University of South Carolina Libraries
TRI-WEEKLY EDITION. WINNSBORO, S. C., MARCH 2, 1880- VOL. SUM&ER EVE, Diuly fdlia the suninor even, Over forests and green meadows, Golden mnoon, through misty shadows. Beams down'from the azure hoavon. By the brooksido, with a shrillnoes, Chirps te oricket, and a Ilas mg Of the wat-r , and a plashing, Oroots the wandorer through the stillness. Yonder where the watere shimmer. bathes alone the elf-queon nightlyi Arm and should( r, shining whitely, In the mooni ght softly glimmer. Bert'and's Discovery In a room in a humble street near one of the large hospitals sat Bertrand Ferinoy. Though scarcely over thirty, his chestntit, hair disijlayed niany threads of gray, while his handsome face, with its high, broad, intellectual forehead, was haggard and pale froni over study, too small care for the body's nourishment, . and the canker of a great trouble hidden deep in the recesses of his heart. One of the walls was covered with rows of books, ancient and miodelrn, chiefly on the subjects of chemistry, psychology, path ology and anatomy. Close to another had been constructed a small furnace, vhile under the window was a large deal table, on which stood retorts, crucibles and the usual paraphernalia of experimental chemistry. The only bright spot in the place was in one corner, where stood a clean, low bed, containing I. pale handsome boy of about two years, asleep. His golden hair streamed in bright curls over the pillow, and one tiny hand was pressed to his rosebud mouth. It was the only child of Bertrand Fer amoy, who sat at the table poring over a large volume, often making notes, and oc casionally watching with much anxiety a crucible in the furnace. le was on tile eve of a great discovery; a discovery that had been the dream of his life; a discovery that would make him the benefactor of his race, and honored aniong his fellow-men. For the former lie toiled. He heeded not the latter. For thirty-six hours lie had not slept. "Oh ilheaven I" lie mnurmiured, abruptly, like the bitter moan made by mental pain, as lie passed his hand over his eyes. "What i moniient of delight, of unspeakable joy, this at one time would have been to mcl Now I work as a creature of habits, even as the blind iill-horse tre ads his monoton ous round. Ambition ! I no longer pos sess it. Wealth I it has no charms. I toil because this has been the drean of my life because I must-because a stronger power than my own comnpols me onward. Ia !" lie added, irritably; "why do I give way to such thoughts at i time when I need iy brain so'clear?" Rising lie bent over the crucible. Its contents appeared progressing to his satisfaction, for lie again returned to his seat. lardly had lie done so, when a moaning cry from the child aroused him. "What is it, Bertle, m1y man ?" ho asked, kindly, though the habitual sadness of his tones was still apparent. The child did not reply. He latt uttered the sounds in his slumber; but after that one glance, Bertrand Pernoy, taking the lanp, knelt eagerly down by the bed. Tle little fellow's cheeks were flushed, hIs lips crimson, his infant forehead con tracted with suffering, while his tiny hands were flung restlessly over the cover let. The practicei eye of the do'ftor under stood those signs at once. The fever which had been raging in the neighborhood had attacked his boy. "Ill-Ill, perhaps unto death I" lie cried, rising erect and~ throwing up his arms, "Ill, and nio mother to soothe--to nurse lim! Oh, 04se lio stopped. The fierce light faded from his eyes. Is arms fell to hisi aide, Notwithstanding all lie had to beair, lie had1( never cursed her, lie could not even niow. Dropping on his knees by the chi1ld's couch, lie sob)Lyed bitt erly. As lie did so, like a vision the past caime vivily back to him. Heo sawv himself again the country doc tor's assistant, with thait dIscovery (1 imly, hut a floating possibility In his brain, lie saw it the one0 purpose of lis life; his sole ambition to be the discoverer. Again lie saw himself at the risk of life, staying the runaway horse of Alice Ken dal, the squire's daughiter; rescuinmg her from certain injury, perhaps death. For Ihis the squire, wriigling his haand, had call ed him frienid, giving hin praIse and thanks. But Alice had been more generous; she hadi~ bestowed her love upon thme good-look ing, studoious doctor, though all the world lad said It was Captain Lascelles's. lie saw once more in thit mental vision theIr clandestine meetings, and beheld the loving prideo in her eyes as she heard and entered into his hopes and ambitions. Once md~re lhe saw her standing with him unde~lr the elns one miidnighat; he confess ing hiow dear she was to him, yet for lien snkp bidding her 'reflect before she cast her lot with his; that she was renouinruhig fami ily, luxury, and comfort, perhaps for pen muny. He still felt the pressure of her hand, as5, placing it mn hals she had said, "I would stiffer that and mnore for. you, Bertrand." Then, with a smile, "Come, love, am I to eloevithiyou, or you with mne ?" Herecalled their home, at first so hap py; then the barth of their boy ; then the ch ange, Alhce irritable-somctimnes in hier frettui mioodis, mocking his (discovery ; saying money and ease were better than wasting one's (days chasing a wiil-o'-thie-wisp. H1cr repining for the comforts she hand renounced-the appearance of Captain Las cellcs on1ce or twice in the neighborhood I hen Alice's tlighut. Whlithaeri Bertrand Fermoy had~ madie no effort to discover, much less to bring her back. Why, when shio hatedi hIS presence i Why, when her love hand gone to anoth er ? Only ouit of his owni life all sunshine lad dleparted forever, Ambition was dead. Th le feeling merely remained that lie must perform hais destiny' Ile must make that discovery, "T1hank Heaven," lhe. had thought ''she has left me my boy," Fearful, however, that 'bas unfaithful wife might.after a whleo seek; to obtain -hir chiil, heo- had sold his practice, and, with Mortio, hid hidden away in this poor neIgh borhood, wherel he had toiled on, until sue cess and fever had entered his home togeth er. Then all the above passed rai)Idly through his brain. Then the child's neces. sity occurred to him; cooling medicines were required. lie rose, and after a careful examination of the crucible, taking Ils hat, ran, down stairs. In the next street was a druggist, and to that lie directed his steps. Tie night was (ark, railn was falling, but I Bertrand Fermoy wias too engrossed by his new sorrow to heed it. or that lie was being followed by a woman who glided over the pavement after him. 8ie was thickly veiled, and dressed in rich but (ark attire. When lie entered the shop she watched him eagerly, almost nervously, through the window. When lie came forth she shruiik quickly back into at (lark doorway. Yet, as lie hur ried past, she half extended her hand, as if she would have arrested his progress. But ler arm foil down to her side agaim; she sighed, waited, then flitted away on his track. Reaching his room, Bertrand For moy, pouring the medicine it a glass, and knelt down by the little couch. The child wis moaning softly. Tenderly the father, placing his arm around the t iny form, raised it. "'Come, Bertie, my man, 'Ih t, said, quiet ly, '"drink this for papa. Bertie will then be better." The boy opened his large blue eyes with but partial recognition, swallowed the drug, and dropped back upqn his pillow. The doctor had been too occupied to note the sound of a light step ascending, had ho, lie would not have connected it with him self. But now, as, rising, lie turned, lie start ed back with a great cry ; for there, on the threshold of the door lie had left ajar, was the woman who had followed him. Even while he gazed as one who regards a spirit, she entered swiftly, and dropping on her knees, threw back her heavy veil. The face disclosed was -beautiful, but pale, and the large gray eyes were full of a hungering sorrow. Extending her hands, she pleaded in musical tQies, "Oh,.Bertrand, look not on ie thus I I am no spirit, but your foolish erring wife, who at your feet prays for par (10n." The words aroused him Indignation blended with scorn in his expression. Step ping back lie exclaimed, "Pardon! Icnce, woman. Since you left my roof it. has been honest. I will keep it so." "lonestI" she repeated her large blue eyes opening wide. "Bertrand, I may nay, Heaven knows I have acted foolishly, wrongfully toward you I But never have I been unfaithful in my love ; never have 1 brought disgrace oil your name or mny own I" Ile burst into a low, har1 laugh. "Your witness, madam?" he retorted, bitterly. "Would you bring Captain Las celles as one? Pray have you t.ire(l of. hiiim or he of you, that you are lee ?" "Blertrand!'' She had sprung to ter- feet, as if lie had struck her. Her pale cheek was Hushed, her eyes brightened; then, i trembling accents, she added, 'Oh, Heaven! truly am I pun Ished more than I cau bearl Bertrand, Bertrand I" and eagerly she stretched forth her clasped hands-"you surely never be lieved, have never been living alh this while under-that cruel belief of the wife you once loved. Foolish, sclfish I have been; never guilty I Ile laughed again but his glance waver ed. The recollection of his passion for the woman before him began to surge about his heart and brain. Could she who had lain on his breast could that pure face, those clear eyes, iect ing his in pain, not fear, really belong to such a being as lie had Imagined her ? Findinig lie dkl( not answer, Alice Fer nmoy proceedled more fIrmly :'"Bertrand, not out of your love, for that p~robably is dead, lbut out of your justice, I asked, 1(de mandi of you1 to hear me. It is not ini your nature to judge me unheard." "I would4 shut my ears, for women havo serpent tongues as wvell as hearts," lie an sweredl, with a cruel bitterness, that struck pain into himself. "But you are here, so speak--i must listen." "'Oh, Bertrand!" she murmured piteous ly, "I have deser'ved nmuchi, b~ut nlot quito thus" He did not answer, only bowing his head, for lie began to fear his own weakness, andl dared not look at her. She wvent on: "Bertrand, as you are aware. I renounlcedl faumily andt home for your love, which wVouild have satisfledl me, had I not been of a jealous disp>osition." "Jealous! ' He~ threw his head up surprisedI, "Yes; I was jealous of your studying, your discovery, which took you so much from mec. I got fretful in my solitude. mistrusted this (discovery. I saw how much better you might have made our po sition hand you acted as other doctors.I believed I held( but a second place in your heart. The poverty I could have borne with y~u by my side became hateful.I b~roodedl until trifles grew to Aerce griev ainces. I began to think you were mad In wasting your time; that something should be done to save you. At thIs period, when Irritation at your suipposed neglect posessed me, I met Captrin I aseclies," ilertranmd Fermnoy leaned quickly for ward. "ie noted the chainge in my appearance. Heo offered sympathy. Blindly L accepted It. I made hIm my confidant. I foumd comfort In having an old friend near me, who could talk of my late home aid family. One dlay, however, Captain Liaccelles threw oli the mask, it was the last straw on the camel's back. I felt alone,-helpless. To avoid this iman~ I fled from you to my fath er, for p~rotection,. 1 was wrong; but, Bertrand, were you wholly without blame?" Hie did not answer; only a sharp spasm contracted his faice. "I found the hall closed1 ; miy father was onthie continent. I followed, and arrIved there to fall Ill of fever. On recovery I tokd my tale. MIy father wrote to you. The letter was returned. Yelu had gone. "I believed you were glad to have been rid of a dtiscontentedl wife. My father, de lighited to surrotind. imc with every kindness, fostered the belief, and, belevjng miy love ,was dead, I accepted my new life. .u,'and Alice Ferinoy's tones now trembled slightly-"again 1' had misread my heart. I soon found the poverty and solitude Iliad with you were never sohiate ful as the luxurious ease I no0W enjoyed. I craved, Bertrand, 'as a wrecked soldier craves for rescuie, for a toneh of your hand to see your eyes gaze 111)011 me as once they (lid. To-night I have succeeded. Ber trand, do you believe what I have said' Will you pardon-will yon Iake ,me back home." ThM struggle within the man was fierce and long, but his sense of wrong conquer ed. "ionel" he ejaculated with a harsh laugh, ats he glanced roum. "'lTruly, this looks a suitable one for 'S(qulre Kendall's heiress 1 " "Bertrand, it Is not 'Squire Kendall's heiress, but your wife, who pl)eads. Oil, have you no pity?" Unnoticed by either, the child had risen in the bed. Now, extending ils tiiiy liands, lie cried: I'anilla--dear inanma I" "Bertle, my boy !" ejaculated Alice For moy, In tones that thrilled the husband. Swiftly she had darted to tile bed. Kneeling there, she had clasped the child to her breast, pressing a shower of kisses oil his fevered face. "Great heaven!" cried Bertrand Fermoy, his whole love rekindled for his wife in] presence of her danger. "Woman, you know not what you (1o! A virulent fever ha1ls been raging in this neighborhood, and and-thO boy has U I" A startled glance lenedl into the gray eyes raised to tile speaker, but the child was clasped closer yet. "Our Bertie ill, and you would have lid den him for me? Oh, Bertrand I" she ex claimed, "Heaven has beeai kinder in bringing 1me here it this time ! A mother's place is ny her sick child I ''Alice I'' cried Bertrand Fermoy, hoar'se ly, "this fever is fearfully contagious! Put down the boy P" "Not, Bertrand, luntil I am forgiven. I have no dread of death till then," she re plied, cahnly, and firmly. He trembled with a violent emotion. "Alice, if what you have said be true, 'tis I, not you, to blame," lie clied. 'For give me, my wife!" She fled to him, and, with t burst of joy ous tears, fell on his neck. "Bertrand," she cried, 'hold ile to you; let ine not go! I have learned a severe lesson. Henceforth, poverty with you, dear, is better than wealth to ie alone." "Oh, my Alice I" hie smiled, fondly car essing her-. "But it is not poverty I offer you. No-riches, fame, prosperity; for this night, whlieh lls restored a wife to her husban'l, and a mother to her child, has also brought success to my discovery!" A Slectral Air-ship. The Flying Dutchman it the name ugiven by sailors to a spectral ship, imagined to cruise off the Cape of Good llope under full sail, when all honest vessels are fain to try bare -poles. What the faet was from which this strange fancy has been distilled is a matter of ('ispute; but out of someli ac tual incident it 11ats likely grown, and "when the dark scud comes driving hard, and lowered is every topsail yarti, and can vas, wove in early looms, no imore to brave the storm presumes, then 'mid the war of sea and sky, top and tol gallant hoisted high, full spread illd crowded every sail, the deion frigate braves tile gale." In like manner a wierd air-ship is in process of construction out of ai mournful calamity in our lay. Her name is the Pathfinder none better for the legend to grow i). lit miany parts of the West people have been peering into the skies, looking for Wise's lost baloon, days and weeks after it. was iilpsible that any mortal could direct its course. At hitlf a dozen places men and Woman have imagined that tiy Saw this ballon. No end to these extravagant fan cies has been reached-they stretch more and more into the preposterous. Only tihe other days some dwellers In Owingsville thought they saw tile iIssilg wronauit dang ling from tie en of a rope, and then rising out of sight, thie theory being that they were toe stalrtledl to discover the balloon above. When 8such stories are life, it is plainly only a step) to the super-natural; ando shlould thle WVise mystery remini un1 solved, ouit Of it wouild be likely to comec a wiki legend of a specctral air-aship, dIrifting forever in the skies, and portending Calnnibal P'rac(tices of F'ish. Neither mlanIfest olean liness, helulthIfl exercise, nocr cooling evlronmnent enni keel) fish from cannibalistic practices. Jlilmanl lbeings sometimles love their fellow so 111ch01 that thley wvant to cat thlem; to tile fish tisi wIsh Is father of tile not. A hungry cod or mackerel that finds 110 othler food conive nient has no0 scruplles against dining off: some of the the tendler darlings of Is ownil failly. The same lack of squeaisha senl thnelntalIty saves hiir. from any care upon01 the burial or scavenger quiestion. A (ieadl fIsh, or tile useless plortlins of the catchl whlichl are thrown overboard from flshling vessels, are promptly app)lhied to theO sus-1 tenanco of tile living, to lobsters and( oth~er occupants of the lower zones gettinlg bult: tile jackal's share of such prey. This ha-i bit of swallowing dead fish somieties leads 1 to unidesIrable results, particularly for tile miackerel.- In attacking any choice miorseli he always beginls at the larger end; but when the object happens to conltain a spinal column with rib~s attached, which has been thlrownl overboard by a cleaner, alny sublse., quenit attemipt to dislodge the useless por) titons shows the incomp1~atibihlty which exists1 between two sets of similar bones in the 1 same fishl, for the newer set beconmes undu ly reachIng, and( exhlibits a painful reluc tance to dleparting. Offal thlat is not put to faimily uses goes to lobsters, stair-flsh, alnd other residents of the bottom; hiut many a1 sea-flea lunches on it cn r'outo,' and If these tiny creatures are alloewed their ownl way, thmey leave nothing but bones, which in turn are entirely absorbed by aa-rhins. ,M ariboroughl Walks 1103me, - TIhie great duke of Marlborough some1 years before his death retiredl occasionally~ to Bath. and often almused himriself with cards, though he seldoml venltured to play hligh. One night lhe was engaged at piquet with Dean Jones, from whom he-won tid,j and exacted the payment. Tile dean de clared lie had1( no silver, tmuhorrowed tile money, as the duke said ho wanted it to pay for is sedan chair. 'Phe dean, know ing the duke's avarice, watched limn, andl saw Aim actually walking home In order to save the Gd. Pope speaks of him as one who would "Now save a kingdom, and now save a, groat." -Bishop Potter, of New York, has confirmed 72,000 persons. -Virginia hias 075 oolorgdI schools and 416 colored teach'rs. A s Animqairlan's Ghost Story. The Rev. Dr. Augustus Jessopp, who Is known in England as ani inent antiqua- 1 ran, publishes an account of an extraordi nary apparition of which he afirms that he was the witness in Lord Orford's library, at Mannington Hall, Norfolk, last October. Ie had dined at Mannington Hall on a cor tain day in that month, mid when the party ( broke tip at half-past ten he went Into the library to take notes of some of the rare books which it contained. His experience I while there is related as follows: By 11 1 o'clock I was the only person down stairs, and 1. was very soon busily at work and : absorbed in iy occupation. The room in which I was writing is a large one,. witi a huge fireplace and a grand old chimncy; I and it is needless to say that it is furnished with every comfort and luxury. ihe lib rary opens into this rooin, and I had to pass out front where I was sitling into this lib rary and get upon a chair to reach the vol uies I wanted to examine. There were six small volumes in all. I took then (lowIi, and placed then at my right hand in a lit- 1 tle pile, and set to work-sometinmes read- I ing, sonetimes writing. 'As I finished with a book I placed it in front of me. There were four silver candlesticks upon the table, the candles all burning, mid, as I an ia clil ly person, I sat myself at one corner of the 1 table with the fire it my left, and at inter vals, its I had finished with a book, I rose, knocked the fire together, and stood up to 1 witat my feet. I continued in this way at my task till nearly 1 oclock. I had got on better than I expected, and I had only one more book to occupy tue. I rose, I wound up ily watch, and opened a bottle of selzer water, and I remeinber thinking to myself that I should get to bed by 2 after all. I set to work at the last little book. t I had been engaged upon it about half an hiour, and was just begmining to think that I my work was drawing to a close, when, as I was actually writing, I saw a large white liand within a foot of mtly elbow. Turning 1mly head there sat a figure of a somewhat large man, with his back to the fire, bend ing slightly over the table, and apparently exainining the pile of books Ihat I had been at work upon. The nin's face was turned away from me, 1-t I saw Ins closely cut re(dislh brown hair, his ear and shaved -heek, the eye brow, the corner of the right C Dye, the side of the forehead, and the large high cheek-bone. lie was dressed in what I can only describe as a kind of ecclesiasti. al habit of thick corded silk t)r sonic such material, close up to the throat, and a nar- r row rim of edging, of aboutit an inch broad, j )f satin or velvet, serviiig as i stand-up t Lollar, and fliting close to the chin. The t right hand, which had first attracted my at :ention, was clasping, without any great pressure, the left hand; both hands were in t )erfect reposc, and the large blue veins of t he right hand were conspicuops. I re- I neiber thinking that the hand was like the :iand of Velasquezs iagnifleent "Dead 1 Knight" in the National Gallery. I looked t it my visitor for sone seconds, and wais I >erfectly sure that he was not a reality. A I Iousantd thoughts Came crowding upon me, < >ut not the least, feeling of alarm, or even t ineasiness; curiosity and a strong interest t vere uppermost. For nit mstant I felt eager t :o tmake a sketch of nmy friend, and I look- i I at i tray on nmy right for a pencil; then I thought, "Up stairs I have a sketch-book. 3ihall I fetch It? There lie sat, and I wits rascinated; afraid, not of his staying, but i est lie should go. Stopping in miy writ- r ng, I lilted nmy left hand from the paper, i ;tretched it out to the pile of books and 1 noved the top one. I cannot explain why I I did this-ny arm passed it front of the < lure and it vanished. I was simply dis- t ippointed and nothliug more. I went on 1 vith my writing, as if nothing had happen- I !d, perhaps for another five miiutes, and I ind actually got to the last few words of wvhat I had determined to extract, when the iguire appeared agini exactly it the samie )litce and attittude as before. I saw the lnds close to nmy own ; I turn3d my head igain to examinie himn no closely, and I < wvas frambiig a sentence to address to him when I discovered that I did not dare to ipeak. I as afraid of the souind of may 1 awn voice. TIhierc ho sat, and~ there sat I. t turned myi head again to nmy wvork, and I hnished writing the two or three words I itill had to wvrito. The paper and my notes ire at tthis moment before me, and exhibit iuot the slightest tremor or nervousness. I yotul point out the words I was writing I svhien the phtantom came and whlen ho dIs llppeared. Having finished nmy task, I shift I ,he book and threw it on thle table; it made< slightt noise as it, fell--the figure vanished. I l'hrowing myself back in nmy chtair, I sat or sonme seconds looking at the flre with' e uuiousg.ixturo of feeling, and 1 remtem- 1 )er wondereing whether my friend would romae itgain, and if hte (11d whether lie would I 11ide the fire from mie. Th len first there itole upont me a dlreadl aiid a suispiio that; L wits beginning to lose my nerve. I ro- 1 naemiber yawvning; then I rose, lit may bed- I 'oom~f candle, took my books Into the inner I ibrary, mounted , the chair as before, and epiaced five of the volumes; the sixth I 1 >rouightt back and laid upon the table whore i hiad been writing wvhen the phiaintonm did(1 no the honor to appear to me. By this ime I hiad lost all nay sense of uneasIness. I Lblew out the four candles and marched 1 >lf to bed, whetre I slept the s'leep of the I inst or the guilty--I know not which- but' L lept very soutndly. Tihis Is a simple anid nmvarnished narrative of facts. Explana- I ion, theory or mnferoence I leave to otheris,. An Old IRoadi. Biesidles boing theanost lamous and prin alpal thoroughfare of Rome, the Via Sacral1 s also supposed to have been tho most an ~lent, and~ the stones lying along It are )redited with htaving beeni there for abdut 2, 000 years. They are flagetones of an in regular polygonal shape, composed of ba ialtic lava, anda are desefibed' as being for Ghe most part in a very bad condition; from wvhich it may besupposed, as mightt indeed save been anticipated, that they are a good cal cracked and displaced. Here and there, however, they have escaped ahntost tiraculouely from the ravages of time and the rudeness of barbarians of all sorts, who have made their way across them with more or less bellicose intentions during the last fourteen centuries. Tis Is notably the case in thte part close to the base ,of the col umn of Phocas. These historic stones the "administration" has, according to Its own protession, been "desirous of respeting," and it nas accordipgly refused to. allow themi to be coarried a~af ei used ,for nlending the roads h'ilis Very creditable to tho miunloipailty, Iftd Wi colnmand the praise of antiqarlasf a* it goes. 4 4, A Boy Moro citsom, Ilijim? * Jabez Cunmmings, a young uian of twln- t !y, not only (lid not get anything in his 0 )hristnas stocking, but on Christmas iorn ng his landlady told1 him to git Up and git, f is he was four weeks behind on his board. Ie went out into the cold world iossessed b >f an extra pair of cotton socks and fifteen Weuts in cash, and when yet the night was oung lihe was found drunk i an alley il n )ctroit, his head and shoulders in a barrel md his feet out to the piping breezes and he teeih of Jack Frost. "It seems that you had 110 one to love rou," remarked the cour. "Not a one, Jedge." "Didn't get nothing in your little stock ig?" 'Not a blamed thing!" "And you became downhearted and dis :ouraged?''M "I did. You have lilt me exa'ctly. ''And then you sought the flowing c >owl?" "I did. I sold my stockings for beer C md spent my fifteen cents for gin, and I A ad a good time. Do you blame ime, 0 redge. "'Oh I no, but it's thirty days for you all 8 he sameI" t "'Jedge, how can you bear to seidil m N ip(?" "Well, I've got used to it, I suppose. "'I sha nll ppeal to the Supreme Court, a nd if I get a decision in my favor i shall t nio you for daiages." "III that case I make the sentence sixty lays, and now you may retire and get your l iaggage ready. for the Maria. Any norei ases. Bijah? - "Nary case." "Then this mill stands adjourned until o-morrow, and the next boy who eats pea- 0 Its in here will get elevated-where's mily c 13 HilalhaL'S Widow Carries on il11110.sa, t( Southern Italy has not as yet succeeded e a radically curing the chronic disease of t rigandage under which it has suffered C rom time immemorial. It seems that the c Listrict of Saranzaro has recently been tor- a acuted by an unconunonly severe attack of 0 lie bandit epidemic, spread over its vine- O lad hills avid smiling vajleys by an armed c orde of sanguinary rufflans uider the lead- ti rship of a lovely and romantic damsel, 1 laria Croci by nime. This amiable ad- tI 'enturess, whose personal attractions are P eported to be little short of soul-subduing Il y those who have been fortunate enough 1 ni escape from her clutches, was formerly 0 lie bride of a gallant mountaineer who oc- ti upied'a distinguished position in the band ti .t present commanded by her. This brave N ellow unfortunately met with his death by f lie rifle of a carabiniere whilst diligently ti >racticing his professional avocations, 0 viercupon his afflicted betrothed picked up g Is gun, raised it towards heaven and vowed r> avenge his cruel fate. She has fulfilled er pledge with touching conscientiousness. Dlected captain of the association by her ti Lear departed's comrades, shie has become c lie terror of the whole district above men- n LOnei1, where she has earned a dread repu- 11 tion for ubiquitousness by the rapidity of c ier movements. Here, there and every it rhiere by turn, she burns down a farmlhoule u ne day, plunders a church the same night, A 'lifts" a hord or two of cattle next morning ti md carries a nunnery by assault before she h etires to her well earned repose. Troops e re out after her In half-a-dozen directions, ir ut she has hitherto managed to evade their ni mpertinuent interference with her "wild g areer.' It is to be apprieheided, however, si hat a termi will shortly be put by the royal t( uthorities to the sportive vagaries of this b utter day Helen McOregor. it -41- tl Stigo Conohling Seventy Yearti Ago. t< The mall-coach system was brought, to pj iuchi wonderful perfection that elements of fi rror were hardly ever allowed. While v raveling long distances at great speed the h 'oach's punctuality was a thing to swear p >y. De Quincy tells us: "One ease wvas g amiliar to mail-coach travelers, where two - niails In opposite directions, north and~ d ouith, starting at the same imiutte from ri >oints six hundred miles apart, met almost p onstantly at a particular bridge which bi- t< ected tihe total distance." It is evident hi rom what we read that this perfection a Iceply moved the feeling of the country, n nad was keenly enjoyed. It was so total a a hange from all that hiad gone before g hat most travelers appreciated this "glory a if motion," and felt that they themselves f, vere conquerors. Dc Quincey says: "For f, ny owvn feeling, this post-oilice 'service n poke as by sonme mighty orchestra, where v thousand Instruments, all disregarding h achi other, and so far In danger of discord, hi ret all obedient as slaves to the supreme p >aton of some great leader, terminate In a sa erfectlon of harmony like that of heart, tI >raln and lungs in a healthy animal organi- c ation.'' There were some, however, who o rophosied sad disasters when the coaches tI ittained a speed of toin miles an -hour, and fi t was whispered that passengers had died n >f apoplexy from the rapidity of the mo- o Ion. The usual speed attainedl by the ej nai)-coachies was about ten or eleven mIles si a hour, ineludimg stoppages; and when '] ve take into account the Inequality of the tj ~round traveled over in a long journey, we e hall find that they must have flowni over d omie part of the way at a prodigious rate. y rho Manchester mail did Its 1871 miles In t1 .9 hours, the Liverpool mall did Its 208 1, nices In 20 hours 50 mInutes, the Devon- i >ort mall its 227 mIles In 20 hoors, the jb lolyhead mall its 261 mIles In 20 hours 55 p ninutos; but the most remarkable instance nm >f sustained speed was the E~dnburghi mail, n which traveled over Its 400 mIles In 40 p mours. Somne of the light coaches almost ma 'ivaled the swiftness of tho malls; thus the a 'Herald," E~xeter day coach, did Its 171 t, niles ln'20 hours; and the Shrewsbury and p Ilanchester coaches journeyed from Len- 11 ion to theIr respective designations In a u] lingle day. On all these roads little time uras wastedl in stoppages,, and the changes >f horses was a very rapidproceeding. E'verything was ready prepared, and what had often, under the old system, a akon half an hour to perfohn, now oceu- g Aed bardly three minutes. Tro obtain this a peed, no expense was sparcel, and the out- s ay on a single coach was enormous. The r iorses requIred were at the rate of one to a ivory mile; thus, as it is one hundred and f ifty-four miles to Shrewsbury from Len- c ion, one hundred and fifty! hiorses -we re -ro- f muired for the ''Wondqer'' coachb. By tis a unple supply the horses were. kepit In gooda ~ondition, for- thougly ;thm woric they per- u ormed was hard, It occupidd' but a short I [lie. The horses were line anim1als and hey rested for twenty-three hours out of lie twenty four, besides remaining quiet very fourth day. They were well treated ud fed with as nuch as they could eat, Dr each horse's stomach was alene the leasure of his corn. Tie coaches were uilt so as to combine great strength with reat lightness. Tile malls were especiully ght, us they carried no luggage on the oof, and they wore frequently called 'paper carts'' by rival coachmen. Early :t the present century the post-ofice au hiorities thought it desirable that all tie tail-coaches should be built and furnished n one plan. The mall coach guards were most respectable body of men, and they rere trusted by the public. There Is am le evidence to prove that they were do rving of the trust reposed in them; and Ir. Lewins gives an interesting anecdote rhich illustrates this i one inistance, aad tanly more of a similar character might be ited. "A mail-coach having traveled uring a driving snowstorm as far as it ould advance, the guard, as the custom ras in such cases, took the bags with him n horseback for some miles farther; then ,Ie horse, sinking deeper at every step, was Mit back to the coach, while he, essaying > carrying the bags on foot, was found rit theim round his neck next morning uite dead." The coachman did not wear scarlet coat by right, as did the guard, ut It was given to him by way of distiic on after long (or, if not long, trying and pecial) service. Soon after the introduction of mail :aches an act was passed, declaring that i carriages and stage-coaches employed to arry his Majesty's mails should henceforth e exempt from the payment of toll both n post an( cross-roads. In consequence f this act, inn-keepers, who were the prin ipal owners of stage coaches, bargained 'r the carriage of mails frequently at mere r nominal prices, in order to obtain the rivilege of running their coaches free df >11. The turnpike-keepers naturally look Ii upon the mails and all connected with ict as moving in a sphere beyond their mntrol. At the approach of the mail ach, turnpike gates flow open, and all round was deference and obedience to the mnnipotent will of the driver. The feeling f importance thus engendered communi ited itself to the passengers and they felt iemselves, in consequence, to be formed r superior clay. Even here, however, icre was a divided opinion, for tbe inside assengers considered that they were porce Lini, while the outsiders were merely delf. le Quincey makes some amusing remarks a this feeling, anjd tells us that for some ie the insides would not sit at the saine ible with tile outsides; and if' the latter ,ere so presuming as to push into the cof e-roomi, the waiter would beckon and en cc them Into the kitchen. At last the atside passenigers rebelled, and after a reat struggle, obtained recognition. Figs. Al though indigenous to Asia and Barbary, to fig has been so long and so extensively iltivated In Italy that it may be considered tive, on the ground of the Irishman's re tark that lie had beea a native of it certain uinty for ten yearsl The season, just at a heittht, joins -hands in October with the cndommia, or vintage; but It begins In .ugust, owing to a curious system of cul ire. Early in tHat mouth as you sit gasp ig under the noonday sun you hear a wild, 3rie strain of minor-key which goes ccho ig up and down the Alopes with intense kournfulness. It is the song of the flg atherers, tossing back and forth fron hill de to hillside, and from treetop to tree >p, as they squirm through the twisted ranchies and "oil the fruit." The tribe is oiadic, and'appears and disappears like to wandering harvesters In France, nb one nows whence they come or whither they o. Late in July the mnassaric are rented thiem,' they p~aying a given sumk to thme roprietor, and takimg possession of all thme 'uit, beginning with the figs and ending ith the last wvaxen~ cluster of grapes. Rlude uits thatched with straw are built by the roprictor in all lisa orchards, and there the ypsy-iike creatures live with thleir families -staiwart, fierce looking men, swarthy, sirk-eyed women and active, lithe young iscals of children. Sometimes they sup ilement their narrowv quarters with a ragged mnt-three sticks crosswise and t he kettle the crotch constitute the kitchen. Bedcs eo an unknlown luxury. Indeed, they seem ever to lay asIde their clothing and day '1( night they patrol thle orchards withl long tmns anmd a fierce dog, the very sight of 'hich is enough to destroy one's appetite >r those particular figs. The process of >rcing the fruit is at once begun, and for any clays that wildh, sweet song, Into hose weired melody the spirit of their amneless life seems to hlave entered, Is ard from tree to tree, In call and res Dnse, as far as the faintest adumbration of u id can reach. The methods of forcing 1e ilpening are curious. In one a wad of >ttonl Is dlipped in oil and gently rubbed ri the lower end of the flg. Fig by fig -is ims treated, and eight clays, thereafter the 'uit Is ready for the market, wvhen It com Lands a high price as a primo~ur. An ther mnethlod- consists in gathering in tile >rilng the half-formed fruIt, whlichi Is rung on ropes as we string dried fruits. 'hose ropes of garlands are. thrown over 10 branches of the tree and allowed to de my unlder the burning sun. Life out of oath. An Insect ma born froin ti decay 'hich pierces the growing fig and Induces ie rapid maturity-er, shall we call It, ear decay? maturity being only that precious 3Inth of existence whic~h niust Inevitably B followed by declhne. . Leavung such rpmature sweetness to the epicure, one iay well be content to wait the result of ature's unhiurried prmocess. The fig, when erfectly ripe, exudes a slow drop df ho ey-sweet juice at the nether end, whIch ever fails, but~ hangs there, a standing imuptation to bees and men. When fresh icked, at thmis stage, the fig Is indescribably iscious, with a rich flavor entirely lost'in me drIed fruit. Chines. Oity-watls. The walls suirrounding the capital cltics re from fifty to sixty feet high, and fre ucntly have a, width .allow;~n two earrn ges to tr~vel abreast. They .m~castellated, ad provided with wat'ch wes. ad lr. rk the onnodat6Io fopsa oldin of QItie ured ~nass e Th dntd oumr sides of the tal.o~6'M in th'e o~ath wall I id*lhespecial,hopor, NEWS IN BRCIEFe. -Wost Virginaa has, out of 142,0i t)ogulation, 81,400 "Illiterlaes.") -Thle first piano was invente(l by Crestoloro, a Florentine, in 1714. -The publioidebt was. reduced dur ing the montlih of Deicmber, ',251,217. 90. --W. 11. Vanderbilt is the reputed holder of $20,000,000 of United State.. bonds. -There are 500 vacant housos ii Memphis, Tonii., the retinlt of the late epidemic. -There are 160,000 houses in 'hila deiphia. Of these 1-10,000 are under mortgages. -The anti-rent dilliculty occurred III New York State in 181-1. It was sup pressed in 1810. ,..Tihe Diselules of Christ, or Camp bollites, claim a membership in Anier lea of nearly 750,000. -A Springfield. Mass., horse railroad company iIade a dividend of lifty eight per cent. last year. -Kansas City, 31o., gained about ten per cent. In population and erected some 1,500 buildings in 1879. -Canada has a Roman Catholic pop Lilation of 1,846,800, with 23 bishops, I, 599 priests, and 1,017 churches. -Caleb Cushng negotiated a treaty with China in the year 18144, which wais ratifled 'at Washington, July 16, 1845. -The Indianapolis clearlin' house tid a business of $2,500,000 te other Lay, the largest ever done In one day. -The money expended in railroad.' sinice the invention of the locomotive reaches the vast sum of $15,000,000,000. -It is proposed to convert Manches ter,- England, into a seaport for the largest steamers, at A cost .,f $16,000,000. -Rutland, Vt., has a new marble working machine which chips t.he'stone it'the rate of 60,000 strokes per min.. Act. -Wild tea grows in abundance In Arkansas county, Ark., and it Is said that the'people will discard the Chlinee rticle. --The French sell the monopoly on rriction matches In Paris to a company ror 15,000,000 francs per annum, or $3, )00,000. -Of the 37,000,000 inhabitants iII France there are 2,613 men between 95 ind 100 years of age, and 194 over 100 years of age. -The total vote cast in Nebraska at. the last election was 71,681, which Indicates a population for the State of' tbout 358,465. -New Jersey oysters are now being shipped to England, France, JJollano nd other points of Eurojie. The de and is'constantly increasing. San Francisco taxpayers pay $1,000, )00 a year to educate the 30,000 children in the public schools, and the school property Is valued at $-1,000,000. -Professor Darwin hits received rrom the Turin Academy of Science a prize of 12,000 lire ($2315) -for his di,. 'overies in the vhysiology of plants. -A billion sheets Of newspaper, laid iI a )i10 on above the other and press 3d hard, would be 47,318 miles high. A billion, therefore, is a gopt many. -When, in 1474, Columbus believed the earth to be round, it was a novel idea. It was thius that he concluded by miling west lie could reach the East [ndles. -The Secretary of the Treasury has tecepted $3,055,000 of Governmen t sixes )f 1881, at from 104 20-100 to 104 25-100; ind $1,945,000 fives of 1881 at 103 35-100 ;o 103 37,1-100. -Gen. Scott_ captured Vera Cruz ifarch 20, 1847, landing an army of 12, )00 men. TIhe city wvithstood a siege of nly four days, wvheni the city and eas lc surrender'ed. -Statistics show that near'ly $80,000, )00 wor'th of proper-ty was destroyedl y fire in this count.my during 1879. Kecrose no was the cause of a lar'ge por1 ~lon of this appalling destruction. -Thue daily evaporation by the sun's rays in tihe bay of Bengal is two inchea -an amount of' heat equivalent to the idntinuous working powoer of 890,001) iteamn engines of 1,000 hor'se-power' 1ach. -The cost to the corporation of' Lon lon of rescuing Epping For'est,'h tr'act >f several thousand acres from en roacher's and pr'eserving it for tige pub ic was about $190,000. Cotinsel fees vere over $50,000. . -TIhe'site of tle present St. Paul's Jathedral, London, was occupied by a Jhristian ohurch more than. twelve iundred years ago. It is, the largest Protestant church in the 'world, and )nly second to St. Peter's at Rome. -The City of P'arid will receive in 1880 $958,734 for the righti of cab-stands mid omnibus stat~tons on the. public way. The omnibus and tranmlway bur' iauix aro 85 in ntumber' ; here are 7000 ,abs, 080 omnibuses atid 2ii W~afnways. -The nutmber of Italianc in Fr'ance las iste~l17 indleasell from 63,397 in 1821 to 105,000 to-day. The Italian )olonfvlat Marseilles includea a dozeni Camilies ecupylngm a high rank in tihe ;own. Marselles ijs the Frano-Italian ioadquarters. -According to'Prdfessor Sotbeer the iverage value of the.'gold found in Ruts mia has risen to $23,250,009 a year. Th'lis 3eing about half the s urn reqq.'ired f~ payment 'df in'tai'qat abi'badi it is be lieved that Itimustein tim'e improve the financilal position of the country. -America contains 18,000,009 milch 30ws;.Germar.y7 i,000,0C0,- France, 5, )00,006;,Great Blr~ain and Ireland, 4, )00,000; and Switzerldtid,-600 000. In 1878 there wore 'mauf'acturod in this leuntr~y 9603000,000 pounda ..of butter' vi 40,0,Q peqpids of 91peese. -Since~0 .~ j It, is etimated. -h'ince60 ,0' pdb1l have lived on- thi e th. 1 il st1ti divided 7 by 27,804,000 the tturmber iof square miles, gi.yee 1,3i5,20986, to i square rod, And to! e ar ft, . tpposeoa quire td Uli diidbdi to[ graves, '$ each giMe eould acdntaih 10 -persons. ~ --Thee EmipOoIe of Atistitia- has coni- > frreodthe gold medalifor .aolnce and tiAr ',W4 i tllaldJY'g ladel tierfsfof the Tuvkio'e R~t omahi' Ohargetpms.., M~qv,~i~ al&y til guishedJoe fdtrtmon 1~t*Af ftdl mer (ied1d)dey )V44nin