i so THE MlDDLKIiURQII POST. T. C HARTER, Editc awd Tbo'iu Mthtn.EliriUUl, PA., Xor. SJi, Iakota In the biggest boy In I'ncle Fnmuel's family, and has for several rears wanted to ret up for himso'f. I'a kota's population ia 040,000, and but increased U200 during tlio year. Every State in which fertilizers aro s,old taxes the business ostensibly for the protec tion of tlio farmers. It is a Hint ter, declares the New York Timm, to which f aimers should give- their careful attention. The proportionate culturo of grass may bo taken ns a measure of the prosperity of agriculture, asserts tho New York Tin . tirass conserves the fertility of the anil, while the growth of grain crops expends it. I'rincc Ilistnnrck recently give a fete to his servant and tenants at Pricdric lis rnlic to ( o'l br.ite the despatch to I'.erly of !i K) t telegraph-poles cut in his forest. Bismarck has supplied (lermany with loii.o.iii telegraph-poles during tho last te'i years. The value of the ferti'iers used by farmers amounts to a yearly sum of nb'iut 4.'!,0"0,o()o. It was more than half this sum In l i, nnd the tia le has certainly 'Jonlileil in extent since then. In North Carolina the tax on fertilizers yields moro than $ J J, 000 yearly. The Chinvsc are making such large do mar.ds upon soap that in time they may rank among th? clean nations. Tho im portation of foreign soap Ins increased M:l per cent in live years and Nil) per cent, more is wanted now than was ought after ten years ago. The Director of the Ccrman Statistical Bureau has issued a report on the status of ihe (ierman pop il itioti. '1 here are in the ti ire now about -."i,oir,ooo people, but tht oi'ii i d bel eves that the country ran support a very large addition to the pres. nt i.umber without any trouble. A St. I.ouis diamond broker maci the singular statement that the ntimiint ! money invested in diamonds in that city is greater than the volumo of actual money used in I u -incss. Nearly everj family in the city, he says, even many m iiumpie circumstances, has a collection ' "ecjous stone. Tourists abroad complain that tho do ligh' fill calm mid ipnVt of Heidelberg, tho great (,'criniiu university town, hat uiven way to noise and manufacturing bustle. A number of t ill ch inticys injur the view from tlio castle grounds and tin fearful foghorn fro n various tujs dis turbs the .jiiiet of the Neckar. The newspaper is tlio most penetrnt ing and pervasive ngunt of civilization In Persia, where ngricultural implement! are of the same pattern that they wen in Abraham's day and the natives wcrt greatly astonished at the sight of t wheelbarrow, they have a newspnpci which appears whenever it can get an) news not too dangerous to publish Tho libel su'.t h is not been introduced Js-t. Harrison Weir, a famous English ar list, proposes that tho common bantam fowl, that nio.'t pugnacious of birds, Khali no longer bo confined to the poul try yard, but shall bo delivered to the care of tho game keeper and allowed to return to "a state of nature." "l et it roost in the trees, defend itself in its own fa-h'on," says he, "and it will in a very short time pass from poultry iuto game." There is a compliant that the now movement among women has produced dearth of the maidm aunt. Instead of devoting her time and strength to tho needs of her relatives sho is writing, or cleiking. or teaching or in any other direction dovoted t i the enlargement of her sphere; all of which is pleasant for tho maiden aunt, but inconvenient to tier relatives, who feel an alio tionatc claim upon her services without pay. Sta'istics of mining accid.-nts include some of tho oonso picnee flowing there from. Thus, in the first anthracite dis. trietof Pennsylvania, during the single month of September, there were eleven fatal accidents, which we aro told, made the widows and fifteen orphans." That is not an especially bad return as mining records go, but the figures suggest u great deal of soirows and suffering coiihO pieat upon a duugurous business. The practice of tunning trams on tho left hand track is now being largely put in force by railroad corporations through out the United Slates. Tlio custom originated in England, and nfTonls tho engineer a better and fuller view of the tracks uhca I. The Old Colony Road of Massachusetts has adopted this method of running its trains, and tho other companies whose roads centre in 1'oston will follow the same rule when they become better acquainted with tho practicability of the system. THANKSOIV1NO. When the trees art gray and And the snow is in tb air, And the frost Is In the sod. And the yellow golden-rod, I.Ike a fading sunset light, Withers in a blackening bltVtrlt And the dead leaves to and f rO - Whirl about as the north winds Mow Then comes the old Thanksgiving time. When hearts in festal meetings chime When gay youth no longer sings The clear carols of its springs, And old age with stealthy treed t'p behind us steals, to shed W inter snows upon the bead ; Yet with ago's frost an t snow firings a light whose stonily glow With an Wner radiance scorns Thoughtless youth's best nights and morns, Then comes the old Thanksgiving time, And awakes a loftier rhyme. 'Then, for nil that buiMs up life With its chnnging calm and strife What I was tho given bnao tfron which I now can pla What poor figure I may have wroujht Out of all my life and thought Fur the priceless providence That hath made each nerve and sense Of my boyhood but tho germ Of a growth more full and firm For the blest inheritance Of my parents' blood for chance F.von, and fate nnd circuinstniico For the joy and sorrow turned Into hoo for wisdom learned From my folly faith from doubt: All within mo or without That hath help! the spirit weak Its best lifo and truth to seek: Fora'l this, and morn that, blind, I cannot recall to mind Thnnks on this Thanksgiving day I would render as I may : On this dull gray day when earth Hath no smile of spring or mirth, Anl tho dead leaves to and fro v Whirl about as the north winds blow. CltrMaphtr P. Cranch. THE UNPROIJATED WILL. A THASKSOIVINO STOnY. OOH as John Austin was, he was made more desperate by tho return of the fa ther of his wife (believed to bo dead i who came homo to them '.. lit-.'.L-nn in linnltli V, ' a silent, "ipicer" man, as the poo- pie of llcacliton called him. When .lane Austin was a lit tle girl tho now Id man had left her mother and her self to battle with tho world. No ouo know why or whither ho had gone For twenty-five years nothing lind been heard of or from him. In tho mean time tho mother had died, the daughter married, and several littlo olive branches had come to twine nround the hearts of the father and mother and mako the struggle lor bread still moro imperative. For half a dozen years the old mnn lingered rather than lived, apparently purptselcss save to wander in the woods around tho little inland village in sum mer, shiver over tho tiro in winter and constantly mutter to himself. Then ho quietly fadeil out from among the living and was laid to rest in the desolate graveyard. f where he had been during his long absence ho never talked ; what ho had done was never known. His reap ear auce was as sudden and unexplained as his departure. Ho came on foot and alone, and the only thing certain about him was his poverty. Tho expense of his ''keeping" had been a serious drawback to the prosperity of the daughter and her husband; those connected with his last sickness and death heavy. A single dollar added to the outlay of any m.m whose only cap ital is his hands nnd only income is from daily toil is 110 light atTair. But a week previous ic- Thnnkgiving tho funeral had taken place used up the lust dollar of r ndy money and left a debt to bo paid. In tho dickering light of the fire husband and wife sat sadly discussing tho outlook, and gloomy in deed it was. The last of the little brood lind In en tceked into bed, the fierce wind oi tho Northern Winter was howling without, tho stars shono brightly but ' coldly, and the low, heavy banks of clouds gave Both e of r. fierce snowstorm, ami tho poor know but too bitterly what that means for them. "John," (-aid his wife, nfter a long si- ' leuco and with a heavy figh, "to-mor-row will be Thanksgiving, and tho chil dren are reckoning upon a good dinner. " I "Yes," ho replied, with li s head ' bowed and tears in his eves, "but tho good Lord only knows where it is to j come from. The care nnd death of your ' father I don't say it complaining, wile, 1 lor you lui'-e repaid it a thousand times: has not only taken tho last cent, but left us a debt it willtuKc months to pay. , 'However, the darlings shan't be disap- pdutcd if 1 caii help it, and if you can manage tho pies and little things I'll Si-o what can bo done nbout gettii g some thing iu the shape of meat. Ileigh ho! what a miserable thing it is to l e poor and lovcrhavo any money when you need it most." "Yes, dear, it is hard; but we havo health, strength, and the little ones, and that is very much to bo thankful tor." And many a rich man would give more tituu tho sum uucsaxy to make us 1P ifjr ' tf-V ' comfortable for our appetites and the sound sleep we enjoy," Lime knew tney oi tne storm mac rocked their little cottage and drifted the snow around it. But with the morn ing light they saw it and with a sinking of heart. It was as a death blow to the plans John Austin had made for their Thanksgiving dinner. He had indulged in no lauciful dreams of turkey and a hugo chicken pie, of salad and jelly. They were as lar beyond his moans as oyster pato, terrapin, canvas-back and cl)smtsgno. A practical man, he had thought out no sumptuous or elaborate menu, but had resolved to be up early, take his gun, go to the woods and see if he could not ''knock over" something for a Thanksgiving feast. I'nder ordinary circumstances hunting would have been recreation and one seldom indulged In, for necessity com- Iielled uninterrupted labor. "Whew!" le whistled under his breath as he taw how deep was the snow, strong the wind and free.ing the air. But it was Thanks giving and the children must not be dis appointed. So, after building a rousing fire and bringing in plenty ot wood, he kissed his wife, promised to be back as early as possible, took his gun and started upon the uncertain uest. for game, likb money, has a perverse fashion of being out of the way when most wanted. Tramping alon? over tho unbroken fields and in the full sweep of tho Icy blasts, he was glad to reach a little grovo where ho could find shelter and regain his breath. Ho seated himself upon a stump and to him came the greatest temptation of his life. In a tree, within easy shot, roosted numerous turkeys. Hutch d from the ggs of wilil ones and with tho distinctive feather marks,' it would be the easiest thing to secuio One and piss it ofT, if seen, as legitimate game. (reat fat, lucious fowls they were, and the vision of how happy his wilo nnd children would be in the eating aro'O before km. Almost before ho was aware of tho art his gun was raised and aim taken. Then conscience whispered: "They nro not yours, John Austin," and turning his steps nwny he answered mentally if not vocally; "No, nnd I'm not going to be a thief, even for a Thanksgiving dinner." Pushing on again over tho broad meadow he struck tlio road an unbroken one now that led to tho forest where game was likely to bo found, ami was passing tho log cabin of a family even pooler than his own, for tho husbnnd wns lying very ill. Ho glanced up at the chimney the most nutiirnl thing to do upon such a day and saw no unoke. Either tlio poor man must bo dead or the suoiilv of wood had given out. In stant Iv his own situation was forgotten nod ho was not long in linding out that I his latter surmise was correct. "Don't worry," he said to tho anxious wife, gathering and bring'ng in all the wood ho could lind, "I'll run over to iicghbor Sampson's nnd borrow his team nnd get you a load. There's lots of dead timber on this land, and ho isn't the meanest man in tho world by a long shot." To accomplish his purpose he was forced to retrace his steps and again look nt the temptation of lR turkeys. Certainly no birds ever looked so large, and they stretched out tkeir necks ami gobbled at him in tho most provoking fashion nnd as if they knew what was passing in Irs mind. "Vos, John." said tho farmer in an- I John," snnl tho farmer In an swer to his reipicst, "take the oxcu nnd i get as much wood as you can haul. But : you will have to cut it. Everything! down must be snowed under except it may bo some rotten stud that is of no account." j "All right, but you will have to lend me nu axe. I started to timl some game fcr dinner, but now the children wib have to get along with whatever their mother ! can manage to fix up." I "Well, here's an axe, and vou had better leave your gun here till you come 1 back. I'd like to use it if vou can tell mo where I will find my flock of turkeys the tame-wild ones 1 mean. I bcliovo they know it's Thanksgiving and have run away." Austin told h'm where tho birds were to be found, thought of how little thero would be upon his own table, and hastened upon his errand of mercy hastened ns fast as an ox team, discon tented with being out such a cold morn ing and wailing through such diep snow, Could be pcrsua led to go. Tramping along after the sled Austin nt last reached the woods and looked for a convenient tree to "fall." An oak stood near uud a tap of hisax convinced him it was hollow. That suited him exactly, lie could easily cut oil' acouplo of logs, roll them upon the sled and re duce them to burnaiiio slo afterward. A strong armed and willing-hearted man, he was not long in separating tho trunk, drawing nnd unloading in front of tho homo of his sick friend. Tho poor wife thanked him heart ilr and said her brother had come and would do tho j chopping. "All right no thanks," ho rcpliol in I his hearty way. "llopo your Thanks giving will be briah er than yu antici- , patcd. "Now I'll get my gun and soo what lean do for my own dinner." I He had gotten some littlo distance when tho woman scouted: "Y'ou have forgotten your satchel, John Austin!" "Minof" ho questioned, returning. "of course it is. You must have placed it in tho hollow trunk and for gotten it. Anyhow it rolled out and here is your wife's name on it. Gracious, but it is marked plain enough," In unite astonishment John Austin tooK up tho satchel and brushed off tho snow. It was a small affair, tattered, worn, stained and (lis ho afterward said) might have come out of tho ark. A piece of buckskin was '.onped through tho hhiidlca nnd rudely marked: Mrs. Jane Austin, wifo of .lolm Austin and daughter of James Selfridge, Ueachton, 1 chtisylvuiiin, I'. S." Ho choked down a great lump that had gathered in his throat, looked with tho most stupid surpriso at tho woman, then at the satchel, and forgetting team, gun and game started homeward on a inn. Bursting into tho house ho dropped breathlessly into a chair, llung the tatchcl into the middle of tho four and gasped ouo the single word: "There!" "John Austin," exclaimed his wife in the loudest key possible for her voice to reach and with the muscles of her face : gathering for a storm, "aren't you ahumed of yourself to come home drunk, and on Thanksgiving? Take that nasty old thing out of doors. It'i burning shsme and a disgrace, and you a husband and father of a family," and her apron was brought into requi sition to wipe away her tears. "It's marked for you, Jane, and where In heaven did you get that great turkcyi" "Farmer Sampson brought it, and your gnn, which you lost, and If the neighbors didn't take pity on us we'd starve," was replied in very short sen tences and broken by sobs. "But Jane" "Don't Mane' me. Take that misera ble, dirty thing out and crawl off some where and go to sleep. To think I should have lived to see the day and and we become objects of charity and and having to be fed by the neigh bors," and up went the apron again. "Mother," broke in the eldest of the hopefuls, whose curiosity had caused an Investigation of the satchel, and who had spelled out the addiess, "it's your name; and such nueer writing:" Thus, reinforced John Austin explained that he had found it in a hollow log and suggested that it Le opened, ihe wire looked dubiously at it for an instant and then, forgetful of anger and tears, exclaimed: 'It is father's writing. Open it rpiic.t as ever you can." Ho complied. The first thing he saw Wns a letter. It was written on coaise paper, unsealed, directed to his w ife, and rend: "AH for my daughter Jane, wife of John Austin, forever nnd ever. Joints Felfr dge. "Sounds liko a will," said the hu ba: d. "and wo'll sco what the old man has left." l ittle packages tied up in buckskin were taken out, and each, when opened, disclosed gold, coined, du-t and nug gets, evidently tho savings of a mi-cr miner, and explained why ho had so much haunted the woods Cvcrcoine by their unexpected fortune husbnnd. wife and children gathered around the tabic upon which it had been p led, nnd laughed and cried together. Tho millions ot merchant princo or rail way king was nothing compared to the, few hundreds to them. Then camo the natural fear of being robbed, and the wealth was hastily hidden away. Thev weic too much excited to ccn discusj wdiat they would do with it -find wer f rigthened nearly into convulsions when aloud rap was heard on the door ttd with it a command to open. It wns only their tieighbor Sampson witli more good things, and ns he sat warming his numbed hands and feet he told how good John had been as to tb atllicted family. "And, John," ho said, "I saw nnd heard you when talking about my tur keys, and a man who could be thus honest under so great temptation will ever find a friend in Job Sampson." Then Austin and his wife unbosomed themselves, showed tho gold, the letter and naked advice. It was judiciously given and with congratulation the fai met hurried away, happy at having done a goo 1 action. At a late hour for "country folks'' theii dinner wns eaten with hearts overflowing with thankfulness, and whi n the stull'cd children were dreaming the wife stole behind her husband, put her arms around his neck and kissed him mote warmly than since tha days of her courtship ui she whispered: "To think I should accuse you of be- ing drunk I And you giving up nil hope of your own Thanksgiving dinner to help others! You dear old John." N. B. That will was never probated. The night before Thanksgiving. The Sorrow That Follows the Joy. "Yes," reVo saiil at break fast table this morning, "1 am glad Thanksgiving ii over." " Why " he asked. "Bccaus,'' she replied, "because lean now begin reminding you that Christmas, is coming, and that 1 need a new seal skin sacipue." i'ii'd ryA ii J braid. A Song of Tlianksflvliij'. I never had a sweet gnxelle To glad me with its suit black eye But I would Iovh it passing well baked in a rich Hint crusty if, If I could have a bird to love Ami nestle sweetly in my breast, All other nestling Innls at ovo, Tho turkey klulTud would I e that bird. On tho Way to Tlianksglvlii? Sen Ices, fife A Itunnvtuy Couple. l,k U v I ISlfl SACCHARIN. rbsiakkabIjG qualities or a CURIOUS rilODUCT. It I Derived from Coal Tari nil la tho Sweetest, finbstance Known It's) Usee ia Medicine, eto. Tho curious product from coal tar known as sa charm was introduced by a trench chemist two years ago, sinco when a fai.toiy for its production was e-tablished in Westerhau-en, near tho old historic town of Magdeburg, iu 1'russia, r-aciharin lias become so for midable a rival of cane and beet root sugar lor ninny manufacturing purposes, that tho producers of these look up in the new material with great disfavor, l.ute French papers state that the French sugar manufacturers have begun a cam paign against it, and the -ocicty of AsriculturiMs have tiutitionod the Gov ernment to forbid rts tnanu nature, as 1 lieing prejudicial to tho beet root sugar; tra ic, although experiments have shown that it is not noxious. It has been found that in its pure stnt;e it is diflicult of solution, but Uiis defeat is correcte I by ti c addition of an al,, lino bicarbonate that is added by si,, po.tious to tho saccharin mixed the water. No best is employed, asajmhr the iui'ucnce of heat soda wi l transform tacchuMi into salicylic acid. Neither lies, bees nor othur' insects win touch saccharin iu a:.y form, but phys ciaas are a irady piosctibing it for puienta af llicted with d.sca es wh ch jl not ad mit of the r taking sugar. geuticmnn to whom sugar was forb!d'iU:i tiicd sac th i in, using it alone to sweeten !vmon ju'co and slewed c.anlercies. He found thnt it would not mil, nr.., experimented with various thing, t-,, reraedv it, but was unsuccessful unU jie thought of glycerine; one dram ,,f saccharin with one pound of g!yce.iP, heated to solu tion, makes a iiiivtvire closelv resembling h..l-.oy, nnd one that readilv"dissolves in water, milk, Jrja, colleoj winos aud lipiors. Saccharin is used now in cake, candy and than pgne. Its sweetening power is :l()o time greatet than that oi sugar, and it has neither the hitter's nut.invo nc in urlous properties. It docs not ferment, and is in no way altered by tho action of yeast and other ferments. Iu addition lo this, it has also antiseptic priipert.es which ma ko it useful in pre- nerving articles oi looct. It is a condi ment, or sp:co, and should never bo tasted in its pure state. A distinguished American chemist, when asked for some information re speciing the new material, said: Sao tliar.u is really iu many waps a remark able rodiict. It ,s tho sweetest sub stance known. Cue part of it in ;o,ooi) parts of water will give the water r per teptibiy sweet taste eipud to ono part of cane sugar iii'J.io pirts of wuter, and a solution of ono in In, OUO is intensely sweet. In appearance it is a white crystalline powder, solublo in 2:10 parts of water at twenty-live degrees Centi grade, and is taMly solublo in alcohol ud ether. Its sc. entitle name is beu.oyl ulphunic am do. 'Vuriously enough, saccharin is in no way related to the class of sugars (carbo bydrattsi, either chemically or physio logically. It is not only unferineni.b,e, but it posse-sos un anti zymotic a tion; that is, it retards the ammoniacal ler mentations in cert a n secretions. It is Indigestible, inert and uou-pui-otious when taken iuto the stomach, mid passes out unchanged. These properties give it an important place in dietetics, phar macy and therapeutics. When m .ed witli the food of diabetic or obese patients it cnaMes them to indulge in sweetened dishes which ordinarily 'must be denied them on account of the in jurious effects of sugar under such con dition. "It is n harmless and effective sweet ening agent lor bitter medicines, aud chemical combinations of it with teveial alkaloids, such as iju nine, strychnino ami morphine, have been employed with maikel success. Jt is also given with other remedial agents, or iu pure solution as aii anti-tcimciitnlive medicine iu viirloui gastric uud iutciiuul dis orders, "Besides these medical uses, saccharin is largely employed iu France ns a sub stitute tor sugar iu confectionery und lupiois. One purt of it to 10JU or 'JOUU parts of glucose grape sugar) makes an eipiivnleiit to cane sugar lor toufo'-tion-ers' use, and one part of saccharin to StliJtl parts of liijuid is considoied sutli t i nt for making sweet bejucurs. Alto gether there is good reason for tho concern felt by sugar producers on account of a substance, a uaspo .iiful ol which will convert, a barrel of wuter into good syrup, und which does not decay, mould or ferment, und bus no injurious eliect upon tho human system. The thief dilliculty in tho way of its use is the high cost of production; but improved processes will doubtless bo devised which wdl bring its market value to a much lower I'gure thuuituow cuuimands." V.i4 I. , u's. Cuatemnluii Siclety Exotica. Thero is n small ot In (Guatemala, Central America, today, who ure so careful of themselves that they seldom venture on tho sidewalks, aud fortu nately for them they hu e sa ed enough of their inheritance to ci able them to keep carriages. Conlinemtnt to tho house seems to make them bashful, and when they are actually can. outside they blush and bow; thou comes a shower of Spanish compliments nnd they pass on. They have littlo receptions uud entertainments among themselves, and so rigidly do they adhere to thoir "blue book" that only kings nnd presidents can hope to secure invitations, if not of their set. Tlio other day a foreign resi dent o' in my years in tho country, said that when he weut to San Sulvador nbout thirty years ngo, a young man calling iu tho evening was expected to bring a bottle of wino or whisky in his pocket, so that the expense of tho enter tainment should not always full upon the parents of tho young lades. But times have changed, and nowaday it would be regaided as an insult should tho swain bring his liquors with him. though his face axpreics a desire for tho return ot thu good old days when usked to take lemonade. Argonaut. Yesley was boru in Epworth, Enjj land, in 170J. That Thanksjl Urn"e Wr or kvo oa 1 . i to la III MM krii0 1 to tha rarab In an undeveloped iht I L Climes' Under cover. C .ij V-y aT- -5r?s afrWaMUuajiwi in in, . , , ' mi - T- T In the fulness of conip'ctio-, I Uadtr the kr.ifc. Cay Kr - After dinner. An aged Initio was picked up near Kingston, N. Y., receutiv that haJ tas following Inscription on its back: "W. D. Whittaker. Aug. 10. 1771." A Strike For Turkey. Koast beef, indeed I "You forget this ii Thanksgiving. Where'! your turkey i" I lliiliTim "- ' A dcaill; breath. afcEgttgsjgSww sr fllpl Talmas;" ,io in t 1 r are now, inch rhaUK' nftl to w after the f itovrr the r, his aver ,i with a ;n.s. sen 10 l.ando 011 the who tt referred the tare" In this In he woiVes is, and w , nicanin the s hit the p Minded o I is hui'.t o m Jerusai nme to It is w or co'l i: limuiiai hleoC tin t of a 1 ne, and h roierly in Mrvniit goiiiK a' I. fill is UK 1 1 ile u ie. n nrthe ml 0, to th to the h'l'i it wns R" I In Ids n llKiut hi bsl HIS b Mm. ' ktre you i k. I hnvit 1 lived the kva ill ott thnt mot luTrt are Lid theo I .lone. u hut vo It Indus' uie wel with mil I MMJ 1'ils his Ii t up to t lie collie llcre ar I uwuer sji.Ih it L iioth nt nu i n: it I i I I lit re r, nt tHl ou slid nil Y my to liniii;. i he K' fur nu fend imp k and i t, r slu Christ A BIllS hi ot the auali eat (iro UiiK Inn ti. ruins tt'.tlllel mi to U IllltlltlO i!c the n tit nl ivilegei lirst fr inn is ti vo un Ibrlstiu t If: f will i r eonti I kuow ve fa t:sChi ,h nil t wi rtl ot tli mis, liowes r ti nrf rerilllli is, nil I in-li ol I'llt VII nve ti ;' oi ile k-c ro d cues I wn iiulen vice ri-ars. unit I ie inti un,-, s lt lei III! I s: ni ak ,us. ll.l'S i lll elil
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers