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t"Wj?l A : ^-vlf^'^V-jS?litor.aiic?. Proprietor. . ' A Weekly Paper Devoted to Temp?rance, Literature and Politics.
,yOLUME^,y:- ''{'-: _ .....,,;,;?R?NGEB?RG, SOUTH CAROLINA/ SATURDAY, APRIL IO, 1875. NUMBER 35.
.. " . 11 ?-. 1 rm 1 ' .'. 1 1 >, " t " ? -. . 1 . >?. 1 ?
AFTEH THE HALL.
They sat-'aqdVbiilli&Dutlc'beautiful hair,
Their'loug, bright tresses ooo by mic,
AK they laughed ind talked in lliclr chamber tkcte,
Aftei Ibo revel wjwdqap*.'
idly thev I ul kr< I of watty, anti quadrille,
Idly they laughed, like other girls,
Who ovor tho lt riv when a" 'H still,
Comb mn their braids and curl*
'?It?ttiw of *- ri ( i 11 :111*. 1 mussels taro, . ..'
Knots ot flower*, mut ribbons too,
Scattered about In over; pince,. , ..- .
After the-'revet in through.
And minuit.and Madge, in j-oneri of white,
Tho prettiest night-gowns under the FUD
Slocklnglesa, BliiinerlcM, ?it In tho ui^lit.
After the revel is done.
tW'aiul coi'nlttilelr boautitul hair.
Thone wonderful waves of brown and gol.l.
Tilt the ?Ire is ont tn the chamber there,
And the Httle-bare-frct aro cold. '?
When out of the gathoriug winter chill, i
And out of the bitter St. ARIIOB weather,
While thc tire ls out and ttie house is still,
Maud and Madge together
Maud and Madge, i:i robes of white,
Tho prettiest niRbt-gowns under the sun,
Curtained away from tho chilly night,
After tho revel is done.
Flost along iii a splendid dream,. - -
Toa gomen gittcrn's tinkling totie.
While a thousand lustres shimmering stream,
Ir. a palace's grand saloon.
Flashes of .jewels and flutter of laces,
Tropical odom sweeter than musk.
Men und women with beautiful faces,
And eyes of beautiful dusk.
And ono face shilling liko a star,
Ouofnco haunting tho dreams of each,
And ono voice, sweeter than others are,
Hrraking in silvery speech.
Tolling through lip? of boarded bloom
An old, old story o'er again,
As down the royal bannered room,
To a golden gittern'? strain,
Two and two they dreamily walk,
While au unseen spirit walks beside,
And all unheard, in lovers' talk,
Ho cl&tnioth one for his bride.
Oh, Maud and Madge, dream on together,
With never a pang of jealous fear !
for hero the bitter St. Agnes weather
Shall whiten another year.
Hobed for tho bridal and robed for tho tomi),
liraided brown hair and golden tress,
There'll be only ono of you loft for thu bloom
Of tho boarded Ups to press !
tinly ono robo for tho bridal pearls,
Tho robe of satin and Brussels lace
Only one to billah through her curl?
At sight of a lover's face.
O, bountiful Madge, tn your bridal white!
Ker you tho revel bas .just begun ;
Hut for her who sloops in ymir arms to-uight,
Tho revel or Lifo is done ?
Hut rolled and crowned with saintly bliss,
Queen of Jleavrn atid brille*(if tho sun,
O, beautiful Maud, you'll never mint
Thc kisses another has won !
ANASTASIA'S GHOST.
November night. Some vague present
iment of ovi? weighed upon my^heart,
HS I sat alone ii?, tho twilight. > Ami yet
there'waif hoRimg" "apparently to mako
me gloomy. On tho contrary, I ought i
to have been moro than rom al I y cheer- j
ful; had ? not received a delicious
promise from Katie Nolson that vory
afternoon ?
It seemed to bo odd, to bo sure, that a
gray-haired widower liko myself was lo
marry this girl of eight con. f lor mother
Ito?! been a housekeeper in oui family,
but died soon after Katie's birth. So it
happened that sho was. adopted by na,
ns wo had no children of our own. My
wife treated her kindly, but without
much warmth of foeliug. Anastasia was
of such a peculiar disposition that I'
act itally believed sho wan jealous of this,
infant.
Poor Anastasia ! sho warned mo sol
emnly on her death bod never to marry,
again, and threatened to riso from her
grnvo iii case of such an event.
Kat io was in her tenth year whoa my
wifo died. -1 sent her away to a board
ing school ; and, as business caUed mo
abroad, did not soo hor again until my
return, eight years afterwards. , 1 was
somewhat bewildered'-to' find a lovely
woman, instead of the little girl ,1 had ,
left in short dresses. Of course yon can
guess tho sequel: .1 foll in love with
this charming adopted daughter. There
was something in the frank tenderness
of her manner that completely won my
heart.
It was evident that slie was deeply
attached to me. 1 could notr Jielp see
ing how much higher she .valued my
society than that of my nephew,Charles,
Raymond, who had accompanied me
from abroad. She never addressed him
except in monosyllables, and' would
flush all over with embarrassment if he
but entered tho room, T?ut with me,
she was always self-possessed, and so
talkative and sociablo that I could not
help pitying Charlie. He waa really
quito good-looking, and I used to won
der sometimes at hor antipathy: Poor
fellow; how I dreaded to tell him of my
approaching happiness; It would bo a
great blow to his hopes, for ho had ex
pected to inherit my fortune.
Katie wasn't a bit Jiko other girln that
I had over known anything about. In
stead of blushing at my confession that
afternoon sho turned palo, and shivered
ns if struck by a sudden chill. I no
ticed, too, that there was a strange
quiver iu her voice when sho finally
consented to be my.wife. I was appre
hensive that Charlie had told hor what
Anastasia had said ou her death-bed.
And yet I couldn t, believe her ghost
would bp so inconsiderate. Somehow,
I couldn't forget that warning. Auas a
sia waa n remarkable woman, and would
surely keep her'w?rd, if ghosts aro per
mitted to walk tho earth. Thinking
thus, I began to grow frightened at the
shadows in my room, and hastily ranff
tho boll for lights.:
" Wliy aro you so late, Bridget," I
asked, sharply, as. tho Servant entetfod
tho room.
"Indnde, sir, and it's moself that's
been with Miss Katie every blessid min
uit, and sim's almost kilt with a pain in
.her head/' i i -, yr /wi 1
Could thia be tim resn.U_of onr con
vcreatiori that* afternoon*? Considera
bly startled, I questioned Bridget oagor
ly. Charlie e??'?o in while m wore
talking.' i I-.???I
"Katie ill-?" be said, with a shadow
on his brow". " Is it' anything serious,
unolo ?"
. What bnsinoss ; lind bo to tako any
special interest in Katio.
" Only '. a headache," T answered,
coldly. j-V She is subject to such attncks.
Bring in tho tea, Bridget."
- "We'sha?l have ti^lot?esome evening,"
Charlie sighed.
I half believed that he was in love
with the girl himself.
. It wris I cheerless, though, without
.Katie. . I missed lier bright face behind
the tea-tray, Charlie left his cup un
tasted. My jealousy was aroused, and
1 watched him keenly,
As soon as wo were alono, I said, half
angrily, " What is the matter, Charlie?
"You look as if you hadn't a friend on
earth." I didn't know before that you
liked Katie so well."
i - Tho crimson leaped up to his very
brow:
"I am glad that you do," I con
tinued, hastily, " for you will soon be
connected by ties of relationship. She
has promised to bo my wife."
" Yon aro jesting, uncle !*' ho said,
doubtingly.
"I wns never more serious in my
life," I answered.
Charlie showed evident signs of agi
tation.
" You have no right to sacrifico that
young girl," ho said, bitterly. "You
aro old enough to be her father. Of
course she accepted you from gratitude.
How dare you think of such a thing ?"
" No wonder that yon rave," I re
plied, with a mocking smile ; "you are
disappointed of your inheritance."
At that moment the wind gave a fear
ful shriek outside, and I thought of
Anastasia.
"Are you not afraid to marry again?"
Charlie inquired, maliciously. "You
remember tho warning ?"
"Nonsense!" I answered; "it will
take something more than a ghost to
frighten mo out of this marriage."
1 had scarcely finished speaking,
when tbero came a gust of wind, and a
crashing of glass, and tho storm actual
ly swept into tho room. Wo glanced
around us in dismay. The boughs of
a large elm trco, that stood in front of
tho house, had fallon against the win
dow.
Gharlio gavo mo a peculiar look as I
cowered over the fire, and tlion barred
tho window intui'h am antier ?? .fen keep
?'nufc'W? finn' ^'Ji- strange" gloom onv,!
oped us both, and we-did not return
again to tho -subject wo had boen dis
cussing. Our conversation was fitful,
and it soeinod a reliof when we separated
at botlj-timo.
There is no uso in denying that I waa
troubled a littlo with superstitious
fonrs. I peered round anxiously into
ovory corner of tho room before retir
ing, but found no sigo of any mys
terious visitant. I had such a loar of
tho darkness, however, that I left the
candle burning.
Tho fury of tho storm had not abntcd,
and I lay nwako.Bometimo listening to
thc wind. ?i l?flt,' .however, I foll into
an uneasy slumber. How long I had
slept I know not, when I wae awakened
by on icy touch upon my forehead.
I started up, with a thrill of appre
hension. Tho Jight^emitted a faint,
8epulphr.nl gleam., r Ob, horror ! ;what
was tha? t saw ? A figuro, roped in
'.white, ?ame gliding toward . mo from
tho foot of tho bed. The faco was hid
den from my viow, but I knew from
the form that it waB tho ghost of Anas
tasia.
"William Raymond," came in a
hoarse voioo from tho figuro; "I am
hero to avenge your infidelity, and tc
drag you down to tho gravo in my em
brace."
. . I shrieked witb terror : as I felt hoi
clntdlr my throat, and criod, faintly,
"Mercy ! moroy ! "
"You would marry Katie Nelson,
would you? whispered thc ghost,
[mockingly. "If you do not wish tc
die "-and here tho icy fingers press?e:
so tight that I gasped /for breath
"promise me that you will not take f
second wife." * .
" Oh, I promise 11 promise ! " said I.
half dead with terror.
" Woe be unto you, if you deceiv<
me ! " answered the ghost solemnly
And I heard no more. .
It was some time, howover, before '.
ventured to oast a timid glance aron m
the room. The ghost had disappeared
Tho storm,' too, waa beginning to ?nb
side ; but I could not go to sleep again
for I found it impossible to forget tba
phantom and its deadly clutch upon rn;
throat. I resolved to say nothing abou
it. Of course, people would ridicnl
tho idea of a ghost. Nevertheless,
did not dare to wed Katie Nelson ; ye
how could I explain this sudden chang
of purposo? I feivontly hoped tha
she would not die of a broken heart
the poor child ! What should I Bay t
her ?
After considerable reflection, I rc
solved to trnst thia delicate affair t
Charlie. The proposed marriage wa
BO odious in hm eyes that I know h
would justify my apparent trenchery t
her, if possible.
Morning came, and I arose in a fevoi
ish state of mind. How I dreaded t
meet Katie at the breakfast table ! bul
fortunately,she did not make her appeal
ance. Charlie looked so troubled thc
I almost fancied he, too, had seen th
ghost.
After breakfast, I said to him, wit
an embarrassment that I strove to hid?
''My'dear boy, do you remember wht
we were talking about last ovening?
have beer, thinking over tho matter s<
Iriously, and nm.afraid that a marriaf
between Katie and myself will result, i
unhappiness ; but I have not tho con
Ugo to bravo bor reproaches. Now,
Charlie, will you act KB mediator, aud
make kuowu thin chango iu my views V"
"Why, uncle," ho answered, and I
WAS almost suro that I saw a gleam of
mi?chiof in bis eyes, " something extra
ordinary must have happened. You
aro not usually so fickle !"
"Wo won't discuss tho matter," Baid
I,-in an irritated tone. " Will you, or
will yon not, grant my refinest?"
"Of. course, I will," he replied;
"but it is a difficult task. Tho poor
child will be so disappointed !"
I detected a joyous ring iu his
voice, and I looked at him rather sus
piciously.
His diplomatic mission was success
ful, however. Late in the afternoon,
Katie came down into tho library where
I was sitting. I had never *eon her
look prettier.
" Oh, Mr. Raymond !" she said,
eagerly, " I am se glsd that you have
changed your mind I It was KO unex
Eected yosterday. I never dreamed
efore that you loved me in any other
way than as a daughter."
Was this acting? was she trying to
deceive me in her Bweet unselfishness ?
" Then you never loved mo ?" I
asked.
" Dear Mr. Raymond, you know bet
ter," she answered ; "only it was not
exactly tho kind of love one ought to
feel toward a husband. Yon aro as
dear to me as if you were my own fath
er ; but you are so much older thau I,
that-that-"
She hesitated, and did not finish her
sentence. I remembered my gray hairs
with a pang of mortified vanity. Was
not the ghostly visit enough? Must I
bo tortnred in this manner afterward ?
The veil was torn away from tho de
lusion I had cherished.. Alas ! I had
misinterpreted her childish affection.
It might be that she loved another. I
looked down into the face where a vivid
scarlet glowed, and road her Beeret.
"My dear child," I exclaimed, at
tempting to control my agitation, " toll
me everything."
.* Oh, Mr. Raymond," she answered
in confusion, " Charlie has asked me to
be his wife."
The rascal ! No wonder that ho re
mained with her such a long time that
morning ; no wondor that ho boaBted of
tho Batistactory manner in which every
thing had been explained.
"Tho impudont follow !" I muttcrod,
impatiently. " What did you answer,
Lelma,?.. ,J>r? .yon-Jove him ?" --.--'? i
Low and "Hoft tho answer carno:
"Yes."
Tho heart of a woman is a mystery
that I cannot fathom. I waB cortaiuly
outwitted by my nephew. Ho might
havo been afraid, however, that my
couBcienco would reproach mo if Katie
showed hor disappointment. I havo
littlo doubt that Hhe loved mo far better
than sho would confess.
Ah, well! they wero married iu due
time, and wo oro nil living together.
Tho doar children do everything they
can to add to my happiness.
Katie is still a'beautiful woman, and
Oharlio is the staff of my old ago.
I never saw tho ghost again. In fact,
I have good reason to think that tho
mysterious visitant was a certain grace
lets nophow of mine, who had fallon in
love with Katie. Of course I forgave
tho deception long ago, as it saved mo
from n *,erriblo mistake.
I am much happier, probably, than if
I had married tho young girl whoso
heart belonged to nnothor. I am not
certain, however, that she did hot ac
cept Oharlio from piquo at my rejec
tion. Any way, ho hasmado her a good
husband.
The Art ot Listening to Music.
A writer in Scribner's says : " There
is no greater delusion than that of sup
posing that tho best music cnn be on
joyed only by the * musical.' Ordin?r j
people can derive keen pleasure from ti
sympathetic listening to great music il
they will but believe that they can, anc
so attend to it accordingly. There it
no need of being baffled by a want ol
knowledge concering keys ; nor by ar
ignorance of modulation. Your nexl
neighbor may know that the air begai
in G major, and then passed into I
minor, but you can get your own sim
pier pleasure out of it. Whnt is it t<
mo what Titan's secret of color migh
have boen? -Ho had it, and that ii
enongh for one who cannot even draw
The first rule in listening to music is
to listen. Wo do not want to arousi
ourselves to n ff zy of delight, bu
wo do want to bea i what the music ii
like. A very simple and very good rut
for those who aro perplexed by an or
ehestra, and who fancy they are puz
zold to know whore tho tune comes in
is to listen to one instrument, th
violins, for instance, alono for a time
These will probably tako up tho raelod;
and sing it plainly enough, then th'
movement may beeomo moro compli
oated, and tho air seems to have grow
more florid, to be broken perhaps int
brilliant fragmonts, but hearken !-th
Violoncelli have taken it up, and ovc
it floats this new and lovely strain c
violins, then the flutes caf eli the melody
the cornets and tho bassoon swell th
harmony, the drum makes it rhythm:
beats, the whole .orchestra is alive wit
the theme, and before you know it yo
are in the very ' center of the muai
and what was oefore involved and ii
trieste now becomes plain and beaut
ful." _
-" How is your churoh getting on 1
asked a friend of a rigorous Scotch ma:
who had separated in turn from tl
Kirk, tho Free Church, the Unih
Presbyterian and several lesser bodie
"Pretty weel, pretty weel. There
nobody belongs to it .now but n
brothel and myself, and I'm nao nu
I of Sandy's soundness."
: FROST-BITTEN.
' Bi* OK?ilUE A. BAKKn, .1. ll.
Wp were Tiding bomb from the OarroU'H hull.
Nully s.m-ni;, nt anil I, you know;
Thq waite iMcoa nuttered about our lnmpH,
Anil our vflieolH rolled silently through tho HUOW.
We'd danced together the evening through,
For ltoruttoin's V?O?H lind " played their bent ;*'
Her fair head drooped, her lian wer<> low,
And her dreamy eyes wore full of rent.
Uer white arnie nestled along her lap,
lier hands half heidi ni: with weary grace
ll? fading violets-pausing sweet
Wan tho far-off look on her fair young face.
I watched ber, speaking nover a word,
For I would not wakeu thoso dreaming eyes ;
Hut the breath of tho violets filled the air,
And my thoughts wero many and far from wine.
At last, 1 paid to her, bending near,
" Ab, Netty Kansargont, sweet 'twould be
Tn rltlo together our whole lives long,
Alone willi the violets, yon aud me."
Her fair fajo Unshed, and her sweet eyes fell ;
Low as the murmur of roeadow-rllls
'1er answer carno to mo-" Yes-perhaps ;
lint rt ho would Bottle our carriage bills?"
Tho delicate blORsoms breathed their lani ;
Our 'wheels rolled hard on tho stones just then,
Where tbo.snow had d' if led ; tho subject dropped,
Aud luv; nevi l- been taken up again.
Syrian Sponges
The littest proj'ecfc before the acclima
tization society of Paris is the cultiva
tion of the colobrated Syrian sponge in
tho waters of southern France, a valu
able and most useful product, which,
like many auother gift of tho sea, is in
danger "of extermination through exces
sive fishing.
The - sponge-producing grounds of
Syria occur along the const, from Mount
Curm?Hn the south to Alexandretta in
the u?yth, tho centers of production
being Tripoli, Ruad, Lattakia, and
Bartrouu, on the const of Mount Leba
non. Tho best quanitieB are found in
the neighborhood of Tripoli and Bar
troun.*- According to a late report of
the British vice-consul at Beyrout, as
many .'as three hundred boats are en
gaged in tho fishery ; the annual yield,
though falling off through the exhaus
tion of the grounds, still amounts to
SlOO.OOOto 8125,000. The majority of
tho boats used aro ordinary fishing
boats/Jrom eighteen to thirty feet in
lengiify three parts docked over, and
carrying one mast with an ordinary lug
sail. 'Tboy are manned by a crew of
four cr five men, ono to haul and tho
rest to servo as divers.
lu firmer years the coast was much
frequented by. Greek divers from tho
iRliinify of tho Archipelago; the uumbor
in nov,- restricted to five or six boats a
y.?rt8 'jija pkU!, oj . tho Syrian combined
wiltriTb-inibotter knowledge of tho fishing
grourtiH, oiiabliug him to compete suc
ccsBfuJlyiwith his foreign rival.
Diving is practiced from a very early
age nf?-to forty years after which fow
are nblo to continuo tho pursuit profit
ably. Tho depth to which the diver
dcscon-Jn vnrien from fivo to thirty
"hrax^?fl," or from twouty-fivo to ono
hundred, and scventy-fivo feet. Thc
timo he is able ' to spond under water
depends on natural capacity, age, and
training; sixty seconds tim?is reckoned
good work-iu rare instances oighty
seconds aro spout under waler. Tho
Syrian diver uses a heavy stonoto carry
him quickly to the bottom, and is drawn
up by a comrade. On tho bottom, ho
holds tho guide rope with ono hand and
tears <jff tho sponges with the othor,
placing thom in a net which he carries.
No knife, spear or instrument of any
kind is used iu detaching tho sponges ;
nor does he, liko his Groek competitor,
over uso the diving dreBs, having nn
antipathy to it on tho score of its re
puted tendency to produce paralysis of
tho limbs. Two or three fatal accidents
occur annually, maiuly among tho skill
ful and daring, who somotimcs drop tho
ropo to seouro a tempting prize, and
missing it on their return, attempt to
rise to tho surface unaided, and aro
drowned. At other times tho diver
will be wounded by jagged rooks, or
his ropes will become entangled, expos
ing him to great risks where tho depth
is great.
It is possible that this high-priced
and durable variety of sponge might be
cultivated in our southern waters, as a
substitute for the beautiful but tender
sponge they' now yield. The experi
ment is worth trying.
Tobacco in Connecticut.
At a recent meeting of the Connecti
cut Valley Agricultural Institute, Prof.
Stockbridge is reported, in tho New
England Homestead, as saying that
there was about forty million dollars'
worth frown i# tho United States, in
tho following order: 1, Virginia; 2,
North Carolina ; 3, Maryland ; 4, Ken
tucky ; 5, Mississippi ; (>, Connecticut ;
7, Massachusetts, etc. Tho analysis of
tobacco shows it to bo a narcotic poison.
No other plant is liko it in composition.
In a small quantity it is a stimulant, in
largo quantities n deadly poison. It is
a rapid grower, and draws from the
soil moro than any other plnnt. Clovor
takes from tho mineral element of tho
soil ten per cent., tobacco twenty per
cent., or ono ton of tobaccp exhausts
.1(H) pounds of mineral substances for
ovoryacre. The Connecticut seed-leaf
tobacco has a peculiarity, in contradis
tinction to any other in its fineness and
thinnoBH of leaf and texture, and light
ness of color. Tobacco is mado by its
soil. It cannot bo heavy clay, heavy
loam cr alluvial Boil. Must be fine,
sandy land, having absorbent power,
and retaining heat through tbe night.
Taking this poor soil a largo quantity
of manure must be used. Tho land is
the machine for raising tobacco, and it
must bo fertilized and not allowed to
deteriorate a particle. Tobacco is so
exhaustive that no farmor or farm can
make it an exclusivo crop. Stock must
bo fed for tho manure, and the streams
of grain which flow in from tho west aro
i to Tie taken advantage of.
Prof. Stockbridge said if tobnceo
! raising was mauaged on business prin
?iploB, with economy, it ?H tho bust
business a niau can cnmigo in, in tho
Connecticut valley. There will always
be a inarkot For all that will be grown.
The ro?s?? of the present depression
of the business is because thc quality
has much deteriorated, and this is ac
counted for in part by uot using the
right kind of fertilizers, but mainly
iu the future to ripen and euro it. To
bacco properly cured Bhonld bo ripeuod
just as much as any other plant wo
grow, and the modem method of plant
ing it too near together has caused so
rious evil, and is tho great source of
polo-sweat. In planting so close to
gether all except the uppor leaves are
shaded, and tho juices of the leaf are
not properly elaborated. To make ;i
fine leaf, and to develop the oils and
acids of the plant, we must expose it to
the direct rays of the sun.
The curing process is defective; by
the slow gradual process, much of tho
essential narcotic oil is lost. Prof.
Stockbridge referred to a new system
adopted largely in Maryland and Vir
ginia, to cure tobacco by an artificial
heat with a furnanco coustmctod for
that purpose. And it could bo dono
thoroughly in seven days, first making
the heat temperature to eighty degrees,
and the course of five or six days in
creasing to 130 degrees. This artificial
curing retains all the virtuo of the to
bacco, iu fact, increases its essential
oils.-Mural Nero Yorker.
Early Marriages.
Discussion in the British house of
commons on the subject brought out
information as to the earliest apes at
whiob marriage may be legally solemn
ized in each of the states of continental
Europe. In Austria it is 14 for both
sexes ; Hungary, 14 for males, 12 for
females ; Russia, 18 for males, 10 for
females ; Turkey, as soon as they are
able ; Italy, 18 for males, 15 forfemales;
Prussia 18 and 14; Franco and Belgium,
18 aud 15 ; Denmark 20 and 10 ; Greece,
14 and 12. In Hesse Darmstadt and
Baden the consent of parents is nec
essary in the case of men until they
have completed their 25th yoar ; in that
of women until they are 21. The com
pletion of 18 years by males and 10 by
females ?B necessary in tho Netherlands,
and in Saxe-Coberg- Gotha no malo is
permitted to marry before he has at
tained his 21st .vear. lu Saxony tho
legal age. for males is 18 ; for fomalos
10 years. According to tho nmonded
paragraph Of~ th'o^cnr-QorrQairHitTil
mariage" bill, tho ages would be re
spectively 20 and 10 years, instead of
18 and 14, as in the draft bill. In somo
of tho cantons of Switzerland tho law
SB to the ages of tho contracting
parties is as high as 20 yonrs for males
mid 17 for fomalos, and in others as low
as 14 for males and 12 for females.
ArrREnENSiONs OF DROUTO.-Says
tho Sugar Plauter: Our planting friends
have serious fears of a long dronth so
soon ns the pre ont rains poss away,
and with some show of reason. As we
have stated in previous issues of this
paper, the rains nave boon almost inces
sant siuco December List, giving our
farmers and planters but little oppor
tunity to got their fields in order for
cultivation. Now, it seems io follow,
ns a rule, that long rainy spells produce
drouths of an almost equal duration,
and should the rule hold good in the
present instance, it would bo wise to
mako preparations to meet it. While
every ono will uso his own judgmont in
the premises, wo desire to offor one
word of advice, and that is to plant ns
deep as possible and hill up well when
the shoots aro above ground the proper
height. Plonty of soil around young
niants hold the moisture, and should
tho anticipations of a dronth bo not
realized, a little labor will remove any
superfluous soil from cane, cotton and
corn. _
HOME LIFE.-It is the fashion of rest
less and ambit ions women to despise
home-life as too tame, too narrow, too
uneventful for them. They long for a
wider arena, sot well in the view of the
world, whereon to display their gifts or
thoir acquirements ; and they think
this claustral home, this unexciting
family of whiob they form a part, un
worthy of their efforts. And yet in
reality the art of living well at home,
and making the family life a success, is
just as great in its way, if not so im
portant in its apparent-but only ap
parent-results, as the finest shades of
diplomacy and tho largest transactions
of business. All sorts of talents, both
moral and intellectual, are wanted for
the task ; and it seems slightly irra
tional, to despise as futile qualities
which so few of us aro strong enough
to possess, or to rate them as beneath
tho regard of high-minded people, when
not one in a hundred has wit enough
to omploy thom to a satisfactory ?BHUO.
Ymno A LITTLE.-It is bettor to yield
a little than to quarrel a great deal.
The habit of standing up, IIB pooplo
oall it, for their (little) rights is ono of
the most disagreeable and undignified
in the world. Lifo is too short for tho
perpetual bickerings which attend snob
a disposition ; and unless a very mo
mentous affair indeed, where other peo
ple's claims and interests are involved,
it is a question if it is not wiser, hap
pier and more prudent to yield some
what of preoious rights than squabble
to maintain them. Trne wisdom is first
pure, then peaceable and gentle.
-' 'Herbert, "saids perplexed mother,
"Why is it that you'ro not a bettor
boy?'' ..Well," said the littlo fellow,
soberly, looking up into her faco with
his honest bluo eyes, " I suppose the
real reason is that I don't want to bo 1"
The child gavo the real reason why all
of us, big as woll as little, are not bot
ter than wo are.
FACTS AND FANCIES.
-Samuel Wilhelm, of Berks county,
Pa., eight feet high, has applied for the
situation of tho late Irish giant.
-The woman who enaoted the part
of Katie Kin pr in tho Holmes seances
in Philadelphia is studying for tho
stage.
-Careful observations havo shown
that the average temperature of tho
human body within tho tropics is nearly
one degree higher than in a temperate
climate.
-In a fox-chase in England lately
the Hov. C. W. Wilkinson broke his
neck and Lady Florence Douglas
smashed her coilar-boue ; but tho fox
was caught.
-Large apes of naturally intelligent
breeds aro put to good service in tho
straits settlements of tho oast. They
aro trained to climb the cocoanut, palm
trees, valuable for their fruit, which,
ordinarily, is difficult to reach, and not
only harvest tho nuts but always select
such as are ripe. They twist the nut
round and round until it falls down
from the stalk, and at oach BuccesH
testify their delight by jumps and
chuckles. Apes so trained are hired
ont by their owners like so many field
hands.
-The coast, lino of the United States
under the supervision of the light
house board, including thc northern
lakes, is about 10,000 miles in extent,
surpassing that of any other nation on
the globe. Tho number of light-houses
and lighted beacons along this coast
lino is 030 ; light-ships, 25 ; fog signals
operated by steam or hot-air engines,
40 ; day or unlighted beacons, 350 ; to
tal, 1,005, being one beacon for every
10 mile? of coast. Besides this, there
are 3,000 buoys in position to indicate
banks, rocks, and other obstructions in
channels of navigation.
-Toko a man and pin three or four
large tablecloths about him, fastened
back with elastic and looped up with
ribbons ; drag all his owu hair to tho
middle of his head and tio it tight, and
hair-pin on about five pounds of other
hair and a big bow of ribbon. Koop
the front locks on pins all night and lot
them tickle his eyes all day ; pinch his
waist into a corset, and givo him gloves
a size too small, and shoes ditto, and a
hat that will not, stay on without a tor
turing elastic, and a-frill to tickle his
emin, and a littlo laco veil to, blind bin
DJVH ulronnrtir-lio; gvoo-OUtT'i.o-'H-n.tlr, ..mi
ho will know what woman's dress is.
-Tho thieves of Spain aro gayly pur
suing their mad carcor among pioturon
and statues. Tho celebrated cartoons
of Goya at Madrid havo gone after tho
Sovillo Murillo-which latter, indocd,
has been recovered. Tho Virgin's
crown in Saint Ferdinand's chapel at
Sevillo has vanished. So has tho
" Master Dolorosa" of Alonzo Gano at
Granada. Tho latest exploit of these
enterprising fellows has been': -?imph
antly carried out at Madrid. Their
''ooty is a small statue of tho Virgin,
most oxcolloiit of workmanship, and
dating from the end of the sixteenth
century. Its material is wood, gilt and
painted. Tho thieves got it safely into
Paris, whore they borrowed a round
sum upon it from MM. Andro ond Mer
cuard, bankers. Tho Spanish legation
has claimed the statue.
-Tho banishment of lepors is rigor
ously carried out in the Sandwich isles.
There was a recent ofticial search for
persons affected with tho incurable
malady, immy having been secreted by
their relative's. Hundreds were found
and put into a vessel for transportation
to the leper village, to be kept until
they die. Their families gathered on
tho beach, and expressed their grief in
loud lamentations. A talontcd half
breed, called Bill Ragsdalo, has long
held a high place in the regard of Sand
wich Islanders. He is an orator of
great natural power, and loader in tl -
district of Hilo, and a man of notorious
bad morals. He discovered that ho was
leprous, though the indications were so
slight that he had escaped official no
tice, and at once gave himself up to the
authorities. A procession of natives,
singing and carrying flowern, escorted
him to the vessel which was to take him
and tho others to their living graves.
He made a speech to tho assembly,
urgiug submission to the measures for
eradicating leprosy by banishment, and
expressing his hatred of missionaries.
"Wheeler & Wilson's Sewing Ma
chines.
Wo call attention to tho Wheeler Ss
Wilson advertisement in our columns.
This well-known Company has tho
most advantageous facilities for supply
ing tho public with Sowing Machines,
on as favorable terms as tho business
will idiow. They warrant all thoir
work, and it is a matter of impor
tance to tho purchaser to deal with a
Company whoso position and perma
nence givo assurance that their guar
anty will bo fulfilled. They have
agencies and offices throughout the
civilized world, for furnishing needles,
thread and other necessary supplies,
and have an established reputation for
reliability and fair dealing.
THE conspicuous triumph of Messrs.
George Steck & Co., of New York, at
the Vienna World's Fair in 1873, at
which thoir pianos obtained the highest
award-the only gold medal-has begun
to yield them substantial fruits. Tho
increased popularity of tho Steck in
struments is noticeablo not only in New
York, whore thoir excollonco has long
been acknowledged, but throughout tho
country, and moro espeoially in those
rommunities that lay special claim to a
cultivated musical tasto.-New York
Independent.