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r PRODUCTS OF THE PINE. SCENES IN A NORTH CAROLINA TURPENTINE FOREST. How the Turpentine is Obtained ? -v - m ? ?r ironi uiu irees?rruicss i?? tillation?Utilizing Pine Leaves. The turpentine or long leaf pine region of North Carolina lies east of theCreat Pee Dee River, which crosses the State near its centre and is the dividing line between the hill country -ud the low- 1 lands or 9andy section. A large body of long leaf pines is called a "flat," and one could not well imagine a more desolate place than one of these Hats. It s covers probably 500 acres?sometimes more?and one may traverse its entire length and breadth without seeing so 1 much as a daisy or bluebell, the most common of flowers, to relieve the rao- i notony of pines. It is literally a forest of pines, which rear their giant forms ] fortv, sixty, a hundred feet high. The j ^ i *; ;?U1_ ?? or. : truuKs are mvuriuuijr a > ck> , arrow" and free from limb or branch un- i t til within about fifteen feet of the top, h where the limbs branch out and give the top the appearance of an expanded um- j J brella. j i Every turpentine forest, no matter t how large, is divided up into crops of ! 8,0JO and 10,000 trees. The first step , c in working a virgin forest is the hqxin?r t of the trees. For this purpose an axe, e much longer and narrower than the ordinary "club axe," is used, and it occu- ,j pies the time of two men for a week or ten days in boxing a crop. The box is ^ cut on the side of the tree most exposed to the sun and about two feet from the : ground. It is eight to ten inches across j the face and about four inches deep, shaped somewhat like the buckets on a | t grain elevator. .Each box holds from a c pint to a quart of turpentine. After the c trees have all been boxed they are left 1 alone for about a week, at the expiration a of which time the ground has all to be c gone over again. This time the boxes I a are "cornered," that is, two or three i more chips are taken from the corners ? of the boxes, thus exposing a little more i broken surface to tne acuou 01 me sun, for, it must be understood, no turpentine 3 exudes from the tree except where , i the bark is removed. Now begins the j f work in earnest. At intervals of one : i week the crop has to be gone over 1 and each tree "chipped" or "hacked." [1 This process consists of beginning at i the upper edge of the box and at each j round taking off a strip of bark about j three inches in width, inclining from the J outer edge of the tree and converging in i the centre. As the bark is removed the ; 1 tnrpentine spontaneously exudes from 1 the tree and runs down into the boxes < which were first cut near the bottom of ] the tree. When the tree has been hacked ' as high up as it can be reached, then ! i comes the more laborious worhof "pull- j | ing." This is virtually the same as i hacking, the difference being that an < oval-shaped tool is used, to which is at- j < tached a handle ten or twelve leet in I length. The "pulling" is continued un- j i til the tree is stripped of its bark up j < about twenty feot, which is as high as it1 < can be successfully worked. Dnrlnrr nil this nrocessof hackinir and ! i palling the boxes have tobc dipped reg- 1j ularly about once a week. Barrels are placed through the forest at convenient ; i intervals, and the ''dippers," provided with buckets and small* vessels fur dip- | ping the turpent:ne out of the boxes, go through the forest and collect the tur- j, pentine which has accumulated in the j j boxes and empty it into fhe barrels. , After a forest has been worked over , one time and all the turpentine has been ] procured from the first boxing it is again gone over and back boxed?that is, the other side of the tree is boxed and it is | worked just as in the lirst instance. From , thjs working as good a yield is often obItained as from the first, though the j ( turpentine is not always of as good quality. After the tree has been worked j the second time they are no longer of any | value as turpentine producers, but are I then cut down and coverted into lumber and shingles. When a forest of long leaf pine is cut down and destroyed the growth which follows it is invariably the short leaf pine, which does not produce turpentine indeed, it is fit for nothing but fence rails and fire wood. HH The process of converting crude tur tfjT pentine into spirits and resin is an interHp esting one, and yet it is difficult of lucid Jgf description. A still consists simply of a large copper vessel and a ''worm." The vessel or pot is built up in strong masonry. with a furnace underneath. By the side of this a tankF built, in which is placed the "worm.'' a spiral-shaped coil j of p'ping. and the tank is tilled with 1 -water. The pot or still is then filled i with crude turpentine and a "cap" is ; placed over the top of the still. From ! the cap a copper pipe runs to and c?m 1 nects witn me worm in me ranis, care j being taken that no crevice is left through which the steam can escape. A tire is ; then built in the furnace under the still and the turpentine is soon boijing. The steam generated by the boiling turpentine, having no other means of escape, passes through the copper piping attached to the ''cap,"and from thereinto the worm in the tank. The worm, b.-ing I kept constantly coveied with cool water, I condenses the steam and it passes out of the worm into a tank provided for the purpose, a ad is then ready to be barreled and shipped. During the process of boiling care must be taken to keep a good fire, for if it is allowed to die down the turpentine will boil over. If the j least particle of it comes in contact with the fire there is no extinguishing it. When a "run"' has been made and1 all tho spirits extracted from the turpentine, what is left in the still is called ! rosin. That is. it is the crude turpentine from which thb spirits have been extracted. This rosin is taken from the still and nut into barrels for shipment. It is also called pitch, and is used prin- j cipally for calking ships and vessels. Kven the straw (or leaf) of the long ! fi*d. Within the ' factory h^s been j ?r mattresses the j iperior to shucks j ad for this, and , it promises to be one *a* I dnstries of North C'aroh'aMyjy j Tar is also a product ofgpP *0no pine and the best payintaSpl$j|y ^6 products, because no ',u^ little labor are required jMBpftnufacture. Only the fattest or ptib^rP01"^0113 of the pine is U9ed for pose. ? Philadelphia Times. wisE^yoiiD^r Silence is the sanctuary of Evil is in antagonism witKTpjfJp0^? Hopc.^folding her wings, Our action must clothe 8:1 immortality, loathsome or glo^u^^ The world is a comedy towtrap^T, 0 thiuk, a tragedy to those who^jjrcjp?' Give what you have. To <Qg3r.08c it may be better than you darff&^r*11** A face that cannot sn^leraij? bud that blossoms and dies 9Bpc? " Good manhers is the art oFja>. ^ hose people easy with whom One of the illusions is that thwwir^T lour is not the critical, deciat^h?^ A'rite it on your heart that every dp J* 13 he best day in the year. $36? m* 3Ioney and time are the heai%fct lens of life and the unhappi(^.o?.'-a^ : "" 'aio ...v, who have aiQ^v 0 i iither than they know how to "ubfef Keep your boy heart np j^^Mp$?d. | rhc chances come later to yWp&in to >thers. Yours may be -.'.duller ' orenoon and the more brftnHlNsjjung. ! CnTQ r Coal tar, since it was disc^^W^to be i he source of an almost unlimited variety >f those very beautiful colors known genirally under the name of "aniline dye?," las yielded so many strange and new : mbstances under the searching scrutiny ! ?f the numerous investigators whose j ittention these brilliant colors hare | ittracted?much in the same way as the , jaudy flower attracts the busy bee?that 10 one is surprised to hear "that another : ivonderful discovery is announced. And r'et who would have deamed of obtain- 1 ngsuuar from a substance so uninviting is coal tar? and such sugar too! Noth- j ng shown at the recent Edinburgh Ex- j libition by the Greenock sugar manufac:urers?excellent though their exhibits it the further end of the main hall were : ?could equal it. Here are some of its properties. It is i white crystalline powder, easily soluble n warm water, and it possesses 200 times he sweetening power of the best cane or jeet-root sugar. .One part of this saccharine dissolved in 10,000 parts of water produces a solution of a distinctly sweet taste. All its known combinations have i sweet taste. A substance to wbicn tne name i,de\tro-saccharine" has been given is prepared by adding ODe part of saccharine to between 1,000 and 2,000 parts of glucose, and is said to be scarcely distinguishable in ta*te from ordinary sugar; moreover, it is cheaper than real sugar even at the present high price of saccharine, namely, 30s. a pound. The bitterest quinine solution, or acid drink, is rendered so sweet by the addition of a small portion of saccharino that not the least trace of the bitter principle of the acid can be tasted. ? Chamfers's Journal. People Wliese Breath Catches Fire. We had occasion in a recent number, savs Science, to refer to a remarkable case * * -?- i *t- -t ? in wntcn ine urcuiu oi uu imutmuai, v> rather the eructations from his stomach, took tire when brought in contact with a lighted match. This case, which was reported in the Medical Record. has called forth communications from physicians by which it would appear that the phenomenon is not such rare one as was at first supposed. In one case of disordered digestion the patient emitted inflammable gas from the mouth, which, upon analysis, was found to be largely composed of marsh gas. In another case the gas was sulphuretted hydrogen. A case is reported in tho British MedU cal Journal, in which, while blowing out a match, the patient's breath caught fire o nniaa liL-o fho rpnnrt of a nistol. WILLI a UVtOw ituv WMW ? ? J y which was loud enough to awaken his wife. One evening, while a confirmed dyspeptic was lighting his pipe, an eruc- ] tation of gas from his stomach occurred, ! and the ignited gas burned his moustache and lips. In Ewald's book on digestion, the analysis of the gas in one of these cases was carbonic acid, 20.57; hydrogen, 20.57; carburetted hydrogen, 10.75; oxygen, 0.72; nitrogen, 41.sulphu- ' retted hydrogen, a trace. The origin of these gasses is undoubtedly, thejpndigosted food, which in theser<?a*;?Dder- j goes decomposition. The fox was regarded by thf^octc^ti | as the most cunning of all his standing is still reported ?'??' i>? a a1 There nil b various species of foxes,nouc of which w^FfShse a spring chicken, if the priceian'C. too steep. They might as well have btien made so that they could climb tree^ but^as they weren't they take it out in running loose over a large extent of couq^^BS eats most everything which com^tftt-hiS^ way in the shape of meat, and can go oflj on a visit ahead of a dog faster than other animal carrying a feather-daatdrj after him. While he makes his burro?t! in the ground, and puts two elbowg??K it to keep oul farmers' pitch-fnrlS^,'he. knows every hollow log, stone-he&piod brush-pile for ten miles aroundjj^Hc would live to be fifty years old'^&be could, but between dog9, traps.' gajiwjfc' hunters and the rheumatism his^ji^^^ is ^euuiuiij i;ub suuib an\x ***,? to a tin-peddler for a dish-pan pie-tins. ? Detroit Free Press. Jm| Ice Worms. |ia? The ice gathered in many poi^Ht&9 been found to be filled with smt^Varticlcs resembling little worms, ^Rch have coine to be called ice worm* A gentleman who found the -i^anm his pond affected in this wayj^BjHKj&a investigation. lie says' tta^Ssgg^ was filled with little wrigglepicSSc^hese wore shedding their skins. Tfi&Sfe skins floated to the surface and &dfexs?&ft to the bottom of the ice, and, as it frtaze from the bottom, filled it with 50W loo' ed like great numbers oi ^^^pmovr^s.? made in Norway, chfi^Cor brnament FARM AND GARDEN. Keep an Account. The habit of keeping accurate accounts is a very important one. and any man who schools himself to it will tind it greatly to his advantage in many ways. It is wonderful how many good farmers and reputable citizens go' through the year, and year after year, without keeping an account of the money they receive or ooonrl of tho orr>r?? thev harvest, of "f'V*.-, ""w V4 w ? "J 1 the liye stock that are dropped, of the butter and eggs " traded at the store. The fact comes out so often in lawsuits that we must believe it general. It is very easy to make a change, and it will take only a few minutes every evening to keep the record, Such memoranda, if they are only such, are often of the greatest value in llxing dates, in refreshing the memory and in settling disputes, aside from their legitimate use.? Wisconsin Agriculturalist. Plowing Under Corn. In the Ohio Farmer, Mr. Waldo F Brown discusses the question: Shall we plow under clover? Ilesays: "Farmers living near a city or large town, where there is a demand for clover hay and a cash market, and at such a distance that they can make a round trip in a day, can afford to cut and take it to market; but tlw* man ramfrnm mfirlrpf. milQt. till?ft into consideration the two facts, that farm produce of all kinds is selling low, and cattle exceptionally so, and farm labor is as high as it was when we averaged from thirty to fifty per cent, more for what we sold. How much can we make to pay $1 a day for farm help and Bell two year-old cattle?nice, smooth, well-bred cattle at that?at from $3 to $3..r>0 per 100! And these have been the best prices obtainable in our markets this fall, and are now, and how much can be qiade to feed cattle another year, for an advance of less than a cent per pound? I know that there are thousands of farmers who winter cattle, and who could not sell them in the spring for $3 a head more than they would have brought in the fall. .1 have adopted these rules on my farm. First, to sow clover with all small grain, and I average about twenty-five acres a year with but sixty acres ot plowed land, second, never to pasture the clover at all, but to let it make its full growth, from harvest to cold weather. If the land is to be put in corn or potatoes the next season, all this growth is allowed to stand till spring, when it is turned under or burned and the ashes plowed down. If the field is to be cut down for seed the next year, it is not sale to allow too heavy a growth, as it may smother out the crop, so in this case we cut it about the time it begins to show blossoms and allow it to lie on the ground, and the next growth grows through it. Third, I sow the mammoth clover for seed, because?1st. I do net wish any clover "hay. 2d. It jicius iuujc dui u nuu llsuic uauiiu w vu used a< a fertilizer. I'd. As it seeds in the first crop it is ready to cut early in Augu t, when there is little risk of bad weather for curing and threshing, and when the hullers are nut pushed with work, and the crop is taken off early enough to give time to prepare the land for wheat, and seed it in good time, for I do not allow the crop to stand a second year. "I do not assert that a crop of clover that grows between wheat harvest and frost in the. fall to its full development, is of as mueh value as a fertilizer, as if it were left to make a spring growth and be turned under the next June, although T urn hut littlr. rl itfi-rf>nri? lint in fine. case the co>t is only seed and sowing, and in the other we must add a year's rent of the land. I think a fall growth of clover for nlowing down is always profitable, while to lo?e a season's cultivation of the land to grow the crop might not be. Of one thing I am sure, I am keeDing my land in better condition under my present plan of plowing down clover, than when I bought manure at the village, and it cost me, counting a hand and team as worth $2.50 per day, over $15 an acre to manure my land. I shall continue to grow clover for the express purpose of plowing it under on one-third or more of my plow land until I find it unp ofitable, and I think that will be as long as I live." Farm and Garden Notes. It is said that if apples be fed to cows the flow of milk will be diminished. I ay in your stock of seeds for spring early. Every preparation should be made before the busy seuson opens. A common noe, siraigntenea out oj a blacksmith, makes a cheap and excellent implement for chopping roots for stock. There is annually a large amount of bogus butter made in the churn, owing to lack of bkill. care and proper temperature in churning. "Whether prices be up or down, prime mutton sheep a>e always salable, and at good prices. The markets are never supplied with choice mutton. "White clover is valuable as a pasture grass, unci will yield a fair crop of hay under fair circumstances; it is a valuable food for milch cow and young stock. > Kentucky blue grass does best on limestone soil, and is not a success upon i^pitber kinds of land. "When in land jSnpted to it it will drive out other yeggs', Short-legged fowl fatten quickly; "long-legs are hard to fatten. Those that ;*re first hatched fatten quickest in a ,brood. Sell as soon as the chickens can Lj)e got in condition. Sudden changes of the weather cause '^disease among fowl much sooner than long continued cold or warm weather. -Roup, a very contagious disease, is usually due to dampness. It is not best to utilize trees as supports for gi ape vines. Not only doe; , the vine completely shade the tree, but I it becomes difficult to gather the grapes, while pruning is almost impossible. There is much discussion about the necessity and benefits from tree plant j ivg in many sections ot tne country, n is not too late even now to save a sup ply of seeds of some kinds of foresl ! trees. A Missouri breeder says that he made his Cotswolds yield thirteen pounds oJ wool with shelter, against eleven whet unsheltered, and fed one bushel of corr and one of oats per day to forty-eighl head. It is said that when a horse strays of] I he is usually found wanderinsr in the di rection the wind is blowing, thus turning his back to th: wind, but with sheep the contrary is the case, as sheep face the storm. Don't forget, in cold weather, to drop into your fowls' drink, occasionally, a little cayenne pepper. This is very excellent, in its way, for warming the craw when the thermometer is running down toward zero. Try cutting clover into short lengths, steeping it over night in hot water and | feeding to the hogs. It makes a cheap food, but one of the best, not only assisting them in growth, but greatly pro | moting health. All the plans for next season should be arranged now. Have everything in readiness to begin work when the busy season comes, as no time can then be spared to those matters which may be overlookod now. Professor E. "VV. Stewart, in the Country Gentleman, says that the margin in feeding, even most skillful, will not stand the additional profits of local feed merchants, and advises feeders to unite and i buy at wholesale. The Journal of Aqriculture says that l the most successful shepherd of the | future will have his mutton on the market as rcgulalry and in as good condition as his wool. This same man will make both products as good as possible. Straight backs, broad loius and round bodies-indicate valuable qualities Jn sheep, 4^1 it is only by the use of rams of the muttcn breeds that such can be obtained. By grading up annually it requires but a short time to entirely change a flock. A stone fence only wants binding crosswise, it does not fall down lengthwise. A crooked rail should never be put in the fence near the bottom. A crooked rail, like a crooked man, makes more trouble than it is worth; better make wood of it. In the cow stable or dairy house there must be no smoking, no filtn nor odors of any kind. Cold milk is a rapid absorbent of gases and odors, and the quality of the butter from milk largely depends upon the time it is drawn from the cow to being cooled. Lime-impregnated wood, it is said, will withstand the action of the weather for a very much longer period of time. The process is very simple, and is certainly worth trying. The timbers or boards are cut into the exact form required for use, and then stored in a pit or tank and thoroughly saturated with a solution of lime. At the inclement season we may avoid, or at least mitigate, the prevalence of roup among the fowl stock by providing them with comfortable shelter and proper care. Good ventilation, fresh water daily, at least one feed of cooked vegetables, a supply of green focd of some sort, and full feeding ol sound grain in alternation are requisites for their health and thrift. The poach seems to exhaust the soil with remarkable prodigality. The crop in Delaware is now said to be becoming Eoorer every year, and the past season as made it apparent that soils which formerly grew superior peaches, have lately shown a lack of potency for the production of the crop in its old-time excellence. There muy be other causes, but the vitality seems to be rapidly exhausted from the soil bv this fruit. Where only one or two cows are kept in winter, especially if nearly dry and led on hay, cream, accumulates slowly and is liable to spoil before it can be churned. The bitter taste found in winter butter may be the result of rag weed or other weeds in the hay. Cornstalks arc better feed for cows than the best of i hay. Clover in nutritive value is richer than the grasses, but even when green it is not good for butter or milk. Steers and milch cows should never be kept in the same pasture, says the Texas Stockman. liaising beef requires skill. The first requisite is rapid growth of the frame, and in the younger days of the animal too much consideration cannot be given to thismatter. Steers when growing convert all their food in the direction of b ilding up the body. There n.rp times when thev must receive special attention,different to that given to "cows, for success depends upon how the cattle are managed. A ration of cornmeai twice a day with ! other feed will make the milk much j richer, and with most cows will make the butter of better color. Winter butter at its best is apt to be too white. It is not a fraud on consumers to use coloring matter on well made, sweet winter butter. The improvement in appearance makes the butter really more palatable. Good farmers u-e artificial coloring in the winter when they only make what they use on their own tables. If properly made, winter butter is as good as the best grass butter. With a rapidly increasing population there will be danger of excessive dearness of meat, such as prevails in the densely populated countries of Europe, and ftoW this we' can only be saved by 1 such improvement in breeds of stock as | will produce beef at less cost. On cheap lands, the Shorthorns, aiming at nee: production almost exclusively, have been best adapted to this end. But in the older sections of the country, where la bor and skill combined to offset the increased price of land, the Hol>teins, bred for milk and butter as well as beef, will certainly have the preference. Antiquity of Gingerbread. It will surprise housekeepers to learn that our homely everyday luxury?gin, gerbrcad?has been used since the four.teen century. It was mado then and sold in Paris?so Monteil affirms in his "Ilistoire des Francais." It was then prepared with rye-meal, made into a dough, and ginger and other spices, with sugar or honey, were kneaded into it. It ! was introduced into England by the ' court of Henry IV. for their festivals, and soon brought into general use. Since then it has retained its popularity and 5 contributed much to the "pleasures and " enjoyments of young and old. A great 1 change,of course, was alter a while made " in its composition, and particularly after - it was introduced into th'13 country. Honey, being more exponsive than moJ lasses, was less used, and the darker color f hidden under some other ingredient, or 1 gilded. "To take the gilt off the gin1 gcrbread," was a common proverb, and t in the old country booths, glittering ... j?: : : ,? | wuu ineir ruue ucvn.cs iu jjiugci mcou, [ I arc still seen iu many country towns to . | this day. I * r < 1 SOLDIERING ON SKATES. A MILITAKY RESOURCES MPLOrED IN NORWAY. The Norwegian Snow Skates Utilized in Military Movements?How the Skating Soldiers Operated. Norway, during a considerable part of the year, is co^ethd with snow; and her winters, which ih other countries are of snore aurutDjn, extena 10 nve or six months, an in tto' most northern parts to a much longejr period. During this time it is impossible to leave the beaten roads, for the purpose at least of travelling; and when fresh snow happens to fail, even the communication by means of them is stopped till the sledging is able to be continued by means of a machine, which, being dragged by horses along the road, restores the former track, by cleaning away the snow in part and flattening and levelling the remainder. The thinness, however, of the population, widely scattered oyer such an immense extent of country, renders it in i many places impossible to keep the roads | open by these means. It was natural, ' then, that the Morwegiau should devise i bo.ue mode by which to leave his hut, generally far removed from roads, and I traverse the forests in various directions j with sufficient celerity to follow the chase, his favorite occupation, h'or this purpose he devised the skies, or snow I skates, which consist of two thin, narrow ! pieces of fir, of unequal lengths, the foremost part being pointed and turned upward. The *onsjest, which measures about seven feet, is used on the left foot; and the other, which is about two feet shorter on the right. The latter is called aander. from the foot beini? used more I than the left, particularly" in turning. I Both skates are about three inches in ' width, and an inch in thickness in the centre, where the foot is placed, which is | tirmly bound to the skic by loops at the side made of willow or fibres of fir roots, | to which are fastened leather thongs. The skies are smeared with tar and pitch, I and the under side is hollowed in the centre into a groove to prevent their slipping laterally, and to enable the skielber, or skater, to keep a straight course. Notwithstanding tho obstacles which the nature of the country, particularly during winter, would seem to throw in the way of an invading enemy. Norway has often been attacked during this season; and as the use of the skie had been i known to the natives from the earliest times, it was natural to think of forming a military corps of skaters and furnishing riflemen with the skie, in the use of which the mountaineers display such astonishing ease and celerity. Luring the former wars with Sweden all the Norwegian light troop3 have occasionally made use of skies; a certain portion, - ? +1 i: i i i However, 01 mem were mure pttrnuuiunj I trained to the use of these kinds of skates, under the denomination of the skielovere, signifying literally skate runners. Previous to the union between Norway and Sweden there existed in Norway regiments of skaters?one in the district of Drontheim, and the other in j that of Aggerhuus. The above event, however, having caused a considerable I reduction of the Norwegian army, the ' number of the skating soldiers was also : reduced. The uniform of the regiment j was green, like that of the other rifle j corps, though the men, upon ordinary ; occasions, also wore an undress jacket of j a coarser kind of cloth, the color of which was gray; and they were likewise ' provided with a peculior kind of gaiters, ' in order tc protect their feet the more ! effectually from the snow. The arms of ! the skielober were a rifle, to . which j was attached a broad leathern strap 'passing over the'shoulder, and a short sword. He carried with him. besides, a i staff (skiestoken), seven feet in length, and rather more than an inch in diame[ ter. This, which was held in the right | hand, was armed at one end with an iron : spike, and above it was placed a circular niece of wood. The use of the former ! was to penetrate the frozen snow, and of the latter to prevent the staff sinking in, giving thus a firm support to the bearer. The skicstok, or skicstav, as it was called, was likewise, as has been be; fore observed, of considerable use to the ; skielober, in enabling him to moderate ! his speed, make sudden wheels, and preserve the necessary balance during the descent of steep declivities. The skieloberc to the skate exercise united that of the ordinary chasseurs, or light troops, of which it constituted a part, and it I performed all the duties, differing from ! them only by marching on skates, which I ??if o T7nt*n rvrnnf fllinprinplfr Thfl 1 gtt?o 11/ o. in, --( J- I ! skielobere moved with singular agility, I and from the depth of snow were safe j from pursuit of cavalry or infantry. On i the other hand, they could attack the \ enemy's columns on march, and harass ; them incessantly on both sides of the ' road, without incurring any danger to j themselves. Cannon shot produced lic! tie effect directed against them, dispersed j as they were at the distance of 200 or i yuO paces, and their movements were so rapid that at the very instant you would expect to see them a second time they had already disappeared, to appear again I in a quarter where you were net in the j least aware of them. The real superiority of the skating soldiers, however, was chiefly shown when the enemy halted after a long march. Whatever precautions might then bo taken, they were in constant danger from troops which had no occasion for path or road,and traversed with indifference marshes, lakes, rivers and mountains. Even in those parts where i the ice is too feeble to bear the weight of a man, the skielober glides safely over by the mere rapidity of his motion. No corps, therefore, could be so proper to reconnoitre in winter, to give information of the movements of an enemy, and | to perform, in fact the functions of a courier. Their provisions and baggage were transported on light wooden sledges (skiekjelke), which one man nlone drew with ease, by the help of a ! leathern strap passed over the right J shoulder. These were also extremely serviceable in conveying such as might be severely wounded. The Norwegian skieloberc were, on many occasions, extremely serviceable in preserving the communication between distant corps, in surprising small detachments of the enemy, and harras-ing their march, whether when advancing or retreating. ?London standard. A citizen of Illinois has invented a machine to trim hedges for which he has I been offered $16,000. > * SELECT SIFTINGS. ' The Lawrence was the flag-ship of Commodore Perry's squadron on Lake* Erie in 1813. In the seventh century pens were first made from quills, and glass was manufactured in England. Seven years ago a fire broke out in a deep mine near Vienna City, Nev., and it has been burning ever since. Tho Roman Empire may be said to begin with the year B. C. 27, when Octavius assumed the title of Augustus. Up to the present time sixty-one species of lilies have become known, according to an English botanist, Air. H. Elwes. During the eleventh century musical notes were invented, windmills were first used, and clocks with wheels were introduced. / A big gopher snake was killed recently at Datona, Fla., in whose stomach was found a three-foot rattlesnake, still alive. The gopher was over six feet in length. The "freedom of the city" was formerly an honor of substantial advantage to the one upon whom it was conferred. At the present day it is little more than an empty compliment. The Pinta was one of the three little vessels with which Columbus set sail for America from Palos, Spain, on the 2d of August, 1402. The Pinta was commanded by a famous Spanish navigator, _ Alonzo Pmzon. The present cost of operating the railroads of the country with steam power is in round numbers $502,000,000 per annum; but to carry on the same amount , of work with men and horses would cost the country $11,803,500,000. An Indianapolis family were troubled with diphtheria for several weeks. During the illness of the children they played much with a pet parrot, which they handled considerably. After they got well the bird became ill, and in a few days died, showing all symptoms of diphtheria. Coal miners frequently find curious formations in a vein of coal. An Annot (Penn.) miner took out a piece of sulphur a few days ago which was a perfectly formed ear of corn, toe Kernels ana rows being very distinct. It was under twenty feet of solid rock and in the middle of the coal vein. The period commonly known as "The Dark Ages" embraces the first six centuries of the Middle Ages, that ie, from the close of the fifth to the close of the eleventh century. The Middle Ages comprise the 1,000 years commencing with the close of the fifth and ending with the close of the fifteenth centuries. Whispering Stones. Among the first curiosities shown the visitors to the Capitol are the whispering stones in the statuary Hall, which used to be the old House of Representatives. There ore several sets of these stones, and a person standing on one can hear a second pereon whisper, if that person is on the corresponding stone on the other side of the hall. One of the most curious of these stones is the long distance one. The stone is near the north door of the hall, while -the person ?*. who talks must stand on the threshold of the doorway of the south entrance, ^ r- -a. A some twenty ieet ?w?jf. xluj vug omuuing on the stone near the north door can hear the familiar whispers uttered on the doorsteps of the south door. The other day a bride and groom were among the visitors. They were from New York, and one of the groom's friends was showing them around. ' Of course, he was explaining the whispering stones to them. The bride was on the north stono and the friend stood upon the steps of the south door. He was whispering to her several little things of interest about the hall. She had her back toward him. A page from the house came along and got interested in the conversation. Suddenly he thought he, too, would talk to the bride, and when the friend stopped for an instant, the page said : "Say, old girl, how old are you, anyhow?" As quick as lightning, the bride hopped off the whispering stone. Her face was crimson with blushes, and she took her husband's arm and walked off. The friend had heard the page's remark, and saw its result, but before he could grab the boy, the naughty page had fled. He followed his friend and his young bride, and tried his best to explain matters,but somenow the bride doubted his story.? Baltimore American. , Presidents Witn roor memories. Franklin Pierce and William Henry ITarrison bad miserable memories, says the Nashville (Tenn.) American. It ii said that on one occasion a member ol the former's cabinet presented his daughter to bitn. A moment after an attache of the English diplomatic corps requested an introduction to the lady. Pierce turned, looked at her, offered his hand and stammered an apology while he asked her name. She was completely confused, and the officer who had seen the first introduction was at a loss for words. The situation was exceedingly unpleasant. At a reception at the White House Harrison was the centre of a coterie of beautiful women and courtly men, exchanging the civilities of the hour, and in a high feather with himseli and the world. A tall gentleman, wearing side whiskers, with aquiline features, clad in the mode of the miniature court which surrounds a president, approached him, extending his hand. The group parted before the visitor who, with a calm dignity, advanced. "General, I greet and congratulate you," the stranger said. "I do not know you, sir," replied Harrison. "I was your chief of staff, sir, during the Indian wars," responded the intruder as he majestically confronted his whilom chieftain. In a moment the President recognized his old comrade in arms. Though apologies for his forgetfulness were profuse, yet, it is said, his aid never forgot the slight. Persian Thievery. I had ridden some ten miles out to a village, and feeling fatigued gave my horse to a native whilst I entered a gar* den for half an hour's rest. On remount * Li.l. L.i ing I noticed tne anunai?wmcu nau been shod the previous day?was going a little lame, but thought this was caused by the stony character of the road. On reaching home I examined his feet, when lo! a miracle. The new shoes had changed into old and broken ones.? Detroit Free Prezs.