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VOL. XII.
ISTEAV BLOOMFIELD, iPA... TUESDAY, nSTOVEMBEIl 20, 187B.
NO. 48-
THE TIMES.
in Independent family Newspaper,
IS PUBLISHED BVBRY TUESDAY BT
F. MORTIMER & CO.
o
SUBSCRIPTION 1 H ICE.
(WITHIN THB COUNTT.)
One Year 1 2J
Six Months 8
(OUT OF THB COUNTY.)
One Year, (Pontile Included) II M)
8ix Moulin, (Postage lucluiteil) 85
Invariably lu Advance I
Advertising rates furnished upon appli
cation.
For The Times.
BIRD SONG.
Pretty pretty ! Pretty pretty !
Rythmical and sweet, and clcnr,
Iu the May-time of the year-Pretty-pretty
!
Sang tho red-bird all unseen,
In the dusky branches green
Sang as of some sweetheart dear,
Pretty pretty pretty !
Pretty-pretty ! Pretty pretty !
With a rhythm more clear and sweet,
Did the mocklng-wren repeat
Pretty-pretty !
Pleased, I listened to the words,
Imitating both the birds,
As I Btayed my wandering feet
Pretty pretty pretty !
Pretty pretty ! Pretty pretty !
Pretty In my memory's view
Memory ever fond true
Pretty pretty 1
Beamed Lenora, so that then,
Like the red-bird and the wren,
I must needs be singing, too,
Pretty pretty pretty !
W. L. Shoemaker.
A WOMAN'S ADVENTURE.
ORRVILLE was one of the sober lit
tle American towns which a cer
tain class of novelists so delighted to
select as a scene of their romances, and
which frequently lie asleep for so long a
period of time that it is a positive bless
ing when something out of the ordinary
course of events bappens,to awake them
out of their state of lethargy.
Orrvllle had been asleep for almost
twelve years, when an event occurred
which together with the attendant inci
dents, completely aroused the whole
town.
Orrville was situated on Lake Wano
na, one of the most charming little
sheets of water in our inland States. In
a secluded valley, shut out, as it were
from all the rest of the world by the
surrounding hills, with a solitary majes
tic mountain keeping silent vigil over
the slumbering scene, lay the beautiful
lake, and, on its margin, the miniature
town. The spot was all that a poet
might fancy, or a romantic lover sigh
for; and when there was advertised " A
new summer resort, the Orrville House
at Orrville," with every accommoda
tion, &c, &c, it is not surprising that
many persons, who had been struck by
the surpassing beauty of the place, as
they caught a flying glance of it in the
whizzing train, should respond immedi
ately to the opportunity, and engage to
spend the summer or autumn months at
so charming a resort.
Among the earlier guests at the Orr
ville House, were Charles Lacy, a tal
ented young barrister of limited means,
Colonel Harris, and a Mr. Van Haven,
a handsome young merchant of New
York.
Charles Lacy and Mattie Harris had
been playmates in their childhood ; but
the former bad removed from his native
place in his fifteenth year, andhadnever
met the sweetheart of his boyish days
until time had transformed him into the
full ttature of a man.JBoth were now so
completely changed that they met at
Orrville as entire strangers, and were
only recognized to one another by the
mention of their names and plaoes of
residence. The acquaintance, thus re
newed, ripened into ardent love, and
Charles Lacy considered himself the
luckiest fellow on earth.
" Did you hear the news, Mattie V"
asked Lacy, one morning, as his be
trothed seated herself at the breakfast
table by his side.
"No; what IsitV
Johnson & Co., bankers in this town,
have been robbed of over one hundred
thousand dollars !"
"You don't say sot When did it oc
cur ?"
" Some time during the earlier part
of the morning. The thief, whoever he
is, made a pretty fulr haul of it left the
firm with a very small sum for its own
pocket-book. It was a private banking
house, and involves many of the lead
ing persons of the town."
" And they haven't secured the guilty
parties ?"
" No ; and are not likely to do so
either. Men who take such goodly
sums as this generally secure a safe av
enue of escape. But I can tell you this,"
he added, lowering his voice, and inclin
ing his head toward her, " suspicion fulls
on the Orrville House, but no one Indi
vidually, as far as I am aware of."
Jimt then a waiter placed a letter by
his side, saying :
"Something for Mr. Lacy."
It read thus :
"Come to Dalton at once. Your
presence is needed immediately at Mr.
Greenups. Do not delay. A. II."
" What is this? Come to Dalton at
once! A. II. Who can that person
be? But I'll go."
" I'm called away for a little while,
Mattie," he said, in explanation, replac
ing the note in the envelope, " but ex
pect to be back soon. I must go forth
with," and pressing her hand, he left
the breakfast-room.hurrledly packed the
necessary articles in his valise, and was
at the station just in time to catch the
morning train.
.
It was evening. The calm round
moon smiled upon the placid little lake
in all her pensive glory. Nature breath
ed her soft musical murmurings, and
everything seemed to whisper " Peace,
peace." t
But the heart of Mattie Harris knew
anything but peace as she left the gay
crowd of thoughtless dancers In the
brilliantly lighted hotel, for an atmos
phere more in harmony with her sad
dened spirit. Her heart was very heavy
to-night. She wandered listlessly down
to the water's edge. A little boat lay
moored there. She seated herself in it;
where she felt she could be undisturbed
in her lonely meditations. Her thoughts
soon found utterance :
"What a change!" she murmured,
" what a change from our happy condi
tion of a week ago ! I can hardly re
alize it! A bank robbed, and Charles
nrrested as the perpetrator of the rob
bery and thrown into prison. How
could they ever suspect him ? Yet the
circumstances are very mysterious, and
a hasty investigation points to him. It
is evident to me, though, that he only
left Orrville temporarily, that he was
called away. Strange that he should
have destroyed the letter, and that it
turns out that there is no such person as
Greenup in Dalton! It is not at all
strange that he should have become ex
cited when a couple of men laid their
hands on him as he was getting out of
the train, and told him ho was a thief,
and was wanted immediately at Orr
ville. Who wouldn't get excited under
such circumstances V What nonsense
they allege I They say he might have
written the note himself, and passed it
through the post. But I know that he
has not the least link of connection with
the affair ; and the authorities had no
right to commit him to prison, when he
can obtain bail from half a dozen differ
ent persons. But the people here are so
excited that they will listen to noth
ing." A tear trickled down her pale
cheeks. " Pshaw ! I'll not be such a
baby ; all will be right yet."
She sat in the boat until the lights in
the different departments of the hotel
gradually disappeared, and was just
about to rise and return to the house,
when a figure, coming clown the path
towards her induced her to retain her
seat. The figure proved to be that of
the young merchant, Mr. Van Haven.
Mattie had always been attracted by the
handsome face and wiuning manners of
the gay New Yorker and rather enjoyed
his society than otherwise. So she re
mained seated until he took his place by
her side.
" Let's row out upon the lake," said
Van Haven, without an unnecessary
" Good evening," as he raised the oars
and pulled gently from the shore. " It
is a very quiet night, and we shall not
be disturbed. Most of the folks have re
tired. We must move cautiously."
" Why ?" questioned Mattie, rather
surprised at this remark.
" Why y Do you wont to betray
yourself?"
" Betray myself ? Why, what are
you talking about ?"
Just then the moon, which had been
shining on his back, fell full upon his
face, and revealed ft countenance witli
an unusual strange expression, and to
the great astonishment of Mattie, the
fact that her companion was asleep !
Van Haven had been known to walk iu
Ills sleep and perform a great many mar
vellous feats while in that condition;
and Mattie Harris herself had happened
to meet him once while enjoying a
somnambullstio ramble. Bo she wasn't
at all frightened by the circumstances
under which she suddenly found herself
placed, but was somewhat astonished ;
and being a young lady of a good deal of
mischief and possessed of the usual
amount of curiosity, of course she deter
mined to let her companion continue on
his nocturnal excursion.
"What are you talking about?" re
peated Mattie, her saddened features giv
ing place to an amused smile.
" You know well enough what I am
talking about, Jim. We must secure it
to-night. It may be found where we've
hidden it, and that would be the last of
us. Thut letter was a sharp thing of
ours, wasn't it? I tremble lest Lacy
may be cleared though, then suspicion
would seek some other party. So we'd
better find some other quarters as soon
as we can possibly do so without caus
ing any comment upon it; and, of
course, we will not let the money remain
where It is now."
At the mention of Lacy's name, and
"money," Mattie's mind, which for
the past week hod been invariably
coupling those words together, caught
eagerly at the suspicion thus aroused;
and her very frame shook as the light of
a great disclosure suddenly flashed upon
her. She had found one of the guilty
parties, concerned in the bank robbery,
and could liberate her lover!
The discovery was almost too much
for her. A dim mist suffused her eyes.
She clutched eagerly for the side of the
boat. But she soon recovered from the
first shock, yet did not permit herself to
speak, she trembled so violently.
Van Haven continued :
"We must leave to-morrow; don't
you think so V"
"Yes," venturned Mattie. Now let's
be quiet, for fear we should be heard."
" All right."
They moved slowly and noislessly
across the rippling waters of the lake,
until they reached the opposite shore.
The woods hung darkly over tho tran
quil depths, and all was quiet. Van
Haven tied the boat and stepped ashore,
followed silently by Mattie. He led the
way to a dense thicket of underbrush,
pausing a moment to assure himself
that they were alone. Having satisfied
himself of this point, he took a few
steps forward, and cautiously raised a
large stone. Under It lay a casket. He
picked it up and replaced the stone.
" I'll carry it," said Mattie, with avid
ious eagerness, feeling confident that if
she once got possession of the stolen
money all would be well with her.
" Very well," said the somnambulist
and consigned the" casket to her keeping.
"Now let us go to the boat again, and we
will finish the arrangement of our plans
as we cross over to Orrville."
Mattie considered It a matter of pru
dence to agree,and followed her sleeping
companion to the lake. He took his
seat in the boat and loosening the chain
from the sapling, enjoining his asso
ciate to maintain perfect silence until
they should be out on the lake. He
seemed to think that all was well, and
shoved o(F from the shore.
Mattie stood in the moonlight and
watched the boat und its solitary oars
man until they both were concealed
within the dark shadow of the moun
tain, behind which the moon was fust
hiding herself.
" I'm safe now I" she said, with a joy
ful bound. But what shall I do y I'm
half a mile from any house, and have
no means of crossing the lake. There's
a road here somewhere, though, which
leads to the town. I'll walk to the hotel
If it takes till morning ! There Is no
time to be lost."
So saying, she began her search for
the road, which was soon found ; and,
after four hours of rapid walking, for
which the excitement of the occasion
lent the requisite amount of strength,
she reached Orville.
She lost no time in informing the au
thorities of the town of her singular ad
venture, producing the casket for their
examination in proof of her statement;
Early in the morning, before most of
the guests had arisen, the Orrville House
was surrounded by half a dozen men,
evidently intent upon the capture of
some one within. Presently Van Haven
made his appearance on the ground floor
verandah, apparently unconscious that
anything was wrong. The sight of the
police quickly undeceived him; it was
up with him. He was handcuffed at
once without any ceremonious notifica
tion of the reason why he was thus
rudely dealt with. Mattie came down
just then, after a short sleep,and was re
quested to follow, when the olllcers
started down the street with their pris
oner in custody, attended by a large
crowd of excited spectators, which had
soon congregated.
A preliminary examination convinced
all parties of the guilt of Van Ha van,
but did not exonerate Lacy from com
plicity in the affair. The subsequent in
vestigation, however, fastened the guilt
upon two parties, Van Havan and a
James Thompson, an Orrville man,
with whom the former had been on
terms of suspicious intimacy.
Of course all redress was made to Mr.
Lacy for the hasty opinions of the peo
ple concerning him, and was accepted
by him as satisfactory. But a more ma
terial expression of the thanks of the
bankers was made, when Mr. Johnson
himself, the senior partner of the firm,
rose in the police court and said :
" That in consideration of the surpris
ing good sense and bravery of Miss
Harris in securing the guilty parties in
this robbery, it became his pleasant
duty to present in the name of the Arm,
to the former, the sum of ten thousand
dollars, and that the latter the sum of
fifteen thousand dollars, and that he
could accept no refusal."
We need not attempt to describe the
applause and good feeling elicited by
these remarks. that is left to the imag
ination of the reader.
No clamorous demonstrations of grat
itude were made by either of the recip
ients of theseprincely gifts; but both ex
pressed their thanks in a single sentence
and retired from the court together amid
the acclamation of the crowd.
Three weeks afterwards, Orrville was
going wild over a gay wedding, and had
actually awakened out of its lone Kir
Van Winkle sleep ; and the happiest
couple in town were Uuarles Liacy and
Mattie Harris.
A Strange Wedding Fee.
lyTANY years ago, a New York minis.
ATA ter was waiting in the oflice of a
lawyer who was one of his members,
chatting on various subjects and as the
pastor happened to speak of the hard
times, and the dilatorinessof the church
in paying his small salary, the lawyer.
remarked :
" Now I hardly agree With you, pas
tor, in your assertion that ministers are
paid less for their work than any other
class of professional men. They have a
great deal given to them in one way or
an other, donation parties, Christmas
presents, etc. Then the item of wed
ding fees, which you seldom hear them
speak about, but which must amount to
quite a sum, Beveral hundred dollars in
the course of the year, brings them in a
good revenue."
" Do you thiuk so ?" said the clergy
man. " Now, come right down to dots,
what do you suppose is the average fee
that I receive?"
" I should say twenty dollars was a
low estimate," said the lawyer. " Here
in New York I have often known per
sons to give oue hundred dollars, and a
fifty dollar fee is quite common, but
considering the fact that you marry a
good many of the poor, or those who
are moderately well oil', as well as the
rich, I should think, as I said, that
twenty dollars was a pretty low aver,
age."
" That calculation is rather large,"
said the minister, " but still I cannot
tell exactly, all I have received this
year."
" No, I presume not." said the law
yer. " I have noticed that ministers
don't generally know how much they
have received, when the sum Is pretty
large, but I rather think they would If
it was a small one. But I will tell you
what I will do. I will give you ten
dollars for half your next fee, and I
don't believe I shall lone anything by
i t ei ther. Do you accept that ? "
The minister hesitated a moment and '
then said : " Yes ; well, yes ; " I'll ac
cept that ten dollars for half the next
fee."
He soon bade him good morning and
went home to his dinner. While he
sat at the table the bell rang, and the
servant came In saying a man at the
door wished to see him a moment. He
found a rough-looking farmer standing
there, who accosted him thus :
" Good morning, Dr. A. I came In to -
see If you could just tie me up, this
morning. Sal and I have been talking
about it a good while, and we've come
to the conclusion that 'tain't any use to
wait any longer." 9
" O yes," said the doctor ; " walk iu,
walk in. Where do you want to be
married y"
"Right here," said the farmer, "if
you're willin'. Sal's in the wagon, and
I'll bring her in."
So he brought in a blooming country
maid, and the minister, who had doffed
his gown and slipped on his best coat,
made them one, in his most Impressive
style. After the ceremony and the con
gratulations, the farmer said :
" About the fee, minister; we hain't
got much money, but I thought your
children might be fond of pups."
Saying which be tipped up a small
box, and out rolled a little white pup on
the piano.
The minister could scarcely contain
his mirth, but thanked the bridegroom '
and told blm the children would be
glad of it, and bade him a pleasant good
morning. He finished his dinner, then
putting the pup carefully back Into the
box, he started with it under his arm
for the lawyer's office.
His friend was quite surprised to see
him so soon again, but the pastor re
lieved his curiosity by saying :
" I had no idea when I accepted your
offer this morning that I should have
come so soon to claim it ; and I hardly
think I should have accepted it so
quickly, had I known I was to marry a
couple to-day, and receive such an un
usual and unexpected fee. Generally
there is not much difference in thembut
this was a perfect surprise to me."
"No backing out, now," said the
lawyer; " that bargain was fair, and
square, and you must hold to it. Here's
your ten dollars; hand over the fee."
The minister demurred a moment,and
told him he should beware how be made
rash promises again ; but finally, un
fastening the cover of the box, said.
" All right, I'll stand by the bargain."
tumbled out the pup upon the lawyer's
desk, and with the blandest smile upon
his face, waving bis hand and bowing
politely, he said: "Here is the fee,
which half will you take
The blank look of amazement and
disgust which overspread the counte
nance of the lawyer, as he looked at
the roll of puppiuess, was amusing to
see.
" You don't mean It that you mar
ried a couple and that was your fee ?"
" Indeed it was," said the minister,
" and the man who presented it thought
lis was doing a handsome thing I"
Then with a hearty laugh the lawyer
banded him the gold piece, and told him
that he thought he bad nothing more
to say in regard to the enriching of
ministers by wedding fees. Baptist
Weekly. How Prairie Dogs Get Waters.
It has always been a subject of curi
osity and inquiry as to how and where
prairie dogs, living on the prairie, far
away from any river or stream, obtain
their water. Mr. F. Leech, formerly
of Mercer county, Pa., and a frontiers
man of experience, atsirts that the dogs
dig their own wells, each village having
one with a concealed opening. It mat
ters not how fur down the water may
be, the dogs will keep on digging until
they reach it. He knows of one such
well two hundred feet deep, and having
a circular staircase leading down to the
waters. Every time a dog wants to
drink he descends the staircase, which,
considering the distance, Is no mean.'
task. In digging for water the animals '
display as much pluck as iu resisting'
the efforts of settlers to expel them from
the land of their progenitors.