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■NH vol. vm. BOTATION OF CROPS. ITS IMPORTANCK TO THC FARMKRS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. Ad Susy Ocllvared by Hr. B. R. Tillman. of Hamburg, be for* the Farmers' Club of Kdgellotd County. ( Confined f rom La»t Ftme.) But the problem ^e are trying to solve is not only how to keep rich lamia rich but also how to improve our worn out lands while deriving some income from them. The last is a fur harder thing to do than the tlrst. Neither can ever be accomplished by any other method than a rotatio$.of crops and liberal manuring, or by pasturing the poorer fields. Any land owner who can annually increase the fertility of his farm and clear expenses, is making money; while one whose land is yearly growing poorer, is losing money, even though he has a surplus after paying expenses. If we change our practice so as to be classed in the first category instead of the latter, we certainly ought to he satisfied; though I have hopes that our consulting together will even tuate in our so ordering our farming as will enable us to improve our lands and at the same time clear a reasonable interest on the investment. But if we cannot succeed in either of these un dertakings, in Heaven’s name let us cease our butchery and try to keep them from getting poorer. I will now proceed to outline, as best I may, a system of rotation adapted to our hilly country; and in order to do so intelligibly will have to touch on the subject of general farm manage ment. First. There should be established a permanent pasture of greater or less extent, according to the size of the farm. And if the farmer means busi ness he will set this in Bermuda grass to he used for summer pasturage. Let the This grass grows best—as do all grasses—on stiff land. And perhaps the best thing we can do with our creek and branch bottoms would he to put them in it. But we will discuss that subject hereafter, if the (dub shall so desire. This Bermuda pasture could be sown in oats once in four years and make a good crop, while the grass would t>e all the better for the plowing necessary to sow them. If half the country was sodded in this grass now the lands would he worth double what they are at present. There is an old saying, “No grass, no stock; no stock, no manure; no manure, no crops.’’ If we arc ever to improve our lands it must he by stock raising; for many of us have thoroughly tried buying guanos, and know it will not even keep them Irom growing poorer—at least as wo now farm. Our nevrrfailiug springs and streams —so numerous that if would be diffi cult to find a square area of two hund red acres without neverfailing water — would seem to indicate that as our proper line of farming ; while the tact of these lands w ashing so badly, when under the plow, speaks in thunder- tones to tell us that if we will not raise stock we shall soon raise nothing else. It is true that rotation and terracing would he a va«t improvement on our present methods, hot stock raising is the only basis upon which to found a self-sustaining and land-improving agriculturture. Nomauurcequal stable manure; and a cow pen or sheep lot has been known to show the effects of a thorough dunging more than thirty years. If we were to devote all our worn and poorest land to pasturage it would slowly but gradually improve, while the stock would not only give ns an income from their sale, but the manure they would enable us to make would go far towards keeping up the tertility of our arable lands. Having stock'to winter would necessitate be adopted ov our people—ia that recommended by Mr. David Dickson, viz: First year, cotton; second year, corn and peas;third year,small grain; fourth year nst in weeds. If the land is thoroughly aid systematically terraced, gnllietfilled with pine brash every wintey aid this system rigidly adhered to, it would be such an im provement on »ur present haphazard way devoted ainost ixclusively to cot ton,that in a fewyeafc a traveler would hardly rccogniztthc lountry. The land thus treated woild be bound to im- « iis ic r Is Ephraim wedded to ic raising of such crops as would enable us to feed them the most econo mically. From having been the most hitter and deadly foes to grass we would become grass growers, and the more we could get the better we would like it. Devoting most of our lands to pasturage and the cultivation of'the ! Tains, we would be enabled to do with css labor and control it better, raise all our supplies at home and some to sell; while cotton—relegated |to its proper place on the fitnn as a purely surplus and money crop—woula occu py a small area compared to the presut acreage, b« highly manured with home made manure, and our farms surely if slowly improve, instead of rapidly and surely deteriorating as at present. Such a life would be worth living. Is it purely an imaginary picture never to he realized? Ii his idols? Second. All land which will not— with good culture and seasons—make four hundred pounds of seed cotton or eight bushels of corn per acre, with out manure, should be or sown in oats to be followed by rest. I think this is the minimum yield to clear expenses, and that cannot be done in an unfavora ble year. No money can be' made on such laud by cultivating it, no matter how you gmtno it, and it is best to let it alone. If such land can be fenced it conld be brought up to a good state of fertility, iu 4 few years, by, sowing in peas and then in rye—allowing bogs or sheep to cat off both and turning under all the vines and straw. The meat made would go far in paying for the seed and plowing, and without the fencing it would impiove rapidly under such treatment, but wonld be quite expensive without the hogs or sheep. If a movable hurdle fence was provided it could bo grazed cheaper than to feuc^fcbe whole. A good set of hnrdles to fenee an acre wonld cost about fifty dollars, and could be moved and set up in • short while. After leaving off a few acres around the bouse for grazing lots, patches,etc., the rest of toe farm not in pasture should be divided into as many equal divisions as there shall be crops i« the rotation. And, notwii stock law, this land would larger Income if fenced (ban to be But, without prove, if the present amount of guano was used. If pets wire sown after the small grain thirl year, followed by small grain fourth ylar and then rest I know it woult iug>rovc very fast. Perhaps it wouldbe best to confine the peas to those poorer flllds which I have mentioned, and of which there are an abundance to keep ussll busy. When those same impoyerllhcd fields have been brought up so tu to yield good crops, the steeper andthiuner parts of the land under cultivation could be allowed to rest two jears instead of one. It will only has return of the dog to his vomit to g|t more negroes to enlarge the operations, and com mence anew the olddornward course. The system I have oUliued is adapt ed to those farmers who will manage and control their labor, whether for shares or wages; but for various rea sons I prefer the latter, os one can thus devote all rainy orsurplus time to stopping gullies, digging stumps and making other improvements. There is only one course left open to those large land owner* <vho are land poor, and who—from the very nature of the case—cannot carry out this sys tem in its entirely. Either to sell, or for such land as they desire t» rent select the best and most industrious tenants, and get rid of the lazy, trifling ones. Then, alter tci racing and in sisting on gullies being brushed every year, arrange to have sixty acres to the horse; and under no consideration allow more than thirty acres of this to he cultivated In corn and cotton. other thirty acres Is* sown in oats or rest, as the case may he, and alternate between the two. The oats can be sown on shares, and only rent charged for the land in cultivation; and if the tenant is too poor a mana ger to run himself and buy guanos to fertilize his crop, turn him oil' and let the land rest, or fence it and pasture it. It would be the best thing to do this, any way, but I don’t hope to see it done; and only suggest Uiis plan be cause it seems the only one left to re tard or put off the evil day—which, nevertheless, is snre to come sooner or later—when all land rented to treed- men, as it is now done, will be too poor to pay rent and ration bill both. I speak from bitter experience; for the longer they stay with you the less von will Ilk ' like it, and it is no use sending good money after bad in trying to get even with them. 1 am thoroughly well satisfied that any land owner who con tinues to rent land and advance to negroes, as we are now doing, will as inevitably become a bankrupt as that 1 stand before you. If he rents without advancing, he is merely selling his land without perhaps realizing it. 1 have thus sold many scores of acres, but did not know it till it was too late. As I advanced for my tenants, however, and the bad crops of 1881-83 put them all behind, I tear I bare sold some for which 1 never will get any pay. I do not suppose I am alone in this pre dicament. And in saying I have sold it, I mean simply this: The land I have rented out is nearly all so worn and washed as to be worthless to culti vate; and it would taka more money than I have received as rent to restore it. If I turn it out, as has been the rule in this country since its settle ment, it will be ten or fifteen years before nature would restore it so as to yield remunerative crops. MiMoofit will require twenty-five years. Very few of us would be willing to pay for land all we conld expect to clear on it in ten years; and I think “sell’! and not “rent’’ is the right word to apply to It. Much ot the land in this coun try, which has never been rented, is nearly as bad off; and it is because of constant clean culture in cotton with out any attention to rotation of crops. None of us will deny this. Cau it be possible we will continue to pursue this iffm» infatuHS, and hope against eighteen years bitter experience to yet make money by it? Gentlemen, our country is too broken to be plowed much and not wash away. Lowin' herds and tinkling sheep bells should be the music onr fields onght to re sound with, and not the song of the cotton. Do not misunderstand me, and think I advocate the totalabandou- ment of cotton culture. Such is not the case. Cotton can be planted on any of our lands once in fitfe yean without injury, and will always oc cupy the first place without iidury, and is the money crop. The seed, too, are a most excellent feed for sheep in the winter. When wo make all our sup plies at home and have our cotton money clear, we shall prosper—not before. When that time cornea, if ever it does, you Will see more etnas of cotton yielding a bale each UMMft under it; and our people will cieaV; ttore money on one-fifth the presdfl than they now do on the whole. I have thus outlined what I would regard as improved farm management, in a general wav. The details minu tiae or what kinds of stock moat econ omically how to seeure the largest amount of homemade manure; what improved implements will pay, etc., I shall leave as future subjects of dis cuss in our Club. I have misgivings that I shall be accused of egotism in aUetopting to solve a problem which has baffled so many older and wiser heads, and told that I have not make it any the less good doctrine. It is a foible of human nature. “To know the right and prove it, too; tq know the wrong aud still the wrong pursue.” Few of us try to do as well as we know bow—none of ns succeed. We allow’ this obstacle or that to deter us from taking a new departure in farm ing: and, after an occasional and modic effort at change, drop ba ‘ the old rate of habit. Haoit! **““* ic the “book of T open. But, without Oieettaefug that qaestion, after causiderahio thought I biude ue to o)d ways have concluded purhupo tku bolt sot* w2» ^ “ Uoa-orut^- J ^ ~ —— - fr 'T V-rf erroneous, and impoverishes the land If it was natural, and best once, when the country was new, it is both foolish and criminal now. But new departures require thought. It is so much easier to go on in the old way. And besides, Cuflfee has learned that way, and can “run” him. Thus we sit supinely and drift with the tide. It is time we were awaking from our lenrthy. Brains should control muscle instead of muscle con trolling brains. And ss the road we are traveling leads to ruin, we should try. to find a new one though we fail- In conclusion, I feel impelled to auower an argument I have heard ad» vanced as being the only solntiou to our difficulliew, viz: “To move away and limit a level country.” I can only sav-.ihis would be cutting the Gordian knot, and not untying it. Those who can sell their land to their satisfaction had perhaps belter do this. They will nnd all level land, which at the same time healthy, poor. If it is rich it is always badly drained and sickly. But if all try to sell, who will buy? And even if we should all find pur chasers, which we could only to do at a ruinous sacrifice, those purchasers would be confronted by the same dif ficulties which surrounded us. The problem is not to lie solved in that way. The large majoiity ot our land owners arc here to stay. They can not get away if they would; and most of them would not if they could. I dislike to prophesy such, and hope for better things, but candor compels me to assert that if we continue in our present ways—if we keep up for a few years longer this “running*’ business, the commission merchant to the nigger and allow him to run" off the plantation, which be is doing everytime it rains—it will not be long ere we will be forced to leave, or remain as the tenants of our homes. When the carcass shall have been picked, ajui only the bones left, “Cuf- tee” can migrate without casting even one “long, lingering look behind.” Not so with those of us whoso fathers lie buried among these hills. Let us pause before it is too late and make at least a manly efiort to transmit to our children, without further impairment, the fair inheritance left us by our an cestors. getting “run” ‘Iriin” an in- on ths Indian lowing ('lincile oT the K.uid.iti. Wo publL-hod a few duv- :iiro terview with Sir Henry (In-.-ii subject of tlio employ no'll 1 01 sepoys in t!io Solid ft. ‘1 hu tu. remarks by Sir Henry upon climate in fluences, which wc find not space to print tlion, may be of int< ro-t now: “And what about Him climate. Sir Henry?’’ said onr 1 cprwueutative. ‘‘Well, those who have l.eea in Scinde are not likely to be scared by the Sou dan. As 1 »i>e!it most of my life in those baking deserts, 1 cau not share the alarm expressed by many concern ing the prospects of a Summer in the Soudan, in Scinde wc have heat so terrible that sometimes you may see horses roll over with sunstroke in all directions, hut 1 have very seldom seen any European down with sunstroke. The cause is the excessive dryness of the heat. When the air is so dry you perspire profusely, and the perspiration saves your life. When the atmosphere is damp, the perspiration is cheeked, and after sunset men die like rotten sheep of heat apoplexy. In the Persian campaign we camped out from October to October near Peshnwur, one of the hottest places you cau find in all Asia, and our sick was only two per cent.; while on board the ships in the roads it was almost impossible to live. Dry heat can be borne to almost any extent with comparative impunity. I have wen French regiments come in from tiie desert with nothing on their heads hut kepis, under a blazing sun which would nave decimated the ranks had there been the least humidity in the at mosphere. —... — “As regards the making of the rail way between Suakim and Berber, that railway would probably have been made long ago but for Lord Granville. Everything was arranged; the Duke of Teck was to be the Chairman; we had a very powerful and influential direct orate. A financial house had agreed to raise all the money that was needed, the Egyptian Government was to guarantee 4 per cent., the whole work was completed on paper, when it was suddenly brought to nothing by the an tipathy of the Pashas of Cairo to any scheme which diverted the Sondan traffic from the Nile to the Red Sea. ‘You have taken away half our trade by making the canal,' they said, ‘and now you want to take away the rest by your railway.’ The scheme was stifled; but one word from the Government wonld have secured its execution. That word Lord Granville emphatically re fused to say. The Soudan lay alto gether beyond the sphere of our inter ests, they said. So the railway was never commenced, with results which you know only too well. I naturally disbelieve the stories as to the necessity for running through tubular tunnels on account of the sand-storms and moving sand hills. .The sand-hills of the des ert do not march about like huge snow balls sixty feet high. They drift in Africa as they do in India, a little at a time, and if the rails are kept swapt and the more exposed places protecUd by a wall there need be no fear as to the safety of the railway. la one while making a railway in ran ninety miles without one drop of water; and in all Scinde we have not one singular tubular tunnel to protect the track from being silted ap.”—Pmll Mall Gazelle. \ The question whether money found in a shop belongs to the keeper of the place or the, tinder is often disputed. A writer in the PHarmaeeutieal Record relates that a customer in a drag store once picked up e dollar note from the floor between two panllel counters. He inquired if any one in the store had lost it, end finding they had not, be appropriated it His claim to it being disputed, the case eras submitted to a lawyer, who said: ‘The op between the two eountere eeted to the public, not in k but ns n highway wUah they ▼ited to eoeupyror purpaeaei •eft? The frou-frou of silk k heard. Three ladies enter the room. Their feet end legs are bare to the kee, for they have cast off their shoes gt the; door, but ell the rest of flam is shrouded toe large sheet of J1 ' silk, the outer Teu of the Persia lady, Gracefully they sink down ink heaps in a semicircle oppoeite us. ‘wklaam, sahib! You are welcome. 1m, tea for the sahib!’’ I responded to Ilk cus tomary way and inquired akr the health of my Tailed bos tees* One > only replies in a confideat tone-ehe k evidently of middle age and kf^uO' * sessed. The other two Mu* he shake with toward mirth, bntiwu lent “It cannot be, it is to* the lady continues, as she cast dark-blue envelope—an exam; mediately followed by her 00m Heart’s Delight hastily folds' three veils, and a plnmp, mid Hone Slaaghtor- Hooura of P»rU— Right ThouMUMt Homes a Year aimughtorod for Human Foed. About a lady, very comely, and her twrtobo^ young women, cent-looking daughters, fair as any kglkh girl, 'with round, chubby faoe and magnificent eyes, are disclosed 4 view in all the splendor of the Iforslaa lady’s indoor dress. The oosbme of all is the same, varying only insolore, and these are of the gayest Short and voluminous skirts of silk much bouffe, reaching to the knee shirts (the Persian word, like chemise, is applied to the gaiaent of both sexes) of transparent silk gauze; tiny zouave jackets of gayly-mbroid- ered velvet, just covering the sbuldere and the top of the bock (of tbse the sleeves are unbuttoned from th elbow, hanging down and showing he ga^t linings of palo-colored but (rilliant silk); the top of the head and.be ears are hidden by gorgeous silk brehiefs, embroidered in gold, and thee is no more clothing to describe, ucess the numerous bracelets of the bangle form, of gold and of glas.* which jangle as the ladies move ther arms, may be called clothes. The ladies chat; the younar ones only to each other in an undeione, for maiden modesty prevents the! addres sing the doctor; but they gitoe and titter a good deal, and are July re proved for it by the elder lady. Tea in delicate old china cups is seved; we all smoke hubble-bubbles, and four of tjinm are brought by Heart's Delight and three other black femab slaves. Presently I hear a tittering beiind me, turn, and instantly there is lead si lence as a bright enrtain of ihot-silk quickly falls, but not before I lave ob served an amused bevy d gayly- dressed women and childm. ‘‘Ex cuse them. Dr. 8ahib; they an so dull* so dull” Conversation turns upon Us curious custom of Europeans. I am asked if I am married. I hare to adult that I am not, and am duly pltbd. But then. “After all, you an right Where there is a woman then is dis cord,’’ says my hostess. < More tea, more pipes. Sweet-cakes, cui fret lott ery, ana conserves are hansed; iced sherbet. 111 Bohemian glass knuUlers, gilt ami of gaudy colors, is served. I insinuate something to the sfcct that this is a professional visit; my hostess smiles. I repeat the remark, and tliea the lady, rising to bid fanwell, re* plies: “We wore dull; we wtro bo rod J you have desennuye^ us. Wallah!’’—' with a little laugh—“1 have forgotten! why we sent for you. Your looUtupa,! however, have been fortunate, for our. hearts are no longer sad.” So here was an end of my rislL W» shook hands heartily, and the gave me a huge bouquet of narcissus as 1 left.—St. Jamtt (JazetU. A Fly-Haunteii Town. The wall ot King-Choo-Foo is crene lated forty feet High on the outside in certain places, but on the inside sloping and covered with a jun<»L growth of bamboo, banyan, and otrier shrubs to the very top. At intervale of every few hundred yards along it k a small smooth-bore cannon of remark ably peaceful aspeuC No doves were discovered building their nests therein, but in my mile walk along the parapet numerous litters of pacific pigs were seen dozing in the veiT openings of the crennolles. Not a soldier was observed in making the circnit of this anuieat and formidable fortification, the frag on-guarded yamin of the Taotai lad a fly-haunted, somnolent air, in the streets business proceeded lazily, and over all the grove-like openings of the capital city the very spirit of rammer peace and quiet seemed to hold ite be neficent reign. Our cortege. With which we made the circuit, was iMto posed of scarcely more than a dOMfr aimless hoodlums and inquisitive ur chins. and we left the place impmeetd with the idea that if the khabkente thought of danger from the Freaeh was still as an intangible eflbrt at imagination—as something so ffai as scarcely to be considered, or if sidered, amply provided against— San Francisco Chronicle. mile ontside the fortified- bin* tkms in the little old suburban village of Pantia is located the abattoir, where the horses that nro eaten in Paris are slaughtered, aud, judging from the fourscore of horses on hand, one would think that everything in and about the city in the horse lino that did not die suddenly while in harness was sent there to be killed for food. Eating horse beef is about the only thing that Ahe better class of French do not care to taik about, and about the only thing among there many customs and pecu liar institutious that they appear to bo t little ashamed of; as they never speak •f the “Abattoir des chevaux de 1’ali- entation,” the sign that is printed in rge letters on the side of the red-tile- Wbofed slaughter house of Pantin. From the answers received to many Inquiries as to where this establishment Was located it appears that but few Parisians know anything about it, and, like all other disagreeable things, they probably think the less said about it the better. One thing is certain, that if many French people who occasion ally eat the fillet of horses and declare it to be delicious were to visit the abat- the FrencS^4olr they would, mivur oat any more. With now and then an exception, the horses killed arc all about alike, all “crips,” blind, maimed, battered, braked, and .scarred with a lifetime of hard service, hoofs worn out, joints Waakened, swollen and ont of shape pulfiag heavy loads over slippery streets • on osooth shoes—faithful brutes, work- } sd until they could no longer earn their Ss.- The Greek Idea of Death. A writer in MacMillan't Magaz\\ says a Greek peasant looks upon dei fly ‘ K iite differently from what a perso e western world is taught to belli To him it U the end of ail joy and gl ness; the songs over his body (invri gues) speak of the black earth, the of light and brilliancy. A pop Klepue song on the death of Zed when read or the side of Sophoc description ox the death of Ajax, sb how curiously alike arc the ide death as painted in the t wo poe Charon k still believed t<> bo a wh haired old man with long and feai nail* and in myriologtic* or lame tkms, whieh are still of carredoe to the islands, hear of Charon's caique, spoken of as Charos. in Greece they still it is rail to toe month of 4 decea-i pay toe passage. At the ehfid to a mountain villa-•• wax cross was put in tl.< .. by the priest, sad on iuqo 1 was toU that it was l «• >;w*n-dsy you sctu 1 ic is -• me parti of >. put mJey 'd p*moil to luiii'rai if a f >•( N'.ixji a d - m nth toe w ter it mo oy, rch dwllf rations, and then sent here—if shA at the time—to remain in the care of U en who are bigger brutes than the creatures confided to their care—a horse hospital, asylum for the blind and raed, and fattening establishment at toe same time, and then to fnrnish food far the Lord only knows who, and the lees one thinks about it the better. The foreman told mo they pay 30 franca apiece for such as the poorest in the stable or that stood in the court yard on they outside—a poor brute of that kind I followed from the end of 'the tramway as the led him between two others to keep him from falling, as he reeled and staggered at every step. 1 asked the foreman what they were going to do with him. Oh! he will bo made up into “Ixreraine sau- The price paid for what I to be an average one was GO and for the best 100 francs. An acquaintance said he bought a saddle horse for which be paid 9300, but he became unmanageable, would buck, kick, bite, and strike a la cayuse, so he sold him to the Pantin abattoir for 80 francs. They slaughtered on an average about twenty-two per day, or 8,000 a year. The first wo saw killed was the only decent one of the lot—a large Perch- eron stallion, not so old bat there were still some dapples on his broad hips; he was, to all appearance, healthy and all right, except that one foot and pae- tern had rendered him useless—only a plug now—but his eyes were as clear and bright as at 2 years old, and he still carried his head as high as the proudest of thoroughbreds as he unhesitatingly followed his butchers on to the floor where he must die. One placed a leather blind before his eyes, another drew his long, thick, curly lady foretop back from his broad forehead —a forehead that showed mnch intel ligence and strength—while a third stood before him with a short-handled ten-pound hammer, who, with a swift overhand stroke, struck so deadly sura that the high royal. head struck f ’ e floor before his body. Life was iong in him and he died hard, but two or three more blows ended his strug gles. It seemed almost like murder. We confess a feeling of pity for these poor creatures—man’s best friend—but nere. in a country thickly populated, where the struggle to live makes pll beings strive there is no time nor plaice for feelings of sentiment. Thu next was one not crippled but blind, so old that bo was as white as enow; his cars Imnt forward as be hesi tated in the, to him, eternal darkness, and did not move fast enoagh, but willing hands with clubs from behind forced him forward, stumbling into and across the drain against the slaughter house door, where he stood trembling with fear and shivering with pain. One hk>w from the sledge put him beyond Uk reach of his tormentors. A hole is cut in the skin on the in side of the thigh, the length of the steel that the butcher carried was run for ward between the skin and body, the ■ozzle of a bellows inserted, and after about live minutes of pumping the skin was as tight as a drum—the skinning k necessarily slow—like skinning a hog or a beaver, as the bide sticks close. The whole legs and hoofs are left on the hind onarters, the fore-legs are eut oft - at the Vr.ui', bat so as not to allow of anv iVcuption—one-half the head is left on each fore-quarter. . When one of the batchers had divid ed the flesh on the back of the broad neck of the grey first mentioned, there showed an abundance of fat; the fellow put his knife in his scabbard, jerked off his cap, and, holding it between his knees, parted the neck, inserted his head, and, with a twist and a mb up and down, his hair was oiled to perfec tion, and then rubbing the oil well through his hair he spat on his steel and knife before sharpening it, and proceeded with his work. The wholesale price at the abattoir varies with the condition of the meat from 4 cents per pound up, and it it distributed about the city in wagona with the French for horse beef, “Viande de chevaline,” printed on the rides,and is sold by the retail dealers for from 10 cents per pound for the fillet down to f cents for the poorest parts, soup bones and the like.—Drovers’ Journal. It is not _ w that a large ruby is of mgre value than * large diamond. Mr. Streeter, who wrote a book about jewel* states that “the ruby ranks fpr-pdoe and beauty above all other stone* When a per fect rftby of five catifts is brought Into the market a sum will be offered for it ten times the price given for a diamond of the same weight; ont should it reach the weight of ten carats it is almost in valuable.” With respect to the romance of pre cious stones, the anthor just quoted tells a curious story about sapphire* A native of India loaded 100 goats with these gems, and reached Sinus after a ton day’s journey. Arriving at Siml* he tried to dispose of them, bat the value not being recognised, he could not even obtain a rupee a tolls for them, which ho would gladly have taken, being in a state of semi-starva tion. He then proceeded to Delhi, where the jewelers, knowing them to be sapphires, gave him their raH value. A man starving while a hundred goate laden with precious stones were in his possession roads like an extract from the “Arabian nights.” The addition ot a heroine and a villain suggeets the framework of an effective romance. An alphabet of precious stones has been formed—indeed there are two al- { ihabcfs, one for transparent and one or opaque jewels; but of the latter, few except, in the first place, turquoise and, in the second place, jasper, wood opal and onyx, look tempting, basalt, granite and other stones hardly coming under the head of preciou* The trans parent alphabet contains some few doubtful gems, but it is for the most 1 >art 1 uadi' up of those that are doubt- ess beautiful. The alphabet of coarse forms the basis of a language of jewels, which can be spoken in the shape of rings and other trinkets. It comprises amethyst, beryl, chrysoburgb, diamond, emerald felspar, garnet, hyacinth, Ido- erase (briefly described in dictionaries as a “hard mineral” and questionably transparent), kyanite (more common ly cyaiiitc, a blue mineral), lynx-sap phire, milk opal, natrollte, opal; pyrope, quartz, ruby, sapphire, topaz, urunite, vusuvianite (a species of gar net) water sapphire xanthite (an own brother to idocrase), and zircon (a Cin gulcsu stone). The superstitious have in all ages be lieved that precious stones had pecu liar properties, and for the most part beneficially affected their wearera. At the present lime a vague idea that opals are unlucky, and that a gift of opals brings misfortune to the recipi ent, lingers among those who are ready to believe anything. The odd part of the superstition lies in the fast that opals wore formerly supposed to bring good lack to the wearers. As they are now considered the unluokiest stora* so they were considered to be the ludR- csL A turquoise bestowed as a gift used to be, and in some countries is still, believed to carry blessings in its train. Do these things neutralise one another? Supposing a lady receives from the same donor a handsome turquoise and an equally handsome opal, would the good luck carried by the one overcome the bad luck carried by the other? It is possible that ladies willing to try the experiment might be fonno.—London Standard. William P. Weed, who ho* of the old Capital Prison war, publishes over Ms own in too Washington the following inekleut, by the death of General ftom: “The death of General I naan the past week hctaffTtom I o* ihifo Capitol Prison in the eacty part 0* eur frstrtoidal strife. Mr. Sttmor ho* hsso appointed Chief of the uniladfltntoe Military Telegraph, to duty at the War the rank of Colonel He called upon me requested to be shown arena* the rebel prisoners then la toeol*Om^ itol Prison. I asked hit paraoao. Ha stated that it was merely saricatty, as he desired to see how live rebels took their imprisonment I rather btmtty informed him that the prison was not n menagerie whose oooupanta were 0* exhibition to InqtdsitivO curiosity oodkr ers. He did not relish my refnetl, and said he would obtain Seorstarj Stan ton's order to visit the prieetaw. I assured him that an order flam that Secretary would be obeyed to toe let ter. I at onoe took the preeaHMon to forward a note to Mr. Stanton ataihnr that it was injudicious to allow the oin Capitol Prison to be opens* ns a menageri* and that If nay of ton rials of the department should the privilege to visit the 1 for that purpose only one my tudgmeat should be “in two or three days ~aftar the ap plication of Stager to ess five rebels he again preranted himself at the Capital Prison with a para tram Secretary Stanton to admit the bearer to any room in the prison ba should itajaired Colonel Stager to room, and aids* him In 1 large front apartment on the floor in the northwest earner of the set of Mr. of lonsr Stager was ushered into but soon got tired of the novelty ir live prisoners and wanted to The nard would not aOinr him Register of the Treasury now graces every National bank bill, was very pop- Senate, al ii ao completely has flu- •• «. 1 u ch incorporated into it 11 ' ...* anient It la state of told hountry , ffcfl&OQ&OQO this you that tho wiUooal Senator Brace nnd Senator Boor. Blanche K. Bruce, whose signature igii r N ular while he was in the though he is of African descent Un obtrusive, attentive to boslnes* and modest ho conquered the prejudices against his race and was treated with marked courtesy by his associate* One day after he had Men a Senator for two years or more. Senator Bogy, the aristocratic descendant of one of tho old French families of St Loot* took a seat by his side, saying: “Mr Brno* I have a bill here I want yon to vote for. It is one in which I hare a great personal interest. It has nothing po litical in it Look at it and tall me what you think.” Bruce laughed as he said: “Senator Bogy, I hope we shall arrange this more satisfactorily than our last business transaction. “Our last transaction P What do you mean?” “Don’t you remember meet ing me before my coming to (he Sen ate?” “Mostdecidedly, no.” *T think I can refresh your memory, Senator. Some twenty year* ago you were one day running down Olive street in a hurry to catch a steamer. You were carrying a very heavy valise. The day was very hot Don’t you remember the colored boy who came up and of fered to carry the valise down to the levee for a quarter? You ran along with the boy. Soon the whaifbow 'dock was reached. The boat was lust swinging out You ran and jumped on board. You called for the valise. The colored boy put the valise behind Me back and called for his quarter. Yon hunted, fished out n quarter and to—ed it ashore, but the rap was too wide to toss the valise. The captain had to stop the boat and back up before you raid get your rails* Do you remem ber that?’' “Well I should say 14*” “I was that colored boy.”—Ben.' fbr- ley Poore in Boston Budget. ‘Letter carriers here. Lake City dispatch to the Al nia, “are having n unique experieao* account of the late polygamy ar rests here all the Mormons hove mm severely waned against talking to strangers, giving their names or resi dence. The carriers in their rounds are the highest mKMM mmm] testimony as ;btetost^nsy*jliM s a Salt Oalifor. fity choir, whose iving An Allegheny Ci leader waa about leaving lor the West, presented the gentleman with n broeoh- toading shotgun daring Allegheny is determined musk: shall be beard in the West choir lender has to belt to tos with a gon-wipafe • * . .v • knock at door* and a scurrying an inaid* A child answers toe door. It is asked who lives there, and it often refuses to tell. It dobs not know the neighbors or where its father dr mother is t$ be found. The uniform Is a sign of enemy, and no Information is to M had.” nm S riooo, occupied by I ary lander* who were a rollicking fellow* Into this Stager was introduced ns an the War Department, who wee of seeing how live rebels tbemecfvee as prisooer* I told hoped that daring his stay they do their beet to entertain aim. “Colonel' Stager No. 4, but coon j of Mein] leav* The guard to pass ont of toe room eaMpt as a prisoner and under the a—mlcteia lions. Colonel StaneMN* fer m* and after mnch. delay llmd on hkn.'do- siring to know whutke wanted. He raked why he was detained In toe prison. I asensnd htes that that was none of my* bmtefia. 1 wnty knew that he wonld require the same source that t take him out Be The ‘Mbe* took In ton made It llvety for Onlmml assured him that Mo to secure Secretary kisreleae* Colenel night in toe old fared and slept prcoliaty an ‘The next day an ocifr MUM kora _ Stantan for tho Mtatetdi Colonel Stager It Is state thri no rid) standing unmindful al tho end Noah, and prison while General Stager’s him in aft* friends with tione of one night In tho . Superintendent of to* dU Prison.” * The Some of the • height of flOO feekliad shadow on ton net ortosdotaeefflt ittaT* first discovered and ballardlau. n focethebeglaalaf «| to* tary, and have state sown as wide as tooted dars of California, where they now brew Bible was ohorie Iremns of th* the borders of ths fiverivete- • mighty! stretched •d, when it more than 48C the annular rings npou of ite coeval* U was 1 toanfedk