Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

^ | \ ^ ^ " | ^ WEEKLY EDITION. WINffSBORO, S. C., WEDJ^SPAYyJANUARY 4, 1882. ESTABLISHED IN 1848. |j THE BLACK ROBE. BY AVILKIE COLLINS. gT" ?AUTHOR OF? *THE WOMAN IN" WHITE, " "THE MOOT?Hjgfc. 6T0NE," " AFTEB DABK," "SO NAME," |Pisr c< MAX AND WIFE," " THE LAW AND y nm T.AT>V" "THE NEW MAG ' y DALES," ETC., ETC. CHAFXEB II : : -.::OSE ASD B0MAYXE. On the next day Penrose arrived on his visit to Romajnc. The affectionate meeting between the two men tested Stella's self-control as it had never been \ tried jet. She submitted to the ordeal with the courage of a woman whose happiness depended on her outward - graciousness of manner toward her ^ husband's friend. Eer reception of Penrose, viewed as au act of refined n_ courtesy, was beyond reproach. When X she found her opportunity of leaving the room, Homayne gratefully opened the door for her. "Thank you!" he whispered, wit u a ioo& viuca was mN tended to reword her. She only bowed to him, and took refuge in her own room. ^ Even in triiles a woman's nature is * degraded by the falsities of language and manner which the artificial condition of modern society exacts from her. "When she yields herself to more serious deceptions, intended to protect \ her dearest domestic interests, the misV chief is increased in proportion. Deceit, which is the natural weapon of defense used by the weak creature against the strong, then ceases to be confined within the limits assigned by the scene of self-respect and by the re. straints of education. A woman in this \ position will descend, f.elf-blinded, to ^ aets of meanness -which would be revolting to her if they were related of another person. Stella had already begun the process of self-degradation by writing secretly to THnterfield. It was only to warn him of the danger of trusting Father Ben well?but it was a letter , claiming him as her accomplice in an act of deception. That morning she had received Penrose with the outward cordialities of welcome which are offered to an old and dear friend. And now, in the safe solitnde of her room, she had fallen to a lower depth still. She was t deliberately considering the cafest \ means of acquainting herself with the confidential conversation which Romayne and Penrose would certainly hold when sho left them together. " He will try to set mv husband against me, and I have a right to know what ;s means he uses in my own defense." I^V TN'itli that thought she reconciled herself to an action \rhic-h she would have - ' despised if she had heard of it as the It was a beautiful an?nwg-.Jay, brightened by clear sunshine, enlivened by crisp air. Stella put on her hat and went out for a stroll in the grounds. While she was within view from the windows of the servants' offices she walked away from the house. Turning ^ the corner of a shrubbery, she entered a winding path on the other side, which led back to the lawn under Eomayne's Y study window. Garden chairs were placed here and there. She took one of them and seated herself?after a last moment of honorable hesitation?where she could hear the men's voices through the open window above her. Penrose was speaking at the time. ^ "Yes. Father Benwell has granted me a holiday," he said; "but I don't come here to be an idle man. You must allow me to employ my term of leave in the pleasant est of all ways. I mean to be your secretary again." Bomayne sighed. " Ah, if yon knew how I have missed von!" Stella waited in breathless expectation for what Peru ose wonld say to this. Would he speak of her? No. There ^ was a natural tact and delicacy in him which waited for-:he husband to introduce the subject. Penrose only said: " How is the great work getting on ?" _ The answer was sternly spoken in one word: " Badly!" N "I am surprised to hear that, Bomayne." I ""Why? .Were you as innocently f hopefnl as I was ? Did you expect my [ experience or married me 10 ueip me m H , * writing nv book ?" Tv^rose replied after a pause, speak ing a little sadly. "I expected your married life to encourage you in all your highest aspirations," he said. \ % * -Stella turned pale with esppressed He had spoken with perfect sin^ rff??WSi^n believed - .that he lied for the express pftrpcse of \ \ rousing irritation against her in h^r husband's irritable mind. She listend raxiouslv for Romayne's answer. ? , ,He made no answer. Penrose changed L - " 'the subject. " Yon are not looking very well," he x gently resumed. " I am afraid your health has interfered with your work. Have you had any return?" It was one of the characteristics oi -T^omayr.e's nervous irritability ^at he *1. nc ver liked to hear the terrible delusior Jj of the voice referred to iu words. .40 '/ >, "Yes," he interposed, bitterly; " ] k have heard it again and again. PjfrSb, right hand is as red as ever, Penrose with the blood of a fellow-creature r Another destruction of my illusions ^ when -I married 1" ^ "liomayne, I don't like to hear yoi s; eak of your marriage in that way." "Oh, very well. Let us go back t< my book. Perhaps I shall get on beite x with it now yon are here to help mc My ambition to make a name in th world his never taken so strong a hol< 1 on me (I don't know why, unless othe disappointments have had something t do with it) as at this time, when I fin< I can't give my mind to my work. TV will make a last effort together, m friend. If it fails we will pnt my man? scripts into the fire, and I will try som 1 other career. Politics are open to me Through politics I might make mj mar ^ in diplomacy. There is something i directing the destinies of nations "vror derfuiiy attractive to me in my preset Hfe'/ - state of feeling. I liate the idea of ] to being indebted for my position in the | to world, like the veriest fool living, to the ! rij acciden*" c birth and fortune. Are i you r' rith tJ'j obscure life that j in ! yor. ' 'id you not envy that priest j j (ht: .der than I am) who was sent j go I the other day as the Pope's ambassador j no j to Portugal ?" ! su [ Penrose spoke out at last without any j i hesitation: j ca " You are in a thoroughly unwhole- lei j some state of mind," he said. wi i Romayne laughed recklessly. sai "When was I ever in a healthy state i of mind V" he asked. in< Penrose passed tho interruption over i su I without notice. j tin j "If lam to do you any good," he : ! resumed, " I must know what is really j do j the matter with you. The very last > question that I ought to put, and that IJ he wish to put, is the question which you > force me to ask." of " What is it?" la\ " When you speak of your married } life," said Penrose, "your tone is the us ! tone of a disappointed man. Have you | 1 anv serious reason to complain of Mrs. Bomayne ?' !sw i . , ! to Stella rose to herieet in her eagerness , i to hear what her husband's answer would un ! e' hu ! "Serious reasons!" Eomayne rei peated. " How can such an idea have | entered your head? I only complain ol ^ j irritating trifles now and tnen. iiiven ! the best of women is not perfect. It's ai,: j liard to expect it from any of them." ^ The interpretation of this reply de- ^ ! pended entirely on the tone in which it j was spoken. Tvhat was the animating j spirit in this case? Irony? or indulj gence ? Stella was ignorant of the in| direct methods of irritation, by means 1S of which Father Ben well had encouraged lioioanye's doubts of his wife's motive for the reception of Winterfield. Her husband's tone, expressing this ^ state of mind, was new to her. She sat down again, divided between hope and an fear, waiting to hear more. The next ? , , re; words, spoken by Penrose, astounded her. The priest, actually took the ^ wife's side! "Romayne," he proceeded, quietly, ^ i " I want von to be happy." "I will try and tell you. I believe ^ j your wife to be a good woman. I be- m1 j iieve she loves you. There is something in her face that speaks for her?even tc ; ^e an inexperienced person like myself Don't be impatient with her! Put awaj co; from you that besetting temptation tc speak in irony?it is so easy to take that yo tone, and sometimes so cm el. Iamonh hi: j a looker-on, I know. Domestic happiness can never be the happiness of mj sp< life. But I have observed my fellowcreatures of all degrees?and this I tell Pe j you is the result. The largest numbei j of happy men are the husbands and fathers. Yes; I admit that they have ; terrible anxieties?but they are fortified y ! by unfailing compensations and encouragements. Oniy~nr^aar?r:. L witli a man who had suffered the loss oi ! fortune and worse still the loss oi health. He en lured those afflictions sc at lalmly that he surprised me. ' What u I hn the secret of your philosophy ?' I asked. i He answered: 'I can bear anvthin<? i - c wc j while I have my wife and mv children.' j Think of that and judge tor yourself j how much happiness you may have left ^ ! J3i ungathered in your married life." ' " 1 1 ?_ l.'J 'iiiose "words toucnea ?ueua s nigner | nature, as the dew touches the j thirsty ground. Surely they were "t j nobly spoken! How would her hus- ha j band receive them ? " X must think with your mind, Pen- | ha ! rose, before I can do what yon ask of J ra: j me. Is there any method of transforma- tic tion bv which I can change natures Bi v o j with you ?" That was all he said, and zc: | he said it despondingly. , li:' Penrose understood and felt for him. j sis "If there is anything in my nature j sh worthy to be set as an example to you," an Tip rp-nlied. " you know to what blessed rI influence I owe self-discipline and wi serenity of mind. Remember what I to said when I left you in London to go back to my friendless life. I told you wc that I found in the faith I held the one 1 el< sufficient consolation which helped me j an to bear my lot. And?if there came a to time of sorrow in the future?I entreated you to remember what I had said, ze Have you remembered it T re; "Look atf the book here on my desk lij ?look at the other books, within easy er reach, on that table?are you satis- gi (*n j neu r "More than satisfied. Tell me?do I j yon feel nearer to an understanding of to the faith to which I have tried to con- in vert yon ?" sh There was a pause. " Say that I do ; to feel nearer," liomayne resumed?"say j th that; some of my objections are removed, i ha are you really as eager as ever to con-; co vert me now that I am a married man T , I "I am even more eager," Penrose i . i o answered. "I have alwavs believed i * * ve ! that vour one sure wav to hatvpincss lav " i ? . ^ a ? . I through vour conversion. Now, whej? j ! p6 ! I know from what I have seen and heard i i . . . , ' aT i in tins room, that von aro not recon' I " j oiled, as you should be, to your new t. i life, I am doublv confirmed in mv beI * v ?1 .' lief. As God is mv witness, I speak v o j ! sincerely. Hesitate no longer! Be j j converted and be happy.1' i " ; | <:.Have yon not forgotten something-, I | Penrose?" J S1 ! ""What have I forgotten?" j hi 1 "A serior.s consideration, perhaps. I ; tl have a Pr ^testant wife." ' h( " I have borr.o that inmind.Romajne, j v?throughout onr conversation." j w ' "And von still say?what von have I I jnst sa5.d ?" j n ' | " With my whole heart, I say it! Be ! t< i converted and be happy. Be happy and i rr 1yon iviil be a good husband. 1 speak ! E _! a ? ,n I _ i m your juutoi/ ?? ? c-a <10 I ^ 3 , yours. People who are happy in each ! tl r j other's society will yield a little on ! w J either side, even on questions of re- j a: e ; ligious belief. And perhaps there may ti ^ ! follow a more profitable result still. So i p r ! far as I have observed, a good husband's j 0 j example is gladly followed by his wife. ; j, 1 j Don't think that I am trying to persuade : e ; you against your will! I am only telling ! c y : you, iu my own justification, from what' r i motives of love for yourself, and of true ' ? e j interest in your welfare, I speak. You i ^ > j implied just now that you had still some : 0 a objections left. If I can remove them, I ]j n well and good. If 1 fail?if you can- ; - i not act on purely conscientious convic- ! 1 l? ' ticn?I not oaly advise, I entreat, you i i remain as you are. I shall be the first acknowledge that you have done jht." This moderation of tone would appea esistibly {as Stella well knew) to her isband's ready appreciation of those iod qualities in others which he did it himself possess. Once more her spicion wronged Penrose. Had be Lis m interested motives for pleading her use ? At tlie bare thought of it she :t her chair, and, standing nnder the ndow, boldly interrupted the conversion by calling to Romayne. '' Lewis!" she cried, " why do you stay ioors on this beautiful day ? I am re Mr. Penrose would lilie a walk on g grounds." Penrose appeared alone at the winw. "You are quite right, Mrs. Romayne," said, " we will join you directly." In a few minutes he turned the corner the house and met Srella on the vn. Romayne was not with him. "Ts mv husband not comint? with ?" she asked. [<He will follow us," Penrose anered. " I believe he has some letters write." Stella looked at him, suspecting some derhand exercise of influence on her sband. [f she had been able to estimate the ble qualities in the nature of Penrose, b might have done kim the justice to ive at a truer conclusion. It was he .0 asked leave to take the opportunity speaking alone with Mrs. Romayne. s had said to his friend: "If I am ong in my view of the effect of your ange of religion on yonr wife, let mt .d it out from herself. My one object to act justly toward you and toward t T ch/vnlrl *fnroirA "if T ido miscliief between you, no mattei w innocent of any evil intention 1 glit be." Romayne had understood n. It was Stella's misfortune ignortly to misinterpret everything that nrose said or did, for the all-sufficient ison that he was a priest. She had awn the conclusion that her husband i the point of conversion himself) d deliberately 3eft Ler alone with nrose, to be persuaded or deluded :o giving her sanction to aid the 3uence of the priest. " They shalJ d they are mistaken," ,she thought to rself. "Have I interrupted an interesting aversation ? " she inquired, abruptly. (Then I asked you to coma out were u talking to my iiusbantl aDout liis >torieal work ?" t;Xo, Mrs. Piomayne; we were not ?aking at that time of ihe book." "May I ask an odd question, Mr. nrose ?" " Certainly." " Are yon a very zealous Catholic ?" " Pardon me. I arc a priest. Surely, r profession speaks for me ?" " T -luiriA ma licw-o ??? J?<?* ' "" avert my husband ?' Penrose stopped and looked at her :entively. "Are you strongly opposed to your stand's conversion V" lie asked. " As strongly," she answered, " as a >man can be." "By religious conviction, Mrs. Bo ivne?" I{No. By experience.*' Penrose started. "Is it indiscreet," he said, gently, o inquire what your experience may ve been?" " I will tell you what my experience s been," Stella replied. "I am ignoit of theological subtleties, and quests of doctrine are qnite beyond me. | it this I do know: a well-meaning and lions Catholic shortened my father's e, and separated me from an only ;ter whom I dear.v loved. I see I ock you?and I dare suy you think I i exaggerating?" "I hear what you say, Mrs. Romayne, th very great pain?I don't presume form any opinion thus far." "My sad story can be told in a few >rds," Stella proceeded. " When my ler sister was still a young gill, an nt of ours (my mother's sister) came stay "with us. She bad mairicu road, and she was, as I have said, a alous Catholic. Unknown to the st of us she held conversations on region with my sister?worked on the tliusiasm which was a part of the ri's nature?and accomplished hor nversion. Other influences, of which know nothing, were afterward brought bear on my sister. She declared her tention of entering a convent. As e was under age, my father had only interpose his authority to prevent is. She was his favorite chiid. He ,d no heart to retain her by force?he uld only try all that the kindest and st of fathers could do to persnade her remain at homo. Eren after the ars that have passed, I cannot trust vself to speak of it composedly. She TTftQ QO Tiov/i OO ?+V>T?0 TVTtT :x010 ouv ?T tw vw MMiu ^ t wuvi AI^-J mt, when she was entreated to interfere, lied her heartless obstinacy ' a voca3n.' My poor father's loving resisttce was worn out; he slowly drew neaiand nearer to death from the day hen she left us. Let mo do her jusce if I can. She has not only never reretted entering the convent?she is so ippily absorbed in In- religious duties lat she has not the slightest wish to see ?r mother or me. Tuy mother's patience _?j. rn. _ 7.^,+ T lis soon v?or:i cut. u;uc j. ent to tlie convent I vent by myself, shall never go there again. She could oi conceal her sense of relief when I )ok my leave of her. I need say no lcre. Arguments are thrown away on re, Mr. Penrose, after what I have seen nd felt. I have no right to expect :iat the consideration of my happiness "ill influence you?but I may perhaps sk you, as a gentleman, to tell me the ruth. Do vou come here with the purose of converting my husband?" Penrose owned the truth without an astant's hesitation. "l cannon rase your view 01 your ister's pious devotion of herself to a eligicus life," lie said. "But I can nd vrill answer you truly. From the ime when I first knew him, my dearest bject has been to convert your liusiand." Stella drew back from him as if he tad stung her, and clasped her hands q silent despair. " But I am bound as a Christian," ho went on, " to do unto others as I would j thej should do to me." ! She turned on him suddenly, her ' beautiful face radiant with hope, her hand trembling as it caught him by the j arm. j ' Speak plainly!" she cried. ( He obeyed her to the letter. I " The happiness of my friend's wife, , xr t> " J x _ ;urs. nomayne, is sacreu xo me iur ma sake. Be the good angel of your husj band's life. I abandon the purpose of converting him." He lifted her hand from his arm and T raised it respectfully to his lips. Then, * when he had bound himself by a promise "c that was sacred to him, he said to him- ^ self as he left her: " God forgive me if s I have done wrong!" z I v a CHAPTER HI.?WIXTER FIELD RETURNS. Twice Father Benwell called at Der- s went's hotel, and there he was informed that no news had been received there of * Mr. Winterfield. At the third attempt ^ his constancy was rewarded. Mr. Win- j terfield had written and was expected to arrive at the hotel bv 5 o'clock. c It was then half-past four. Father Benwell decided to wait the return of his friend. He was anxious to deliver the packet intrusted to him. The re-sealed packet was safe in the pocket of his long black frock-coat. His own future proceedings depended, in some degree, on the course which Winterlield might take, when he had read the confession of the unhappy woman who h?wl once been his wife. Would he show the letter to Stella, a* ft orivate inter .iew, as an unanswerable proof that she had cruelly wronged him ? And would it in this case be desirable?if the thing could bo done?so to handle circumstances, as that Komayne might be present, unseen, and might discover the truth for himself ? In the other event?that is to say, if c Winterfield abstained from communieating the confession to Stella?the re- ? sponsibility of making the necessary disclosure must remain with the priest, s In his present uncertainty he could a onlv decide to pay another visit to Ten f Acres Lodge, and discover how Penrose ^ was prospering in the all-important mat- j. ter of Komayne's conversion. c Father Benwell walked softly up and 1 down the room, looking about him with a quietly-observant eyes. A side-table in ? a comer was covered with letters, wait- y ing Vrinterfield's return. Always ready l; for information of any sort, he even a looked at the addresses on the letters. The handwritings presented the cus- ^ tomary variety of character. All but a three of the envelopes showed the Lon- f den district postmarks. Two of the r other letters (addressed to Winterfield ^ at his club) bore foreign postmarks; and v one, as the altered direction showed, c had been forwarded from Beaupark r : i? i-j-- i- -A-i - ?2.-C This last letter especially attracted "W the priest's attention. c The address was apparently in a 1 woman's handwriting. And it was worthy e of remark that she appeared to be the ? only person among Winterfield's corre- }spondents who was not acquainted with the address of his hotel or of his club. "Who could the person be? The subtly- c inquiring intellect of Father Benwell < amused itself by speculation even on i such a trifling problem as this. He little thought that he had a personal interest ^ in the letter. The envelope contained ^ Stella's warning to "Winterfield to distrust no less a person than Father Ben- a well himself! 1 It was nearly lialf-past five before ^ qnic-k footsteps were audible outside. r Winterfield entered the room. a "This is friendly indeed!" he said. s " I expected to return to the worst of * all solitudes?solitude in a hotel. You ^ will stay and dine with me? That's i right. You must have thought I was * going to settle in Paris. Do you know ^ what has kept me so long ? The most delightful theater in the world?the Opera Comique. I am so fond of the bygone school of music, Father Benwell , ?the flowing, graceful, delicious melo- c dies of the composer who followed Mo- ? zart. One can only enjoy that music in ' 1 Paris. Would you believe that I waited ^ a week to hear Nicolo's delightful 1 Jo- . conde' for the second time. I was al- j most the onlv young man in the stalls. < * " J All round me "were the old men who re- 1 membered the first performances of the ^ opera, beating time with their wrinkled ( hands to the tunes which were asso- ] ciated with the happiest days of their 1 lives. What's that I hear? My dog! ; I was obliged to leave him here, and he j knows I have come back!" ( He flew to the door and called down ( the stairs to have the dog set free. The ! spaniel rushed into the room and leaped ' into his master's outstretched arms. Winterfiela returned his caresses, and i kissed him as tenderly as a woman might I iirrrA kissed 1ir>r nfit. 1 " Dear old fellow! it's a shame to have ' left yon; I won't do it again. Father Benwell, have yon as many friends who would be as glad to see yon as this 1 friend? I hav'n't one. And there are fools who talk of a dog as an inferior being to ourselves! This creature's faithful love is mine, do what I may. I might be disgraced in the estimation of every human creature I know, and he would be as true to me as ever. And look at his physical qualities. What an | ngly thing, for instance?I won't say I your ear?I will say, my ear is, crumpled i nnd wrinkled and naked. Look at the | beautiful silky covering of his earl i What are our senses of smelling and j hearing compared to Lis? We are proud of our reason. Could we find our way j buck, if they shut us up in a basket and took us to a strange place away from home ? If we both want to run downstairs in a hurry, which of us is securest against breaking his neck?I on my poor j two legs or he on his four? Who is the j bappv mortal who goes to bed without j unbuttoning, and gets up again without buttoning? Here he is, on my lap, I r-.r* T nm follrinrr Trim or>n > IUU, -i. cAitx ^-^\y *.*.u too fond of me to say to himself, ' "What a fool my master is!''' Father Benwell listened to this rhapsody?so characteristic of the childish simplicity of the man?with an inward sense of impatience, which never once showed itself on the smiling surface of his face. m?: <" ' {. He had decided noi~*"tO mention the' papers in his pocket .until sopecircum?tance occnrred whi^mlght appear .to remind him natnrallj ^thi% 'he had such LI.- _T L 1*? _Ti t'-'iA* 3' tilings nuouu niiu. ,jjk uc- jiuuwea IUIV inxiety to produce itcLienvelope, he might expose himself to" the suspicion Df having some knowledge of the contents. When would:$5interfieId notice the side-table and op$n his.letters? To be conanuedit ; Willie's Courage. v v "Willie Carr was ace of those boys vho never liked to be beaten: at any;hing. Only daro him to do a thing, ind he would do it, no matter how ab mrrl or foolish it was. He hiid latftW?' :ome to live at a town on the seacoast, rad he and his school-fellows- constant^. imnsed themselves Ton; half-holidays ; yy climbing the cliffy fishing, boating, md many other seaside pastimes; ^ On one Saturday ;,affcernoon Willie* aid to his companions: . " % "The tide has just' turned; in; a qc.a?. ^ er of an honr that rc^. (pointing g ;mall rock covered with'.seaweed) "Wfii >e nnder water; I dar^ unj of -rou felows to ran ten times^- .' * nd it." Some shook their hr'.J^>and said they lid not care to ran . "^SrisK of being Jrowned; bnt said, "Yve wil* go if yon rill lead ns." So off they started. The water was >ver their shoes at tho first ronnd. "Salt water will do ns no harm," said [Villie. At the sixth ronnd Tom Bishop and ' iVillie were the only ones who kept on - A-U- ~ ? mumig, lilts waiej voo oueauj auu t c heir knees, for the tide was coming in ast. At the eighth Ground Willie was Tinning alone, and niany of the boys aid, '-Don't go any njore, Willie." But tfed Dawson cheered J"Only twice more, ,nd I will say you are the bravest felow in Hastings." But at the ninth ound all said don't go any more. "Do you dare me to do it?:' cried JVillie; "although the water is above ny waist, I will go just to show yon rhat I can do." Many of them tried to hold him back, >ut he rushed off paiiting for his last ound. When he reached the rock he ?as very tired, so he sat down to re:over his breath;-then he got up ,nd waved his cap. The boys cheered iim and cried, "make haste?come long." ; ? Bat he staid longer than was neces ary, just to snow now orave ne was, .nd waved his cap. JAt this moment a ' arge wave dashed ov6r the rock, drench- 1 ng him to the skin,rand obliging him o start off. But before he bad-gone j talf way on bis journey another "wave ame atong and he found himself np to lis armpits in water; another came, ,nd then another, and carried him off ' tis feet. He was nearly choked with he salt water that went down his throat, ! rat he recovered himself enough to get jack to the rock; there he sat, panting 1 nd exhausted. ! His boasted courage began to fail; he ! ould swim but little, and incumbered 1 rith his wet clothes and all exhausted ; ,s he was, there was not much chance r\f lrimn TTirrVio-r ori/J riirrhor +110 X&CLt&T ose ; the rock was tinder water; and here he sat, pale and shivering. ; Some of Ms comixes ran off for help rat poor "Willie doubted if it would ome in time. All "Jus sins and follies ose before him like ?. cloud, he thought 1 he heard he had been drowned? T1 [rowned, and by his own folly. A ; arge wave rolled over him?he tightened his grasp on the seaweed; an- : ither came, and then another; a mist ose before his ejes?he loosened his ' lold and all was dark. ***** Some honrs later Willie was in his iwn bed at home, and a lady with a ' tijflflt, nolo foAa rcro<jV>Andino* over him. ! 1 Thank God!' she said. "Willie heard j' t arid opened his eyes. "Oh, mother," he said, "I am saved, 1 hen! I was so frightened, and when I honght of yon, death seemed so terri- . >le." "ifes," she said; "yon were saved by : , boatman who heard yonr sehool-fel- ; ows* cries of distress; let ns thank >od for His mercy in saving yon." Some time after Willie entered the lavy; he had lost none of his conrage md daring, hut acted more nnder a ense of duty and less to gain man's ap)lanse. He is now an officer beloved by his nen and respected by all who know iim, for at the call of dnty he is always r*-n/3 trrViAVA /l ??T> Cf&y 1C VHT! 5 X? O Vy UllVi tTJU&JLO 4V) VUV* w J Till always find him.?Sunday Magazine. Lucky Days. It is cnrious to note that in India a ainy day is considered nnlncky for a redding, and that Scandinavian Thurslay, the day of Thor, or thnnder, was dso of bad omen. St. Elroy, in a sermon, varus his flock from keeping Thursday ts a holy day, and Dean Swii't, in a letter io Sheridan, rhymes Thursday to 'cursed day." The Esthonians consider ,t unlucky, and in Devonshire it has but )ne lucky hour. Mr. Jones, who, by ;he way. makes no mention of Thursday is the fatal day -of the Trudors, does aot attempt to generalize from these 3UI70T1S iacts, WIUCU, Illueeu, yyc juuyc picked out from different parts of the book. Unlucky days in Cochin China ?perhaps among the Mohammedan Malays, but -we are not told?are the third day of the new moon, being that an which Adam was expelled from Par idise; the fifth, when the whale swallowed Jonah ; the sixteenth, when Joseph was put into the well; the twenty-fourth, when Zachariah was murdered; and the twenty-fifth, when Mohammed lost his front teeth. The ancient Egyptians were like the Chinese in their careful observance of lucky and unlucky days, and Mr. Jones may turn with profit for his next edition to Mr. Mitchell's amusing calendar, in which they are detailed at length. Mr. Jones says that from ancient Egypt the evil or unlucky days have received the now./v nf T??Tr-trrifion dars onr?>r> +,hp>m in uauao VA o- ? i "a Saxon MS. (Coti. MS. Vitel, c. viii. fo. 20)." They are the last Monday in April, the first in August, and the "first Monday of the going out of the month of December," which leaves us somewhat in doubt as to all the Mondays in that month.?Saturday Review. Fish Food. The following suggestive facts, says Dr. Foote's Health Monthly, are gathered from Professor Atwater's paper before the annual meeting of the Fish cultural Association: Fish consists of waste matter and flesh. The waste consists of bones, skin, entrails, etc.; the flesh of water and two solids ; the solids are the nutritive material. The proportions of j waste in different samples vary "widely : A flounder sixty-eight per cent., while one of halibut stea> only eighteen per cent.; making the halibut the cheaper fish at a higher price. The least waste is to be found in fat shad, fat mackerel,' and dry and salt fish. The practical application of these facts is of the utmost value. The same nutritive substance in the different samples of fish were founi to vary in cost from forty j cents to S3 a pound. The hiah price, J bear in mind, being for fish having the | greatest waste. "It makes little differ- i <**>/> a " it ia aAAaf\_ "to thfl man with I AW iW MV.vkw*} $5,000 a year whether he pays forty I cents or $4 a pound for the albumenoids 1 in food provided it suits his palate; but to the housewife whose family must be supported upon $500 a year it is a matter of gr?flfc important." A BEASTLY KING. HI* Majesty, the White Elephant, a Rule in i iam. White cows, rats, mice and hares ar common and easily distingnished; bn it is different with the white elephant He is not to be considered as sno^ white, very far from it. All the whit elephants now existing in Siam an< Bnrmah are of a light mouse coloi somewhat of the same tint as the pal freckles to be fonnd on the trunk of ordinary elephants. The licrht era is uniform all over, the spots on th trank being white. The depth of th color, however, varies greatly, an< there are often blemishes in shape o darker patches which would seem t< Imin an otherwise eligible candidate' claim. It has been, therefore, form* necessary to determine some infallibl iest points, which will demonstrate th right of the animal to his title. Th Burmese skilled men fix npon two o these as superior to all others. One i that the elephant shall have five toe instead of four. This is a good way o leaking certain, but occasionally thercore indubitably black elephants whicl have the sacred number of tr^s., - Ther are while elephants debased by sin laboring under the evil Kharma o previous existence, and ineligible fo: the honors accorded to the real animal The other test is considered perfectl; decisive, no matter what the precise tin of the skin may be. It is this : If yoi pour water on a 'white elephant he turn red, while a black elephant only be comes blacker than ever. This is the fina test always resorted to in Maadalay. The importance attached to the pos session of a white elephant is traceabL to the Buddhist system. The last ava tar of Gautama Buddha, before he cam< down upon earth to "teach the law anc give the millions peace," was in th< g uise of a white elephant. The posses sion of an undoubted white elephan stands as a sign and symbol of nni versa' sovereignty; and every Burmese kinj longs for the capture of such a treasur* during his reign as a token that hi: legitimate royalty is recognized by nn seen powers. When the animal migh have been secured bnt goes instead t< those whom he regards his enemies, th< sign is of course all the other way. The present Lord "White Elephant 11 Mandalav would not be reoognized ai such by any except by those who ar< learned in the science and versed in th< literature of the subject,which is volu minons and not a little puzzling to an outsider. To most people he woulc seem an impostor, for his color is i mixture of light brown and din?y smoke smirched cream-color. The eye when you know it, is perhaps the bes rough test. The iris ou^ht to be yellow with a reddish outer anulus. The eli'ec of this is vt ry sinister, but the red rim represents gums. Otherwise, too, th< elephant is not attractive in appearance he is very big, but notwithstanding th< care taken of him he is remarkably lea: and hollow-sided. His tusks, however are magnificent?white, smooth, anc , * 3 _ x. ~ C ^ J. !_ curving iorwara m iront 01 cis huuk st that they almost meet. He is very bac tempered, and his attendants are ver] much afraid of him. He has an estab lishment of thirty men to wait on him among whom is a minister of state whc manages his affairs and looks after th< revenue of the province that is assignee to him to "eatwhile within the innei stockade he has a "palace" to himself On one occasion he killed a ma%_^kt * guou oeai ui iiduTile and noise befor^ the body could be got away from him The king?Theebau'slather?heara th< noise and inquired what was tho matter When he was told he expressed grea^ concern, and not a little alarm for th< future state of tho Lord White Ele phant, with the stain of murder on hiir blotting out hosts of previous good deeds. Bat the elephant's ministei calmed his mind and restored him t( equanimity by saying: "Pray do not b< disturbed, payan ; it was not a man only a foreigner." Probably because he was so viciou the Lord White Elephant bad neve; been ridden. No one but the King him self could do so ; and his late Majesty Mindohu Miu, -was fat and feeble, anc Tneebau's nerves were not strong enough. The Sinpyoo Dau is kiDg o elephants, and therefore none but i king may mount him. His royal trap pings are kept in the palace, and ar< very magnificent. Bands of rich ret cloth run from the head stall to th< back and thence to the tail, hanging ii curves over the body. They are richl; studded with rubies and emeralds. Oj the forehead is a plate of gold recordinj his majesty's titles, such as is worn b; every man of rank in the country, up ti the arbiter of existence himself. Bosse of.pure gold and clusters of preciou stones cover the head-stall, anu golde: tassels hang about the head. When h goes forth to take the air he is shadei by golden and white umbrellas. He am the king share all the white umbrella in the country between them. The kin; of men has nine, the king of elephant has two3but he has also four golden ones Not even the heir apparent; where tiier is one, haa a right to use the white urn brella. He has only eight golden ones by the nse of even an ordinary white covered umbrella, would be regarded a declaration of rebellion on his pari and wonld lead to his immediate exect tic-n. No wonder, then, that the attend ants and visitors take off their shoe when they enter the Sinypoo Dan's pa! ace, and that the people bow down lo' and do humble obeisance when h passes through the streets. The Lor White Elephant's suite account for hi irritable temper by the bad treatmeD he met with in early davs. The royj coffers were low, and the English wei clamoring for the last installments of th Yartdaboo indemnity money. So th rents of the elephant were appropriate to pay off the troublesome foreigner Every cara was taken to soften tlie ii dignity. The king himself wrote a Ion address on a palm leaf requesting tt Lord White Elephant not to take amiss that his revenues were devoted 1 the payment of the barbarians. In ar case he would not suffer, for the who! should be refunded in two months tim The circumstances, however, seem 1 have preyed on his mind, for the bcc guard say that his Majesty (the eL pnantj nas never oeen ine same &mg Who Is Lucifer? . "Who is Lucifer?"said the teacher: the infant class in Sunday-school. "I know," spoke up a brave five-yea old girl in a very earnest tone. "Well tell me, Katie," said tl teacher. "W'y Lucy's fer Bob Spriggs, whoh such a funny little mustache, an' wea such a short toat; but papa don't lil him at all, an' sez he ain't got no sens ot.' nr> mnnov on1 Vio's ff>r izaf, olfi M Grip, an' " "That will do, Katie," broke in tl teacher ; "I see yon are posted. We wi go on to anoiher qnestion," and it r quired the teacher five minutes to g through usii;g her handkerchief wipii her eyes, she "had snch a bad cold,yc know," for Lncy was instmcting a other class near by. Lncy told h mother afterward that she thonght E.at too young to go to school, the con fin meant ws not good former.?St/Hugs. A Spanish lady brought from Esfcr i madnra, Lima, a handfnl of whea j planted it in her gar den, distribnt* ! the increase until grains became sheave | and sheaves the craving harvest? 1 Peru VEGETABLE SILK. r TheTunoGum Trce?A Substitute for Oak Bark. e The American consul at Enatari, t Honduras, writes interestingly of two products which promise to be of comv mercial importance. One is a fibre e known as silk grass or juta, a perennial I and easily cultivated plant, which grows wild and covers vast tracts near e the edges of the rivers and lagoons of s Honduras. It contains over thirty per 7 cent, of the finest silk ; this is the cone sul's language, but, of course, he means e it is practically equivalent to, not 3 identical with, the warm fibre, for he ,f adds that it can be employed for the o same uses as the fibre of the caterpillar. s It is very strong and durable, is said to 3 surpass "both hemp and flax in those 0 respects, and is nsed by the natives for e making cordage, fish lines, nets, hame mocks, etc. A resident of New York f representing a company which in tend to s soon send out machinery for preparing s the fibre for market, on a large scale, f has received a concession from the Gove ernmint of Honduras. 2 'Aie other product referred to is e balata, or tuno gum,- which is the P1 prepared milk of a tree closely resemf bling the nowdisappearing rubber tree. r Large quantities of this gum have been ^ sent to England and Germany from the rr wflst roast fjf Africa, and have been t successfully used in making telegraph i cables and otherwise. Specimens have s also been sent to this country from time . to time, but as the preparation of the ] milk was not then well understood the specimens were not satisfactorily en. couraging; specimens forwarded with q the consul's letter are white, dry and r hard. The trees which yield the tuno 3 gum are very abundant on the Atlantic 1 coast of all the Central American Repub3 lies, as well a3 in other tropical cour. tries, and experiments seemed to have f; proved that it can be used &s a substitute [ for india-rubber. It does not appear x from anything reported thus far that5 the tuno tree will not in its turn be in g danger of extermination if the same . destructive process of chopping down t which has made the rubber tree com3 paratively scarce is applied to the other ? also; but, of course, it is a boon to discover a fresh source of supply in a i new class of trees. 5 The consul at Singapore also sends 3 an account of a valuable discovery? a that the shell of the mangosteen con. tains rare tannic qualities. This mangosteen apple, very little known, is I described as being the choicest in the ^ part of the world where it grows. The .shell is about a third of an inch thick? ' more shell than fruit, and the shells are t a powerful astringent; the Malays have long used a tea made of the grated 6 shells to check dysentery. The discovery r above alluded to relates more to the ? comparative value of the tannic quality ; than to the fact of its existence, which 3 has been known for many years. The ^ immediate occasion of the consul's letter is a published statement that an j examination of the mangosteen shell > and oak bark showed the former to eon1 tain one-sixth more tannic than the oak, T and to be worth abont 7} gnilders per . 100 kilograms. The consul does not t know the present price of oak bark in 5 this country, or whether 100 kilograms > in a broken state ready to be ground I and bought where grown would be dear r at guilders, ($3); bnt he says that if , its price in the United States were the ) same as that of the mangosteen shell in 5 vj. .the latter woxiiii mors than pay the freight for American ships. The shells ; are a facile freight, easily handled, and not liable to injury from salt water, t except from long immersion. Besides 5 the discovery of a cheap and seemingly . inexhaustible substitute for oak bark, L just as the oak forests, or the most [ available of them begin to show exhaus. tion materially, and in view of the fact 5 that nothing yet is known equal to the s oak-tanned leather, must be regarded as very fortunate. 3 FACTS FOR THE CORIOUS. c Eice barrels are now made of paper. , Teddo, Japan, averages eighty earthi quakes a year. ? Asia and Africa furnish hundreds of * tons of elephants' tusks yearly. 1 A cnbic foot of cast iron weighs 450$, ' and of wrought iron 4.82$ pounds, j Buffaloes are, common in Ceylon, 3 white ones being sometimes found, i Queen Elizabeth left three thousard y changes of dress in the rcjal wardrobe. 1 The original Bluebeard was Giles de ? Lavel, made marshal of France in 7 1429. 3 The Emperor Augustus in his letters writing dated even the divisions of the 3 hours. ^ ^ - ' - ?- rr?TAl A Vw'UieiiUgO nuu uviuouiuu muib -luu ? House that Jack Built" and "Goody^ two-shoes." g In a life of sixty-five years one must _ have eaten about thirty tons of solids g and liquids. 5. Eels hare been known to climb trees e in England when meeting obstructions .. in their upward swim in the spring of ; tho year. The last court dwarf in England was s a German, named Copperheim, retained t, by the Princess of Wales, the mother i- of George III. Flints are found in the tombs of the |s Northern nations, they having been supposed to be efficacious in confining 57 the dead of their habitations. ^ Froissart mentions a person who, g having his chin cut off in a riot, rej placed it by one of silver, which he tied j by a silken cord around his head, e In representations of funeral ceremcp nies upon Grecian monuments horses ie heads aie found in one corner, intend d ing to represent,death as a journey, s. Coffee was first sold in LondoD in l- 1652 by a Greet, whose handbill read : g "The virtne of the coffee drink first ie publiquely made and sold in England it by Pasqna Rosee, in St. Michael's Alley, ;o CornhiiJ; at the sign of his own head." [? A Swiss watchmaker has invented a process by which watches can be made e- to run for several years without wind;? ing up. A box containing two watches, l7 sealed up and placed with municipal e" authorities on January 19,1871, has just e* been opened, and the watches have been found runniDg. Tije World's To:ton Supply. k? Jn a report issued by the state department at Washington, on the cotton and l~ cotton goods trade ox tne worm, acu covering the statistics gathered from ie forty-six countries, it is stated that the raw cotton of the several countries is estimated at 3.500,000,000 pounds, of rs which 2,770,000,000 are grown in the ie United States, 400.000,000 in East e' India, 250,000,000 in E(?vpt, and the r* balance divided between Brazil and the West Indies. The value of the cotton manufactures in the world is put at lJ1 81,348,310,000, of which S561.17C.000 e" is manufactured in Great Britain, $233.280,000 in the united States, $106,920,000 in Germanv, $102,060,000 in >u Russia, and the remainder divided n" among the other countries, er ?^ ^ He read in a newspaper paragraph the statement that "The child is father to the man," and straightway went and asked his mother if that was true, a- "Yes, my soil," she answered, "it may it, seem a little strange to yon, bat it's ;d trne." "Well, mamma," responded the :s, inquisitive yonth, "why is it if I'm of papa's father that he always licks me 1 and I never lick him 7" THE HOME DOCTOBo Treatment of Scarlet Fever.?Dr. E. Woodruff, for nineteen years a practicing physician at Grand Eapids, Michigan, furnishes the Springfield (111.) Journal the following in relation co the treatment of scarlet fever: "Wash the child from head to foot with strong sal-soda water, warm, then wipe dry. Then immediately bathe freely with oil from beef-marrow, or oil from butter, applied freely. Then give freely +/\r? /\* patvo otrr.uvir.** orfi I UHLLl^/ ICAf UX OUUIO guvu M4v* cle, penny-royal, etc. Repeat every half hour, or as often a*: they get worrisome or wakeful, and in one or two days they will be entirely cured. I have been called to cases where they have been fully broken out, and in this way entirely cured them in twenty-four hours. I have had thirty cases on hand at one time, and never lost a case in my life. But now I am old and about to give up my business, and seeing from the papers that your town is infected with the epidemic, I wish to do all the good I can. It is so simple. Ton do not need to call a doctor. A good nurse can attend to them. If by opening the pores of the skin and sweating you can let off.thn pcisoDj? whac^h- is. ma animal-.., cule or animal in the'blood, the cure w a complete. The same is equally good in feveis of all kinds, hard colds an<J coughs. I take the ground that all diseases' are caused by a stoppage of the pores of the skin, retaining the poison or living animals in the blood, and al you have to do at first is to open the doors of the system and let them out or drive them* out. All people know a warm bath is good. But you apply the oil to the skin, and it keeps the pores open for a long time, and gives the enemy a chance to get out. I h.;pe all will try it, and they will soon be convinced." Bedbooji Ventilation.?The London Lancet has some comments on the subject of bedroom ventilation, which may be read with profit: "If a man were deliberately to shut himself for some six or eight hours in a stuffy room, with closed doors and windows (the doors not being opened even to change the air during the period of incarceration), and were then to complain of headache and debility, he would be justly told that his own want of intelligent foresight was the cause of his suffering. Nevertheless, this is what the great mass of people do every night of their lives, with no thought of their imprudence. There are few bedrooms in which it is perfectly safe to pass the night without something more th-in ordinary precautions 10 secure an inflow of fresh air. Every sleeping apartment should, of course, have a fireplace with an open chimney, and in cold weather it is well if the grate contains a small fire, at least enough to create an upcast current and carrv off the vitiated air of the room. In all such cases, when a fire is used, it is necessary to see that the air drawn ii>tu the room comes from the outside ci the house. By an easj mistake is possible to place the occupant of a bedroom with a fire in a closed house in a direct current of foul air drawn from all parts of the establishment. Summer and winter, with or without the use of fires, it is well to have a free ingress for pure air. This should be the ventilator's first concern. Foul air will find an exit if pure air is admitted in sufficient quantity, but it is not certain that pure air will be drawn away. So fa? as sleeping-rooms are "without. must' be to" ac?om- " plish the Object without causing a great fall of temperature or * draft. The windows may be drawn down an inch or two at the top with advantage, and a fold of muslin will form a 'ventilator' to take off the feeling of draught. This, with an open fireplace, will generally suffice, and produce no unpleasant consequences even when the weather is cold. It is, however, essential that the air outside should be pure. Little is likelv to be cained bv letting in a fog or even a town mist." Twelve Tears of Silence. Near Alexandria, Ky., about twelve years ago, a young man named John Alford began to show evidences of mental derangement. His father is an old, respectable citizen, and there is quite a numerous family of brothers and sisters well known in the upper end of the county. He was at the time unmarried and about 30 years of age. He was rather goodlooking, tall and erect, and probably six feet high, and there was no apparent cause for his derangement. Some time after, during the fall of 1869, he was duly adjudged a lunatic and taken to the lunatic asylum at Lexington, where he remained a few months and was sent home by the authorities of the asylum as harmless, but incurable. He remained with his father a while and ! was then taken to the county jail at Aiexj andria, where he has remained with | short intermissions ever since. But the strangest part of the story has vet to be told. Soon after his first attack he refused to speak. Every effort was made, both at home and at the asylum, to induce him to talk, but without avail. He had a fair education, but neither would he make known his wants by writing. During all these twelve years he is not known to have uttered a word, and has resisted the most importunate \ and ingenious efforts to indues him to speak. A few weeks ago, to the great surprise of his friends he began to converse as well as he had ever done,explaining his strange conduct by saying that he made a promise to God that he would not speak for twelve years, and the time had now expired. But a re i v -t -i_ x _ tUTIl 01 JUS aOllISY IU LaiA, uuncia, brought with it no improvement in his malady. To all appearance he is hopelessly insane. Although but little past foriy years of ahis body is 6toope<i, his limbs emaciated, his face haggard and cadaverous, hi3 hair quite gray and unkempt, making him t.o appear a feeble old man. It is a strange case, and doubtless would be an interesting one to medical gentlemen. Death of a Siamese I)lgiiit :ry. The Siamese nation has recently been plunge;! into moarning by the death of the court and body elephant of the i Kin sr. One morning, after a hearty breakfast, lie went maa quite unespecir ediy, arid trampled five of his attendants to death. To shoot him would have been sacrilege. An attempt to tranquillize his perturbed spirit oy encu! cling him with a huge rin/ of holy ' bamboo, especially ble;?sed by the High | Priest of his own particular temple, i proved worso than int-ffectnal, for he i broke through the ring and all but teri minatcd the High Priest's career on the spot. He was thtnTvith great difficulty I driven into a close ccurt of the palace, where, after several fnrions endeavors ' to batter down the walls with his tusks, he saddenlv toppled over on his side, i* 1 \ uttered a iass cry 01 rage, ana jsuve uu : the ghost. Naturally enough, this heavy I calamity was attributed to criminal care; lessness on the part of one or other c? | the attendants intrusted vcich the sacred j elephant's feeding. The King, thereI fore, interrogated the members of the ; elephant's household in person, and, : failing to elicit any individual confession ; of delinquency; decreed that they should j all be punished. Pride's fall: "Yes," said Clara, "your I Maltese kitty is pretty enough, but. he ' can never come up to my bird." That i was all she knew about it. 'ike &itty | did come up to her bird that very day 1 and it was all day with the bird. Farmers in Norway. Paul du Cbaillu, in liis book, " Land of the Midnight San," gives an interesting account of the habits aDd peculiarities of the Scandinavians: Whenever Mr. Da Chaillu met a man or woman who had a son or daughter in America, he was charged to visit the wandering one on his return and to deliver some loving message. It was always impossible, he says, to make them understand the magnificence of our distances. ? -il--i. Tl. une woman was sure iu?o uxr. x/u Chaillu, as he lived in New York, must have met her daughter, whose home was in Chicago. Another especially desired him, on his return, to call upon y her son in Minnesota. In the hill country of Norway the author was entertained at the houses of well-to-do farmers, representing the richest and oldest families in the district. The simplicity of their life, notwithstanding their wealth, is strongly marked. ?r" Thord was fifty years of age, of medium height, withjhair tinged with gray, and a benign countenance without much expression. There was not tlfe slight- ^ est degree of pretension in his conversation or manner My host lived in a patriarchal way, like all the bonder of ?i?aa?jju*d _no_one* seeing himnwith , his simp^fe-Banners, would have sus-f pected he .^asVso ancient lineac^ Seven maids and with him These maids radan independent air. for the feet that they worked for their lining did not in the ? least affect their social position; they . were Northmen's daughters, and it was tl e custom for every bolide's wife, daughters and sons to waive distinction of caste at social gatherings. The fathers of tht^e jirls were bonder, the equals of Zofte, and their farms bad descended to them frc-m ancient times They had all accepted situations, either because the farms owned by their farents were too small, or they wiahe:! to make money for themselves." The scrupulous care with which everything like arrogance or pretension was avoided was manifest in many ways: "A strong feeling of conservatism, of holding fast to old customs?a hatred of any appearance of pride?are characteristics of the bonder.... Often when Thord dined with me he was not hungry. ' Why do you not take your meals with me ?' I asked ; ' you certainly cannot eat two dinners within half an h'.nr of each other.' 'Oh,' said he, ' if I did eo I am afraid the servants of the ho fe and neighbors wonld cali m?j pz?md; they would say tbat I am s->ham?-.d of them before strange>s; they wicli think that I blighted them.' To Th^rd 3nd many other farmers, I bav? often said : * Why do yen not p>junt your dwellings wt:ite? The\ would look so much prettier and more pi -tan-squ The answer was : 4 We would li-^e to do so bat what would the i>eopie say ? They would think we wanted to appear better than thej ar<% and w re a>hamed _ vS to be bon.ler, or thnt wr tried to imitate the city people.' This intense conservatism is often a d a?vb .?* to improvement, for those who would Ji?e to make changes dare not begin; hence ."3 the S'ici-il forms ot a moie primitive state of society, which have' been lost in other countries, still prevail here." In many parts of th9 contry visited by the author still more primitive cus- . toms prevail, for t e better j&ison tnafc the people are really primitive in ti;eir ideas and ways of life, and without a thought of evil retain simple customs which the least trace of that self conihzation would, make narmtai and even impossiBle: " The absence of 'gttSe itr ' many districts can hardly be believed or conceived by the stranger. When returning tired and wet from the hunt, or some mountain excursion, to a friend's farm, I have been put to bed by some female member of the family, os if T had been a child, and tucked up with the admonition to sleep quietly.' Gowns or the Juslices of the Supreme Court. The justices of the United States supreme court have just indulged in new gowns, those official robes of state that cast such an imposing ak of dignity about the grave and reverend seigniors . | and add much t i the majesty of the iaw. Still the august jurists are net exempt from raillery. A great deal of fun is always poked at them, and they seem to enjoy it as much as anybody. Anent the new gowns a Washington corre- ?* spondent says: By the way, no one seems to be aw&re that their gowns ju&t now, although made in the same style used on the bench for years, are the very height of fashion, being veritable Mother Hubbard cloaks. The cut and siyle of making the gowns are so peculiar that it is not always possible to have one L'orreunjr uiauc, >wu wv.w .. tional rumor t , the effect that?in spite of Ohio having had more representatives among the justices than any other- _ ^ state-Jastice Matthews' gown, which was mads in Cincinnati, proved to be so unlike the others that it had to be returned for alteration. One would naturally suppose that the making of suits for any class oi officials, from the presidential inauguration toilet to tiie uniform of a postman, would long since have become au everv-day job to Ohio tailors. Jastice Miller's wife tells merrily of her trying experience when cha vricho^ tn Wve the eovna her hus band cow rises made in Puns. The go cms worn tiiere by scientists, scholars and students differ altoge! ht-r irom those our justices wear. In h maon any clerical tailor would have understood the kind of gown desired, but not so in Paris ; wherefore, after many failure?, Mrs. Miller gave instructions to tbe fashionable modiste "vho make* her ^ toilets, who wa-* entirely successful m making the gown. fhe vowns, wkic'a are always of tV be*t qualify of wis, cost upward of $l:iO. Wit en r.be*nprfrue / court was first organized the jubticfcs wore quite g^udy powns. A portrait in oil of the first chief ju.>ti<'e. John Jay, now hangs in the robing room opj.o-ite the supreme court room, in wLicli he is reurc-smted as wearing a biack gown, with a broad, bright, red border around the Deck and down the front, ed^ed with gray, and sleeves with red border at top aad bottom, also edged with g:ay. Animals themselves are capable of swimming immense distances, although unable to rest by the way. A cog recently swam thirty miles, in America, in order to rejoin his master. A mule aad a dog washed overboard during a ' gale in the Bay of Biscay have been I W>^rrv> tn nril'w thuir WHY TO shore. A dog swatn ashore with a Jett^r in his mouth at the Cape of Good Hope. The crew of the ship to which the dog ?jJ belonged ali \.?erish*-d, which they need not have done had they oa]y ventured to tread water as the dog did. The land-slip disaster at Elm has caused attention to be directed to various Stfiss mountains from which no danger has been previously appre bended, and an inspection or me ueghalde, which, overlooks Sehleitheim, in Scaffhausen, snows it to be in a very precarious condition. Steps Lave been taken by the Cantonal Govornmens to _ make frequent f lamination.? of the mountain, and to warn tbe people to escape when a land slip is imminent. A largo dealer in spruce gum in Maine estimates tbe income derived l.y the people of the State from fhis source atS40,oC0 annuj'-y. He sa;s it selJs best where ther ~re factory ^irls :3HBI