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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,