- inuxedl" His most ludicrous roisliap, however. otcurndin Belfast, when be was act- lug Othello. He had just heard a bogus repi rt of the a'leged death of his inti mate friend Murray, the Edinburgh manager, which somewhat unhinged him. He cot through bis first scene without difficulty, but when he cauie to the a;'ogy. be bad barely uttered the first line: "Most po'eut, grave and reverent signors." when his memory left him alltgellier. He inquired anx iously of me (I was the Cass. a): "What is it? In the innocence of my heart I re- poi d 1: "What IS what?" "The wordl the word!" he replied. "Which word? I ingenuously asked. "Why, the word 1 want!" "But," said I, "I don't know which word you dj want!" Mrs. Kean aud the prompter both saw kouielhlug was wrong aud they each tried to prompt him from the wings, but in vain. At last a luminous idea ocruned to me. I whispered him the last line of the apology; be accepted the suggestion and boldly cutting out a hundred lines or more "in one fell swoop," be ex claimed: Here comes the lady let her witness itl Whereuiou the entrance of the gentle Dtsdemona got us out of our diffi culty. Years afterward when he played Wolsey in his magnificent revival of "Henry VI II," at the Princess', he suffered more from nervousness than he had ever done, and It was alleged (though 1 cannot vouch for it from my own irsonal knowledge) that two young girls who followed as pages in his tram were carefully taught the words of Wolsey, so that in the event of his breaking down they might prompt him. The Father of Photography. What fa"t more commonplace to our mind than the photographic piocess of portrait takiugl Many of us remember the original form of these sun pictures the daguerreotype, specimens of ; which, wnce in a while, we draw forth from some uuexp ored drawer, carrying J us back to the forgotten days of child- : hood. It was no further off than 1838 that Madauie Dagueire, the wife of the inventor o: the process, had an earnest consulta ion with one of the medical celebrities of the day concerning her husband's mental condition. After ac- quainting the physlciau with the many indications of I.iguerre's mental aber ration, she added, with tears iu her eyes, t fiat the concluding prool or uis ( said .Mr. t.reen, in.innu a somewuai Insanity was his absolute conviction sly but unsuccessful movement to le that l e would succeed in nailing his cover the lost vaulage-giouud as rela ovvii shadow to the wall or lu fixing it ted to bed-clothes. on magical metallic plates. j 'Everybody that is anything gives The physician listened with profound parties, nowadays. Rome calls 'em attention to this culminating evidence : swearays, and some calls 'em dayjunies, of mental derangemeut, answering that both of which words is the Latin for he, himseir, bad observed in Dag uerre ' party. I like to hear things called by strong symptoms of madness; He closed , these 'ere F eiich and Latin names, the consultation by advising that her . even if a person don't understand 'em. husband bhould be sent qu'etly and j It sounds so stylish, and all the bong without del ay to the well known lunatic : tong u?e 'em. I've picked up a good asylum, Bictre. Taro mouths Liter many of them since I began to assocl the woild of art and science wis stirred ' ate with dlstougay people. But what to Its center by theexhlbltiouof a uum- do you say about the party, Jotham?' ber of iiic.ures actually taken by the i Oh, I have no objections to a party, new uroeess. Araifo. In Januarv. 1&19. laid an account of the process before the Academie des Sc ences, aud soon the "lunatic" was heralded as the father of photography. How Words are Made. An amusing Illustration of the me chanical way iu which dictionaries have been made is furnished by the worl phamtomnation, which appears In Webster, Woicester, the Imperial, and Cassell's Eucyclopie lie Dictionary. Webster solemuly defines it thus: l'hiintomnation, n. Appearance as ot a phantom illusion. I Ubi. ami rare. I 'o;?. Worcester says Fimply; 'Illu- siou. roj't. The Imperial and Cas- sel.'s repeat this bit of lexicographic wisdom, but the latter omits the refer ence to l'ope, api arently suspecting that something is the m itter some where. Now, the souice of this word Is a book entitled, 'Philology of the English Language,' published in 1-20, by Richard I'aul Jodrell, as a wit of supplement to Johnson's Dictionary. Jodrell had a curious way of writing phrases as single words, w ill. out even a hyphen to indicate their composite character. Thus city solicitor lecame city-solicitor; home acquaintance houieacquaiutuuce. He remarks In bis preface that it 'was necessary to enact laws for myself, aud be appears to have done fo with great vigor. Of course he followed bis 'law' win n he transcribed tl.e following passage frou? Pope. Three eol mo vows d1 boljr frcrlngs paid To all ti.e phantom nations f the dead. Otfyssey, x., C-7 1 liatiton nations became phautoiun i- tions, and the 'gieat standards of tee English,' were enriched with a 'new word!' Cood Advice. Joseph Joslln, Esq., of Poultneyv Vt., gave his daughter, on ber marriage, the following "worJs of wisdoui," whhb will do for every pair: Never talk at, but to, each other. Never both manifest anger at the same time. Never speak loudly or boisterously to each other. Never reprove each other lu the pres ence of others. Never find fault or fret at what can not be helped. Never repeat an order or request, when understood. Neglect everybody ele rather than each other. Never make a remark at the other's expense. A Little Less Than Loved. To be a Uttls less than loved; O, amply faearta tba wide world over, Hif you oot often thought ot this While walling for tbs on true lover? To be a lltt'.a less than loved. To have all friendship and all boror, Yet miss that ons kind, tender hand. Which sets a woman's crown upon her. To love a little less than lova, W hen one could make one heart the glad dest. Or be a little lets tbaa loved Dear btart. 1 know not which is saddest. HOW THE PARTY ENDED. Jotham Green, figuratively tpeakiug. bad Struck lie. He bad taken extensive contracts to furnish sheep's livers and peas to sev- prominent coffee manuf-ctorle "u laa years ne iiau maue a nuou thing fit. So good, indeed, that bis wife bad insisted on a new house up town, aud new furniture, and other thiugs to corresiiond, and Jotham, hav n8 the peace of the family at heart. consented to gratify her. The house was purchased and fur nished by contract, and everything was as gorgeous aud gay as gilt and red vel vet could make lu Mra. Green was in raptures and Sophie G een and Maud Gieen, the two growu-up daughters, were fairly brim ming over with bliss. They would now be able to outshine the Joneses', aud tt e Trlppses, and the l'lummei-s, and that had always been a pet ambition with them. Those fami lies had always looked down upon the Greens, because they lived in a smaller house, aud hid only one silk dress apiece; but now the mansion of the Greens was palatial compared with the houses of the Joneses, the Trippses, cr the Flummers, 'Xow, my dear.' said Mrs. Green to ber husband, one nlgnt after they had inhabited the new house about a fort night, aud just as Jotham was care fully settling the blankets around his head preparatory to courting the bliss of Somiiu', 'we must do one thing more. It is required of us, Jotham, aud we dare not neglect It. 'Eh'r" said Jotham. sticking out one ear. and getting a little farther out of the way of Mrs. Green's sharp elbows. What's that? Jine the church, I reckon?' NTo, indeedl' said Mrs. Green, with emphasis. 'Not 1 11 Sophie and Maud have seen something of gay life, and are at least engaged. I've uo objections to the church. Jotham. not at all; but w hen a girl is religious, it kinder keeps the fellows off. That Is, all ot 'em that's worth mone, and money makes the man in these days. Jothauil Jest think what you was before you got richl Nobody, nor nothing; and now. even the mayor or tne city ami ine aldermen bow to youl Yes, Jotham, money makes all the difference In tae world I I guess you've got me there, Saman tha,' said Mr. Green, edging still farth er away from those uncomfortably sharp elbows. 'But what is it we've got to do?' 'Give a party,' add Mrs. Green, with a triumphant lifting of her teu toes tinder the btd-clothes, which left poor Green with nothing he could call his . own in the way of quilts aud blankets. A party! Why Samantha Ann! what should we give a party for?' To show our frieuds our house, and our new furultuie, a id my diamonds ! aud laces, and Sophie's lovely l'aris suit, my dear, 'Well. I guess you've eot me there,' Samaulh . I should I ke to have the Perkinses, and the Hayes, aud the Calcopees, aud For the Lord's sake, Mr. Green, are : you crazy? Don't you know that all : these iieop'.e are out of our set now? It did very well to associate with them when 1 did my own work, and you )idy kept one clerk, but it is a very different thing now. Jotham. Tiuus has changed!' Well, 1 guess you've got me there. Samantha.' Let me see! Who shall we luvite? First of all, .Mrs. Ju.lt e Lucas. She's a dreadful disagreeable woman, but she's got two marriageable sous likely young men, and iudeiendenl as to proiierty. 1 hen there's Hodge's folk9; they give dinners, and cany things with a high hand generally. I mluht get asked to their next dinner of course 1 Bhould and it would be an elegant chance for me to show that new salmon satin dress of mine, that I've never even bad on before folks. And it's a shame, too. to have such a splendid diess a-hanging in the closet. and no call to wear It I. Say, Green, you, hain't asleep, be you?' ' W ell. 1 guess vou've got me there, Samantha Ann. What was it about salmon? Have 'em by all means, if you like 'em. Yta, to be sure. Sal moil is a very good kind of Qsu.' Fish! Who was talking about fish?' cried Mrs. Green, angrily. I was speaking about the party our party, Jotham Green, aud I do believe you was fast asleep. And that's all the .thanks I get for worrying the life out of me for your sake, and the girls, declare, sometimes it seems as if should go raving dhdractedl Don't you do it. Samantha. 'Tain your duty,' said Mr. Green, sleepily. but with a strong determination to keep awake, if possible. You stay awake and hear what have to say that's what I want of you. Jotham. There's the Boody tribe. Old U.iody is the biggest rascal on the foot-stool, they say; but be s rich, and he keeps a wine-cellar, and he gives away champagne by the dozen. And he's great on Christinas gifts, too. No children, and who knows what he mieht do for Maud and Sophie If he should happen to take a liking to 'em Then there's Paul Keserden. He is the most conceited puppy I know of; but he sintrs beautifuliv. and tinging ad so much to a party. Then there's Mr. Folger. the editor of the Daily Hum b'.ebet. lie's a dreadful lmpertiuent man, and is always wanting to know everybody's age; and who their grand motber but be always puffs all the axttes be goes to lu his paper, and it looks so nice to see your name in print. don't it, Jotham?' 'W ell, I guess you've cot me there ere I' said Mr. Green, in a very somno lent voice. Then there's Abbie Smith, she Is almost too pretty to invite when any body has girls of their own, but she has such exquisite taste, and she's poor, an J she'll come early, aud help dress the girls and me. Aud then there's young A lick Fisher, he pHys the flute splen did, and I'll iuv.te him. and tell him to be sure and bring his Instrument along. As to Mrs. Captain Weldon. I just hate her! She's deceitful, aud prying, an 1 she said that Sophie had a turn-up nose. aud that I looked like a washerwoman! But she'll come in her carriage, and that will make our neighbors over the way, the Grimses, die with envy! They've never called, and they're mighty stuck-up, and 'ristociatic, be cause they hire a horse once a week and ride out with him. I'll ht thtoi see that they ain't everybody, or ray name ain't Samantha Green! Say, Jo tham, are you asleep?' 'Well. I guess you've got me there, Samantha, said Mr. Green. 'And there's the Badgers; she's an awful low-bred woman, and her daugh ter. 'Liza, is just like htr, but they are rich, and they've got a conservatory, and 1 want some bouquets for the girls, and if I invite them, young Fred Bad ger will send them some, 1 know, lie sent some to the Jenkins girls, whsu they had their swearay last winter. And there's Sirs. Bodge, ai d Almira, and Sarah Jane Layt.'ii. Sarah .lane's an old maid, aud she always entertains the bashful young m-u aid the wall flowers and there's Aunt Betsey and and and And here Mrs. Green became inaudi ble, and the musical snoring of ihe happy pair was the only sound in the room. Mis. Green had her way about the invitations a woman always does have her way when she makes up her mmd to, ud none of Jothaui's oi J time cro nies were invited. Almost all those bidden to the feast accepted, for, as they said among them selves, they wan'ed to see what 'those vulgar Greens' would do, and how they would be dr sse.l. Mrs. Green aud herdaughteis were resplendent on the night iu questlou. Maud wore a piuk silk with white lace overdress, Fand Sophie wore Nile green with black li ce, aud Mis. Green came out in the salmon color, which was very nearly the shade of her hair. 1 ouug Badger had eul the bouquets, which were the envy and wonder of all the assembled guests, and the young man who playel the Uiiie was there with his instrument, ready to en chant the assembly with its dulcet strains. And all the other guests. who had been iuvited with re'eeuce to their wine cellars, and carriage.., and control of newspapers, etc.. were there. Some of the old neighbors ot the Greens were al.so presei t, and walked about softly on tiptoe, and furllvelv felt the curtains to see it they wvre real silk brocatelle, and t-j" dug the t- es of thrlr boots into the car,ets to make sure if they were Brussels, or only inil tat Ion. Mrs. Green was m her glory, for she could not help see ng that U her ol I friends were euvlous of her tine estali- ishmeut; and w here is tiieie a wuii au who is not happy when she ciu inai.c her friends envious. The newspaiK-r m iu had brought a rich returned California!! along wl:h him. by the name of r llz James Nug get, and Mr. Nuvirel was deep In flirta tion with Sophie la-Tore the evening was half over. And so anient was uis leui perauient, and so channel wi'h Ins graces was the guileless 5spii!e, in ti before he led her out to supper lie had won her promise to elope w ith him on the following night. Sotuile was a very romantic youny lady, anJ had always been dying to do someihmg out of the common way. She did not want to marry and settle down in the prosy manner of jieople around her; the was one of the kind of girls who sigh for 'kindred spirits,' Hial 'congenial souls.' and "two tiearl that beat a-i one,' an I all the rl of it. Aud Mr. iNUgsel wa-i ju-it her ldra oi hero. Tall, dark:, uiti black eye I and hatr, and a dash of melancholy i-i his face, as if he had 'si-e i trouble.' And Nugnet knew that .Mr. Un-eu was wealthy, aud that was q me enough for him. The dancing an I feasting w nt on. and Jotham told ever, bo ly in the roo-u that he guessed 'they hail got him there,' two or three times over, and lin- elly he fell asleep ou the urm of the sofa beside Mrs. Brody and old Mrs. Sludge, who were talking about youiu Weston being attentive to Gordon's wife, aud she a married woman. Just as ti.ey had got their heals t - gether for a more couii tei.tial chat over the interesting topic, Mr. G 10411 s hea 1 grew heavy, ai.d his equilibrium was lost, and he toppled ftitldeiilv ovei. aa 1 descended upon the two women with out any warning. Mrs. Sludge scrcnrne.1, and so did Mrs. Brody; and Mrs. Badger, whose great bugbear was fire, mistook their screams for au alarm from the station. and losing all con rol of hersel', she threw tip her bauds, rushed to the door, and yelled, F re! Fuel' An obliging pol.ceiuan, who had been peeping In at. the windows, over seeing the good time, kin ly gave the alarm at the nearest liox, an 1 iu teu minutes, so pro npt was the tire de partment, the square In fiont of Mr. Greeu's house was til led with firemen, and the 'machine' was put lu order, and the hose ins rti-J into one of the drawing-room windows, and the first thing poor Jotham realize.!, as ne picked himself up, was that a hu? stream or water was being squineu into his face, and a miniature Niagara was running down his back. Zounds!' cried he. in wonder and amaze. 'lias anything busted? II s the reservoir broke loose? Or thi deluge? Samantha Ann, what does it all mean?' Well,' said Samantha, 'to use one of your own expressions, Jotham, I guess you've got me there!' The wildest confusion prevailed. The men shouted, and rau hiiberand thither, and upset chairs aud tore off elaborate trains, in a way they have on such occa'ions, and the more delicate women fainted away, while the strong est minded ones hunted up their cash meres, packed the rulHes and flutings of their skirts under their arms, prepara tory to vacating. Bophie clung to the arm of Mr. Nug get, and besought him to protect her, and Nugget pressed her hand, and beg ged ber to be calm and try and think if she bad got all ber jewelry about her. At length some one, more sensib'e than the others, thought to Inquire there the fire was, and then the truth ame out. and it was found there was came no fire at all. wl . . . j 7 . r. set apart a eiwcial fund from which to fust, and the next day Mr. Gieen paid u 1 f blav, v ou , ... twenty-five dollars for oysters for the j of blaVe,y ou u,e I'Brt r 'brave fellows' who were so ready to i employes. rush to the post of duty on the first!, A Jewish synagogue to be erected alarm. In Baltimore will, it Is said, le the only Aftr r..t.f.i1on anl.at.lMl and just as Sophie aud Mr. Nugget were lapsing Into the seventh heaven of bliss, there arose a disturbance near the door, and a couple of burly fellows, with shields on their breast, entered. 'We are after John Babb!' sbid one of them; a horse-thief, and forger, and scallawag generally. Til's is a respectabls h-iisel' cried Mrs. Green, iudignautly, 'and we hain't got no hoss-thleves here. Beg pardon, ma'am,' said the man, 'he Is here, and we have a warrant for his arrest!' 'Can't you see that we are having a party':" crieJ Mrs. Green, waxing more indignant. 'We Lelong to the upper cru.l! Mr. O.een is rich, and we wor-'t stand nothing of the kind!' 'Can't help what crust you belong to,' said the man roughly, 'that's our man, sitting tl ere beside that young woruau with a face like au apple dumpllug, and red hair!' That is Mr. Nugget!' cried Mrs. Green 'a le. urned Californian. He's worth his millions. )al is he?' said the policeman, jeer iuglv. 'Well, never mind, I want him!" aud he stepped to the side of the horrified N uirget, aud invested him with handcuffs. I arrest you for forgery, an 1 for the thelt of a horse from Simon Smith,' said be, and N ugget never 1 ffered a word by way of excuse, but marched off w ith the policeman. Sophie fainttd and fell into the arms of her mother, and the w hole company whispered together, and pretended to feel so sorry, but in their secret souls were tickled almost out of their skins at the discomtituie of the Greeus. Aud Soph e, when she came to her self, was hoirUVd to Of id that her dia mond pin and necklace were among the 111 ssing, and the most rigorous search failed to discover their wherealtouta. Mr. Green sent to the station-house, but .Nugget had had an Interview with a friend of his, and as the jewels were not to bd found, dou1 v'esa the 'friend' had escaped with them. l'oor Mra. Green awoke next morn ing at a late hour, in anything but a happy frame of mind. Her drawing room cui tains and carp -ts aud furni ture were ruined by the deluge ioured upon them the previous night; several articles of her china set were broken; t veryth uu about the bouse was at sixes aud sevens (however that may be), and S phie had ljst live hundred dollars' worth of diamonds. Aud that night, after talking over the various vicissitudes of the party wltti Mr. Green, his wile exclaimed almost tearfully: 'What is the use of having a swearay?' Ami Mr. Greeu replied, characteris tically: 'Well, Saa antha Ann, I guess you've got me there! City Men as harmers. Just at this tiuiu of the year there Is always a number of city meu who get au Itching desire to lj laruiers not fanners lor health or pleasure, but far uiers tor profit. Now f.irmiug Is a grand occupation, but to the aveiage city b isiuess m iu who goes into it for piolit, it holds out nothing but failur 1 he city farmer, for ex tuipie, never con i lers as does the wise and know lug Tanner, that there may be disa;- piiulineiit 111 crops. He thinks what ever he sows will come up and vie'.d proht. I.veu a stupid turnip Knows a city farm r as S'-ou as it sees h.ui Marrowfat ieas fairly rattle In their pods with derision as he pa-j-es. I he liehls are glad to impose upon the novice. Wandering too near the Keh.ve w:tli a book on honey luak.ug. he cet.s stuug in three places; his cauli flowers turn out to iw cabbanes; the thunder sjiods his milk; the gia.-s but ter that he dreamed of is rauci.l; t! e taxes eat up his profits; the drought consumes his corn; the rust gets lu h.s w heat; the peaches drop oil liefore tin y rlia-u; the lot strikes the p otatoes; ex pecting to surprise his benighted ci:y friends with a pies, nt of a few early vegetables, he accl.leiital'y hears that they have had new potatoes utid yie.u leas mid sweet com for a fortnight; the bay mare runs away w ith the b-x wagon; his rustic gate g'ts out of order; his shrubbery is perielual!y needing thti sheais; it see ,.s aim st imp'wsible to keep tl.e grass out of the s: rpentiue wa'ks; a cow- gets in and upsets the vase of II iwers, and the hogs destroy the watermelons. Every thing goes w rung and farming Is a fail ure. It always is a fu lure when a man knows nothing about It; If a man can afford to make a large outlay for his own atu'.uetm-iit and the health of his family, let him hasten to hl country purchtae. But no sensible man will think to keep a business in town and make a farm financially .-rofltable. (tow it Is Done In Berlin. You Auierlc-ins think you can beat the world for quick despatch of b isi ness, sa d a recent arrival lroiu Ger many the other day, 'so you would probably be surprised to know that to a c.tizen of Berlin your system of local postal delivery seems intolerably slow. 1 know that your active and efficient jiostmaster does all he can with the matailal and fu:ids at his disposal, but I would like to show linn how the pre verbially slow-going German has iui- In 15er- proved on Amer cau methods. lin you tee bi? niail-w.igo is rattling Menier, has fitte 1 up one of these roun throu"h the stteets at all hours, gath- tains on his din'tig table, tl.e works of erlng letters from the letter-boxes and delivering them at the branch stations. Inside each wagou is au official witn a sorting-table, on which he sorts the litters as rapidly as they are delivered to blrn from the boxes. Those for out-of town are all thrown together at. 1 resorted at the main oilier!, but thosa for the branch stations are put in sep al ate baxes, and by the time the gath ering trip Is ended they are often all ready for delivery. Novel Use of the PhonoraDh. Dr. J. W. Fewkes hart turned thi phonograph 'o a novel us . Ir. Fewke has devoted a great deal of time aud sttentiou t the history of the Passa mtquo.1 ly Indians, man 7 of whose legends are PMiisrkable for their beauty. He has also succeeded lu recording by the phonograph for the edification of future generations, a nuiub r of songs, tales aud conversations of the Pas.ati.a quoddies, which cau now be listened to with intense interest, and, l:i the days to come, will assume very high historical value as mementoes of a departed race. NEWS IS BRIEr. An English railway company has sjwcimeu oi pure uyzauuue arennee ture in the United States. Euclid was the author of "The e is no royal road to learning." He said it to Ptolemy Soter. his pupil, who was afterward King of Egypt. Modern Home is said to be the city lest supplied with water In the world; but ancient Home had a supply of near ly seven times tl.e quantity. The modern mil tary ritle has its pecu laritles Its calibre is small, but its killing ioiver is great, aud it is uioie edectlve at long ratine than at close quarters. A telephone has been established tietw-en Yokohama ai.d Striztioka, a distance of KX'mt'es. In -lapau, bv order of the M ikado. It is the hist iu the country and works finely. Plowing by steam has b. en intro duced In Walla Walla valley. Wash., aud is pronounced a success. Hereto fore it has cost 52 per acre to plow, while under the new system it can be done for forty cents. John Metcalf, blind at the age of 4 years, and a most wonderful production of the last century, was born at Knar eeborougb, Yorkshire, Lr.glaiid, in 1717. He was the most expcil violinist lu all England when only 12 years old. G retry, the composer, and tueen Anne both abhorred the smell of roses; Favorite, the Italian poet, and Vincent, the painter, had similar aversions. S -aliiier tells of a relative of his whom the sight ot a lily threw Into convul sions. English strfet cars have seats cm top. Fare costs one cent for two miles, and another cent for longer distances. Iu Paris the same charge is made. Iu Brussels the rear seats 111 e cushioned and cost more tl.au the bare seats iu front. A piece of pink coral 3d feet long ami nine iucl.es iu d ameter at one end, with branches projecting about tour feet oil all sides, was lecei tly obtained on the coast of Japan. Its value iu a prepared state is estimated to be about $15,100. One of the relics placed iu the .'orii- er-stoue of the Confederate Soldier's Home at Atlanta is a spur sent l y Gen eral Longslreet. It was made from a union cannon captured a' the hist bat tle of Hull Hun, and was worn bv Gen eral lAingtreet throughout the war. A redwood tree, 9d ft. in circum ference and 33 ft. iu (llain. tt r, is bring cut for the Chicago exhibition. Tl e section to 1-e sent to Chicago will be 9 ft. in height and '' ft. iu cu cutiifercnee, and will weigh 1,0,111111 lb The tree is b.keii from the f"iests of Tulaie lounty. Flench so.-ie'y women have invent ed, to bildge the gap between luncheon and live o'clock tea, an eul 1 tamme'it which they cad the "thi.-e o'clock," and at w Inch distin 4 ulshe I singers and actors are welcomed as quests w ithout ling expected to s.ng and act. The women of i'er-ia and Asiatte Tui key mil -t always rise bt lore their mother-in-law-, and must never adup-ss them for a year after niiiiriage, unless it l to reply to 11 ijiit-stioii. It is al most supelllilous to add that the aim of every woman's life in those countries is to become a 1110! hei -in-law as soon as possible. Kuiperor William has some re-p.-rt for America. For the 00 asion of the entry of the American lillemeu into Berlin be pave orders that the stars and btriiies should I cs.ilnUd with I'd gnus When the palace w.is reached and tl at a company of the luiis-rial guai Is should form an escort of honor to the flag. There Is a very curious stone about which very HUle. is ever heard. It is called the "Alexairlrlte," In honor of Alexander of KusMa, who was very fond of them. 1 11 I he daytime they re semble an emeial'l, except that they iie a deep purplish red. They are found In India, and, like all rau stones, vaiy much in their .ju.ilit es. Ca lfornia has a fruit -est, in t'-e gray linnet, far worm and more .Iain aging to fruit raisers than the Knl sh sparrow. If some means are no' sys tematically and nieth' dicaliy adopted to exterminate this bird them will I very little piolit 111 1 1 11 it imsim; in those sections where deciduous fiuits aie x clusively produced, I, -ndou tire department stat istics show tl at, although theatre files have inci eased greaily in niiml er, they ;.ie far less damaging than foimeily, owing to the improvements in the apfiar.it us for suppressing them. The Same sta tist Cs show that the death late from Hres 111 Ioiidon has fallen from Sl 111 lss" to l'.i In l.X9. This is also laid to the Improved appaiatus. Among the jH-cples at the back of I.ukolela, 0:1 the I'j per ongo, theie. Is a custom that a big chief in a district, on having proved to the satisfaction of the assembled chiefs that he is the wealthiest and, physically speaking, the strongest, is invested with the order of the Tali H it. This resembles veiy much the stove-pli hat of civilized life, only with the brim at the top, and is made of plaited fiber. For several months past the Grand Hotel at Paris has trair-formed its fountain in the courtyard, wheie cele brities of all nations ar wont to con gregate, into a luminous fountain. flashing at night with all sorts of vai led colors. A lich Parisian, M. tiastou which are smothered in a huge bouquet. a tasteful and novel addition to the in joyment of a dinner. A new decoration Is announced by the Emieror of Japan in celebration of Emperor Jimmu's coronation 2,.Vi years ago, the distinguishing feature of which Is the klnshl, or golden ti-h-hawk or kite device. The legend is to the effect that during F.nijieror Jim mu's conquest of Eastern Japan, wheu his fortunes were at a low ebb and he had sustained several successive de feats, the sky one day became suddenly darkened, hail fell and a tobl of a golden hue settled on the Eitiieror's crossbow. The bird threw off a bril liant light, the soldiets of the opioslng army were struck blind with the glare, aud the Emtieror was victorious. Bismarck was seventy-fivo years old on the 1st of April. Education is the chief defence of nations. Silver was Crst coined in what is now the territory IGOi. of the l ulled States it. 1 1 iaU mftl dtl
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers