4- A, nl n The wiioie art ok Government consists in the art of being honest. Jefferson. , .. . " ' ' " ' ' . . STROUSBURrG, MONROE COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY DECEMBER 26, 1$50. No. 17. fM"""g 1 qjgg- , . , , . ..... ,. . .... "TSS55w,snggBBB' 8 i1111'" imiwj.uiMMg buhiiiihii wmU- ..,. .rtt. .a !...--'- -t-- T.--- ft t r . - " 7- 7i Jl " ' "1 ' ' "T VOL. 11 "-'''I '.' V (Published by TUcodore Schooli tpp f ; -rvL-n .inlinrs ncr annum in advance Tw o dollars iS; fisr 1-2 cents, nerveiin extra No discontinued until all arrearages are paid, except rrvAdvertisements not exceeding one square (sixteen lines) wMbe inserted three weeks for one dollar, and twenty-five rents for every subsequent insertion. The charge for one and three insertions the same. A liberal discount made to jearly a(C7AUJetters addressed to the Editor mnst be post-paid Having a general assortment of large, elegant, plain and orna description of Gurcfs.' Circulars, Bill Heads, Notes JJUSTICES, legal and other ?'f PAMPHLETS, &c. "Pi-iiited with neatness and despatch, on reasonableterms AT THE OFFICE OF THE ' iJeffer.souiaii Republieau. The Gciitle Word. Al gentle word hath a magical power The weary breast to beguile, It gladdens the eve, it brightens the brow, Ahd changes the tear to a smile ; Iu the genial sunshine it sheds around, ..-The. shadows of care depart, And we feel in its soothing- and friendly tone There's a balm for the wounded heart. Oh! watch thou, then, that thy lips ne'er breathe A bitter, ungentle word, For that which is lightly and idly said, Js often too deeply heard. And though for the moment it leaves no trace, (For pride will its woes conceal,) Remember, the spirit that's calm and still V Ia always the first to feel. It may not be in thy power, perchance, To secure a lofty place, And blazon thy name upon history's page As a friend to the human race, But oft in the daily tasks of life, Though the world behold thee not, Thy kind and considerate words may .soothe A desponding brother's lot. ,t TTis well to walk with a cheerful heart, Whererer our fortunes call, With .a friendly glance, and an open hand, , And a gentle word for all ; Since life is a thorny and difficult path, Where toil is the portion of man, We all should endeavor, while passing along, To make it as smooth as we can. . From Chambers Journal. "The Blind Squatter. 'Nearly four hundred miles up the Trinity river, Texas, at the extreme point to which flat bottomed 6tcamb6at8 ran up in search of cotton and other productions, is Robbins Ferry. Below the river is narrow with high, sleep banks, within the deep phadow of which the waters roll noiselessly and and swiftly towards the ocean, while groves of somewhat stunted trees tun down to the very edge of the cliffi: here however.the stream expands into a broad and shallow lake, the shore3 of which are lovv and even unsightly as is generally the rase in Texas. We arrived at a' landing place three miles below the junction of the lake and river, late one night, and early the next morning 1 was paddling up a gainst the stream in a light bark canoe, which hav ing but a slight hold in the water, served better to stem the current than one of larger dimensions. For some time I continued within the shadows of the cliffs in comparative gloom:, but after a some what fatiguing hour my eye first caught a glimpse of the'Shallow lake, where I had hoped to find sufficient abundance of wild fowl to glut my most murderous appetite as a sportsman. The, dawn had long-since passed, but nature appeared yet a sleep, so calm, so still was that almost untrodden hpot. Gliding swiftly out of the influence of the current, I allowed my canoe to stand motionless, wliile 1 gazed around. Far as the eye could reach, spread a perfect wilderness of waters, for ward and to the right and to the left, perfectly un ruffled, for,, not so much as a blade of grass or a leaf was stirring on the shore. Here and there rose huge trunks of trees, borne from above by the almost periodical -inundations, and which reach ing some shallow part, became stationary, until time and decay removed them from' their resting place; Snags were visible all around, while a low'bushy island lay about' a quarter of a mile to the southward. The water sparkling in the sun, revealing at some distance the presence of hun dreds of ducks, geese, and swans floating upon the surface; for some time they remained unheed. ed, so charmed was I by the quiet beauty of the landscape; but at length the prospect of a late breakfast awoke my .killing propensities, aud rais tngmy paddle I gave a true Indian sweep, and glided, noiselessly towards the little island above alluded to. - My progress . was, rapid, but not ,a. sound could have been detected save by an aboriginal. The hovy of ducks which had drawn me in that direc tion was sailing towards the island-, and I was within gun shot long before I was perceived, as better to deceive them, t lay almost on my face and paddled with my hands. At length I allowed the canoe to drift with' wliatever impulse it. had VtyVP&S -received; and clutching my double bar rUed apology for a Joe JVlanton, rose in the boat. ere,fhow(ever, 1 coujdjgain my feet, crackj crack! vent two barrels of a fowling .piece, a whistling w;a.heard .cldseto tnyearand the ducks,, gave andi.ajccepfrfrjfewlivtctims,. flew 4awy withiatloudi iu$t!ing of wings. I was astounded. My first Jtas SSffi HLKiraSlA , Those who recede their pulse was to reTurn tftg fife at random ; as the dea of Indiahs-'crossed trWliraTw. i ' I could, however, plainly detect the "presence of a fowling-piece by the peculiar report, while it was clear the' ducks had bee h the object aimed at. Still the proximity of the lead to my ears was far from pleasant, and I hastened to prevent a recur rence of so dangerous an experiment. " Hallo friend," cried I in a loud and somewhat angry voice, "are you, duck shooting or man shooting, because-Pd like toknow !'' A man rose instant ly above the bushes ; "Merciful Heaven !" cried he, 'have . I wounded you.sir! Come in, I will ex plain this accident.' 1 readily complied aud a few minutes placed me beside the sportsman. I at once saw that he was blind. NeaTly six feet high, thin, even gaunt, he presented a most remarkable appearance. Clothed in the ordinary garb of a backwoodsman, there was an intellectuality, and even nobility of character in his features, which struck me forci bly while the sightless orbs revealed the cause o f what nearly proved a fatal accident. " You are not alone ? said I glancing curiously around the the bushes. M am,' he replied smiling quite a- lone. But let me most sincerely beg your pardon for having endangered your life.' No excuse said I depositing the victims of his folly at his feet; 'but if you would explain to me how you are alone, and how being here, you are thus em ployed, you will assuage a very strong feeling of curiosity.' With pleasure,1 he replied, ' I owe you an ex planation, and besides he continued, I believe we are countrymen, and the meeting gives me true delight.' (I am an Englishman,' I said. ' And I am a Scotchman. In Britain it makes us countrymen, in a strange land it makes us brothers.' Struck with the blind man's manner, I loaded, prairie fashion, a couple of corn-cob pipes with some excellent leaf tobacco, and handing him one, seated myself quietly by his side. Closing his eyes from habit, as if to read the past, be was si- ent for a few moments. 'My name is Campbell,' he said without further preface 'and by trade I am a cabinet maker. To begin at the beginning. When I was twenty, and that is not so long ago as you think. I received an offer to go to New York. I was engaged to be married to a sweet cousin of mine. Poor Ellen! I could not go with out her, and yet it was, they said, over young to marry. Still the offer was good, and rather than ose the opportunity of advancing myself, they all consented it should be a wedding. The day after our happy union, we sailed for the far west.' We reached New York in safety; I entered up on my employment, with a firm and settled deter mination to secure if not a fortune a competence. Wages in thoso days were very high : I was a workman; my master had confidence in me, and besides my wages as a journeyman paid me a salary as foreman and clerk. Determined to lose no opportunity ol advancement, i kept all his books after my regular day's work was done. I saved more than half my earnings, and was hap- pv as an industrious man can be ; and if he, sir, cannot 'be happy 1 do not know who can.' ' You are right,' said 1, 'an honest, sober, in dustrious, working man, with ample employment, respected by his master, with a little family about lim, can be the happiest of created beings. His wants are all supplied without the cares and troubles of wealth. So it was with mo, I was very chappy. At the end often years I had, saved a large sum and then, and only then, my wife pre sented me with my first and only child.' With the consent, and by the advice oven of my employer, who had my true interest at heart, I determined to start in business for myself; but not in New York. New Orleans was a money-making, busy place, and thither I moved. My suc cess was unexpectedly great; my own workman ship was eagerly bought up, and I employed many men at the enormous wages of the South. Two misfortunes, however, now clouded my felicity, both attributable to my desire for independence.. The south did not agree with ray wife, and ere I could restore her to a genial climate, she died. Sir, my sorrow was the sorrow 1 hoped, of a man and a Christain, but I fell it sorely. He only who has seen wife or child removed from him by death, can estimate my feelings. Existence for a time was a blank I worked mechanically, but no more did hgr cheerful voice, encourage my labors. I ate, 1 drank, ah, sir! it was then I missed her at tho morning meal,, at dinner, over the tea-board, As my eyes, rested on the empty chair, on, the op posite side of the table, I could see it in the ac customed form, and then, my heart seemed to turn cold, and the very blood ceased to flow. He who. has not lost a wife or child, knows not the real sorrows of this world. It' is the severest trial man is ever put to. Well, sir she died, and I was left alone with a little image of herself my El len. A gayer, happier being, never lived always smiling always singing. In time she brought back some joy to my heart.' 'One morning 1 awoke with a peculiar sensation at my heart I had caught the yellow fever. 1 I will not detail the history of this illness. Suf fice, that it was three months ere I was restored to health, and then by some extraordinary accidont, it proved that I was blind; while my'business was gone from me. I knew not what to do. You know, sir, the usual course of ruined men in New Orleans ; they sell off secretly, shut their shutters, wjrjte G. T T. (Gone to Texas) or) the door and are no more heard pf. But I sir could hot do'thf. I was, however ho longer fit for business; a quiet retreat in the woods' -was my best course ofpro ceeding. Besides, my-health was .shattered and I should not. haved-flised im New. Orleans. Ac- cordinely I contrived lo raiise a thousand fdollars when I wound up my. accounts, and with this and a negro slave, 1 and my child started for Texas Blind, I was not fit to cope with men, and . my object" therefore" was to retire as far as was con sistent with safety into the woods.' ' Eight years ago I journeyed up this river, and reached this very spot. Francisco my negro was a devoted and faithful fellow and worked hard because I Was a good master to liim.. We e rected a hut upon the shore; it was a laborious op eration, but was at length finished. I have said I was a cabinet maker; so was my negro; we there fore furnished the place elegantly for a backwoods dwelling. 'Now to speak of my daughter. When we left New Orleans she was 8 years old, and up to that age had been most carefully educated, her exis tence being of course, that of a town girl. You know the lazy luxurious habits of that pestelen- lial city, and how little they fit one for roughing life, in the woods. Well, Nelly trdnsplated hither, persevering and increasing her accomplishments, and yet she had become a perfect prairie bird. Her fingers ply the needle required to make these coarse garments; she and Francisco prepare them for use. We have a female slave, Francisco's wife, but hers is out door work, and Nelly makes butter, cooks, aye, sir, and even cleans. And he is quite happy, singing all the day long ; and if half an hour can be fotind for a book she is in Paradise. ' Singular as-it may seem I do most of tho hunt ing, at all events, all the wild fowl shooting. With the dawn I am up, and in my dug-out, which I pull, While Nelly steers, I land here, while she returns to prepare breakfast. With my loss of sight I have gained a'n additional strength of hearing. 1 can' detect immediately the approach of the ducks and geese on the Water, and if once they come near enough, I am sure not to waste my powder and shot. After a couple of hours she re turns for me. Her time is now nearly up ; you shall see her, and breakfast at New Edinburgh.' At this instant a diminutive sail caught my eye at the distance of a hundred rods. Rising, I per ceived a small canoe gliding before a slight breeze which had risen, and rapidly approaching. The foresail and mainsail concealed its occupant; but presently a melodious voice was carrolling a mer ry ditty. 4 There is my child,' said Champbell, his voice hushed to a whisper, ' there is my child, I never hear her sing but I see her mother before me." ' Well, father,' cried Nelly, taking in her little sail, 'no ducks for me to pick up, not one. You arc unlucky this morning.' At this moment sbe caught sight of my naval uniform and stopped short. 'This gentleman was kind enough to pick them up for me and- you must give him a seat in the boat.' Nelly approached. Though tanned by ihe sun, one could see the blue eyed Scotch girl in her. Light curls fell from beneath her vast straw hat', over her shoulders, while a simple fur pelisse, and buckskin mocasin, with red worsted stockins, was all her visible attire.' But never had I seen anything more graceful or more elegant. A woman and yet a girl, she had j evidently the feelings of the first, and the joyous artlessness of the second. We were friends di rectly In a few minutes more wo were sailing for the shore, and In a quarter of an hour were in sight of New Edinburgh. To my surprise 1 discovered a substantial log but with several out houses, Indi an corn-fields, while pumpkins, &c, flourished in abundance. Two cows wore grazing in the neigh borhood ; as many horses were near them; while pigs and fowls were scattered jn all directions. I was amazed ; the blind Scott's industry was no novel in Texas. I expressed my surprise. 'Eight years of perseverance can do much,' said Camp bell quietly; 'thank Heaven, I am very happy, and my Nelly will not be left a beggar. ' But you must find her a steady hard-working young man for a husband,' returned I, 'to preserve all this.' ' I think,' said he, smiling, 'if you were to ask Nelly, she would tell you that was done al ready.' The slightly heightened color of the moi ken was her only answer and at that moment we reached the landing, where the negro couple and their pickaninies were standing. The slaves were sleek and hearty, and showed their teeth merrily. Campbell led the way to tho house, which was, for Texas, superabundantly furnished. Comfort arid abundance was everywhere. The breakfast was, to a hunter, delicious, consisting of coffee, hot corn cakes, venison steaks and wild honey, wild cold turkey graced the center of the boaid. What I enjoyed, however, better than the break fast, was the attention of the daughter to her blind fater. He seated himself at the board, and Nel ly after having .first helped me, supplied all his wishes with a care, and a watchfullness which was delightful.tp beholds She anticipated all his desires, her whole soul being seemingly bent to give him pleasure. She was in fact more like a mother with a child than a daughter with a father in the prime of life. Breakfast conculded, we talk ed again of his history, particularly since his ar rival in Texas. Tie routine of the day was simple enough ad they explained to me. The negroes owned by the father apd daughter worked in the fields from dawn till six in the evening; the father fasipned some rural implement, aq axe pr plough handlq, while the daughter plied, her, needle They breAkfasted at half past six, dined athajf pas eleven, and sup ped at six. After this meal, Nelly generally read to her, father ;,foi4wo 4)Wh .Thoi,r library,, was gnbd,uicludinggQneral standard, works,, and the firtfpunyojufnesfi'Ghatnbers Edinbuig Ji)urn?j it 5trt w Campbell went out into the air after a little while to talk to the negroes, and 1 was left alone with Nelly. I took advantage of his absence to learn more of her character. Not a retrret nor a wish for the busy world of which she read so much! while it was clear to me that her lover, whoever he was, had only succeeded by promising to liveirunn,nK f,rt' Race sireei below Sixth.) was a- with her father. To leave her blind parent seeui-1 bout m bring a bucket of watnr from the By'-' ed to her of those impossibilities which scarcely draut last night.hhe found an old basket sns ever suggested itself to her mind. Yes, Nelly pendd from ihe knob of her front door. Pat- uuuipueu v.aa a uweei creature, pernaps me on ly romantic recollection I bore with me from Tex as. I remained with them all day; 1 visited their whole farm; I examined Nelly's favorite retreat, in a grove at the rear of the house and then left them. We parted with a regret which was mutual a .re gret which strange to say, was quite painful on my side and I never saw them again. Still I do not lose sight of them. I always wrote bv tha steamer to Nelly, and many a long letter I obtain ed in reply.. More and more did I discover that she was a daughter only, and that even a husband must for a time" hold a second place in her heart. At length she wrote 'And now, sir, I am married, and am happy though I almost regret the step, as I can no longer irive mv whole time to mv dear blind father. TTe is, however, so happy himself, that 1 must reskn'T00 bo would think that such a staid. myself to be less his nurse, especially as the only quarrel John and 1 have is, as to who shall wait on him. If he has lost part of his daughter, he has found a son.' This picture of happiness made me thoughtful, and I owned that great as is the bles sing of civilization, yet do I think if 1 were an old blind man, I would be a backwood squatter with a daughter such as Nelly. I heard no more from them, as I soon returned to England, and the busy life of the world and oth er avocations have always prevented my writing. Should L however, ever re-visit Texas, my first care would be to run up the Trinity, and more en joy hospitality at the table ofthe Blind Squatter. Bussiau Superstition about Potatoes. When potatoes were introduced into Rus sia, towards the end of the last eentury, the people conceived a great diblike to them and called them ihe " Devil's fruit," on account of some foolish tales that had been told of this now almost indispensable edible. One of the stories, was, (hat they were created on purpose for ihe Devtl when he complained on being turned out of the garden he had no fruit. He was told to dig for it which be did, and found potatoes. Hence (he common people of Rus sia, who are very aupe.rstiiiou, would neither plant nor eat them at first. There is a curious and somewhat similar1 tale in Scotland, about the introduction of po tatoes into that country at a period long before that assigned in history for their introduction by Sir Walter Raleigh. The lengend is that ono Michael Scott, who was called tho Wizard of the North, entered inio a compact with the Devil to rent a farm in partnership. The Devil was to furnish rooittry and ihe Wizard do ihe labor, giving him alternate crops. That is, the first year, he was to have all that grew below the surface and the next year all that grew above, and the Wizard the other part. Thinking to outwit the Djvil, he planted ail his land in wheat the first year and all in potatoes the next, so the Devil got nothing but stubbie and vines. But he beat the Wizard at last, for the eevere system of cropping exhausted the land, so the Wizard could neither raise wheat nor potatoes, and he was obliged to grow more honeal to his land as well as to his landlord. It would be well for some farmers at the present day, who follow iho same dishonesi course, in the cultivation of rented land, as well as their own, to take the hint, or they may find themselves in a fuir way of being1 ru ined. Some of ihe first cultivators of potatoes pic ked and eat tho balls-, and conceived a violent dislike to the new kind of fruit, and at once said potatoes were good for nothing. Opin ions have very much changed sinco then. R. Ashes are Deodorizers. It is a fact of which few persons are aware, that both wood and coal ashes are disinfectants for animal and vegetable odors, when brought into contact with them. So effectual are tnoy for thia purpose, that human feces when buried in them, at once ceaao to give off any offensive smell. This proporty renders thorn of much ! vnhiB for citv. or even country orivies, where it as an object to use these rich manures. By throwing a quantity of ashes into a box to cover their droppings, they are at onco ren dered inodorous, while they retain most of their enriching properties till the owner chooses to transfer ihem to his land, when it can be done without any inconvenience from their smell In consequence of the presence of ao largo a quantity of the alkalies in ashes, a poition of ihe incipients for forming ammoniu is driven off, and for this reason charred Tuel, as wood coal, or half-burned peat, is better. Bui in ihe absence of these, ashes of ihese may form an oconmical, and in most cases, an entirely con venieht lubstiiuto. Tho ashed from a small, single grate nave oeen lounu suuicicw m neu tralise, the effluvia from the fecea.of a family of a dozen persons. Here, then, is a triple bene fit procurable gratuitously a benefit o Iho health, io the comfort, and io the community. Go it, Boots !" A Mrs. Boots, of Penn sylvania, has left her husband, Mr. Boots, arid strayed to parts unknown. Wn presume, that the pair of Boots are rights and lefts. We can not say, however, that Mrs. Boots is right ; bui there is no mistake that Boots himself is left. A Good Country: An IriaHrrfa writing from California, says---"!!' an elegant country. The bedbugs arenas big aa dinner pots, w.BilJ the fleas are used for crossing creeks with ; oimJiap andafoeajovcr, wll.li. m, Pf : their backs": i; 9 - t. - ' ' - ' ? ' yoouldlc atfdW .o-borrlTm' & Queer W'.doi'S up ihe " Town Fran'- cies' for ihe Pennsyhanxan. The followingja". a sample : Cixr Police. November 5. A FoundlinT.. A Mrs. Esther Siausbury, (residing in a Court "ng her hand imo ihe basket, she felt sorhe ihing alive and kicking but so enveloped in rags thai no further discovery could be made wiihout unwrapping the object. A piece of paper folded like a letter, lay by the side of the aniHiatud bundle. Mrs. Stansbury immedi ately returned into ihe house and by the lanip examined the billet. It was addressed io her husband. She tremulously broke the seal and read as follows : To Joe Stansbury : Sir. 1 send you th baby, which you will please to take good care of and bring up right, so that it may turn out to be a better man than, its daddy Oh Joseph ! what a sly old rake sooer oiu jpmuie-tnanas could ba such a tormg down dinner t The child is vours. You mav swear to ihat. Look at it it is Joa Stansbury aj over You deceived ma .hamefully, Joseph, letting on to be a widower but do a father' part by the young one and I'll fogive you. Your heart broken. Nancy. P. S. Don't let that sharp nosed wife of yours see this letter. Gammon her with some kind of a story about th baby N. Mr. Sanvbury was in ih baemnt kitchen quieily eating his supper and little imagining what a storm was brewing over his head. The door of the kiu-hen stair-case was vio lently thrown open and Mr. S'i voice yelled out Stansbury ; come up here you villain ; here's a mess for you !"--The astonished Stansbury hastily wiped his mouth and obeyed ihe summons. "Don'i you want to see Nancy? the heart-broken Nancy " cried Mrs. Stansbury, when her guilty husband had hobbled up into the roonu "Nancy ! whai Nancy's that?" said the sly old rogue in well-feigned perplex ity. " Why Nancy the mother of this baby that's been hung up at your door, Mr. Stansbu ry. Oh you look migbty innocent ; but just read that letter and then look into that basket. Don't be affraid it wont bite. its got no teeth, poor thing ! you'll know it, for as your huz zy says, it is junt like you all over. Pleaso goodness, I'll expose you bfor every body." And in less than fire minutes, Mrs. Stansbu ry had collected a room full of spectators, (half of ihe inhabitants of the Court) to wit ness the process of unwrapping the baby. Anxious expHCtation sat on every countenance, as the lady tore away rag after rag from the the body ofthe foundliug,--wiih vigorous more menis which astonished every body. " It i full of the devil already," said Mrs. S. that shows it is his, you'll soon sea that it is tike him in every thing." At last, all the swad dling clothes being removed, out jumped tho baby and made its escape through the open door : It was a big tom-cat. The Stansburies had been victimized by a practical joke, the con trivance of which was traced io a female neigh bor. Mrs. S. who has no taste for fun of that kind, made her complaint against the suspec ted party, but an the inck appeared to be with out malltce, no binding over took place. An Impressive Lesson ! Sentence of Tar. This notorious burglar has1' been sentenced ai Toronto o 20 yrar hard labor in tho Provincial Penitentiary. He was found guilty on two indictments, and condem ned to ten years' imprisonment on each. When brought up io hear the judgment of the Court, he was asked if he had any thing to say why the penalty of the law should not be pronounced against him. He replied as follows : " No, my Lord ; 1 have violated the laws of my country, I have been tried by an impartial jury and convicted, and I humbly bow to their decision, throwing myself entirely upon tho leniency and mercv ofthe Court. There are. however, two avors wntcn l wouiu asK. It a f u Jn .ilQ doc!t jare a3j, a favor . firg, lna, as I have no means of my own, though a por tion of the money taken from me belonged to myself, the Court would see my counsel prop erly feed, since ho has ably, though unsuccess fully, defended mo. The second is, that when I am sent to the penitentiary, they would in tercede and have me taught some irade or pro fession, iu order, that, should I erer be released from it, 1 may be able to earn an honest liveli hood. I attribute my present course of life solely to the circumstance that I was never brougt up to ant trade. Should I not be taught any. occupation while in the penitentiary, when" 1 come out I shall be friendless, homeless, penntlua aud lagged ; and 1 must necessarily resume my old habits and become what Iwas before, a' robber !"' For Farmers: Dr. R. T. Baldwin has re cently. made public the result of several years? investigations and experiments upon manures, and the various ways of fertilizing iho soil. He-slates ihat the beat and speediest way- tou fertilize any soil, is to cover it over wnh siraw., buahes'or any material, so as completely. 6 shade it. The surface of the earth bemgmadej cool, dark, damp and. close, soon undergoea a chemical procass like putrefaction, and becomes-; highly fertilized. This plan of fertilizings he says, may be applied with success to any soil whatever, no matter how poor, and thjelsrcaultt wjll bo astonishing. i k , .j- A. Fall TRt?.-vA friend of our wf$ coi-w graiulaiing Uimself upon having lakeu1 a very .. r invst..? haTlrtpdWfcll $M,5 a;- 4
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