SULLIVAN REPUBLICAN. W. ML CHENEY, Publisher. VOL. IX. British Columbians are agitating foi reciprocity with the United States. There are about 75,000 persons in prison in the United States. There are, at least, as many more persons oijt oi prison who belong to the criminal class, making 150,000 criminals, or one for every 400 inhabitants. The Washington Star avers that the fish exhibit which this Government pro poses to make at the world's fair in 1893 will be such that the most picturesque fish liar of the country can talk about it to his heart's pontenc and not do the subject justice. A pnper read at the recent meeting of the British Association described graphi cally the pauper population of England as being sufficient to forui a procession of four persons abreast upward of one hundred miles long. Arranged in single file the paupers of England would,accord ing to these figures, form a line upward of four hundred miles long. The Chicago Ileral'l alleges that New York is filled with adventurers, with rascals great and small, with men so in • dustrious in uncauny lines as to cause one to admire the pluck with which they energetically go ahead to their own ruin, employing faculties for their own destruc tion which rightfully utilized, might make them not only solid and respectable, but brilliant and impressive. During the last twelve months actual settlers have taken up some 19,000,000 acres of land in the United States, or nearly 30,000 square miles. When, says the Chicago Tribune, we cau increase our actively agricultural area in one year to an i xtent nearly equal to the whole of Scotland, and have the fact passed over with a mere paragraph of commeet, it may no longer be doubted that we are a great nation inhabiting a great country. The example of the heirs of a rich Aus trian is worthy of imitation in this coun try, remarks the San Francisco Chronicle. They have given $15,000 out of the estate to found a school of housekeeping for girls. If free schools of cooking were established in all American cities, the people who gather statistics at the end of the first quarter of the next century would note a marked decrease in dyspepsia and nervousness and a considerable gam in physical stamina among the American people. Civilization works havoc among wild animals that are killed for the service of maukind, laments the New York Star. The buffalo has almost entirely disap peared, and now it is said that there are probably less than one hundred thousand seals in existence, and that, at the pres ent rate of slaughtering, in a few years the species will be exterminated. It may become necessary for the Government to institute decisive measures for the pro tection of the seals, unless we are willing to see them wholly disappear. The New Orleans Picayune is pleased because America seems to have a model warship at last. Commander Schley, of the cruiser Baltimore, writes in the high est terms of her seaworthiness and sta bility. During the heavy gale of Octo ber 18 and 19 which played such havoc with the British fleet off Scarborough, the Baltimore maintained a speed vary ing from 14.5 to sixteen knots, and was BO comfortable when slowed down to ten knots that one below would not have known that a gale was blowing but for the whistling of the wind. At no time during the gale would it have been im practicable to fight her battery. In con clusion the Commodore says: "She is the king pin yet, and when you build any thing better I would like to command it." According to the New York World, Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher grows more beautiful as advancing years and grow ing feebleness take possession of her. She sits in a beautiful bay window sur rounded by birds and flowers, and •dreams of the days when she and "Henry" were struggling along in a lit tle Western village, trying to keep the pot boiling and the Bermons written. But thore were long ago days! Now, though in comparative poverty, Mrs. Beecher has enough business engage ments to keep her from actual want, and if she could fulfil one-half the orders that come to her she would be a rich womau. Every publishing firm in the country has asked her to write the life of her dead husband, but owing to her bcor health she has refused them all. 112 A BUILDER'S LESSON. "How shall I a habit break?" As you did that habit make. As you gathered, you must lose; As you yielded, now refuse. Thread by thread the strands we twist Till they iiind us neck and wrist; Thread by thread the patient hand Must untwine ere free we stand. As we builded, stone by stone. We must toil unhelped, alone, Till the wall is overthrown. But romember, as we try, Lighter overy test goes by; Wading in, the stream grows deep Toward tne centre's downward sweep; Backward turn, each stepashoro Shallower is than that before. Ah, the precious years we waste Leveling what we raised in haste, Doing what must be undone Ere content or love be won! First across the gulf we cast Kite-borne threads, till linos are passed, And habit buil Js the bridge at last! John Boyle O'Reilly. A MIDNIGHT QUEST. BY ISABEL HOLMES. "You haven't the courage," she as serted. "Haven't I?" retorted Cleo Curry mockingly. "I inherit courage and there isn't a jot or tittle of superstition in my nature." "What's that you're disputin' about, girls?" queried Uncle Zeke from the chimney comer. "I say," responded Cleo, "that I wouldn't be afraid togo down to the old Willey house at midnight, tiue's eve and walk down cellar back ward with a looking-glass and candle—" "Expecting to see the face of her future husband," interpolated Sue. "I should expect to see old Willey's ghost peering over my shoulder." "I'm not anxious to see the face of my future husband," Cleo retorted sharp ly, "I only want to prove my courage,to celebrate St. Valentine's Day in approved fashion." "I'll wager ten dollars you das'ntgo," remarked Uncle Zeke. "I'll stake my amethyst ring that I dare. Here's my hand." The soft white palm and the brown knotted one clasped as a step was heard coming through the back shed. "You must fetch one o' them mangel wurzels in the the bar'l side o' the potato ben, so's we'll know you went clear down cellar," said Uncle Zeke. "Not a word of this," Cleo cautioned I in a whisper as they heard a hand fum bling for the latch in the little dark en try. "Capt'n Luke," said Uncle Zeke, with a sly glance at Cleo. The next moment a young man opened j the door. It was quite the custom in this Cape Cod town to omit the cere- j mony of knocking. "Here's a chair next to me," said Sue ■ with the freedom of long acquaintance- ! ship. Cleo and Capt'n Luke exchanged a formal good evening as he seated him self. "Had quite a fall o' snow," suggested ; Uncle Zeke. "Yes, good sleighing," said Capt'n i Luke. An impressive element seemed to have I entered the room with this good-looking ! young cuptain. The usual witticisms i did not Hash around. Cleo was absorbed I in the long strip of worsted that made i a crimson line down her white apron. | She fidgeted in her seat and proposed a game of euchre. Uncle Zeke and Cleo were partners. "We'll beat them every time, won't we, Sue?'' said Capt'n Luke, with a shade of quiet defiance, as he swept in the first tricks with a steady hand, meeting Cleo's eyes with a cool glance, which she re turned in kind. Cleo's mind was running upon that sleigh ride with Capt'n Luke the last evening. He had come pei Uously near to a proposal of marriage. Had she been wise or foolish to ward it off so indiffer ently? His manner made her slightly uneasy. Pshaw! What did she care anyhow ? She knew she had flirted with him a little—this Cape Cod town was so poky in the winter —but that was n<? ex cuse for his presuming to think she would marry him. When her father's reverses came she had been sent there to spend a few weeks with these relatives, of whose ex istence she had been scarcely aware be fore. They had welcomed her with open arms and she had found much diversion among them. It was not pleasant to be almost ig nored to-night by Capt'n Luke. She thought of the wealthy suitor she had left behind in the city, albeit old ami ugly, and was half inclined to write that very night und accept him. The eve of St. Valentine was mild for the season, (shortly before midnight a woman in dark garb issued from Uncle Zeke's shed door and walked off toward the old Willey house. Since the death of its owner three years ago, Uncle Zeke had held the Wil ley place in conjunction with his own and had garnered the not abundant crops in its cellar. Cleo had taken the key to the house, which hung near the shed door, unaware that her sly uncle had slipped out and fumbled for the key, to assure himself that she was playiug no tricks oe him. Cleo gaiued the trow of the hill that sloped toward* the shore, crossed a plank LAPORTE, PA., FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 1891. ov« what had been a brook in summer, climbed a low fence and reached the water. The tide lapped the shore gently, the sea-breezo kissed her cheek. Two or three skiffs were rocking lightly upon the water, upon which the moon shone fitfully. Cleo took the path to the left, where the old Willey house stood dark and lone, and stood upon the flat stone before the low red door. The windows were all boarded. Cleo had explored the place with daylight aud knew all its nooks and corners. She unlocked the door and stepped into the entry. Her heart was beating quite evenly. She had beeu in a daring mood ever since that night of the sleigh ride and this occasion had furnished an escape-valve for her feelings. She lighted the caudle and pushed open the kitchen door. On the thres hold she stopped in astonishment. In the cavernous fireplace opposite the door a huge fire was roaring and crackling, flooding the room with its light and eclipsing her candle. Had the patron saint of the season an ticipated her visit and made preparations for her reception? She walked up to the fire. A big, round kettle hung from the rusty crane bubbling and hissing like the witches' cauldron in Macbeth. A strange spell was being wrought up on her. Iler usually calm common sense was held in abeyance. There was some thing weird and uncanny about the leap ing flames and steaming cauldron in that deserted house. She seemed to be breath ing an enchanted atmosphere. Yet she was far from fear. She was upborne by some unknown spiritual force. At length she recollected her errand and opened the cellar door. A gust of damp air made her candle flicker. She did not waver. She peered down into darkness, then adjusted her glass aud candle and commenced the backward descent, the cobwebs covering her cloak with fantastic tracery. She kept her eyes upon her own re flection in the glass until she reached the bottom of the stairs. As she stood there a moment a face appeared in the mirror beside her own, then vanished suddenly. Something like faintness came over her. But she resisted, found the barrel of mangel wurzels, snatched one up. as cended the stairs quickly and set down the candlestick. "Of course I only thought I saw a face," she repeated, while Sue's proph ecy about old Willey's ghost thrust it self before her unpleasantly. The lurking superstition which beats with the blood of every one of us, deny it as we may, was tightening its hokl upon her. She did not feel in a hurry to leave the place. A dreamy influence enveloped her. The agencies we call supernatural seemed the only realities. She half expected to see a band of witches appear and join hands around the cauldron. She could scent seme presence near her, and when a rather fantastic old woman, bent with age, in a red cloak and huge poke bonnet, stepped from a recess behind the fireplace, and, without glancing at her, stepped up and stirred the cauldron, muttering to herself as she did so, Cleo was not much surprised. She had not bargained for anything half so weird snd romantic. Perhaps this was Peggy Piper, the fortune teller, who, it was reported, held mid night conclaves with the powers of darkness. "Can you read my future for me?" Cleo asked abruptly. The crone turned toward her, with eyes burning darkly in the depths of the cavernous bonnet. "You seek to know the future?" she queried, in a thin, high-pitched voice with a tremulous quaver. "I will read your destiny," and she turned again to the cauldron, while Cleo drew nearer, strangely fascinated. "Proud," the sybil muttered, "am bitious, selfish. Your fortune i? -:ot so bright, young lady, that you need be anxious to forcast it." "Haven't I as fair a chance for happi ness as otjipr people?" Cleo demanded. "No. You're going to sell yourself for a fine house in the city and a carriage and diamonds. You are mercenary aud heartless besides. 11a! you don't deny it I You will find yourself one day staring for love, without the power to seek it except in forbidden paths." Cleo stood with her fascinated gaze upon the seething registrar of fate. "You have another lover, young, strong, warm-hearted. You have seen his love for you and encouraged it day by day. You have looked into his eyes with those dangerous ones of yours. Your voice has been modulated to suit his car. Oh!" with a jeering laugh, that grated on Cieo's nerves, "you couldn't deny yourself the pleasure of proving your power over him." "You are repeating the silly gossip of the place," Cleo retorted. "You us good as said, 'Take me. I am to be had for the asking,'" the crone went on, unheeding. "You led him to the verge of a proposal of marriage, and then were utterly surprised to find him in your net. Oh, yes! But he is proud, too. Two proud souls, two of them," she muttered. "Young lady, keep your smiles hereafter for the one who is to be your lord and master." She stood some moments in silence, then scanned Cieo's flushed face. •'You have a true, clear eye, in Rpite of all," she said dubiously. "No man would guess what a cold heart lay behind it. You care only for conquest, that you may boast—" "Your cauldron lies!" Cleo exclaimed. The half truths uttered, the unaccustomed conditions had wrought upon her fancy and made her feel guilty, but the in justice of the last accusation restored her equilibrium. "You see only the surface," Cleo con tinued, though why she should exchange words with the crone was a mystery. "You cannot look into my soul. If you could—" She paused. The sybil peered deeply into her flushed face, over which a ten der emotion was stealing softly, then stepped forward and took her hand. Cleo felt a strange electric thrill as she with drew it and stepped back. The next moment mask, cloak and bonnet were lying on the floor, and Capt'n Luke was standing, looking into her eyes with the steady magnetism of his own. "You!" she exclaimed. "I thought it was Poggy Piper." He smiled slowly. "Do you feel better after the accusa tions you have heaped upon me?'' she asked. "Yes. Did you not deserve them? believe in justice." "It was injustice!"she said, quickly. "Injustice? Do you mean to say that those sweet smiles and looks of yours were genuine after all? That you were giving me measure for measure, that it was only woman's coquetry prompted you the other night?" "I have not said," she began, but he had both her hands in a firm grasp. "Look into my eyes and say that you have been playing with me if you can." Her eyes drooped instead. In an infant his strong arm was around her. He had played for high stakes and won. "And now shall I accompany you home?" he asked, after he had explained his stolen march upon her. "And set the tongues of the gossips wagging? No; I must go as I came. She gathered up glass, candle and man gle wurzel and sped homeward, hung up the key and hurried to her room. When the next morning Uncle Zeke found the root beside his plate he hand ed Cleo the $lO bill. "Did you see a ghost?" queried Sue, thinking Cleo rather non-committal over the adventure. "Yes, and yet I live to tell the tale," returned Cleo in mock heroic style. When her engagement to Capt'n Luke was announced she told the story to Sue and Uncle Zeke.— New Turk Mercury. The Nico Taste of Cannibals. Mr. Lumholtz wntes: "The Austra lians are cannibals. A fallen foe, be it man, woman or child, is eaten as the choicest delicacy; they know no greater luxury than the flesh of a black man. There are superstitious notions connected with cannibalism, and though they have no idols and no form of Divine worship, they seem to fear an evil being who seems to haunt them, but of whom their notions are very vague. Of a supreme good Being they have no conception whatever, nor do they believe in any ex istence after death." The blacks do not like to eat white people, whose flesh, they say, has a salt taste; but the very thought of black human flesh, which they call talgoro, makes their eyes sparkle. The natives do not, as a rule, eat persons of their own tribe, though there are instances to the contrary; the blacks south of the Gulf of Carpentaria, it is said, do not kill persons for the sake of eating them, but the women eat tboee who die a natural death; near Morcton Bay, also, the dead are eaten, and by their own relatives. The reason why the white man's flesh is held in disgust arises, apparently, from the fact of his eating so much salt beef. The flesh of the Chinese, whose food con sists largely of rice and other vegetables, is much prized. It is said that far north in Queensland ten Chinamen were de voured at one dinner. But during the whole time Mr. Lumholtz spent on Her bert River only two blacks were killed and eaten. The uncivilived Australian native is usually sound and healthy and not much troubled with sickness, with the excep tion of skin diseases, which he gets from the white man; but when the Australian becomes "civilized" and wear clothes he becomes more liable to illness; he re gards clothes simply as ornaments, which he may wear or not, as he chooses.— Edinburgh lievieic. Sniclde in the Red Sea. The Orient liner Lusitania, which has just arrived at Plymouth, England, re ports the suicide in the Red Sea of a beautiful young girl, Miss B. McKnight, who took passage at Melbourne and was going to England to be married. She was observed to be depressed in spirits when the vessel had only been a week or two at sea and was heard to regret that she had consented to wed. When the Lusitania was in the Straits of Bab-el- Mandeb one niglit Miss McKnight sud denly broke off au apparently agreeable conversation with some of her fellow passengers, and, mounting the rail, leaped into the almost boiling waters of the Red Sea that never falls below ninety six degrees. The steamer was at once hove to and boats were lowered. The search continued for two hours. Noth ing, however, being seen of the suicide it is supposed she was eaten by a shark. Washington. Star. Complete returns of the scaling operations of the British Columbia fleet for the season show that .'19.547 seal* were taken, an increase of <>ooo as com pared witb 1889. Terms—Sl. 2s in Advance; $1.50 after Three Mv The Two Whitelionse Watchmen. These two watchers are among the oldest employes of the White House at Washington, and one of them is closely associated, in a humble way, with one of the most exciting periods in its history. W. S. Lewis was one of the White House doorkeepers in the time ot Lincoln, and each night, between 10:30 and 11 o'clock during the war period, he acted as the escort of the President when he went from the Executive Mansion to the War Department to get the latest news of the conflict betore going to bed. Lewis left the White House and went on the city police force, where he remained for many years. About twelve years hecameback to the White House service, where he has been ever since. T. F. Pendel, the other night doorkeeper, has been employed in tho White House for twenty-six years. These two men know the face of every man of prominence in public life, and they cau spot a crank at the other end of the avenue by gaslight. They open any telegrams which come to the Executive Mansion after midnight, and determine whether it is advisable to to show them to the President or not. Thero is no one at the Executive Man sion at sight who can act for the Presi dent. Only the members of his family and the domestic employes of his house hold sleep at the White House. So if anything demanding immediate attention should be delivered at the Executive Mansion after midnight, tho President would be aroused from his sleep to at tend to it. It is seldom that a telegram of any kind is delivered at the Executive Mansion between midnight and day break, for tlifr, local manager of the West ern Union Telegraph Company has in structions to hold all messages which are not of the utmost importance until morn ing. Audit may not occur once in six months that the President is called from his bed to read a late dispatch.—New York Star. Plants Serviceable for Salads. M. Henri de Vilmorin, President ot the Botanical Society of France, recent ly delivered a lecture on salads, which is full of hints for housewives. He began by speaking of the nutritive value of salads, due to potash salts, which are usually eliminated from vegetables in the process of cooking, and said that salad is even more desirable in winter than in summer, being a preventive of rheumatism and biliousness. He enu merated the following plants which are used in France: The leaves of lettuce, corn-salad, common chijory, barbe de capucin, curled and Batavian endives, dandelion, green, blanched and half blanched; watercresses, purslane,in small quantities blanched salsify tops, of a pleasant nutty flavor; Witloef, or Brus sels chicory; the roots of celeriac, or round-rooted celery; the flowers of nas turtium and vucca, the fruit of capsi cum and tomato, aud in the South of Franco, rocket, picridium and Spanish onions. Various herbs are added to a French salad to flavor or garnish it, such as chervil, chives, shallot and borage. In addition many boiled vegetables are dressed with vinegar and oil.— New York Star. Potatoes for Starch. The annual "potato raid" is in pro gress in Aroostook, Me., as the starch factories arc beginning their season's work. Says the Boston Transcript: "This is one of the most novel sights to be wit nessed in this section of the country—the long line of teams hauling the potatoes to the factories and standing waitiugtheii turn to unload. There is a great crop it Aroostook this year, the largest for manj years, in fact, and there will be a good supply for the factories, as the latter art paying very fair prices. There are aboui forty factories in Aroostook County and on its border, and as they use upward ot two million bushels yearly, it is seen that potato raising and starch making in Aroo stock are industries of considerable mag' iiitude." Curious Old Indian Signs. About five miles above Morven is t mystery which the people of that com munity cannot explain. In a hummock near the river are two complete circles, one ninety aud the other 140 feet in diame ter, the smaller circle inside the larger. These circles, which are much like thos« left by a circus performance, are com pletely barren of vegetation of all kinds These circles have been there since thi recollection of the oldest citizen, anc none know how or when they cairn there. It must be that they are Indiat signs, relics of by-gone days, when the savage warrior was lord of all he sur veyed.— Maoon (6"a.) Telegraph. Life of Trees. Recent information gathered by thi German forestry commission assigns t< the pine tree 500 and 700 years as thi maximum, 425 years to the silver tir, 275 years to the larch, 245 years to thi red beech, 210 to the aspeu, 200 to thi birch, 170 to the ash, 145 to the alder and 130 to the elm. The heart of thi oak begins to rot at about the ageof 30(_ years. The holly oak alone escapes thi> law, it is said, and there is a specimen o: this aged 410 years in existence neai Asehatfeuburg in Germany— Chicag, Times. A begging letter sent to a rich mai asking for u pair of cast otf trouser closed pathetically with these words: "S« send me, most honored sir, the trousers und they wiil be woven into tl»o laurel crown of your good deeds in heaven."— if'lit'jtnde Blaetltr. NO. U FROM THE JAPANESE. "So young, he cannot know the way," Thus I heard a mother cay. At the close of a summer day; But he knew the road, it seems, Into the shadow-land of dreams, And she wept above his clay. Since, though young, he knew the way J Gone, where summer moths resort, Or small boats that leave the port, Bailing over the stormy brine, As, with this long sleeve of mine. Under the gloom of alien skies, I dry my weeping eyes! If I could be where the billow whirls, In a lacquered skiff, with a paddle of pearls. Young no more, but old and gray, You may be sure I'd know the way. •—ll. H. Stoddard.in Scribntr. HUMOR OF THE DAY. Ex tempore—A stopped watch. Trying times—The quarter sessions. Items of interest Pawnbrokers' pledges. Give no back talk to a humpback.— Si/tings. The pupil of the eye .is incessantly lashed.— Pittsburg Dispatch. The flower of the family usually blooms in the shade.— -Denver lioad. It is odd that all men are trying so hard to get even.— Dallas (Texas) Next. A man's lot may be hard, but his neigh bor's hens can make it look fuzzy.—Bing hamton Leader. Stove—"llow did you get in here?" Stovepipe—"Oh. I elbowed my way in." —New York Journal. The mau who wins the day ought to have plenty of time at his disposal.— Binghamton Republican. "Dress makes the man,'" we often hear. And self-made men are deemed successes; But woman never will appear, Unless she's poor, in self-made dresses. —Puck. No wonder hearts are so often wounded; they're subject to so much betting.— Binghamton Republican. The capitalist who loaned money to the cattle mau referred to it as a beef stake. — Washington Star. Those men who with Indian ways are ac quainted Declare that in war they are bad as they're painted. —Chicago Post. Mrs. DeFadd—"What au eccentric per son Mrs. Homebody is/*' Mrs. Dcmauia— "lsn't she the oldest "creature! She isn't making a collection of anything.— New York Weekly. A scrap of paper, creased and yellow- All that is left of the dear old past; A tailor's bill—l paid the fellow; It was my first—would't were my last! —Pittsburg Pitlletin. Homebody—"How did you spend your time while in Europe?" Returned Tourist—"l spent most of it hunting through my pockets for tips."— New York Weekly. Up in Fractions: Employer (to new boy)—"Have you auy brothers?" New Boy "Yez-zir, one." Employer "One?" New Boy—-"That is, two half brothers."— Harper's Bazar. Mr. Bingo—"Tommy, when you get to be the head of a family, what will you say to your sons?" Tommy (thoughtful ly)—"l will tell them how good I was when I was a boy."— New Orleans Timet- Democrat. Time is not money always—not a bit. That man will tell a very diff'rent tula Who tries to steal the savings of a bank And gets instead a year or so iu jail. —Philadelphia Times. From the Contribution Box: "The idea," said the African missionary, in dignantly. "What's the matter?" "The idea of seudinsr celluloid poker chips to nid the heathen in an ivory country!"— Nev York Sun. McFingle—"How much is Brownson worth?" McFangle—"Nothiug." "Why, I understand he had some valuable prop erty?" "Oh, yes; his property is worth a good deal. But Brown3on himself is worthless."— Boston Traveler. Wild-Eyed Operator—"Two and ones —ssooo worth. Stamp Clerk (in aston ishment) "Five thousand dollars' worth of stamps?" "Yes, I want to in vest in something that won't take a tum ble on my hands."— Chicago Tribune. Love is an orchard where our feet In courtship lead us for au hour. To pluck the fruit the heart must eat For aye, and some of it issweet And some of it is sour. —Chicago Post. Husband—"Anything you waut down town to-day, my dear? Shall I order some of that self rising flour?" Wife— "We have plenty left; but I wish you would stop at an intelligence otfice and order me a self rising servaut girl."— New York Weekly. It is told of Abbe Liszt th'it on one of his concert tours through Germany he was tendered a banquet at a small town by his admirers. When it was found that thirteen were seated at the table the general embarrassment was checked by Liszt remarking: .'Do not be alarmed at such a trifle. I »>n eat for two per sons."— Chicago Herald. No Hurglars in Mexico. In Mexico the burglar is positively un known. The houses, constructed as they are, in view of uprisings, revolu tions, etc., present to the would-be burglar but a small chance of success. With what blank walls, barricaded win dows aud solid wooden doors, the dweller within the average adobe is prepared at nightfall to withstand the siege of a regiment.— Chicago Timet.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers