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, ; ' : >-'"v. ,;v : 1 : v'.v /" " i-r. . . . . ' ' ' ~3a; ? - ' ' < -' . - V.' ABBEVILLE PRESS & BANNER BY HUGH WILSON AND H. T. WARDLAW. ABBEVILLE, S. C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1881. NO. 37. VOLUME XXV. || - ?????a Mj Valentine. There i* froct upon the hair Banded 'Death the snowy cap, On hor brow are lines of car?, ] And the thin bands in her lap Are not quite so fair and line I As they wrre in anld lang syne, Sweetest wiie, My valentine. i It ia forty yean ago 1 Since I stole with timid foot, Through the lingering afterglow F?t the oak'o entwisted root, { Past the cedar and the pine, t Wishing, hoping she were mine, ' Pride ol lile, ( Mv valentine. J Peering throngh the latticed pane, t Clear I saw my true-love's lace; t Turned and lelt and turned agRui, Lingered there, whOe time and place a Hallowed giew, for like a Bhrine , Seemod that sheltered hearth ol thine, i Dear, my wife, j p My valentine. ! t; Then I slipp< d beneath the door Something satin-booud and white; fj It would lie upon the floor I In the moonbeam's tender light, v '1 hat beseeching note ot mine, Suing lor that heart ot thine, j g( Sweet, my lile, I e My ra. en tine. | < 11 Wooing ways, they tell me, now ^ mc rnuic ocuJBiujy , Q Truth to tell, I see not how? S Love and honor hare not changed. y Still must man find hall divine That lair woman who ihall shine" t> On bis Hie, j g| His valentine. ]' And beside onr household fire, Dearest, crown ol all my years, 0 More than ever my deeire, j I' Sharer of my joys and tears, | a Gratefully I call thee mine, j a Proudly own that I am thine, ^ Sweetest wife, y My valentine. m ?Harper'i Bazar. 1 , g IMPOUNDED. p' Sunset Rock?almost all New England ^ Villages can boast of a Sunset Rock? J was a low, gray tumulus, crowning the , top of the long hill on whose eastern ,; slope lay the hamlet of Teverton. Ham- : let," I call it, but it called itself a town, !i even as a dwarf may call himself an old man by virtue of the years he has seen; F but fcr all its century of experience, * Teverton was, fcr size and importance, jjj a hamlet still. Standing on Sunset Rock j* and looking westward the first thing R that met the eye was a low stone wall, fj pierced with iron doors, above whioh 2 ll.? 0< lust; iwe uwuoiuucd auu IUUK uuv;uk * grasses of a negkcted graveyard. Beyond ?" Tay a tract of meadow-land, on whose r~ surface granite boulders were more conspicuous thin was the crisp stout herb- J* ace that imbedded them. Further still, the land dipped into an cichard-hung valley, bejond which rose a group of 2. nobly formed hills, belted by forests, i and raising sharply detincd pointed V: crests to the sky. To north, to souoh, stretched a far blue expanse ol distance, *V clothcd with villages, wi ll here and r? there tracks of dart woof land, and in one or two places the silver gleam of distant ponds. It was a beautiful land- CI scape, especially in the afternoon light J? of goldrn September, and the wonder wa9 tlmt only two persons had cared to , take the easy walk for the purpose of 10 enjoying it. These persons wervj girls, of about the same height and age, who, aa they climbed the long hill, side by n( side, kept close together, as though con- ^ tact was dear and desirable to them ir both. ft Of the same age.and height, yetnothing couid be more dissimilar than the Rf types to which Judith Adams and K Kitty Roach belong< -1?a dissimilarity which,however, rath<-r helped than hin- j? dered their friendship, as differences in . type often do. Jaditu wa* strong and fair, with honest blue eyes, and a steady, ^ sensible face, which, without beauty, ?E had the attra-iion of thorough woman- I& lineE3 in its ev> ry lino and curve. Kitty, 80 vivid, impuLive, quick-tongued, with the dew of feeling and the gleam of fun always ready to hup to her ^ brown eyes and mobile mouth, possosscd alike something of the charm nnd of the defect which is popularly nc attributed to the artistic tempeament. J? Without claim to absolute genius, she ? br.d undisputed talent, and of a very r1 versatile character. Attempting many Dt things, she, up to a certain point, sue- w. 1. J ?_ .11 Tt - !?!_ flfl cceaea m an. ncrquics, ueit, nervous ? fingers found nothing difficult; but this 01 very lacility was a disadvantage and a w danger, and held her back from real 8C proficiency. To Judith, whose mind e* und body were of slower habit, Kitty . uopeared a miracle of cleverness. Kitty ~ herself knew better, and had moments in which she despised her own shortcomings most heartily. This afternoon w she was in especially dispirited mood. ^ " So, as I am sure to make a mistake either way, and to do something I ought tD not, and which I shall repent of after- w ward, I have decided to go." she was ?a saying to Judith. 14 "But why, if you feel so badly about , it ?" persisted her friend. ?{ " I've told you already. I go because n,? I am afraid to stay. If I do, 1 shali get f. into some sort of awful scrape, I am convinced. Either I shall say 'yes,' and be sorry, or else I shall say 'no,' ^ aud besorrv still. The only fafe way is *. lo say nothing till my mind is made up, . and 1 can't do that without going away; m but, oh dear! it's a great bother, when 01 we are so comfortable here, and I do so *?? hate the idea of joining Susan, and get- ai tinp in with the Rippons and all that . set I" " Well, I must say again that I do not w , urdfrstand it," persisted the practical J? Jurtiih. "You don't want to sav 'yes,' ?,1 and you don't want to say ' no,' and all the time you like Ben?I am sure you do. " I f I was in your place, I think I should know my own mind better, and what I lc wanted to say, Kitty." " Of course you would, you wise old P Ditha. If it was your Ben instead of my B<n, Con't I know exactly how things wcuid be? You would weigh the matter ^ duly,taking the afternoons for it,so as not to interfere with your nights' rest; you p would take it to church with you, and * pray over it, or perhaps open the Bible at random, and read a passage 'for direction,' as Aunt Persis used to recomm id: then, having made up your mind, w y 1 would bring your Benjamin up here e me tine day, sit down on that rock 1 Li ere (taking the precaution to spread a blanket shawl first, for fear o! damp ness), draw oil your giove, fix your eyes on Middle mountain, and utter a pen- Q! sive ' yes.' And you would come down pi the hill on Ben's arm, and be happy r< ever after, and what is more, deserve it. m But. oh dear! me and my Ben?" " Kitty, for shame! Well, what about f you and your Ben D" j? "Nothing. Only I am I, and he is 5, he, so we can't and we -won't settle it in ? that fashion. I wish I could be you, Q' Ditha, and do ns you would do; it would doubtless be a great deal better forme. But what's the use of wishing ? a I can't be; it isn't possible. I am, and 7 must continue to be. my bad, fool'sh, ^ contradictory self; and you are an u angel." (Here a swilt embrace.) "I don't know how I feel, or what I want, and shan't know till I can get oft some- n wheie to a distance, and put that boy in c proper perspective. He is too rear by half aa it is now; he blinds and bewil- a ders me. I can't sec clearly, or deter- c mine; so, discretion being the better part of valor, I shall flee." Kitty spoke 8 merrily; but Juditb, without turnip her head, felt sure that the tears wer ot far from her tyes. "Oh, you Kitty-Cat. Well, if vot must, you must; but what shall I di without you P" she said. Then, afte: % pause: "Well, here we are at top Let's climb the rock, Kitty, and sit jus where we sat that first night when then was that remarkable yellow sunset, th< light when Ben? Why. what's th< uauer r" in r cuangeovuict-, n>r ivuty itopping abort, had given a sharp ex :lamation of pain. "Oh, Judith, how unlucky!?tha tone turned under my foot, and I'v< wisted my ankle, I'm afraid. Help m< o sit down- Perbaps the pain will g( jfl'in a minute or two." But the pain did not quite go, tbougl ludith unbuttoned the boot, and chafec he slender ankle in her own warn: lands. " It's better, though," declared Kitty, .ftera while. "Its decidedly better, nd I can wait, I think, if you'll let mt iold your arm." But the first step brought renewed ialeness, and a groan. "What shall we do?" said tht roubled Judith. " My dear goosey don't look so terried - It's a simple enough business, shall sit here quietly--the ankle does rell enough while I keep still?and you ?ill please go down the hill to the tarrett farm, and get Mrs. Barrett to end little Seth to Mr. Barrett, wherver he happens to be, and ask him to tackle up' thecarrv-all and fetch me. 'bat's all that's necessary, dear, so don't e worried. Only you'd better start at nee, for the afternoon is getting on. tay, though. Before you go, couldn't cu help me to a less conspicuous place ImnthisP Somehow I don't fancy the lea of sitting here alone to be stared at y the people in the Mountain House :age as they go by. Oh, I know, 'here's the old Pound; I'll go there." "The old PoundP" "Didn't you know that that thine ver there was the Pound ? Dear me": V known about it ever since that first fternoon. Ben told me, I think. It l* ays seemed rather interedUi^, ?o"mvow, but I never took the trouble to go iside before. They haven't used it lor ears, I believe, but it will make a v(ry ixid retreat till you come back, just as Dod as if I was a cow." And laughing ayly. though with a brow twisted by ain, Kitty hopped across thp road, and ito tiie small walled mcloeure oposite. "There! that is beautiful," she eclared, dropping into a corner. "Tbis -all makes a good back for me to lean ?ainst, and no one but you will suspect jatl am here. Don't run, and don't eat yourself, Ditha, or you'Jl have a eadache to-morrow. I'm doing very icely, and don't mind waiting a bit. ake your time." With this injunction Judith departed, or a few moments her footsteps were adible on the stony road; then they ied away, and perfect quiet took jssession of the hill-top and the old ound, broken only by the drowsy chirr : grasshoppers in the soft yellow grass. > silent was it that when a flying bird rimmed across the wall with a sharp ill to his mate. Kitty quite started in 2r corner. About her stretched * carit of low aromatic growths?tansy and veet-fern and white-blossomed immorlles, with here and there a tall spike golden-rod flaunting its yellow flag. he pun was nearing tlie Horizon now. rimson tints flushed the solt valley stance, and ;ittie fleets of rose and irple cloudlets began to fleck the Dure :y overhead. After awhile Kitty jard the rattle of the stage wheels and ie Bnap of tlie driver's whip, as it unched by on the steep road. Then ime silence again, broken, a little later, j the sound of distant voices, which Le guessed to be these of people on the wer cross-roads; but they did not ime near her retreat; nor was she artled when a soft thud of hoofs drew ?ar, till a loud "Haw!" close to her ir, made her jump, and at the same oment a big red cow vaulted into the 3und with a bounce and a clatter, here was a rattle of bars, a dance of >yish boots on the road, and before Itty could realize the situation, and ream, it was too late. The boots were r down the hill, and there was she, itty Roac\ shut?yes, actually shut tn the r.ld Teverton Pound with a red yrshire?she, whose horror from lildhood had been a cow, to whom the sir of a lion was nothing in comparin! It was too terrible. Fright, no less than her disabled ikle, kept her perfectly motionless, tren had she been able to stir, nothing ould have induced her to reduce the stance by an inch which l?y between irself and the terrible creature which as now cropping the immortelles in e neighborhood of the gateway, rozen by fear, she sat, her one hope sing that Judith might return soon, hen suddenly the sound of m^nly foot eps cn the road restored her faculties speech, or rather of screech, and, ith wild and desperate energy, she reamed, " Oh, please come here, who'd you are!" "Come where?" ask?d a voicc: and >ove the wall, close, very close, to itty's corner, appeared a head?a well lown, determined, handsome head, ith thick wavy auburn hair and board, hose ends melted into warmer color ill?the head, in short, of Ben Hazard, ie very Benjamin from whom Kitty as proposing to run away the next day ,ve one. Poor Kitty! running wa31 he st thing possible now. "Why, whatever does this mean?" 5 demanded, while Kitty, flushed and ilf-crying, between pain, vexation and arm, faltered forth a lame explana3n. " So Judith went to get Mr. Barrett id the carry-all," she concluded. "And came in here to be out of the way,and len some one turned that dreadful cow , and oh, please, won't you drive her it? I am so atraid of cows! and I am cpectiig every minute that she will iscover 1 am here and turn upon me!" " I think that would hardlj be right," i said. " It would be an interference ith the town authorities, and mieht ake trouble. But I'll tell you what I'l I j "?artfully; " I'll sit here on the wall ose beside you,and if the animal makes ie least attempt at violence, will jump per and protect you, even ii it costs me ie last drop of my blood!" joen, aon i DeaDsura. i wouia mucii ithcr have the cow turned out, or be jlped out myself." "It would never do; trust me, it ould never do," persisted the audacious ver. " And you know you may feel jrfectly safe when you have me within foot of you. I am not at f>ll afraid of >W8." Within a foot! Ben might well say >. He was leaning over tbe wall now, id the bright hazel eyes were very gar indeed to Kitty's downcast brown shea. " Now tell me " proceeded Ben, dropIng the bantering tone for one much iore tender?"tell me, Kitty dear, sarest Kitty, what did you mean by lanning to go away, day after to-mor>w, without saying a word about it to ieP" " How d id you know ?" "Mrs. Burnet gave me a hint; she ilt sorry for me, I suppose; but I should ave known somehow it she hadn't, low could you do so? Why did you, earP" "Ben, I'll tell yon," said Kitty, with adden resolution. I was?1 was going way because I'm afraid to stay near ou any longer just now. I don't know ly own mind. I'm afraid of making a listake." " The mistake ot saying no' to me?' " Or * yes.' The truth is, you be witct le somehow when I am with you. ] an't judge, can't tell how it is. I wanl o look soberly at the thing, to decide af . rational woman should in a mattei o onsequence." " Kitty, there is nothing rationa ,bout love. I don't want you to deoid< g that way. If you do, all is up with me. e How cruel of you to think to rob me^of my one chance! Don't I know that 1 once you leave me and go away, I shall o seem in your eyes the unworthy creature r that I am. that all men must be, of any. thing so precious as yourself, your love, t your sweetness, your pure ardent nature, e My only hope is in winning you against s caim judgment ana common sense; in ; making you feel that with all my faults, , and little as I deserve it, I love you so - much as to t>e worth just a little for love's sake. Oh, Kitty, listen?don't go !*' t "Ah, Ben," cried Kitty, flushed, 2 quivering, pleased, moved, "I ought 3 not?" But precisely at this juncture the > red Ayrshire raised her head, gave a moo which to Kitty's eais was lik; a ! threatening roar, and charged at a brisk [ trot direct Is toward their corner. Kitty's t words broke into a wild shriek, as, jumping to her feet in complete disregard of the sprained ankle, she stretched ' her hands and cried, " Oh, Ben, save > me! save me!' In one second he was over the wall. [ Another saw the cow in full retreat, and Kitty in his arms. > "Take me away," she sobbed, hiding her eyes on his shoulder. "Will you promise not to go P -will you promise to listen to all I want to , say ?" demanded the tvary Ben. "Oh, yes, anything, dear Ben. I'll I promise anvthine if only vou will helD | me to a safe place, away from that devouring beast," quavered Kitty. No exact report exists with regard to the nrocc edings of the next few minutes. ; Suffice it to say that when Judith, speeding on in advance of the carry all, reached the Bcene of action a quarter of an hour later, she Btood transfixed at the spectacle of Kitty, sitting on the top: most ledge of Sunset Rock,her hand fast held in Ben s and such a pair of happy eyes and blazing cheeks as could only betoken a crisis of blissful description. " Why, how did? B: n, when did you get here, and how did you find out where Kitty wasP" demanded the amazed Judith. "It was the cow," explained Ben, waving his hand toward the Pound. now to order a pair of silver-gilt tips to her horns." "Yes, it was the cow; it really was," added Kitty, the sparkle of fun displacing the lingering dew in her brown eyes?" it was all the cow. Had it not been for that dreadful animal over there, and the mean advantage which Ben took of mv helnlessness nnd mv lin Erotected situation, 1 should never have een so?" She paused for a word. " Ha ppyP" suggested the daring Ben. "Well, yes,"iaid Kitty, meeting bis eyes with her own. And then, Judith notwithstanding, Ben kissea her. The carry-all wheels were now heard on the road below, and Ben helped Kitty to her feet. As he did so, the cow in the pound lifted her head and gave a prolonged moo-o-o-o. "Her biessiutr on the engagement," whispered Ben, as he lifted liis fiancee into the carriages. And to this "day, when any little tiff arises between the married iovers?who are lovers still?Kitty, with a pretty sauciness, is wont to shake her head and murmur, " Ab, that red cow! she has much to answer for."? Harper's Bazar. In an Alpine Crevasse. Some time aso a vounc hunter in the Grincelhalt was one day so adventurous as to pursue game, a chamois, over the glaciers. He soon found himself stopped by a crevasse?no hindrance to a chamois, but a serious one io a man. Ludwig, however, was in all tbe ardor of the chase, and he instantly determined to follow tbe chamois' example and leap it. A rash resolve, for which he bad to pay very dearly. He drew back a few paces, then made a vigorous rush, and sprang to the other side. But, 1 alas! just as he reached it his foot slipped, and he fell into the yawning i gulf, which swallowed him up in a moment. Gifced with admirable presence of mind and surprising agility, he immediately put his eun crosswise beneath him, in order to Dreak his fall. As the : walls of ice gradually narrowed the gun soon stuck fast, and his fall was stopped at a depth of about thirty feet. As soon as he recovered from the stunning shock his first impulse was to implore the help o 1 God, and then to make every effort ' to escape from his perilous position. 1 He drew out his large knife, and with < great difficulty succeeded in c ontriving to cut steps at either side. He clam- < bered up a little way, but when he had reached a certain height the widening < of the crevasse added so much to his difficulties that he found he must abandon this plan as utterly impracticable, i Any man of ordinary character would < have given himself up to despair, and ' wouid inevitably have perished in the frightful situation, which one cannot i think of without a shudder. But Lud- j wig did not lose courage. He prayed i with renewed ardor, and did not cease ; to hope for divine assistance. He then listened intently, and a soft, faint sound l of rushing water reached his ear from l the distant depths of the abyss. It was like a Hash of light to his mind and his < decision was instantly made. "This ] stream," he said to himself,41 must make ] its way out somewhere. 1 will scram- i ble down and follow its course. Who < knows but what it will guide me to 1 safety ?" So saying, the brave mountaineer let i himself down like a sweep in a chim- ' ney, bruised t?nd torn by ihe sharp i edges of the ice, but sust";ned by the ? strong hope of future deliverance. He reaches the narrow stream of water, and follows its course, groping along, now going upon his hands and knees, now crawling with his chest upon the ice, now twisting and writhing i in the most painful and difficult struggles. By degrees the way grew wider, i there was freer space to move, the currout Af tho Qtronm nrrow atrAntyfir oupru. 1VUU V/ A UUV VMILU D* " WMkWMgVfc ) v ? V* J thing seemed to indicate that he was approaching the end of his terrible journey. At last a faint light began to pierce the horrible darkness. It iB the light of the sun and every moment it grows brighter. His heart bounds with joy. His limbs, benumbed with cold, recover their vigor. He sees the opening of the crevasse. He presses on, and imagine, if you can, h:s transport, when he seed, as if in a picture, the spire of his own village church! That silent finger, pointing from home to heaven, had never spoken so eloquent to his neartl Full of joy and thankfulness, he was soon out of his cold and dangerous passage . Then, by well-known and familiar paths, he soon regained his father's house, and aatonistied his family by relating the story of hi3 wonderful adventure Fashion Notes. Coupons are not cut by us this year. Railroads have long trains and are trimmed with rich dividends. The sole makes a pretty fichu. Checks are very fashionable the first week in January. Stripes are very much worn at Sing Sing and Concord. Figures are much sought after?$100,000 is a very pretty one. Rich beaux are desirable for the opera or theater parties. Dots will come in again with the flies. Undressed kid will be used for chil' dreiTs bathing suits next summer. Birds are used for bonneta and the " bills are very large. ' Night dresses with a good nap are the best. Old gold is still nut in stockings? Boston Commercu. I Hulk tin. f A Philadelphia girl, who is an expert at handkerchief flirtation, thinks sh? I ougnt to be appointed chief of the signaj i service.?New York Express. TIMELY TOPICS. Hiram Sibley, of Rochester, is mentioned as the largest farm owner in the world. He has more than 400 farms in ? New York, Illinois and Michigan. Although past his neventieth birthday, m Mr. Sibley is still absorbed in business, The Insurance Chronicle gives the losses by fire in the United States and Canada during the last three years as i,r follows: In 1878 the total loss was ~i $70,266,400; in 1879, $84,868,700; in 1880, $76,513,100. It will be seen that te toe losses in itRJU aecreasea over tnose 01 " 1879 by $8,349,600. to The Kansas people are blessed beyond n measure with quails. These birds have been so accommodating this season as to rf fly against the house, knock the breath * ^ out of their little bodies, and fall down Jr quietly, when they are picked up, picked again and cooked. Broiled v; quails are not hard to take. W( The New York Graphic remarks edi- ^ torially that " if the young men will not come to them, why do not the young J women who want husbands go to the r? young menP There are thousands of "J superfluous spinsters in every city of the Union east of the Alleghaniee, yet s? out in the far West there are two men 'f for every woman. In Nevada the population of 62,265 is divided into 42,o\3 P' males and 20,252 females, while in Montana the disparity is even greater, there being 14,261 males and only 6,637 females. In Washington Territory matters are almost as bad, the males J/* numbering 45,977 and the females 29,143." h {? A Turin paper announces the discov ery, through the arrest of some forgers at Miian, of an extensive international forcing association, composed of French- ^ men, Englishmen, Americans and Italians, whose operations have been carried on on an enormous scaie. i neir cnona e are principally devoted to the manufac- ? " ture of spurious tovernment bonds, J? r which they offer for sale in foreign J," countries, and to the placing of stolen scrip. It is supposed that property abstracted in 'dome of the large robberies in England has been disposed of through 1 this association, whose agents are said sbi to be located in all the principal towns an< of Europe. ms to Dwellings which have long remained ca] empty may become fever breeders when air reoccupied. It is asserted by an English nis sanitarian that typhoid, diphtheritic and roi other *ymotic affections hav e been found thi to arise under these circumstances. The &n< cause is supposed to lie in the disuse of wc cisterns, pipes and drains, putrefactive rej processes going on in the impure air spi tlion nnntoin to h 5 To th 10 f.lll 1 nir urnflll- to tuvj wuiutuf nunu bu<u ?v?k ally permeates the entire bouse. Persons of moving from the city to their country lit homes for the summer should see that do the drains and pipes are in perfect La order, that the cellars and cisterns are ar( cleared of rubbish, and the whole house wi thoroughly aired before being occupied, am Carbolic acid freely used in tUe cellar is spi a cheap and effective disinfectant. sac bai wi News In Alaska. of The news from America travels slow- boi ly, in default of regular communication, wi but the American inhabitants, most of Sal whom have recently removed there, are keen to hear all the political developments from home. j They were particularly interested in |la. the outcome of the Republican prcsidential convention at Chicago, as the SUJ latest papers they received seemed to an indicate a warm contest between the ke] eminent Republicans, with Grant lead- }ie, ing. wn It happened that a ship left San Francisco for Alaska several days after the nv tominatlon bad been made, and, after co{ several months sailing, entered Sitka hni bay. noi The little town waa aroused, and j cre every American in the place, bo'ling 301; over with curiosity, rushed down to the we pier to hear the news. A boat put off, bat and in a few minutes the skipper, a jB | blunt and honest ol4* tar, with all his pia heart i:i his ship, camc ashore. ] hi His kindly eye was beaming with ma pleasure at the cordial reception in store 3ftj( for him. No sooner had his foot touched toll the sand than the anxious citizens were ne3 upon him, shaking his ha ids and inquiring who was nominated at Chicago, "Nominated lor what?" asked the _ aid skipper in tones of surprise. L " For president?by the Republicans!" lav' sried his listeners. A "Oh, yes, yes!" responded the tar, the with a bright smile, and the crowd felt gov a great relief. "Lfmme see," began the T aid fellow, as his countenance darkened blai with thoueht. on " Lemme see, now; I heard his name; g it was? ah,"and he paused and scratchrd for bis head, while the crowd hung breath- 0f t [ess for his word. " I heard his name? p yes, I heard it, but I can't recoliect it." , . The honest tar had evidently given .* politics no attention, and on the voyage 1 the light ol Garfield's fame had expired ten Tne Alaskans concluded after a coun- I jilthatit was cot Grant.becauae the skip- wit per would have remembered him, and jac that it was not Sherman, because he was exa interested in the seal company, and the \ sailors would have been familiar with asi< tiis name. lin They agreed on Blaine, then, and prob- rib ably don't, know any better yet. They are will not hear of the result of the election (. until next May.?Louisville Courier- . Journal. _ 8a?; Christianity In America. ^ A letter to a New York paper says: I have collected here a few statistics R bearing on the great question lately raised in your columns, whether Chris- I. tianity ia declining in America. They fro are fuller than any I have seen yet,and all Be; from good Christian authority?es- coi pecially from an article in the Princeton ins Revis/m for Sentember. 1879. entitled eas " Progress of Christianity in the United sw Statep," by Dr. Phillip Schaff. 1 In 1850 the United States contained ex< 38,061 churches, valued at $87,328,801, rib and estimated to hold 1,245,825 people1 lag In 1860 they contained 54,009 churches, Mc worth $171,397,932, and holding 19,128,- tw 751 people. In 1870 the number was wi 63,082, valuation, $354 483,681, capacity ev< 21,665,062. So that the increase in the ill. number of churches from 1850 to 1%0 ers was more than from I860 to 1870 by arc 8,675. During the same period the in- lin crease in capacity fell off 2,357,615. But M< the value of church property increased di< $99,016,510 more between 1669 and bei 1870 than between 1850 and 16160. lie- an tween 1860 and 1870 the increase of th< churches fell off more than lorty-three ter per cen..t the increi^e in capacity fell spi off nearly forty-eight per cent., but the ies increase in values gamed J17 per cent! int The absolute gain in the number of ou churches during the first decade was in more than forty-one per cent., and dur- sa] ing the second less tlian sixteen per th> cent.; that of capacity was over thirty- A1 four per cent., during the first decade ] and under fourteen during the second, po But valuation increased ninety-nine per on cent, the first decade nnd 107during the ra second I The increase of population all from 1850 to 1860 was thirty-six per th cent.?less than the increase in the to number of churches, but moro than the H< increase in their capacity. From 1860 ch to 1870 it was twenty-two per th cent.?mucli more than the in- E( crease of the churcheB in either num- th bera or capacity. In 1850 the churches could seat sixty-one per cent, of the rei people, in 1860 they could seat sixty per th cent., in 1870 only fifty-six per cent. Ai ? pu Among the animals inhabiting the th bottom of the Caspian sea are lound ho several Bpecies having well-developed of organs of sight. This is taken as an indication that even at great depths light is not completely absorbed, as in total ov darkness the eyes of animals are reduced N< to a rudimentary form. be FOIt THE FAIH SEX. IVoman'i Grit TrlnmDhant. Woman's crit has triumphed in San rancisco. Mrs. Carolina Carpenter, a iddle-aged widow of determined dis jsition, owns a lot and house on Stockn street. On the adjoining corner of li ter street Robert Ewing. a contractor, is nearly completed a block of stores, t making excavations for a foundation, wiDg compelled Mrs. Carpenter to conlue tLo foundations of her house fouren feet lower, and, as she declared, ould not let her prop up her wall hib doing the work The result was at she spent a good deal of money un!cessarily. The same workmen enged on her premises were stopped by fving, who charged that they were sspassing on his property. Mrs. Carnter was not at home, but her niece is equal to the occasion, and with a volver in hand sallied out and intimi,ted the contractor. He had the young: omsn arrested for assault. Open war \b declared by Mrs. Carpenter. Ewing moved a temporary lence in front of e now building, and workmen began lay stone walk. Mrs. Carpenter found at they had ma le arrangements to rry the sidewalk seventeen inches be-1 ?nd the line of the new building in )nt of the lot. To allow them to do is would be to acknowledge thai they ?ned a strip of that width directly rough to the rear lot. She ordered e workmen to stop and removo the iterial. They kept on and hurried to mp'ete the Job. Mrs. Carpenter, reforced by her servant girl, again orred them to desist. The girl placed r toot across the narrow space which d not been paved, when one of the )rkmen deliberately set a slab of stone her loot, injuring it severely. Mrs. .rpenter threw herself down on the jund and defied them to build a sideilk over her body. At the same time e fummi ned the police and her ;orney. A great crowd gathered, and quad of guards was hired to defend r territory from invasion. The guards nained cn duty until a truce was teied into. For the Spring, ?or the spring, it is predicted that the Dn^er capes, now so ]>opular in far d plash, . 0.* * > **de up. in lighter Lterials, and in thfl fabric' w'v^x,; com plete it for the stre rt. Cashmere )e3 embroidered and beaded are eady being manufactured at the furihin e houses; some of these are quite md, while others have long fichu ends it tie in front. The Havelock cloak d the Charlotte Corday, now so muca >rn by young ladies and girls, will be jeated in light shades of cloth for ring wraps; the cape and hood belong both these cloaks, and the back tlie sKirt may oe eitaer quite piam e a surtout, and open from the belt wn, or else plaited in kilt plaits;, rge collars that arc almost pelerines s made of black cocks' feathers tipped th jet beads. These are very dressy, d it is said will succeed lura in the ;ing; they cost $7.50. Very Ion,? sk cloaks, with three seams in the 2k, and Chinese sleeves that are folded de and look quite square, are made black and are trimmed with fur; a rdt-rof the woven feather trimming 11 be put on those mwie for spring rmen.s. Th? Widow Declined ? dairyman In Jeioyd county, Ina., ving settled to his own satisfaction it a certain widow whom he was )plying with milk would make him excellent wile, rang his beil in lroixt ot : house, and when she came out with : pati addressed her as follows: "I nt a wife. 1.' have_a good dairy of een good ccws. We rise at turee lock in the morning; we have rye lee for breakfast, witb skimmed milk, t no sugar for seasoning. Yon need t get up so early, and vou may have am in your coffee. We have bean ip once a week, and kraut once a ek. We occasionally have some ion. But we do not use butter, for it too expensive, and use lard in its ce. We work hard and live saving, ave told you rll and would like to rry you." The widow thanked him, d she preferred her own table, and i him he would better propose to his ;t customer. Fashion Pfotea. <avenderand coffee color are still the orito tints for evening gloves. l trimming of marabout feathers Is newest adornment for a wedding pn. 'he old fashion of setting a ruff of! ck lace outside the white lace worn a, dress wai3t has come in again, triped velvet basques are made up house Wimr, but the newest garment his kind is made of Cheviot. 'lain waists of dark silk are now nmed witb plaited lace, arranged ,he fashion called blouse a few wiijago. little girls' Jersey suits are made ,h waists a3 heavy as the Cardigan kel s worn by men, and flannel skirts ictiy matching the waist9. Vbile muslin dresses are quite set ie for children during winter. Muspinafores tied with bows of satin bon over pale blue or pink silk dresses decidedly fashionable. Hass-covcred fernories are now made Lhat excellent ventilation is possible, I the foliage is protected from gas and it and relieved from excessive moise. - _ markable Outbreak or Trichinosis. l letter which we have iust received m the Rev. Jur. Henry H. Jessup, of yrout, Syria, has the fblowing acint of probably the most remarkable tance on record of this terrible dise, resulting from eating uncooked ine's flesh: ["be Syrian people have been greatly lited this week by the news of t? terle outbreak of trichinosis in the vil;e of El Khiyam, in Merj Aiyun, near unt Hermon. Two hundred and enty of the villagers ate the flesh of Id boars shot in Mount Ilermon, and ;ry one of them became dangerously Some have already died, and othare dying. The people of El Kbiyam ; Metawileh3 (Persian Shia Musis), Maronites and Protestants. The >taiwilehs, being Muslims, of course 1 not cat the tlesh of the uncban asts, bul. the Maronites and Protestts partook, and are now writhing in 2 agonies of that dire disease, is of thousands of the trichinse iralis filling every tissue of their bod. The case has occasioned great .eiest here. Physicians have gone t, and subscriptions have been raised aid of the 3Utferers. The Muslims j coolly: '"Poor people, Tvhen will sy learn to abhor the vile (njellak luh) khanzir? " [t is evident that the mas3 of those or people ate the boars' meat raw or ly partially cooked. The eating of w mutton, beef and pork 13 common . over the land, and it is to be hoped at this calamity will tend to put an end the practice. Dr. Post suggests that jrod Agrtppa probably died of triinosis. From all the accounts received us iar from El Khiyam, through Mr. idy.of Sidon, the suffering thero from e disease must bo very great. As far as I know, this is the first corded instance of trichince spiralis in e wild boar. The physicians of the m'rican medical college here will iblish articles warning the people of e peril of eating swine's fleBh raw or ,lf cooked; but,alas, those most in need the warning rarely see a newspaper. A German emigrant girl weighing er two hundred lias been abducted in , 3W York. A sort of high-weigh robry, you know.?Balem Sunbeam. FARM, GARDEN, AND UOCSEHOL Fruit Tree Plantlnff, There are probably many young fara ers contemplating planting an orchari who need instruction in detail as to tin and manner of planting, distance apar pruning, etc. One of the first questioi asked is, "Shall I plant in the fall ( springP" The answer depend* som< what on circumstances. If the land well drained, I think most varieties wi do best planted in the fail, but Ishoul not want to set trees on flat iand in hnaTTTT nloT? o/-vi 1 in ontnmn fnr annVi UVi* T J ViUJ DVU <U WUVUU4M) ?V? MMVM soil becomes a bed of mortar in a tha? and the trees are likely to be leaned 01 of shape by the wind, or even throw entirely out of the ground by frcezin and thawing. With cberry, peach an pear trees I have had uniform goo succiss from spring planting. Whe trees are planted in the fall the eart should be heaped around them, and it i a good plan to mulch with somethin to prevent thawing too much; flat ston or sticks of wood will answer, and wi be less likely to harbor field mice tha straw or cornstalks. If the latter ar j used, do not put it on until the groun i is frozen. Now as to distance apart. I have ha fine success with quinces eight feet b I V>rtf nnlflaa lonH TJTO a a/^flrAO fr urrm VC| itui uuivoa juuu ?? ?vm*w *v | orcharding, I would plant 12x12, whic gives 302 trees to the acre; but if'the 01 chard is Jarge you would need to mak every sixth space a few feet wider, 8 that you can drive through with a wago to carry in manure and bring out th fruit. 1 should expect b quince orshar to pay a good rent on the land by tb fourth year, and when in full bearin should confidently count on from 3001 500 bushels to the acre. I have an or chard that has not missed a crop in eigh years, and this year has averaged tw bushels to the tree. A -juince orchar should be cultivated every year. Peach trees are usually set sixteen and half feet each way, or 160 to the acre.bu if ooe has plenty of land I would recom mend wider planting, say 16x20, am think \uc f-uit would be enough bette to pr.y for it. Damson plams will d well as close as peaches, or even a ro< each way, as they arc an upright grower I do not speak of otjer varieties o plums, because this is the only one ever grew at a profit. Pears Iwoul< ,r^ ,a"0^ "M apples S9x,;J; or If was intending^"*'? the orfiaard wW peach trefe, three peacn to out > would plant 98x40.. I have had goo< success in this wpy, the peach tree bearing and passing away before th apple trec3 needed the room. All mj experience in orcharding ii favorable to the planting of young tree3 I would plant one year from the bud o graft, of peach, pear or cherry: ore yea from the cutting of quince, ana a thrift: two-year-old apple. My reasons ar' that a young tree is less mutilated an< disturbed by transplanting than an olde: one, and consequently sooner recover, from the shock; it costs Je3s money, i; easier handled and planted, and in re peated trials side by side 1 have foun< that a thrifty small tree would in thre< or four years overtake a large one. In digging holes for fruit trees, remov the surface soil one spade deep and plao it to one side, and then take out on spade deep of the subsoil and place 01 the opoosiite side. This will make thi hole some inches deeper than an ordin ary tree will need, and when you set tb' tree you must cut down the edges of th* hole and thus fill ths bottom with goo< soil to the right depth. Then set "you tree so that it will stand about the sami depth it did in the nursery, and fill ii the top soil, pressing it firmly with th> loot around the roots, and put you second spade of subsoil on the surface Thi3 gives a meliow, rich bed for thi roots of your tree, and brings the sur face soil free from weed seed. It als< saves half the labor of digging thi boles. The pruning of an orchard requires a much judgment as any operation of th farm. It should begin when the tree are young, and if properly attended t< then, litt'e will be needed when the; are older. Trees should always b' trimmed more or less at transplanting and it should be done with a view t< giving a good-shaped top. In pruning one should always be able to give a rea son for every cut he makes, and sboui< constantly keep in mind the objects U be accomplished. We prune trees fo several reasons; first, that we may hav afiymmetrical, well-balanced top; sec ond, that we may prevent overbearini bj reducing the bearing wood and frui buds; third, that sun and air may havi free access; and lastly, that '.he branche may not interfere with and chafe om another. It seems to me that If we keej these plain rules before us we shall havi little difficulty in pruning. We mus anticipate what a branch will be in s few years, and rot merely look at it ai it now is. There is no mystery involve< in the successful growing of fruit, bu we must use good judgment and remem ber that " what is worth doing is wortt doiDg well.?Waldo.in Practical Farmer Recipes. Pan Puddings.?This is a Nev England dish, and is nice where appe tites are expansive. Take three cups o fine rye meal, three cups of Indian meal one egg and three tablejpoonfuls of mo lasses; add a lithe salt and allspice, an< enough rich sweet milk to make a bat ter stiff enough to drop from a spoon Fry to a good brown in hot lard. Chicken Hash.?This is the prope way to serve for breakfast whatevc: roast or broiled chicken may be lef over from dinner. Mince the col< chicken, but not very fine, and to a cup ful of meat add two tablespoonfuls o good butt? r, a half cup of milk, enougl minced onion to give a slieht flavor and salt, mace and pepper to taste Stew it, taking caro to stir' it, and eerv daintily with a garnish of parsley Every particle of bone must be ex traded. Stacked Squash.?Cut your squast in siioes a quarter of an inch thick, fr: them till brown ia butter or lard. WhiL they are frying, beat two eggs, a tea cupful of sweet milk and flour enougl to make a thin batter, together, thei stir in bread crumbs to make it thick season with pepper and salt. Pile up th< squash on a baking plate with a layer o batter between each piece and on top and bake, which should not take ove: fifteen minutes. A Stuffed Beefsteak.?Prepare i dressing of bread, scalded soft, am mixed with plenty of butter,and a littl pepper and salt. Lay it upon one sia of a round of steak, cover it with til other, and ba?te it down with needi and thread. Sa t and pepper the out side of the steak,and place in a dripoinj pan with half an inch of water. Wiici baked brown on one side turn and bak the other. Changed /lis Mind. Mr. H. C. .Tarrett, the theatrics manager, tells the followine story: On evening, while his party were playin at the Opera House in l)itroi\ a smal bov approached him, and holding on his bund, exhibiting fifteen cents, said " Piease, mister, I would so much Iik to see Cinderella, but that's all tb money I've got." The aoj's manner touched Jarrett1 tender spot, and alter asking him tw or three times it that was -.ill the mone he hac, and receiving each time a piti ! ful affirmative answer, he gave him j quarter. The boy's countenance beame with delight, and he did not know 1km to express his gratitude. Finally, mo\ ing toward the street, he said: You don't know how thankful I an sir. I am ever so much obliged to yot sir; but now that you have been so get crous, I guess I'll go to the other theau and see .T u.-k^Sheppard!'" The most appropriate dress goods f< j a farmer's wife to wear is gross-gram. Nasal Catarrh. There are two varieties of this c >m? plaint. Both are characterized by discharges from the nose. One has no odor; e the other is oilVnsive. Tne first is only n a symptom of cold in the head; the sec? ond is evidence of constitutional y trouble. The mild form often seems to . be a peimanent aiiment, owing to the 4 individual's susceptibility to colds, or to d his carelessness. Every case can bs cured bv avoiding colds, keeping the D The Age of the Earth. At the Midland institute Professor W E. Ayrton delivered a lecture, in whici having piven some additional expianr tion of the methods of measuring minut i1> periods of time, he spoke ofa'millio ie year3. The words, 4 a million years, t? how glibly they are uttered, but hoi 19 little did one think what they meant >r To count a million, one, two, three, an r" so on, at the rate of two a second, ani I? devoting six hours a day to the work would cccupy twenty-three days, o a more than three weeks. The lecture a asked his hearers to think of a millio: a of people in comparison with the popu 7< lation oI Birmingham; and of a millio; lt pounds sterling, a sum which, at five pe n cent, interest would yield ?50,000 a year ? With regard to the period of a miliioi 9 years, he showed thht, great as it was n ,t. j. _/i; u- ?^ "* toe measurement ui nuie uy uiuiuua u ? years was applicable to the existence c ,D the earth. '? In reply to the question of whethei s the earth's existence was to be counte< i, by thousand a or by millions of years ^ he called attention to ths geological evi ? dences of organic changes on the earth'i ? surface which required not much lesi a than a hundred million years for thi , earth's age. There was, however, i ? better method of approximating to th< y age of the earth. The changes of tem7 perature belonging to the different sea P sons were less perceptibly felt as thej " penetrated the substance of the earth ? until at a depth of about fifiv feet th< ? temperature was practically constant JJ If, however, tbey continued to descent j an increase of temperature was expe ? rienced at about the rate of one degree ? per fifty feet of the descent. Supposin* = this increase went on at the same rat< 0 until the center of the globe was ieachec " the temperature there would be 400,(XX J degrees higher than at the surface. ? Thene was, however, no reason to asa sume that the increase did go on, or thai the temperature at the center waj " higher than that of molten rock, T,00( degrees, or at most 10,000 degrees. Asj Burning this to be the temperature al J the center, and knowing, by experiment, * the conducting power of rock in rela? tion to heat, Sir William Thomson wa= , able to calculate the present distribu; tion of temperature throughout the t whole earth, not only the present dis1 n-ibution downward, but the distribuJ. tion at any future and at any past time, 1 H-u of 7 nnn Aar.rpae k | 1U111K un Kiuiraimiub u> .,w? !,^ having once been the uniform tern . _ Jl "re ol the whole body, the resuli t of im. oalculatlona wa? that the e .rth " had been a f-^udrtd myjion years it e cooling. " 7 %jew-v: The lecturer showed bj a saucepan of oompr ved sanu, billet " bad been heated to a uniform tempera' r ture, that the cooling of the center wanl ? on very slowly, but at points near tttt f outside surface it was tolerably rapid i being, in fact, the more rapid the nearei p the point was to the surface. Sii William Thomson had shown that ir 100,000,000 years the cooling would noi . have descended more than 190 mile* j below the surface, and that it would . not be for more than 1,000,000 years thai the cooling would have any effect al all at 568 miles below the surface. Th< " lecturer, in conclusion, com'batted th< B idea that the center of the earth wai noNsr in a liquid state, and submitted , some additional considerations, tending 'm to show that it was not much mor< " than 100,000,000 years since the eartt B solidified.? English Mechnric. i ?? r A Teu-Cent Dinner. 8* j A New York paper says: Mis. Atne p Ila Lewis is a philanthropic English wor man, who is devoting her time and tn ergy to an attempt to convince the mer 3 chants of this city, first, ilut their fe . male employees need warm and nutri 3 tious food during the middle of the day e and second, that by an improved systen of cooking, such food c?n be prepare< 3 at a very small expense. It is not sc 8 much the long hours of standing up be s hind the dry goods counter, Mrs. Lewii 3 says, that impairs the vitality of youni j women, as the constant talking for eigh e or ten hours a day, with nothing bu cold food to build up the constants 3 wasting body. If, in the middle of th< the trirls could have a warm meal instead of the cold lunch which the^ j now have, their health would be bet 3 ter, they would work better, and theii r employers, as well as themselves, woulc e be b?neiited by the change. Mrs. Lewi.' * it endeavoring to induce the propria ? tors of large houses to establish i t dining room in their shops, where theii e help can secure warm meals during th< 3 day, and she claims that a good P healthy, substantial meal ought to b< 3 furnished to a large body of men oi 2 women at from six to eight cents ? t head. To exemplify her ide*. she gav( t a ten-cent dinner to thirty young womec } from the Grand street establishment ol 1 Lord & Taylor. t The guests were invited to Mrs. Levis . office, at No. 704 Broadway, at 6.30' i and, being conducted to the kitchen, were shown their dinner, from soup tc pudding, all cooking on one small stove not more than two leet square. At seven 7 o'clock they sat down to a long table covered with a snow-white cloth, and f laid with the necessary plates, knives and forks. A very pretty young woman ' acted as a volunteer waitress, and the I ten-cent dinner was aerved with promptness and dispatch. The firat course was rice soup, ol which a large plate, swimming in vegetables, was given to eacb guest, and in quantity and quality the r ?inforinr tr> t-.hnt served SUUp rrno uuu tuiv^w* ..? _.. J in an ordinary restaurant lor the F price of this entire dinner. Next 1 came stewed beefsteafc, with po " tatoes, and steamed mutton, witL 1 caper sauce and turnips. These 1 dishes were followed by as line an Eng' lish plum pudding as one could wish tc ' eat. There was more than enough foi e everybody, and the guests all expressed * themselves as delighted with the meal. ' Mrs. Lewis assured them that the entire dinner had cost her less than SJ, cr tec i cents a head. 01 course it could not be 1 furnished in a restaurant for that price, e but any proprietor of a large store could * do it, probably, for eight centa. All * that was necessary was for them tc i agree among the oaselves upon one or ? two kinds of meat each day for th< b second course. If each one wanted t ' different dish, of course the dinnei ? could not be prepared so cheaply. Mammoth Oysters, a i For many years New York has helt e the palm for its oysters. The tern e "saddlerock " has become synonymou; o with extreme excellence and sze; bu p these oysters are dwarfed by a recen - discovery made l>y some scientitii g gentlemen in the West, but this nev u bed will not be available to our metro 0 politan epicures, as the animals bavi long since been devoured perhaps by tin Adam of the new world, and only ttn shells remain, but of such proportions are they, that tlie primev il man, if fi' ll were there, would have not only re e quired a fork, but a well-braced pitch 'f. fork to remove the animal from it " shell. Imagine an oyster jhe.l sevei 11 feet in length and three or four in width inclosing *a plump, smiling, luciou e morsel that would tip the scales a e perhaps 150 pounds, and sou havo ai , idea of the appearance of that ancien 8 mollu3k. Kansas is the State containin ?t that wonderful bed, and the discoverer y found the sheila piled in broken heaps " half burled in the chalky soil, and seal ? tered a ound as if some giant race, dij a turbed by natura in tho midst of a royc * feast, had fled, leaving only theremain as monuments to tell the tale. The 1c culity, in realit y an ancient buryin l? ground ior the monsters of paat ages, i perhaps better known as the mauvaif 1 terres, or bad lands, a country too woi ' derlul to be adequately described here.New York Sun. >r When is a woman like a gunP Whe she bangs. r bowels regular, and the ffet always dry r and warm Smearing the nose.outside n and in, with glycerine, seems to afford . great relief. Smelling of spirits of cama phor or hartshorn stimulates the nasal r passages to throw off the secretions,and, # when used promptly and frequently, a' will sometimes effect a cure in a few , hours; but injecting fluids of any kind } into the nostrils, or using snuffs?in this ,f form of catarrh?can only afford temporary relief, aud may do permanent inf jury, by irritating the delicate memi branc that lines the passages. There , is always the risk of scrofulous persons I changing a simple catarrh into the more 9 serious form by meddling too much with 9 it. e There are then two kinds of nasal cal tarrh, and, although they both affect the a nasal passages, they are as different in I all other respects as any other two dis. eases. One is a local irritation, with r effusion from the mucous surfaces. The tendency, in a healthy person, is always > toward recovery, even without treat* ment. j The other is a scrofulous discharge that . has sought an outlet at the point of least , resistance. To oiirc the catarrh it is necessary to ; remove the cause. It is probable that I some of the advertised " catarrh reme) dies " may check the discharge. It would be unfortunate if they aid, be. cause the disease would almost inevitt ably be driven to tbe luuw. , In these severe cases it is essential to ) remove the accumulations often, and to . keep the passages cleansed and disin* ; fected. In syringing the nose a " fountain syringe" is the best, so that the ! force of the stream can be easily regu, la ted. All fluids used for this purpose . should be as warm as the blood; never , cold. If the nozzle of a syringe is inserted . into one nostril t e fluid will flow out , at the other, after having passed through i both. Always insert the nozzle of the . syringe on the side least affected. The ; fluid will then enter the back portion of ! the other passage, and force out its con[ tents, so that none can enter tbe throat and be swallowed. From a pint to a k quart of warm water may be used; and ! afterward, the patient, lying on his . back, should with tbe little ttngec put I glycerine into the nortrili until he tote . ft tiokis down his throat; or he can ( 1 put it in a pint of tepid water, and i inject the nose with it. For a change, c be may use warm soapsuds, or a mix, ture of ten drops of tincture of iodine, I half an ounce of glycerine and one t pint of water; or, one drachm of chlor; ate of potash in one pint of warm 3 water. As before stated, the object is ; to cleanse and disinfect the parts, and j not to dry up the discharge; and if that I should be tne result, the remedy thut r accomplished it ought to be discontinued ! > unless at the same time the general [ health has been so much improved that the disease would not be likely to attack the lungs or lome other vital part. Strictly speaking, scrofula is not a disease, but a lack of firmues3 in the tissues of the boiiy, rendering it susceptible to a certain class of diseases, I particularly those affecting the glands. This peculiar condition of the sys.em is " termed "scrofulous diathesis." It is . generally inherited, but it may he acquired by persons who are naturally ' healthy, through want and hardships i or through disease and intemperance, j When the 'diathesis" exists, disease meets with less resistance than in the individual who possesses strong tissue? _ and a high degree of vitality J Nearly All children of delicate frames, ? and of the precocious or spiritual type, . have "scrofulous diathesis," and dis' eases take lirm hold of them. Hence the saying, " the brightest children die I first." But good care and wholesome , lood?principally meat and milk, abundant exercise and fresh air?ali ways improve and strengthen them, so , that in a few years ti.e majority seem to be exempt from what are called ' scrofulous diseases. Aithough the sys. tem does not respond so promptly to ; hygenic measures in later life, still the ' improvement is almost always marked; 1 iwodo r\t mmnletc recovery from I chronic nasal catarrh, by strict atten. tion to health, are not infrequent.? ; HaWs Journal of Health. L m r Tbe Monnd Builders. Throughout a large portion of the Mississppi valley the remains of a former 1 race of inhabitants are found, of whose J origin and history we have no record, 1 and who are onlv known to us by the 1 relics that are found in the turmoil ! which they have left. The moundbuilders were a numerous people 1 entirely distinct from the North 1 American Indians, and they lived so ' long before the latter that they are not ' known to them even by traditiou. They 1 were industrious and domestic in their Mia finHina nf Iftrirp fiPft uauiuj, uuu ~- 0- - ? 1 shells, which must have been brought 1 irom the Gull of Mexico, if not from 1 more distant shores, proves that they 1 had communication and trade with ' other tribes. Perhaps the most interest" ing fact connected with this ancient 1 people is that they had a written lan! guage. This is proved by some in' scribed tablets that have been discovered ' in the mounds, the most important of which belong to the Davenport academy 1 of sciences. These tablets have attracted great attention from archeolo^ists, and 1 it is thought that they will some time | prove of great value as records of the ' people who wrote them. It is still un certain whether the language was understood by the mound-builders, or ' whether it was confined to a few persons | of high rank. In the mound where two of the tablets were discovered - the bones of a child were found, par\ tially preserved by contact with a large : number of copper beads, and ns copper was a rare ana i recious metal with thc-m it would seem that the mound in question was used for burial of persons of , high rank. The inscriptions have not J been deciphered, for no key to them has ; yet been found; we are totally ignorant . of the derivation of the language c of C _ *_ -i? ~~:?k l . lis ziwuiLica Willi uLuci wiitteu lauuu* ; ages. The mound-builders lived v\ hi'.e the mammoth and the mastodon were ' upon the earth, as is clearly proved by * the carving3 upon some of their elabo? rate stsne pipes. From the size and p other peculiarities of the pipes, it Is inferrecl that smoking was not habitual with them, but that it was reserved as a kind of ceremonial observance. Our knowledge of the habits and customs ot ' the mound-buildors is ver.v incomplete, but it is sufficient to show that at ieast a part of this country was once inhabited by a people who havep is3cd away witht out leaving so raucii "as a tradition of ' tlieir txistence,and who are only known t to us turoush the silent relics which have been intme<Uorctnuiri.v. Ap:o| pie utterly uovjilen. a civilizaUon to . tally lo8t-~v'iw? it through a great catas' trophe in the Llstoiy of the world, or ? wus tho crfweleas struggle for existence .1 so severe th:it they gradually succumbed l8 and passed away P g A daily visitor to the cage of a handle some canary in the office of the Phiia\q delphla Times is a mouse. He is weli corned by u song, and as he eats the seed ? and drinks the water from the cups, the bird gives evidence of his being a favored guest. After his meals Lc fren quently plays ahout the bottom of the cage an nour. A Snowy Morning. White, white, white, Far as eye can see; Fringed with mimio lacea Every bush and treeWinds a ridgy pathway, Scooping as they go; Ab, the solemn silence Of the snow. - 3 White, whito, white, Earth and rty seem one j Ob, the iairy wonders That the night has done. Draped are eaves and iences, Fields that well we know, , -j Look so strange and eerie In the snow. %' # -jtu White, white, white, Muffled every noise, Speckling all the air, Wee flakes whirl and poise. Even while we watca tnem They are gone, and lo! Up the aun cornea peeping O'er the snow. ? George Cooper, in Golden Dayt HUMOROUS y* Subjcct to fits?The tailor. Goes against the grain?The reaping machine. Hangtbo thermometer! What else if it good for P Saya a cute observer: " The man who stops his paper to economize, is like a man who goes barefoot to save bis shoes." v An old fable says that "cats never can carry on a government They have no fixed political views. They are always on the fence." The first news of their sickness will come to many through the announcement thai "most of tlifl codfish this yeafr has been badly cured." He rested his hot brow upon his hand and sighed: "Three months ago she vowed she would never, never many me, and now she is suing me for breach of promise A scientifically disposed contemporary _ has discovered that burning the bunghole of a kerosene barrel with a red hot 035 poker will cause the barrel to disappear, g ?Syracuse Standard. ' wH When a young man attempts to court a fair damsel* aad she tells him that she- HQ has a "supreme contempt" for him. should she be wrested for " contempt of oourir-firmto&rip. fg always ? mirer.??1'/.SW Two amhKJT stop before window of &ndr^ew with admirationf**k* *a, ^ min H askedww.^?0. ??n ??' .hW" '9 can see ^>ettker it fits him," replied the Jrom^scbo^tta. dovou *^ok. pa, Jo Steward one of | the bi* ^ys, hadan argument with the fpftpjipr a??at * question in grammar!' ^9 What naStM&L dW j0 Jaw" "mi hue lastposItton^iKW^?^ithlli8 9 * lace down.'1? A tenant has boen daocfife?~ over the head of hk l^lcra?^*"* '. 4k in the morning the latter eoaei Vv, stairs and complains bitterly of tEes.", fi annoyance. 44 What annoyancer* nfcf the tenant. "Why, I haven't slept a wfnk^ all night," was the answer. " Neither have I," says the tenant: " and yet I 9H I don't make any fuss about it." A Perilous Position. S A Geneva correspondent writes: A few days ago a workman employed on ?3 the St. Gothard railway, near Sisikon, nad a marvelous escape from a terrible IBM and, as it seemed, an inevitable death, CSs or terrible bodily injuries. Together ?. :%> with a nnmbcr of his companions he had been drilling holes in the face of a perpendicular rock, a portion of which it was desirad to blast away. When * * 'the hoIe3 were filled with dynamite it * ? fell to his lot to fire the charge. After waiting till the shouts of the others apprized him that they had reachoi a place of safety, and lighting tbe long mesh which served to explode the Cirtridses, he essa, ed to make good his own escape. * In order to accomplish this?for it was now too late, and would have been extremely perilous to take the way hi* comrades had taken?he attempted to ascend, by means of a rope placed there I IXi> tlio nnrnncp fcn a snot whtre ha would have been out of danger. He seized the rope and began to mount, but it had been so wetted bv a shower of rain which had fallen shortly before that, althoagh he struggled with the frantic energy of despair, he oniy succeeded in mounting a few feet. His comrades saw him, but could give no help. The mesh was growing shorter every moment, and the explosion was now an affair of a few is. It came, the earth shook, the great rock tt embled to its base, huge stones flew through the air, and for several moments everything was hidden in a cloud of dust. When it cleared away and the navvies issued from their hiding-pla^e to look for the remains of their comrade, they found him auietly slipping down the rope. Not a hair of his head bad been injured.?London Times. A Narrow Escape. Dr. Whiilock te'ls of a narrow escane which his fatber-in- law, Murdock McKenzie, who lives in 8t. Bernardino, Cal., recently had. Mr. McKenzieowns a scung bail, a gentle enough animal ordinarily, and beirg in the pasture", where the bull with other stock is confined, the wort! y gentleman was taking time by the torefock, as it were, by pulling cockle-burrs from the shaggy front of the bull, which submitted quietly to the operation. But just as soon as Mr* McKenzie turned to leave him the animal made a headlong rush for him, knocking him senseless to the earth, where he lay for the time senseless, the bull endeavoring unsuccessfully to sore hifli as Lie lay prostrate. Now come3 ^ the stiangest part of the incident. About one hundred yards distant from where Mr. McKenzie was engaged with the bull a favorite mare and a pet colt wer$ quietly feeding, but no sooner was the worthy gentleman struck by the vicious animal than both mare and co!t were observed dying to bis rescue with the speed of the wind, and charging upon the bull crove blm away with boot and teeth, thus enabling Mr. SfcKenzie, who had recovered his senses in the mean time, to stagger to the fence and climb out of danger. His hrst recollection, I however, after being struck, was of the i colt rubbing its nose upon l.irj face, as | much as to sr.y: "I'm very f>orry. but j * e hurried up ns fast as we could.'' Cause of Earthquakes. Professor R Falb, in one of his late lectures, attributed earthquakes to .subterranean volcanic outbreaks, produced by the coding action oi the hot liquid interior of the earth in conjunction with the attraction of the sun and the moon. The Natwe says that, in support of his ot'inioa, he cit< s the 'act " that most earthquake? occur when the sun is nearest us, viz., in Jtnuiry; ' fewest in Juae; also, that the number of earthquakes increases in the months of April and October, becaue of tbn 1 strong attraction of i!ic KU'i on March 21, and September 23.