SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT. They say of Sir Humphrey Gilbert that, sailing the western sea, The sailors had (ears of a tempest, but never a fear bad he ; " For God is as near by sea as by land," he said with sturdy oheer, And home through the dark to Englahd he bade the helmsmau steer. The two ships plowed the waters, and the heavy night grew black. The clouds oame over the quiet stars und lild them with their rack ; And through the storm and the darkness each ship for the other's light Watched eagerly, but Sir Humphrey went home to God that night. And whenever a sudden flurry drives my boat before the blast, 1 think of that stout old sailor and know, with the sky o'ereast, That God is as near by sea as by land ; and how can I feel dismay When into His hand my will Is given, and for Him I go or stay ! —Lewis Worthlngton Smith, in Youth's Companion. j STRANGE ADVENTURES OF A POET. J s J How He had the Romance Taken Out cf Him. J Narcissus Brown was a most esti mable young man of studious hab its. His father, a tradesmau, had taken pride in giving him a liberal education. At the age of 19 years, therefore, Narcissus had finished his education and had become a philos opher. But youth is fickle. An ardent im agination and restless instincts worked their way, and three months later Narcissus became a poet. "Father," said he, one day, "l feel within me the poetic instinct. lam a poet!" "very well, my son," said the pa ternal Brown, "be a poet if you will. So much the better, too," he added, with proud fondness, "because it will vex Green, the grocer. His son is a writer, but he only writes prose." fio Narcissus became a poet. Every day he wandered off to the little vil lages near his native city, and there communed with nature. The dusty trees which lined the roadside moved him to poetry, and even the windmills stirred his soul. "All," he would sentimentally say, "how romantic they look! See the white sails glinting in the sun like those of a fair galleon gliding over the waves to some far-off shore." The sea! He had never thought of the sea before. The idea suddenly flashed across his brain. "Ah," be mused, "the 6ea! The blight, blue, boundless ocean! That is tha place for a poet. What is there poetic in this humdrum life ashore? On the ocean man struggles with na ture; he combats the elements; he de fies the storm. I shall goto sea." He returned to the paternal shop and declared his intention. But his father only yielded after much per suasion. At last he consented and made up a package of fancy dry goods which he thought would sell well at the colonies. To this he added a purse, some tears and bis blessing, and Narcissus started for the nearest seaport. There he repaired to the house of a cousin, a resident of the place; he stated his intention and asked for ad vice. The cousin was well acquainted with the captain of a brig which was about to sail for Martinique, and se cured him a passage aboard of her. Narcissus experienced a slight j shock when he heard the name of the vessel. "If it were only a little more poet ical!" he thought. The Undine, or the Mermaid, or something like that. But the Sarah Ann!" And he asked the captain's name. When told it was Smith, he almost fainted. He was to sail aboard of the brig Sarah Ann, Smith, master. He would have wil lingly given a larger sum if the cap tain had hud a nautical name. However, there was no help for it— Lis passage money was paid. So the next day, accompanied by his cousin, he took a boat and went on board the Sarah Ann, to see what she looked like. Ou the way out the water was very rough, the boat was small, and Narcissus at once hoped and feared some accident—something romantic. But he only got seasick. When he reached the deck ho cast an eager glance around upon the hardy •sons of the sea. Most of them were swabbing the deck after getting iu cargo, and there wore several engaged in washing and hanging out shirts upon the rigging to dry. With an ex clamation of disgust, Narcissus turned away. "They only need flatirons to be ■ washerwomen," said he. However, he descended to the cap tain's cabin. That individual was talk ing to a stout, thickset man, and! sigued to Narcissus and his cousin to seat themselves. They did so, and Narcissus immediately began to in spect the cabin. To'his disgust he found it was a prosaic little room, with a carpet, chairs, table and pictures on the walls—exactly like a room on shore. Narcissus sighed and turned his eyes upon the captain. His ideal of the man who was to brave the ele ments and command a turbulent crew was as follows: A mariner of giant frame—at least six feet; a massive head; fierce eyes; a voice of awe-in spiring qualities. He looked at Cap tain Smith and saw that he was a short, thin man about 40 years of age; he was extremely polite iu his manners; he wore a wig, and he took snuff. It is impossible to describe the revulsion of feeling that swept over Narcissus when he beheld this insig nificant personage. The individual who was talking to the captain was, as we have said, stontly built; he was a jolly-looking fellow, aud was deeply interested in i tryiug to beat down the rate of pas- | sage. "Come now, captain," said he, "can't you put it a little lower?" "I have only one price," replied the , captain. Narcissus thought of the paternal shop and shuddered. "Well," said the stout man, after much debate, "what must be must be. j One conditio'!, however: my boxes ] must have air, and dampness will in jure them. You know what they con tain. So I want you to promise me that they shall not be putin the hold." "All right," said the captain; "they shall be placed ou the orlop deck." "Aud I can examine them whenever I like?" "Whenever you like." "Well, here's your money," said the stout muu, and he placed the sum upon the table, saluted and left. "Who's that fellow?" asked the cousin, "Oh, it's a poor showman. He's going to the colonies with a lot of wax figures, to exhibit them." "Wax figuies! Why, they'll all melt if you leave them ou the orlop deck, won't they?" "Well, that's Irs business," replied the worthy captain, good-naturedly. Then, turning to Narcissus, he said: "Well, sir, I am pleased to meet you. I shall make your voyage as agreeable as possible. You will be very com fortuble—just exactly the same as if yon were ou land." Narcissus left the Sarah Ann aud did not reappear until the hour of sailing, such was his disgust at the unromantic character of vessel, master and crew. When he went to the pier to engage a boat to take him out to the brig, he met the stout man whom he had seen iu the captain's cabin. This individual proposed that they should hire a boat jointly to transport themselves and baggage to the brig, and Narcissus consented. He bade farewell to his cousin aud tumbled into the boat. The stout man followed him. "Have you ever been to sea, sir?" he asktid. "No," replied Narcissus; "and you?" "Never, sir; thi< is the first time. I am going'to the colonies to exhibit my wax figures." _ "What do they represent?" asked Narcissus, mechanically. "That," said he, pointing to one— they were long, narrow boxes, about six by three—"that contains a mag nificent figure of the Emperor Napo leon; that, a figure of li s holiue-is the Pope; that, an Albino," aud he went through the list. "Well what do you bother me with it for?" demanded Narcissus, glad to find someone to vent his ill-humor upon. "I only told yon because you asked me, sir," replied the mau, submis sively. "Well, shut up, will you!" replied the gentle Narcissus; "you talk too much!" The stout man's eyes snapped an grilv, but he said nothing. They reached the vessel's side, and with unheard of precautions the show man had his boxes put aboard. He made the sa lors a'most expire with laughter at the gingerly way in which he clim! Ed the ladder, and his calling the masts "tho poles" furnished them fresh food for merriment. At 5 o'clock in the evening the Sarah An I weighed anchor and set out on her voyage. Narcissus re mained on deck watching the sun set, nud thus, as he expressed it, "re lighting the torch of poesy iu his soul." But he hadn't been there long before he became extremely seasick, and two griuuiug tars took him below. Narcissus did not sleep. As he tossed restlessly upon his pillow he invoke! the muses. "O muses nine!" quoth he, "pity me, aud send us something romantic - —a tempest, a shipwreck— anything. I have quitted the realms of pins, needles aud tape, and abandoned my self to the caprice of the waves, only that my life may become exciting. Pity me then, ye gods! Blow, old Boreas, blow! Lash thy wave, O Neptune!" It is doubtful whether either the muses or the gods heard him,,but it is certain that something very singular took place almost upon the heels of h!s prayer. The brig was not provided with staterooms for passengers, so the apartment occupied by Narcissus con sisted only of an old sail draped arouud the place 'tween decks where his hammock was swung. This can vas he could see over, and this is what took plaoe. The feeble glimmer of a ship's lantern served to illumine the place without, and its rays fe'l upon the showman's boxes, which were lashed up against the vessel's side. Emerging from the darkness Narcissus saw the figure of the burly s'lowman. "The base hind!" thought he, "al ways anxious for his business. Here In is examining his figures when he might be watchi ig the stars iu yon azure vault " Narcissus paused in his poetical flight. His eves opened widely; he almost ceased to breathe. For the sUowman, after careiully g'aucing , a'-ound him, had opened one of tho ] bjses, and a man stepped out. The uew.omer exchange! a whisyored word with the showman, and be:nn to bhaka his nutnb nnd rigid limbs. "This is indeed romantic," mutters! Narcissus. But he felt a cold sensa tion creeping up his back. The showman continued his task of opening the boxes. One by one the wax figures stepped forth, shook them selves aud felt their joiuts. When the j last box was opeued, there were six of them, besides the showman. Ear'h man drew out pistols and knives, looked to the locks, and replaced the weapons in convenient positions. "Well," thought Narcissus, "that is the most wicked-looking gaug of cnt-throats I'evor set eyes ou. This is altogether too romantic. I wish I was home." But his thoughts were interrupted by the aound of the showman's voice: "All ready," Euid he, iu a hoarse whisper. "All ready," was the whispered ro ply- "Then, here we go!" With cat-like tread thev sto!e away in the darkness. Narcissus would have called out; his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth. Ho would have risen; his head seemed glued to his pillow. A cold perspira ion broke out upon him. Ho had realized the fact that the 1 showman and his comrades were pi -1 rates. The minutes passed on. Th y I seemed hours to him. Then he heard an outcry; the trampling of feet on the do'k ovo.' his head; the short bark of pistols, muttered curses, groans; then there was a wild yell of triumph; the found of conversation; t' eu he heard at i :terva s the found of heavy bodies dropping into tlie wa er—"Splash! : Splash! Splash!" It was altogether too romantic. Nar cissus fainted away. When he came to his se'r es he had experienced a complete revulsion of feeling. The ocean to hiin was dis tasteful. He was enamored of green fields aud babb'ing brooks. He would j have exchanged the Atlantic o can for j the smallest brook that ever ran. His I fevered fancy carried him to the meadows around his native city; he thought of the flowers there; of the smiling sraiu and "Boom!" What was that? It sounded like a ca-not shot. There was a crackling sound. The side of the vessel seemed to be burst- 1 ing in. The planks and splinters flew, aud from the midst there emerg'd r: i round-shot—a jolly, pudgy ronud shot, which came wildly skipping along i the deck toward him. As it ueared ! him it made a tinnl bound, and im bedded itself in tho wood over his head. Again Narcissus lost his senses. He liked romance, but h j was getting too j muca of it at one time. When Narcissus lecovered con- ! sciousuess he found himself lying upon the deck of the brig. There were irons upon his hands,irons upon his feet. On either side of him squatted a swarthy sailor, each with a cutlass, and each watching him with the most flattering attention. Narcissus turned his head. Behind him lay his friend, the showman, iu the same predicament as himself. Bunged iu symmetrical rows lay the cotnra lts of the showman, all ironed aud guarded. Lying near the brig was a large man-of-war with the Span ish flag flyin*. "Si l ," said Narcissus, addressing the showman, "can you tell me what all this meansV" "Hallo!" was the reply, "why there's the little landlubber. I'd for got yon completely. Certainly; I'll i take great pleasure in telling you all about i\ Do you see the yards of ; that ship?" "What are the yards?'' asked Nar- ! cissus, gravely. "Ha! ha! Well, you see those po'es that run across the masts?" "Yes." "Do you see a man astride of one of them at the end?" "Yes." "Do you kuow what he is doing?" : "No." "He's fixing a rope." "A rope! What lor?" "To hang us." "To ha—to haug us! To hang you, you mean." "No—us." "Why—why—what do you mean? You are a pirate; I am a poet. My name is Brown—Narcissus Blown; and I live " "Oh, well, tell theiu so, theu. There's an officer." Assuming an air of dignity tem pered with submission, Narcissus ad dressed the office , detailing the story of h jw he came to be aboard the brig. The officer interrupted him curtly in Spanish, by giving an order to one of the sailors. "Well," said the showman, "do you know what he said?" "No." "He said, 'flag that cur.' " "Then he didn't understand what I said?" "Not a word. Neither he nor any of the others speak aujthiug but Spanish." "But you speak their language?" "Flueutly." "Well, then,tell liiin, yjti, that " "My dear boy, do you remember when we came out in the boat to gether? You told me I talked too much. Now I will be silent. Keally, you should have been more civil. But then you are going to be hanged in ten minutes, and it will teach you manners." Narcissus was about to reply, but at that moment the sailor had pre pared the gag, and his mouth was stopped. "It's no more thin right," cantin ned the showman, "that you shonld ' know why you're going to be hanged, '■ so I'll tell you. I've been api ate for ' : 20 yi ars aud never been unlucky. This ! is my first mishap—l'm afraid, though, it'll be my last. Well, about sis months ago, I boarded a Spanish mer chautinau from Peru, aud, of course, I ha had given |it to him. His suspicions being ex | cited, he examiued tho ship's papers, I and thus found out my last l.tt e ! game. That, though, yon know all about. bo he's going to hang us a'l. I would have beeu s.rrier for yon, my boy, if you had been a little more civil." Itwasmorally and physically impos sible for Narcissus to reply; he was therefore silent. The doomed men wero taken aboard of the man-of-war. One by ona the pirates weie slowly strangled at the yard's end. There remained only Nar cissus and the showmau. "After you," said the latter, with a fiendish grin. "You are younger than I am." The noose was placed around Nar cissus' neck, fctilwart arms swung hiin up to the yard. As he drew up his ; writhing limbt iu his death agony, the showman turned away his face. "Well, it was his owu fault," he muttered, " but I'm half sorry for him." A few moments passed, and the two men were agaiu together—but n„t in this world. QUAINT AND CURIOU3. Metal never rusts in the waters ot Lake Titacaca. A chain or an anchor can be left in it two weeks and will be as clean aud bright as when it came : from the foundry, which is probably owiug to action of some of the chemi ical salts in the water. If all the dressmakers known to exist iu America worked 24 hours of each day for a whole year, without stopping for sleep or meals, they would still be able to make only one dress apiece for less thau seven-eighths of the women in America. An ascetic is living outside tho Delhi Gate at Lahore, India, who, it is said, has not parted his lips for the last 50 years, nor has demanded anything ever from any person to satisfy the irresistible demands of the stomach. People flock to see him in large num bers. One of the queerct corners iu the world, is Chatham Islan 1, off the coast of Ecuador, and <3OO miles west from Guayaquil, Iho island abounds iu black cats, which live i:» the c evices of the lava for-untion near the coast, and subsist by catching fish and crabs instead of rats. Other animals found on this island are horses, cattle, dog-*, goats aud chickens, all of which ure perfectly wild. The equator ciosses the islaud. In Damascus, Syria, is a celebrated thoroughfare, the identity of which with the "street which is called straight," referred to iu Acts ix., I-', 11, is un questioned. It b gins at one of the gates of the city aud extends about a mile. Formerly it ran in a straight direction, but modern changes have converted it into a winding, zigzag shape. Many localities in Damascus are pointed out us having been con nected with incidents in St. Paul's life. The house iu which he lived is said to bo still in existence. The blind postman of Filgiave, England has just been retired ou u pension. Ho lost his sight through au accident, but his misfortune did not prevent him from securing the position of postman between Filgravo aud Newport Pagnell, a distance o. about two miles. He carried out this work daily for many years, relying entirely on his wonderful memo y, and seldom making a mistake. His dog always accompanied him ou his rounds, and he always found many friends at hand to tide him over any difficulties that arose. Tho Ceogi-Hphy of Nome. The geographical position of the Nome region is the southern face ol tho peninsular projection of Alaska which separates Kotzebue sound oa the north from Bering sea on the south, and terminates westward iu Cape Prince of Wales, the extent of tlia North American continent. Iu a di rect line of navigation, it lies about 2500 miles northwest of Seattle aud 170 miles southeast of Siberia. The nearest settlement of consequence to it priov to 1877 was St, Michael, 100 miles to the southeast, the starting point of the steamers for the Yukon river; but during the year various aggregations of mining population had budt themselves up in closer range, and reduced the isolation from the civilized world by some HO mile*. The Nome district as settled ceutres about the lower course of the Snako river, an exceedingly tortuous stream iu its tundra course, which emerges from a badly degraded line of limestone, slaty, and schistose mouutain spurs, gener ally not over 700 to 1200 feet elec tion, but backed by loftier granitic heights, aud discharges iuto the sea at a position 18 miles west of Cape • Nome proper. Three miles east of this mouth is the discharge of Nome river. Both streams have a tidal course of seve al miles.—Appletons' Popular Science Monthly. An Knrly Start. " That Blinkersdorf girl in the promptest yonug woman [ ever had the pleasure of oscortiug." "Slu comes by it naturally. Her father was a car starte —Cievelaud Plain Dealer. DK. TALMAGES SERMON. SUNDAY'S DISCOURSE 3Y THE NOTED DIVINE Suoject! Out Father's UONIT A Lemon «»t' Fatiullco—>An Impressive Warning Against iielu&r Pulled Up Willi Tran sitory Earthly Grandeur. [Copyright ljiuu.l v WASHINGTON, D. C. This discourse of Dr. Talmugo is pertinent at this time of yeiir, when many people uro moving from house to house, and it tonches lessons of patience and equipoise In very trying cir cumstances; toxt, l'bilipplans iv., 12, "I know both how to be übused, ami I know how to abound." Happy Paul! Could you roally accom modate yourself to all circumstances in life? Could you go up without pride, and coufrt you come down without exaspera tion? Tench the sumo lossou to UB ull. We are at a season of the year when vast populations in ull our cities are changing residence. Having been born in a bouso and having all our lives lived in ahou.se, wo do not liave full appreciation of whut a house is. It is the growth of thousands of years. The human race llrst lived In clefts of rocks, the beasts of tho fleldj moving out of the caverns to let the human raco move in. Tho shepherds and the robbers stll! live in caverns of the earth. The trog lodytes are a ruce ;wliioh to itbis day ore fer the caverns to a house. They are warm; they are large; they,are very comfortable; they ure less subject, to violent changes of neat and cold. We come on along down in tho history of the race, and we come to the lodge, whlsh was a home built out of twisted treo branches; wo como farther on down in tho history of tho race, and wo been In the habit, after everything wits gone, of going Into each room and bidding • it a mute farewell. There will he tears rimnlug down many cheeks in the May . time moving that the carmen will not b® i able to understand. It is a solemn and a ! touching and an overwhelming tiling [ to leave places forever—places where we i have struggled and toiled and wept and sung and prayed and anxiously watched i and agonized. Ob, lifo is such a strango • mixture of honey and of gall, weddings i and burials, midnoon and midnight . clashing! Every iiome a lighthouse ; against which the billows of many S'a i i tumble. Thank God thac tuo'i change: i aro not always going to continue; other i wise the nerves would give out and the brain would founder on a dementia like ! that of King Lear when his daughter Cordelia caiuo to medicine his domestic calamity. But there are others who will move out of large residences into smaller through 1 the reversal of fortune. The property must be sold or the bailiff will sell it, or tho income is less and you cannot pay tho house rent. First of all, such persons should understand that our happlnoss Is not dependent ou tho size of the house we live in. I have known people enjoy a small heaven In two rooms and others suf -1 fer a pandemonium In twenty. There Is as much happiness in a small houso as Inn large house. There Is as much satisfaction under the light of a tallow canile as under the glare of a chandelier, all the burners at full blaze. Who was the happier—John liunyou in Bedford jail Or Bolßhuzzer In the saturnalia? Contentment Is something you can neither reut.nor purchase. It Is not extrinsic; It is intrinsic. Are tliere fewet rooms in tho house to which you move? You will have loss to take euro of. Is it to be stove Instead of furnuce? All tho doctors say tho modern modes of warming buildings are unhealthy. Is it less mir rors? Less temptation to your vanity. Is it old fashioned toilet instead of "water plpe3 nil through the house? Less to freere and burst when you caunotgot a plumber. Is it less carriage? More room for robust exorcise. Is It less social position? Fewer people who want to drag you down by their jealousies. Is it less fortunoto leave In your last wlil and testament? Less to spoil your children. Is it less money for the marketing? Less temptation to ruin the health of your family with pineapples and indigestible salads. Is it a little deaf? Not hearing so mnuy disagreeables. I meet you thissprlugtime at tho door ot your new home, and while I help you lift the clothesbasket over the bauisters and the carman Is getting red In the faco try lug to transport that article of furniture to some now .destination I eougratulata you. You aro going to have a bettor tlrna this year, some of you, thau you ever had. You take God and the Christian religion In your home and you will be grandly happy. God in the parlor—that will sanctify youi socialities; God in tho nursery—that will protect your children: God in the dining hall—that will make the plainest meal an Imperial banquet; God In the morning— that will lauuch the day brightly from the drydocks; God in tho evenlug—ttnt will sail tho dav sweetly into the harbor. And get joy, one and all of you, whether you rnovo or i'o not move; got joy out ot the thought that we are soon all going to have a grand moving day. Do you want a picture of the new house Into which you will move? Here It is, wrought with the hand of u master: "We know that, if out earthly house ot thli tabernacle wore dis solved, wo have a building of God, n house not made with hands, eternal in tlie heavens." How much rent will we have to pay for it/ We are going tc own it. How much must we pay foi it? How much, cash down, aud" how much loft on mortgage? Our father is going to give it as a free gift. Whcu are wo gcing to move into it? Wo are moving now. On moving day heads of families are very apt to stay in the old liouso until they have seen evorythlng off. Tlioy send ahead the children, and they send ahead tho treasures and the valuables. Then after awhile they will come themselves. I remember very well in the country that in boyhood moving day was u jubilation. On almost the first load wo, the children, wore seut on ahead to the now house, and wo arrived with shout nu<4 laughter, and In an hour we had ranged through every room in the house, tho barn and tho gran> ary. Towurd night, aud perhaps in th