There lived in China, years ago, An odd old mandarin, Whose temper was so peppery They called him Sin-ah-sin. He wandered through the crowded streets In search of daily bread, ‘And wore a garment long and straight, ‘Which once was brightest red. But worn in all the dust and rain, In dampness and in dew, It stiffened slowly with the grime, And turned a Hos hue; ‘And like a cylinder became, So long, and straight, and round, It wrapped Ah-sin from head to heels, And in it he seemed bound. ‘And out upon the collar high His yellow queue hung down, Till nothing of that mandarin Was seen, but just his crown. This robe so heavy did become, That he could scarcely walk, 'And o’er the top of it he tried In vain, alas! to talk. The boys they chaffed, and taunted him, And missiles at him cast, ‘And called him shabby Sin-ah-sin, As he went dragging past. Though Ah-sin’s blood did often beil At cruel jest and jeer, The while he wore that rigid coat The lads had ne’er a fear. And so, one pleasant July day, he gamins round -sin Said, “Let us have a little fun With this old mandarin.” And stepping up applied a torch ‘To Ah-sin’s precious queue, When flashing forth a brilliant light, They heard a noise, and whew!— They saw Ah-sin, from out their sight Go up in flame and smoke, While o’er their heads, in tiny bits, Flew pieces of his cloak. ‘With pent-up wrath he did explode, That poor old mandarin, And far from coats, and cares, and boys, Went grimy Sin-ah-sin. —Youth’s Companion. ring, On the Fourth of July, at Willowspr Rockets and racket are quite the thing, For on that day the chief of joys ; Are piles of powder and heaps of noise. That it was a hot day mattered noth- ing. Dan fired the first cracker at day- break, and kept up the cannonade till breakfast time. After this he and the girls were busy getting ready for com- pany. The cousins came in full force, eight of the first class, all girls, and four of the second degree, these, luckily, hav- ing two boys in their number. Dan led the way to Sylvan Dell, and the celebration, which began on the ar- rival of the party, was worthy of the day. A pole was set by the boys, a flag run up and a salute fired by the whole party. Louise took charge of Camp Com- fort, with some of the lesser girls for helpers. Ruth, who began with much enthu- siasm, dropped pretty soon into a shel- tered nook, and, finding a book, which, by force of habit, she had tucked un- der her arm, she was soon absorbed in its pages, The rest of the girls possessed them- selves of Poplar Lodge and began put- ting that mansion in order. The boys belonged to all outdoors, ond at once hegan to fill their domain with racket. Dan had built dressing rooms, so, as soon as bathing suits could be donned DAN LED THE WAY. the waters of Silver Lake received them, and its waves were soon any- thing but silvery, as the vigorous youngsters kicked and sprawled among them. The waters rose so high as to run over the dam in a threatening way, which caused the dripping boys to be- gin repairs at once. Dan was in his element to-day, and the soiind waves produced by his voice seemed to interfere with all others, and the result was confusion. 7 ‘ There was pleasant excitement for the little girls in wading the raging waters of the Gunnison River, while the older ones visited the wishing well to learn their fortunes. By and by the mistress of Willow- spring appeared, with buckets and bas- kets, and the gay company, reclad and dry, sat down to a banquet at Camp Comfort. Such a dinner! Do you know how good even the plainest fare tastes when eaten out of doors, with song and laughter? You can well imagine, then, ~ v. a Te S, PIN WHEELS AND SEY SCREAMERS. how delicious was this bountiful picnic spread. Lemonade ran free; there was ice cream galore, and the cake was in big slices and often passed. There had been mishaps, of course. Marie showed a rent frock; Almon had burned his fingers; Dan’s hat was found soaking in Silver Lake, and Jen- nie’s shoes had sailed down Gunnison River. Nobody - minded these little draw- backs, and the hours flew swiftly by and the children were surprised when told it was supper time, and they must come to the house. Dan’s sound waves spread to an ap- palling distance at this reminder, but as he suddenly began to turn somer- saults no special result followed. So, with chatter and song the children trooped in to tea. | After this all voted to return to Syl- van Dell, where the remaining crack- ers were soon popping, while torpedoes added to the din. HE GLorRIOUS FOURTH: TESPRGET How many of my boy and girl read- ers can tell who Betsy Ross was? How many can tell what she did that such a question should be asked? And yet Betsey Ross’s name ought to be famil- iar to all of us, and every time we see the Stars and Stripes floating from the flagstaff we should be reminded first that this is a glorious country we live in, and, second, that Betsey Ross, a modest Quakeress of Philadelphia, was the first one to make that beautiful em- blem. Betsey Ross’s name as a girl was Elizabeth Griscom, and she was born in the city of Philadelphia Janu- ary 1, 1752. Her father was a prosper- ous builder, and assisted in the erec- tion of the State House, now Independ- ence Hall, from the belfry of which, q Tel Gin athe J ral, 4 A Stars ond STrige Y — on a famous day in 1776, rang out the message of “Liberty to all the world and to all the nations thereof.” When she was twenty-one years of age Eliz- abeth Griscom married John Ross, and they settled down in a little house in Arch street, Philadelphia. It was in this house that the first United States Ross, a niece of Colonel Ross. She was a young and beautiful widow, and known to be an expert at needlework. They called to engage her services in preparing our first starry flag. General Washington unfolded a paper on which had been rudely sketched a plan of a flag of thirteen stripes with a blue field dotted with thirteen stars. ROSS LIVED. HOUSE WHERE BETSY Mrs. Addie G. Weaver, of Chicago, in a little book entitled “The Story of Our Flag,” tells the history of the adop- tion of that flag as follows: “There is no record that Congress took any ac- tion on the national cclors at this ses- sion—Dbut this flag was made by Betsey Ross at this time. The proof is posi- tive that the committee approved the finished flag of Betsey Ross, and she was instructed to procure all the bunt- ing possible in Philadelphia and make flags for the use of Congress, Colonel Ross furnishing the money. Congress was very slow to act. The records Silver Lake had just gotten its face smooth when into it again plunged the harum-scarum boys, and the girls fol- lowed the Gunnison River to its source in the big spring. Here one of the girls, reaching too far, fell into the cold, deep water, but was drawn out, dripping, by her sisters. The sudden dip did not depress any one, however, and was not reported at the house. While all these things had been going on in Sylvan Dell the older peo- ple had sat about the cool rooms in the Willowspring house, talking of old times and telling the pioneer sto- ries grandpa had taught them, and which still have interest for young and-*old among his descendants. When night came on Uncle Will sent up rockets, pinwheels and sky-scream- ers, while a fresh lot of firecrackers were provided and the children. roused to new vigor, made this hour the very noisiest of all. At last it was over, the fun and tho fireworks, the feasting and frolic, and Dan and the Willowspring girls bade their guests good-by, well pleased with the success of the celebration at Syl- van Dell. A Memorable Fourth. Memorable was the Fourth of July of 1789 in New York City, when Presi- dent George Washington resided in an Executive Mansion fronting Franklin Square, at the northwest corner of Cherry gtreet. The Society of the Cin- cinnati then gave their first dinner at the City Tavern, now the site of the Boreel Building, on lower Broadway, with its President, General Baron de Steuben, in the chair; but a slight ill- ness prevented President Washington from occupying the seat of honor. Al- exander Hamilton, however, was a guest, speaking to a toast, although fatigued by having made an address in St. Paul’s Church in the morning, where, amid the congregation, sat Vice- President Adams, his wife, and Mrs. Martha Washington, amid a brilliant assemblage of Knickerbockers and public functionaries. Souvenir of the Fourth. Another souvenir of the great day is a square box daincily decorated with bow of red, white and blue rib- bon and an American flag. "The con- tents of the box prove to be chocolate wafers, which are much appreciated by the women and children of the fam- ily. Chocolate Fireworks. Packages of scarlet-coated Fourth of July fireworks offered for sale in the confectioners’ windows turn out to be chocolate “works” of superior delicacy. The packages are arranged as follows: Small firecrackers, three in a bunch, or six in a bunch, costing respectively five and ten cents. ert i flag was made. Her husband was ap upholsterer and flag maker, and wher | he died in 1775 his widow continued his business in the little shop which occupied the front room of her modesi dwelling. In 1775 the Continental Congress ap: pointed a committee composed of Ben. jamin Franklin, Benjamin Harrisor and Mr. Lynch to create a Colonial flag that would be national in its tendency. They finally decided upon one with thirteen bars alternate red and white GROUP OF COLONIAL FLAGS. with the white crosses of St. Andrew | This | and St. George in a field of blue. flag was unfurled by Washington in Boston January 1, 1796. It was in the latter part of May, 1776, that Washing- ton, accompanied by Colonel George Ross, 2 member of Congress, and Rob- Morris show that the resolution for the adop- tion of the flag was dated over one year after it was actually created by the committee of which Washington was chief, that is, on June 14, 1777.” Before the adoption of the national emblem each colony had its own dis- tinct flag. One of these was the “Ap- peal to Heaven” flag, The two upper flags in the group were used at the battle of Bunker Hill. The pine tree flag had been officially adopted by the Massachusetts Colonial Assembly in April, 1776. First to Sign the Declaratien. “John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration,” says Lora 8S. La Mance in “New” Lippincott, “and his bold, heavy, inky-black signature is a character-study in itself. There is dash and fire,frankness and firmness in it, and the tremendous flourish at its close shows ready wit, firm nerve, and sure execution. Hancock was Gover- nor of Massachusetts many terms. He left most of his fortune to colleges and for benevolent purposes. “Roger Sherman died in 1793, the same year as Hancock. Shoemaker, surveyor, lawyer, storekeeper, Mayor, Congressman, Judge and Supreme Judge, Senator, member of the Com- mittee of Declaration ard of the Boards of War and Ordnance, he dis- | proved the old proverb about Jack-of- | all-trades by being a success at all | He was sagacious, practical, and of | quickest wit. Senator Randolph, proud both of his having the blood of the Indian Princess Pocahontas in his veins, despised Sher- man because of his lowly origin. Once when the latter was speaking he in- terrupted him: ‘“ ‘Can the Senator from Connecticut tell me,” piped he in his shrill, sarcastic voice, ‘what he did with his leather shoemaker’s apron when he came to the Senate? . “Quick as a flash came the answer, ‘IT cut it up to make moccasins for the Indian Senator from Virginial’ » Utterly Impossible. Jimmy—“D’yer know dat firecrackers wuz invented by de Chinese?” Tommy—*“Awwotcher givin’ us? W’y, de Chinks don’t celebrate de Fourt’.”’— New York Journal. Willie Dreams of a Giant Cracker. called upon Mrs. Betsey | OATHS STRANGE AND MIGHTY. Many Odd Customs of Swearing Court Witnesses. “How very few persons know the history and nature of the judicial oath and affirmations administered in courts of law,” said Lawyer Emanuel M. Friend yesterday to an American and Journal reporter. Mr. Friend de- scribed the oath as a solemn affirma- tion and attestation or promise made under an immediate sense of respon- sibility to God, and the invoking of divine vengeance in case of falsely speaking under the same. “Oaths are not the creation of muni- cipal law,” said Mr. Friend, “for they have been in use from earliest ages, and it has always been considered as supplying the strongest hold on the conscience of man as a pledge of future conduct, or guarantee of verac- ity. “The substance of an oath has noth- ing to do with Christianity, and is used in all countries; theugh forms differ, the substance is the same, which is that the Deity is called upon to wit- ness the truth of what is said, as, for instance, a Jew is sworn on the Pen- tateuch or Old Testament, with his hat on, closing his oath with, ‘So help me Jehova’; and the Mohammedan on the Koran; a Gentoo by touching with his hand the foot of a Brahmin or priest of his religion; a Brahmin by touching the hand of another such priest; a Chinaman, by breaking a china saucer. “The swearing of a Chinaman is done thus: On getting into the witness box he kneels down, and a china sau- cer being placed in his hands he strikes it against the brass rail in front of the box and breaks it. The oath trans- lated into English is: ‘You shall tell the truth, the whole truth.’ Then the saucer is cracked and the officer ad- ministering the oath continues: ‘If you do not tell the truth, your soul will be cracked like the saucer.’ “Chinese are also sworn by what is known as the Joss stick burning, which is a ceremony of burning one of the sticks used by their Joss in the presence of the Joss, which sig- nifies that their idol is called upon to witness the veracity of what they speak. “Affirmations consist of the raising of the right hand above the head, and, instead of swearing to the truth, the witness affirms. In olden times theft was punished by the burning of the palm of the right hand of the culprit, and when the hand was raised, if the scar caused by the burning was there, the testimony of the witness was not taken. It is also said that the index and second finger of the thief were amputated, and that when, being called upon as a witness and the right hard was raised for the purpose of affirmance, if one or both of these fin- gers were missing, the testimony could not be taken. . “The devout Hebrew, in affirming, raises the right hand and extends the thumb, index and second fingers, which forms the letter Scheen, mean- ing the first letter of the word Schadie or Ged. “The devout Christian affirms in the same manner and it is said that the three fingers represent the Trin- ity. The forms -of oaths vary accord- ing to where and for the purposes used, and are regulated principally by usage, and affirmations are permitted for the reason that, in many instances, persons, by reason of religious convie- tion, are prevented from taking the oath. But, as far as legal effect is concerned, the affirmation answers all the purposes of an oath, and when false testimony is given, where one has affirmed, the legal crime of perjury aristocratic birth and of ! exists just the same as though an oath ! were taken.” A Children’s Park. Miller, “the poet of the 8,” is building in California a designed exclusively for the use of little children. In the park there will never be any carriages or rcads for them, only little paths or trails such as the maker of the park cnce foilowed in the Sierras, and there will never be a policeman { with his club in sight. In the park i for children there will not be as much as a single official or park commission- er; nobody under pay. Joaquin Miller says that he expects the place to run itseif now that he has got it started. There is, henceforth, to be only one man onl the place, and he, with his family, a flock of sheep, some cows, horses, fowls, fishes for the ponds and fountains, and no rent to pay, will be a lord and a happy one. . The work of building this park for children kas been to the poet. a labor of love. The idea came to him in 1863, bur it is only now that he has been enabled to carry it cut.—Philadelphia Record. Jaoquin Marine Oak the Latest, Tae latest conceit in den funiture ig “marine oak.” Neat and cosy-looking littie cabinets, cases, closets, ete., are now being placed on the market by waanufacturers cf artistic furniture are as close an imitation of the furniture of the cabins and the fore- castles of sailing vessels as it is pos- sibie to make them. They are made of the best oak, and stained with a pig- ment which the furniture men have lately discovered that gives the wood that peculiar yellowish color wrought by the damp sea air on oak furniture. These curious and handy little cases and cabinets are equipped vith rusty locks, hinges, keys and chairs that com- plete the tout ensemble of ’hoardship furniture. With furniture of this kind a bachelor can fix up his room so that it will resemble in every detail the cabin in a sailing vessel.—The Marine Journal KEYSTONE STATE NEWS CONDENSED PENSIONS GRANTED. Minister Gives Thief Advice—$10,000 Fire—Enameled Green—Excited Over Gold Strike- Pensions were granted during the past week to the following: James G. Covey, Couderport, $6; William Turnbaugh, Altoona, $12; Henry De- larcy, Keating, $10; Orange Scurt- left, Balston, $8; John B. Harry, dead, Unionville, $30; Elizabeth W. Harry, Unionville, $12; Elizabeth M. Patton, Greencastle, $8; Margaret Fry, Dravosburg, $8; Thomas Drayton, Russell, $8; John T. Cavanaugh, Shar- on, $6; Walter R. Collins, Braddock, $10; William Richardson, Callery, $12; James M. Crawford, Canonsburg, $10; Joseph R. Miller, Harriety, $8; Frank S. Sawdey, Gillett, $17; John O. Womer, Hill, $12; John Moyer, Huntington Mills, $12; Benjamin Hen- cderson, Gastown, $12; George Rime, Lewisburg, $10; Jacob Lohr, Garrett, $12; Philip Taylor, Elkland, $24; James S. Duncan, Oil City, $8; John Feit, Indiana, $8; John H. Seitzer, Williamsport, $12. Boyd Henihan, Frank Shumaker, Henry Whiting, Ford Neeky and Rob- ert Ashbaugh are serving a 10 days’ sentence in the county jail at Kit- tanning in default of the payment of fines and costs inflicted on charges of riotous and boisterous conduct in the streets of Leechburg. N. S. Wortheimer, of New York, and Sylvan Friedlander, of Newark, N. J., convicted of conspiracy to defraud insurance companies out of $63,000, were sentenced at Reading. Worth- elmer was sent to the state peniten- tiary for 18 months and Friedlander for 15 months. A unique baptismal service was con- ducted at the Fairview Presbyterian church, near Canonsburg. Eleven persons were sprigkled = with water from the River Jordan. The water was procured by the pastor, Rev. A. B. Brown, while on a recent visit to the Holy Land. A committee of five councilman, at Qil City has been appointed to inves- tigate charges against City Engineer Roess. The complainants allege that tlie engineer was furnishing material to contractors having city contracts, contrary to law. Two additional cases of smallpox were discovered at New Kensington. The victims were Mrs. Tucker Shep- ard and H. O. Haughman. The board of health sent notices to all residents of the town requesting them to get vaccinated. Judge Wilson at Beaver Falls de- cided that under section 27 of article 3 of the constitution the state has no right to appoint inspectors of food- stuffs, but that such a power is lodged exclusively with counties and munci- pelities, The Rev. N. N. Buxton, of near Sharon, found a burglar trying to open cne of his windows. He gave the thief a sound pummeling, and before letting him go advised him to depart from his evil ways. Charles Brennen was held up by negro highwaymen at Washington, and his watch and revolver taken. William Reed was arrested for the crime and had the stolen property on kis person. The annual convention of the Meth- cadist Protestant Christian Endeavor Society of the United States will be held in the Methodist Protestant church at New Brighton from July 3 to 6. { The postoffice department has taken charge of the postofiice at Wighton, Chester Hill borcugh, Clearfield coun- ty, it being alleged that the postmas- ter is $1,000 short in his accounts. The Canonsburg board of health had an analysis of a number of water wells analyzed by a chemist, who pro- nounces the water impure. Typhoid fever is prevalent in the place. The dead body of Atchison Watson, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Watson, of Castle, Greene county, was found rear his home. How he came to his death is'a mystery. The gas well in the yard of Robert McKnight’'s home in Beaver Falls came in with 600 pounds of rock pres- sure. It is the greal Nt strike yet made in that town. f The papers committing Walter Lorman of the Biddle-Dorman gang to the Western penitentiary for life have been received by the sheriff of Alle- gheny county. Edward Scanlon, of Beaver Falls, fell into a vat of green enamel, and when taken out was coated from head to foot. The enamel was removed with difficulty. H. C. Golden, of Kittanning, was awarded a prize at Trinity coliege Hartford, Conn., for his essay on “The Commercial Supremacy of the United States. Peter S. Kuse, at Corry, attempted tc kidnap the 8-year-old daughter of Martin McGraw. The girl threw her- self from the buggy, suffering severe bruises, Gov. W. A. Stone has appointed Mor- ric D. Howe, of Wellshoro, Tioga coun- ty, a factory inspector. He takes the place of William M. Carney of Pitts- burgh. The United Presbyterian church of Mt. Pleasant, which was organized in 1502, and is the oldest institution of the town, celebrated its centennial. Seventh week of anthracite strike ended June 28, with no peace in sight. A demented man, captured near Con- reautville, is supposed to be Robert Wallace, of Oil City, who has been missing for some weeks. Judge John M. Greer announced that he had granted every application for license in Butler county, with two exceptions. The Beaver Valley Traction Com- pany 18 extending its line from the ezst end of Freedom to Conway and Baden. President Roosevelt will be the honor guest and deliver an address at j Pittsburgh during the celebration July 4. hd a me £8 5 p—— afra stre dra This but drin T sh wat Joh and wate tran plai ng from have alm you mor; you this? ure be r 8ecr but Xk pamp 1s on Sec, name it. 8 have sad t “Tt h the a in you twist lines reade: €anno exper ers, torie chang This name the o]
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers