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r o IH 71 .JRL._jaL._ EN ," . ,U\ A. VVriliS.TKF. rj?ditor and Proprietor. Y OL UM Iv I. ORANGEBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA, SATUR I) A V, APRIL 10, IS7?. A Weekly Paper Devoted lo Temperance, Literature and Politics. NU M JJ ER. 35. AFTEK THE HALL. They ?iud rnuibiyl Ibcir beautiful hair, Theil !i<tif. lirinhl tresses . tim by oue, as they laughed mid talked in their chamber I UMP, Aftei iiif revel wavdqor. Idly they I al kr? I nf walt? and quadrille; l<Ily Hiev laughed, like ..thor girls, Wini over llio tiro,-when all is Billi, < " uni) ..in their liraidN and curl? K?ln??..f satin ami Kr?ssels lace, Knots ci Howers, and ribbons ton, Scattered ahmt in every place, After tlio revel i? ?lirfiiirfli. Alni "livid omi Mildge. In roben nf white. Tho pretties! night-trowns under the sun StockiUKless, slipperlcs*. ?lt in thc night, After tho revel I" done, till and comb their beautiful hair, Those wonderful waves of brown and gold, Till the lire i? out in Ibo chandler there, And thc little-bare feel are cold, " When out of the eatheriog winter chill, And nut of the bitter St. Asiles weather, Wliilo the lire is out and the boure is still. Maud aud Madge together Maud and Madge, in rubes of white. The prettiest night-gowns under the sun. Curtained away from the chilly night, After tile revel is dot.e. Float along lu a splendid dream. To a golden cittern's tinkling tone, Willie a thousand lustres shimmering st ream, If n palace's grand saloon, Flashes of jew ell, and flutter of laces, Tropical odors sweeter than musk, M"ii and women with beautiful faces, And eyes of beautiful dusk. A.i.l ouo faee shiuiug like a star, One face haunting the dreams of each, Ami one voice, sweeter than others are, Hn aking in silvery speech. Tolling through Hps of bearded bloom An old, old story o'er again, As down the royal bannered room. To a golden gittern'- strain. Two and two they dreamily walk, While an unseen spirit walks beside, Alid all unheard, m lovers'tall:. Ho claimelh one for his bride. Oh, Maud and Madge, dream on together, With never a pang of jealous fear ! I'or here the bitter St. Agnes weather Shall whiten another year. Hobed for the bridal and robed for th? tomb, Braided brown hair and golden tress. There'll be only ono ol you left for thu bloom Of the bearded lips to press '. Only ono robo for Hie bride.! pearls. The robe of satin and llrussels lace Only oi" lo blush through her curls Vt s'ghl of ? lover's face. O, b-antin.1 Made?, in your bridal white! K> r you the revel has jnsl begun ; Hui for her who steers in your arms, to-night, 'i l|0 revel nf Life ls done! Hui robed and crowned with sal Ul ly bliss, Queen of Heaven and brid" of (he situ, o, beautiful Maud, you'll never mini The tisses another has won ! ANASTASIA'S GHOST. "-.(>&H?^3?lSuW iMf?.u'i iV?vember night. Some vnguo present iment of ovi? weighed npon my heart, ns I sat alone in tho twilight. And yet there wits nothing apparently to make me gloomy. On the contrary, I ought to have been moro than usually cheer ful ; had I not received a delicious promise from Katie Nelson that vory nf fermion ? M po?ni?d to he odd,lo ho sure, that a gray haired widower like myself was lo marry this girl of eighteen. Her mot her hod been a housekeeper in our family, but died soon after Katie's birth. So it happened that, she was adopted by us, as we had no children of our own. My wife treated lier kindly, but without j much warmth of feeling. Anastasia was of such a peculiar disposition that I actually believed sho waa jealous of thia infant. Poor Anastasia ! she warned mo sol eraulv on her death bed never to marry again, and threatened to rise from ber grave in case ol' such an event. Katie was in her tenth year when my .wifo died. I sent her away to a board ing school ; and, as business called me abroad, did not soo her again until my return, eight years afterwards, i was somewhat bewildered to find a lovely woman, instead of the little girl 1 had . left in short, dresses. Of course yon can / guess the seqnel. I fell in love with j this charming adopted daughter. There was something in the frank tenderness of her manner that completely won my heart. It was evident that she was deeply attached to me. I could notrjielp see ing how much higher she valued my society than that of my nephew,Charles Raymond, who had accompanied me from abroad. She never addressed him except in monosyllables, and would Hush all over with embarrassment if ho but entered the room. Eut with me, she was always self-possessed, and so talkative and sociable that I could not help pitying Charlie. He was really quite good-looking, and I used to won der sometimes at her antipathy. Poor fellow; how I dreaded to tell him of my approaching happiness. It would be a great blow to his hopes, for ho had ex pected to inherit my fortune. Katie wasn't a bit Jiko other girls that I had over known anything about, in stead of blushing at my confession that afternoon she turned pale, and shivered ns if struck by a sudden chill. ? no ticed, too, that there was a strange quiver in her voice when she finally consented to be my .wife. I was appre hensive that Charlie had told her what Anastasia had said on her death bed. And yot I couldn fc believe her ghost would bo so inconsiderate. Somehow, I couldn't forget that warning. Anas a ?ia was a remarkable woman, and would Burely keep her" word, if ghosts are per mitted to walk tho earth. Thinking thus, I began to grow frightened at the shadows in my room, and hastily rang tho boll for lights. " Why aro you so lute, Bridget," I asked, sharply, anthe servant entered tho room. "Indade, sir, and it's rnesoli that's been with Miss Katie every bleBaid min uit, and she's almost kilt with a pain in lier head," vc: . ' fi Could tim bo the result ^of our eon vorention that/ afternoon'? Considera bly startled, I questioned Bridget eagor ly. Charlie ?MIHI?: in while wo wore talking. "Kniie ill V" he said, with H shadow on II?K brow. " ls ?I anything ReriotlH, undo ?" What businosn had he to take any special interest in Katie. "Only a headache,'' f answered, j coldly. " Mlie in subject to mich attucks, j Briiif? iu tho toa, Bridget." I "Wo shall ha VG a lonesome evening," j Charlie sighed. I hali bolieved that ho was in love with thc girl himself. ! . It was cheerless, though, without Katie. I missed her bright face behind the tea-tray, Charlie left his cup un tasted. My jealousy was aroused, and 1 watched him keenly. As soon as we were alono, I said, half angrily j " What is tho matter, Charlie? You look as if you hadn't a friend on earth. I didn't know before that you liked Katie KO well." The crimson leaped up to his very brow. " I am filad that you do," I con tinued, hastily, " for yon will soon be connected by ties of relationship. She has promised to be my wife." "You are jesting, uncle!" ho said, doubtingly. " I was never more serious in my life," I answered. Charlie showed evident signs of agi tation. " You have no right to sacrifice that young girl," he said, bitterly. "You aro old enough to be lier father. Of course she accepted you from gratitude. How dare you think of such a thing ?" "No wonder that yon rave," I re plied, with a mocking smile ; "you are disappointed of your inheritance." At that moment tho wind gavo a fear ful shriek outside, and I thought of Anastasia. *' Are you not afraid to marry again?" Charlie inquired, maliciously. "You remember the warning?" " Nonsenso !" I answered ; " it will take something more than a ghoBt to frighten mc out of this marriage." I had scarcely finished speaking, when there came a gust, of wind, and a crashing of glass, and the storm actual ly swept into the room. Wo glanced around us in dismay. The boughs of a large elm trco, that stood in front ol the house, had fallon against tho win now. J/ Charlie gave mo a peculiar look as ] cowered ovor tho firo, and thon barrod the window in tuch a manner- UK fok<??T ! rVuf;"Rivy fnTrV vt Strangp" gloom envt! oped us both- Ufi? wo did not return again to tho subject wo had boen dis cussing, Our conversation was fitful, and it seemed a relief when wo separated at bod-time. There is no use in denying that I was troubled a littlo with supcrstitioiiH fears, j pcorod round anxiously into every corner of the room beforo retir ing, but found no sign of any mys terious visitant. I had such a fear ol the dark ness, however, that I loft thc candle burning. Tho fury of tho storm had not abated, and I lay awako some timo listening tc thc wiuii. At last, however, I foll inte an uneasy slumber. How long I hail slept I know not, when I wu? awakened by an icy touch upon my forehead. I started up, with a thrill of appre hension. The light , emitted a faint, j sepulchral gleam. Oh, horror ! whal I was that 1 saw ? A figuro, loped ii white, came gliding toward mo fron tho foot of the bed. Tho faeo WBB hid den from my view, but I knew iron the form that it was the ghost of Anas tasia. "William Raymond," cunio in i hoarsp voice from the ligure; "I an hero to avengo your infidelity, and ti drag jon down to the gravo in my em brace." I shrieked with terror aB I felt he: clutch my throat, and cried, faintly " Mercy ! mercy ! " "You would marry Katie Nelson would you? whispered tho ghost mockingly, "If you do not wish tv die "-and here the icy fingers presse? so tight that I gasped for breath "promise me that you will not take i seoond wife." " Oh, J. promise ! I promise ! " said I half dead with terror. " Woo bo unto yon, if yon deceiv me ! " answered tho ghost solemnh And I hoard no more. It was some time, however, before ventured to cast a timid glance aroon tho room. Tho ghost had disappeared The storm, too, was beginning to silt side ; but I could not go to sloop agni) for I found it impossible to forget tilt phantom and its deadly clutch upon m throat. T resolved to say nothing abon it. Of course, people would ridicnl tho idea of a ghost. Nevertheless, did not dare to wed Katie Nelson ; yt how could I explain this sudden chang of purpose? I foivently hoped tin Bbc would not die of a broken hear tho poor child ! What should I say t her ? After considerable reflection, I n solved to trust this delicate affair I Ch arlie. The proposed marriage wt do odious in his eyos that I knew 1 would justify my apparent treachery I her, if possinlo. Morning came, and I arose in a feve inti state of mind. How I dreaded \ meet Katie at the breakfast table ! bu fortunately.Bhe did not make her appea ance. Charlie looked so troubled thi I almost fancied ho, too, had seen tl ghost. After breakfast, I said to him, wi! an embarrassment that I strove to hid .'My dear boy, do you remember wh we wore talking about last ovening? I have boen thinking ovor tho matter s riously, and am afraid that a marrini, between Kui. i o and myself will result I unhappiness ; but I have not thu cor ago to bravo bor reproaches. Now, Charlie, will .you act as mediator, and make known this chango in my views ?" "Why, uncle," lie answered, and I was almost nure that I saw a gleam of | mischief in his eyes, " something extra ordinary must have happened. You aro not usually so fickle !" "Wo won't discuss tho matter," unid I, in an irritated tone. " Will you, or will von not, grant my roo.nest?" "Of course, I will," he replied; "but it, is a diflicult task. Tho poor child will be so disappointed !" I detected a joyous ring in his voice, and I looked at him rather sus piciously. His diplomatic mission was success ful, however. Late in tho afternoon, Katie came down into the library where T was sitting. I had never seen her look prettier. " Oh, Mr. Raymond !" she said, eagerly, "lam so glad that you have changed your mind ! It was so unex pected yesterday. I uever dreamed before that you loved mo in any other way than as a daughter." Was this acting ? was she trying to deceive me in her sweet unselfishness ? " Then you never loved me ?" I asked. " Dear Mr. Raymond, you know bet ter," she answered ; " only it was not exactly the kind of love one ought to feel toward a husband. Yon are as dear to me as if you were my owu fath er ; but, you arc so much older than I, that-that-" She hesitated, and did not finish her sentence. I remembered my gray hairs with a pang of mortified vanity. Was not the ghostly visit enough? Must I be tortnred in this manner afterward ? The veil was torn away from the de lusion I had cherished. Alas ! I had misinterpreted her childish affection. It might be that she loved another. I looked down into the face where a vivid scarlet glowed, and read her secret. "My dear child," I exclaimed, at tempting to control my agitation, " tell mc everything." "Ob, Mr. Raymond," she answered in confusion, "Charlie has asked me to I bo his wife." Tho reseal ! No wondor that he re mained with her such a long time that morning ; no wonder that he boasted of the satisfactory manner in which every thing had been explained. ..The impudent fellow !" I muttered, impatiently. "What did you answer, .pfrijUl,?vrJnr? ,yr?u. Jove kim ?" ! LJOW and soft tho answer carno : "Yes." Tho heart of a woman is a mystery that I cannot fathom. I was certainly outwitted by my nephew. l?o might have been afraid, however, that 1113' conscience would reproach mc if Katie showed her disappointment. I have little doubt that she loved mo far better than sbo would confess. Ah, weill they wero married iu due ! timo, and wo aro all living together. The. donr children do everything they can to add to my happiness. Katie is Btill a beautiful woman, and Charlie is tho staff of my old nge. I never saw the ghost again. In fact, I have good reason to think that tho mysterious visitant was a certain grace lets nephew of mine, who had fallen iu lovo with Katie. Of course I forgave tho deception long ago, as it saved mo from a terrible mistake. I am much happier, probably, than if I bad married the young girl whose heart bolonged to another. I am not certain, however, that she did not ac cept Obarlio from pique at my rejec tion. Any way, lie bas made hor a good husband. The Art oi Listening to Music. A writer in Scribner's says : .. There is no greater delusion than that of sup posing that the best music, eau be en joyed only by the 'musical.' Ordinary people can derive keon plensure from a sympathetic listening to great music if they will but believe that they con, and so attend to it accordingly. There is no need of being baffled by a want of knowledge concering keys ; nor by an ignorance of modulation. Your next neighbor may know that tho air began in Q major, and then passed into B minor, bnt you can get your own sim pler pleasure out ol it. What is it to me wnat Titan's secret of color might have been ? : He had it, and that is enough for one who cannot even draw. The first rule in listening to music is to listen. Wo do not want to arouse ourselves to a f P v.y of delight, but wo do want to he A J what the music is like. A very simple and very good rule for thoso who are perplexed by an or chestra, and who taney they are puz zeld to know where tho taue comes iu, j is to liston to one instrument, the i violins, for instance, alone for a time. These will probably take up tho melody ami sing if plainly enough, then the movement may become more, compli cated, and the air seems to have grown more florid, to bo broken perhaps into brilliant fragments, but hearken !-tho vieloncolli have taken it up, and over it floats this new and lovely strain of violins, thon tho flutes catch the melody, the cornets and tho bassoon swell tho harmony, the drum makes it rhythmic beats, the whole orchestra is alive with the theme, and before you know it yon are in the very center of the musio, and what was before involved and in tricate now becomes plain and beauti ful." _ -" How is your church getting on ?" asked a friend of a rigorous Scotchman, who had separated in turu from tho Kirk, tho Free Church, tho United Presbyterian and several lesser bodies. 44 Pretty weel, pretty weel. There's nobody belongs to it now but my brothel and myself, and T'm nao snro I of Sandy'B Bonndness." FROST-BITTEN. EV OKOIUI? A. HAK Blt, .1. lt. We wore tiding Uomc from tho Carroll'H ball, Nelly SaiiKirgi-lil ?iud 1, yon know; Tilt! willie iii i<e. nattered ab??l our lamps, And mir picola rolled silently through the H now. We'd danced together thc evening through, Kor llertlttoin'ri viol? had " played their liest ;"' Uer fair head drooped, lier lid* were low, And lier dreamy oyen wi re full of rent. lier white anim nestled along her lap, lier hands half holding with weary grace Her fading Violet*-passing sweet Was Hie far-oil look un her fair young face. I watched 1er, speaking never a word. For I would not waken those dreaming eyes ; Hut the breath of the violets tilled the air, And my thoughts ?ero nianv and far from wise. At last, 1 paid to her, bending near, " Ah, Xs:.y Bannargont, sweet 'twould be To ride together our whole lives long, Alone wiih thc violets, you and nie." Her fair fnoo Hushed, and ber sweet eyes fell ; Low as the murmur of meadow-rills Her answer came to me - " Yes-perhaps ; Mut who would settle our carriage bills V" Tho delicate blossoms breathed their last ; Our wheels rolled hard on the atones .inst then. Where the snow had Ul if toil ; the subject dropped, And has hover been taken np again. Syrian Sponges The Litest project before tho acclima tization society of Paris is the cultiva tion of the celebrated Syrian sponge in the waters of southern Fiance, a Yalu? able and ruodt useful product, which, like many another gift ol' the sea, is in danger of extermination through exces sive fishing. Tlie sponge-producing grounds of Syria occur along tho coast, from Mount Carmel in the south to Alexaudretta in the north, tho centers of production being Tripoli, Ruad, Lattakiu, and 1 Bartrouu, on the coast of Mount Leba non. The best quanities are fourni in the neighborhood of Tripoli and Par- ? trouu. ' According to a late report of the British vice-consul at Beyrout, as 1 many as three hundred boats arc en- ' gaged in tho fishery ; tho annual yield, though falling off through tho oxhaus- ! tion of the grounds, still amouuts to 8100,000 to ?125,000. The majority of j tho boats used are ordinary fishing boats from eighteen to thirty feet in h ngi? ; three parts decked over, and ! carrying one mast with an ordinary lug Bail. They arc manned by a crew of 1 four oj fivo men, ono lo haul and thc rest to serve as divers. In Oirraor vcars the coast was much frequented by Greek divers from tho islands of tho Archipelago; tho number is nov, restricted to five or six boats a vr, " . ' skill of the Syrian combined with his better knowledge of tho fishing grou^Ss, enabling him lo competo suc ocss?nllywith his foreign rival. Diving is practiced from a very early agc up to forty years after which fow arc able tn continua the pursuit profit ably. Tho depth to which tho diver descend:; varios from five to thirty ; "braeseR," or from twenty-live to one. 1 hundred and seventy-five feet. Thc time he is able to spout! under water depends on natural capacity, age, and 1 training; sixty seconds timo is reckoned good work-in raro instances eighty 1 seconds aro spout under wator. Tho Syrian diver uses a heavy stone to carry him quickly to tho bottom, and is drawn up by a comrade. On tho bottom, ho ; holds tin? guide rope willi one hand and tears ...ff thc sponges with tho other, placing thom in a net which ho carries. ' No knife, spear or inst ni nient of any kind is used in detaching thc sponges ; nor does he, liko his Greek competitor, ever uso the diving dress, having an antipathy to it on tho score of itB ro puted tendency to produce paralysis of tho limbs. Two or throe fatal accidents occur annually, mainly among tho skill ful and daring, who sometimes drop tho rope to secure a tempting prize, and missing it ou their return, attempt to riso to tho surface unaided, and aro drowned. At other times thc diver will bo wounded by jagged rooks, or his ropes will becomo ontaugled, expos ing him to great risks whero tho depth is great. It is possible that this high-priced and durable variety of sponge might be cultivated in our southern waters, as a substituto for the beautiful but tender sponge they now yield. Tho experi ment is worth trying. Tobacco in Connecticut. At a recent meeting of tho Connecti cut Valley Agricultural Institute, Prof. Stockbridge is reported, in tho Now England Homestead, as saying that there WHB about forty million dollars' worth grown i# the United States, in the following order: 1, Virginia; 2, North Carolina ; 8, Maryland ; d, Ken tucky ; 5, Mississippi ; 0, Connecticut ; 7, Massachusetts, etc. Thc analysis of tobacco shows it to be a narcotic poison. No other plant, is like it in composition. In a small quantity it is a stimulant, in large quantities a deadly poison. It is a rapid grower, and draws from tho soil more than any other plant, Clover takes from the mineral clement of tho soil ten per cont., tobacco twenty per cent, or ono ton of tobacco exhausts .100 pounds of mineral substances for every nore. Tho Connecticut seed-leaf tobacco baa a peculiarity, in contradis tinction to any other in its rinoness and thinness of leaf and texture, and light ness of color. Tobacco is made by its soil. It cannot bo hep.vy clay, heavy loam or alluvial soil. Must bo fine, sandy land, having absorbent power, and retaining heat through the night. Taking this poor soil a lurgo quantity of manure must bo used. Tho land ?B tho machine for raising tobacco, and it must be fertilized and not allowed to deteriorate a particle. Tobacco is KO exhaustive that no farmer or farm can make it an oxclusivo crop. Stock must bo fed for tho manure, und the streams of grain which flow in from tho went are to bo taken advantage of. Prof, Stockbridge said if tobacco raising was managed on business prin oiplcs, with economy, it is thc best business n man cnn on Rage ju, in tho Connecticut valley. There will alway? bc a market ior ?ill that will be grown. Thc reason of tl io pr?sent depression of thc business is because thc quality han much deteriorated, and this is no count cd for in part by not using the right kind of fertilizers, but mainly in tho future to ripen ami euro it. To bacco properly cured should be riueno I juBt as much as nny other plant we grow, aud tho modern method of plant ing it too near together hat caused se rious evil, and is the great source of pole-sweat. lu planting so close to gether all except the upper leaves are shaded, and the juices of tho leaf are not properly elaborated. To make :i fine leaf, and to develop thc oils and acids of the plant, we must expose it to the direct rays of the sun. The curing process is defective ; by tho slow gradual process, ranch of tho essential narcotic oil is lost. Prof. Stockbridge referred to a now system adopted largely in Maryland and Vir ginia, to cure tobacco by au artificial heat with a furuanco constructed for that purpose. And it could be done thoroughly in Bevon days, first making the heat temperature to eighty degrees, and tho course of five or six days in creasing to KIO degrees. This artificial curing retains all tho virtue of tho to bacco, in fact, increases its essential oils.- Rural New Yorker. Early Marriages. Discussion in the British house of commons on tho subject brought out information as to the earliest ages at which marriage maj- bc legally solemn ized in each of the states of continental Europe. In Austria it is l-l for both sexes; Hungary, ll for males, 12 for females ; Russia, 18 for males, Ul for females ; Turkey, as Boon as they aro nblo ; Italy, 18 for males, 15 forfemales; Prussia 18 and li; Franco and Belgium, 18 and 15 ; Denmark 20 and 1G ; Greece, Maud 12. In Piesse Darmstadt and Baden the consent of parents is nec essary in thc ease of men until they have completed their 25th year ; in that of women until they are 21. The com pletion of 18 years by males and 16 by females is necessary in tho Netherlands, and in Saxe-Coberg-Gotha no malo is permitted to marry beforo he has at tained his 21?t year. In Saxony tho legal agc for males is 18 ; for fournies 16 years. According to tho amended paragraph of" Chb*viiow Ocrmrui-oi-ril manage bill, the ages would be re spectively 20 and 10 years, instead of 18 and ll, ns in tho draft bill. Tn Borne of tho cantons of Switzerland tho law ns to the ages of tho contracting parties is as high as 20 years for males and 17 for females, and in others .is low US l-l for males and 12 for ?emalos. APPREHENSIONS OF DROUTH.-Says thc Sugar Planter: Our planting friends have serious fears of a lout; drouth so soon as tho pre ont ruins puss away, and with sume show of reason. As we hitve rd. tl ted in previous issues of this paper, tb.? rains have boen almost inces sant i inee December last, giving our farmers and planters but little oppor tunity to got their holds in order for cultivation. Now, it seems to follow, as a rule, that long rainy spoils produce drouths of an almost equal duration, and should tho rule hold good in the present instance, it would bo wise to mako preparations to moot it. While every one will use his own judgment in the premises, wo desire to offer ono word of advice, and that is to plant as deep as possiblo and hill up well when the shoots aro above ground thc proper height. Plenty of soil around young plants hold tho moisture, and should the anticipations of a drouth be not realized, a little labor will remove any superflnouB soil from cane, cotton and corn._ HOME LIFE.-It is tho fashion oftest IOSB and ambitious women to despise home-life as too tame, too narrow, too uneventful for them. They long for a widor arena, set well in tho view of tho world, whereon to display their gifts or their acquirements ; and they think this claustral home, this unexciting family of which they form a part, un worthy of their efforts. And yet in reality tho art of living well at homo, and making tho family lifo a success, is just as great in its way, if not so im portant in its apparent-but only ap parent- results, as the finest shades of diplomacy and the largest transactions of business. All sorts of talents, both moral and intellectual, are wanted for the task ; ami it seems slightly irra tional, to dospiso as futile qualities which so few of UB aro ntrong enough to possess, or to rate them as beneath the regard of high-minded people, when not ono in a hundred lias wit enough to employ them to a satisfactory issue. YiKoif A LITTI.H.-It is better to yield a little than to quarrel a great deal. Tho habit of standing up, as people call it, for their (little; rights is ono of the most disagreeable and undignified in tho world. Info is too short for tho perpetual bickerings which attend snob a disposition ; and unlefis a very mo mentous affair indeed, whore other peo ple's claims and interests are involved, it ?B a question if it is not wiser, hap pier and more prudent to yield some what of precious rights than squabble to maintain thom. Truo wisdom ?B first pure, then peaceable and gent?o. -"Herbort,"said a perplexed mother, "Why is it that you'ro not a bettor boy?" " Well," said the little fellow, soberly, looking up into her faeo with his honest blue eyes, " I suppose the real reason is that I don't want to be !" The child gnvo tho real reason why all of us, big an well as little, are not bet ter than wo are. FACTS AND FANCIES. -Samuel Wilhelm, ot Berka county, Pn., eight feet high, hus applied for tho situation of tho Into Irish giant. Tho womnu who enacted thc part of Katie Kin*? in the Holmes seances in Ph ?hui ol pit ia in studying for tho stage. -Careful observations have shown that thc average temperature of the human body within the tropics is nearly oue degree higher than in a temperate climate. -In a fox-chase in England lately thc Kev. C. W. Wilkinson broke his neck and Lady Florence Douglas smashed her collar-bone ; but the fox was caught. -Large apes of naturally intelligent breeds are put to good service in tho straits settlements of the east. They aro trained to climb the cocoanut, palm I trees, valuable for their fruit, which, ordinarily, is diflicnlt to reach, and not. only harvest the nuts but always select such as aro ripe. They twist the nut round and round until it falls down from the stalk, and at each success testify their delight by jumps and chuckles. Apes so trained are hired out by their owners like KO many Held hands. -The coast line of the United States nader the supervision of tho light house board, including the northern lakes, is about 10,0(1(1 miles in extent, surpassing that of any other nation on thc globe. The number of light-houses and lighted beacons along this coast lino is (""'?O ; light-ships, 25 ; fog signals operated by steam or hot-air engines, .IO; day or unlighted beacons, 3?0 ; to tal, 1.0(').r), being one beacon for every 10 miles of coast, liesides this, there are 3,(100 buoys in position to indicate banks, rocks, aud other obstructions in channels of navigation. -Take a man and pin three or four large tablecloths about him, fastened back with elastic and looped up with ribbon** ; drag all his own hair to tho middle of bis head and tie it tight, and hair-pin on about live pounds of other hair lind a big bow of ribbon. Keep the front locks on pins all night and lol them tickle his eyes all day ; pinch his waist into a corset, and give him gloves a size too small, and shoes ditto, and a hat that will not, stay ou without, a tor turing elastic, and a frill to tickle hi? chin, and a little lace voil to blind bin e-fmif""iimimrr-r Ut? jr.?on o tl I-I..-. -?tn.lh, ami he Avili know wdiat woman's dress is. -Tho thieves of Spain aro gayly pur suing their mad career among pictures and ' tatiles. The. celebrated cartoons of Goya at Madrid have gone after tho Seville Murillo-which latter, indeed, bas been recovered. Tho Virgin's crown in Saint Ferdinand's chapel at Seville has vanished. So has tho " Master Dolorosa" of Alonzo Gano at (?ranada. The latest exploit, of these enterprising fellows has been: -?iimpb antly carried out at Madrio.. l'hoir Voofy is ii small statue pf thc Virgin, most excellent of workmanship, and dating from tho end of the sixteenth century. Its material is wood, gilt und painted. Tho thieves got it safely into Paris, where they borrowed a round sum upon it from MM. Andre nnd Mer chard, bankers. Tho Spanish legation has claimed the statue -Thc banishment of lepers is rigor ously carried out in tho Sandwich isles. There was a recent official search for persons affected with the incurable malady, many having beon secreted by their relatives. Hundreds were found and put into a VCBHOI for transportation to the lepor village, to be kept until they die. Their families gathered oh tho beach, nnd expressed their grief in loud lamentations. A taleuted hall breed, called Bill Kagsdale, has "long held a high place in tho regard of Sand wich Islanders. He is an orator of great natural power, and leador in tl diatriot of Hilo, and a man of notorious bad morals. Ho discovered that ho was leprous, though the indications were so slight that ho had escaped official no tice, aud at ouco gave himself up to tho authorities. A procession of natives, singing and carrying flowers, escorted him to the vessel which was to take him and the others to their living grave?. He made a speech to tho assembly, urging submission to the measures for eradicating leprosy hy banishment, and expressing his hatred of missionaries. Wheeler & Wilson's Sewing Ma chines. Wo call attention to the Wheeler Wilson advertisement in our columns. This well-known Company has tho most advantageous facilities for supply ing the public with Sewing Machines, on as favorable terms as the business will allow. They warrant all their work, and it is a matter of impor tance to tho purchaser to deal with a Company whoso position and perma nence give, assurance that their guar anty will bo fulfilled. They have agencies and oflices throughout the civili/.od world, for furnishing needles, thread and other necessary supplies, and havo an established reputation for reliability and fair dealing. THE conspicuous triumph of Mofisrs. George Stock <v Co., of New York, at tho Vienna World's Fair in 1873, at which their pianos obtained the highest award-the only gold medal-has begun to yiold them substantial fruits. The increased popularity of the Steck in struments is noticeable not only in New York, whero thoir excellence has long been acknowledged, but throughout tho country, and moro especially in those rommunition that lay special claim to a cultivated musical taste. - j?few Vor/; Independent,