The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, January 08, 1879, Image 1
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ABBEVILLE PRESS & BANNER.?
BY HUGH WILSON AND W. C. BENET. ABBEVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1879. NO. 31. VOLUME XXVI. |||j|
Old and New.
The old year eat beside the hearth
In thoughtful mood ; the hour was late ;
And ere he vanished from the earth
The past he fain would contemplate.
" I brought a wealth of Joy for tho#e
Who had o'erburdened been with grief,"
lie ssiJ. " and for unnumbered woes
Furnished the cordial of relief.
" To some I gave a garden's bloom,
Sweet pansiee and forget-me nots ;
To some the cypress, and the tomb,
The barrenness of desert spots.
With love I tarried for a while,
Breathing the sweet elvsian air ;
And bidding hope serenely sruiie
Across the threshold of despair.
"I entered on my natal hour
Burdened alike with bliss and bane,
Commissioned by my Lord to dower
Some hearts with tase, and some with
pain.
Where happiness had rich increase,
I shall be honored long, I know ;
But those I robbed of Joy and peace?
They will be glad to have me go I
" I've followed many a bridal train ;
Hare watched by many a lonely bier ;
With birth and death, with loss and gain,
Made up the record of the year.
And now beside December's gate
Where hangs the year's alarnm bell,
I paose to scan the past, and wait
The sound of my own funeral knell.
'' One! How the hours have slipped away ?
Two! Some will weep with Bore regTet;
Three! Could I still on earth delay?
" Four ! Some good I might accomplish yet.
Fire 1 An angelic song awoke!
8ix! 8urely are the fetters riven ;
Seven! Soon I shall hear the final stroke?
Eight) Chime sweetly with the clock of
heaven !
Nice ! I am nearer to my goal!
Ten ! Time must eternity begin !
Eleven ! Awake, immortal soul!
Twelve I Farewell! and let the new ysar
nl" i
"I oome the old year's debts to pay !
I com<3 his promises to keop
To walk upon the world's highway,
And deck the graven where dear ones sleep. '
Where he gave smiles I may give t03rs,
Life's path with good or ill bestrew ;
For unto bim who views the years
The new is old, the old is new !"
?Josephine Pollard.
?? i
INDIVIDUAL PKIZES. I
j
"Nothing succeeds like success'':
mentis, perhaps, apart from tho implied
sneer, that acquired impetus sends us
forward to new achievements. At any
rate, I found it so when I applied the
theory to Kate.
It seemed to me that I had been in
despair regarding the indifference of
this bonny creature since time immemorial.
In reality it was only about a year
since the faot dawned upon me, as she
eat in the stern of my boat, her dark
hair darker, and all tier soft outlines
olearlv cut upon a tender evening sky,
her cheeks bright -with the breeze, her
eyes bright with pleasure, that she was
the most oharming object that ever
skimmed the river, and absolutely indispensable
to my existenoe. But I had
never once attempted to let her know as
muoh without meeting a rebuff sufficient
to make one's blood run cold; and it
was in one such instance that I had declared
no man could hope for favor
with the women of her set who was not
the captain of a nine, the driver of a
four-in-hand, or a walker against time.
" You are quite mistaken, so far as I
am concerned," said Kate. "For my
part I don't believe in muscle at ail.
Samson arid Goliath could do nothing
worth while if they were on the earth
to-day. I dou't believe a boat-raco,
for example, was ever won by brute
strength in the world."
" By what, then ?"
" By science and nervous pluck."
I had occasion to remember Kate's
words when a parcel of our fellows
came into the office and began discussing
the challenge lately sent to our
club, the Cheviots, by t>ie Gaths. The
Cheviots had become somewhat demoralized
by their victories, and were, so to
say, lying on their o??rs. . It had been a
hot summer, and the club had really
done no work at all; now and then some
members taking out a party of ladies,
r\T a nnlifavw mnn nnincinor a nfrAf/?h*
V4 - ?o - ,
bat for the most wo bad oontentea ourselves
by lounging over to the boathouse
for a bath, and a gosBip and a
gmoke on the balconies in the sunset.
Onr beat men?those that had won in
the previous oontests?were one in
Europe, one in Australia, and the rest
at the land's end, with the exception of
Rogers, who was ill. Wo were certainly
in no condition to accept a challenge
from the Gath<*, yet still less could we
refuse one. Holding the champion colors,
as we did, we could hardly lower
them to any, even to the Gaths. The
Gaths, indeed, were in splendid trim;
there was Converse, an Englishman,
who had been stroke of a winning crew
at Oxford, a magni6cent creature, one
hundred and eighty pounds clear muscle;
shonlders and chest that would
have mado Hercules shed tears; there
was Dunbar, another young giant, who
had beaten professionals at single scull
four times; there was? Well, there's
no need to go through with them now:
it made one's flesh creep to do it then.
We hadn't a man left in the club that
they oonldu't get away with. Realizing
the situation, wo looked at each other
blankly.
"You'll have to get into the boat
yourself, Geoffreys," said Harden.
" Not unless I want to sink it."
i ?. i _ . II
"J cion c see wnac eise we cau uo.
"We can't do that; we can't afford to
do it. No, we must look about?not in
a hurry."
".Oh. come, Geoffreys, you've been
lying off long enough 1" oried Jersey.
" What do they propose to row for ?
Hang 'em 1"
"Individual prizes."
" Individual prizes I We can't afford
to do that, either; it will stiok us for a
oouple of hundred extra?another assessment,
and the boathouse just paid for.
It can't be done. Row as we always
have?row for colors."
Well, we looked about us, and the
end of it was that they came on another
day and took me by main force, and the
crew was made up?Harden and Rogers,
myself and little Jersey; I to pull
stroke, little Jersey to steer; and he
weighed, maybe, a hundred and sixteen
ponnds. And that was the most we
oould offer. The Gaths insisted on their
individual prizes. I tell you, things
looked dark; the whole thing seemed
preposterous; ^and for about a week I
didn't dare look a soul in the face.
I C CI - 1L. rt-ll.'
" oo yuu arts yuiug w bliuw tut) warns
what we can do," said Kate one day;
(or the girls whom we were in the habit
of taking ont on sunset parties and at
other times were all ardent Cheviots.
There was another club in town?the
Jasons?bnt the girls never seemed to
know it.
*' Or what we can't," said I.
" Down-hearted ? Faint heart never
~ won,' you know," she said.
'Nor monstrous conceit either. We
"can't refuse; we must row?that's all
there is to it Oh, we've no show at all!"
"I won't listen io such talk a mo*
^lac&t," cried Kate, stooping to gather
her train, and bringing her bright 1
to her peachy oheek. " I have wag
all my next winter's gloves on the 01
ots, and if you make me lose the
Mr. Geoffreys, if the Oheviots don't
I don't know that I'll ever speak to
again I" And off she swept, the h
on her lips, but a good deal of spa
in her eye.
! " And that too !" I said ; and plui
my hands in my pockets with a gr
| for of course there was nothing but t
failure before the Oheviots.
' " Still, all we can do is our b<
I said Harden ; and we used his rei
I for a catch-word every day prob
! during the following weeks,
i Th3 thing being decided, we ordei
new boat at once, and went into ti
ing, messing together, and keepinf
each other's spirits by stories of wh?
j had heard of the Oaths' achievem<
I We received a little encouragen
| however, from the fact that we i
j found ourselves pulling remarkably
! together ; but ttie Oaths had been ]
j ing remarkably well together
! enough to feel themselves entitle
: challenge us as the champions.
"Boys," said I, fearing that, if
state of mind continued, our d<
would be our disgrace also, "I It
heard competent authority declare
brute strength never yet won anywt
If that was all we had, we'd lose
race anyway, the Gaths have so n
more than their share. Science ?scie
gentlemen, tells in the long-run,
where the lion's skin falls short,
must eke it out with the fox's."
J " Shakspeare," said little Jersey.
" Just leave this out to me," sai
| " and we'll see what can be done."
| Accordingly I had outriggers attat
j to the shell full four inches longer I
i any wo ever had before. Our oars i
I the heaviest made, but I had t
1 plugged with handles an extra lengt
; It wanted only a week of the i
, when a dreadful whisper stole thro
fchA filnb that Rogers was falling off.
I was too true ; be had trained too 1
j and?Job was a joke to bim. Tbe w!
I club turned out in force, and tbere \
a dozen men at one time in our quar
bringing up reinforcements of hot p
; tices. It was of no use, Kogers ba<
lie by, and we bad to do the best
could again, gnash our teeth, and 1
Devlin for what he was worth in
place. "Give it to him gently,"
Harden on the first night; so we pn
I at a gooil and reasonable gait dow
the turuing-point, rested under the gi
shadow of the great hills there that
half across the river, and made i
transparent that we seemed to bo sw
ing in a bubble, the face of the ri
far and near, still as a crystal exi
where our keel had rippled throng'
imd we went back at a little livelier i
and Devlin was very well pleased 1
himself. The next day we quickt
matters considerably ; but on tbe tt
as we stepped in, I said, " Now, Dei
look to yourself," gave the stroke,
we shot away. Before we reached
! shadow of the hills Devlin was sw
ing abont his seat and rowing al
loose ends.
" Hold hard, old boy !" muttered
sey behind him. "I'm nearly bl
I myBelf, but I'll never say die I " De
picked himself up for the time, bx
moment or two after we turned
oried, or rather gasped, " Qentleme
this is the way you row, I must get
of this boat. What's more, you d
; need mo."
i "Sick of it?" said Jersey, encon
; ingly.' "So am I. Should lik<
, throw it up myself."
i <t T*? i-:? ^ 1:14.1,*
" HiUbO X11IU UU u lit Lie, ucuuic
said Harden ; and we came in leisai
! Bat after one or two days' further li
j there was no complaint frora Dej
" I'm going to put it through if it br
' things," said he ; and he rowed as
; rest did?as if he wo had but one 1
j in four bodies.
The day before the race the Qatb
' rived. Of course we had to rec
! them, do the honors, and show there
| town and the girls and the river. 1
them came their boat- a swell thii
! can assure you, covered to the nose
j linen, and in charge of their own
J tor. As we hadn't any designs on 1
I boat, and although expecting thei
' win, only meant to make them <
I their honors, we didn't object to
| janitor. But when we went up to
; boathome and saw him sitting tl
! the picture of gentle pity and con
I cent contempt for all boatmen in <
j tion bnt Gaths, we knew what good
i son he had for his complacency ii
! prond possession of his giants, and
| it slightly exasperating.
"How's the water?" eaid I, as
: -.tepped down the slip, for the wind
j blowing through the hiils in gUBts,
' * - i -V xl
tnere was a gooa cur>p on iuh over,
i " Calm's a pond," saiil he placidl
j We looked at each other aud gro
inwardly?the Oaths had always r<
on the bay, about the same a?
j water, and we had rowed on a am
I inland surface ; a chop and swell
! would annihilate us would be v
| over which they would skim lil
J many Camillas o'er the plain. Bi
: went off quietly, serenading the
| tor with " Weel may the boatie ro
as we went. Our new bo it had c
; and waited for us, outriggers ana
| and we had taken her down to a
j secure from observation, and given
a thorough trial. She was a bei
and from the moment she took \
answered to our will not merely li
steed beneath its rider, but as
j breath does in one's nostrils. We j
in after our breather on an easy
j and there Bat the janitor aB we had
! him. " I say," said he, with the r
! keeping the sad secret from our su
i ors, as I came up the slip?" I say
| that the best you can do ?"
i "Best?" I answered. "I can'l
j that it is. We weren't on our ix
; just now, you know. I suppose thi
| could do a little better on a spurt.
! perhaps that is a fair average."
j "I'm sorry for you," Baid he,
j really compassionate condescensiou
I that we were to be simply beaten
j that we were to be beaten out of s
But I had heard that in diplomacy
sometimes what is not said that co
and there were certain things to be
between the lines of my reply.
The first thing that we looked f
the morning was the water: it w
smooth as a baby's cheek, and as
in the sunrise that stole over it bet
the dewy shadows of the steep
woody shores. Later in the fore
some of the olub went to the rai
station, I happening to be with the
meet certain friends of the Gathe
e _ il. J iU/
| came over ior iae uaj, uiuuiig im
some wonderfully pretty girls, 01
whom I knew Harden would rather
in Jericho than on the boathous
cony that afternoon to see the C
come in best men. Kate and sever
her companions were there too?al
acquaintances had made the affair
own, and there was to be a general
holiday in the town that afternoon.
I took Kate's band a moment, c
ing her a little apart, and she walk*
with me a few paoes. "' Vox po
vox Dei,'" I said. "You see, ]
even the dogs would cry whippi
they""'
Vox, et prseterea nihil,' I've 1
you call that ' vox populi' a hui
times, and I don't see anything ol
sort, moreover. If you can't whip 1
great"?
" Goliaths. Goliaths of Gath."
" Your oars are jast as much we*
beams as theirs,"
v. ; ; v-;- . /
k- . . . - v V /
- f
luBh "They don't row with the Bun ir
ered faces, Kate, as I do. And the stakei
levi- are more to me than those of all th<
? races ever rowed in Christendom. I;
fin. you mean never to speak to me"?
you "Oh, is it there? I had quite for
mgh gotten"?
irkle " What! you were not in earnest ?"
'' Never more so."
iged | "Kate?"
oan, i "Well?"
[lead ? Give me something to row for, mj
f> girl," and I Btopped short and looked
39V down at her with the color rising on hei
nark | lovely cheek.
ably i ??i will give you a signal."
j " How shall I know what it means?'
reda ! "You will know."
rain- ??j believe you would send a man
? UP into a den of lions for your glove."
it we ??i never blamed the woman who did,'
mts. saj(i Kate, with a gay laugh all at once,
lent, because, as I saw, her eyes were actualBoon
iy full of tears, " and never thought well
weU l of the man in that story."
pull- i g0 we parted. Kate's tears?thej
l?ng | angured ill. Pitying me?burial before
rt to | death ! A sudden flash of anger swept
through me. If she would not give me
this something to row for, I would give her
jfeat something to cry for. I would win, 01
itely j WOuld break a blood-vessel.
that j went to my office for the mail, on the
tere. way back to quarters, and found it full
this of smoke and Cheviots. "Tell us the
mch truth, Geoffreys," they oried. "These
nee, Gath people are up here with fists full
and of money, ready to wager thousands on
we their crew. Say, shall we take them
up ?"
_ "I can't advise you, boys," said I.
d 1, ? They are mighty men. They row to
, , win. I never saw anything so hand'v
some in my life as their morning exern
cise. No?don't bet on us. We won't
disgrace the Cheviots. It'll be a close
j D1" thing, perhaps, but it's out oi tne ques!?
tion to suppose we can win from them."
aay, << that's as it may be," cried Brand.
" But I've taken the offers of the Philis,
At tines to the last dollar in my pocket."
r1?' And a cheer greeted him that fairly
bole slammed the door behind me as I left,
*ere and told what the rest meant to do; and of
course it didn't lighten our hearts any
to know how they were going to lighten
1 their pockets.
W6
kkg Well, it was a big crowd that lined
the shores and the building-tops, that
gaj j hung along the banks in boats and skiffs
when we went down to the boathouBe,
n ^ and seemed only like one vast animal
reen ' c01111^668 eyes an^ tongues. The
balconies were filled with ladies, the
j. B0 stake-boat was set, the tugs were ready
to follow us, and suoh a tumult of exv0y
citement as there was in the boathouso
j nothing but a menagerie just before
dinner-time could rival; old Keed wan
,ate' | kicking through the panels of his dressing-room
door because he had dropped
;uecj his key, and young Smythe was taking
^ his fist and smashing every pane in a
?lin' sash because he couldn't open a window;
an(j they were yelling here and running
there?the blood of all the Cheviots was
in a- the confusion, there,
1 at on a heap of sail-cloth under one of the
balconies, the Oaths lay stretched at
jer- their ease like a nest of young lions, and
own as I looked them over I wondered if four
as superb gladiators ever fought in a
^ a Roman circus. They had a deuced pretty
jj0 uniform, too, snow-white, with a deep
n if crimson handkerchief knotted on their
,QUt heads. " Come up here," I cried, leanjon>{.
ing over?"come up and--survey?tire
course, and see the crowd, and be introduced
to some "?
rag- "Thank yon, Geoffrey," answered
0 Converse. "It's very clever of you,
? Geoffreys, you know; but we're very
'y?* well as we are." And when time sounded,
and they rose and "strode down tc
a,. r their boat, I was not surprised at the
?* shouts of admiration that rent the air?
fthe 'u *ac5' we 8^on'i6^ ourselves.
iear^ j I never want to enuuro another
i moment like that in which I grasped my
oar, waiting for the start, after places
B. were taken. I glanced baok at Harden
:eJ7e and the rest, and then across at the
V th ?such white, sot faces 1 My pube
, stopped for one second; there was a
dead silence; then a word, a dip, a
. . bound, a yell?I was all myself again,
heir ^eart beat at my oar's blade, mj
soul went out of me at every stroke,
a Harden and Devlin were one with me,
Mtle Jersey steered her to a hair, m\
T" dejection bad vamsnea liKesmoKe. J
meant to win that race or die. We were
ieje' aide by side, we were creeping on, w?
J gave them onr wash, the swift tremen'
!reft* dons strokes seem to come like oui
r^a" breaths; I heard nothing but one con
1 5H? tinous roar along the banks the whole oi
the way, I saw nothing bnt those fellowt
laboring after; and as for them, thej
i we never saw us again without turning theii
was heads over their shoulders. As w<
an(J rounded, they seemed to be losing forn
i a moment, although they rallied; and ai
7. | we entered the quarter, I asked the mei
aned j they had anything left to call for.
i i / A i _. i. i ?it ?>
-rrr^vi j '' J\ lilbb UrCUl.ll, UCIDCJ.
! sea " Let them have it," I cried. Audw<
tooth came in two lengths ahead, in the midsl
that of a deafening tumult, wild women anc
rater yelling men, that might have waked th<
:e so dead.
i t we Of course we paddled aside to let th<
janl- I Gaths enter at the landing first. But ai
W ! " ; we came up ourselves, eight great arm:
ome, j were reaching out to seize me; power
' aN? less to struggle, wo were carried up th<
spot; slip by Gaths and Cheviots together
her just as I pasr>ed under the balcony ii
iuty, that triumph, I looked up. There wai
vater Kate leaning fur over. Upon my word
'k0 a for that instant, that one instant, I hai
' the forgotten that Kate existed. And ther
came she stood with the otlierB, framed in thi
j?K? ! sunset, her disordered hair gilded like i
[ left. ; nimbus, laughing, crying, flushed, love
lir of j ]y anJ half divine ! As her eye caugh
peri- | mine, she extended her hand impetu
. Ia ! ously, kissed the spray of flowers sh
j held, and tossed it down to me. It wa
t 8a7 i a spray of orange flowers.? Harper'
lettle ; weekly.
it we : ______
But
"I Goess I'll Walk."
with j
i, not I " She's pretty hot, ain't she ! " said i
,' but i backwoods passenger, addressing th
ight. I engineer of a Mississippi steamer tha
it is ; was racing with another boat. " So-so,
unts, ! responded the engineer, as he hung ai
read i additional wrench on the safety-valv
j cord to stop the steam from escaping
or in | "I reckon we'll overtake that craft soon,1
as as I pursued the stranger. "That'B abou
rosy | it." refcuraed the engineer, giving th
ween ; ??rd another twitch and hallooini
and | through the trumpet to the firemen t
noon | " above her up." " One hundred am
[1 way | ninety-five," hummed the passenger
m, to ! looking first at the gauge and then a
i who the boilers. " That's about where she*
> rest rusticating," put in the engineer. Th
ie of ! passenger ran his fingers through hi
have j hair nervously, and walked about th
) bal- ' decks for a few minutes, when he cam
Stoths j back to the engineer and observed
al of " Hadn't you better leave that boat go?'
1 our ' " Can't do it. Must pass her." " Bu
their j s'posen we should blow up ?" " Well,
[ half said the engineer, as he peeped over th
j guard to Bee how fast he was going
Iraw- it is the will of Providence for th
;d on ! boat to blow up, we'll have to stand b;
,nnli ' it." Then he hallooed to the fireman t'
late] coal, and give a little more turpentin
g(j jf and oil. The next moment there was
splash in the river ; but before the yaw
leard could be lowered the man had succeeds
idred in reaching the shore, and hallooed out
f the "Q? 0Q the race. I guesB I']
those walk."
At a reoenfc sale of ostrich feathers ?
ivera' South Africa, a pound of thai oommodi
ty brought $888.75.
' >'? St ^ :.
i FOR THE FAIR SEX.
3
3 Paahlon Notes.
f M'tifc sacqnes are again in vogue.
Tiio French t wist is on the decline.
The feather trade is on the inorease.
Feathers of all kinds are in demand.
Squirrel look is still the popular fur!
liniug.
Undressed kid gloves are worn on'all
J ocoasions.
Sealskin sacque? are still the favorite
fur wraps.
Chatelaine braids, worn down the back,
' are revived.
Mixed fancy feathers will be mucn
worn this winter.
, It is no longer necessary for gloves to
match the costnme.
Far-lined garments bid fair to take
| the lead this season.
Furriers recommend the skins of the
- squirrel for fur linings.
i Seal sacques without borders are pre;
ferred by choice purchasers.
1 Buff or gold-colored kids are worn with
maroon or garnet costumes.
Sealskin sacques are from thirty]
three to forty inches in depth.
Black ostrich tips are again the lead*
| ing full-dress feathers for either hats or
i bonnets.
Feathers of the finer and more delicate
kinds are used to ornament opera hats
and coiffures.
Mink lining and bands form a very
elegant wrap, with sicilienne or amure
for the outer covering.
Six buttons are de rigueur for dressing
toilets, while the coat sleeves are
' ? 1 L J
rainer uuuri. uuu very ugub.
Colored and white silk handkerchiefs
formed into diagonal bows are worn by
fashionable women as opera coiffures.
Elderly and sedate women prefer the
plain gray squirrel skins for oloak linings
to the white and gray locks and
backs.
One, two or three broad black ostrich
tips, held down by a flat, fancy, mixed
feather, form the dressiest of all hat or !
bonnet trimmings.
Long polonaises made last year and J
slightly worn may be easily rejuvenated
by turning back the front corners and
fastening them below the waist with a
large bow.
Birds are fastened on some of the
new fans in such a way that the bird
seems perched on one side when the fan
is folded, but lies in the middle when it
is opened.
Ilarrlur,
Marriage places woman in the sphere
where she may attain the greatest happiness;
so does it advance her to a station
of power and responsibility. Her
power over her husband's happiness is
almost absolute. By wisdom and steadiness,
by forbearance and weakness, she
may be to him a tower of strength; but
no tongue can tell the way she may
annoy him and render him wretched.
Then oultivate and exhibit, with the
greatest care and constanoy, cheerfulness
and good humor. Tbey give beauty
to the finest face and impart charms
where beauty is not On the contrary,
a gloomy, dissatisfied manner is an anti
*lote t<raffection; and though a man may
not seem to notice it, it is earning aim
repulsive to bis feelings, and he will be
very apt to seek elsewhere for those
smiles and cheerfulness which he finds
not in his own home. Endeavor to
make your husband's habitation inviting
, and delightful to him. Let it be to him
, a sanctuary to which his heart may
. always turn from the calamities of life.
Make it a repose from his cares; a shel,
ter from the world; a home, not for his
. person only, but for his heart. He may
, meet with pleasure in other houses, but
let him find happinesB in his own.
j Particularly shun what the world calls
( "curtain lectures." When you shut
your door at night, endeavor to shut out
at the same moment all discord and contention,
and look on your chamber as a
, retreat from the vexations of the world,
a shelter saored to peace and affection.
How sweet is the society of a beloved
, wife when wearied with the labors of
the day. She shares his burdens and
J alleviates his sorrows, for there is no
( difficulty so heavy or insupportable in
life which may not be surmounted by
. the mutual labors and the affectionate
| concord of that holy partnership.?
j Emma., Harridburg, Ohio.
i
[ Cp Among the Planets,
j Neptune, the most remote of the
x planets in the solar system, is about
, 2,700,000,000 miles from the sun. It is
. suDDOsed that Mercury has mountains
higher than our Himalayas, and volcanoes
in a Btate of activity. Out of all
3 the myriaid lights in the heavens, the
t earth is only visible to the moon, Mars,
1 Mercury and Venus. The earth iB 749
? times smaller than Saturn, whose main
distance from us is over 91,000,000
3 miles. Uranus can never see us at all,
3 as it is 1,753,000,000 miles from the
3 sun. The temperature in Mercury is
. supposed to be seven timeB hotter than
3 our torrid zone; therefore if it is inhabited
it must be by people very difj
ferently constituted from ourselves. It
3 is believed that Venus has an atmosphere
much like ours, and mountain
| I peaks five or six times higher than the
Q j Teneriffe, their sides bright with flowers
0 I aud birds of brilliant plumage. The
a ! moon never leaves our globe ; therej
fore it is called our satellite. Though
t j to us it appears larger than the stars, it
. | is really smaller tnan any 01 mem, uui
B j much larger to us. Astronomers have
g calculated that the mountains and ex8
tinct volcanoes in the moon are higher
than any on our earth. If there were any
one on the moon to see it, the earth
would appear to them a magnificent
ball. The plants and sun would move
behind it in brilliant succession. Our
i globe appears to Mars as the morning
e and evening Btar.
fc
?
a What Law Can Do.
6 Four men in India, partners in busi*
ness, bought several bales of Indian
rags, and also some cotton bales. That
^ the rats might not destroy the cctton
e they purchased a cat. They agreed tbat
? each of the four should own a particular
? leg of the cat, and each adorn with beads
* and other ornaments the leg thus ap.
> portioned to him. The cat, by an accit
dent, injured one of its legB. The
8 owner of thai member wound aroand it
0 a rag soaked in oil. The cat, going too
8 near the hearth, set this rag on file, and
0 being in great pain, rushed in among
0 the cotton bales where she was accus1
tomed to hunt rats. The cotton and
rugs thereby took fire and they were
* burned up?a total Iobs. The three
other parties brought a suit to reojvcr
6 the value of the goods destroyed
'? against the fourth partner, who owned
6 that particular leg of the cat. The
Y judge examined the case and decided
0 thus : " The leg that had the oiled ras?
6 on was hurt; the cat could not use that
a leg ; in fact, it held up that leg, and ran
J away with the other three legs. The
^ three unhurt legs, therefore, carried the
: fire to the cotton, and are alone oulpable.
The injured leg is not to bo
blamed. The three partners which owned
the three legs with which the cat ran
a to the cotton will pay the whole value
i- of the bales to the partner who was the
proprietor cf the sjnred leg,"
" I lIllllHl
1 8 7 8 .
i _____
Important Brents ol tte Year, from
Beclnnln* to End.
JANUARY.?I. New York legislature
organized. John Bonner, a New York
broker, misappropriated about $1,000,000
and fled... .2. Seven men killed by
explosion of nitro-glycerine at Negaunee,
Mich 6. Many vessels disabled
byBevere storm on Atlantic coast 7.
Failure of Edwin Dunning, a New York
broker, for over $1,000,000... .8. Fifty
persons killed by mutineers at Sandy
Point, Straits of Magellan. New
Hampshire Republican State convention.
Anniversary of battle of New
Orleans 9. Humbert I. proclaimed
king of Italy, as successor to Viotor
Emanuel 10. United States Congress
resumes its session after holiday recess.
Turkish army of 28,000, defending
Sbipka pass, surrenders to the Russians.
Meeting of woman suffragists in Washington
11. Turkish garrison at Nish,
numbering 8,000, surrenders to the Russians.
Several heavy failures in New
York, and defalcation of H. M. Cutter,
I cotton broker 13. The House of Con
I ?TesB passes a rtJBoiutiuu tu njvt>su^mt>
I all departments of government. Railroad
bridges washed away by floods in
Virginia 15. George B. McOlellan
inaugurated governor of New Jersey.
Thirteen lives lost by railroad aooident
near Hartford, Conn ?16. New Hampshire
Democratic State convention.
I Secretary Sherman calls for new fonr
j per cent, loan 17. Funeral of Victor
I Emanuel in Eome. British parliament
opens and queen's speeoh read 20.
Russians occupy Adrianople 23.
Marriage of King Alfonso XII of
Spain, to his oousin, the Princess Mercedes,
at Madrid 24. Turkey accepts
Russia's peace conditions... .25. Sena- 1
tor Matthews' resolution declaring the
right of government to pay the bonds in
silver passes the Senate 28. Antisubsidy
and Matthews' silver resolu!
tions pass the House. Arrest of the
| Louisiana returning board members in
I New Orleans 29. New York senate
[denounces the Bland silver bill 30,
The proposed new tariff duties of United
States made publio by ways and means
oommittee of Congress 31. Great
storm on Atlantic coast, and loss of
about eighty lives by wreck of steamer
Metropolis on Oarrituck beach, N. 0.
FEBRUARY.?1. 129 failures reported
in preceding month in New York
city, with liabilities aggregating $7,113,039
and $1,438,839 in assets. Mass
meeting in New York addressed by
General Ewing in favor of silver money
and repeal of resumption act 2. Nine
millions people reported suffering terribly
from famine in Northern China.. .
3. War between Russia and Turkey
practically ended by signing of peace
preliminaries at Adrianople 4. Two
thousand women and children burned to
i i* 1 -i. m~
ueam 1U HQ uu^ium Ul ABltJLl-ABlClJ,
China 5. New Tnrbiah ministry formed
and grand viziership abolished....
7. Great war excitement in London.
General Anderson, of Louisiana returning
board, found guilty of falsifying
election returns by a New Orleans jury
8. Five English war vessels ordered
to Constantinople and 830,000,000 voted
for war purposes by British house of
commons 9. Large protective tariff
demonstration in .Pittsburgh.- The
Turks evacuate several important fortresses
11. Turkey refuses to allow
English ships to come to Constantinople,
and Gortschakoff announces the Russians
will occupy that city 13. Exciting
debate Over the West Point appropriation'bill
in the Houbo at Washington
14. Russians occupy outer lines of Constantinople,
and English fleet within
thirteen miles of the Turkish capital
15. Silver bill passes the United States
Senate 17. Body of Mis, Pitman
rremated at Washington, Pa 18.
Peace conference at Baden-Baden de..'J
?-1 ttnn A ^ nnTr'a vdnnaaf
I'lUCU UjJUJJ* an viciuiuuj ? AV\^UUOV
Ruesia renounces her intention to occupy
Constantinople... .19. Prince Bismarck
and the Austrian prime minister explain
Iheir position on the Eastern complicaiions.
Conclave of cardinals begins at
| ltome for the purpose of nominating a
now pope 20. Cardinal Pecci elected
pope and assumes title of Leo XIII.
Indiana State convention 21. Silver
bill, as amended by United States Senate,
passes the House 22. Washington's
birthday. Formation of National
party at Toledo, Ohio. Russia renews
threats to occupy Constantinople... .23.
General Anderson, of Louisiana returning
board, sentenced to two years' imprisonment
24. Out of a population
of 96,000 in one district in China, 80,000
reported to have died of starvation
25. Russia demands an indemnity of
$1,120,000,000 from Turkey. Silver bill
signed by Vice-President Wheeler and
goes to the President.
MARCH. ?1. Lord Napier appointed
commander of English army, and Sir
Garnet Wolseley chief of staff....2.
Treaty of peace between Russia and
Turkey signed at San Stefano... .3.
Pope Leo XIII. crowned in Rome
4. Fatal tornado in Kentuoky. Peace
proclamation issued in Cuba 5.
Mardi Gras festival opens in New OrI
leans. Great fire at Hot Springs, Ark.
| Congratulating dispatches upon the reI
*im? r\t noofl Vtaftxroan Rnacrifi
j lUlii Vi |/uou muviivvu awuuw.m m^v*
I Turkey 7. New Hampshire Greeni
back State convention 8. Fivo huni
?red Circassians lose their lives by
burning of Austrian steamer ntar Cape
Elia 9. Large railroad bridge over
Raritan river at New Brunswick, N. J.,
burned 11. Senator Blaine attacks
tho Halifax fishery award 12. Destruction
of powder buildings at South
Acton, Mass., by an explosion. Over
forty miners killed in a colliery near
Bolton, England. New Hampshire
State eleotion 14. Thirty-six pereons
drowned by the upsetting of a barge at
Brest, France 15. The European
powers agree to have each two representatives
in the peace congress. Suppression
of the Greek insurrection
I against Turkey 17. Run on Boston
savings banks. Biot in Montreal on
| St. Patrick's day, consequent upon atI
tempt of O'Donovan Bossa, of New
j York, to lecture 18. Jury's verdict
declaring General Anderson, of Louisiana
returning board, guilty of forgery,
set aside by State supreme court and
discharge of prisoner ordered 19.
CI - ? ? OUawmaam afnlaa f a flartnfa
OoUI CI PUPi III?I.I nuui^D iv/ Muiinuv
finance committee that resumption of
specie payment iB practicable. The
river Danube reported ap;ain open to
I commerce 20. Rhode Island Greenback
State convention 21. Formaion
of a new Italian ministry. Rhode
Island Republican State convention
22. Conference between New York
bankers and House committee on
finance in regard to resumption of
specie payments. Five persons killed
and several wonnded by bursting of
boilor in a sawmill near Richmond, Ya
93 "Rnrst.inc of steam chest on I
Hadson river Bteamer Magenta and
tbree persona killed. Daniel O'Leary
wins the six-days' international pedestrian
contest in London. Over 300
lives lost by capsizing of British training
vossel Eurvdico on coast of isle of
Wight....24. England refnses to participate
in peace Congress unless Russia
makes known the conditions o?
peace 25. Three men hung at
Bloomsburg, Pa., for killing a mining
superintendent in 1868....26. Large
fires in Philadelphia and New Terk....
27. Suspension of New York Six-penny
savings bank... .28. Lord Derby resigns
from British cabinet and 48*000
troops called out, Now Scotch hiendhy
Dominated by the pope 81. The n<
torions Madame Restell commits suioic
in New York.
APRIL.?1. Marquis of Salisbui
succeeds Lord Derby; and other Britia
cabinet changes. British governmei
issues circular complaining of;tern
imposed by Russia upon Turkey. Bte^
art's hotel for women opened in Ne
York. Earl of Lei trim assassinated i
Ireland 3. Election in Rhode IsIue
Mobilization of more Russian tro'oj
ordered 5. .Seven men killed by e:
plosion of oil tanks at SlatiDgton, Pi
6. Explosion of boiler at Can
bridge, Mass., and several persox
killed 7. Sixteen inmates of Steube
county (N. Y.) poorhouse burned 1
death ? 8. Exciting debate in Horn
of OoDgrees over election of doorkeep<
9. Prince GortschafeofTs answer 1
British circular made public 10. Se<
retary Sherman confers with New Tor
bankers in regard to resumption of sp<
cie payments 11. Illinois Democrat:
State convention 13. Oxford defeal
Cambridge in annual boatrace on th
Thames 14. Three hundred persor
killed by an earthquake in Oua, Vex
eznela 16. Funeral of Wm. M. Twee
in New York 18 Change in TurkiB
ministry 20. Large meeting in oj
position tc tariff reduction'at Ohestei
Pa. A number of banks and faotorie
throughout the United States begi
paying out gold 21. Departure <
first colony of 260 colored persons froi
Charleston, S. C., for Liberia, Afric
23. Many persons in Texas kille
by Indian raiders from Mexico...
25. Great loss of life and heavy damag
to property by severe storms in Wet
and South 26. Passage of bill repea
ing the United States bankrupt law i
the House 28. Geneml Todlebe
succeeds the Grand Dake ^Nicholas s
commander of the Russian army i
Turkey 30. Opening trip on ne'
rapid transit road in New York.
MAY.?1. Opening of the Frenoh it
tgrnational exposition in Paris 5
Diplomatic relations between Russi
and Turkey resumed 8. Heavy loss (
life by explosion in a flour mill at Min
neapolis, Minn 4. Trip of the stag*
coaoh "Tally Ho!" from ftew York t
Philadelphia 7. State convention c
Pennsylvania Greenback party {
More than 500 lives reported lost by
tornado in Canton, China 10. Seven
lives lost and many persons injured b
destruction of steamer Sardinia, in hai
bor of Londonderry 11. Attempte
assassination of Emperor William (
Germany in Berlin, Toy Hoedel 15
Fruit crop in United States badly don
aged by heavy frosts 13. Beginnin
of deadlock in House of Representative!
caused by introduction of resolutior
calling for investigation into the preB
dential election in Florida 14. Coi
tinned oold weather 15. Hanla
defeats Plaisted in international boa
race at Toronto. Pennsylvania R<
publicans hold their State conventio
16. Break of deadlock in House, an
Florida investigation resolutions passe
17. Messa7e of President in regar
to Halifax fishery award read in Congrei
22. Exciting debate in the Hons
over Florida election investigation. Ii
diana Greenback State convention...
23. Pennsylvania Democratic and Ye;
mont Republican conventions. Fati
iiraia HafHatdy-Qoan*?National Den
ocratic committee meets in Washingtoi
iintroi
UUU XUUUiOUO IUU X AVAAUU U1VVV1UU AAA* V?
tigation 24. Large loss of life an
property by tornado in Wisconsin 1
Chairman Potter writes a letter in regai
to object of the Florida election invest
gation by the House 28. Alexand<
H. Stephens writes a letter in respont
to Mr. Potter, and Postmaster Key pul
liahes a letter to the Sooth in regard \
the Florida election investigatioi
Prince Bismarck signs a call for tl
European powers to attend the pea<
congress 29. Details of the agreemei
between England and Russia made pul
lio 80. Deooration day in the Unitt
States 31. German iron-clad Gross*
Kurfnerst sunk in British channel ar
more than 300 lives lost. Five workme
killed on Oonev island (N. Y.1 railroa*
JUNE.?1. About twelve persoi
killed and many wounded during a hu
ricane at Richmond, Mo. Begining <
House investigation into Louisiana ar
Florida alleged presidential electic
frauds. Emperor of Germany wound<
in Berlin by Dr. Nobeling 3. Fori
al invitation to Berlin peace congre
made publio 4. Election in Orego
5. Republican State convention
Indiana and Greenback conventions i
New York, Maine and Michigan. TraL
begin ranniDg on elevated railroad
New York oity. Tariff bill killed
House. Senator Matthews demands
committee of investigation 9. Tt
hundred lives lost by explosion in
mine at Haydock, England. Destrn
tive tornadoes in the West and Sout
11. Bloody collision in Quebec b
tween strikers and military 12. Oh
Republican State convention... .13. E
ropean peace congress assembles. Sta
conventions of Democrats in Nor
Carolina and Republicans in Michiga
14. Resolutions declaring the Pre;
dent's title Becure pass the House. W
liam Cullen Bryant's funeral in N(
York.... 16. German national sbootii
festival begins at Union Hill, N. J..
18. Maine Democratic 8tate conventio
19. Centennial celebration of evac
ation of Valley Forge. Iowa Repnfr
can and Missouri Greenback State co
ventions 20. Vermont Democrat
Sfofn pnnvflntion. Conerres3 adiour
for the session 21. Six men hung :
different parts of West and South 2
Mrs. Jenks testifies before the Pott
committee 23. Mrs. Tilton excor
municated by Plymouth ohurch 2
Fatal explosion of gas in now municip
building, Brooklyn 25, Battle b
tween hostile Bannocks and Gener
Howard's troops. Ohio Democrat
and Illinois Republican State co:
ventions 27. Harvard defeats Yale
boatrace, at New London, Conn 2
Cornerstone of monument to commem
rate centennial of battlo of Monmoul
laid at Freehold, N. J 29. Branch
House investigation into alleged pre?
dential election frauds begins work :
New Orleans 30. Fatal light betwee
rival police factions in East St. Loui
Great French national festival at Par
exposition.
JULY.?1. Bessarabia ceded to liuss
by peace congress 2. Terrific nitn
glycerine explosion near Paterson, I
J. Greek ministry resigns Benji
min Hunter found guilty of Armstrong
murder, in Oamden, N. J 4. Ind
pendence day. Columbia and Sho
wae-cae-mette crews win trial heats i
Henley regatta. Ten persons killed ar
many injured by fall of a tree near Pitt
burgh, Pa. Alabama Republican Sta
convention at Montgomery 5. Arkai
sas Democratic State convention. Treal
between England and Turkey mat
public. Columbia crew wins a raci
and "Shoes" defeated, at Henley r
gatta 8. Fifty volunteers at Willo
Springs, Oregon, defeated by Indian
1 A tT/wnnv/? /Iflfcflfa Tnrliflr
in Oregon. Democratic State convei
tioDB in Michigan and Missouri. Hoi
del, Emperor William's would-be assa
sin, sentenced to death.... 11. Secretai
Sherman tells New York bankers he wi
renew payments AugnBt 1. Angl<
Turkish alliance announced in Oonsta]
tinople 12. Close of Berlin pea<
congress and signing of treaty. Orang
excitement in Montreal 13. Enthns
astio reoeption of Beaconsfleld in Enj
land.. .16. OnpreoedentedJyhotweafchi
MnfiM flfty*four deaths in St, Loot
> 16. Funeral of Qaeen Mercedes in
le Madrid 18. The "heat-wave"reaches
Eastern and Middle States 19.
Stormy scene in House of Commons.
7 Democratic State conventions in CJol.
orado and Texas 21. Destructive
storms in New England and New York.
22. Failure of Boston Belting and
" Packing company 23. Greenback
State convention/3 in New York and
, Ohio 25. Secretary Sherman testi'
fles before the House presidential
election committee at Atlantic Oity, N.
J 29. Eclipse of the sun, Maine
7* Republican State convention SO. Arg
rival of dory Nautilus on English ooast.
ox. jaamau aeieaus xvobh iu uuuiupiuu!**
ship rowing match, at St. John's, N. B.
j* AUGUST.?1. Vermont Republican
^ and South Carolina Democrats conven!~
tions. Election in North Carolina
" 2. Lord Hartington's vote of censure
C against the government rejected in British
parliament. Terrific storms in porr"
tions of the West Kearney, the Cali;
fornia labor agitator, addresses Boston
workingmen 5. Insurrection against
Austrian occupation of Bosnia. Elec'*
tion in Alabama 6. Democratic State
j conventions in Loueiana and Delaware.
, Bogardus wins championship pigeon
match in England 7. Fifteen persons
killed by railroad accident at New Steu;
benville, Ohio 8. South Carolina and
Colorado Bepublican State conventions.
^ AuBtrians in Bosnia defeat insurgents
? 9. Many lives lost by tornado at
Wallingford, Conn.... 10. Victorious
j Columbia college crew enthusiastically
received in New York International
* monetary conference begun in Paris
? 11. Twenty-four victims cf Wal|
lingford tornado buried... .12. Yellow
J" fever reported raging at New Orleans and
Grenada, Miss 13. End of Indian war
n in Oregon announced 14. Greenback
18 conventions in Colorado, Nebraska and
n Connecticut... .16. Democratic convenw
tion in Tennessee. Yellow fever panic
in many Southern towns. British parl"
liament prorogued by the queen. Hoe!
del, Emperor William's would-be assas&
sin, beheaded 17. Terriflo powder
)f ATnlnninn npar Pntfcsville. Pa... . Grena
l* da, Miss,, filled with de&d and dying
J* ... .21, Vermont Greenback convention
0 25. Over 2,000 cases and 601 deaths
" from yellow fever in New Orleans np to
' date 28. New Jersey and Tennessee
? Greenback conventions 31. Several
" nnndred lives lost by a tornado in HunJ
gary.
j SEPTEMBER.?1. Bankrupt law be.
comes inoperative Vermont State
, election 3. Arkansas State election.
* Over 600 lives lost by steambost ool'
lision on the Thames near London
8 4. Minnesota Republican and Kansas
' Democratic State conventions 6.
* Minnesota Democratic convention. New
" Hampshire Greenback convention
" 8. Mehemet Ali Pacha, Turkish gen,
eral, assassinated... .9. German parlia ment
opened. Eleetion in Maine. New
Hampshire Republican convention... 11.
j Greenback and Prohibition conventions
j in Massachusetts. More than 300 lives
j lost by explosion in a Welsh colliery
12. New Hampshire Democratic convention
15. Muoh damage done by
heavy storms throughout the country
... .17. Connecticut Democratic State
* convention. Uutler nominated in MasJ
sa8husutts 18. Massachusetts RepubJioan
State convention... .24. Oonneoti}
cut Republican State convention 25.
' Democratic State conventions in New
^ York and Massachusetts. Ten men
killed by explosion in St. Gothard tun'S
nel, Switzerland 26. New York Republican
State convention, disastrous
explosion on steamer Adelphi, near
Sonth Norwalk. Conn. Nebraska Dem
^ ocratic coovention.
to OCTOBER.?1. Eleotien in Colorado
i. 2. Failure of Bank of Glasgow.
16 Texas Republican convention 3.
Je Great boatrace between Hanlan and
at Courtney at Lachine, Canada 5.
3. O'Leary dofeats Hughes in champion(d
ship pedestrian match, New York 6.
Br Outbreak among Indians in Kansas and
id Colorado 8. State elections in Ohio,
m Indiana, Iowa and West Virginia.
3. About twenty-five lives lost by railroad
is accident near Boston 9. Missouri Rer.
publican State convention. Canada
of government resigns 10. Thirty-seven
id lives lost during a panic in a Liverpool
>n theater 13. Disastrous storm on New
England coast. About 225 buildings in
Q. Edenburg, Pa,, burned 14. Three
bs out of a crew of twenty-five saved from
n. wreokof bark Susan, from New Bedford,
in Mass 17. Greenback convention in
n Delaware 19. Glasgow Bank manag08
ers arrested 21. Ameer of Afghanin
istan defies Eugland. Completion ol
in new Canadian cabinet announced. Frost
a causes abatement of Yellow Fever in the
po South. Distribution of Paris exposition
a prizes. Failure of Dodd, Brown & Co.,
o- largest dry goods house in St. Louit
h. .^..23. Terrific storm m eastern ana
ie- Middle States... .25. Attempt to assassiio
nate the king of Spain in Madrid 27.
n- Huge robbery of Manhattan savings
,te bank, New York 28. Beginning of
th six days' international pedestrian tourn.
nament in London.
3i- NOVEMBER.?1. President Hayee
il- issues national thanksgiving preclamaJw
tion 2. End of sir days international
3g pedestrian tournament in London 5.
Election in thirty States?7. A. T.
n. Stewart's body stolen in New York?
a- 9. Destructive fire ct Cape May, N. J.
[i 10. Puris exposition closed 15.
n- Marquis of Lome, Canada's new govic
! ernor-general,leaves Liverpool lor Canals
i da 17. Attempt to assassinate the
in king of Italy in Naples 22. Eight
2. men killed by explosion in a coal mine
er at Sullivan, Ind. British troops enter
n- Afghanistan. Halifax fisheries .-.ward of
4. $5,500,000 paid over to British go vernal
ment by Minister Welsh 23. Afghans
e- defeated in first engagement by the
al British. Arrival of Canada's new govic
ernor-general, tho Marquis of Lome, at
u. Halifax 24. Marquis of Lorne sworn
in into office at Halifax.... 25. Ocean steam 8,
ship Pommerania sunk in English chano'.
nel end about fifty livos lost 28.
th Thanksgiving day celebrated throughout
of the United States 29. Canada's now
ii. governor-general received in Montreal.
in 30. Fierce fight between rival fao>n
tions in Breathitt county, Ky.
8< DECEMBER.?2. United States
ig Congress convenes and President's mes!
sage loceived. International dairy fair
. j opens in New York. Victory of the Britia
ish over Afghans at the Peiwarpass
1 Formation of new Turkish ministry
...5. Opening of British parliament
and queen's speech read.... 7. Close of
8 international dairy fair... 8. Failure
e* of West of England and North Wales
e" District bank for 817,500,000 10.
a' Heavy storm on Atlantic coast. Soath
ld Carolina's governor elected to United
States Senate and has his leg amputated
te 11. Great damage done by storm in
J1* Eastern and Middle States 12. Mr.
j.v Edmond's electoral bill passes the
10 United States Senate. Motion to cen3?
sure British government's Afghan poli^
cy defeated in house of commons 14.
" lireat Britain mourns tne aeatn or rrin8
cess Alice, Qneen Victoria's daughter
18 17. Senator Blaine's resolution of
inquiry into eleotion practices passes
the Senate 18. Heavy bank failure
8" in Cincinnati. Great distress in England
7 reported 19. Loss of 150 lives by
^ sinking of steamer Byzantin in tbo sea
of Marmora,
l- ??
:e
>e The coach is of Frenoh invention. In
i- the reign of Francis L there were only
two in Paris. Other nations soon borjr
rowed the idea, and they became ocm?,
mon elsewhere, especially in England,
TIMELY TOPICS.
The value of property in the United
States has increased during the last
thirty years from $18,000,000,000 to
$30,000,000,000.
The house of representatives in Massachusetts
contains among its members
thirty-seven mechanics, thirty-six merchants,
thirty-three manufacturers,
twenty-nine lawyers and twenty-seven
farmers.
Three colors?red, white and greenare
used as signals by the railroads, and
engineers oomplain that in bright sunlight
the red appears green. The Pennsylvania
railroad company is thinking of
' ?A* mav^'AI <t^nniva
UltUUiJg a ^mvuu tuuugvi
A Louisiana newspaper reports that
there are now fifty cases of leprosy in
Lafourche, all originating from one perodp^too,
some twenty years ago, settled
lower part of Bayou Lafourche.
Legislative inquiry is asked for.
A curiosity in typographical blundering
is noted in connection with the official
list of awards made to British exhibitors
at the Paris exposition, whioh
claims to have been " issued by order of
His Royal Highness the Prince of
Males!"
A lawsuit for a small piece of woodland,
which was claimed by both
branches of a family, has just been settled
at Aix, France, after lasting fiftysix
years. The loser had to pay the
winner's costs, which amounted to
*1A AAA
914,UW V
The making of horse-hair rings and
chains by the convicts in the Kentucky
penitentiary has been prohibited, be
cause of the manner in which they levied
campaign assessments on the tails of
horses driven into the yard, sometimes
seriously disfiguring the animals.
Prof. Schiff, the great vivisector of
Florenoe, sacrifices on an average two
dogs a day in the interests of science. It
being reported that he had thus destroyed
14,000 dogs in the last ten years, the
humane society has interfered, and now
buy up all stray ours and puts them to
death painlessly.
A postal card has been around the
world from Chemnitz, Saxony, in 117
days. The card contained six different
addresses of the German consuls at
Alexandria, Signapore, Yokohama, San
Francisoo, New York, and that of the
sender at Chemnitz, besides a polite request
that the card be sent on without
delay, and the exact time of receipt and
dispatoh noted on the card ; an explanation
of the circumstances of the case be
lllg at ine same time kivbii. xucdo mBtructionfl
seem to have been promptly
fulfilled, and the card made its appearance
again at Chemnitz, 117 days after
it had been dispatched, covered with
the stamps of the various stations. It
is stated that it would have gone around
in ninety-six days if it had been posted
an hour earlier, and probably if it had
been an American instead of a German
postal card it would have made the circuit
in much less time.
When the British naval ship Emerald
sailed for Western Australia last summer,
she received orders to call at the island
of Tristan d'Acnnha, to learn how the
small colony fared, and to inquire for
some shipwrecked passengers; also to
land a score of cats sent out by the admiralty
in consequence of reports that
the island was improverished by swarms
of mice. The islanders received their
visitors cordially, and the books and
newspapers brought were most welcome;
but the present of nata caused amubement
and dismay. It was true the island
was overrun by mice, but it also swarmed
with cats, and it was doubtful which
was the greater plague. The mice destroyed
every green blade on the island,
but the cats live on friendly terms with
the mice, and disdain to eat them, preferring
to prey on young sea birds and
chiokens, therefore cats are trapped and
destroyed by hundreds.
A Deeply Taxed Country.
Italy is, perhaps, to-day the worst
taxed country in Europe. The heaviest
taxation is that e laoted from owners of
real property. On an average the
charge for the Predlali, or the aggregate
! impost, is thirty per cent, on the income
; of the landholder. This is unequally
I laid, being most heavy in some provi
inces, such as Modena, while it is less in
, the Neapolitan provinces and in Piedi
mont. This tax, however, is not gen[
erally derived from the cultivation of the
. soil, as peasant proprietors seem to be
very rare in Italy. On movable proi
perty the fundholders and traders are
subject to a charge of something over
. thirteen per cent, on their income or aotual
profits. The peasant, who is sini
gularly abstemious, pays, in indirect
taxes, a very small sum to the Italian
ATfthfinnfir. as he uses but little tobacco.
Theresa one tax however?the maciato,
or grist tax, which is perhaps the most
UDnatnral of all taxes. This amounts
to two centimes per kilogram on wheat,
and one centime on Indian oorn. In the
j cities and towns this falls hardest on the
laboring classcs. In the country, thongh
11 bread forma a portion of the dietary, it
; j is not the main constituent. In Tuscany
i kidney beans supply the use of flour,
bnt in Upper Italy polfnta made of Indian
corn is the main article of diet.
This tax, in a family of ten consumirg
wheat and Indian corn, produces some
nineteen shillings of taxation annually.
It is the conscription which weighs moat
heavily on the Italian peasant. Italian
advocates of this military system declare,
however, that, although it renders
the means of subsistence anions the
peasantry much more difficult, it is the
only method of cementing the unity of
me nauou.
Afghanistan ana Its People.
The people of Afghanistan are not
given to trade nor to manufacturing.
They leave to the Persians, the Arabs,
and the English all snoh occupations.
They live a free, easy, unsettled life.
It is more truly a pastoral country.
The inhabitants are divided into tribeB
find sub-divisions; some live in the valleys
and others on the plains, and others
guard the mountain passes and demand
toll from the trading caravans. In appearance
they are savages, arming themselves
with any weapon, dressing in
aDy clothes, roving from place to place.
The cities are usually found settled by
the side of some, high mountain with a
vast and open plain stretching out before
them. The houses are generally
of mud, low, flat-roofed, and plain".
Cabul is the city of most importance.
It rests nearly at the foot of Baba peak,
eight thousand feet above the sea level.
From here one may look npon the high,
deserted, cold peaks of the Koonh range,
j while southward extends an open and
| fertile plain. The Cabul river is picI
turesquely crossed by three bridges, the
one leading westward to Khyber pass
being strictly guarded. The houses of
the oity are of sun-baked bricks,low nDd
devoid of beauty. There ore mosques,
bazaar8,and a citadel in the eastern part
oontains the governor's palace. The climate
is severe in winter, from October
to Maroh, bat in summer is delightful,
?Btoton TronwripU
Items of Interest.
What kind of an ant is supposed to
work the hardest? The serv-aafc of VvSM
course.
He who is the most slow in mal:h\ga ;
promise is the most faithful in the pet*
formanoe of it.
To keep apples from rotting put
in a cool place?where there is a large / '^B
family of children.
English reporters are no longer ad*
mitted to see garrotere flogged and
mnrderers hanged.
In Trenton, N. J., there are nineteen * :' >
potteries 111 upaouuu, ??*?? ?
white granite, cream oolored and posoe- :'|jjw
Mrs. Whitney's "Key to the Oook- jM
Book " is a good work, but it is not half * "
as satisfying, when a man is hungry, m
he key to the pantry.
The repartee of a mnle is said to be
unequaled, and the way to draw him $
ont is by pulling out one little hair from J|S
the tip end of hiB stumpy taiL
Nearly "a million and a half of gotpeli . ' ?
and New Testaments, printed in twenty. {f-_
two languages, were given away at the
Bible stand in the Paris exposition,~ ."-ijag
" Mamma, are all vessels called sheT*
" Yes, my dear." "Then how are aUJul
national ships called men-of-war?**
" T iUof AMM iw, W ? ":'iM
"UttllO, JTUU uiaj JIU? nu?? inmi UI uwi ''tflS
"Say, what Ib & lass?'' Mi email brother in* ??
And the youth, with a smile Out mi mL'tosH
Made answer, as if by the qaertion mspird^L
" A lass is alas to a lad."
The young man to whom the world
" owes a living " has been turned oat of v .
doors, his landlady not being willing to
take the indebtedness of this world Oft -?|ber
shoulders.
The horse Ouster rode to his maaaaeryj^B
a sorrel with one white foot and a star
in its forehead, is new owned by Trader ;
Dent at the Spotted Tail agency, who .'*?
taught it of an Indian who saw Custer .
A large mushroom is said to hare,
forced its way through twelve- inches ci"
concrete covered with a thick layer of , J
asphalt, in the floor of the savings banfr^'^M
department of the general poetoffice in %J.
A very curious plant is the iJemw- .i
dium gyrane, or moving plant. It is a iSj
native of India, and is curious from the
rotary movement of the leaves, which, . *;
durincr the heat of the day, are in OOwMM
atant motion.
It was formerly believed that the feffl/p|St
blossomed and seeded only on a midsummer
night, and it was thought tint
the seed must be caught on twelve pew- VvJ
ter plates, through eleven of which it ;|||
would pass, resting only on the twelfth. Jgw
"Give me a cure for the toothache -*yi
quiofc?Sufferer." Place the aching -Wl
tooth near the heels of a mule, and then VlpB
touch off the mule. One touch of mule
sets all nature achin, and relieves the ;.>T|
patient too immediately sadden to think
about,?htokuk Constitution.
Funny things are often found in life
insurance proposals. Here is one who j
says he uses liquor '' only in mince pie?*; ;;
another wants his insurance paid to "his ,>?
legal Bisters;" this one says his brother
was "dwroundedin the Thamaa;" and
yet another defines his occupation to be
a "Hater."
We uw a man, the other day,
Who never yet?strange thing to say? 'i*S9
With wistfal gaze has looked upon
Another's wealth, who ne'er was knows
To utter oath, io wrath to cry?
Who never told e'en whitest lie.
This man, by the way,
We'd forgotten to eay,
From birth a deaf mute,
Is stone-blind to boot.
An Ohio woman who died recently
willed Tier local paper $125. That
woman's chances of heaven are very zj&Bk
good, but if a person wishes to make
aure of a happy hereafter, the amounthe
or she leaves to a newspaper shonld not
be less than 810,000. Now is the
time to make up cl? that is wills for
this paper.?Norristcnon Herald.
EM-miirra ^ionnvarioa nf TW,rifflntff)IM
are reported from Colorado, near >$|?
Pueblo. Perfectly-formed cocoanuts, .
but larger than the ordinary fruit, with 7? 7
the inside of the shell lined with white
I crystal quartz, were found imbedded in
mounds of loose sand and shells, besides
several huge petrified sea turtles, suoh <
as now frequent the Paoifio ocean.
A young man sat down at the piano ^
and began singing for the physician'*
daughter, " There's a sigh in the heart"
Just then the old gentleman came in?
" Young man," he said, severely, "you
are entirely mistaken. It isn't a sigh, ^3?
There may be a sigh from the lungs, v^jj
but from the heart, never. You have ? ^
made an error in din gnosis. What are the
symptoms?" *; ^
We are heartily in- favor of girla
learning to danoe, and paint, and sing, '
and play the piano, but we are also firm
in the belief that a large number of our r?>
yonng ladies could be profitably em'
ployed in learning how to sew buttons T
] on the back of a fellow's shirt, and v f
1 * ' ? ? 1 ? L ~1
also now to iry Duunwueat untco wivu- ?. out
burning them as black as a newly- . ^
polished stove-lid
A man will sit up nights for a week,
and do an enormous amount oftiiiliking^ \'
in the daytime, and after penning his
thoughts on paper and rewriting them
about half a dozen times, will burst into .; .
i an editorial room about a half hour
fore going to press with "I dont't know?? ^
whether you can make it oat or not, it : *
was a little point that I hadn't seen.. . noticed,
and I just thought I'd sorateh - <
it off. Get it in this issue 1"
A poor man at Rochester owed a rioh
man some money, and was unable to ' $ vl
pay. The rich man obtained a judgment
and an execution, but there was nothing v
on which the sheriff couM levy. The
poor man had two large pigs, but the
law allows a man two, and the sheriff
could not take them. The rich man
then bought two little pigs, and had
them presented to the poor man, and '
thereupon took his two large ones,
&
A Landlord's Error*
A few days ago, during one of his si
rounds through his partial hotel, the
landlord of a Qhicaco hotel entered a -
room suddenlyPfcd discovered a windowwasher
leisurely' engaged in reading a ;
newspaper. Being very active himsalf,
he had no nse for a lazy man, or one . . y
who slights his work. He discharged .
the washer on the spot, and ordered him
to go the office for his pay. The man
obeyed, got his money, went to his rooflh v".
on the upper floor, arrayed himself inhis
Sunday suit, packed up his duds, f /
and descended to the servants' apart-' * '
ment to take leave of his former asfiociates.
About this time Mr. PaJmer entered,
but didn't recognize his quondam
employee in his store clothes.
" Here, my man, yon look as though
there was good work in you; do you
want a job?"
The ex-washer, somewhat surprised,
I admitted that he stood in need of one. '
i " Can yon wash windows ?"
I The mau allowed that he oonld.
" Well," said Mr. Palmer, " I've just
discharged a mau who had been doing '
that sort of work. I paid him only $20 ?
a month, but if you take the place and go
right to work I'll pay you $22."
The position was quietly accepted, and- ^
in half an hour the discharged employee
was scrubbing away in the same old
i room, t