i . t. THE HICDLEBURGH POST. GEO. W, WAGENSELLER, Editor and Proprietor MiddIiEbckoh, fi., Jilt 1, 1697. Russia's population has increased nearly a million a year for one hun dred rears. A Reading (Fenn.) girl has jnst re covered $161.62 in damages as the re sult of an action brought against a lady who rolled her (the girl) a "chippie." It is to be assumed from this that the term "chippie" is de" famatnry, the opinion of the girl who brought the suit and that of the jury before which the case was tried operat ing to justify this assumption. "This goes to show that it isn't safe to monkey with the vernacular of the street," ob serves the Lowell News. Snys the London Chronicle: Many wrongs have been laid to the charge of the bicycle, and now, it seems, it is censed in France of being a literary doslroyer. rnblisbers complain of their Bhelves being encumbered with piles of yellow-covered novels, nnd even of more serious works, for which there is absolutely no sale. The market for Zola, Ohnet and Dntulet is falling off, and the percentage to be deducted from their issues grows larger day by day. So long as it is light every able bodied human being is upon wheels, and when they come home people are too tired to read. "When Victoria was called to the throne the United Kingdom contained 26,000,001) people," writes William George Jordan, of "What Victoria Has Seen," reviewing, in the Ladies' Home Journnl, the world's progress dnring the sixty years of the English sovereign's rule. "To-day it has over 39,000,000. The 'wise men' of the time said the nation would go to pieces. They claimed it could never govern its home and colonial posses sions. Under Victoria the new terri tory acquired alone is one-sixth larger than all Europe. To-day Victoria rules over 402,514,000 people, or twenty-seven per cent, of the popula tion of the globe. Her Empire ex tends over 11,399,316 square miles, "covering twenty-one per cent, of 'the land of the world. The United, tatos,, at the 'time of Victoria's coronation, had only 17,000,000 people; to-day it has 70,000,01)0. Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana were then Western frontier States. All our territory west of the Mississippi contained less people than Philadelphia has to-day. Our present trans-Mississippi popula tion exceeds in number that of tho whole country in 1837. Our territorial area has increased seventy-five per cent.; our National wealth has increased about seventeen hundred per cent." In speaking of American Presby teriauisin and the stirring part which the church took in the great Revolu tionary drama, a writer in the Chicago Times-Hemld says: "Culviuistie in fluence in American history is familiar to all who know the story of the Ply month Hock and the baud of Puritans who settled New England. The Rev olution here was formed by Presbyte rians, and the Whig club of New York, founded in 1752, to whose notion Bancroft ascribes the inception of tho Continental Congress, was so largely composed of Presbyterians that tho Tories called it the 'Presbyterian junta.' The synod of the Presbyterian church of Philadelphia wos the first religions body that urged the American colonists to take up arms. While all the clergy of the Church of England in New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania were on the side of the mother country, the Pres byterian preachers preached Revolu tion, and Bancroft gives the Presbyte rians full credit for their share in the bringing about of American independ ence." It is claimed by the Presby terians that the Government of the United States is modeled after the Government of tho Presbyterian church, and in support of this claim is cited not only the similarity existing between the two Fystems, but also the fact that Rev. John Witherspoon, President of Princeton College, one of the early American patriots, had much to do with the original frame work of the Federal Government. Whether or not the claim of the Pres byterians can be fully substantiated, comments the Atlanta Constitution, it nevertheless remains that the Presby terian church has been a potential factor in American history, and that its influence is still felt in both religions nd political affairs. There is one tiling about baring trou ble; only live met? are bothered. Deal A CENTLEMAN OF '76. B cut a gallant figure In bonnie buff sod bine; A goodly sight his buckles bright And J rimly powdered queue) A more courageous quester , Ne'er served 8ultan nor Shah Than he, my brave ancestor, My great-great-graodpapa) And then In his elation bid my forefather gay. Speak out the word he'd long deferred For fear she'd say him "Say;" And when he saw how tender Within ber eyes the light. He cried: "In your surrender I read we win the fight!" And when the freedom-pwan Swept, surge-like, through the dells A might clang whose echoes rang From Philadelphia bells Loud from a stern old steeple He hurled the proud hurrah, Tho joy-peal to the people, UNCLE SAM'S FOURTH 0F. JULY'bICYCLE. . a smm My great-grcat-grandpapa. lie held the brutal Hriton A "thing" beneath his scorn; A Tory he conceived to bo The'basest caitiff born; And not a neighbor wondered He looked upon them so Forsooth, that was one hundred And twenty years ago! 1I"W true the happy presage) In faith, how leal and true Thy whole long life of love and strife, Thou saint in buff and bluel Ileyond nil touch of travail. With great-grcat-grnndmnmma, Now flooding time, slips by In rhyme For grcAt-grcat-grandpnpn! Clinton Scollard, QRI&BSVILLE'S CANNON. 1 A Fourth of July Story. $ RIGGSVILLE was very sorry, indeed, bnt it didn't see how it was going to have n Fourth of July celebration. Not that Griggsville wasn't anxious to set off firecrackers and have a balloon ascension, with fireworks in the even ing. Quite tho contrary, for the Fourth of July in the' past had olways been the greatest day of the year. Griggsville had thought it all over, re membering that crops were bad, that the times were hard and that taxes were high, and hud como to the conclusion that it would need all the money it could get for winter fuel and buck wheat Hour and bacon. All of tho older folks agreed with this decision; not without many mourn ful shakes of the head, but the boys of Griggsville were much displeased. "It's what I call a burning shame," sniffed Jack Morris when he heard the news. "Yes," chimed in Ruddy Wilson, "Alden's Mills and Norcross and Simpson's Landing and nearly every town in the county is going to have a celebration, and now Griggsville has backed out.'1 "Course all of our games are off," remarked Dick Lnnsing, disconsolate ly; "no team will come here to piny un less there is something going on." Dick was the malinger of the Griggs ville Rasehall Club and he felt the dis appointment deeply. For a moment ull tho boys were si lent, as if the weight of tho a Miction was too great for expression. Presently Will Spencer blurted out: "Let's have n celebration anyway. I've got n few dollars I'll put into it and we cau get enough more among the boys to make something of a show nt least and we'll leave the old folks out of it, too." "That's all very well," returned Dick, "but it's easier said than done," and there the matter dropped. The nextlay when the boys met at the bull Held Will came rushing up the street, evidently much excited. As soon as he was within hearing he shouted: "I've got it, fellows, I've got it." "Well, out with it, old mnn; don't keep us in suspense," replied Dick, who didn't think much of Will's many plaus. For Will hod only lived in Griggsville a short time and Dick was a little jealous of his popularity. As soon as Will recovered his breath he unfolded his scheme. It was to go down to Sullinger's Hole and find the cannon and muskets that were sup posed to lie hidden in its depths. Dur ing the war the port of Missouri in which Griggsville is located had been overrun by roving bands of marauders belonging rt both the Confederate and Union armies, and it was on one of these raids that the Southerners had pounced down upon a quantity of stores and ammunition held at Griggs ville, and, being unablo to get entirely away with their plunder, they had dropped it into Sullingcr's Hole. All this had been long known to the boys of Griggsville,lwho8e, fathers and mothers often told of the wild day of the raid, and pointed out the bullet furrows in their homes. And they knew, too, all about Sullingcr's Hole. It lay at the end of a tangled path among the hazel brnsh and prickly ash at the bottom of the bluff which shel tered Griggsville. It was a quiet, glassy pool with a harmless little stream trickling into it, bat no outlet that any one knew about Grass and weeds and a few yellow water lilies found bottom, although more than one of the men of Griggsville had sounded the pool. The earliest settlers in the county had called it the "haunted pool," but ever since old man Sullin ger had scoffed at the idea and had gone bathing in its waters, never to return, it had been known as Sullin ger's Hole. All these things the boys knew and they avoided the dark pool. They neither skated on it in winter nor swam in it in summer, although a few of the braver ones had fished around its edges and caught big, lazy, old bass and pickerel. It was, therefore, not at all surprising that Ruddy Wilson shrugged his shoulders and laughed when Will made the suggestion. "None of that for me," he said. "Oh, well, you needn't go along un less you want to," responded Will, impatiently. "All fiis talk about Sullinger's- nole being haunted is foolishness. I've caught a good many fish there, and it's a beautiful place. May be the old cannon and muskets were never dumped in there at all, but if they were it would be a great thing to drag 'em out and have a pa rade with 'em on the Fourth and fire the cannon early in the morning. I tell you, boys, it would be the biggest celebrntion that Griggsville ever had." Will was very much excited, and several of the boys at once grew inter ested. Will didn't know as much about Sullingcr's Hole as the other boys, and so he was less afraid. "I'd help," said Dick Lansing, "if I was sure there was any way of do ing it." "All right, Dick, we'll show 'em," put in Will, whose eyes fairly glowed with excitement. "We'll have the old guns all up here by the Fourth and it will be a celebration worth seeing." When Dick went over, all of tbe doubters except Ruddy went with hiin. The company was pledged to tho greatest secrecy, and work was to he- gin nt once . The basebull practicing was forgotten, and seven boys set oil down the narrow, pathway -that led to Sullinger's Hole. That night and the next evening had all expressed their intention of going there often to flsn. The next night Will was handling the drag rope. Suddenly it began to pull, and, assisted by Jack, be drew it carefully in. At the end was a mass of snags. "What's that?" shouted Dick, sud denly. Will pulled the rope nearer and Jack lifted out a long, narrow object. It was a gun barrel, rusted, beyond recognition. The stock was wholly gone, bnt it had evidently been broken off in raising it from the bottom, be cause there were the marks of a fresh fracture. Forgetting that lie was on a raft Will threw up his cap and shouted at the top of his voice: "We've found 'em! we've found em!" But although they dragged an hour they could bring up nothing else. "I don't see how we can ever get the things up even if they are there," said Dick. "Dive," answered Will, quietly. The other two boys looked at him with horror. But when they parted for the night Will had expressed his firm intention of diving to the bottom to see if he could find the cannon. And the next day all seven of the boys came back very much excited. The finding of the gun barrel had reas sured them. Carefully they poled out so as not to moke the water muddy, end then Will stripped and stood poised for a moment on the edge of the raft. Dick hod insisted that he tie a rope around him. The word was given, and, with a look at the clear sky above, Will splashed head-first into the Sullinger's hole. They saw his white body go down and down through the water and then fade out of sight. No one moved nor uttered a sound; every muscle 'was strained and every eye was fixed on the water. It was a critical moment. Whnt would Will find? Would he bo sucked, down to his denth as Sullinger had been? But the rope had ceased to spin through Dick's hands. . Then it pulled 1 A HV'NDllF.D WILLING HANDS DKAOClIiD THE OLD CANNON. they dragged or rolled a number of big dry logs and poles down to the edge of the pool. These they cut off into equal lengths and fastened to gether in the form of a huge raft that would support a dozen or more boys. As early on the afternoon of the third day as possible the seven slid quietly out of the town and down the hill to the pool. They carried with them ropes and a crowbar or two and a num ber of long poles cut in the woods, be sides hammers and nails and other im plements. On reaching the shore of the pool they mounted the raft and pushed it out. They all whistled and shouted and sung until the birds of the woods, unused to being so disturbed, flew away much frightened. Every one of the workers felt just a little nervous in spite of the bright warm sunlight and the clear sky overhead. Once out on the pool they poled them selves along until they were about twenty feet from the shore. One of the ropes with a big iron hook on tho end was let down in the water and dragged back and forth. Suddenly it pulled against something hard. Half shivering with excitement Dick and George Merton pulled away on it. The raft swayed and lurched, and the other boys came to help them. At last a big, dark object came to the surface, and they saw that it was only the limbs of a big dead tree. As long as there was light they poled about the edges of the pond with their drags, but with the exception of snags and weeds and mud they could find nothing at all. After two more discouraging after noons of work "Lank" Everson said he wasn't going to waste any more of his time. Three of the boys agreed with him, bnt Will Speneer was able to persuade Dick and Jack to make one more again and a dozen feet away from the boat a wet head popped out of the water. Will shook himself, spattered aud shouted: "It's there, it's there; I touched it." Then he struck out for the raft, dragging something along in his hand. When he crawled out he laid an old, worn, rusted musket on the logs. All the boys were wild with excitement. Dick insisted on stripping and making a dive, and he, too, brought up a mus ket. Then Will went down with one end of a small rope in his mouth. This he ran through the fork of the cannon. A larger rope was dragged down, and before dark the boys were on shore ready to begin pulling in their prize. But it would not stir. It was too deep in the mud. The next afternoon they came down with Tom Fisher's old white-faced team, fastened it to the rope, and with one strong pull the cannon came loose and then it was no trouble to pull the battered and rusted and wholly worth less old piece of artillery out of the water. Somehow, in spite of all the boys could do, the news spread about like wild-fire, and every one in town came out to see what Sullinger's Hole had given up to the light of day. A hundred - willing hands dragged the old cannon to the top of the bluff, and on Fourth of July morning it was loaded with powder but that is get ting ahead of the story. For when Griggsville heard what the boys had done Will Spencer became the hero of the hour, and the money for a great celebration was quickly ( subscribed. And on the morning of the great day Griggsville was out in her best with flags waving and flreorackers popping and anvils booming. The news of the great find bad spread, and men and women and children earn from all And Dick Lansing's ball team , won two games. About the old cannon? When it was fired it split from end to end, bnt Griggsville still keeps it as a proud trophy. And she is probably cele brating around it to-day, for Will Spencer made the dive which brought him fame all over ' Missouri many years ago. Chicago Record. "THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER." A IJttle Boy Wm tha First Penoa to Sing the Spirited Bang. In Lossing's "Pictorial Field Book of the War of 1812" it is recorded that the "Star-Spangled Banner" was first sang in a restaurant in Baltimore, next door to the Holliday Street Theatre, by Charles Dnrange, to an assemblage of the patriotio defenders of the city, and after that nightly at the theatre. This statement is slightly inaccurate, and though it is' one of no great his torical importance it involves a matter of sufficient interest to justify a cor rection. The first person to sing that spirited song which, though given a foreign air and commemorating a sin gle episode in our country's history, has filled millions of hearts with pa triotio devotion was a lad of twelve years of age, the scene of his childish effort being neither a restaurant nor a theatre, but the open street in front of Captain Benjamin Edes's printing office in Baltimore, tbe second day after the bombardment of Fort Mo Henry. It is worthy of record, too, that the person who first "set up" the song, printed it and distributed it to the citizens of Baltimore was also a boy an apprentice of Captain Edes the whole thing being done while the gallant captain was still out of the city with his regiment, the Twenty-seventh Maryland Infantry, which three days before had acted with conspicuous bravery at the battle of North Point. The name of the apprentice boy, then seventeen or eighteen years old, was Samuel Sands. He lived a very much respected citizen of Baltimore to a very old age. The little singer was James Lawrenson, who afterward, for nearly seventy years, was connected with the Postoffice Department, and also employed, for probably half that time, as a writer for the National In telligencer, the Philadelphia Ledger and the Baltimore Sun. He died near ly ninety years old, at his home in Baltimore, universally loved and hon ored. A Four-Legged Fire Extinguisher. I guess most boys think all the fun of the Fourth is to light firecrackers, but the writer had a dog named Demo crat who had lots of fun putting out firecrackers as they exploded. He was a plucky bull-terrier, and earned the title of "four-legged fire-extinguisher" in this way. After an exciting day with him, when he had put out many crackers with mouth ami paws, we were on the lawn, watching the fireworks, when the thin dress of a child cauoht fire from a smolder ing cracker, and Democrat saw the blaze and put it out before the older people hnd noticed it. e hrst discovered Ins taste tor nre- fighting when he jumped and took a lighted match from my father's hand. He finally burned his throat while put ting out a blazing paper, and died, much missed by all the boys in the neighborhood. Chicago Record. Contly liilny of Fireworks. The cost of a finely managed dis play of fireworks is no small consider ation. At the Presidential inaugura tion at Washington March 4, 1885, $5000 was paid to one company for fireworks, and I was shown one check for $11,000, which was given for a similar but more extensive display at tho Centennial of Washington's in auguration, April 30, 1889. Taris and London have always been exceedingly lavish in this regard. As early as 1G97, $fi0,000 were spent in London on fireworks to celebrate the peace of Ryswick. In 1814 an even larger amount was spent to celebrate in St. James Park the lpoth anniversary of the reigning family; and at Crystal Palace, where fireworks are frequent, three tons of quick-match are some times let off in a single evening. The FrUoner' Holiday. Onco a year, on the Fourth of July, the prisoners at the Wisconsin State's prison at Wanpnn have a half-holiday. They are let out of their dark cells in to the prison yard. They can't have firecrackers, but they are so glad to get out that tho time goes away quick ly. They have boxing, wrestling, running, races, ball playing and all kinds of games. On Ihe Fourth two years ago one old man, who was a lit tle bit crazy, wanted to make a stump speech, so he got on top of an old windmill tower and began to shout. He was very much excited, and some of the men turned the hose on him. He was wild with anger, and could think of nothing more to say. An Kpltaph. Stop, traveler, and weep for him . Who's lying here below. . lie filled his cannon to the brim ' That's all you'll ever know. Here lie it Again. . i. Sttin MI03S HIDiit PRECNANT THOUGHTS FRC ,J - w ihors. O! It Jm Lift the Lo.dT w.rth-r.ith -oij1JLH Over Bmll ThlB,-Chri.f. aT H tlona-Feot That tio I . .. woo. The camel, at the close of day Knoeli down upon the andy nlalu To have lu burden lifted off P 8 And rest to gain. ' My soul, thou, too. shouldst to thv t.. When daylight dWth to a Ifi" And let thy Master lift the load ' And grant repose. Else how oouldst thou tomorrow m,, With all tomorrow's work to do It thou tby burden all tbe night ' Dost carry through? The camel kneels at break of day To have his guide replace his load Then riseth up anew to take ' Tbe desert road. So thou shouldst kneel at morning da.. I That Ood way give thee daily o.m , H Assure j that lie no load too great Will make thee bear. The Tt of Trim whi. That which I would have every 0MJ M . . t --o ui ari Of uilJ termlned merit submitted to his . 3 rmnilelirimrmrtnncA r. .w... , . ithaveanv virtue nr .!.... '.. " . the chain of truth, whether It have reor5j ... .. ......... v. ujii.iiiS ueiore unknnJ whether it have added one BlnKle" tonel v.... u .u-r,uuus i-yrnuiiu, cut away (J ' uuujiii.ur laveuuu one rutTl.'1'il hill J in oumatli. Thin If It l, .. Ch:a mlM of art, it must have done, for no man ,J j nurntu iKiurMiy WUIIOUt (tlViUB 1 J such help to his race. God appoint toeJ . . i. 1; ""T:b separate mission. If thev dlHflhnrire It lmii,,rt.i.i i ., . themselves like men and faithfully L'l It nil eold and nuenelilm. !.... V I "1.., .. 1 Miim-m'H fti will assuredly come of it mrh iurcJ m, iu u Hjipoimen mode measure, nhn!l shine before and he iif nervlee erttwtnnt n...i i. ,i Rrees infinite of lustre there must nivtm but the weakest among us has a gift 'h. ever secmlnuly trivial, which is peciilitr him and which, worthily use,, will , also to his rare forever. "Foul not "u Tnr nil mn dnnA - ...i, , mug If they dare choose, a Klorioua Ills or ii, uu inn eunirury, mere lie Hot l uc (if - . .... ,u i.tt iit-mitr i.a pose nor fidelity In what Is done. II n uu cuviuun ur iunrrn'M munition (if () J men's labors, If It be a display ol mereil iioi ucAteriiy ur uunuilH III H II II I ll.'t II re. or I in any other mode it tihnur i.i..i( ... l. I Its oriffln iu vanity cast It out. It niaiJ uuv wnni powers 01 niiinl may lmvn ii uuiiueruu or corrupieu in it, itu nave their savor, it is worse than wortblt. perilous east It out. John liiifkin. - Faith for fiulilnnce, Tako from the navigator his damn struments, und tho stiinid bimhv thin ir on the mast of his ship to retreat its i-i frame can make Its way to hind, nnl W nun to perisu nt tne mercy of the wioJ wave, l lie sea kuII tlmt follows his n to pick up the crumbs of bread that laliti nts tauie, always keeps it reokotiL; itself but' man can never depend hluiBelf for guidance. A law an instrument is bis guide, his faith In following them det his courso. "Yen, the stork iu tlm hm knowoth her appointed tlinen, the turtle, erane, and the swallow observe the tin their coming, but my people know nit judgment ot tneir uoil. ' iiie t.ee.w compass, square or line, cnu so suj con mat ttio niiitnomathMiiii demorw: it loses tho least space. Ilrought overt uisiauco or two thousand miles, over n. tains nud deserts, shut out from allcit nidation with the world around. nt intervals, the emigrant stopped u bis tenuis and wash bis clothe, coii!U the capabilities of tlio little cniilair opened their habitation und let Hit: Yet, in this strange country to wliiob were brought in darkness, ihey wert fectly nt home; nnd among the bundr strange suliMiiuees, eight or ten t!iu of them made several selections in t yet, not In a single Instance i- one dec mid iu perfect confidence we eat their their labor, Involving million of sel: with a dellnite tiiKlcrstaiiilinir tlmt il innde n mistake our life would ay tie nlty. Yet we eat without fx itiiig a Wc can trust the Instinct of the hee, I. cannot trust the (Jod who gave itthei or, perhaps, deny the relation Iw cuube und effect by doubting His exu: FretlliiR Over Small Thing!. Tho great and serious pluns fori liM that belong to the solemnities an! Buuust occasions of existence. imJ absolutely sncrlllced nnd even je; yielded, because great grace leupunl the supreme hour of choice: but tti's dally planning! for work nnd pleavl often he d fast tenociousiv. nun ww. are broken wo fret and fume withiil challnt'. if not with outward irntatiot. for tiikinu iovfullv the Interruption I come through front door and bmk, ttj deriuir thinirs bv wnv of iicciiieiun us out and nut us libout. so that1' can be finished as desired, it does cl If human nature could never tiuu iw-i slide. . . Wouldltuotbciitriumflioll Indeed to be able, to take joyfully I 'spoiling'" How do we crave J"'r0cl even In the smallest artairs : w undisciplined Indued, If wo nlwy "J Here is really a grcnt opportufl emulate ancient worthies 01 m i Ant Irrlr-nJnv life 1111(1 tflkS M a spoiling that may often h n hanl I tj as loss of goods. Xho records 01 1 and of creiit anlilnvements Will larired bv deeds well worthy of re in'! but tho small, Joyful surrenders WW 1 lilenclni. In 1IU aielit "who knoWM""! 'rifle all;" and, putting these small "' otoers, "We shall see life may t A rosary of little deeds J Done humbly, Lord, as uutoltl I ll,i H. Johnston. iu'- n i in.. With !? Bojolcel Be glad! He chwrhdj merry countenance, of a smiliw? "1 of good courage never oium i, t n. t,. ,,i the Lord' lUVIIIJ. 4.11V .MW i 'J AlVfl strength, liubblo up and run 0"J joy j let It well up rrom a gn - like a reiervotf of Ood from wni' n everyono else can draw inexniif' piles. Make everybody happ?!' exultant Joy. Your business u ii vour mission la to bind up uw hearted ; to lift up the '""'"'j', nnd encourage the desnonderd J to moke everyono to bo glad W lba Alug s Messenger. The feet that go up to Ood InW tnln, at tbe end, are the k1c'"".. in" off their shoes beside Thin la l,M il.lHnn. mora men, not merely dares but wv back and reiuomber.-rhilllp It Is a pleasant sight tow!f, ing Ood, for the air is bevt ot murmuring, and the row J complaints and laraenUton-; luti E it ui , 'in i Till e Hod Hl til If ...WIHl I. f MMh.