B. F. SOHWEIER, THE OONSTITUTION-THE UNION AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS. Editor aad Proprietor. VOL. XLV11. MIFFMNTOWIN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENIS' A.. WEDNESDAY. JAN U A Li Y 1. .81)3. U 3. s X it i AT THE GATE. -. T EIOlE IMrXCKXET. rut!? hfQN and trttuliinx tzeen. Hytrin I t:t r sin; the tf lung day, Stjiiut I'.v llif y;tti :it ven Little i.y and fciil trre tliev. H with hir of miMim beauty, Kjs ol Urkr, l'enr hut. St , with vt1inn;, yt-lilfii rtttglfM. ")trs 1 hat ii..tU'htl Hit sk y tti blue. ttxni1liK tint. itlintit a sorrow, Not a -.nr (o tti.it 1 1 1 l r way, A hi I l.iiiyliint, (ti y v l.iprevl "Will )uu iiiiiny nic otne d:i? And br latih i.idu out so stptly n 1 he an altu ar d still, W litlt ulte iii swried, half in nest, Marty yon? of emit- I will." A nd tl war tr at ram no swiftly 1 1 1 lu.itit H' h'Vr toit triit. 1 ill they Mh-m! ae nn at fVTti. Vutith and maUft'ii, jttnt tlitr two. And tl'p '! tojis ti titrd to whWpr In 11 if tm4ii .. inn rlt-ar and to it. it. Wltil the hf.ti is heside Hi p.itcay dteit ant-v then love that uiltl. Mantling by t!i same old jratewaT, hlle I he Mia.W-ws weird and till. ... In walk in pint I.tMiioit. V h-re i he niooiiheaini Mftly fall. And the tree-tops em to whiiper In a anl vv.itinii'. tone ; Fcr the ... r W"-M the i:iteway Waits and wMehvS all a one. IMrrly. tlironith the mitts of sorrow bite can - Hie vt: inim; tiate, - And she ktios thai ho who left her, 'Tilt she cuiiio will watch and wait. Hunting Mytlis oa Cliristmas Eve PY W. B. COSSITT. Mrs. Bigelow's work for tho day was dene, the last crumb brushed up, the supper dishes reposed in their places w.th a resplendent shine upon them, Hie stove had a polish that would make yon wiuk, the -wood-Are burned with lervor. Mrs. Biuelow drew np ber rocking chair to tho tabic, turned the light of the kerosene lamp a little liijj her, and with a gentle nigh took np ber knitting. She was counting the stitches twelve, fonrteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty twenty on each needle, that won I J make it right for narrowing twenty. She dropj ed the work from her toil-worn hands and the old sorrow that bud been with her all day burnt the limits, and the sobs and tears cnn:e freely for a few minutes, as she searched blindly around for a handkerchief, for Josiah would noon be in from the barn and must not see her thus. And just in time, for a tremendous stamping was hoard in the storm shed at the back door. She heHrd him set the limtern down and take the broom to sweep out the snow he had brought in, theu carefully close the door that creaked with tho frost aud eolil, and hang up the lighted lan tern near the window, so that the light streamed out ou the auow. "Miowin pretty hard, aiu't it, father?" said Mrs. Bigelow, knitting busily, her face calm from its tears, with that (iod-given hypocrisy that women fortunately pot-sess. "Yes, there'll lie three feet o' snow by inoruing, if it keeps on like this. Ebeu's folks will have to get the i ledge out to get over hero in time for din ner,"' said Mr. Bigelow, as lie laid aside comforter and cup and hung his mitt.-nrf before the fire to dry. 'There's your bootjack and slippers down beside the sofy." "All this snow around the barn makes it 'warm as toast' fur the cree turs," said Mr. Bigelow, who had struggled out of his boots aud reiehed for ins slippers. "Do you suppose," he said alter a pause, "there's any truth in what they tell about 'em all kneel ing down ou Christmas Eve?" "Who kueeling down tho Catho lics!" "No! the creetnrs! Ever since I was a boy I've meant to get up and go to the barn and find ont for myself, bnt somehow I've always slept riht through till morning." "J don't know, Josiah," said Mrs. Pigelow gravely, "it's one o' them mysterious things 1 never wanted to search into." Mr. I'.igelow lighted his pipe and smoked in silence for about tifteen minutes. Then he got up aud put some more wood on the tire. "It's eight o'clock, father; I wouldn't make any more fire to-night." t "Guess I'll keep the tire agoin'; I've made up my mind to settle the question to-night," said Mr. iiigelow, somewhat eheepi-hly. Mis. Uigelow slowly took off her glasses and stared at him iu apprehen sion. "Your're never g.iu' out in all this storm at twelve o'clock at night; why, you'll get yonr death o' cold. I de clare," ohe soid in a flutter, "it's teniptin' o' 1'rovidenee a man o yonr agel I declare for't, you ranst be crazy, father." "I dou't see as I'm any more likely to gtt cold iu tb barn at twelve o'clock than at seven," said Mr. Jiige Jow, "anyhow I'm goin.' " "Well, o' course, if you've made np yonr mind there's no use o' my sayin' anything more," sni.l Mrs. Hi'.?olow, with an air of resignation, and she took up her knitting and proceeded to "toe-off" the hnge pray sock she was at work on. When she was done she rose, filled the tea-kettle, set it on front of the stove, took a tin box of mustard and a bunch of pennyroyal from the closet and put them on the table. "I'll do my best to Biive yon s fit o' sickness, Josiah," the said grimly "an' not a wink )-hull I sleep till after this awfnl business is over." "(rnecs I'll go down and drw a pitcher, o' cider," 6aid Mr. Bigelow, "and let's have some o' that cake you made this morning." f'resently ho returned with the cider seething and sparkling in a hngo brown tertlien pitcher and pnt it on the table Mrs. Uifjtlow sat down and took np her needles, "I might as well cast np' this other sock," she said, "seem' as yon nre goinj? to c&ronse the heft of tbo nigbt;"nu impressive silence fell between them, broken only by tho soft bis-s-s-sh of the snow ou the win dow pane. "rather," she snid timidly, "yon ba'n't forgot what night "this is. lwenty years ago to-uight onr Milly was born " tears stopped her. A hard look came over his rngged face. "A man hain't likely to forget an ungrateful, thankless child," he sid deeply. "t'an't yon find it in yonr heart to forgive her. father? We don't know where in the wide, wicked world, she way wander to-night, or whether she is ali'o or dead." "She hain't never asked to be for Riven," he said impatiently; "let her ocnie hero and kneel at our feet and show she wauts forgiveness, then will be time to consider the matter. I don't want to hear iiothin' mere about it, neither," be said fiercely. Jlrs. Bigelow was aileocecL There was not s more self-willed man in the county than Josiah Bigelow. "Yon might or well try to move a stun fence," the neighbors said, when he "made np hismind, "which he often did hastily. When Bdy Mildred stamped defiance at him, he laughed proudly. "Got a mind of her own, our little gal has; she's a 'chip off the old block,'" said J t si ah, who prided himself on his stubbornness, though he did not call it by that name. But as she grew older, it became irksome and gradu ally more antagonistic, until he de clare.I she was only pleased when he was displeased, and holding to the !elief that a child's will must be broken, ho beran too late in a mistaken course of discipline. The gentle, tactful mother in terposed as a non-rondncter of the family stormclonds, and averted mnch unpleasantness. She nnderstoo I Mil dred, aud the girl loved her mother deeply, and in ber father's" absence was thoughtful and affectionate. fo things went on until it came to a choice of two lovers, one a man her father favored, the other whom she loved with all her passionate nature. Strict meas ures werd take with her until, two years before, she ran away with George Alden. .losiah Bigelow, in hot haste, had seut word that he never wanted ber to darken bis door again, that she ws a disgracefnl, thaukless child. His wife dared not oppose biui, and six mouths later Mildred and her hnsband disappeared. Whether the father's heart ever yearned for his only child not even his wife knew, thongb she tried in many ways, tie had locked the little culdnet organ that he had bought for Mildred, not a note had been heard since she left home, no one was ullowed to touch it. And time dragged wearily on. The 9.30 p. m. train was a little late. Very few passengers got off, and still fewer took the coach for Iianesville, threo miles distant. It was still snow ing. There were fonr passengers, one of whom, a slight women in black, with a baby wrapped closely, seemed a stranger. The three others were men full of rural cariosity, but lacking the address and effrontory to gratify it by interrogating her, were obliged to re main silent. There was something in her manner dignified and forbidding. The coach went merrily over the snow. 1'reseutly the woman said something to the driver. lie started and looked at her iuteully. Kho paid him and left, startiuy to walk down a lane. "Must be goin' to Brighamses,'' said one man, peering after her. "No, the Brighamses are gone to towu to spend Christmas with their son." "Well there's nobody else down that road but the Marshall'; and that's mor'n a mile." "If it wasn't snowin so, like Jehn I'd git out aud jest satisfy myself about it. Tii re's something wrong, I know," said the thirJ. When they were out of sight and sound the woman cme back to the maiu ro:id. 'It's about half a rniie further," she sftid to herself, "but 1 did not dare to stay in that coach with Silas Green, his prying old eyes would find me out before long." On through the deep snow struggled Mildred Alden with her six months' old baby in her arms. Jnst a mouth before her husband had died suddenly, leaving her destitute. And was she coming back under cover of the storm and darkuess to her old home for shel ter? Tho famili.ir outlines of the old house rose I efore her. draped in the soft snow that was still failing gently. She closed her eyelids to drive out the tears that made the whole world seem one great white, blurred tomb, and presently stood at the gate where she and George had gone out together, as she vowed passionately that she would never enter it again unless he was with her. Here she stood alone with no dear arm to sustain her as then, bnt with the child of their love at her heart, for whose sake she was here. "He bade me never darken his door again, and I shall not, though I should die on the threshold," she said choking back the sobs of agony that shook her; "but I must lsave my baby iu my dear old mother's arms until I can earn a living for us. He cannot tnrn him away.'' She pushed the gate open and looked cautiously aronnd. "There is nothing to fear, they are sound asleep long ago," and'she walked hurriedly by tho houso till she came to the barn and entered, closing the door quickly. Hess and Brownie stamped and snorted; she spoke to them and they wero quiet. She took from a bnndle a candle, lighted it, setting it ou the floor; it showed the old barn as a vast cavern of darkuess. Here and there the familiar beams and rafters glimmered out a recognition. She laid ber baby on ber shawl and went to the stalls. One was empty. Gipsy, her little pony, was gone! "Who can blame them?" she said with a sob as she laid her cheek on old Bess. "They don't want anything to remind them of mo." Star twisted ber head around her stall, wrinkling her broad, fiat neck, rolling her great white-brown eyes at the intruder. 'You don't know me, do yon Star? Sob, Boh I want yon to di me a favor though; pnt yonr head in this stall, I want to nse yours." Star submitted in a dignified manner and chewed leisurely. By the glimmering light Mildred climbed the haymow aud tossed down some sweet, fresh hay into Star's form er manger until it was almost fall. Here she would rest with her baby until near morniog and then walk back in time to get the seven o'clock train to the city before anyone should see her. She knew her lather would come to the barn at five o'clock to see to the cattle, and her child would be safe until then. She pinned a note on tlie shawl that was wrapped aronnd him, and then sat down on the threshing-floor of the great barn. Here was where she had swnng when a child; here she floated through the warm summer air, light as thistledown when the great doors were open oppo site each other. Often her father swnng her, and tossed her on the bay, or carried her on his broad shoulder , so far from tho ground she clutched his close-cnrhng hair and screamed in nervous glee Do was not stern then, bnt loving and indnlgcnt. Why had bo changed so? She hud a right to marrr tbo man she loved better than life; whet right had he to say such cruel things, that she had disgraced him? In the dim light she took ber baby and put him to her breast, and the thought of leaving him made her heart fainL The chubby, dimpled face and laughing eyes and thin, golden hair that was beginning to curl so prettily all over hi dear little head! She caught th tiny band that lay in her bosom and fondled and kissed it. "What have I done that i should have this sorrow, the greatest pnnishment tl at can fall npou a womaul" she thought. Over all ber childhood her mind ran and many episodes of harshness and sternness on the part of her father came to her. Gradually the recollec tion of her own part in them came to her remembrance and she thought of many times when she, full of wauton mischief, had deceived and opposed him, been stubborn and wilful, and given him false estimates of ber char acter, so that his judgment had beea wrong and harsh, anil then she, not deigning explanation, rebelled because she was misunderstood. In that heart searching the Christ spirit came to her iu its true, tender meaning, and she felt like fallingat her parents feet and asking forgiveness. With ber lips pressed t her baby's soft cheek alio whispered: ' It must be that 1 understand better because of you. darling, aud sorrow brings tho stubborn will to reason. O, my baby dear, he will forgive- his poor mother for leaving him, when he understands, won't he?-' She laid him in the manger filled with the sweet hay. He was sleeping soundly, and did not waken when she pnt him down. Then she picked up the candle, blew it out, and was just going to lie down beside him, when she saw what feerued like a dim light Hashing throngh the cracks of the barn. She watched breathlessly. It was it came nearer what could it mean? She Hew as fust as ber weaken ing limbs would 'et her to the horse's stall and leaned afe'Mnst Bess for sup port. Somebody was fumbling at the latch she looked through a crack, the door swuug open it was her father! Grayer than when she saw him last. She felt as if she should f.iiut, and clung to Bess's mane. tie had the lantern in his hand and, shading his eyes, looked iu the direction of the oxen aud cows. For an instant he could not see, then he looked in won derment at Star, who was in the wroug stall. "Well," he muttered, "that's enri ons. I conld take my oath that I put that creetur where she belonged!" He went up to investigate. The noise of bis heavy boots and the flash ing of the lsntefn woke the baby; he nestled and threw the shawl aside, un covering his little hands whioti he reached in rapture for the beautiful light. Josiah Bigelow leaned over the manger, a pallor on his face. lie un pinned the note from the shawl; his hands trembled so he could scarcely hold it. His eyes were dim and old he spelled out with dilliculty the plainly written lines: His name 1b (Jeorire. Please kep him for a lltlle while. I cannot gft a situation with htm. K-ep liitn until I can nuke a hotce for bun. His father died a mitnlb ao. Mii.nHF.i). He read it twice, his voice' was almost mandible. At last be said: "May God forgive me. He knows how my heart has yearned for her, and how my devilish pride has kept it down. How her mother has sorrowed for her. and who knows what she has suffered through my stubborn pride? O Milly, my little gal, where are you? Cau you ever forgive your poor old father?" . She could restrain her sobs no longer, but came slowly from her biding place and fell at bis feet. ".Forgive me, father, I have not done right. 1 did not mean that you should see mo, 1 was going away before day light oh, is mr mother well?" He caught her in his arms and kissed her again and ag.nn. "Yes, your mother will tie a yonug woman now." Baby Alden objected in a loud voice at this unseemly neglect. She cangtit him in her arms to hush him. "Milly, I hardly know how to tell your mother this. I'm almost afraid o' the shock." "J'ako Baby and go in first; I will wait in the shed." Carefully be took tho little one, ex tinguishing the lantern, and they went to the house side by side. The storm was over, the Christmas stars wore shining, and the star that led tbera was the Star of Bethlehem, the Star of Peace. Josiah Bigelow was very pale when he entered the kitchen. "What have jou got there, father?" asked Mrs. Bigelow. who was nodding In her chair, "dog-tired," as she said. "Hnldy," he said, and his voice was on a high strain, "the Saviour has come on earth again to me in the form of this innocent child; be has showed me the right way in an mstaut uuil that's more'n preach in' has done. Mother, come here, this is our Milly's little boy." Mrs. Bigelow grasped her chair for snpport. "Where is my Milly?" she asked in a hoarse voice. "Have yon drove her to death with your hard ness?" Then with a glad ring in his deep bass voice, Joshiah Bigelow called ex ultantly: "Mildred, your father and mother want yon!" "Mother, my dear mother!" she cried, and tbeir arms were about one another. Grandpa Bigelow sat on the old sofa wiping his eyes. Baby Alden was holding his great thumb with one little band and vainly endeavoring to put it in his mouth. Take the baby Milly. Mother yon'd better set the tea drawin'. I'll go and get some milk; we'll need some thin to warm ns np, and I'll nmke a fire in the best room, and set the bed airiu' for onr little gal and lsy." It was a glad Christmas day that fol lowed, a day of deep meaning to ttem. Each prond spirit bumbled, each anx ious to make concessions to the other; it is a happy home where such abide. Cousin ben and family came to dinner, and ereat was the rejoicing over Milly. After au early supper they went home. A magnificent fire burned in the grate They sat round it, and baby on grandma's lap spread his pink toes to the blaze. Josiah, it seems jnst as if I wanted to hear yoa and Milly sin." He rose, took the key from his ricg, and nn locked tbo organ. "Come, darter, I vowed that no hand bnt yours should ever touch these keys. Many's the time id the past two years my heart has asked to bear yonr voice -"but that all over now. Come." She went to his side, brnsbed the shaggy, gray locks behind his ears caressingly. "What shall we sing, father?" "Sing that hymn, 1 forgit the name, something about Come ye, O come je to Betnlenem." said Mrs. Bigelow. "Ob, yes, mother, the Portuguese Hymn hero it is, father." Mildred's rich contralto voice swelled forth with a solemn gladness, "Come all ye fatthml." Josiah's bass roice quavered at first, bnt soon gathered strength. She bad thought the day before that she conld never sing again, but thero was a joy and peace in this she could not understand it seemed as thoogb her dear, dead love stood near aud blessed her, and her heart and life were consecrated to their, child and to his dear memory. She came back to ber mother's knee and laid ber face besiile her sleeping babe. "Dear heart," said her mother. LOOK INSIDE YOUR WATCH. xlranrrilnary Tael in Coniieellon With tti. Tlmpi"e of Kv?rylT I'-m;. Open your watch and look at thfc little wheels, springs and screws, each in indispensable part of the whole wonderful machine. Not ice the busy little balance wheel as it Hies to and fro unceasingly, day and night, year in and year out. This wonderful little machine is the result of hun dreds of years of studv and experi ment. The watch carried by tha average man is composed of pieces, and its manufacture embraces more than 2.000 distinct and separate operations. Some of the smallest jrrews are so minute that the unaided eye cannot distinguish them from deel filings or specks of dirt. I'ndei a powerful magnifying glass a perfect screw is revealed The slit in the head is 2-1. 000 of an inch wide. II takes SOS.OOO of these screws to weigh a pound, and a pound is worth $l..rS.". The hair-spring is a strip of the finest steel a'wiut inches long and 1-100 inch wide and 27-10.000 inch thick. It is coiled up in spiral form, and tliioiy tempered. The process of tem pering these springs was long held as a secret by the few fortunate ones possessing it, and even now is not generally known. Their manufacture requires great skill and care. The strip is gauged to 20 1,000 of an inch, but no measuring instrument has as yet liccn devised capable of tine enough gauging to determine before hand by the size of the strip what the strength of (he finished sprin? will le. A 1-20,000 part of an inch difference in the thickness of the strip makes a difference in the run ning of a watch of about six minutes per hour. The value of these springs, when finished and placed in watches, is enormous in pronrtion to the mate rial from which they are made. A comparison will give a good idea. A ton of steel made up into hair-springs when in watches is worth more than twelve and one-lia!f times the value of the same we glit of pure gold. Hair-spring wire weighs one-t went ietii of a grain to the inch, (me mile of wire weighs less than half a pound. The balance gives five vibrations every second, lioo every minute, lS,ooo every hour, 432,0n0 every day, and 157,H0,000 eveiy year. At each vibration it rotates about one and one-fourth times, which makes lit", 100,000 revolutions every year. In order that we may letter under stand the st uvendous amount of labor performed by these tiny works let us make a few comparisons. Take, for illustration, a locomotive with six foot driving wheels. Let its wheels be run until they have given the same number of revolutions tlt a watch does in one year and they will have covered a distance eipial to twenty-eight complete circuits of the earth. All this a watch does without other attention than winding one every twenty-four hours. CHRIS I MVS LANLS. A little boy, just beginning to stndy geography, had one certain test by which be distinguished Uie so-culled "civilized" countries from all others. If they wero "Christmas lands" he granted their claims to civilisation, if they were not lands in which the joyous Cliristmas tide was hailoit or held sacred, nothing could persuade the little fellow that they had any right to the term of "civilized," no matter to what degree of perfection they might have attained in the arts of life. In our view I he little boy's test has nlwavs seemed a good one. Christmas keeping is in remembrance of the irreatest message ever delivered to men "I'eace and Good Will.' And these are the chief factors of civilization, tvery war retards the development of the arts and sciences. These can flonri honly in an era of peace. So far the "glad lidings of great joy," which formed the theme of angelic song ever the star lit plaius "where shepherds watehi d their flocks by night," now almost nineteen centuries ago, have not sufficiently elevated the mass of even the most enlightened nations, to canse them to abandon strife and bloodshed. In fact the wars have been greater, ana the destruction more terrible in the nations of Western F.nrope which ac cepted the new doctrines, than in those of Asia which rejected them, yet the general tendencies of the former lmve been more toward peace than these of the latter. In what onr little friend called the "no Christmas lands" we find that fends, revenges, malicious deceit, treacherous murders, atrocious robber ies and all the long train of concomi tant evils are so common thot they scarcely attract the attention of a mo ment. They are considered inevita ble, and even, to a certain extent, praiseworthy: te as long as they are successful. In the "Christmas lands," though many deeds of violence and evil are committed daily, the public sense of right and wrong has been made sensitive enough to be shocked wl en crimes are brought to its notice. This in ittelf, thongh not ail we conld wish for, is a great go n. Since the first Christmas dawned the moral gains of our world have beer enormous in all ways, bnt greatest it the direction of that "charity" wbict is the "greatest of all." Not merely the cold charity that gives with a me chanical pity. Ihe sort that bestows so many tickets, so manv gowns, so many buckets of coal; but the kind that carries the giver's heart into his gift; which makes glad the hearts oi giver and recipient alike. The moral world, like the physical, bas its cycles. With the dawn of the first Christmas" moning there began upon earth the Cycle of Love. It Is of slow growth. So have been all the other cycles, at least in seeming. The sun of each morning seems to be long in rising. Yet at what a furious rate in reality is our earth turning towards his glorious face! Toddlers unwittingly spread infec tious diseases by roa ming from bouse to house. Some years aco. in a village where diphtheria was prevalent, the in mates of the houses escaped it where the peddlers were not allowed entrance. A CHRISTMAS SUIP. A ship from which to unload a cargo of presents on Christmas Day is an excellent entertainment, not only in a private house, bnt at a gathering in a village school room. The most satis factory way of carrying ont snch an exhibition is to represent the ship as laid up for the winter in the Arctic rouions.the dramatic part being carried on by meat s of puppets and the voices of unseen perform rs, concluding with Ihe distribution of toys, ic, to the audience. Tho construction of the ship will not be dilliculr, for the one required will not be a model yacht, but merely a framework covered with cardboard. The materials required Will be a few thin pieces of wood, cardboard, paint or enamel, stung for rigging, wooden bnttons for blocks (nnless yoa cnt ont yonr own blocks, which will be more artistic), and the rails of broken chairs for masts and fcmrs. 1 shonld not recommend a ship of less than 4 feet long, even for a small room; and for any place where there is to be a considerable audience it shonld lie larger. Begin by making founda tions of thin pieces of wood, joined together iu the following shapes (Fig. 3 Next fix these foundations one above the other by upright pieces of wood. If they are 4 feet long, they should be about S inches from one another, and about an inch higher at the bows than at the stern. Keep the framework as linht as possible consistently with strength. The plnces where the masts are to be fixed may be somewhat stronger than the other portions, as the foremast especially must lie steady. 1'Le narrowest lonmlalion is to be the bottom one. Next cct out of cardboard the side of the ship, which will be of this shape (Fig. 2), remembering that Drily that portion of the ship's side is is to be seen which would appear above the water. F'ix tho side to the frame work wi'h glue and nails, and fasten a nurrow strip along the upper part where tho bulwarks begin, nailing it to the nppcr foundation. The shape of the stiip is completed at the bows only. The appearance will be more effective, if the Bhip be placed in a slightly dtagsnsl position, with the rows projecting to the front, than if it I e bri udside on. Fix a properly shaped cut-water between the pieces of CHrd board, aud, if possible! add a figure-head. A sb'p laid np for the winter in tho Arctic regions lowers or strikes ber top-gallant masts and eome of ber yards, and also runs in her jib-boom, leaving oulj" tho short fixed bowsprit; so you will only have to provide lower masts and topmasts. Take care to keep the paco Viet ween the foremast and nisiiimnst as clear from rigging as pos sible, for it is through the square opening between these that the cargo will have to be passed. Yon mnst have a swinging gaff fixed to the foremast, at tho eud of which there will be a block or pulley, throngh which a long string wiil be passed having a hook at one end, to which the presents are to be fastened. It is usual in the Arctic regions to bouse in the deck with a canvas cover ing, and yon will find snch a covering will save much construction, as other wise you wonld have to make a deck with its fittings. You must make the covering in such a way, however, that tho portion between tho foremast anil mainmast can be pn-hed back. (This covering is not depicted by tho artist in our engraving.) To paint the ship, nse either oil paint or enamel. Most mm i merchant ships are blnck, with a white line below the bnlwarks, bnt some times they are white, or very pale green. A ship of this color will have a decidedly wintry effect. Glno a lit tle cotton wadding upon the yards, tbo lops at the heads of the .roasts, and in other places, to represent snow, the canvas covering also receivingthe same treatment. The ship being completed, prepare a stand for it This shonld bo a shelf about 7 f et in length, if the ship is 4 feet long and abont 2 feet wide. There mnst be a pqnare-shaped spa'-e, open at the back, cnt out in this shelf to correspond with the openings in the upper and lower portion of the ship. When the ship is prepared for exhibition, yon wilt cover the shelf with cotton wadding heaped tip in an irregular fashion against the ship's side, to represent an ice floe, but tor convenience of transport it will be best to keep the shin and stand separate. The stand should ret on trestles or other supports, about 4 leet high. The operator, who is to hand the cargo to the gaff, sits on a low seat below, with all the articles at easy reach in a basket or tray. The other end of the string is to hang down in front of the stand within reach of tbo smallest child, who is to draw np a toy. The best plsce in which to exhibit the ship is letween folding doors, with a piano and tbo singers who are to carry on the dramatic part of the per formance in the bacK room. There must be a hanging nailed in fiont of the stand reaching to the floor, aud there should be side curtains reaching to the top of the doorway. There must also be a background hanging behind the ship. Ihe most effective back ground will be a painted sky represent ing either the twihuht of an Arct c midday, or moonlight, Tbo ship should' be lighted by a lamp at one cor ner of the see i e, with the side towards the audience shaded. A blue glass in front of the lamp wil add to the moon light effect. A little dramatic performance mnst also be invented, as otherwise the mere exhibition of the ship aad the J rawing ont of tho gifts from the hold will te a tame affair for as evening a entertainment. I will give a brief ont line of a mnst cal drama which ran be worked np, according to the supply of voealistii. and two pnppets will be sufficient for the proposed performance. A puppet is worked on the Punch principle--that is to say, it consists of bead, with a hole at the neck, into which the fore finger is thrust, the coat, which is fast ened round the neck of the puppet, falling over the baud, and the thumb and second finger fitting into tho sleeves. The two beads required are those of the Captain of the ship and of a Cabin Boy. They would be cut out of wood, and painted, and their size will depend on the szo of the ship. Kongh coats can be made of odd pieces of fur or flannel, and need not be of any particular shape, as only the head, shoulders, and arms of the figure are shown. The ends of the sleeves can be tied np to represent sailors' mittens, as their fingerless gloves are culled; but they mnst be stiffened, as otherwise they will bang loose from tho tips of the thnmh and second finger. The performers required are a boss for the captain, a treble for the cabin boy, nnd a sailors' chorus of male voices. Tbo vocalists stand close to tbo back hang ing, and the operator, who is to work the nnrpets, takes bis place below the ship, iu such a position that he can raise his hands easily just above the bulwarks. As the cnrtain draws np the captain will be heard singing an effective sea song, .snch as "A life on the ocean wave." As the last verse is finishing, the puppet captain will push aside the canvas covering between me masts, and exhibit his head and shoulders over the bulwarks. He will theu de liver a little speech. Caitain. A merry Christmas to yon all, my hearties! I'm the skipper of tho stout whale ship Happy P.eturn, and here we are all laid up snug to keep our Christmas near the North Pole. But a merry Christmas we mean to have, don't we my lads (turn ifl round as if to speak to the men bfhiwl hi in). Sailor. Ay-e, aye sir! That wo Io. . Then follows a sailors' chorus, such as one of those in "Pinafore." The chorns over, the captain calls the cabin boy, and tho other puppet appears by h's side. Cabin Bijy. Aye, aye, Sir! Captain. Well Jack, my lad. how do yon find yourself this Christmas time, fit and flourishing? Cabin Boy. Well, Sir, I van think ing about Christmas at home, and mother and 1 was dreaming lat night as I heard our church bells ringing. Chimes may bo played behind tho scenes while the boy continues to speak about his home, and then some snch song as Claribel's "Village Bells" may be sung. This scene between the cap tain and the cabin boy may be con tinued for some time, and then the captain ends with some snch words as tbee 'Cheer np, my lad, stick to your duty, and some "day you'll be skipper of a whaler, I'll wager." The cabin boy can finish with an ap propriate song, and then goes below. The csptain also announces Lij in tention of "turning in," bnt makes a little speech before he does 60, saying that ho has not forgotten his friends at home, bnt as be cannot get to them, ho invites them to come and pay his ship a visit, and to do him the favor of unloading the cargo. Another song for the captain can be introduced here. When the captain has disappeared, the operator below slides off the can vas so as oren tho bold, and prepares to hook on tho various articles of cargo, and tho audience come np in order to the 6hip, and draw ont their presents. The ship having been emptied, the captain can appear again to wish his friends good night, and then, while a blue or red light (accord ing to the character of the scene) is bnrning, the chorus of sailors sing "Hail Columbia," and the curtain drops. A. J. F. PERSONAL. Mwe. Sapt-Cabnot, wife of the President of France, is a woman of rare accomplishments and tact. She has tho reputation of being the best read woman in France. Mire. Sactikr, the wife of a well known Viennese restaurateur, collects autographs by askiDg her guests to write their names in penoil on the tablecloth, which she afterwards em broiders. Her latest autographs are those of the loDg-distan:e riders, in cluding Duke Lrnest of Schleswig. Holstcin, who dined at the 'restaurant after the event. The onlv college in Scotland for the university education of women is Queen Margaret College, founded in 18-vl. The buddings are the gift of Mrs. Eder. These and the endow ments will be reserved for the exclus ive of education of women, bat the college will be incorporated with Glss gow University as its department for women. Mrs. Maboatet Scixitax, a well known journalist of Chicago, estab lished three years ago a unique organ ization in tho "Foreign Book Club," of which 6he is president. Tho mem ber smeet fortnightly at Inneh at each other's houses, and a new foreign book is on each occasion the subject of dis cussion. Ladt Temxtson has in her portfolio, the Daily Few learns, a large num ber of melodies set to her hubband's words. Some of them, with pianoforte accompaniments by Miss Jauotha, have been performed, but others are either mere sketches, or have not been eiven to the world. In the course of next year we are likely to hear more of tbera, Doctob Matvt E, Bradford, tht, American Presbyterian missionary at Tabriz, Persia, who has done such noble medicinal work among the Per sians in the late cholera epidemic, 1s a native of Lexington, Illinois, and is ouly about thirty years old. She re ceived her diploma in 1SS7 from the ! Woman's Medical College of Chicago, and was afterward a surgeon in the New England Hospital in Boston. She was sent to Persia in 18SS. Mat Jacksos of New London, Conn., a stndent at Smith College, is credited with learning in one year as much Greek as usually requires three years hard study. Her Greek papers were sent to Yale, and wonld have ad mitted her there. MiS3 Dickers, daughter of the nov elist, states that in the Little Nell ol the "Old Curiosity Shop" mnch of the character of her Aunt Mary, a sister ol Airs. Dicktns, who died when little more than a qLild, is reproduced. . ) LAUGH ASD GKOVV FAS. A HEALTHY TONIC FOR IN VALIDS OF ALL KINDS. flttinonm As4cdot9 Glcan9d from Tart out Soaioftj ometlilug to Hd Which Will Kake An body Siop WU Better Than UodicUi When I.kn tleioT K. Urine. To Whom? She was a spectacled young woman from Boston visiting in Virginia for the first time. In the even ing an owl in an old tree down the road began to hoot. "To whoo! to whoo!" came the weird and lonesome call. The young woman stepped to the open window to listen. "To whoo! to whoo!" came the call gain. "What's that?" she icquried. "An owl," said her hostess. "Indeed." and her spectacles went op critically. "Well, all 1 have to say is its language is frightfully un grammatical." Detroit Tilbune. She Wil Sooted. M3. Henpcck Take that down igain and I'll show you how to put L jp right. You never did understand luch matters anyway, and v. Mr. Ilenpeck (.is the pipe suddenly comes down) Well, thcie! I hope you're sooted now. ltival Attraction. Snooper Lid you enjoy your visit o Niagara, Swayback? Swayl'-ack Not very well. I was sucezing and snuiBiDg all the time I Has there. "Did that intefere with your enjoy ment.?" "Of course it did. I was doins ths catarrh act myself." Smith, Gray Co.'s Monthly. Heart Rending. She What's your idea of unhappi ness? lie (tenderly) Ericg away frorti "ou. What's yours? She An undecided man in a dru store trying to make up his mind anion seven different kinds of sarta tarda. The Same This;. Helen ITyler Have you ecr read James Whitcomb Riley's beautiful poem "Knee Deep in June?" Jack Lever (looking at his muddy trousers) No; but I've been ankle I deep In April all day. Exchange, Enough, to Staitle Hln. Editor Well, sir, did vou interview that woman as I directed? I Reporter I saw hcr; but she re i fused to talk. I Editor (startled) Was she dead? lenerai Manager. Lived in Hat- Eargiar Don't move; hand over four money. "One question, please. ;' Burglar What is it? "Are you the janitor or simply tha owner of the property." Puck. Not to Be Grasped. "I cannot understand Cleopatra she is too great for me to grasp, " said Hicl-1. Well, I hope vou won't try," faiJ Mi v nicks, somewhat scandalized. JCrerr Doe Hu Eli Day. Mr. S. Picken Span n Ah! is the Dalmatian the fashionable dog, this season, Miss rhayre? Miss Fanny T. Phayre Oh, no! I only wear the coach dog with this sewn. Puck. Lero? Brownbrid"?, an employe of a - . i. -fx 1 r .1 . , j ?ouiti oeii'J .iiio. t lacwLv, ouerzeu so jvio'ently the other day th-it he dislo cates ris snouuer. A 2Cew Torfe ovster-honse keeper has discovered In a little neck clam a pearl, for which he has already been offered a good price. A society was organized in .New York in 17SG for the encouragement of American woolens. The society's rules forbade eatlncr mutton or lamb or the daughter of sheep. NWi IX BlUEF. Caligula made his torse & Roxai senator. The helmet of .Richard L weizLti 2-3 pounds. Th pul'ry-dravva cross-bow hua d range o forty rod-. Eich wiu of the ostrich iuiLiahea 20 long while plumes. Projecting enoitei were first tu. vented by the Greeks. Mixed chain and plate armor was usd from l:l(Vj to 1 110. Iamas?iM bluett s were famous nil over the woild B. C. 100. The Chinese Ho!y Land is India, tne nathe laud or Buddha, Dj la Iteyniere's "Alm.inach des Gouruia .dj" Is the mot famous cooi book. Vjttel.Conde'scTok.Uiiled himself la despair because the Uih came too late for dinner. The noble army of commercial travelers iu the United States numbers 310,000 ruenilers, Cross-bowmen were always attend ed by shiel.'-bearers, who protected them iu action. Drowning, as a punishment of crime, was legdlv enforced in Scotland up to the year l'.Tl. The great Bank of Venice, which opened iti doors la 1192, continued tu do business 00) years. At banquets duricz Qaeen Iiti beth's time, every eueot came with his spoon iu his pocket. The postal service In States was urst e.-t.iblished way in the fail of 177'J. The Egyptl'i-js and the the United la a small PcBnicians are joint claimants for the-hcUiur of the Invention of water craft. 'J he seats of a GreeS theatre, wen arranged as at present, but tun p.uquet was given up to the Ciiorus. Some EugKs'i capitalists hav6 formed a conn any for the acclimatiza tion i f elephants in South America. A bird in tho Loudon KZio,'' a sheldrake, has apparently committed suicide ou account of the death of its Oiate. A recent experiment has proved that cairier piteous may le nust.d ta convey messages from ships several hundred miles at sea. A tree in Ashbiirnham, Mass. has two kinds of foliage, that of a pine anu that if an oak. In the fall of the yeac buirs fall cu one side and acorns on the other. A cfcr.m mrde for the United S'stes government at T.oy, X, in 15S3, was six miles and h fraction in lei)gth. It was m;de or bars of iron each 2 1-3 isciies in diameter. A mare on the Buena Vista farm. Sonoma City, Cal , cave birth to twina one day recently. Strange to sav one of the colts Is a horse and the other a ruuie. Bjth are ahva aad doing well. e A shark recently wished ashore at Midian, Kiitish Columbia, had two distinct tuls, three perfect eyes, and what appeared to be t'le rudiment of a fin or flipper hauging to the under jaw. An American ball eaule settled upon the spire of the Baptist Church at -aneer, Cil., a few davs ago. He was killed with a rfla bullet, a&d measured six feet fioui tip to lip. There 's a denominational educa tional institution In New England which numbers among Its students ft younj man respectively from Kioto, Jat-'du; Thessaloidcii, Greece and Ice laud. Elizabeth City, 2s. C., has a won derful Tieak ol nature, it is claimed, in the share of a live caif with a bulldog's head. It Is further stated that the entiiehea l has all the formations ot the bulldog. A Kennsbunk, Me., lady has made pets of live field crickets. Each has a Lame, aud seems to know it when spoken. They are peculiarly sensitive to music, always chirping " while any musical instrument is in use. The Royal Sovereign cf the Brliiih Navy i3 the tro?t powerful warship afloat. Beside her heavy armament she lias gevi-ral rapid Orinc guDB to keep oil torpedo boats. They are woiked with wonderful speed, Complete statistics of the great fire at Si. John's, Newfoundland, have just leen issued. The number ot houses destioyed was ,3'0. the Lum ber of fam l.es burned out 1,S"4, and the total number of persons burned out, 10 231. The Navj Department has issnei an order that hereafter in firing salutes wbh bia' k charces only black powder shall be used, nnd ti e guns sponged after each round. The brown pris mat'c powder must be used ouly when fjiii'3 proj-cdes. A crrn-husking contest of 501 ears, for S3-) dollars a side, took place re cently in Australia, the winner's time be.ng twenty-eight minute-, forty eight seconds, and the losei's time twenty-nine, minutes ten seconds. William Patrick of K-eve town sb'r, Ir.d., baited a book with worms while Dsidtig in the AVh.te river. The bait was swallowed by a two-pound cat fish, who In tu.n was swallowed by a slxty-pouni'er. Mr. Patrick succeeded in landing both ti-h. The Japanese method of cultivating the cucumber is quiie mi que. They drop the se 1 in double rows on a bed, and when the plants tegin to form Tines they aie bri she I as we brush pe;,3 With the brush of iwo a;!jolnin. rows leaning against each o her. M'. Town'enj of AnacorteF.Wash., mie a pecul ar catcu the oilier lay while fishing, ltai jiears that a dog fish had swallowed the bait and hook and a shark in tutu swa'lo el ihe dog fish. The s' ark measiireu 7 t et long and Weih'd aiiout. 1G0 pounds. 51MB. CnrtisTtAS Nn ssox has given $,! 09 towards founding an hospital in Prunce, esi ccialiy intended for the euro of diseases of the throat. Such mnnificenc- on the part of the famous singer is the resnlt of an early vow. Mine. Nilsson, whose parents were very poor, had o'ten shivered under the cold blast of wintry Sweden. When she was about seven years of age she was attacked with croup, and bad to be conveyed to a small bqsuital at Cbrisna, Such attention was paid to her tbat she was able to tsenpe the danger which at one time threatened her. Hence the vow nnd its fulfilment A 5!it s WniTNTX White, an Amer ican girl, has made a successful appear af ie In Berlin as a soprano singer. ' A
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers