"WWW
illtlfet
'
!'?
B. F. SOHWEIER.
THE CONSTITUTION THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS.
Editor and Proprietors
VOL. XLIV
MIFFLINTOWIN, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 20, 1S90.
NO. 35.
3
THE SEA OTTER.
t;
is Mom Fxoerstve Tban
1 , : : i . i --i few people are aware that
expensive fur in tlie m:irkpt
h t 'i it "f l1"' !tT. and that a good
,'.i .1 it rniimfr.iiB tli Pacille coaH
( , n''vv Mate of Washington. The
v m which they are Liken is
,..r Im.ited, being only from lhunon's
on Hit northern entrance to
-. II al' t, up to Foiat Ureeuville,
: ! i of alxuit 'l notes.
. : Hull of the seal, the fur of
i i: t.-r requires no plucking of
. r ;. -viii in fact, the most
i' -k"n arc those which are
... I through with a silver-tipped
i aM l..u of thia hair adding
i per cent, t the price of the
'
fi
ts I'
hunter build for themselves
s about fony ftet high, by tak
, rl i in poles or pieces of tim
!i about forty feet lit length,
::i.i them s -curely together at
H'TIl'
I.I.'
I r,
mi l t
..I f r tli" top, then spread them
; t .wntv-live feet apart at the but
v mg the appeaiance of a huge
1, These are set ou the ocean
! , about in nl way l etwee n high and
4, the foot of the poles being
i.i.t" !.!
id in the sand from two to
I. it. The structure Li Mien
lv braced ami a ladder built to
.v h i ;inr pieces at conveoleut
i-i s iti'is!s on the inland,
ut rl,'!iti"'n inches below the top
tripod crass tlui'-eri are secured
i. ami niHHi these cross tiuil-
tl.i 1
tl. '!
!
.!:-:
!
,.f t!
t. t:.
i :1 or from four to live feet square
i! !. and on the oceauward and two
al'.i.'i.ir side walls are limit up from
r p... .in I a ha t to tour feet in height,
i "i t: - I m 1 side a door i constructed
ti ., :.i.y tln hunter easy ingress and
-r.. . t iv.i. I from his "crow's nest."
n i t ,. lop of trie tripod, which
t:i.:-t .iboiit eighteen inches above the
:! H.r, a scat is const i tided, and around
i:.e p.-ii l - . f tlie wad a row of shelving.
a: ;ow
..iv ti !e, when tne wind is propi
t'.e linn'er lues himself to his
, re:, .limed with a u,,,,,l I'iiir
. -. i !i. ti p's riile, a lunch and
n if! li niii to keep himself
.1:1! li r six lorn; hours he scaus
tl.'
ef .
;i
il
;l
!:..
1 ot t!i ocean just outside of
:. Ml. when iu most elects Iiis
it t i ,i; ; :ir.
. t .. tld first Ix'tflllS t rtoo.1
-. ;.i i'""'t i.o.i jards, a it runs
!... i t- . n -.hoiti ne.1 to 'Jin or .'! A
i . . a at these latter distances
i i i 'ihk cak illation to know
-; ! . a ; i iot to oViTcoma the rise
t :,' r iii mi 'imii swell and the ef
r .i .Mini np.iii the bullets. It
... ! : .: l ot one out of l'H) shots ot
,r....in ii is etlective. When
u. i the derru k st-iiuls in the
t leakers, and a laud lub-
i-t ii..-.1 leeis a utile siitieaiuisn.
n from the dlz.-.y heights on
w iters below.
1 '.. o. :s ireneia'.ly done o a
;'. ! :.! , s.i the :o;:r;.ii wnen killeil
n....v; :. ...:nue, aud even then It is
fun i fii.i three or four days after one
i- k..., 1 I" r..re It Is beached. Undoubt
ed. ni.i.i -others are killed and never
i.i .-'.me ashore.
i i h hunter m irks his bullets with a
in.uk l.nown to the other hunters, aud
: . :i .in ot;, r is found on the tach.
t;-..'
f r
r k
tli-t duty of the tinder la to look
IV- hii.'.et and ascertain who is the
owner, for this siru la re-
v l .i.uoi' the hunters as tiacredly
ii .uk- ..nil I, lands are amonn stock
i. U !i n an otter comes ashore
, i o I n.;, t mi him. aa fieiiuently
li. tne bullet havin? cone clean
iii'
tin-
i: e body, and tio notice hav
i iriven, it Is reiiaideil as a
u ' in stiM kuieu's pailance,
: i to the tii der.
i..
i t i..
.. i. nes an otU-r, on receiving a
- ot, sinks, but the hunter
li'.v knows when he b:is hit Ins
l'.v i.b-erTinn the waU-r witti his
x he can discern, even at tlie
r h -I. mres which they shoot, the
i it i f the water froui the blool of
.u.iii: , and. if he does not Come
on t hat tide, notice Is at once
to the other hunters, who are
. ti e alert to find him. Hut I
t '..it l ea. h combers, in the sliaiof
iv Indians, eet away with nianr
!, killed by the white hunters.
h el occasion many times to pass
V. -
Hi. :i
op. II,
1 i .
;i, ,i.,- the I. -acli at daylntht during the
1. ::.'ii -e.uion, but 1 always fouud the
i'.i li ,. n( t he siw.ish just ahead of
iii'-, pi iUhI there since the l.it hih
l'.e Indians hunt the sea otter in
mil...,, going out and coming in
" i i i i the surf. Sometimes they go
r,,,r i miles to sea and stay out sev-
'i il l.ijs. Hut wheu they hunt along
witii n a mile or two of the shore, then
t: eie is l.lood ou the face of the moon,
in, I tho white hunter "waxeth wroth,"
l r ih.- Indian scales away hit game.
1. n t ikeu, the otter is 9k limed
i:...e, a-i it were, by cutting across
In' l.:i'ii li,i anl stripp'ng the skin
n the l .xly and over the head. The
"km n then turned, the fur in, and a
Iii nd shoved through it. It is then
tuh-i ii 1 by driving a wedge-shaped
ii. , .i Io.n on one side tietween the
h- .ii 1 and the skin, and another con
tr ii vi ho oti the other. All the grease
i "i c.iiefiidy removeil, and the kln
isih idiind lad away, ready for the
III. II kef.
. i average skin Is aliout Ove feet
1" l v twelve inches wide, double, or
w en . ut, twenty-four inches wnle,
:'ii I in t..e hunter's hands, is valued at
fr.nii ; ,i t,i iiJii; but these prices leave
a i ' uls.iiue margin to the fur men
:. handle them. In Kuss'a an over
1 ti, -. le tr im these same otter skins
hi w ii uii ii.iNMi to iJ.tn n, while in
1 ' 'i i e:i more is sometimes paid.
1 M-a-.ii for killing sea otter ex
hn i- limn May to CKttolier, and so
' ,s this game tiecoming, that
' i .1 s. a-.in is considereil do:ug well
' i. iv hunter. Iii fact, some pass the
is vi a thout taking any.
l !!
t if in
'..It en
thin .
tkils if
uit.rs lave a rule among
s whb h ifitnctly obs rved
one derrick can lie allowed
i ran-e, i. e. , alMiut a half mile,
v;i'.g the whole beach a regu
f apcarr.nce not elsewhere ob-
..wily i
M.V.lh'
isses or Soectacles.
to the choice between eyeglasses
h -i-tacles, the patient's own pref-
inav 1h entirely wrong. Iu the
ai l i
t "in
Li .
iiiamrttv of cases, titteil by the
"i n -i.iti, it may make no serious d,f-
'eo'i.e,. which the patient selects; jet
''' v.-iy many Instances it is of creat-
importance as. for example, a near
siditel prsou selects too strong a
f-us, an.i t,y luying that glass In spec
'lr'e frame he is very apt to wear
them lmiijer than he would if he had
Hii e.ie-Uss, jiec;,,! they would cer-f-onlv
tne the eye, and the eyeglasses,
jjeiiii; easier to remove, would be more
"i")uiy tabea oil and the J reatM.
Wages and Living In Canaifa.
J
I At a time when the labor question
Das assumed such aa acute f:ria !n
this country a great amount of inter
est ought to concentrate on a reriea of
. returns just collected by the gover.i
i nif nt of Ontario, Can; d t, and wlrch
' relate to the amount of wages paid In
the Tarious trades and the -osL of liv
ing in that province. Ot tlie r turns
i on which the tables are b.ised J.'I.i k;
were furnished by em;
mployers ai: I 'J7" i i from which Iirandy. vinepar anl tar
jr .t thiiia; tliown i 1 tune nciil are obtained, or even leeiinse
by employes, i he ur
t:mt then? has Lieen a sr.idu il snorteu
liis; of the Iioiiis of labor, tiie av.ia'e
' nuiulier 01 huuu tr week bein oK'Jt,
as compared with .V.i. l i in IsSI, and
the average uf ."jS.ivii liours for the five
years 1S.-4 8. Tliere is crcatcr steadi
ness of ciii.ioYuieut, the i'iau Ltst
year hat inn been "JTO.tlT das, linst
17 iiavs iu 1.S84, and the avoi:ige of
U3 days for the five years 1SS4-S.
EaruniK'S also show an Increase, these
now averatfinz 4'-i'Ui7, as compared
with 3Si.-tl in and ?.T.i."i.4l as
the average of the previoui five years.
Hut with all this increa-v fie cost of
living has kept pace, and the surplus i
of w stes over cost of livliu; now aver-
area o.4., atainsi tis- in i-vi,
and an average of f4'.i.70 for the live
years previous. A curious feature of
us. A curious reaturo or
i that it 8how, clearly that !
e not the most desirable
toe return is
the cities are
places for workmen. It is true that
the watces are higher In proportion, aud
there is a smaller surplus in evry case.
In the case of the larger ciliej there is
lor "males with dependents, tenants
L e., who do not own their houses
so clotv a margin that in London the
waires do not come up to the average
cost of liviini by JG.lV and in Hamil
ton by f:i.fhi. In Toronto they rhow
a surplus of i J.X'.x).
Match-makini: In Russia.
Marriaircs solemni7eI in Kussia are
not suppuseil, as with us, to Le made iu j
heaven. The manner In which they j
are frequently brought aliout is sim
plicity itself. Instead of the tualrl- j
nioutal aj;eucy, which has not yet ac- :
quired the ritcht of citirenship iu Kus-I
sia, cossipmu match-makers peranilm- i
late the country, each keeping to his ot
her district, and, like Irish hedge;
schoolmasters two generations a;;", !
everywhere sure of a welcome. In'-
lkikhmoot, for Instance, you have
scarcely taken possession of your room
In your hotel when a well-dressed mai
walks in. makes a profound bow, and
asks you bluntly:Vould your nobility
think of marrying?" If excusable
curiosity cr less excusable desire to ex
change single for married misery
prompt you to give him a civil answer, j
Le lays album after album before you :
with the photographs or eligible tirl!e
and bridegrooms, according to your
tex, oa which are inscrltied marg.nal
Dotes containing brief but interesting .
details about the social position, for-'.
tune, expectations and drawliacksof
the original. lie discusses the "p .ints"' ,
of his clients with charmimr candor and '
objectivity many of these match-
makers have been lioise dealers In-fore
and refers you to prosperous married :
couples who are as happy as the day U
long since he brought them together. .
Heretofore the match-making proles-
Ion was monoiollzed by women, as it ;
still is In the northern and central)
provinces. In the south, however, mer ;
are raking it up meiuiMiicaity aim cum
pletely cutting out their sisters.
Trimming Otr Largo Ears.
Modern surgery lias not hesitated tc
cut a new nose out of the cheek, to loop
ilk ra alri-Mitiimr -r'ltit or pliirmfL ttlf
skin of one person upon another, but il i
lias UOt UUlll now i;it-u ill. tit r.i s d i
Fettiack. To Dr. William W. Keen, of
Jefferson College, came a brother p'i
ulcian to repair a job that had lieen
badly done by nature's p' entice hand,
so to ti-ak. The young man, for he
wxs only nineteen, was all ears; that is
to ay, his ears were not only abnorm
ally large, but they llapjied iu a pain
fully absurd inauuer.
The surgeon proceeded to lay bare
the. cartilage bv reinoviuir the skin from
the postei lor sin face or the auricle, and j
then excised a long, narrow piece of ti t ;
cartilage shajied In crss sections,
as If he had run a miniature plow ovei
the ridge ou the back ot Hie ear. lireat
care was taken not to cut e'ear through
and thus cause a scar ou the antertoi
surface. The edges of the cartl'ag
were then drawn together by catgut
stitches, in addition to those iu the
akin. This was done while the young
; man
with
:as etherized, lie win to a:eej
long ears, and he awoke with
short ears very sore ones, and so in
tricately fastened into pos tion that for
some nights he had to sleep flat on hit
back, lmt wheu the wound had healed
and the plasters were reinove.1 he found j
himself lossesstsl
of sy linnet rical and
fair sized ears.
An Old Hand.
Strawlwrries. mum?" he asked a:
she came out with a bowL
"I guess so. (Jot em by measure' '
Ves'm how many?"
ne tiuatt."
"All right, ma'am here you are
(rreat tig strawberries a full ouart."
'Stop, Sltl"
"What t It?"
"Take your thumb out of that meas
ure!" Thumb? Oh, certainly."
'Now add alsiut a dozen be'nes to
fill up that spacel"
"SiK-e? I see."
"Mo rbake the measure and put In
a few more!"
"Shake? Kxactly. ma'am. Here
you are, and if It will console you any
I will state that 1 lose just two cents on
that quart. Make it up at the next
house, however, by measuring my
thumb and two fingers. Thanks, ma'am
strawberries, great, big straw beiriesl
Who takes the next quart?"
AFTERWARD.
viRiiiMA a. nar.uos.
1 bce.ll.nstv oprnrd the race.
And nBerl mv binl ' K" t"- .
n.l. UuMiKh b-souirht it with trars to return,
li i.ts in the .ll.lw.ml. ai.a Heeds not my
OH, the bird once at liberty .hoean enthrall!
I hastily opwd m lips,
if ?t ..nde.l lrlen.l. an.l lorercr estrnS.-d
A hwl I ..slid die to rrnain :
fu,"b bird .Mie st liberty who can pnthrall .
And Ike word that ..nee .r-'k'n, oh. .ho can
recall?
CrV'tal Falace Monthly.
There is a spring In Georgia which
has reputed quality of curing the taste
for sliong lirlnks.
Tht ln-ecli is said to be crowding out
all oilier treei iu the struggle for exlat
tnew In the Daulsh forest. s
HIE VINE.
This is the osme (riven to innumera
ble specie of running plants, but it
more pxrticuLsrly applies to the peons
t Hi t. of which the most important
species is the rtsjio vino.
Tlie prnpo is aud has always lieen re
eotjnized as one of the mod valuable of
fruits. This is not merely tecaiise it
is usd so extensively in the munufact
nre of wine, or Iiecauso it in the sonrce
the. frnit lxith in its fresh nnil drieil
I state is a lnxnry, bnt In-canse it forms
; the prester part of the fod of the in-
habitsnts of wmio countries. There
are mnv than 1-K varieties ilescribed
in works on the cnltnro of the vine,
dearly showing its widespread cultiva
tion and nsef illness.
Owinpf to the excess of its frrowth
and introduction in many countries it
is found frequently growing wild. In
the hilly conntries south of the Caspian
Sea, among the Himalaya and in onr
own country the wild grape is particul
arly plentiful. It is not definitely
known to which part of the world the
prnpo owes its nativity, bnt in all prob
ability to those rrrii hillv conntries.
1 nonth of the Caspian of which we spoke
IwMore: for here the vine is abnndantlv
" V
"ftnT 1U cl,m,',u ?
trees, and pr..d,
the top of the
ucmir large, de
licious fruit.
In old .1 udaea tho steep rocky slopes
with putehes of kkk1 soil interHp-red
were utilized for tho cultivation of the
. I w ' i. . , i i .1. .1 I . : .
; was often t'rr:u-ed for this purpose,
j Nothing conld resent a more beanti-
ful app-arance than these rooky steeps
covered with the trailing foliage and
rich handsome frnit of the grape vine.
tirapes were produced and wine wss
made from the remotest period of anti
quity, as Scriptnro and mythology,
lead ns to believe. The wondcriul.
i fable of the marches of llacchus relates
to the extension of vine produce from
Asia into Kurope.
The very earliest accounts we have of
the cultivating of the vine are by ll
mans. birgil and Columella. Indeed so
mnch land was occupied in Italy by the
grape vine, thit the l'tuiMTor liomitian
feared a corn famine and issued a ro
rtrictivo and prohibitorr edict in A. I).
M. TUis edict rema ned in force long
' afterwards, to pi event tho ahnndance
. of lino wine from tempting the bsrhar
' err trills f the north to invade the
; oonntv. It was the Uomsuswho intro-
dn-ed the cultivation of tho w ino into
Kn gland.
j '
ii,,..
hen wo realize tlie extensive pro
duction of crapes and mannfaotnro of
wine among the nncn-uts and esjeciidly
with thi i Ireeks tin I i.omans wo can
not von kr thai these f .irc countries
; flioTi;,i ra se new festivals in honor of
I the via-, or rsther ( tli gisl of wine,
."'ee He was a mythological crea
ture supposed to hae Im-cii stricken
with madu.-ss, and credited with hav
ing taught the cultivation of the vine,
anil prepared tho intoxicating drink
from the jnice of the grape. His wor
ship was introduced into Greece by
Melhanipns. From (ireoee it soon
si Tead all over tho earth, then known.
Tho myth K-came modified and con
troverted to such an extent with its
spread, that it is one of tho most per
plexing aud diflicult handed down to
ns.
Ilacchns was not onlv tho protector
of the wine, but of the frnit trees an.l
tlieir produce, and thus Ixs-ame known
also as the gixl of fruit. He is usually
represented with long, blond hair, en
twined with leaves of the vine or the ivy.
His figure, if not naked is covered only
tdightly by a careless drapery. Like
all the other gods he nas human to the
core, viz: knew how to apirrciat-
prxxi treatment, aud csiH-cially how to
rC'lt I'trr lor liail
The worship of Itacehus consisted of
noisy rites, which, from their very
tdatsirate licentiousness, have Income
subject matter for historv. Tho myth
ical march was suggested to the fancv
bv these riotous fi'stivities; for it Ikj-
rame a jmrt of the ltais-hanalian fets
for the liaoohantes to f-ign ma.luess,
and make midnight processions ly
torch-light to tho mountains.
Tlieles, the supposed birth plaeo of
the g.sl, w is. tl
centre for the oh
rehire, the Oreeuiu
iKTianreof these rites.
he s i.Ti tii-il .fTi rings m:idf to J".e-
chus were rhietlv goats and oxcu. He
is hiuis. If ..I" ton represented as an ox.
'1 here w is celebrated nt the time of
the griiH-gatliering a feast that de
serves sjsvial ini'iition. Among the
characteristic iiiiuis,.inents was that of
watching the clumsy etlortsot young
peasants attempting to leap with one
foot on full wine t-kms Hiueare.1 with
oil for tho pnriose. We can imagine
much fiKxl for merriment among the
spectators at the expense of tho Voiitbs
and their rejH-ato.1 laiinres.
J he festival of the leuaca was peen
liar to Athens, and its chief features
were theatrical representalions and an
immense ban.iuet nt which the nsnal
r.scchic raillery and ie-ting reigned.
The festivals Usually lasted two or three
davs and on the last day ramo the
ir. t I 'lonysiii, as it was called. At
this fete all tho new comedies aud
tnuredies were represented. The per
formers were women and girls, aud tho
oriries were held at night on the moun
tains amid blazing torches aud uncon
trolled enthusiasm, la the most anci
ent times the sacrifices t. Itacehns were
not limited to animals, but frequently
included the destruction of human lives.
These festive t.racticea were carried
fr..m !reece into Italv. and intr.vluced
nt Koine as earlv bs 4''i I!. C. Itacchns,
C-rcs, Lib ir mid I.ilH'rs, were worship
t here in one common u-mplo aud
.rive rise tA thf. .', fetes of
mnii.ler and ruder kin I than those of
Athens.
At first only women t.Wk part in the
mysterious fcaccbic rites, but after
wards men were admitted. The celo.
brntions degeuerated into such shock
ing Iietrayals of licentiousne-ss that
morality and sooietv itself were en
dangered. At their greatest height. In
ouirv was instituted bv the goverment
which lsl to the rooting out of the
Itacchanalia with great severity and tho
celebrated Sna'ax Cimtiittmn dc Jiur-
chanaliliit. Mention has lieea made
of the practice leing rife at a later
period, but not, however, to its former
extent.
The character of these rites and
festivities has led ns to apply the term
I'.ifcliitnitHn to anything wild or exces
sive in feast or entertainment, andsncli
application we would all strive to avoid.
U A. N
How to Have a Flower Garden In a
Box.
EltF.X E. BKXFORn.
Many of the readers of this ps)er
who love flowers and would like to have
a garden are not so situated that they
can have one to suit mem; but thev
need not go without flowers on that ac
count.
Do you liva ia the citj, tip one, two.
three, half a dozen flights t stairs?
Many of yon do, 1 know. Yon can have
a little garden there, if yon set about it.
It won't lie a very elaborate one, but
jvorhaps yon will enjoy it all the more
on that account. You can study the
habits of the flowers in it more care
fully than you would be likely to if yon
had several leds foil of them growing
iu a yar.L
The first thing to do is to find a box
as long as your window, about a foot
wide, and a foot in depth.
It doesu't matter if this box is a plain
pine one. If you have good lack with
your flowers, they will soon hide it
completely. Of course you can paint
it, if yon want to, or you can take a
strip of oil cloth au.l tack over it, make
it look quite like a costly window-box
covered with tiles, at a little distance.
Fasten it to the window-sill bo that
the top of it will be on a level with the
inside of the casing. You will be mak
ing a mistake if you have it aliove the
sill.
After driving some stont nails through
the liox into the sill, fit two braces from
the outside corners of it so that they
will reach back to the side of the house
about two feet below the box. These
are qiute necessary, aa the box, when
fall of soil, will be quite heavy, and it
will require good support.
Get the best soil yon can to fill it.
By searching you can almost always
find a place where leaves have rotted.
Or yon can take old turf or sods and
cut them up into bits. If this is the
best you can do, get some manure, if
possible, and add to it, and mix in some
sand, or old mortar, to make it light
and mellow.
If you want an awning that will bo
far more beautiful than any that you
could buy at the stores, plaut morning
glories at the ends of the box, to clam
ber up about the window. You can
make a square frame of lath, or strips
of thin wood, that can lie fastened to
tlie top of the window. A brace on
each side, starting at about the middle
of the window frame, will hold this
square out and away from the window
iu such a way as to shade it when it is
covered with vines. Train the morning-glories
np to the framework, and in
a short time they will completely cover j
it. una rue vines win nang aooui it l
fringe of foliage and flowers that - -ill
bo far more leau iful than the costliest
lace you could fashion into Curtains for
your window.
Altont tho outside of the box plant
some trailing plant to droop over and
cover it. .Petunias will do this well.
!"o w;ij nasturtiums. Very likely yoa
have some friend who has house-plants.
among which there will be moneywort,
or trudescantia, or colisenm ivy. She
will doubtless be pleased to give yoa
little slips of these. Plant them in the
soil, and they will soon take root, and
almost lefore yoa know it your box
will Ie covered with vines.
You can grow almost any flower in
such a box if yon take proper care of it.
A geranium will do well there, or a
heliotrope. If the window is a north
one von can have panaies.
When the plants come into blossom.
yoa will be delighted with your little
garden away up in the air. Ion will
appreciate it all the more becaaae it has
cost yon considerable time and labor.
You will find it a charming companion,
and one from which yoa can learn a
great deal abont the habits and char
acteristics of plants.
I have said something about taking
projer care of it. I will tell you what
1 mean by that.
indow-boxes have become qmte
popular in the cities. You will see
them in the most fashionable parts of
the town. Jtut if you have been ob
serving, yon will have noticed that very
many of these boxes had a sort of sickly
ok about them, inn plants in them
did not appear to be doing well. Their
leaves were yellow aud dropping oft.
an.l as for flowers, there were none to
speak of. From this yon may have got
tlio idea that a window-box was a
somewhat dillicult thing to manage suc
cessfully, lint, it is not. The boxes
you seen filled with sickly plauts were
neglected ones, mey Had not been
cared for proirly.
The fact is, a win.low-lox, because it
is exposed to the air on all but one side.
loses the moisture in its soil very rap-
dly by evaporation, the wind, and
air. and sun nave a chance to get at it.
and thv do their work thoronghlv. If
but little water is given, in a few days
the soil an inch or two below the sur
face will lierome as dry as dust, and of
course the roots of the plauts sutler in
cons4Hitience. Most persons (ret into
the habit of giving water to their plants
- 1 ' . 1 M. . 1 .
in smut quantities, out luej give it
often. This is wrong. If yoa would
le successful with a window-box, give
all the water the soil can drink in at
one time, and then wait till the surface
f the soil looks dry. W hen this dry
look is seen, give another thorough ap
plication. Give so liberally that the
water penetrates the aoil in every part
of the box, and rnna oat through the
cracks in the bottom and corners. If
yoa do this, yoa may be sure that all
the roots get all the moisture they re
quire, and yoa will be surprised to see
what rapid growth your plants make,
and what fine flowers they hear. If you
neglect vonr box for a day or two, yoa
will find that your plants begin to wilt
as soon as the sun comes up, and very
soon you will notice that many of the
leaves are turning yellow. These are
mute bnt eloquent remonstrances
against such neglect, and if you love
your plants yon will take care not to
nave it napien again.
It is a good plan to water daily.
Make it a rule to do so at a certain hour,
and yon will not be likely to forget it.
It is always best to give the water at
night, or after sun down, as evapora
tion docs not take place so rapidly then.1
When yon apply water to the soil,
sprinkle the plants welL This keeps
them clean, and unless they are clean
they will not !e as attractive as they
ought to le. Dusty plants tell of neg
lect, and are never as healthy as those
whose pores are kept open for the ad
mission of air. I'lauts breathe through
their leaves, von know.
From what t have said, yoa will see
that the great secret of having a win-flow-box
that will afford yoa a vast
amount of pleasure is really no secret
at all. It all consists in giving the
proper care. It is quite as easy to
grow good plants in a box as in the
open ground. There is a little more
hdsir connected with it, bnt that will
not lie grudgingly given if yoa really
love flowers. If you do not love them,
do not try to grow them. Home Maker
The latest report states that twenty
one observatories are now engaged in
the international undertaking of photo
graphing the entire heavens. F-ach
observatory will have to take about
700 photographs la the zone assigned to
it, and it is hoped to nniau tne wore in
three or tour years.
THE LAN D OF USED-TO-BE.
' JAMES WH1TCOMB RIEI.T.
Beyond the purple, hazy trees
of sumfmr'n utmost Isiumlaries;
Bevond tlie Minds, beyond the teas.
Beyond the range of c ves like these.
Ana only in me rearn oi ine
Knraptured aaze of memory.
There lies a ia.n.1 loin; lost to Die,
The land of Used-to-be.
A land enchanted, such a swung
In golden nea when sirens clung
Along their dripping brinks, and sung
lo Jason In tint my-tic Hmirun
Thatdazsl men wlih Its melody;
Oh. such m land. wlTh such a sea
&ls lng its shor.-s eternally.
Is the fair Used-to-be.
A land where music ever Rirrts
The air wli h belts of sinirlint birds.
And sows all sounds with such tweet words
I hat even In the IowIiik herds
A meaning lives so sweet to me.
LNit laughter ripples liinplilly
From lips brimmed o'er wilb all the glee
Of raie old Us-d-to-te.
best lsuphter and the whistled tunes
Of iM.yb.Mid's mouth of crescent runes.
That rounded through long afternoons.
To serenading plenilunes.
When atarllubt tell so mistily
That, peering up from bended knee,
1 dreamed 'twas bridal drapery
Hung over Used-to-be.
On, land of leve and dreamy thoughts.
And shining fields and shady spots.
Of coolest, gr-euest. grassy plots.
Emtwissed with wild forget nie-nots.
And all the blooms that cunningly
l.ift their faees up to me
Out of the past; I kiss In thee
Ihe lips of Used-to-be.
I love ye all. and with wet eyes
t urned gliminerlnKly ou the skies.
My blesninifs like your erf nines rise,
still o'er my soul a silence lies.
Sweeter than any song to me,
Mweeier tl.au any melody
Or Its sweet echo. vea. all three;
My ureams of Used t-te.
tYomthe JnJtanapolil Journal.
AN EVENING WITH BRYANT.
THE LITTLE FEOFLK OP THE SNOW.
Arranged Vy Isabel Smithtttn.
In the way of evening amusements
for Summer resorts nothing gives more
general pleasure than theatrical enter
tainments; but even tho simplest of
plays requires considerable expenditure
of time and money, aud implies the
possession of talents which are not al
ways fonnd in a limited circle.
The presentation of little scenes like
the following is simple and easy, re
quiring only one or two good reeita
'ocujls or readers, and a few tasteful
nd willing helpers.
The following has been arranged for
ns by JMis Isabel nmitnson, wnose
contributions to Wide Awake, Home
Journal, J-'.xjt-h, and other periodicals
of high literary standing, are attracting
favorable notice.
This poem admits of illustration, the
extent and beauty of which need- be
limited only by the taste, ingenuity
and resources of the managers. The
stage should be as wide and deep, and
the performers as numerous as possi
ble. In the same scenes, hills and
drifts may be represented by sheets
thrown over pieces of furniture of dif
ferent heights, four trees are to be dec
orated with cotton-wadding, and the
latter substance is to be thrown on the
floor which must first be covered with
white sheets. In the "Glorious Hall '
(whioh is the largest of the scenes) sev
eral vards of the palest pink, green,
and blue gauze are to lie fastened to
gether at the ceiling, and brongbtdown
to the floor, spreading ont as rays of
light. The "little people," are to be
as small and light as possible (all girls)
with yellow hair (or wigs) dressed iu
plain loose white gowns girt in at the
waist, and with low necks and short
sleeves; their feet and legs bare or
covered with white stockings only.
The snow-scenes are to be separate 1
from the fore-ground, by a large white
ganze screen covering tlie entire back
ground, and a very bright light is
to be thrown upon the snow-scenes,
leaving the fore-ground in shadow.
Ciaractt rs.
Uncle John Alice, Willy. Eva, Eva's
parents and three or four other peas
ants. Traveler, Snow-maiden, an.l a
crowd of "little people of the niiow."
Scene I.
A garden in Summer. Shrubs and
potted plants, standing about, A rustic
leuch on ielt of fore-ground. F.nter
I'ncle John, with Alice and Willy cling
ing to his arm:
Alick One of your old-world stories,
I'ncle John.
Snch as yon tell nsby the winter-fire,
'Till wo all wonder it has grown so
late.
Uncle Johx The story of the witch
that ground to death
Two children in her mill? Or will
yon have.
The tale of goody Cut-pnrse?
Alice Nay, now nav. Those stories
are too childish. Uncle John;
Too childish even for little Willy here.
And I am older, two good years,
than he.
Xo, let us have a tale of elves that
ride by night
With jingling reins. Or, gnomes of
the mine;
Or water-fairies; snch as you know
how to spin.
Till Willy a eyes forget to wink.
And good A nut Mary, busy as she is.
Lays down her knitting. They sit
ou bench. 1
CTni le John Listen to me tben:
"I was in the olden time long, long,
ago;
And long before the great oak at our
door
Was yet an acorn. On a mountain
side Lived, with his wife, a cottager. They
dwelt
Ileside a plen, an.l near a dashing
brook,
A pleasant spot in spring, where first
the wren.
Was heard to chatter, and among the
grass
jTbwers opened earliest; bnt when
Winter came
That lntle brook was fringed with
.it her llowers
White flowers with crystal leaf an.l
stem, that grew,
Iu clcnr Novwulier nights. And, Liter
nil!.
Ti.ut inonntain-glen was filled with
di if te.l snows,
1 r .in snlr! to side that ono might
walk across.
M hi!i', many a fathom deep, below,
the brook,
S .ng to itself, and leaped and trot
ted on
I ulr.izen. ;a its pebbles towards the
va;e.
One little maiden, in that cottage
hone
I.) jell with her parents, light of
hear; and limb,
Itiight, restless, thoughtless flitting
heiea.nd there,
Like Fu;Hhiue on the uneasy ocean
waves,
And somet'nn' s she forgot what she
was bid.
As Alict does, ("pats her cheek)
Eva wis tho name of this young
rondai.
Now twtlve Summers old.
No v yoa must know that in those
1 eantimM , -
When Autumn days grew pale, there
came a troop
Of child-like forms from that cold
mountain top.
With trailing garments thro' the air
they came.
Or walked the grcunJ with girded
loins, and threw
Spangles of oilvery frost npon the
grass,
A beautiful race were they, with
baby brows.
Scene II.
(Back-ground opens, showing behind
the grass, ten of the Little People play
ing about, and making snow-balls. )
And fair bright locks, and voices like
the sound
Of steps on the crisp snow. A merry
sight it was
When crowding round the traveler
(Traveler crosses, behind gauze from
right to left, and Little People hide be
hind snow-drifts aud pelt him with
snow.)
They smote him with their heaviest
snow-flakes:
Flung needles of frost in handfuls at
his cheeks.
And of the light wreaths of his Bmok-
ing breath.
Wove a white fringe for his brown
beard.
And laughed their slender laugh, to
see him wink and grin.
And make grim faces as he flounder
ed on.
(Little People follow Traveler off, at
left)
Mid-winter was the time, and Eva
stood
Before the cottage all prepared to
dare
The outer cold; with ample furry robe
Close-belted round her waist, and
boots of fur
And a broad handkerchief which her
mother's hand
Had closely drawn abont her ruddy
cheek.
(Enter Eva with her mother, Eva is
dressed in a bright scarlet cloak and
handkerchief and fur-trimmed boots.
She has long bl ck hair and rosy
cheeks. )
Mothkb Now stay not long abroad,
my darling child.
For sharp is the winter air; and,
mark me well.
Go not upon the snow beyond tho
spot,
Where the great fir-tree lionnds the
Neighboring field. (Kisses her, and
exit. )
Uncle John The little maiden prom
ised, and went forth
And climbed the rounded snow-swells
firm with frost
Beneath her feet. Eva wanders
aliout, and suddenly a snow-maiden
starts up and sits on a bank. J
Once, as up a drift she slowly rose,
before her, in the way.
She saw a little creature, lily -cheeked.
With flowing flaxeu locks, and faint
blue eyes.
That gleamed bke lee. On a smooth
bank (-he sat.
As Eva i or drew near.
The tiny creature bounded from her
seat.
S.vow-maiden Come, oh come, my
pretty friend.
To-day, we will be playmates. I have
watched Uiee long,
And seen how well thou lov'wt to walk
these drifts.
And scoop their fair sides into little
cells,
And carve them with quaint figures.
High limbed men, lions and grillins.
We will have to-day.
A merry ramble over these bright
Uelus,
And thou shalt see what thou hast
never seen.
(She skips along, beckoning to Eva.)
Eva (pointing to a large tree. ) Here
we stop.
O my mother has my word that I will
go no further
Than this tree.
Ss'Ow-maipen An.l what is this? This
fear of the pure snow.
The innocent snow, that never harm
ed aught living?
Thou iiiay'st roam for leagues beyond
this garden, and return
In safety. Here the grim wolf never
prowls.
And here the eagle of our mountain-
crags
Preys not in winter. I will show the
wav
And bring thee safely home. Thy
mother sure
Counselled thee thus because thou
had'st no guide.
(Ieailn J-'va Hluirly fji the hand.)
Uncle John By such smooth words.
was Eva won to break
Her promise, and went on with her
new friend.
(Era and Snow-maiden go out at left.)
Deeper they went into that mountain
drift.
Here a garden lay in which the little
people of the snow
Were wont to take their pastimes
when their tasks
Upon the mountain-side and in the
cloud were ended.
Here they taught the silent frost to
Biock
In stem and spray, and leaf and
flower
The growths of Summer.
(Enter ten snow-people dancing and
Playing with snow. Eva aud Snow
maiden appear at au opening above
stage on right. )
S.now-maiL"EN Touch not with thy hand
The frail creation round thee, and
1 ie are
To sweep it with thy skirts, now look
above
How sumptuously these bowers are
lighted up
With shifting beams that softly come
and go!
These are the northern lights, such
as thou see st
In the mid-winter nights, cold wan
dering flumes
That float with our processions thro
the air;
And here, within onr winter palaces
Mimic the glonons day-break.
But thou hast yet to see a fairer sight
NT.VE 111.
(Back-ground opens an.l displays the
"Glorious HalL" Little People of the
nnow ascending and descending the
heights.)
Look, but they may'st not enter!
I soft music heard. I
Here follows the dancing of the
snow-people ; marches, figures and
waltzing. Some ring little bells, some
wreathe themselves in white tarlatan,
and spravs of white flowers, while
others climb the heights and throw
ha dfuls of cotton-wadding down on
the dancers. A merry chorus is sung,
Eva and Snow-maiden look on, point
ing to the Little People and clapping
their hands.
Snow-people form into groops. Tab
I lean. Scene of "Glorious Hall" closes.
I Eva comes down, drawing her cloak
J around her and rubbing her hands to-
gi tU.-r. Snow-maiden follows, skip-
e'
mi ' as before. 1
a Too long, too loug, I've lingered
here. What must they think.
The dear ones in the cottage, while
so long
Uonr after hour, I stay without? I
know
That they will seek me far and near,
aud weep
To find me not. How could I wick
edly, Neglect the charge they gave me?
Kneels down. )
Father, forgive this sin!
Ah me I I I eel my eyes grows heavy
They swim with sleep, i sinks down
on a bank)
1 cannot walk for utter weariuess,
and I must rest
A moment on this bank. But let it
not be long. (Sleeps.)
Snow-uaiorn A pleasant spot is this
to slumiHir in,
Ou such a conch oft have I slep4
away the winter night
And had the sweetest dreams.
(She sings a lullaby. )
KnU r F.ea' father hurriedly. He
raitet her head.
Snow-maiden starts back seeing that
l.va is dead.
Father (to Snow-maiden) Cruel, cruel
one to tempt my daughter thus
And crnel we who suffered her to
wander forth alone.
In this fierce cold!
(Scrnb Closes.)
Uncle John Now came the funeral-
day; the simple folk
Of all that pastoral rogion gathered
round
To share tho sorrow tf the cottagers.
They carved a way into the mound
of snow
To the glen's side, aud dug a little
grave
In the smooth slope, and following
the bier
In long procession from the silent
door
Chanted a sad and solemn melody.
Scene IV.
First back-ground opens. Peasants
standing round the grave. J
Peasants (chanting. ) Lay her to rest
within the ground
Yea, lay her down whoso pure aud
innocent life
Was spotless as these snows; for she
was reared
Iu 1. iv,'. and passed in love life's plea
sant Spring,
And all that now onr tenderest love
cau do
Is to give burial to her lifeless limbs.
Scene V.
The strain is taken up by Snow-peo
ple, and back-ground opens showing
tho "Glorious Hall," and the little
leople coming very slowly down
heights, singing.
J. eahantb (kneeling.) 1 hon. Lord,
hast taken her to be with Eve,
Whose gentle name was given her.
Even so
For so Thy wisdom saw that it was best
For her and us. We bring our bleed
ing hearts.
And ask the touch of healing from
thy hand
As with submissive tears, we render
back
The lovely and beloved to Him who
gave.
f&now-people pass around the grave
singing softly, and strewing it with
white flowers.
Snow - maiden stands apart from
others with arms crossed on her breast
and head bowed.
lauu.au f'urtain.
Eya-glasses are Made From Peb-
tiles-
"Fully twenty ir cent, of the
grown people of the community are af
fected with some trouble of the eyes."
said a Chicago optician to a I'ost man.
"More have the far-sighted eye than
the near-sighted. Failing sight Is at
tributable to different causes. Many
weak eves are the result of n.itural
defects, while iu other cas.s weakness
comes ti'oiu injurious use of the organs
of sight. ATler ieople begin to use
H hisses they are seldom able to get
a'oug Without them. The best glasses
are manufactured ia I'aiis. These are
known as the I r neli crystal and the
French i-bl le. The iiebble material
in the rough is impoited from Brazil,
and being ground and prepared in
France the goods are given the name
of French. Paris Is the great market
for all kinds of lenses. What is the
difference lielwef-n the crystal and the
Iiebble? It is a 'ery marked difference.
Pebble Is the crystallized rock. The
crystal is made just as the ordinary
window glass is made, but of cour-ie
the quality is very much finer. It Is
only manufactured for optical pur
poses. "The glasses made from the pebble
mined in Brazil are harder than any
other kind. They are also cooler to the
eye. This is a great desideratioc
where there is any particular irritatiou
about the eye. The original pebble la
cut into thin slabs and then is ground
and polished. This pebble Is extremely
bard, so hard indeed that it cannot be
scratched save with a diamond. The
crystal, on the contrary, is much harder
than ordinary glass, but it can be
scratched. 'Ihe French pebble glass,
which Is so highly esteemed, is the
Brazilian pebble. This pebble Is gen
erally brought from the mines In Bra
zil as ballast in many cases. The main
expense is in preparing it for the
market. Like the microscope lens, the
cost is in grinding and iiolishing.
There are some glasses made in this
country that are not only excellent in
quality but find a good and ready mar
ket. The American glass is a crystal
lens, and it is m ade in Sotithbndge,
Mass. The glass used in their manu
facture is imported from Germany ami
Belgium and is ground at Southbrldge.
Of course it is a cheaper grade of lens
than the r rench glass, but it has nev
ertheless much merit.
A Waterr'jf W hiiewiuih. Kesen
schek, of Munich, mixes together the
powder from three parts of siliclous
rock (quartz), three parts of broken
marble and sandstone, also two parts of
burned lKireelatri clay, with two parts
of freshly slaked lime, still warm. In
this way a wash is made which forms a
silicate if often wetted, and becomes,
after a time, almost like stone. The
four constituents, mixed together, give
the ground color, to which any pigment
that can be used with lime is added. It
is applied quite thickly to the wall or
other surface, let dry one day, and the
next day frequently covered with
water, which makes It waterproof.
This wash can be cleansed with water
without losing any of its color; on
the contrary, each time It gets harder,
so that it can even be brushed, while
its perosity makes it look soft. The
wash, or calcimine, can be used for
ordinary purposes, as well as for the
finest painting. A so-called fresco
surface can be prepared witn it in the
dry way.;
SEWS IN BRIEF.
There are 5000 insane people In tba
city of New York.
The Emperor of Japan is to have a
.-'tate cjach costing J 17o,0o0.
There are 13,m0 different kinds ot
postage stamps in the world.
The Japanese make artificial tor
toise shell w ith the whites of eggs.
In lSo." there were thirty-five trans
lations of the Scriptures iu existence,
Id .unilton Grav has been Post
master at Gray's Hill, Tenn., since
1823.
A Bristol floiist who planted to
matoes on May in last is now getting a
good yield.
The Kuby ni'nes of Burtu.th are
rich In matt-rial and closely guarded by
the government,
Mrs. Annie. Kousn of Ietart, O.,
is the maternal ancestor of two thou
sand people. She can look down ou six
geuerat'ons.
The largest fresh water lake com
pletely within the boundary of a single
State of the United States la Lake
Oke chobee, in Florida.
Iettuce has a sedative effect on the
nervous system, and the ordinary plant,
as well as druggists' preparations of it,
may be successfully employed in cases
of insomnia.
At the wedd'ng of Miss Theresa
Fair in San Francisco, the rooms were
hung with draperies of white silk mus
slin, while the lecs were served In casea
of brocade silk.
It is propowd to substitute a new
measure of light aa a st mdard in plane
of the candle, and it is thought that
some one of the measures already used
will be adopted.
The picture gallery and ballroom in
Txiudon of Colonel North, "Ihe Nitrate
King," are fitted with the new spray
system to protect the pictures aud pre
vent damage by heat.
A Panbtiry (Conn.) lady lias a
dress worn by a brhlo in the ye .r 170t,
that weighs only three ounces. It is
white, cut low in the luck, sleeveless
and well preserved.
A manufacturer of one of the
.standard typewriters on t e market,
says that there are T.i.OOO women who
nntke a living in this country by run
ning the machines.
It apiears from statistics published
by the government of India tha' in
one year, while HAS persons were killed
by tigers, more than 1,000 children
were carried oil by jackals.
A news-iaper in Florlca te'ls about
a flower thai Is a mottled yellow, with
a rough leaf, an.l in apix-arance and
smell resembles a frog very much. It
is called the "trog cactus."
Among the Komans there wera
two different palms; one coriespondiug
to the breadth, and the other to the
length of the hand. The former was
'.U2, the latter S7;!7 English inches.
The Argentine Republic has treb
led its population since ISiil, iu in
crease being relatively much mora
rapid than that of the population of
the United States duriug the same
lieriod.
Never touch a vine that has three
fingered leaves that Is, leaves divided
Into three parts. Vines that show
five-fingered leaves maff be handled
with safety. Poison ivy bus three fin
gers.
The elevators in the Equitable
Building, New York, have a run of
l.'io feet from the basement to the top 61
the building, aud It takes twenty sec
onds to make the whole distance with
out stops.
The Japanese war authorities are
translating the army laws of Germany
and the Concriptiou law of France, to
aid them in the contemplated alteration
of conscription methods in their own
country.
One of the highest observatories in
the world is altont to le erected in Tan
anarive, Madagascar. It will be in
every way complete arid the site chosen
for it is about 4400 feet above the sea
level.
Odessa, Russia, h.as been preparing
to celebrate the hundredth anniversary
of its foundation. In lfi cne rttk
de Richelieu, a Frenchman, laid out
the plan of t Idessa, now liecorne out
ot tne most flourishing cities in the
world.
A yellow catfish weighing fifty
eight iKiuuds was exhibited in the Pal
ace Market, at Eighth and Mi Gee,
say the Kansas City Tim . It had
been captured at the mouth of the
Kew. The fish whs over live feet long.
A curious fashion lias couie into
voTue iu Paris. In all cemeteries met
al Ikixps with a slit in the lid are placed
on the tombstones to receive cards of
visitors. The relatives ot the deceased
are thus enable, 1 to see who among the
living still cherish the memory ot their
departed friends.
The Prince of Wales, Albert E3
ward, recently ordered an Axrulnster
carpet made iu one solid piece, with
twenty-seven Irregular projections. Tha
manufacturer who received the order
was in despair, but succeeded so well
that when It was laid it lilted like the
traditional paier on the wall."
The culinary art even owes that
favorite potage, ox tall soup, to the
thritty Huguenots, who were ac us
tomed to purchase at peppercorn prices
the caudal appendages of bovine origin,
which had hitherto been thrown away
as ofl'al by the Vhltechaiel butchers.
A "lion tamer" tells a new York
eeper that after a lion has been in
captivity for a year he is no more dan
gerous than the average dog, and that
the trainer who enters a cage runs less
il.sk than the tramp w':o enters a yard
where a Newfoundland keeps guard.
Throughout France gardening Is
pra, l h allv taught in the primary and
elementary schools. There are about
AS.OfOof these schools, each of which
has a garden attached to it, and Is
under the care of a master capable of
imparting a knowledge of the lirst prin
ciples of horticulture.
Wotid brought to a mirror polish is
coming into use for ornamental pur
pose iu Germany, and has the advan
tage, that, uinike metil, it is not af
fected by moisture. The stuff is first
treated with a lath of caustic alkali
for twa or three days, at a temperature
lietween lf.l ' and I'jT F. Next coun-s
a dip in hydrosu'ptiate of c alcium, for
fioni twenty-rour to thirty-six hour-,
after which a concentrated solution of
sulphur is added. A rter another souk
iu an scetate of lead solution, at '.K-
tol20JK., it is the roughly dried and
polished w ith lead, tin or zinc, as may
be detdred, when It resembU shining
metal. ' . " . -
.(i!e.!;-'-itJ$3fji, "j'r,r e,KM""1,yo 'i.'i'Kr
i ii in- ia I , u rm -