Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, December 05, 1872, Image 1
The Beaufort Republican.
AX INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER, DEVOTED TO POLTTICS, LITERATURE, AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. OUR MOTTO IS-TRUTII WITHOUT FEAR.
YOL. III. NO. 9. BEAUFORT, S. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1872.
The Invisible Songster. t
The morning blooms on the frosty heights,
Gath'ring'the mists in his golden hands, (
And slowly to view in the rosy lights j
The Shadowy scene, like a dream, expands.
No sonnd to gladden the drear, bright air, l
Which, but for the silence, were soft and t
warm,
Save a far-away note from chanticleer, 5
Or a house-dog's bark from the distant "
farm.
f
When -suddenly, trilled from a thicket dense, s
A song pours out from an unseen bird, \
That sooths the ear and charms the Bensc <
With a cadence sweet as e'er mortal heard. \
Scarce a leaf baa flushed the woods with gre#n, '
And the fields are still dark in their sober 1
1
hues, |
Yet with color and beauty and joy the scene j
That wonderful, beautiful voice imbues. r
I lenow not the name of the feathered king, 1
Not a glimpse can I get of liia lifted crest, <
Butjhis song is the soul of the breaking Spring, '
And it nnaa a response in my weary Dreaei.
5
Loader and clearer; the whole wide air ,
With its infinite, rapturous joy it fills, ?
Till soft grow the branches.brown and bare, i
And a green shape seems to cover the hills. c
The little brook from his ico chain breaks,
* |
And laughs in his sleeve as he leaps along,
And the frosty world to beauty awakes, t
In the spell of the unseen herald' song 1
Sing out, oh, darling of field and wood!
Our hearts, that were dreary, with thee .
must sing.
Thou has caught the key of our hopes renewed,
Ana thy song is the soul of the breaking <
Spring. i
! 1
i
MBS. ABDBEWS. ]
" It's no use. I can't put it off another \
day," I remarked more to myself than my i
great lazy l>i other, who lav stretched out '
on the library lounge, just after breakfast j
reading the newspaper.
*' Can't put what off?" ho inquired, (
tossiDg the carefully perused sheet on to s
the floor?his usual habit.
" Can't put off having my dressess j
made," I replied, a little petulantly, I am ,
r afraid, for I knew my answer would disappoint
him. Men generally have very '
littlp sympathy with housekeeping and e
dress making trials?at least my brother (
had none. " Women spend altogether too 1
much time over these things," I had
heard him say time and-time again, and *
naturally was vexed at myself for giving
utterance to this thought before him. i
"Oh, dresses!" he replied, in his usual *
tormenting tone when a subject didn't please
him. "I thought from your man- \
ner that it was something of importance." s
" Very probably, Mr. .Tobn Hittinger,"
I answered, wrathfully, "If you hadn't j
a decent coat to your back, you would .
think?" i
" That it was a matter to be attended.
to immediately," he in^rrupted. " And (
I should go at once to my tailors's; but ;
then I should never wait to get in such a 1
fix."
Oh, the tantalizing manner with which ?
this was spoken ! If you had heard it you c
would have longed to box his ears just ^
as I did.
' It you had a baby to take care of, and I
a house to attend to, and all your own
marketing to attend to," I began, my A
burning cheeks fully testifying to my vex- t
t ) 4.1 ? 1 " M
auon. i)ui ne again stopped me witn.
44 If I had a baby to take care of, and a 1
I nurse to do it, and a house to attend to.;'
with an experienced housekeeper at the :
head of the establishment, I don't think I (
should have any excuse for not having a :
decent dress to my back, or for being 1
served more than once with rump-steak,
especially when I paid for porter-house." '
This was a sore spot, and John knew it; ^
and 1 thought it was real hateful of him (
to revert to the rnattter again, especially 1
as so much fun had been made of me in ]
the past; but one can never be angry with '
John for more than a minute?at least I I
never could. lie saw my red face, and
concluded he had gone about far enough,
for, jumping up quickly, lie pulled me '
down on his knee (the great, rough, shag- f
gy fellow.) and said, while both arms held 1
me tight.
"The little woman can't take a joke (
any better now than before she was a
matron, I discover. 1 was only in tun !
Kate. Pull my whiskers, box my ears, ]
do anything you choose?only do some- |
thing. There!"?as I couldn't help
laughing to see how much in earnest he !
was growing.
" Now it's all right, isn't it? She shall
bother about dress making, and buy tough
steak, and be just as ridiculous as she
chooses?only she must never on any tc- 1
count be angry with her brother tor more 1
than a second at a time. And sow what
kind of dresses is s!ie going to buy, and
how is site going to have them made ?;1
Pompadour and pelerine and flounces, and |1
all that sort of thing, I suppose?"
44 I know exactly how I want them
made, ' I replied, laughing; for this was!
an unusual condescension of John's.
u The only thing that bothers me is who
I can get t > make them. Somebody told :
ire about a Mrs. Andrews who fitted beautifully."
44 Mrs. who did yon say ?" inquired my
brother, loosing his hold of me, and look- :
ing into my face eagerly and almost sternly,
I t nought.
4> Mrs. Andrews," I answered, wondering
what in the world had come over
him. 44 But what makes you act so fun- i
nv about it ?"
Funny?" he repeated after me, half j
musingly. "Do I art funny? I didn't
mean to. But truly, Kate, ii there is one
name that I hate more than another in
the whole vocabulary of names, that one
is Andrews."
4;But surely, John," I said, "you must
hsvea reason for this. "What cnu it be?'1
and I slipped ofThi* knee on to the lounge j
^ and made preparations to listen comfortably
to a long story; for my brother had j
been a great traveler, and had the power, i
when he felt like it, of taking his hearers
with him to e7ery place he had visited. I
soon found tLat this was one of tbe times (
when he didn't feel like it, for be said,
with a smile and a good-natured shrug of
his broad shoulders.
"You got all fixed for it, didn't you,
little cuiiosity-rtop? but it's no go. I
j bad a friend onco ywho bore that name?
hat's all; and he disgraced himself an
lis name, and caused a few of us a too
leal of trouble. That's the sum itnd sul
itance cf It- but all this happened a gjc
vbile ago, and it isn't worth thinkin
ibout. Come, oil'with you to your dresi
nakcr of the odious name, while I no dow
own and see wbat the news is."
It was natural, I suppose, that I shoul
peculate a little about this secret of John
?for that it was a secret I was quite sui
)y the way he dismissed mo from his coi
idence; and so as I rode along to tt
street and number where I was directc
to find this wonderful dress-maker, wfc
;ould fit without measurement and tiii
without patterns, I imagined ail sorts <
drange adventures for tnj brother, i
vhich everything conceivable figure*
prstt Is and coffee, etc.. etc.j in short, ever*
:hing except love. That could never ha*
offal len him. or I should have heard of i
True, John had been away from us for:
cast five years, and during a large p^ttio
)f that time wc had sOarcely heard froi
lim. Still, had he been through any ior
iflair, we should certainly have known i
ma then, again, John Wasn't the kind of
nan to fall in love, any way,, He bad bee
ilways extremely reserved in society, ii
variably preferring companionship of h
>wn sex, much to my discomfiture, wh
lad made at least ha'f a dozen splendi
natcbes for him.
In the midst of my reverie the coacl
nan appeared, saying. " This is thehoue
nadam;" and I found th't I had rollt
r.to a quiet, clean street, and had stoppc
oefore a plain two-story frame house, bea
ng the number I was in search of.
wholesome, motherly-looking woman opei
?d the door, and in answer to my call f<
Mrs. Andrews directed me up stairs to tl
'second story, front," and there 1 four*
lier. 1 wish I could giv# }*oucVeiia sligl
dea of the figure that greeted my eye i
[ entered the room. She was about mi
iium height, with a slender, graceful
Evondrousiy gracclul?figure. I thougl
:hcn, aud I say now, that she was the mo!
aeautifu! woman I ever beheld. Such e:
ceding symmetry of face and form is bare
v met with more than once in a lifetim
[t is no use to attempt a description II<
;yes were dark blue, veiled by lonj
iweeping lashei, adding to the look of p;
dent sadne.-s expressed in every featur
!lie looked about twenty, though I fouji
iftcrward that slie was something oldi
:han this-.
"Mrs. Andrews?" said I, interrogativel
is she opened the door to my knock.
' .Mrs. Andrews," she answered with
;mile?a smile so sweet and rare that
?ould have caught liar in my arms ar
tissed her without further parley.
'The dress-maker?" i asked agai
oloring to the roots of my hair withoi
;he least reason in the world.
"Mrs. Andrews, the dress-maker," si
eplicd, with dignity, the smile fadir
rom her face. "Can I do anything f<
*ou?"
In tive minutes more I had explained m
msiness, and waited to see what she woul
ay.
"I have engagements for all this week
die said, 111 low, sweet tones, glancing j
icr memorandum book. "And the
igain, Mrs. Sinclair, I never go out. M
,voik is all brought to me here, and whe
t is finished, my customers"?here si
urneu her head, and looked out #f tl
vindow for a second- "my customers";his
tune more decidedly?"send for it
"You do ru?t mean to say tliat you nevi
:o out of doors?" I inquired, with a shin
ler. Some way the idea of this love!
voniaii forever shut up with her work
his lonely street was more than I coal
>e?.r.
' Oh 110," she answered, smiling agar
*ery much to my delight, "I only mes
hat I never go out to work."
"Have you anv especial reasons f<
his?" w: my next query. "Do you n<
ind it : rally remunerative7"
"0\ it is not that," she repliei
prickly ; "but I have a little baby gir
iot quite two years old, whom I find
mpossible to leave."
"Hut that will make no difference t
no," I interrupted, warmly. "I thin
[ sliduld quite enjoy having your litt
>ne with us. She will be company i<
jiv baby ; a d, my dear little woman,
really believe the change would be gor
for you both. I think I cau safe'
promise not to overwork you."
Delicate, sweet, lady-like as" she wa
kind words were evidently strangers 1
her ears ; for, after a moment's silenc*
;lie said, with a choking sob she vain]
mdeavored to hide.
"You are very good to me ; we wi
?onie next Monday morning.
That was all?every word. I nev<
jo longed for power to express my syn
patliy and desire to be of service as :
f oil T i-*rm hi ilf* wftQ 1
llltll lilVJlliV.lJ ? , Win UtA A v.w
press lior band warmly, and promise
semi the carriage for her. How vain
less words are at such times !
John was home before me. Grea
lazy fellow ! he had nothing to do l>
look out a little for the property he ha
amassed. He had made heaps of mone
invested it wisely, and the result w
not only physical inactivity, but a mc
bid mental condition which seemed
me, as i ) my love I watched him mo
closely than anyone else, developing
a marked aud disagreeable avoidance
all society. He rode alone, walki
alone, sat in his room and read ai
studied and smoked alcne. He let r
in, however, at all times, and seem<
desirous of making me happy. >
husband at this time was abroad, sc
suppose he fc-lt some obligation coucc-r
ing me.
As usual, I found him on the libra
lounge; reading,
' Oh, John !" said I, "I have lots
toll you. Guess where 1 have been, ai
what I have iouna I Uii, sucn an a
venture as I have had."
"Adventure ?" he repeated, with
laugh. ' Adventure ? why, bless yo
heart, little sister, women are alwa
having adventures. Don't ask me
bother mj brain about such a eornmc
place subject."
"But guess where I have been."
"Shopping, of course. What did y
buy me, Kate ?"
"I haven't been shopping at all,*
answered. "Don't you remember wl
we were talking about this morning ?'
"Oh yes," said he, "I rememb
You said you couldn't put it off anotl
day ; and now I suppose you have be
cut and fitted in a truly Parisian manm
and will outdo and overwhelm eve
lady of your acquaintance."
"That's as much as you know," I i
telrupted, wrathfully. "I have lount
dress-maker, John, ji^st the swecte
cuimingest?I'll tell you all about it
d And while I stopped a second to take
d breath he broke iD, almost harshly.
)- "The dress maker you spoke of bed
fore jon went out ? Is her name?"
g "Andrews?Mrs. Andrews," I sugi
gested, in my enthusiasm quite forgetn
ful of hi3 horror of the name.
"And she is coming here," he con.d
tinued.
's "Yes, next Monday.'
e "Well, now, Kate," said he, while his
i- eyes looked straight into mine, "I never
ie want to be compelled to meet man,
d woman, or dhild by that name. ?o you
io will please bear in mind that while that
n woman is an iumate of this house I
d shall take my meals in my own room, or
n after you hare finished."
J, "But, John," t entreated, "have you
ever seen this woman ? Can it be that
re anp reason for this aversion has origint.
ated in her ?"
it "Good Heavens ! no: What possible
n conriectidu do yoii suppose Could ever
ai have existed between your dress-maker
re and myself ? I thought you had some
t: sense. Kate. It was a man who made
a me a mononlaniac on thi* subject, so
n don't ask any more questions."
l- I didn't ask any more question; and
is what was more, I firmly decided that my
10 brother and his freaks were quite beneath
(1 my notice. But I did make ready for my
dress-maker, dedicating to her use as
i- pleasant a room as 1 had in the house?
e, one that I knew she would enjoy herself
d in when her day's work was done, and
d she had time to fold her baby to her
r- heart and rock her to sleep, as I did
A mine, in the dim, beautiful, twilight,
i- Monday morning came, and with it
or Mr3. Andrews and the little one, the last
>c a golden-haired, bright-faced, sylph of a
id ahild, jiist a miniature dopy of her mothit
er. Day after day passed; and, vexed
is as I was with John, I couldn't help ens'
joying and laughing heartily at the com
ical situations he not infrequently found
?t himself in; tt seemed to me that his
*t principal business consisted in dodging
s- this poor inoffensive little Mrs. Andrews.
1- She knew I had a brother, and after the
e. first day or two gave up wondering why
?r he did not come to the table. I knew
?, it bothered her at first, although she had
too much good sense to put her thought
c. into words. She was a strauge woman to
id manage; That she appreciated my kinder
ness was very evident; but no argument
tnat I could use was Sufficient td induce
Y, her to sit with me of an evening in the
parlor or library. She was my dressa
maker?that she was very anxious to imI
press upon my mind, much to my
id annoyance. The only way I could ever
get her to ride with me was to invent
n, some excuse for shopping, and instruct
it the coachman to drive to the park afterward.
At such times,although certain she
m was made happy by the change,yet there
i.? seemed to be always something oppressor
ing her. Once I said, pushing her gently
back among tlie cushions, "I wish you
J would try and cujoy this, and get all the
Id good out of it you possibly can. See
what a good time little Maud is having."
(That was her baby's name.)
it "I do enjoy it, my dear Mrs. Sinclair."
n, she replied very sweetly. " At the same
y time I do not like to feel that I am uegm
lecting your work."
,c The atmosphere of reserve with which
t J > ?
~ sue surrouuuea uerseu was as imjicuc7,
trable as it was incomprehensible. Her
language was choice aud cultured, but
* v she seemed to keep double guard over
. * herself lest she should be betrayed into
\y a eonversatian on other subjects than
I" dress-making. One evening as I ap*
preached her room intending to sit with
her a while, I heard her voice, at first I
'b thought in prayer, but after a second 1
in stood spell bound, as she recited in tones
I sli.dl never forget, the folio wine:
>r
" I think we are too ready with complaint
In this fair world of oars. Had wo no hope,
Indeed, beyond the zenith and the slope
1, Of yonder grey, blank skv,we might grow faint
1, Tomuse upon eternity's constraint
Itound ear aspirant souls; but since the scope
Must widen early, is it well to droop
For a few days consumed in loss and taint?
0 0 pusillanimous heart, be comforted,
ik And like a cheerful traveler take the road,
le Singing beside the hedge. What if the bread
He bitter in thine inn, and thou unshod
j To meet the flints ? At least it may be said,
J Because the wav is short, I thank thee, God."
1 *
lv I went back to my room and had a
* good cry.
s Before I had half finished a servant
t(J entered, saying,
, "Mr. John wants to see you in the
ly library." So down I went, and present*
ed myself to my astonished brother with
HI a face swollen and red with weeping.
"Why, Kate, my dear child what is
the matter?"
"Do you really want me to tail you? '
t I sobbed.
j() "Why, of course I do."
"You never let me speak of her," I
(>_ continued, burying my head in his neck.
"Who is her?" ho asked wonderinqlv.
"My dress-maker, you know. I?"
b i And T wis rrnino- nn. when lie interrupt
. , ...... ^ ...... 0 0 , i
Y ! cd with,
j "I knew you would have trouble with
*v' her sooner or later. You were bound
tts ' to. Any body w ith that name?" And
'r" as true as 1 live my brother suddered so
that I felt my self growing chilly too
re irom mere sympathy.
111 " Oh, it isn't at all what you think," 1
? managed to say ; and after a good many
?t; attempts I made him understand the
j situation. What was my astonishment
to hear him say,
' I "Poor little dress maker! She has
j probably had some great trouble. I am
' glad you havo been so kind to her. If
n" my life is spared till to-morrow hiorning
I will lei you introduce me at breakfast."
ry j What was the reason, do you think,
i that I never loved rny brother in all my
to life as I did at that moment ? and the
|1(1 great, big, shaggy fellow knew it too ;
d- for he kissed me over and over again,
telliug me all the while what a good littie
woman I was, and that he was just as
ur j ashamed of himself as he could be; Afys
I tor a while he got at the business about
to ' whidi be wished to coDsnlt me. no
n-! wanted me to look over a big box of his
j papers, selecting all those bearing a cer
tain name and date. " There is nothing
ou private about them," he said ; " but I
1 cannot bear to touch them, and it will
I help me. I shall be so relievedmt
My answer was to order the box sent
to my room immediately, After this I
er. ventured to call upon Mrs. Andrews.
ier "Just come here," said I, by way of
en introduction, "and see what a job my
er, brother has given me and I led her to
rj the box. " I believe ? will let you help
me to-morrow."
in- "Why not to-nightV" she asked,
la" Perhaps he is in a harry for them,
st, Truly I do not foGl in ihp least sleepy."
Neither did I; so at itjwe w?nt.
"And is tbig man your brother ?" sh<
inquired, holding up a bill, and giving
me a look-I shall never forget to my dy
ing day?" Joh.u Bttttnger ?"
" That's his name," I answered, fright
ened half out of ray wits. " But why dc
you ask ?*'
" The name is very familiar." she ex
plained, in a quiet voice, and then ben
over her task, determined upon guarding
her secret with her life if necessary.
Such a pale, set, earnest wretched fac<
I never looked upon before or since,
took no riotide, for, you see, a glimmer
ing of the truth had dawned upon me
and, although eager to know, I coulc
afford to wait.
Fifteen minutes, I think, passed ir
perfect sileiice, otir hands busy all th<
time unfolding and sorting anew.
" What in the world is this, do yoi
suppose ? Here is a letter, a love letterit
can't be that John Bittinger evei
wrote rt jote-letter?directed to Mis
Maude Fanuirig. Isn't, thin .fanny
Here is the way it begins i My owi
darling.' 0a, isn't this fun?"
" Stop, Mrs. Sinclair !" said jnv com
panioc, taking the letterU'rom my hand
and holding it close to her h?nrt. "Tha
is my letter, and I claim the right to rea<
it alone." And without waiting for an
other word, she tnrned away and walke<
like a queen into her own appartment.
I sat like one spell-bound until she re
turned to my roem.
" WherS i* yoilr brother ?" she.said.
"Down stairs in the library," I an
swered.
" Take me to him,'' was the next sen
tence she uttered.
John lay just where I had left him 01
the lounge. With a sigh, which was al
most a groan, she walked to his side
and said, "John I have just rce!eive<
your letter."
It you could have seen him then, yoi
would have thought just as I did, tha
the fellotf was going mad. Ho clearei
that sofa with one bound ; and tile nex
thing I knew my dress maker was ii
John Bittinger's arms.
What did it all mean ? you ask.
Only this, that my brother was for
merly in partnership with a Mr. Andrews
This Mr. Andrews was desperately ii
love with the lady John was engaged tc
He succeeded in parting the lovers, thi
very letter figuring conspicuously in tli
separation. This John (who, it seems
up to the tittie muct ha^e placed entir
confidence in him J placed with others t
mail upon his desk. Andrews must hav
withdrawn it?not being able just the
to destroy?and mixed with other p.i
pers. This letter explained tho whol
situation, which Andrews had been fo
some time shrouding in mystery. A
any rate, he made trouble enough ; an
my dress maker married the wrong mar
and the wrong man drank up all hi
money and died.
She is John's wifo now, and I ai
happy, for they both love mo.
A Mamaoth Ship.
That the Devastation the new Eaglis
ship of war, is a success, so far as sli
has been tried, is now admitted. Th
ponderous monster which squats upo
the astonished waters with a dead weigli
of 10.000 tons, takes any ordinary wavt
with stolid indifference, whether sli
receives them end-on, or upon bow, beai
or quarter. The prodigious hill of foai
which her stem piles up when uud-j
way, washes, a*j was expected, elea
over her forward deck, and she is ofte
submerged aft; but her massive mu
section rides quietly enough, and thos
on board her when anchored in the ro
ling tide way at Spithead, say that sh
was "steadier than the hou 3 ashore.
She turns with great readiness and in
a small circle, and her speed, as prove
in six trials along the measured mile,
not only equal to the promise of her d
1 1 * L - ~ .1 ~ f J/Ol T1
signers, one it excuwu caj/cuiuhuu. *.
mighty CDgines driving this island <
iron with an indicated power of G,5(
horses, with seventy-seven revolutioi
per minute, got fifteen knots and a ha
out of the ship, and her mean rate at fu
steam is thirteen knots and threc-quar
ers. Here, therefore is a craft which
vulnerable onl}T to a very few guns, h
the swiftness of a mail packet, and tl
handiness?thanks to her twin screws
j of a tug, wliiie she could utilize the
I qualities to hurl ui>on the sides of :
opponent the awful force of all her ti
thousand tons moving with the veloci
of a spear. On board this remarkal
man-of-war there are r.o less than thirt
four distinct and separate engines, an
indeed, the value which she represer
is as serious as her fighting capaci
What remains to be learned is tho bell
vior of the ugly giant in a real Bisc
gale; and whether or no the cul rfe-i
which she carries aft will or will m
prove a mistake in a heavy following s(
With stability assured to 53"', with :
top gear to s<jI her over, and with dec
which can bo hermetically sealed, s
would be safe enough; but whenev
she does roll, or pitch, or scud, the r
ets and fittings in her huge body will
shrewdly tried. Except tho Russi
monitor Peter the Great, nothing flo
ing could resist or erven challenge sue]
vessel at once so strong and swift. T
torpedo, no doubt, mtiy yet be so (lev
oped as to make the Devastation, a
all her terribl6 sisters impotent agaii
a defended coast. On the high seas
j present she has no superior.
A letter from Ireland says : " I
whole county of Wexford has be
excited by the reported elopement
Miss Agne3 Barry, only daughter
the Hon. Hugh Barry au ex-member
Parliament, of Newton Barry, with
American tourist, a Mr. Fitzhenry,
Boston. Miss Barry is the absoli
possesser of the richest estate in t
country, and is heiress to over j?3,00,(
sterling, a snm represented by 81,50
000 gold, which sho inherited from 1
What Keeps Men Poor.
i " Fate is against me. I never coul<
sncceed in anything. I am doomed t
[ poverty 4 Hero I am near the meridiai
, of life, a large family upon my hands
i sons and daughters just at that age whei
i they become particularly expensive
and need much money spent upoi
, them to fit them for the position
, I wish them to occupy ; but T have no
i got it to spend unless I involve lnyael
I deeper in difficulties which have alwny
r encompassed me. What is the reason
am poor ?"
; Such are the complaints of hundred
of men in our midst who are strugglin
, as they struggled all their lives to main
i tain a style of living they fancy neces
) sary for the happiness of themselves an
I families. The main points is to mak
i others believe they are possessed c
nrpater wealth than they really are?a
; - The Mansard Roof.
> A French architect in Boston declares
that the Mansard roof, so-called in Arner.
ica, could not be built in any portion ol
) France, as it i9 a fraud and a scandal,
The Mansard roof of France is always
^ fire-proof, being built in accordance witL
r French law, of iron, brick and mortar.
Iu Germany, to save valuables at fires,
| there is a large box of strong sheet iron,
say, four feet wide, six feet high, and ter
feet long, with a door, with lock, be) nc
1 well secured on two axles and drawn bj
four horses. On alarm of fire the carI
riages, each under the superintendent
of a sergeant of police, are drawn neai
i the fire; all valuables, such as books
" money, jewelry, Ac., are placed in the
box and taken to the police station. N(
? person i3 allowed to touch anything nnti
3 all the persons having property in it an
present.
s The New York Tribune in speaking o
t the roof says: The indiscriminating out
' cry Cgarnit tho Mansard roof, not be
. ill-hnilt. hut mefclr as a roof fth<
I ~ ?
editor"writes), is not to be wondered at
though it is quite irrational. * * 1
The roof is not at all at fault. Th? faul
is in the municipal law of Boston (as wel
as New tork afld all other Americai
- cities), which permits any roof, Mansart
or other, to be superposed upon a frame
^ work, and bossed with filagree ornament
f of kindling wood. The Mansard roof i
d handsome; it lends grace and adoremen
to ?ur thoroughfares. It liberalizes an<
t adorns the pinched and rectangular archi
I tacturo of our cities. It amplifies am
t renders more commodious any> structur
II which it shelters. It has everythinj
resthetic and useful in it3 favor, and ther
. is no valid argument against It. Let it b
! built stdely of materials "that won't buri
11 and it becomes a helmet of protectioi
worn gallantly and gracefully upon th
e brow which it protects and decorates, in
stead of an unkind torch ready to sprinj
? into plumes of fire at a touch.
e
n Habits of the Opossum.
l- The American Xatvralist has tho fol
e lowing iutcrcsting particulars concerniiij
* the habits of tho opossum : The ani
,j mal is widely distributed in the Unite
i, States. It dwells in hollow logs, stumpis
and in holes at the roots of trees?doe
not burrow, but takes possession of hole
already made. Into these he will carr
leaves, usiug his tail for the purpose
and provide himself with a comfortabl
bed when bad weather threatens. J
h does not hibernate, but hunts its foo
e at all seasons, is slow of foot and ni
e very wild. It will eat bacon, dry bee
n and carrion, any kind of fowl, rabbit
it any kiud of small game, almost all th
>s insects and fruits of every variety, bein
e especially fond of musk-melons: and
ii is eaten in turn by many people, tl:
n flesh being considered delicious. Th
r has a flavor resembling that of the flefc
- ~ !>" if m on
U Ol a yuuug nuy, ?juu iv in ?.w
n loss gross. Negroes and others are c:
1- eeedingly fond of it; dogs, howeve:
se hold a very different opinion, and wi
1- sooner starve than consume it. The an
ie mal is habitually incautious, and whe
" attacked seems to possess little power <
a resistance ; literally suffering itself tol
id eaten alive by the turkey buzzard
is while it lies on its side and protes
e- against the proceeding by a succession*
ie grunts. Exceedingly tenacious of lif
of i it will survive a severe crunching by tl
)0 | dogs, when it seems as though evei
as ! bone in its body had been cracked. A
ilf though sometimes found concealed und
ill the floors of houses and ont-building
t- it refuses to be domesticated, and is b
is lieved to dwell but a short time in ai
as one place.
10 Swiss Working Psople.
The wages received by the operativ
so of Switzerland are very meagre, beir
m from thirty-three to forty per cent, lo
-n er than iu England, and from ten
fifteen per cent, lower than in Fram
; In jthe French cantons the operativ
-v" are better paid, but the expenses of li
iug are higher. In Switzerland weave
l*s receive from SI.1)2 to S3.12 per wee
dyers from SI.68 to $2.64 per week; s
ia* spinners from SI.92 to $2.40 per .woe
a? printers from $2.88 to $3.60 per wee
stocking weavers from $-.40 to 4.32 j
week. Gas workers are paid 72 cents
? l* day, powder makers 96 cents; tool a
n0 , furniture makers GOceuts; paper muk<
j 56 cents; brewers and cigar makers fre
10 38 to 75 cents; vine dressers from 38
or 52 c^nts; and agricultural laborers fr<
l%~ \ 24 to 38 cents. Smiths, joiners, tailo
1)6 : gardeners, book binders, shoemake
an and carpenters, receive from 38 to
:lt" cents a dav; and watchmakers, bake
?i ' '
a wheelrights, and ordinary mechanics
ceive from 20 to 34 cents a day. Mow
0are paid 70 cents, and gunsmiths fr<
Ul^ 72 cents to 81.14 a day. The average
lst wages is very low, and only in a f
at cases amounts to 72 cents a day.
tlie other nana the cost 01 living anai
prices of provisions are very modcn
lie Male workmen can obtain board n
sen lodging at from 61 to 61-32 a week, c
of female operatives at from 81 cents
of 61.08 a week. In country towns
?f price is mncli lower. In the norfche;
an ern cantons, where mechanical weav
?f is carried on entirely by women,,
Jte girls are lodged, boarded and clothed
the cost of the manufacturers in. est
^ lishments. Mutual aid and co-operal
je'r societiss abound, while charitv andp
perism are almost unknown.
o
f to he thought poor would destroy a
. the comforts of real wealth, did the
. possess them, llonce they labor an
; plan to deceive their neighbors even t
they are deceiving themselves. This i
k an infatuation which leads such me
t down a life of poverty as well <
1 intense misery.
j Witli but limited or small incom(
j they will spend money lavishly bcfoi
. the public in the dress and ornaments <
s their families and in * their house!
s followed by an equal parsimoniousne!
t towards themselves and their busine:
3 conveniences in private. Spcndin
- more than they receive, they are coi
1 stantly in debt, and to maintain the
e credit among their friends and debtor
? occupies much of their time, an
e monopolizes tho best energies of the
e miod3, and their capacity for matin
n money is correspondingly weakene<
n and what is clearly the road to fortui
e is overlooked in the search for a pal
i out of the entanglements of their vloui
^ tary position.
The habit of spending money twi<
over, viz. : once in anticipation of i
'-1 3 ".I.ari if ic ronoiwrl
receipt auu uyuiu ? ucu ? w <.vw..v-,
1 the cause of most of the poverty in tl
g world among the intelligent classesl*
as no one can practice it without becor
d ing involved pecuniarily, and if persish
h in it will entail life:long poverty.
s But let such a man stop where he i
's forget the Mrs. Grundys and their go
y sip, strikeout for.himself a new pat
!? never use a dime unless it is iu h
e pocket, and only nine cents of it ther
^ saving the other and putting it on i
d terest. Let him learn tliat his childn
can enjoy themselves fully as well and
^ themselves for life much better witlio
5> the many fashionable pleasures, so coi
10 mon, so expensive, and so useless ; I
8 him, in fact, live independently and fr
lt from debt, and my word for it, bis coi
10 plaints of Fate will cease. Accumul
IS tiou, though slow at first, will soon a
^ sert itself ; and the feeling of embarras
^ ment and constant anxiety, sitting lib
c" weight upon tho mind, destroying
l*' elasticity and power, will give wr
p and a time will be given to the brs
which will enable a man to see cleai
n before him, and ten to one fortu
^ dawns upon him before he isawareof
>0 If many wives would seek the cause
thp Rober looks they see upon tin
's husbands' faces, and would know w
his "locks bleach out so rapidlv, let tin
e' inquire into his pecuuiary mat :ers, a
,e if possible draw aside the vail, belli
*v which he shelters his pride even fr<
his wife ; and if she finds that he is 1
01 ing beyond his income, let her see to
s' as she values her happiness and that
c" her children, that she support his ar
and his heart in the carrying out of a
resolution he can be prevailed upon
adopt, to turn the current conveyi
es him .on to destruction and misery,
ig this means much misfortune may
w- averted.
to
e. JIovino West.?Rithcrthe most no
-rs mode of emigration by rail, combin
iv- economy and comfort, is mentioned
>rs nn Eastern co temporary. Attached t
>k; through freight train was a common <
ilk containing a man and his wife with
>k; their furniture and household goods,
>k: sides their family horse and carryTlmv
Tupro omicrratincr from Boston
>er ?"v o ?
, ft Nebraska, having chartered this frei
nd car to take them through for $300.als
they meet with no uncommon del
)ru tions, thero seems to bo no reason \
to they may not make a pleasant trip of
3m ff successful, this may be the inaugi
irs tion of still another new way of doin
r8> and the time may bo near at hand w
55 imigraut cars, fitted up with special
fcrenee to the accommodation of c
rc. grant families, may be set a running <
eI8 our Western railways, and become
om familiar to the public as sleeping car
. 0f Pullman's palaco !
ew
qn Rapid Voyage Round the Worl
Advices from Rochefort state that
^ Rhin ' steamer, just arrived in that j
n(j has accomplished oug. of the most r
1U(j voyages known. She left Toulon
t0 New Caledonia in the beginning of
the ruary, and has thus made the tour of
. world iu seven months and a few <
. The " Jura," which preceded her bj
iD8 weeks, is still at sea. If the " R
the dees not stand in need of repairs, she
[ at immediately recommence her servic
conveying convicts.
A coal mine was inundated in Staf
shire, England, drowning twenty
i men. Eleven were rescued.
JDIO vxive*
3 Time is the chrysalis of efcrnity.
0 The best inn fo'r a poet?inspiration.
a What is that which goe* up the hi
and down the hill and yet never moves ?
a The road.
Dobbs thinks that instead of giving
' credit to whom credit is due, the cash had
1 better be paid.
8 The best conundrum out: In my first
>t my second sat, ray third and fourth I ate?
If Ans. In sat-I-ate.
s An Evansville, Indiana, mother lately
j sacrificed her own life in saving her
child from the flames.
The remnant of the Seminole tribe in
8 Florida is divided into three families of
g about twenty persons each,
i- A little girl was lately frightened to
. death in Michigan by two boys, while on
^ her way home from school.
A Chicago young man was recently
quite smitten by a neighbor's wife. She
'f smote him with a rolling pin.
is A St Louis girl has inherited $5,000,11
000 from her betrothed lover who was
y an officer in the Spanish army.
^ A new use has been, found for mica.
It is now attracting public atten tion as
'8 a material for roofing buildings, for
s which purpose it has been found to bo
n peculiarly adapted.
>f A painter being asked to estimate the
cost of painting a certain house, drew
forth pencil and paper aud made the
following calculation : " A naught is a
;e naught ; three into five twice you can't;
)f I'll paint your house for fifty dollars.
Sergeant Bates, tho American whc
' - ^ ' A- T
33 started to wane trom uuasgow iu luhuuu,
?g bearing unfurled the flag of his country,
is on his journey, everywhere he is greet8
ed with the cheers of the people. Herel
ports that he has in no way been molestir
e(l*
Fj Those baauti'ul little creatures, flying
j squirrels, are now bred ^n cages by the
itinerant dealers who display them in
ir the thoroughfares. The ones bred in
ig captivity aro perfectly tame, allowing
themselves to be handled even by stranie
Sersh
" Ma, why don't you speak ?" asked
little Jake. " Why don't you say snthin*
funny ?" " What can I say ? Don'fc
you see I'm busy frying doughnuts ?
:e Say something funny, indeed!" "Wal,
ts yer might say ' Jake, won't yer hev a
cake ?' That 'ud be funny."
je Some practical joker suggested through
the Scientific American that rubbing the
? beard of! with a pumice stone (a file
n- would answer the same purpose)was a
j<3 much better way than taking it off with
a razor. Some fellow had the nerve to
try it, and the result was that he got
s> his beard off, and skin, too.
lS* A remorseless Terre Hante man " is
h, keeping a diaiy which was commenced
,[3 by his great grand father in England,
continued bv his grandfather in the same
1 ' country and on the voyage across tho
n* Atlantic to this couutry, and by him
en kopt up iu the United States till just
before his death, when his son, the
, father of tho present diarist, took up
the task and brought it down to 1827,
when the present keeper began it.
let * ?
eo The "Fat" Sheep.
rn* Some twenty-five years ago, when I
was pastor of a church in , I took
ts" occasion one evening to attend u social
3S" meeting in the church in that place. As
0a is their custom on such occasions, one
lts after another roso and gave in his or her
l'7? | experience. After somo time a man in
t!n humble circumstances, small in stature,
and with an effeminate, squeaking voice,
rose to give a piece of his experience,
!t< which was done in the following manner:
" Brethern, I have been a member of
0ir the church for many years. I have seen
P *1 ? Kaan mnoh
hard times ; my iaumy um
?m afflicted, but I have for the first time in
D(* my life to see mv pastor or any of the
nt* trustees of this church cross the threshold
of my door."
lv" No sooner lind he uttered this part of
lf? his experience than he was suddenly interruptsd
by one of the trustees, an aged
ms man, who rose and said in a loud, firm
ny voice :
*? " My dear brother, you must put the
^nS devil behind you."
On taking his seat, the pastor in
charge quickly rose, and also replied to
the "little man as follows :
" My dear brother, you must remem*
^ ber that we shepherds are sent to the lost
in? sheep of the house of Israel."
Whereupon the little man rose again,
0 a and in answer, said, in a very loud tone
-ar? e ~
of voice:
a "Yes, and if I'd been a fat one, you
k?~ would have found me long ago."
a ' The effect upon the audience can be
1 *? better imagined than described,
gbt
? ^ Anotheb Wiiarton Case.?Anothei
:cn* story of suspected poisoning has just
como to light in North Carolina which
bears a singular resemblance to the cmo
,ra" of Mrs. Wharton, not yet fully and
gs; finally disposed of, in Maryland. Two
hen women have been accused of murdering
re- by poieon the husband of one and the
>mi- father of the other. By his death, so tar
'1 ' ? ? a/j mavalv
)\'er a5 appears, iney nave suix-ecucu U1C1WJJ
i as iq reducing themselves from the condis
or tion of comfortable dependence which
t'ley eDjoyed before it to a condition of
uccornf jrtable reliance upon their own '
D*~ eiertious for support A chemical analyse
sis has been made, and the unmistakable
)0rt> presence of strychnine was developed
apid by
for
Fcb Ceuest fob Leaky Roofs. ?The best
. cement for such purpose is made of ?ne
lays. Pound of rosin, one pound of Venetian
7 six red, (or pure clay ground to a fine powhin"
der will do instead of Venetian red,) with
wi.11 sufficient raw linseed oil to reduce it to
6 111 such a consistence that it will not orack
when cold. The materials should be
mixed and applied while hot, with a
ford* {paint brush, and two or tbree coats be
-two given the cement being worked well into