The people. (Barnwell C.H., S.C.) 1877-1884, December 06, 1883, Image 1
Special Keaueets
1. Is writing to thfc ofleo oa
■fanja giro yomr
i 1B<
, .kloMtc
Badnca lottora and
to be paUiabod ehoald be written
ow eraente aheeta, aad the objeet ofeedi
clearly Indicated by nacaaaary note when
required.
*. Articlea lor publication ahould bo
writteu in o dear, legible baud, aad oa
only om aide of tbe page.
4, All cbaagefe in adTertiaeaenta aamt
racbuaon Friady.
V v • •
VOL. VII. NO. 14. BARNWELL/.CViH., 8. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 0, 1883.
$2 a Year.
*o eoauunloatiou wffl baj
/til
i of tbe miter, not
ibUeatka, but mu gut
TJE PEOPLE,
Aidrani,
Barnwea O. fl. 8. CL
TUE OLD HOMESTEAD.
All, hero it is, the deer old piece,
Unchanged through all these year*;
How like none iweet, familiar face
My childhood's home appears !
The grand old tree# behind the door
Still spread their branches wide;
f The river wanders as of yore,
With sweetly running tide;
Tbe distant hills look green and gay,
The flowers are blooming wild;
And everything looks glad to-day,
As when I was a child.
Ilegardleaa how the years have flown,
Half wonderingly I stand;
I catch no fond, endearing tone,
I clasp no fricndljphaiq}; * .
I think my mother's smile to meet,
. I list my father's call, ■ r
I pansc to hear my brother's feet
Come bounding through the hall;
Bat silence all sround me reigns,
A chill creeps through my heart;
No trace of those I love remains,
And tea in tiuliidden start.
What though the sunbeams fall as fail
What though the bndding flowers
Shed tbrir fragrance on the air
Within lift’s golden hours;
The loving ones flialclilrtered here
These walls may not restore;
Voices that filled my yontliful ear
Will greet my soul no more,
And yet I q.at the dear old place
With slow and lingering tread,
As when we kiss a clay-cold face
And leave it with the dead.
Ichabod Turner’* Mission.
BT KATB W. HA WILTON.
“Crooked! Crockett! Crooked !” rang
out tbe sharp, peculiar, dissonant voice,
snd the toll, tliin figure in seedy gar
ments and flapping hat swayed to and
fro on the stump that had been selected
for s rostrum. “All tilings have gone
crooked in this worldr^d I’ve come to
ret ’em straight—to undo the snarls,
give the power where it belongs and put
men in their j luces. Oh—*b—h my'
friends 1 The world is topsy-turvy;
the top’s at the bottom and the bottom's
at the top, and I’ve Mine to turn things
right ee*d up.”
The six o’clock whistle had sounded
I he close of another day’s work st the
shops, and the meu, pouring out from
the vavions smoke-stained archways,
paused to listen. The speaker’s excite-
nient seemed to deepen os his audience
increased. The keen eyes under the old
hat darted lightning-like glanoos here
and there; he gesticulated wildly and
h is voice rose to a still higher pitch.
' “Oh-h—h yes! Look at me ! I'm
Ichabod Turner; and the mission I'm
sent on is to nund^all crookedness and
turn things right eend up !"
The men seemed to find s grim pleas
uro in the harangue. They laughed a
they exchanged comments.
Jim Barclay, sauntering down tli
long walk, stopped beside s bright
young girl who had paused for a moment
on thebuter edge of the crowd.
“If that fellow would begin his woik
by altering the days and nights s little,
or my means of enjoying them, I’d be
obliged to him,” he laughed.
The girl turned with a little start o
surprise and pleasure.
“Why, Jim I” Then a glance jU his
luucb-basket brought the swift question
"You’re not going out to-night ? It’
not your run.”
“I must make it though, they say.
It’s an extra train, and they are short of
men, somehow—offer disabled. I feel
considerably disabled myself.”
“You were out last night?"
“And all the night before and nearly
all yesterday. I didn’t 1 get in to day
until afternoon, and I was scarcely set
tied into a comfortable sleep before I
was called. I’m not fit to go, that’s a
fact Don’t worry, Dell.”
He broke off his sentence abruptly as
he saw the shadow of anxiety on his
companion's fair face. “It doesn’t hap
pen so often. They’re short, yon see.”
“It oughtn’t to happen at all,"insisted
Dell, indignantly. “I wouldn’t go."
“Then my head would come off a
short notice,” laughed Jim. “We can’t
afford that”
Pretty Dell flashed rcsily. She knew
so well what that meant. There was.
littlehoose talked over and arranged t
every detail of ita simple furnishing, fo
which they two were planning when Jim
should obtain his hoped-for promotion
“No, I wo*’t insure ahy necks to
night, bat 111 take the risk of crashing
s few other people's heeds rather than
the certainty of losing my own.” laughed
Jim. “It's a pity that fellow who ie so
sure of bis mission couldn’t torn my
brains right side np; they feel crooked
enough. Bat don’t worry, Dell,” he re-
^ pwted hurriedly.
The crowd began to thin. Hungry
men, swinging their empty dinner-pails,
presently found the prospect of sapper
more sllaring than the stranger’s prom
ised millennium. Jim looked at his
watch, and found he had not even five
minutes to spare for a part of the home
ward, walk with Dell He parted from
her with a reluctant good-by, and she
walked away alone. She had gone bat
a le w stepi, hewerer, when the turned
and back.
. “Youll be careful, Jim ? Don’t let
adything happen.” %
“Why, Dell!” Ha laughed, half
touched, half wondering. “I Mightn’t
to have' talked such nonsense. Don’t
be uneasy.”
. She smiled in answer, snd the cloud
, slowly Madfodsbei fto»M aha walked
| k** Si
evening wore on, though he but dimly
realized it. Getting everything in readi
ness for starting was harder work than
usual There was a dull pain in his
eyes and a throbbing in bis temples.
“This trip’s rather rough on you,
Jim remarked a fireman, half qnes-
tloiihgiy, half commiseratingly. —
“Rather!” Jim laughed faintly. “I’m
stiff aud used up, but I’ll get over it
when wo’re fairly off, I expect”
When the station with its din and
dancing lights was left behind, however,
and the long line stretched away straight
before him, his occupation became but
a mere routine so treacherously familiar
that it would scarcely hold his eyes or
thoughts. Mechanically he attended to
his engine, with his mind straying far
nway from it to Dell, and then running
oddly into a confused memory of the
npenker at the depot, Until the swift
movement of the polished rods before
him seemed the motion of gesticulating
u ms, and the sound in his ears resolved
itself into a measured monotonous repe
tition of meaningless words—“ Crooked
and straight! Right side up!”
“Hello l Caught myself napping, l_
do believe ! Jim Barclay, what are yon
about ? See here, Bill to his fireman
—“just keep an eye on me, will you?”
The young engineer shook himself
looked about him and stood stiffly erect
He whistled a tune vigorously to assun
himself that he was wide awake. What
a drowsy rockabv motion the train had !
Even the jar and rattle seemed to lull
and stupefy, though he stood erect at
bis post. He was glad this sort of work
was nearly over. At least he hoped it
was nearly over, for he did not see how
the desired promotion could l>e much
longer delayed, aud then such calls as
this would be fewer. He was looking
anxiously forward to the day when he
would csrry the longed-for tidings to
Dell. Dear little girl, how " her face
would brighten ! What a cosy, hapio
home she could make ! and she said tin
curtains wonidn’t cost anything, and
hammock on the porch to rest in.
Lights? Queer where the lights ennn
from, unless—why, yes, olmost to a
station, of course. Doll must have put
* bright light in the window.
Ala*! Bill had climbed back over tin
tender to look at a suspected hot-l>ox on
the after truck.
Shriek after shriek of warning from a
steam-whistle aided the flut-hing of tlx
signal lights and, at he-t,. forced tficii
meaning upon the beiibqjbPd br.iin
With a lew cry of horror the engine w:,
reversed, but too late to avert the crash
that followed as the two freight trains
werepiled upon each other ip. common
wreck. ~ l ~*
‘‘What possessed you to run on in
that fashion, naan? Were yon drunk or
crazy ?” demanded more than one rough
voice as Jim stood by the track. But
he only gazed with blanched face at
the scene before him aud answered them
nothing.
“Fortunately—almost miraculously, it
seemed—no one was seriously injured,”
as the morning papers said in chronic
ling the occurrence. Under the ’same
glaring head-lines they also commended
the promptness of the company in dis
missing “the engineer whose criminal
carelessness caused tbe disaster, and
who, as nearly as oould be learned, was
comfortably deeping at his poet, and so
neglectful of all signals !”
These were the tidings that reached"
Dell instead of the glad word for which
she had waited.
“What they say is true, after a fash
ion," said Jim simply and sadly. “I
was to blame for it—and yet I wasn’t,
for I was not fit to make the run, and I
told them so.”
There was no one to chronicle his
years of faithful service, or the "criminal
carelessness,” if not cruelty, which had
placed him in such s position; but these
things were well understood among the
many workers in that railroad town, and
they acknowledged to each other, with
ready but helpless sympathy, that it
was “rough on poor Jim.”
Rongh it sorely grew as the long days
came and went, and the hope of rein
statement grew dimmer. “All those
fni—ing men, who conldn’t be fomul
when I needed a single night’s rest,
seemed to* have turned up once more,
and they can spare me indefinitely,” he
explained to Dell, with a pretense
of jocularity that scarcely covered the
bitterness. The brave little woman
tried to comfort and encourage him,
though the dancing light had gone out
of her brown eyes, aud new grave line’
wsn deepening about the young lips.
The little house they had planned seemed
so like the shadowy ghost of a dead hope
that neither cared to talk of it any more,
and indeed Dell’s ingenuity found full
occupation nowin combating the various
wild schemes which Jim in his despera
tion was constantly forming. He had
beM.jnriky.to look for employment, but
business was dull everywhere at this
season; snd, moreover, grown np in that
railroad town, where all interest snd in
dustry centered in the shope and tracks,
he had belonged to the line from boy
hood; he could do but the one thing, and
there was little chance for 4 situation
elsewhere while the shadow of the great
corporation's disapproval seemed to fol
low him in all hie efforts like a blighting
frost
Bo ths bright autumn leaves dropped
from Ik* trees, leaving <ox^ brown and
from the hills; and the narrow iron track,
stretching away over the frozen earth
toward theeold gray sky, looked to Dell's
sorrowful eyes a fittiug emblem of the
dreary life-road that lay before him.
“I’m going away to-moirow,” Jim was
paying, as they passed slowly over the
bndgeanddown toward the town. “I’ve
shown idiocy enough in waiting here
for any chance of justice. I mean to gef ’
as far west as I can make my way, aud
I’ll come back when I've some good
word to bring—if that time ever conges.”
It was vfselpBs*to combat his purpose;
there was nothing better to offer. The
girl’s wistful gaze strayed with a dreary
persistency to the track again. What a
hard, narrow road it was, stretching on
to its cheerless goal—the far-away wintry
horizon l
Down on tbe walk by the round-house
a knot of loungers had gathered Icha
bod Turner's wanderings had brought
him thither again—the place seemed t
hoM some peculiar fascination for him—
aud he was discoursing on his fnvorit <»nr «i itr
theme. Suddenly a movement and
murmur of excitement ran through the
crowd, and its numbers were speedily
-awgmoatod from .vaiiaus qaartera alike | iL.ni
building. Swiftly and unexpectedly the
shaker had turned, and with a single
bound placed himself in the cab of a
locomotive that had for a moment been
left imteuanted
“It’s steamed up!” “Off! off!”
“Come out of that!” shouted several
voices. ■-«*» ■'
But Ichabod laughed hoarsely and
waved his long arms triumphantly al>ove
his head.
“I’m the only man on this continent
that oan run an engine ! I’m ordered to
hike this one and go and turn the world
right side up! Hurrah!”
Two or three persons rushed forward,
but he caught up an iron bar and wielded
it so vigorously that they were compi lied
to fall back. Then, like a flash, his
hand seized the throttle-lever, and the
dangerous steed he had chosen began
to show signs of life.
“Pull him off!” "Block the wheels!”
rang out in conflicting orders.
But the madman laughed again, his
wild eyes gloaming like lire; aud shook
his bar in threatening and defiance.
“Touch me if you dare! I’m sent to
set the crooked straight. Here comes
the millennium l Clear the track for
the mMlennraurf 1 And he was off.—^
iswiRly as an arrow se me one darted
tb' ongh the crowd, ran along the track
and leaped on to the engine, clinging,
no one knew quite how, as it moved
away. Dell found herself suddenly de
serted, and could only move forward
with the others, who were following
with eyes of—mingled admiration and
horror the athletic young figure clinging
and swinging as the. speed increased,
until it finally forced ite~way into the
cab:
“What a terror to l>e let loose on the
raid! W T ho can tell what he will run
into before he can l>e stojUped !” cx-
tlian cancels that little misfortune of
yonrs last fall. There is no telling
where this might have ended but for
yon. Cull around at the office in dko
morning, will yon? We ahall have
something to say to you.”
“What does that mean?” questioned
eager Dell, as Jim made his way to her
side.
“It means that everything is all right
again,” answered Jim, with an odd smile
about his lips. “Queer how soon a bit
of success can change a great crime into
merely ‘a httie misfortune.
The* e*citement was over, and the
yard settled back to ordinary routine,
but the young engineer and pretty Dell
"ttngmd for a last pitying, tender glance
at the still form, reverently covered now.
“For whatever he may* have been to
the rest of the world, dear Jim, for ns
he fulfilled his mission,” said the girl
softly — OurCvniinrnt.
A REMARKABLE FIRE.
CHANUEH IN WHEAT CULTURE.
Modern Wheat «2rawla«.
OM til"'* « Hli
the llrab*..
nil HaniW ni
hattM bre&ebee; the
claimed one "with white face.
“Jim Barclay ’ll manage him !”
“Jim ’ll be killed !” answered dissent
ing voices.
Jim’s unexpected appearance in the
cab, meanwhile, had momentarily con
fused its occupanf, who, until then, had
not been aware of his presence.
“Where did you come from ?” he de
manded in surprise.
“Flew down,” panted Jim; “sent to
help you. .Bat what on earth do yon
mean by trying to start the millennium
iu broad daylight ?”
“Daylight?” 'repeated Ichabod, be
wildered by an earnestness and assurance
as fierce as his own.
“Don’t yon know we must wait until
the stars begin to fall? Resides, we
mnst go back and telegraph to all the
world to clear the track for us.”
He was improving his companion's
momentary confusion by gcully edging
into his place and crowding him back,
while he urged the superior advantages
of his own plan of proceeding. All the
details of that brief, horrible ride Jim
could never clearly recall, but, with the
engine once in his own hands, he held
possession, and as soon as it was possible
reversed it, endeavoring the while to dis
tract the other’s attention by a stream
of explanations concerning their joint
mission. Tbe suggestion of clearing the
track seemed to suit Ichabod’s crazed
brain, aud seizing the cord near him he
dung toil so persistently that the shriek
ing, deafening steam-whistle drowned
out all further efforts at conversation,
aud never ceased its terrific din until
they rolled back into the great yard.
Officers, police and train dispatchers
had been hastily notified, only to find
themselves helpless in the matter, and a
line of anxious spectators watched the
engine’s return. Then, discovering tor
the first time that his project was foiled,
or bent upon some new scheme—no one
conld ever tell which—Ichabod suddenly
dropped the cord, and, before hit com
panion oould surmise his intention,
leaped to the track. A moment later he
was drawn from under the cruel wheels
and tenderly lifted.
“So endeth—the fink lesson,” he mur
mured, and then all earthly tangles for
him were over, and life’s rongh places
grew smooth and plain.
Jim was greeted with congratulations,
praises and questions on every side.
“That was a brave deed of yonrs, sir,
—a dangerous undertaking, very skill
fully planned and executed,” declared
an officer of the road, with e oongratule*
Umj shake ike hand. MU fax more
“We had a fire in Walla Walla the
other day,” says a newspaper correspon-
A -block of one and one-half
story pine shanties on the main street
biased up like kindling wood, which, in
deed, was all that they were The fire »
was just below my hotel, so we were all
ready to vacate, which was happily un
necessary. But that was the most re-
markabl'e 'fire I have seen. I was struck
dumb by the apparition of an old-time
hand engine, the like of which I haven’t
seen since the tournaments we used to
haveiu Massachusetts country towns fif
teen years ago. There was a ‘steamer, ’
to<k, but the fire was nearly burned out
before it went to work.
‘ ‘The crowd was curious. There were
cowboys and Indians, army officers,
farmers, gamblers and wddiers. A spick
and span officer climbed a shed aud es
sayed to ascend tho roof of a burning
house. It was like the frog in the well.
Every time he went ahead two feet he
slipped back three, until finally he threw
the water wildly liefore him, slipped and
came roiling down on tne shed, followed
by a cascade of water and an empty
bucket. He repeated this about a dozen
times. At the end of his experiment
any well regulated household dog would
have promptly taken that dilapidated
figure for a most villuimnis tramp.
“Some firemen held a door -before
them for a shield. I’he door caught
fire and burned like tinder. * They didn’t
know it at first, but suddenly they found
themselves being cooked exactly like
planked shad.
“Nor should I forget the lofty indiffer
ence of the Chinamen. There was an
attempt to impress some of them to man
tbe brakwof tho hamkengine, but John
unanimously declared, ‘Too much foolee.
Me no sabe.’
“Finally a man was carried across tho
s tred from the flames which- were con
Burning his liti’n shop. He writhed con
vulsively in the arms d the firemen, and
uttered piercing shrieks. P**op)e rushed
toward him from every side, bitten with
a morbid desire to see some ghastly
spectacle.
“He was laid down on tho grass.
With sobs and prayers he groaned; ‘Oh,
me leg, me leg, me leg. God help me,
what shall I do ?’ We could see that
one trouser leg, torn and soiled, hung
empty." ‘He has lost his leg,’ said one.
Great heaven, send for a doctor ! How
did it happen ?’ exclaimed a kind-heart
ed woman, as the poor fellow burst into
a temptest of*tears and sobs.
“Suddenly a man pierced tho crowd,
liearing a strange object in his hands.
Was it tho doctor ? Every one pressed
forward. The sobs suddenly ceased.
Something was going on in the centre
of tlio crowd which we didn't under
stand. Every one waited breathlessly
to hear shrieks of agony. Bat instead
we heard a prolonged ‘Whoo-o-o-p!’
Suddenly the sufferer rose to his feet,
not foot, executed a short war dance of
triumph, and administered a sound kick
to a small boy who was coquetting with
some confectionery. Need I say that
tho lost leg was of wood ?”
i’rnsant Life in I'lilna.
Wheat is getting to be an important
crop in sections of tho country where its
culture a few years ago was confined to
here and there, a farmer who clung with
persistent tenacity to the maxim of the
fathers that “farmers must raise their
own bread.” Tlio changes In the man
agement of the crop are interesting.
Wheat was formerly sown in August or
the first week in September. Very lit
tle was, however, put in as late as Sep
tember. The ground was fitted by sum
mer-fallowing aud with manure rotted
in the barn-yard and harrowed iu with
the seed. After weevil became so plenty
as to damage the crop, varieties with
chaff thicker aud closer fitting were
found, upon which the weevil larvm
could not work so well, aud so the
period of wheat-growing was extended.
The old Mediterranean wheat—a Run-
sian variety—became the farmers’ de
pendence, and while at first it mode in
ferior ffour as compared with the old
kinds, still it was wheat and became the
universal crop because almost weevil-
proof. It improved rapidly with con-,
tinned culture aud has been the basis of
many otherhnproved varieties. It wns
very hardy and productive, resembling
the modern Clawson in these respects,
but, unlike it, was red. When tlie Hes
sian fly became troublesome its habits
were studied and later sowing was found
to be an effective remedy, as the career
of the fly ended before the wheat was
large enough for it to deposit its eggs,
where they remained until the next
year to hatch and feed upon tho juices 6!
the stems. The last and conquering
enemy to wheat was the earth itself,
The condition of the rural mas. es in
China is indeed pitiful, and it is no
wonder that tho people of that country
eagerly seek opportunities for bettering
their circumstances in foreign countries.
A correspondent of the London Timet
cites the following as an average speci
men of the welfare tho peasant
clashes:
“A family of eight persons owns an
acre asd a half of laud. The land w«s
Imught by tbe grandfather of the pres
ent head of the family and has never
been subdivided since nor added to. Hf
grows about seventy bushels of rice and
thirty five of wheat and some vegeta-
Ucs and cotton besides, worth altogeth
er in money about $50. He has two
nephews who work ontside and bring
home something to help, and in that
way get along, but they are very poor.
He and all his neighbors wear native
bine cloth, spun and woven in the fami
ly by the women from cotton grown by
themselves. He paver wars foreign cot
ton. The east he had on (s well-worn
affair) had been made two years previ
ously, and it would last two yean
more. It served him at night as a
coverlet as wreil as a cost by day."
Another family possessing four acres
wcre t l letter off than somewf their neigh*
bora, bnt hail fifteen months to f«*4 *uJ
which, with all the painstaking, refused
to return a remunerative crop, and
wheat growing marched westward to
newer aud less exhausted lands.
After a rest of more than a quarter of
a century, the soil with renewed strength
now gives forth fine crops and the fathers
would lie astonished could they know
that thirty and even forty bushels
ore now sometimes gathered from an acre
on the same land which produced little
more, if anything, than the seed. The
method of culture has changed. There
is now bnt little summer-following, as
the improved cultivators render succes
sive plowing unnecessary, and August is
passed as unsuited to wheat. Tbe best
crops are now obtained by later sowing
and the latter part of September is con
sidered the proper time. My wheat was
not put in until October 6, as the ground
was too dry to plow until that time. It
is sown on clover sod, which is well
adapted to the crop, and drilled in seven
pecks to the acre with 200 pounds of
super-phosphate and no other manure.
It is a notion of formers that leaving the
surface of the ground uneven, after the
drill, is on advantage—as it keeps the
snow from blowing off. There is force
in this, but there is another fact which
wioukl be considered at the aame time.
Wheat will do better ifu.^ "round is not
too loose or mellow. It shonld be oom-
pset or firm, the opposite of loose, and
at the same time not hard or ernsty.
When the ground is jnst right the wheat
will do-better. This fact has been tested
by following the
The principle is that when the ground
is made firm or well settled about the
seed it will take root sooner, grow faster
and stand both frost and drouth better.
Wheat should always have the earth
settled firmly around it, as t'his will pre
vent the winter winds from blowing the
>arth away from therooU. It if (here-'
fore a nice question whether the wheat
ground should always lie rolled when
sown. My wheat was rolled, as the
ground Was very mellow, and by so do
ing, I am sure there will be a gain of a
veek in the growth. It may be said
that rolling will make the ground hard
and crusty on the surface. It will not,
unless it is wet, and it never should lie
rolled when in this condition. An ad
vance has been made in wheat-culture
by harrowing it in spring. This is a
modern improvement which should be
most generally adopted. The gross
wed should be sown on it put as soon
as the surface becomes dry enough, no
matter whether the frost is all out or
not, and a good harrowing given to it.
This will break np the ernst so many
farmers are afraid of if they compact
the soil in autumn, and at the same
time it will cover the grass seed and in
sure a good “ catch," which will pay for
all the trouble. Wheat is wonderfully
improved by a spring harrowing. I
wondering whether we can keep up the
fertility of the soil for wheat without a
break, as has occurred when the earth
seemed to be exhausted for its growth.
.If half that is said about the wonderful
virtues of super-phesphates is true then
we can grow wheat ad infinitum by their
use. I would rather, however, but my
faith in a three-years’, or better yet, a
four-/ears’ rotation, with ’a liberal
dressing of barn-yard manure, combin
ing both animal excrement and rotted
provender, using plaster and clover in
turn.—F. D Ccans, Kirby Homestead,
N. Y.
Spontaneous Conbustlon. J
The.origin of the disastrous conflagra
tion which destroyed in a few mthuTei'
the buildings qf tbe Pittsburg Exposi
tion, with alt their oontenta, has been
explained by a theory which is, to aay
tbe least, very plausible. It seems thst
Mr. Warner, the isronaut, having an as
cension to make, apent the day before
the fire in repairing his balloon, and in
revaruishing the canvas of which it was
made with boiled linseed oil As the
most convenient place for bis work, be
chose the boiler room, and after the var
nishing was complete, the balloon was
rolled up and put by to dry. A more
reckless operation tiiau this it would l>e
difficult to conceive, tbe warmth of the
room, the rolling together of the canvas,
and tho t>oiling of the oil all conspiring
to make the spontaneous combustion of
the inflammable mass almost inevitable,
and the opinion of the Pittsburg Fire
Marshal will be concurred in by every
builder, architect, insurance agent, and
painter’s apprentice, that the result was
simply what ought to be exacted under
the circumstances. The only thing thst
conld have made the canvas more cer
tain to take fire than simple saturation
with linseed oil would have l>een to
sprinkle it with water Wfore rolling up,
but this is by so means essential to the
effect. It is, however, a very common
factor in the cases of spontaneous com
bustion which occur every week or so.
Some nninstrncted person, having been
engaged in pointing or polishing wood
work, undertakes to save the cotton rag
which he has beeu using by washing
out the oil or point, but after one or two
trials, finding this a rather difficult opera
tion, al>andons the attempt, and rolls up
the rag iu a knot, and throws, it into
some corner, where the oil and water
speedily react upon each other to act tho
whole iu a I'daze.—American Architect
Married In Fob.
OLD FOLKS AT HOME.
HCBJEIT DEAR TO TO* HBAKT
OF KTKBY TBCK MAN.
Young Mr. Vaughan, who was married
“iu fun” to a young lady of Flstlmah,
N. Y., whom he had met only a few
limes until she joined with him in the
matrimonial game, is probably inclined
to think that marriage is not Hie funniest
tiring in the world. The young lady
“whom he bad never met” until tbe oc
casion of tbe mock marriage, but to
whom he wrote the next day, addressing
her as his "dear wife,” persists in re
garding the marriage as a serious one,
and claims him as her legal husband.
Why young people oi a certain class
should regard marriage M a fit subject
for bnrlesqne it is difficult to say.
They never engage in burlesquing
deaths and yet as they grow older they
learn that marriage is quite as serious a
matter as death. The stupidity of
those who find amusement in mock mar
riages is only equaled by their vulgarity.
Oae is at a loss to understand what
must be the mental character of a girl
who will go throngh with the ceremony
of marriage “in fun” with a young man
with whom she has had no preriooa ac
quaintance. In moat eases she is not
generally recognized as a complete idiot,
bat on what other plea than idiocy can
her conduct possibly be excused?
We pride ourselves in this country on
different methods. ^ the complete freedom which is given to
our girls, but when young people use
thst freedom in burlesquing msfriflge it
is time to ask whether the nursery is Not
tbe proper place for them, uutil they can
learn how to conduct themselves de
cently if-not sensibljr.
Tbe tierMM
Taw Otsteb Busnrtss.—Baltimore,
having more than 920,000,000 invested
in oyster pecking snd over 80,000 per
sous engaged in tbe bosinees, is taking
unwsnrns to prevent tbe destruction oi
the oyster beds in the Chesapeake Bay.
It is proposed that tbe period of rest far
oysters shall be lengthened tad extend
frost A?# I O** I*
Tw« Plriarr* Ttat it Will ke Well M Take
a 0—4 Lm*k At.
[From the Milwaukas Saa.)
In a recent publication was an engrav
ing entitled “The Old Fo)ks at Home."
11 represented an aged couple sitting to- .
gether reading a letter which lay on the
table before 'them. The aged mother,
with a vniiling face, was whispering
something to the pleasant faced father.
There must have been good news in that
tetter. It may have been from their
boy—we arc always boys and girls to
father aud mother—telling of hia auceeae
thus far iu the battle of life. Maybe it
was from a loved daughter, writing to
fatbet aud mother, telling them how
much her little ones tatted of grandpa
and grandma. It was a beautiful picture
of a subject dear to the heart of every
true man and woman. The old folk* at
home, hi this picture, were just what
they shorild have been—happy. It was,
aside from an artistic view, a picture
that would attract and delight the eye.
Another picture is punted to the mind.
It is tho same subject. In place of
smiles there are tears coursing down th
furrowed checks. An expression of anx
ious care takes tbe place of pleasure, s
they gaze on the letter before them.
That letter contains bad news from those
whom these two aged hearts, in the years
gone by, had hoped would prove an
honor and bleeaing to their father and
mother in their old age. Now all this
bright coloring of a happy old age gives
way to Hie dark colors of life
Death welcome and tbe grave a
bed of ease. These are true pictures of
the old folks st home iu every commu
nity.
Looking st the aged mother's face,
love for her child shines forth under all,
no matter how trying, curcumatanoeo.
In the criminal court of Chicago, te-
oentiy, a young man was tried and
victed for a capital crime. The
had sat with her boy all through the
trial. She had heard all the
for and Against him. She had
to the Ilgam ants of counsel for
againn ngr son, aad when the jury
broagit’’hi a Verdict of guilty aha oould
no longer restrain herself and in hew
deepair aad excitement eroee and de
nounced in franried words timeout,
hoping only to save her boy. Blinded
by love that mother oould see no HI in
her son, though he belonged to that
clam of things which infest all
pities. No one can estimate a
love. It descend* deeper, it
higher, it is brooder aad morn charitable
than all things else of creation. Jfo
matter how low and depraved a child
may become, mother’s love goes out to
thst child with tbe same fotee as it
would had that child grown up and the
mother bad realized all her fond hopes
for its future.
How many young mad who are away
from the old folks el home titiak ef
mothers’ love? Whan tempted to fin a
questionable sot think of mother. H
evil companions entice yon it will help
you to resist temptation. If the yowfig
men of America who axe on! in the
world Itlirlim tn wuktt ■ —t|iilMilij
would only keep the picture ef the old
(oiks at home, especially mother's pic
ture, constantly in their hearts then
would i>o fewer mothers laid to rest in
broken Kearted graves and much
don’t go
t
J
The greatest numerical strength of
the German army in the late war with
France never exceeded 1,400,000 men;
but a writer in a rtcent nnmlier of the
Fortnightly Iter lew declares that in a
futnrdV war halt a million more sol
diers oould lie sent into the field. He
estimates that Germany can almost im
mediately mobilize an army, of 38,000
officers, 1,450,000 men, 27,000 physicians
and officials, and 300,000 hones; tor
which number all clothes, armaments,
outfits, carts, etc., are provided in peace
time, and held iu readiness in the differ
ent garrisons. To the mobilized army
would have to be added the surplus cf
drilled reserve and militiamen, number
ing 150,000 men; the depot reserves of
the first class, numbering 220,000 men;
one contingent of recruits, one-year Vol
unteers, Volunteers under twenty yean,
and ten contingents of Landstnrm; which
make np a grand total of 2,830,000 trained
men, commanded by officers who have
fought some of tbe greatest battles of
the century, and have never turned their
backs upon the enemy.
A War Mery.
An ex-Confederate surgeon relates in
The Cleveland Under that ones during
the war, while a terrible thunder-storm
was raging, “Stonewall” Jackson
ordered General Mahone to take his
men and charge the Union forces.
Then, tired out, Jackson lay down under
a tree and fell asleep. Soon* he was
aroused by one of Mahone’s aids, who
said: “.General, I am sent by Ganaral
Mahone for orders. He sajs fhi rain
has wet the ammunition of his troops,
and wants to know whether he shall n
tom.” Replied Jackson: “Ask Om
oral Mahone if the same rain which God
scuds to wet hia ammunition will not
abo wetthataf tiMttMMBj. Teli him to
charge th*m with *04
crime to record, uu?-,
tha oM fcatirttf iMfre, Stead firm by
the principles mother taught, for it a .to
mother all credit is due for whai good'
there is in ns.
Civil Right* la Xew Terk.
Says “Seymour,” the New York cor
respondent of the Hartford Timer.* Our
hotel keepers and theatre managers fie
not show any special interest la the
civil rights derision. The reaeon is that
the act just declared unconetitational
gave them no trouble to speak of, be*
cause they paid hardly any attention to
it Very few negroes applied for admis
sion to either the hotels or the theatres,
and the few who did apply were got rid
of without much difficulty. It ie tine
that two or three hunatitB were eoan-
mvnoed by colored persone who tynoied
themselves aggrieved, bnt they were not
pushed with much spirit* ana I
no one any particular harev
Bo far as the theatres aae
negroes were admitted to 1
them before the
will be admitted right stag whde they
pay their way. But not to the expensive |s
•eats to which the high-famed wkilg .
people go. H they wish to
gaUesiss or even the **i
of the brieooias which need to hei
the dress oireicfj. i
jeetion. I hardly , ever gUI a
think anything of it
J*
‘Qw;