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THE CLOCK TICKS ON, [ Th« ionff that we’re Binging bean, with it a moral, To be taken to heart by the Toang and the old; While Time, envious fellow, so quietly steal ing, Shall whisper-go print it in letter* oi gold— y “The clock ticks on!” The maiden who trillee with honest affec tion, Who thinks youth eternal, ah! let her be ware; She’ll find out too late, with a bitter flection, That Time is relentless—she’s no longer fair. “The clock ticks on!” ro- you gave—each an There’s the note that easy transaction; Three long mouths to elapse ere the pay ment Is due. How hard to consider that Time’s stealing on you, And the day of protesting you’ll bitterly rue. “The clock ticks on!’’ Tour friends are departing—how sadly you miss them— But you count not the hours so mourn fully told; And sadly oblivious to time that Is passing, You dream not a moment that you are growing old. “The clock ticks on!” —Harper’s Weekly. THE DECREE OF JUSTICE. ET justice bo done, though tho heavens nhould fall!” Mr. Elkington spoke with a firm voice and steady eye. “Crime is often committed under the pressure of great temptation. In a moment of weak ness, the unhappy subject of evil allurement falls,” said the person with whom the gentleman was in conversation. “There are collateral considerations in every ease, which may not bo disregarded with out wrong to the individual. And we may assume it as an undoubted truth, that in doing wrong to an individual, we wrong the body of which that in dividual is a member.” “There is a great deal of false philanthropy, as well as falso judg ment, excused by this argument based on exceptions to general rules,” said Mr. Elkington, with an air of self- Hatisfaotion. “For my part, I believe that more harm is done in the end by admitting the exceptions, than could possibly arise from an invariably stringent application of tho rule. The man who steals knows that be is violat ing a law of both God and his fellow. The statute of his country says that for snob an evil act he must sutler the penalty of imprisonment. Let, then, the penalty be made so sure that escape becomes next to a moral im possibility. Let every one who be comes cognizant of an act of stealing give the offender to speedy jnstioe. For my part, painful as the necessity might be, I should not stand between justice and my own son, were ho to become an offender. The stern old poman father has left an example of gnawerving justice that Christians would do well to imitate. “The time may come when you will think a little differently,” said tho friend; “when collateral indnenoes will have satfioiont weight to interpose an exception to yonr stringent general zule." “WeTl see,” returned Mr. Elking ton, confidently, as tho two men se parated. A few days after the conversation took place, Mr. Elkington, who was a merchant, was rather surprised to re ceive a notification that he had over drawn his bank aocoant more than two thousand dollars. “Altogether a mistake," ho said to himself, as he opened hia desk in order to take therefrom his bank hook. But, the bank book was not in the usual place. After tumbling over some papers hurriedly, to see if it were not concealed beneath them, he turned to ono of his olorks and said: “Where is James?” “He hasn't been in the store this morning, sir.” “Why? Is ho sick?” * “I cannot tell, sir. He made no complaint of indisposition on leaving the store lost evening.’' It was on the lip of Mr. Elkington to say, in a doubtful tone of voice: “There is somothing wrong;" but cheeking the utterance thereof, ho took his hat and left the store. A little while afterward ho presented himself at tho counter of the bank where he kept his deposits, and asked the bookkeeper to oblige him by tarn ing to his account. “1 see no credit here for two thou sand dollars, deposited yesterday, said Mr. Elkington. “Did you make such a deposit?” asked the bookkeeper. “1 certainly did; or, at least, in tended to make it.” The blotter of tho receiving teller was referred to, but no credit of the sum mentioned was found thereon. “What does your bank book say?” inquired the teller. “I can’t find it,” said Mr. Elking ton, in some confusion and perplexity of manner. “It has been overlaid in or upon my desk. But I know the deposit was made.” “The bank book will settle tho mat ter at once,” remarked the teller. “I don’t like the look of this at all,” said Mr. Elkington to himself, as ho went hurriedly back to his store. James absent; the bank book not to be found; and no memorandum of a two thousand dollar deposit made yes- has not robbed me! He cannot be so base. Bat if he hat I” How stern and hard instantly be came tbe countenance of the mer chant. “If he has, woe be to him ! I will track his steps with quick-footed justice; the ungrateful wretch!” It was, alas! quite as bad os the mer chant had suspected. James Craig, a yonng man in his twentieth year, whose character hitherto had stood above suspicion, in an evil hour had yielded to temptation, and become the base robber of his employer. But scarcely was tho deed done beyond the possibility of avoiding exposure, ero the dishonest deed was bitterly repent ed. His first act, after appropriating 82000, instead of depositing the sum in tho bank, was to leave the city in the earliest train of cars for the South. In Baltimore he took lodgings in an obscare tavern, whore he hid himself away from observation, hoping to re main concealed until the tirst search for him should bo over. Hero, in great hamiliution and distress of mind, ho awaited tho progress of events, bitterly repenting his folly and crime. O, what would he not have given for restored integrity 1 The price of virtue and a good name was his; but the sum of 82000, which a little while before, had loomed up with such a golden at traction, now seemed of no value what ever, compared with the rich treasure he had parted with in order to secure it. On tho second day after Craig’s ar rival in Baltimore, as he sat irresolute and despondent in his room, the door thereof was thrown suddenly open,and Mr. Elkington stood boforo him, with sternly knit brows, and eyes that seemed ns if they would pierce him through and through. Instantly tho wretched young man far as New paused. Then in a said: “What then?” “I will pass on farther South; and under a new name seek to win back for myself by honest industry the position I have lost.” Mr. Elkington stood silent for tho space of nearly a minute. “Have you u:—• money?” he then asked. “Enongu to take mo ns Orleans.” “James,” said Mr. Elkington, his manner still more softened toward the young man, “it shall be as you wish. And to show you that I feel an awaken ing confidence in your good purpose, I will lend you fifty dollars. Ton may not readily find employment, and destitution might lead to temptation.” “Not fifty dollars, Mr. Elkington,” was the quick answer; “but if you will make tho sum twenty dollars, it shall be returned if I live. Ah sir 1 this generous kindness will never be forgotten. I feel it already as a now impulse to virtuous actions.” “May your good resolutions fail not,” said Mr. Elkington, with visible emotion. “Take tbis,” and ho hand ed Craig a small roll of bank bills. “Bo true to youfself and your mother and all may yet be well.” softened voice, h« A NOVEL INDUSTRY. HALTING DOWN MUTTON BIRDS FOR AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. + e rday standing to my credit. c*n it mean? Trnly, that vo What that young man turned palo as death, and ho was for some moments so paralyzed the ho could not neither move nor speak. “Humph! So I’ve found you,'have I?” said Mr. Elkington, as ho closed tho door. There was a cruel mouaco in tho tones of his voice, that loft small room for hope in tho mind of the guilty one who cowed boforo him. “And now, what have you to say for yourself? “Speak!” ho added more impera tively; “what have you to say for yourself?” “Nothing,” replied the young man. “WhexM is my money?” said Mr. Elkiuton. Craig drew from his pocket a thick roll of bank bills, and handing them to Mr. Elkington, replied: “There it is; I have not nsed a dol lar. God in heaven knows how bit terly 1 have repented of this dreadful crime I” The merchant was taken rather by surprise at this unexpected restiiu- tiou. Still, his purpose to hand the offender over to justice remained Arm, Ho had pondered the matter closely— had even weighed the strong appeals mode by certain collateral considera tions; bat his rigid motto—“Let jnstioe be done, though the heavens should fall 1”—had decided his course of action, and even now a police officer awaited his summons below. “James,” said Mr. Elkington stern ly, “yon have orossed the Rubicon of crime, and your enemy, retribution, must be mat. The law wisely ordains punishment for theft. Yon have stolen my property, and os a good citizen it becomes my duty to give you up to the ministers of the law, which I shall do. A police offioor is in tho house; you will pass front here into his hande. Unhappy young man! how have you marred your whole future life. What insanity wa.' upon yon?” “O, Mr. Elkington, exclaimed Craig, sinking upon ono knee, and lifting his face to that of tho mer chant, “do not sacrifice mo for one falso stop, tho first I have token.” “I do not sacrifice you, James,” said Mr. Elkington. “Tho act is yuur own. You have committed a crime, and it is my duty, as I have said, to hand you over to those who punish crime. I feel for you deeply; but I cannot give place to weakness. Justice must be done, though the heavens should fall. If each one, against whom a crime is committed, suffer the otfen der, when in| his power, to escape, every social safeguard is removed. No, no, James, painful as the act will be, I must give you up to justice.' And Mr. Elkington turned to leave tbe room. Bat, as bo did so, the wretched young man started forward, and seizing his Laud, said imploring ly: “I have a poor widowed mother, sir; if her son is disgraced her heart will be broken.” “You should have thought of that before, James. It is too late now.” “Do not say this I O, sir, do not say this 1 I am not so bad as yoa think. If I coaid be overcome in temptation while snrrounded with safeguards,how will I be able to stand when all these ore removed? O, sir, I claim justice for myself, justice for my unhappy mother. Do not utterly ruin tho widow’s only sou 1” “Justice! justice 1”said Mr. Elking ton, in a half bewildered manner, as ho turned toward the young man. “You talk of justice !” “Will it be just to destroy a young man, when you might save him?” Tho voice of Craig was now firm ami his eyes steady. His imminent peril had made him calmer. “The law was made for tho protec tion of society; yoa have—” “Listen, Mr. Elkington! Hear to reason! Will society bo safer, so far as I am concerned, ten years hence, if by your act, I am hardened into a de liberate criminal?” The stern purpose of tho merchant began to waver; Craig saw it, and grasping his hands, said: “Think of my poor mother, and let me go free. Believe me, sir, your bead will rest npen a quieter pillow than if you set the heel of imaginary juBtico on my head, and crush out all innocence beneath its iron tread.” A moment or two Mr. Elkington Ten years passed. Occasionally, in his native city, some one inquired for James Craig! but from tho time he left in disgrace no one seemed to know anything about him. A few months after his disappearance his mother went somewhere to tho South, it was said to join her son. As time wore on they were forgotten, or only thought of casually by a few who had known them more intimately than the rest. One day a Southern merchant, named Floyd, to whom Mr. Elking ton had sold large bills of goods dur ing the previous four or five years, but who had not visited the North during that time, called in at the store of .Mr. Elkington and mentioned his name. His hand was at once grasped, cordially, and much pleasure expressed at making tho personal ac quaintance of a valued business corre spondent. As tho two men stood looking into each other’s face, Mr. Elkington was struck with something strangely familiar in tho countenance of his visitor. “You do not remember me,” said Floyd. “James—James Craig! Is it possi ble?” exclaimod Mr. Elkington, in a low voice. “Not James Craig. That name was dishonored. But Andrew Floyd, a name yet untarnished, ami which I trust to keep bright to tho end. You were just to the good that yet remained in my heart, Mr. Elkington, and I am, thank God, a man again. What the consequences would have keen had your sterner ideas of justice had their way, 1 shudder to imagine.” For several moments Mr. Elkington stood silent, and in some bewilder ment. Then he said in a subdued manner: “And I shudder, also. Ah! how mnoh harm we may do by too string ent applications of general laws in particular cases. Fiat Justitia is a golden rnle; but when wo resolve that justice shall be done, let us be very eertaiu that we are not guilty of tbe rankest injustice.” And so say we all. Let justice be done—but panse and consider well the case, and bo very sure that something really good is not destroyed by yonr action. Hhould such, unhappily, bo the result, then instead of being just, you have surely wronged your neigh bor.—New York Nows. Great Quantities of the Edible Sea Fowls Are Packed In Barrels tor Shipment Like Pork— Where They are Fouud. T ASTES differ in different lati tudes, even among English- speaking people. Imagine Caucasians dining on salted petrels, and with a relish, too, as though that fish-eating sea bird wore a luxury. Of all the fowl that haunt the barren islands on the Califernia •oast none are considered quite so worthless as the sooty petrel. Even tho seagnll has his usefulness as a scavenger on the bays along the coast, but tbe pretrel is truly a despised bird in these waters. Eeagnlls’ eggs bring a price in the market that make it worth while to gather them at consid erable expense, but no one thinks it worth while to rob the petrels’ nests on tbe rookeries at the Farallone isl ands. It is different in Anstralia. Is it the cold winds that blow up from the Ant arctic regions or tho hot air that sweeps down from tho equator? No matter what the cause, the fact is that the appetites of our Australian cousins are radically different. The sooty petrel is there an edible fowl with a decided market value, and a number of men and small craft are employed each year in catching, salting, pack ing and carrying it in great quantities from the rookeries on Trefoil Island and other adjoining islands on tho ton birds is being eston at Melbourne the adult parents, with perhaps a cer tain percentage of the yonng ones that have escaped the catchers, are return ing to their old haunts, occupying CURIOUS FACTS. TACKING MUTTON BIRDS. the old and scratching new nests on the Farallone Islands. Hero the birds are practically unmolested, and it may thus be said, with some basis in reason, that the California coast is supplying the Australian coasters with tbeir edible sea fowl. It is true, of coarse, that the petrel fi»*?i3 other quiet nesting places besides islands off the California coast, but it is also true that Catalina, the Santa Barbara channel islands, and the Far- allones are their chief rookeries on this coast, and that at certain seasons theso islands are entirely deserted by TREFOIL ISLAND, THE HOME OF THE MUTTON BIRDS. Rcrth coast of Tasmania to Stanley and Melbourne. Mutton birds is the general name given the petrel there, and the men and ships engaged in the business are known as “mutton birders.” To Americans this is quite a novel indus try, and tho fact that such common sea birds os the petrel are packed and salted down like so much pork is always a matter of wonderment to strangers who go there. But tho test of the pudding is in the eating of it, and those who have dined off mntton birds instead of land mutton pro nounce tho ono every bit as good as the other. If you leave San Francisco in August sailing westward and south ward yon will pass many great flocks of birds that will be pointed out to yon as sooty pdtrels—or they' will pass you, for theynjre traveling aboat three times faster than yon are. And when yon reach Melbourne and have become acclimated enough to ven^hre a trip them, while the islands off Tasmania and the eonthern coast of Australia then swarm with them.—San Francisco Chronicle. There is in Brussels a clock which iff wound np by the wind. A single pound of the finest spider •rebs would reach aronnd the world. America has 1,000,000 miles of tele graph wires—enough to reach forty times around the globe. The biggest bug on earth is the ele phant beetle of Venezuela, which is strong enough to lift a rat. Mr. Livengood, a Missouri man, has patented a device for whipping horses, to be attached to the horse powers. A Bonth Dakota man has been granted a patent on a sleigh. It dif fers from ordinary ones only in being made entirely of sheet metal. A Bartlett’s Island (Me.) man has a horse that makes nothing of swim ming half a mile to Mt. Desert when ever his owner wishes to go over. Only one marble statue of the hu man figure with eyelashes is known. It is one of the gems of tbe Vatican, the sleeping Ariadne, and was found 1503. Twelve letters of onr alphabet were borrowed fram the Phoenicians, and are still pronounced in exactly the saiae way that they were over 4000 years ago. The contents of the stomach of an ostrich that recently died in a French menagerie, included the iron tip of an umbrella, a comb, two pieces of coal, and a silk handkerchief. At Harrison, Neb., sympathetio neighbors of a woman whose husband abused h r ordered the brute to leave town, which he did, and then she sued the good folk for alienating his af fections. In Whitneyviile, Me., is r. hen who catckes and kills mice as readily as a cat does. Bke stands near the grain barrels in the barns and with one downward peck strikes the rodents to such good purpose that she is soou able to finish them. The famous brigand Tiburzel, of Italy, who was recently killed by tho police, had been a brigand for forty years. For a long time he wan the real ruler of a large district. He imposed taxes upon the population and in re turn guaranteed public order. Alter Wolf Peaches. A north side woman who owns a grocery store and who does her own buying ita South Water street wont to a dealer the other day and asked him the price and condition of his “wolf peaches.” The dealer looked at her a moment, with a sign of gentle sur prise, and said: “Wolf peaches, you say? Why, the peach season has been over for some time. I doubt very mnch if you could be able to find a peach in Bonth Water street. Besides, I don’t believe I have ever heard of that particular variety.” “What!” mildly exclaimed the grooeress; “why, tho street is fairly aiive with them. They are arriving from California every day.” The dealer looked at her for a mo ment, and mentally ran over a list of fruits. Ho shook his head slowly, and, with an apologetic smile, said: “I’ll have to give it up, madame; you’ve got me guessing.” “Why, tomatoes, I mean,” laughed the woman. “You are tho fourth man I have seen to-day who has admitted that ho does not know what ‘wolf peaches’ are. Tomatoes in upper New Hampshire and Vermont are pretty generally known as ‘wolf peaches,’ ^specially m the rural districts.” The dealer said ho was glad to learn what “wolf peaches” were, and that the fanciest California tomatoes were quoted at $1,50 and $2 a case of four baskets. The common “toms,” the dealer added, were slow at 81 and §1.25 a case.—Chicago Record. THE MUTTON BlllD. Tugs Carried by Steamers. The Hamburg-American line has re cently acquired two steel tugs, about thirty feet long, each furnished with a ten horse power petroleum motor and capable of hauling a load of 300,000 pounds at a speed of over nine miles an hour. These tugs are to be sta tioned in tho West Indies, and will be carried from one port to another by the steamers of tho Hamburg-Ameri can lino for the purpose of hauling lighters. Tho company is thus inde pendent of any local deficiencies in tho lighterage. The petroleum motors arojof great advantage, as they are ready for starting upon short notice, and require uo boilers or coal bunk ers. across to Tasmania, you may dine off th« young of those very birds that passed yon on the California coast, only now they will be served to yoa us mntton birds. These fowls leave the Farallonea everv few months, and once every year they visit Australia. Trefoil Isl and is their chief roosting place in the Bonthern hemisphere, so far as is known. Here they scratch and dig in the barren soil until they have bur rowed a hole perhaps two feet deep. Into these holes each hen in the im- xnetise flock deposits her one egg. Tho motion birder inserts his arm full stretch for his game. He does not take the egg, but waits a week or ten days after the egg has been hatched. Then he finds the young bird almost ns big as its parent, bat much more tender and fat. On land the petrel is quite unable to escape from the catchers. it cannot mount into the air from off the land though its wings are enormously long- in proportion to its black body, and it rises quite grace fully from the water. On shore, how ever, tha strange bird must hop along at a slow pace, and can only tiy from the top of a ledge. Certain points of Trefoil Island are littered with thou sands of these nests, and it is no diffi cult task to gather the yearly harvest of yonng mntton birds. The mntton birding season on Trefoil Island lasts from a month to six weeks, and this includes the catching, salting, pack ing and shipping. They are packed in casks, and these are loaded on coasting schooners that coma after them frem Tasmania and Melbourne. By tho time the fresh crop of mat- A Circus Puzzle Picture. ’ ‘A A Strange Power. It is a curious thing, the power which some human beings have over animals. There is in Lowell a boy, differing in no respect from his com panions, who has the power in a marked degree. Every stray dog or cat in the neighborhood knows him and loves to be his companion. A vicious horse, which the stablemen can with difficulty handle, will stand like a lamb while he harnesses and unharnesses him. The doves fly aronnd him and m the woods the wild birds apparently regard him as a friend and ally. The most remarkable exhibition of his power, which has long been known and commented on by his friends, was given tho other day. A large and vicious rat was captured in the stable in one of those traps which permit of easy ingress and no egress. The men who were looking at the animal were were afraid to go near the trap, the animal showed such terror, but tho boy, when he beheld the imprisoned creature, fearlessly put out his finger, stroked its head, the rat manifesting as much pleasure as would a cat or a dog. Beveral days have passed since then, but tbe stablemen are still afraid of their capture, but he has grown so tame and familiar with tho boy as to allow him to take him oat and pnt him in the trap, will come at his whistle i and manifests every appearance of joy at his presence. There seems to be no | question that tho boy could train that rat to perform almost any feat within the power of such au animal.—Lowell (Mass.) Star. I — , Lamp Explosions. Tho London Lancet has deemed tho subject of lamp explosions of sufficient importance to deserve the attention of tho authorities, and there are some hintu os to tho kind and care of lamps that are worthy of attention. At the same time, it is a remarkable fact that while lamp accidents are frequent, there arc comparatively few fatalities resulting therefrom. It is also stated that the quality of the lamps is very much inferior to the quality of the oil. Indeed, it seems to matter but little what the lamp is or how imperfectly it is constructed. It is a lamp, and if it is a cheap one, every other considera tion is lost sight of. Lamps may be bought for twenty-five cents, and are taken into the honses of the pur chasers, and filled and lighted with no concern whatever os to their safety, if, indeed, that subject is ever thought of. It would be an excellent idea if there could be some official inspection of lamps, and, if possible, an oversight of the oil supplied to families. Were this done, many lives and mnch prop erty might be saved. Proper Use for Hie Pador. Mr. J. M. Barrie, the Scotch nov elist, who spent a couple of weeks in this city recently, formed many pleasant impressions during his stay here and did not hesitate to express them to a persdhal friend. In speak ing to one of his friends he said : “I have learned a lot of things daring my visit to this country, and many of them are of the most pleasant charac ter. I saw considerable of home life in New York and other cities, includ ing Washington, and one thing strnck me more forcibly than I can express. That is the doing away with the parlor or drawing room, as we call it on the other aide. I find that the people of this country have less formal ideas of what a parlor should be. I do not mean of the mansion, for there the parlor is, as it is with ns, a place where the children can never enter unless on an occasion where formalities have to be rigidly observed. In the ordinary home, by this, I suppose, I mean the home of the middle classes, I have ob served that it is no great crime for children to enter or even play in the parlors. 1 was very glad to see this, lor I think it means much more pleas ure for the little ones. “The idea of having the largest and best famished room iu the house re served for infrequent callers instead of allowing the children of the hoase- hold to enjoy it was never a pleasant one to me. It was once told by a bright boy that he seldom was allowed to enter the parlor of his home, nnless it was during a ‘funeral ceremony or Something like that.’ This may have described tho situation too strong, bat it was mnch nearer to the trnth than otherwise. What our grandfathers and grandmothers, and fathers and mothers, ever thought of when they allowed such a state of things to exist, for it does exist even to-day, in many homos, is more than 1 can imagine. In myj own home I have purposely left the parlor ont. In its place wo have a reception room, which, while it is good enongh to receive even the Lord Mayor should h-j honor us with a visit, is not too £ood for the chil dren, young or old, to play or romp in. Under these circumstances one can realize how glad I was to learn that there are many persons like my self in this respect.”—Washington Star. Find the rope walker. A tireat Estate. The largest estate in the Unite Kingdom is the lordship of Botherlam in the north of Scotland, the proper! of the Duke of Sutherland, says Ti Bits. The estate is no less than 73S 200 acres in extent. Tho estate Reay, in the same part of Scotland, also very large, extending about thiri miles in length, and from fifteen i twenty miles in breadth. These estat far fexceed in ^extent any continue single estate in England. One of H largest in tho latter country is tl Ailesbnry, or Bavernake, estate, Wiltshire. It comprises, besides tl park in which the ancestral mansion situated, at least thirteen parishes, t whole estate consisting of about 55,0 acres, and extending for a distance more than twelve miles. For Belter or Worse ? Some very curious changes of names have taken place in foreign marriages. For instance, a McBacon was once married to a Miss Beans; a Miss I’ano married a Mr. Glass, and a Mr. Too united himself to Miss Kettle; Mr. Fish married Miss Hook, and a gen tleman named Catt had the fortune to marry a Miss Mow.—Pittsburg Dis patch. ' V '