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.
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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