The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, March 02, 1886, Image 3
pt"'
L .
fe LOVE AND DEATH.
IHfe may hold sweotnoss yet; I would not
die;
For He might come with smiles upou his
lip,
Thon from my heart tho woary years
would slip,
-And I should greet him with a joyouB cry,
Forgiving and forgetting all tho past,
Just for the sake of love como back at
last,
Ob, life may yet bo sweet; I would not die.
Child, Fate bas not beon kind to you and
me;
Your baby kiBses could not ease my pain;
Whilo in that other face I looked in vain
I"orBign8 of what I knew could never bo,
Often I drew away your clinging grasp,
To Beck again that coltl and careless clasp,
No; life baa not beon kind to you and me.
And Death is coming. Ab, will Death be
kind ?
Will he, some day, bring mo my truant
love ?
Or shall I iloat In ether pure above,
Passionless, sexless, and not hopo to lind
Him who made life a blessing and a curse ?
Will Death bring hotter, happier times, or
worse ?
Ah, Death is coming fast; will he be kind?
Love, have you never known one bitter
hour?
Never looked back with tender, sweet regret
To that past happy summer when we mot,
When first I knew my beauty ? fatal
.?, dower !?
Had chained your roaming fancy ? What
a chain !
Woven in madness from despair and pain,
And idly worn to kill an idle hour.
- I
Child, listen to me: Love is worse than
Death; *
For Death talces all, but Love takes fruit
and bloom.
And leaves the worthless husk to rot in
B'ooin,
It takes tlio crown from life; tho woary
breath
Must labor on until Death brings relief,
And blots out all tlie weariness and grief,
Ah, Love iB ciuil; merciful is death.
? Chainherx'x Journal.
CRUISE OF THE ICICLE.
BV JULIA lv. HII.DUKTH.
"Zugene, conic down to Mr. Turner's
boat-house. Ho has just fastened
his ice-boat up, and 1 want to see how
it is made."
4 "Do you mean that queer looking
thing we saw flying over the ice yesterday,
Steve?"
1. .1:^1 ? -
jl uo. uui juu uvci slx an y illlllg go I
so fast? I wish 1 had one.''
. "So do I. How splendid it would be
to go skimming over the ice before the
wind like that!"
Eugene Bently and Stephen Hules
lived in the little village of Mossbauk,
on the Hudson. The winter had set in
very early that year, and already the
river was frozen hard for miles.
The boys had enjoyed themselves
greatly skating near the shore, until one
day Mr. Turner, a gentleman who owned
a handsome house close to the bank,
purchased a strange-looking craft, half
sled, half boat.
It moved over the ice with such ease
and swiftness that Eugene and Stephen,
who had never seen an ice-boat before,
became quite disgusted with their slower
mode of progress, and Stephen secretly
determined to have one like it if possible.
^fhi>n t.lift linvo rnnoliorl Afr Tumni-'o
boat-house there was no one in sight, so
they felt free to examine and comment
on the boat at their leisure.
. ^ "Why it is nothing but a three-cornered
frame on runners," said Stephen
Hules, after he had walked around the
ice -boat several times.
"And the sail is exactly like your
father's yacht-sail, only smaller," exclaimed
EUgene.
"I tell you what I mean to do, Eugene."
cried Stephen, excitedly. "I
mean to ask father to let me use the
spar, boom and sail of the yacht, then
we can make an ice-boat for ourselves."
"Do you think so?" said Eugene,
doubtfully. "See here, Steve, the runner
in the stern moves on a pivot, and
is guided by the helm."
"I see," replied Stephen, admiringly.
In less than an hour the boys were
busy selecting materials for their iceboat,
as Stephen had received permission
to use the yaclit-sail, providing he
did not in any way spoil it for the
\acht.
It was not until five o'clock the next
day that theirs was completed; then
when they hauled the frame out of the
shed to step the mast and put a few finishing
touches here and there, Eugene
4 brought out a small pot of red paint and
a brush.
'Well, now, Steve,"said he, "what
are you going to call it?"
"I've got it I" cried Stephen. "Call
her the Icicle."
"First-rate," exclaimed Eugene,
kneeling down, and proceeding to form
the letters across the bow.
When this was finished it was quite
dark, and the boys were obliged to de- j
fer their trial-trip until the next day.
The next day as soon as they had
finished breakfast, Eugene and Stephen
made haste to pull their ice-boat down
to the fiver. The wind was fresh, the
sky cloudless, and the ice as solid as
stone.
The boat proved a grand success,
and flow over the stirface of the fro/en
" water of the Hudson River with astonishing
velocity. Eugene managed the
iiii.. t.'i. >1. _ ? .1-1 ?
biner, wane oiepnen eook cnargc 01 tne
sail and sheet line. The Icicle could
sail before the wind, tack, and come
about just like a sail-boat, only with
much more ease and swiftness.
They had been out less than an hour
when Mr. Turner appeared on the
shore. After looking at the Icicle
earnestly for a moment, he climbed into
his own boat and drew rapidly toward
them.
When he was within a few yards he
called out:
"Why, boys, who made your iceboat?"
"We made it ourselves, Mr. Turner, '
replied Scephen. "It is only a rough,
looking affair, but it seems to work all
v right.
"It is a little rough, it is true, but
that is of no consequcnce at all," said
Mr. Turner, inspecting the boat closcly.
41 You have built it for speed, I see.
You carry rather more sail than I think
exactly safe. You had better drop the
peak when you catch a gust. Wjll you
try her against the Ice Queen?"
"Yes. sir, thank you," cried the boys
in concert, for they were greatly flattered
and pleased by Mr. Turner's proposal.
Mr. Turner brought the Ice Queen
within a few feet of the Iricle. The two
boats presented a great contrast?one
with its lily-wlnte sail, smooth, red
frame and shining gilt letters, and the
othnr llf >1 uniform frrfl v pnl/ir lior onil
? t.**v "VI u"4t
old and patched in many places, though
large and strong.
Eugene felt rather dismayed as he noticed
the difference, but Stephen whispered,
encouragingly:
"We will beat, I am sure."
"I think," said Mr. Turner, "it will
be safer to go up the river, for down below
the bend the ice is thin."
44Yes, sir," replied Eugene. "Father
told me it was dangerous down there
this morning."
"Then," said Mr. Turner, "we will
go up as far as the fisherman's house,
and back to my grounds. 1 am sure of
the ice so far. Now, boys, when you
are ready I am."
They started, and before many minutes
Stephen and Eugene learned the
truth of the proverb "All is not gold
that glitters," for the little gray Icicle
soon shot ahead of its line rival.
The boys felt as though they would
never grow tired of this delightful
sport. The keen wind whistled about
their ears and brought the bright color
into their checks ns they rushed past the
snow-covered banks over the shining
ice. And, besides, there was the Ice
Queen behind them, urging them on to
greater exertions.
The two boats went up and down several
times, and always with the same
result.
When they rearhed the boat house
for the fifth time, Mr. Turner sprang out
and said, laughingly:
"It is very plain to see which is the
better boat. Hut we will try it over
again to-morrow."
Then he bade the two bovs crood-bve
and returned to his house.
The next morning they were out
again, and so was Mr. Turner. He
taught them several things about the
management of their boat, arid Stephen
and Eugene thought him very kind and
friendly.
In this way a week passed. But one
night it grew quite warm and rained
hard. Then it was found that the ice
had broken up at many points along the
river, so the boys were obliged to wait
for eolder weather before venturing o.n
it again. After a little while, however,
another cold spell came, and the ice
seemed as hard cs ever.
Stephen and Eugene were rejoiced at
this, and prepared the Icicle for a good
long trip. When they reached the center
of the river they found that the
wind blew a perfect gale, and the Icicle
skipped and hopped along as though
she might at any moment be lifted bodily
into the air ; so. at last, for fear of
an accident, they were obliged to follow
Mr. Turner's advice and drop the peak
?that is, loosen the rope that supports
the upper corner of the sail and allow
the stall to fall down, which reduces the
size of the sail considerably. The Ivicle
ran along very smoothly after this.
They had sailed a long distance down
the river, when Eugene called out:
"I say, Steve, I can see clear watci
ahead."
Steve stood up cautioush*. Then he
said:
"Put her about. Eugene! I sec water,
too. The ice seems to have been driven
all over to the east shore."
Eugene obeyed, and they turned back.
When the}* reached Mossbank, Stephen
said:
''There is Mr. Turner. Suppose wc
go and ask him if he will have another
race to-day."
As they drew near the shore, however,
h little girl came running down
toward the boat-house.
Stephen stopped the Icicle "by putting
down the brake, which was a sharp iron
spike fixed for that purpose near the
centre of the frame, and which, by driving
into the ice, checked the speed of
the boat. This was an invention of the
two bovs.
"I will wait until the little girl has
gone," said Stephen, hesitating, and
looking toward Mr. Turner.
T1..1 i.1 1 - J * *
.out me iiuiv gin st'cmeu to nave no
intention of going away just yet. She
came skipping and sliding down the
bank like a snowHakc, her yellow hair
streaming out from under her little
white fur cap, and her small hands
thrust into a tiny white mull.
"Uncle James! Uncle James! Is
that your ice-boat ?" she cried. 4 'Please
let mo have just one little bit of a slide,
mamma said I might ask you."
' That's just like a girl," muttered
Eugene. "They are always teasing to
go where they arc not wanted. Now
our fun is spoiled. Of course Mr. Turner
won't race with that midget in his
boat. The wind would blow her away."
Stephen laughed.
"I don't think much of girls myself,"
said lie, "but I suppose they have aa
good ri<jht to <ro out as we have. And
perhaps Mr. Turner would rather take
her with him than race with us."
At that moment Mr. Turner looked up
at the little girl coming toward him, and
said, with a smile:
"Madge, it is terribly cold out here.
Iam afraid you will suiter."
"I love the cold," replied Madge,
laughingly. "May I go, Uncle James?"
and she stepped into the Ice Queen and
seated herself close to Mr. Turner.
Mr. Turner, instead of answering
Madge, looked towaid tho boys and
called out: ,
"is u very windy'f'
"Yes. sir," replied Stephen, raising
his cap. "Windy and cold, too."
"Is that another ice-boat?" asked
Madge, standing up on the seat to get a
view of the Icicle.
"Yes," replied her uncle.
"What a funny boat !" said she, with
a laugh. "I don't believe it can slide
as fust ns yours."
Mr. Turnor lookod at Stephen and
Eugene and smiled.
44Why don't they wash their sail?"
obseived Madge, trying to whisper.
"Come. Madge, sit down," admonished
Mr. Turner. "And sit still until 1
.......
'<f8/f<~W-'9f;; y- ^fv -1 s
?
como back. I shall have to go to the |
house for a robe to wrap you in."
lie went up the bank quickly, leaving
Madge alone in the boat.
"Come, Steve," said Eugene, ''let us
go."
lie cast a frowning glance at Madge
as he spoke, for he had not <juite forgiven
her for her remarks about his
boat.
Stephen pulled up the brakes, and
they started oft once more, but they hud
gone only a short distuncc when they
heard a loud cry from the bank, and
looking back they saw Mr. Turner running
toward the river.
"The Ice Queen has broken loose,"
exclaimed Stephen. "And oh, Eugene,
the little girl is in it all alone. See, she
is stretching out her hand to Mr. Turner
!"
"lloist the ponk again," cried Eugene.
"Perhaps we can catch up to
it."
He turned the boat quickly as he
spoke.
Then began a race; but this time It
was for life, :is the wind blew directly
I down the river toward the open water.
I Mr. Tliriifir. 111 hnistim tlw> ?nil Vio/1
, ... 1 I
cast one end of the sheet line about the !
eleat. This was safe enough so long as \
the boat remained with its head to the
wind.
Rut some frolicsome movement of the
little girl's had shifted the position of
the light craft. It had swung around,
and straining hard at its fastening ,
finally broke away. It rudder had been
jammed among the mass of rope*, carelessly
left in the boat, so that it held
firm, and away went the Ice Queen at
headlong speed, with the Icicle in pursuit.
In a few moments the news of' the j
accident spread through the village and I
people came hurrying to the bank, ges- i
ticulating wildly and pointing to the j
open water in the distance.
Eugene and Stephen watched with i
beating hearts the boat moving before !
them. Never had she appeared to fly so j
fast. The sail of the Icicle was strained
to bursting, and her mast shook and
trembled before every new gust, as :
though it would snap apart.
At last, much to the boys' relief, they i
found that they really did gain upon |
the Ice Queen. Now they could plainly ;
see the frightened look upon Madge's j
face as' she crouched on a seat close to j
the helm, both hands clutching the side
of the ice-boat.
"Put her about!" shouted Stephen to !
her. "Don't you see you arc making :
I right for the water? You'll be j
1 drowned."
I AI:ifl<rP lnnkrd wilillw rmm/l linfr .liil
not move.
"Shu doesn't understand!" exclaimed i
Eugene despairingly. !
' Push the helm away from you!"
shouted Stephen, making the motion !
with his hands. 1
But- Madge only looked more bewild
ered than ever. i
"She don't know anything," cried
Eugene in horrilicd surprise.
Let the sail tly, then ? quick, J
quick!" yelled Stephen. "There's the j
water in sight. Oh. she doesn't even |
understand that! Untie the rope!?un- ;
tic the rope!"
Little Madge turned her head and I
stared at the sail. As she did so she 1
caught sight of the water and seemed to ,
comprehend all her danger: for she gave 1
a pitiful cry, and, crouching down, hid ;
her face in her hands.
"What shall we do now?" asked Eu- '
gene desperately.
"Steer so as to run close against the I
Ice Queen; but don't strike, or we will 1
1 all be killed," replied Stephen. ;
And he crawled along the frame of
the boat until he reached the bow, and '
kneeling down by the mast took a knife
from his pocket and opened it.
"Now," cried Stephen, as lie bent .
forward, the knife firmly grasped in his j
right hand, and his left arm tightly ;
clasping the mast.
, In a sccond the two boats almost
touched, and Stephen's knife rume down
with a swift, shaip movement upon the
strained sheet-line.
The Ice Queen gave a shudder, slid
on for a few yards, and then stood still. !
TO.iirrotin ennn c*n/?L?nnn/1 iVw* ^^
their boat, and Stephen jumped out and ;
ran to the little girl.
"Are you hurt?" he cried.
Madge looked up at Stephen through
her fingers and shook her head; then
she glanced at the water into which she
had so nearly been plunged.
"I couldn't let the sail fly out," she :
sobbed, "because I don't know how,
and I did uot know where the other
, thing was. Oh. please take me home!
I am so cold and tired."
"All right!" replied Stephen. "I'll
take care of you now."
Then he took a blanket from his own
i boat and wrapped it around the shivering
little creature; and tying the severed
sheet line of the lee Queen, he turned
her bow up the river. In a few mo'ments
both boats were moving rapidly
toward Mossbank.
The cliasc had led them a long distance
from home?so far that they were
quite out of sight of the village. But
presently they saw a number of people,
some running along on the bank and
others skating toward them on the
river.
The first to reach the boats was Mr.
Turner. He looked very pale and excited,
but when he ascertained that |
Madge was uninjured, he seized' a hand
cf each of the boys and shook it warmly.
Soon they were surrounded by a
crowd, who praised and applauded
Eugene and Stephen for their bravery
until they made their escape.
The next morning Mr. Turner met the
two boys. After thanking them again
and again, he said:
"Will you do me the favor of taking
the Ice Queen away from my boat-liouse
and using it yourselves? 1 shall never
j enter it myself after this."
The boys changed the name of their
; new boat to the Madge, and day after
, day, as long as the ice lasted, the Icicle
and the Madge might be seen skimming
along si(le by fide.
! Little Madge and her uncle often
came to the bank to speak to Eugene
and Stephen; but thoy never could be
, persuaded to take another trip iu the
ice-boat.?Golden Day a.
One who ha* faith in the concrete is snre to
. have it in the abetract: and the effeot is that
. of optimism in the world.
.* \ ' \ ' ' .. \ *
Jy ' " - ' /'* I'
! A TROOP OF WILD HORSES.
One ol* tho ttrnixlent Slglits Ever WiU
uosmciI.
TTiad camped near the forks the
Platte, and was aroused just at daylight
1>3* footsteps around me. After listening
lor a moment, I felt sure that they were
the footsteps of horses. They seemed
to be circling around me - not at a canter
nor at a trot, but at a moderate
walk. It was well that I had secured
my horse in a thorough manner, for I
never saw him so excited, lie tugged
and pulled at his lariat, stood up on his
hind legs, neighed and snorted, pawed
u?wl * i*'"
UIU Jiiiuiccu, mill 1L n ilH I11M ilCllOHS l.lllll
gave me n clue to the identity of my
visitors.
They were wild horses!
Had they been Indian ponies, my j
trained horse would have remained as
dumb and silent as a post. Indeed, Indians
would not have approached me in
that manner.
I remained verv quiet, hoping the
horses would remain in sii>lit until daylight
should jrive me a good view of
them. I had to wait for a full hour;
but. when the light grew strong, the
spectacle was one to- make a
man's blood tingle. The circle had
been enlarged until it-was half a mile
across, and my little camp was the center.
Every horse, and there were 121)
of them, stood with his head to this
center, and soldiers could not have
taken positions on the skirmish line in a
more precise order.
I pitied my own animal. Tie stood
with the lariat drawn taut, and trembled
in every limb, and he was as wet
with sweat as if I had galloped him
twenty miles. I realized how lie must
long to break away and join the wild
rovers, and forever end his drudgery.
I dared not rise to my feet for fear of
alarming the drove, but, nevertheless, I
had a clear view of each horse. Most
of them were magnificent animals.
? ? .
iiiiiuiiii uunii wu LUV11 .NI1UUIULTS JUKI lilllS
on the crass. They were of various
colors, anil they ranged in asjc from the
yearling colt to the veterans twenty
years old. The hays predominated, but
every color was present.
"NYc had been observing each other
about ten minutes, when a jet-black
stal ion, who was the leader of the herd,
gave a snort, threw up his heels into the
air, and broke of! at a gallop, followed
by the drove in single file. They ran in
a true circle, and thev made the circuit
five times before stopping. Then, at
another signal from the leader, the circle
broke and the horses wheeled into a
long single line, or "company front."
Troop horses could not have done
better. I thought at first that the line
mcaut to charge me. but at a signal it
made a left wheel and galloped straight
off on the plain for a mile. Then it
broke, assumed the shape of a tri-angle,
and returned. When the; leader was
within pistol shot he wheeled about and
the horses formed in a square, with the
four yearlings in the center. They galloped
off for a mile, broke again, and
returned in two ranks.
I had an almost irresistible desire to
kill the leader with a bullet. Indeed, I
reached for my rille with that intent,
but then came the reflection that it
would be little short of murder. Such
. another perfect horse I had never seen.
HSu 1.1..S.L. lit-- -!??- '
Alio uiawa i.uai MiUllC lit\L* blllv, 1118 111110S
ana body were perfection, and lie liad
the speed and bottom of a race horse.
Not a halt was made for a full hour, and
then it was only preparatory to taking a
swift departure. The last manoeuvre
was a circle at a slow trot, and each
horse whinnied in a coaxing manner lo
my own steed. PoorSelim! lie struggled
in the most frantic manner to break
loose, and when finding all his efforts of
no avail, lie threw himself down on the
grass and actually groaned his disappointment.
1 rose up then and waved my blanket,
instead of rushing off in alTriuht, as T
expected, the leader of the band deliberately
approached me a few rods and
stood and snorted and pawed as if sending
forth a challenge. Then I set up a
shoutincr. waved the blanket smr?i> mnw
O' # "*v"
and he took his place at the head,
formed the band at "company front"
and they went otT at a gallop, and maintained
it as lcng as I could see the waving
line.?Detroit Free Press.
A liurrowiug Bird.
A quiet picture is afforded by the hill 1
where the auks brood. They resemble ;
the eider-duck in shape, except that 1
their bills are sharp and not flat like
those of the latter. There arc three
species of them, which are distinguished 1
from one another by the length of their 1
bill and its curvature. All three spe 1
cies live and brood in. the same places. '
I was told of ii mountain where a million
of them had built their nests. I 1
am sure of one thing?that no man has 1
ever seen a million of birds, even though 1
he has travelled over half the earth.
Doubting the accounts, I visited the 1
described mountain. On a bright sum- 1
mer day my companion and myself took 1
a boat and rowed toward it, over the '
smooth, transparent water, between
beautiful islands, followed by the 1
screeching of the startled gulls. High *
above us, on a towering ridge, we saw 1
the watchful ospreys; by oxir side, on
right and left, along the shore-cliffs, the t
sitting eider-duck. Finally we came to f
the populous part of the mountain,
which is from 320 to 830 feet high, and <
saw really immense number^ of birds
sitting on the ridges. The higher parts <
of the cone were covered with a brown *
Hiiuon-wors. ana as we approached the
snore the birds drew back thither, nnd i
suddenly disappeared from view as if by '
concerted agreement. When we had <
readied the shore and landed, and were i
wondering what had become of the hosts j
of birds, w<? found the ground bur- |
rowed all over with holes that looked i
like common rabbit holes. We soon I
learned that they were the entrances to
the nest chambers of the auks. The ^
holes are large enough to permit the t
birds to pass through, and then widen f.
on the inside so as to give room for the 1
nest and the two birds. As we climbed i
toward the height, the tenants first
carefully and anxiously peered at us,
then slipped out and threw themselves i
screaming into the sea, which was soon 1
covered, as far as the eye could reach, 4
with birds whose cry resembled the r
noise of a gigantic surf or of a raging f
storm. ?Popular Scinxa Monthly. ! t
-5* . '
. ,.v :A v' v v. vfc&
The Pretty Baby.
"Isn't he a pretty baby, John? &ee
just look at him," and the mother hold
up the tinv creature to papa, who kissc
and fondles him lovingly.
"Yes, Kate, he is a pretty baby, bu
Tom was a pretty baby, too, you remcm
lif>r "
"Yes, Tom was a pretty baby?every
body said so," and she glances acros:
the room at a sunny-faced 4-year old
"but Willie is not iike Tom. Willie'
hair is light and his eyes," looking wist
fully into the baby's face, "are dark an<
so deep that, when I look in them I an
almost afraid, they have such a fa
away light, they seem to see somethinj
we cannot."
"Oh, nonsense! Don't think that
He'll grow up to be a line fellow. Hut
Kate, I wouldn't think so much abou
him. He's a dear, good, little fellow
but, I wouldn't worship him; it isn1
right."
"As if I coidd help it." the root he
says, reproachfully, pressing the sligh
form closer and looking into the darl
eyes yearningly.
A month pusses nwav, and one da
they stand beside a small, white casket
within which the pretty baby is sleep
inir. Ah, the mother's eyes were sharp
iukI when friends said, "what bcaulifu
bright eyes he has," she saw the far awa;
look and knew it as the light that neve
was on land or sea.
"Oh, John, John!" she moaned, "
knew he wasn't long for this world,
could sec it in his eyes. Oh, my prctt;
baby?"
"Yes, dear, you were right," say
papa, and there is a quiver in the firn
voice; "if it had pleased God to liav
left him with us we would have carc<
t i.: i-i.. i i - i %
mm nun ino uusi we coma; out wemus
irive him up, for it is Ilis will, and 1L
knows what is best for us."
"Yes, I know it,'; and she stoops aiu
cuts a tiny wisp of hair from the baby':
head. "Oh, John. you said I wor
shipped him. I did, oh. I did, and
God'forgive me, I can't, be sorry for i
now, it was such a dear, pretty baby.'
Years pass on. Other babies are born
They are all pretty babies, every on
ho sees them say that, but none arc 1 ik<
the baby with the far away look. As the;
grow up they love to gather arounc
mother's chair, and she never tires tell
ing of the dark-eyed baby who went t<
live with God. And when, with child
ish curiosity they open the Bible to loo!
at the pictures, they find between th<
leaves a tiny wisp of hair tied with i
white satin ribbon, they tough it revcr
ontly and whisper beneath their breath
"The pretty baby."
Years still pass on. The childrei
grow to be sturdy men and women, ant
as the mother watches them she some
times thinks, "If he had lived lie wouli
have been such a beautiful man," an<
then she smiles and is clad that ii
Heaven ihcrc is no time, and no matte
how the others may change he is stil
the pretty baby.
One day they gather around her bed
and looking in each other's face mourn
fully whisper:
"She is dying."
She stretches lier thin hand towart
the table on which the old Bible rest
and thev say:
"The baby's hair."
They place it in her hand. She kisse
it tenderly and a bright light come
into the dim old eyes, and they say:
"What does she see ?*'
She smiles and whispers: "The prett;
baby."
They place the wisp of hair 011 he
breast and fold the wrinkled hand
upon it, and tenderly lay her beside th
pretty baby.
Scotch Dinners.
Til Scotland, after the slaughter o
the viart (bullock) at Martinmas, a well
to-do farmer used to give a "spare-ril
fl inn<?h" tn " ?
..... W. ?W OC? *Ull 111 llil
Hjtfiice, or best room. At other time
rliimer was served for the whole house
hold, gudem;in, gudewife, the children
maid-servants and farm iaborors, knowi
as hinds.
But on the occasion of the spare-ril
dinner the farmer and his wife abandor
the society of their servants and dinec
with their guests. Preparations foi
cooking began at early morn, and every
thing was in profusion. Stacks o
bread, heaps of vegetables, piles o!
chicken, loins of mfitton, loads of pork,
and a prodigious haguis flanked anc
faced the principal dish?roast ribs ol
beet.
The guests arrived a little before on<
o'clock, at which hour the dinner win
served by the maidens, who placed the
meats and vegetables all on the table,
iind then stood back and smiled.
When the guests were seated the mis
tress stood at her husband's right hand,
whence she directed the gudeman ant
naidens.
As the first course was being served,
die exhorted her guests to 4 'stick wee
to the skink, and no trust to the cas
;acks"?that is, indulge freely in broth,
ind do not expect much to follow it.
Pressing to eat was considered good
nanners, and the wife was expected tc
irge the guests so long as the meal
asted.
<4I say, minister, what ails ye at the
twine that ye're no tast'n' pork?" the
udewife would nay to the clergyman.
The parish schoolmaster would lie adlressed
with?
<4Dominie, dinna crack [talk] yersell
>ut o' yer denner, my man; free [taste]
ho guse, and dab it weel wi' mistard."
<4Mayersicauber and Glenlichan,"
laming two farmers by their farms,
'vfi maun tn.k' r Rnnnl lln?l a'
j - . - i i ?o i ~ ";v
;huekie (fowl], or a wcng o' the jenkic
duck), or a big seklice o' the bublicock
(turkey|. Tak' a bit o' the mert
bullock), launders Tamson; o'd man,
t was felled by Jock, yer gude>rithcr."
When the meat viands were removed,
vhich was done by huddling them
ogether in a large wicker basket, thi
judewife took her seat opposite hei
msband and served cheese and pudling.
IIow mast times have I got to climb
lp three flights of stairs to collect this
}ill?" said a bill collector to Gilhooly.
'You can suit yourself about that. I'm
lot going to move down in the cellar,
or the accommodation of bill collectors."
l ^
BANKRUPT ROADS OF LAST YEAR *
, A DiNCoiirniffnK lleport of Itiillway Fore
3 clnaiirea nnil Kcceiversliiiia.
s
The Railway Age presents a discourag
t. ing record of railway i'oreelosures aiu
. receiverships for the year 1885. Referr
ing to its tubulated statement the papa
. says:
3 "It. will be seen that during the pas
.Tfilir t.W('lltv.t?'n r-lilu-nva in tl><>
s States, with 3,15(5 miles of nmin line, an<
. with a bonded debt of $141,51/0,000, auc
1 a capital stock of $180,000,000, makinj
a a total bonded debt and capitalization o
r nearly $278,500,000, have been sold un
it der foreclosure and transferred to nev
ownership, the result being that th>
capital stock is generally wiped out en
,t tirely and the bonded debt charged int?
t the form of new securities, sometime
f of less and sometimes of grcate
t amount.
"The totals of this table are sufficient
r lv impressive in themselves, but the;
t will be found still more so by comparing
c them with the summary for prcviou
je;?rs, which makes the assertion tha
y during these ten years i>3S railways
\ with a total length of 29.000 miles, or 2."
. per cent, of the entire railway mileag.
,t of the country at the commencement o
1 1885, and with an aggregate capita
y stock and bonded debt of $1,778,000,000
V or nearly 24 per Cent, of the total stocl
and bonded indebtedness at the sam<
X date, have gone through the disastrou,
I experiences of default in interest, pass
v iug into the hands of receivers, with thlong
list of expenses and losses involvec
s in this, and finally of forced sale wliict
ii has wiped out the entire interest of man;
0 of the holders and compelled the other
1 to accept new securities and generally
t advance more money in order to main
e tain the existence of the property in th<
future.
1 "A tabic of the receiverships durinj
s 1885 shows that the forty-four railway
. companies, having 8,880 miles of lines
with a bonded debt of $198,482,900, anc
t representing a capital stock amounting
'? to $187,027,200, or an aggregate appar
ent investment of nearly $888,500,001
*, have failed to meet their obligation
,, and have been taken possession ofb;
' the courts for the benefit of their credi
j tors."
5 Spartan Discipline.
i During the last century Spartan ideal
; of discipline prevailed in English anc
ii American families. I)r. Johnson pro
- tested against wishing babies in colc
: water, which was practiced in his day
the idea being that it would make then
i rugged. The purpose to make cliildrci
1 robust dictated the method of governing
- them.
1 An English boy. while playing abou:
1 some river craft, tumbled overboard. Hi.
i face was badly cut by striking agains
r something in his fall, and it. w:;s witl
1 great difficulty that lie was saved front
drowning.
, lie was put to bed. Two or thrci
. days atterward his father said to him:
"Well, Harry, how do you feci?"
"Quite well, sir," answered tlie boy
1 "Nothing amiss?"
t "Nothing, sir."
"Then get up and take your flogging
for giving us all this trouble."
s And flogged he was.
s Another English boy, being badlj
treated at school, ran away, and pre
scntcd himself at his father's house
y many miles distant. He stated liii
complaints against the school, and hii
r father, listening until he had finished
s said:
e "Well, my lad, you must be tirec
after your long walk; you had better g<
to bed. for you must be up early to star
for school sigain."
"But mayn't I have some supper?'
asked the tired and hungry boy.
f "No, my lad," replied this Sparta*
- father. "I pay your board at school
* and you cannot have it here."
2 , Such stories as these two?they an
* related in the "Reminisconces" of tin
- Rev. T. Mosley, an English clenjymnr
. ?may account for that reaction ii
i family discipline which has no sym
patliy with Spartan ideas. ? Youth'-.
) Companion.
i
j; Tlie llig Dakota Farmer.
*. The Cincinnati Enquirer says:?I hac
^ a conversation yesterday with Mr
Dwight, the manager of the grea
| Dwight farm in Dakota. Ho has aixti
? thousand acres of land'to till, one o:
the largest tracrs in Dakota or the coun
^ try. I asked him if the India whea? '
rrnnc nffoMnfl Unl-'Ato nr?/l n..?o m. :
j m?wvv\4 j/utwMi uim u aa ouijiiisui;
, at the prompt answer in the negative.
He explained his reply by saying: "Th?
' wheat raised in Dakota is harder tliar
any wheat grown in quantities anywhert
on the face of the globe. It will alwayi
i brinsr a hiirher orice than nnv nthm
1 wheat because it makes better flour. Ai
long as some men are richer then othen
i and will have the best of everything
that money can buy, so long JJakott
wheat will have the best of every market
I attribute the quality of the grain t<
, the coolness of the climate and the larg<
quantity of alkali that it finds to absort
! ^in Dakota soil. The Indian wheat it
soft and pulpy. It is not a good articlt
of food. Right alongside of us, Montani
' and Washington Territories are unable t<
produce such wheat as we do."
A Brave Child.
vw
louring the temporary absence front
' his house of John Ounderson, an om'
ploy?e of the Woodvillc Lumber Company,
at Baldwin, Wis., his wife, aftei
> putting her youngest child in bed, Icfi
> two others, one about Jive and the othci
four years of age, and went to the stab!<
: to milk the cow. In some way unknown
the children overturned t.hn inmn
ploding it, and tlie clothes of the young
est child were set on fire. It would
have been burned to death had not th?
i elder one carried it out doors and extin>
guished the flames with snow. Th?
' mother was very badly burned trying t<
rescue the baby, and "would have perished
in the flames had not the neigh<
bors prevented her making tho second
attempt. The house with tho contcnti
i was entirely consumed. the debri?
the charred body of the child wai
i found.
Hydrophobia may bo prevented by apply In# 4
internally half nn ounce of lend to the dogl
Yea*. |j