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TRI-WE EKLY EDITION. W INNSBORO, S. 0., JANUARY 11, 1881. VOL. IV.-NO. 162. GUARD THE FAOT. Speak though the truth, lot others tone, And trim their words for pay ; In pleasant sunshine of pretence Let others bask their day. Guard thou the fact, though blouds of night Down on thy watch-tower stoop, '%hough thou shouldet see thy heart's delight Borne from thee by their swoop. Face thou the wind : Though safer seem In shelter to abide, We were not made to sit and dream, The safe must first be tried. Show thou the light. If conscience gleam, Bet not thy bushel down. The smallest spark may send a beam O'er hamlet, tower and town. Woe unto him. on safety bent, Who creeps from age to youth Failing to grasp his life's intent Because he fears the truth. 3 e true to every inmost thought, And as thy thought, thy speech. What thou hast not by striving bought Presume thou not to teach. Then each wild gust the m!st shall clear We now see darkly through,. And justifled at last appear The true. in Him thaL's true. Shot as a Robber. Our tale opens in February of 1848, just four months before the outbreak of the re volition in France.' lia bit of a room on the fifth or sixth floor of a humble house in one of the com mon parts of Paris, and about six in the morning (for your true Frenchman is an early riser), a young man of about twenty six might have been seen that summer morning busy over a giowing fire. He was casting bullets. His face was firm, and even noble, with a certain gentle kindness, however, recommending it to most who looked at him. After a time lie discontinued his work, which was done very quietly, and the bul lets he had made, together with the shining gun, were hidden behind a loose portion uf the wainscoating. Then taking a little earthenware pipkin, lie set to work and made a capital imess of bread and milk, which he turned Into a white basin. Next he carried it to an inner room, when he called "Granddadi" In a moment an old man stai ted from a light sleep, and turned smilingly toward the new coier: "Here is thy breakfast.,' "He-aven bless thee, George. Thou art the light of my eyes! And what flne bicad and milk it seemial Ahi hast thou had thy own breakfast?" "No, not yet. But why dost thou sigh, granuddad?" "'lo think I cannot earn my own living. Ha! 'twias a pity I terved my time at a trade to which my constitution was not fittedi Here I am with fingems scarcely strong and limber enough to hold this basin of bread a - d mili "Balh, Grauddadl Thou didat work when thou wast able; and now I, thy only deseendent work as well as I can for thee. I only do my duty." "Thou dost indeed, do tMy duty. When thy father, who married my daughter, was killed by a wound received from a gend urnie, who mistook hui, limest fellow, for a thief, when thy mother died, and I took care of thee, never did I think I was pro viding for my own early old age." I.IBalil granddad. I was too young to help you by the work of my hauds. When I was only eighteen I had escaped the con Peription, and so I took theplace of another and richer man, and became his substiture on coudition of his paying you a little an. nutty. 'Thi~s kept you while I served as a soldier, and keeps you now, when 1 amt lacee of the arny, and am once miore a cai net liaker, getting mty own living." "'Az lint thou wouldst mtake more hadet thou pioperly served thy time to thby tradle. Bumt I will niot repine, an~d as I see thy face is clouded, let us say' no mote on this subject. Tell mte, what means the new sign-board of thoeii tle linen-draper op posite? He calls it 'The Swvord of Bren nus;" it was named 'The Purring Cat.'" "Granddad, you know the Romnans came into Gaul, and made our fortfatheis 'their slaves. Well, after a time-a very long time-Brornus led us to Ronme;. and com pelled the Romans to pay tribute; and as Brennus saw them cheating with the weIghts, lhe cast in hisa heavy sword and in nsisted upon Its weight in gold beyond the weights in time scale. So Mi. Lebienne has taken this sword as his new sign-that of an honest matn." "With a pretty daughter, Georgel" latughed the grandsire. But he became grave as hie saw his grandlson turn sadly away. "Whlat art thou going to do, to.day, giandfather?" "I shall take my wvalkc on time IHonle vardls." "Don't dear grandfather,.there may be fighting to day. Tine people are angry. Tihou art too old to help, and I beg thee to keep at homie." "But--" George Duchene was gone before the old1 grandfather could tind words in wich to ask for on explanation. Paris was angry. As the hours grew there were throats in the vecry air. Melanwhile Georgo Duchene, wvho was not wvorking that dlay, was passing along a qtiist, but pleasant-lvokidg street, wlhen he heard calls for help on the first floor- of a hotel. "Vellada's voice!" lie cried. 'There can be nxo question. tie hurried into th8 hotel, where great confusion was reigning amnong the waiters, dashed up-stairs, andl ran to the doors which opened into rooms looking over the Thr'e--four were unlocked, and yielded to hin hand. The fifth was fastened. A moment, and lhe had burst the lock spart.. It was sho-Valada-the dauighter of a linen-draper who had reccently changed his sign from the "Purring Cat" to "Tihe Sword of Brennus." It waus she to whom bib grandfather had referred some houars previously. tShe had fainted, and lay on the divan at the mercy of a handsome villain, who was somewhat advanced towardl a state oJf mn tolication, and who appeared stunned' by the suidden intrusion of the mere workman who stood before him. Bumt only for a moment. The next, 'the 4 7' young rogue was flung crashing to the other side of the room. and then George, taking up a glas of water, dabbled Valla. da's forehead with his wetted, honest right hand. "Mademoisellel Look up It Is I George Duchene, your neighbor. Do not be afraid." The voice recalled her still wandering senses. "Ceorgel ' she repeated, in a sweet, soft voice which made his heart beat. "Quick-let us leave this place!" "Yes, yes. George-take me homel" But the waiters below showed signs.of preventing their egress. "My sister!" sahk George, making use of one of those untruths wulch now and again must be used in extreme cases. There was enough of human nature in those servitors to compel them to fall back and let the couple pass Into the street. "Long before he had reached her father's house, he had declared his love and had been accepted. And when once they had passed the threshold and the old linen-draper Lebrenne had heard what both had to say, the trader said: 'fhis decides me. I join the insurrec tionary movement. These aristoc:ats with out aristocracy, and who have induced the king to illtwat hissubjccts, must have a lesson taught them. This Plournel is no more a count than you or I, M. George. He fancies because his father made large sums of money as an army contractor, that he Is one of the nobility who can command the masio; " "He said he was taking me to see an old sehoolfellow of mine, who was ill," added Vellada. That evening In the Rue St. DenIs, his grandfather, Lebrenne, the linen-draper, and his daughter had dined together when tucy were attracted by loud cries to the street door. Ln the distance approached a crowd, cur rying various aris, which glittered in the light of the torches grouped in the centre of the people. "'o ariml Vengeancel" were the ihouts heard a the procession approached. - The torches lit up a wagon load of dead men and women. Upon the butt-end of the shafts stood a powerful nan almost naked to the waist, and canyinga swinging torch. "To armsl Vengeance!" The soldiers have fired upon the pe.iple!" Surrounding the part were citizens and citizen soldiera bearting arms. They were marching to the palace to de mani justice of the king, who was already thinking of packing up the crown jewel. "It is timel" cried George. "The lwvo lution hai commenced! But a mlomnict, and I hold myii guni" "And I join youl" cried the linen-draper. At this instant female cries dominated even over that terrible din, and a woman was seen battling with a young man. Two or three about the cart of death, seized both, and brought then before the man striding froin shaft to shaft. "What is it?"he asked. "So pleass you, citizens, this man en tered my shop and demanded money for buying arms to fight in the Revolution; and when I offered him a piece of gold, seized me, gagged me, and stole my goid. And as he was escaping, I broke from -my bonds and seized him, and cried 'Help. " "It is true, ' cried the man, "I wanted money to buy myself and companions arms. This woman first gave me money then repented, and now accusesme.f theft, My companions and I have been seeking all day for arms." "Is that so?" asked George. "How then Is it, that in the middle of the day, I res cued my swer.theart from your clutches?" "'Tis falsel" "'Tis truel" said Vallada, advancing fearlessly, "You are no workman, but a M. do Plournel, pretending to ho a noble man." "Death to thieves!" cried a voice. And a score of other angry voices re peated the cry. "T'ruel" replied the men in the wagon; "we must show we are good citizens by proving we are no thieves. What say you? Shaill lie die?" "Die!" shouted a hundred voices. Valnly ho screamed for lisa life; useless that George asked for it; iu vain the linen draper urged the guilty man's youth in his favor. le was placcd against the linen-draper's shutters, a gun plut to hisa temple, a crash and lie felldeadl. A paper was placed upon himit bearing the wvordts: "suot' As i ona. Whent't Louis P'hillippe had fled, sand Louis Ntapole'on becamie President of thle French Hepubhlic, 'Vallada and Georige wer married. We all know what politically happened. Louis Naipoleon betrayed the lIepublic; preteuding to court the -working men b~y massacring the middle classes as they walked on the boulevards; caused himself to.be proclainied Emperor; and was finally taken prisoner by the Germans. Then he fled to England whlere lie died. George Duchene fell fighting for France, and Vrallada ied of a wouind while nursing in one of the hospitals during the first siege of Paris. But their children haive reaped the beneflt of their parents' and forefathers' wyork, and live happily and peacefully in regenerated France. Abo'ut Laoe. In the sixteenth century lace was a fa vorite lover's brib~e to an AbIgail. Bilvio in the bill cf costs lie sent to the wikw of Zehnda, at the termination of his unsuo cessful suit, makes a charge for a "pic of Flanders lace" to her waiting-woman Sw ift addressed a "young lady," In his pa. cullar strain: "And when you are among yourselves, how naturally after the first complliments, do you entertain yourselves with the price and choice of lace, andi ap ply your hands to each other's lappets and1 ruffles, as if the whole business of life and the public concern depended, on the cut of your petticoats." ilot satisfied with lace when alive, both men and women craved for it as a decoration for their grave clothes. In Malta, Greece, and the lonian Islands, the practice of burying people in lace acquired an unsavory reputation on account of the custom of rifling the tombs and selling the lace-often in a filthy cont dition-in the market. At Palermo the mummies in the catacoinbs of the Capuchin Convent are adorned with lace, and in Northern and Middle Europe thIs fashion prevailed for a long period, in the church of Revel lies the Duc do Croy, a general of Charles the T welfti, in full costume, with a rich flowine tie of fine ginu~rea. DIScipitninug she Ca10. Grandina Slocum was busy over her sowing In the warm, quiet air of the sit ting-room, and grandpa was striving to convince himself that lie was reading the weekly paper, despite a vague impression that he was falling asleep, when both were brought to their feet by a sudden crash in the pantry. "It's that cat I" said grandpa. But grandma, who seldom ventured to ex press al opinion before looking into the question, said nothing and hastened to the scene of the disaster. As she opened the door of the pantry the unfortunate cat darted out, and grand pa, armti with the broom, started in pur milt around the spacious kitchen. Tihe cat, however, was too nimble for his rather clumsy movements, and he was obliged to desist without havnig accomplished any thing more than thoroughly frightening the ammal. I'Vi teach the critter I" lie exclaimed. "Forever on shelves and tables I . Only yesterday she chawed up the last chicken you had laid- away, and last week skimimed half a dozen pans of milk I What's she done now ?V and pushing open the pantry door, he beheld lia wife gazing sorrowful ly down at the fragments of several plates, among which -lay an ohd china teapot, which had belonged to grandma's mother, and was held in great reverence by the family. For a moment grandpa stood speechless with indignation. le was so lavish with his tongue on ordinary occurrences he could fhiid nothing to say which could fully express his mind on this occasion. When he (lid speak, it was only to say, very quietly: "iJ wouldn't have taken any money for that teapot." Then lie turned away, leaving grandma to gather up the fragments, and went ( it to the wood-pile to vent lia feelings in quick, heavy blows, continuing the exer cise until night. Meanwhile grandma had examined the teapot and thought it could be mended. To be sure, the nose and handle were broken off, but if they were ingeniously put tied on again, It would still be service able. So, very carefully, she cemented the broken pieces together, placed the whole behind the new stove that 'he joints might harden, and returned to her sewing, where at length, overcome by the warmith and quiet, she fell asleep. At dusk grandpa caine into the kitchen to see if supper was about ready. Grand ma was not in the room. His eye caught .he glimmer of white behind the stove. "Nice kittyl" lie said, coaxingly. "Pret ty kitty I Did she want to be petted? Well, sie should. Just let me get within three feet on ye, and' we'll see whether there'll be any more crockery smashed I Yes; po-or kitty I Warn't satisfied with natin' off a chiny plate. Had to see what was on the shelves, hey I Let me get two steps nearer, and I'll never ask another fa vor of ye I Ni-i-ce kitty I Take -UrT, you varmlot I" The heavy foot struck the object with terrible force. There was a jingling crash, grandma screamed, and the Ill-fated tea pot scurried across the kitchen in fifty pieces. Grandpa was probably never so com pletely serprised in his life. But in a mo ment the ridiculousness of his perforiatice overcame him, and he dropped into a chair, laughing heartily. He made no further effort to discipline the cat. How Diamansli are Made. PIrofessor Hannay recently conceived the possibility of finding a solvent for carbon. A gaseous solution nearly always yields crystalline solid on withdrawing the sol vent or lowering its solvent power; it was, therefore, probable that the carbon might be deposited in the crystalline condition. Many experiments were made, but they showed that ordinary carbon, such as char. coal, lampblack, or graphite is not affect ed by the most piobable ooivenis thiat could be thought of, for cheicx-'cal action takes the place of solution. Duiriag some ex p~eriments, Professor ilannty noticed a curious reaction, namely, waen a gas con taiing carbon and~ hiydrogen is heated un decr pressure in presence of certain metals, the hydrogen is attracted by the metal, and the carbon is ieft free. When this takes place in presence of a stable compound containing nitrogen, the whole being under a red heat, and undler several thousands of atmospheres of pressure, the carbon is so acted upon by the nitrogein compound that it is obtained in the clear, transparent fornu of- the diamond. The great diflculty lies in the construction of an inciosinig vessel, strong einoughi to withstand the enormous pressure and high temperatutre, tubes con-. structed an thme gtun-barrel principle (with a wrought-iron coil) of only one-hmalf inch huore; and four inches external diamieter, being torn open in niine eases out of ten. The carbon obtainedl in thme unsuccessful e-xperinments is as hard 'is natural diamond, scratching all other crystals, and~ it does not affect polarized lighit. Crystals have been obtamned with curved faces, belong ing to the octahedral form, and~ dliamiond is thme only substance crystalisimg in this umani ner. The crystails b~urni easily On thiin pilatinum foIl, over a good blow pipe, and leave no residue, andi after two (lays un mersion in hydrotluoric acid, they showv no0 sign of dlissolving, even when boiled, On heating a splinter, even in thme electric arc it turned black-a very characteristic reaction of the diamondc. Lastly, a . little apparatus was constructed for effecting a conmbust ion of thme crystals and deternuing composition. The ordinary org snic analy sis method was used, butt the dlimond pieces were laid on a thin piece of platinumii foil, and this was igni ed by an electric current, amnd the combustion conducted in pure oxygen. Tlhe result ~obtained was that, the sample (141 milogrammnes) contain ed 97.86 per cent, of carbon, a very close approx imation, considering the smalliluan tity employed. The annoncemencmt that the long-predlcted experimnit-am tiflcial formatio)n of diatmond-wouldl be described at a muecting of the Royai society has oin casionmed much excitenient, but, neither dealera in diamouds, nor the gem-ral pub-. lic need dibturb themselves. 'Ihle proces is expensive, tedious, dlange-rous, and( tlie (diamionds are os yet too su all to represent anythIng beyond a scientitlc value. Uheap diamonds made by machinery arc reeerved for some future geneirationi. --BrazIl supliets the United States with 800t,000U bags of cofteo ananually. s-Thel grain crop o1 italy is this year rgrer by cane-third than in 1879. 1lousehold Adornments. Skeleton leaves auu crystallized grasses for household adornment may be made as follows: There is a slow and quick method; the former is by procuring the natural decomposition of the pulpy sub stance of the leaf Dy exposure to light in a dish of water, the quick method is by the use of a weak alkalino destructive solution, of which soda and lime are the active agents, By the slow method one may proceed as follows: The leaves are laid out smoothly in a pan or dish, and covered with rain-water two or three inches deep, and are hold down by means of sheets of glass restinu on siall stones at the corners by which they are prevented from pressing too closely on the leaves. They ar, ex posed to the sunlight in a warm' window. In two or three weeks they are examined, and all those that have become soft and pulpy are removed to another dish to be cleaned. The rest are left until they, too, become sof t. Tie softened leaves are carefully removed one by one by being floated on to a sinall sheet of glass; the pulp is pressed out by means of a small stiff painter's brush or a tooth brush, used by tapping up and down and not by a sweeping motion.- This breaks up the pulp only, which is washed away by pour ing water upon It from a small pitcher. To make this convenient, the gloss may be placed on two wooden blare resting on the edges of a deep dish with a towel under it to catch the splashings, The quick method is as follows: Four ounces of sal-soda are dissolved in a quart of hot water, two ounces of quicklime are added, and the whole boiled for 20 min utes. The solution is cooled and strained. The leaves are then boiled in this for one hour, or until the pulp is easily removed, when it is washed off as already m'-ntioned. The fibres remain, leaving a perfect skole ton of frame-work of the leaf. This is bleached by exposure to a solution of one tablespoonful of chloride of lime in a quart of water, strained clear front sedinit. The skeletons are placedi in a dish, covered with this solution, and kept in a (lark closet for two days, watching in the mean time that the fibres are not softened too much and thus injured. After bleaching, the leaves are steeped in clear soft water for a day, and then floated off upon a card and placed between soft napkins until dry. They are then ready to be finally pressed, bent, curled, or arranged in bouquets or groups. Crystallized grasses and sprays are made as follows: rhe bunches are first arranged in a suitable manner, tied and secured; a solution of four ounces of alum to a quart of boiling water is made, and when this has cooled to about 90 degrees, or blood heat, the bunch of grass and leaves is suspended in it, in a deep jar, from a rod placed across the mouth of it; as the liquid cools crystals of alum ure deposited upon every spray, the finer and weaker the solution is made. This deposit of crystals occurs in the cooling liquid, because Lot water dissolves more alun than cold water, and as the water cools the excess of alum forms crystals which attach themselves to any fibrous Matter b, contact with it more readily than to anything else. These crys tals enlarge by accretion constantly, as long as there is an excess of alum in the solution. When the supply is exhausted the solution is warmed and more a'unm is dissolved in it; it is returned to the jar and the bunch of grasses is replaced, When sillicient ly covered with crystals it is taken out and dried and is finished. Iulgarian Hieroes. The three heroes of the Bulgarian cam paign who are enshrined in tie hearts of tile Russians, are Todleben, Gourko, and Skobeloff. Todleben is now in luas sixtieth year, having entered the engineer school in 6t. Petersburg in 1835. During the Crimean war lie conducted the siege of operations against Silistria, and the heroic defence of Sebastopol. At the outbreak of the pres eit war lie was considered an oldfogy, and1( was shelved in the Engineer Departument of the Minister of War. When the staff foundl ouL that Plevna could not be cap tured by hurling solid regiments against the mntrenchiments, the veteran was called to the front to conduct the investment. Gourko is in his fIftieth yvear, and had seen service in the Crimea, and Poland before lie made his (dashing raid across tile Barl kans. ile commnandsI thme Imiperial Guard, the flower of the IUussian Army, and has borne a conspicuous part in the siege of Pievna. Skobeloll is the youngest Major General in the service, Isa age being thirty twvo. L.1e won the name of dare-devl (luring the campaign in Khokanti, and has exiposedi himself recklessly dluring the pres emit war. Oni the evening before the pass age of thme Darnube at biimnit a, havinig becen requiested by the Grand Duke to call for volunteers from the first division of Cossacks under his coinmand to swim the river and reconnoiter the opposite banik, lhe plunge'd into the water at the head of a small party of ten mn, and successfully accomiplished the reqired worst. lie al ways leads his meni agaiinst the enemy. lie savedl what was left of the armiy that attackedl Osiian late in July, and In time desp~erate assaul to upon the enemy's works, early in September, fought like a second Suiwarrow. lie Thaought hie had 'ein. *Sniles brought his two weeks' spree to a close on Trhursdaiy night. lIe lay on the lounge in the pasrlor, feeling as mean as sour lager, when soimething in the corner of the room attracted lisa attention. i~e asked hoarsely: "'Mirandy, what is thati" "What is what, Likey?" Snifiles name is Lyeurgus,.and his wife calls him Likey for short anid sweet. '"Why that-that-thing in the corner,' saidi the frightened man pointing at it with a shaking hand. "Likey dtear, I see tiothing," replied the won aai. "What, don't you see it?" lie shriekedi. "Then l've got 'em. Oh, hieavensf briing me time Bible. M arandy, brhing It quiick! hlere, oni this sacred bonk I swear never to touch a drop of wiky. if I b~reak my voiw, may iiy right hand cleave to the roof of nmy mouth and--" liere, catching another glimapse of the terriblhe object lie clutohied his wife andI beggced in piteous tones: "Don't . leave me; don't leave your Likey," andl burying his face in the folds of her (dress, lie subbed himself hnto a troum bled sleep. Then his wife stole gently to the corner, anid picked up the toy snake anid th'rew it into the stove. -D.Xer hunters are very suciafu in Sullivara ce-onn, c. PnsvIvanlin. A Ahane impostor. Shoitly before three o'clock the ot her af. ternoon a farmer from the vicinity of Liempstead appeared in front of the Stock Exchange, New York, and entered into conversation with a citizen, who was wait. iug in the door, by asking : "The convention in there breaks up at three o'clock, don't it ?" "Yes, that's the hour," was the reply. "1)o you know Jay Gould when you see "Oh, yes.'' "Is he in there 1" "I presume so." "Well, I wish you'd pol'it him out to tue when he conies out." The citizen promised to do this, and within a few ninutes he kept his word. 'he fariner took a square look at the rail road and telegraph prince, and then turned imd asked: "Are ycu dead sure?" "Oh, yes." "Can't lie nto mistake ?" "No." "Well, it is about as I suspected. A rew days -ago a great big slouch of a fellow ialted at my gate and began measuring my ground with a tape line, and squinting round in the most mysterious nanner. I wvent out to see what was up, and, after jeating 'ronud for a while, lie said he was Jay G(ul. I'd heard and read of Gould jut I dhWi't kLow what le looked like." "it nuist iave been a fraud." "I am suro of that now ; I ptnuped %round to lind out what he was up to, and ie finally said lie wanted my place for an >rplian asylum. le was going to build me as ...Ig as a palace and take care of all ,he orphans in the country." "And of course, you treated him well?" "Didn't I I Why, for three days he ivect on the fat of the land and sept in the parlor bed-rooin I lie was going to give ne $25,OU for my land, and the way we tilled chickens and turned out sweet cake or him made the old woman sick, lie ninally jumped the house and took my Sun :Iy suit and a fiddle worth $8." "1 doi't believe Uould would steal a fid ile." "'That'e what I thought, and so I came >ver to have a look at him. It wasn't lould at all, but soeie base unposter." "And you are so much out# I "Wall, it looks that way, but the experi ,nee is worth something. It may not be % week before soie one else will conic thong with a ten-foot pole in his hand and % theological seininary In his eye, and >laim to be Russell Sage, and the way I will knock down and step on him and walk over him, an d drive hiu Into the sile, will pay me a profit of fifty per cent on the ,nvestnient. Amorican ant Italian suniae. The quantity of native sumac, brought into the market does not exceed about 3,00U tons yearly, and its market price is nly $50 per ton, just half the price of the Italian product. This difference In value is due to the fact that the American s'imac, as at present prepared, is not suitable for naking the fluer white leathers used for gloves and fancy shoes, owing to its giv. ing a disagreeable yellow or dirty color. [t has recently been shown, however, that the leaves of native sumac gathered in June and July, are equal to the best for. -ign leaves. The Importance of this diF ,overy may be seen by the fact that the 2ultivation of the plant may be carried on inost profitably in this country ts soon as inanuifactureis and dealers recognize the iprovement thus obtained in the donestic Article, and by classifying it according to its pemcentige of tannic acid and its relative freedom froim coloring matter, ad vance the price of that which is early picked and carefully treated. In Italy the mumac is plantedi in shoots in thme spring In rOws, andl Is cultivated im the same way 51nd to about the same extent as cornm. It. ;ives a crop) the second year after setting >ut, and regularly thecreal ter. TIhe sunmac gathered in this country is takeii mostly freim wild plants gro wing on waste land, mut there is no reason why It should not be .itmlbzed amid cultivated em land not valuable or other crops. Aunit Jsne at llaifmax. In was in the year 1851. 1 was sailhng is second i ngineer on a Liverpool steamuer )ound for New York. When three days >ut the chief eugineer canme down uiid old us - stowaway had been found on )oardl. I didn't wait to heur any more, bmut wient ip on deck like a skyroeset, and there I lid see a sight and no mitake. Kvery nan Jack of the crew, r~ind what passengers we had on board, were all In a ring on the orecam-le, and in the middle stood the first, naute, lookin, as black as thunder, Rlight an tront of himt, lookin' a reg'lar mntte imong all thiem big fellows, was a little mit o'iad not ten years old-ragged as a carecrow, but with bright, curly hair aid Sbonnie little ince of lis own, if it hadn't meen so woeful thin and( p~ale. Bunt, bless your soul, to see the way the ittle clap held hIs head up, and looked iibout himit you'd ha' thought thme whole ship melonged to him. The mate was a great timlkin', black-bearded fellow, with a look Lhat would have frightened a horse, and a voice fit to imke onie jump through a key. tide; bitt the young un warn't a bit ateiar ad-heo stood straIght up, and looked haiim full in the face with them bright, clear yes 0' htis', for all the world as if lie was Prince Ilaifred himself. Folks did( say afteirward (lowering his voice 'to a whis per) as hew lie comned o' better blood nur what lhe ought; amid, for may part, I'm isthier of that way o' thinking mtysef; lot Iiever yet sed a commnni street 11arab, a they cali thenm now, carry it off like himi. Yout imiight ha' heard a pin drop as the mnate "WVell, you yong whelp," says lie, In his grininiilest voice, ''what brought you herl'' "'It was stepfather as (lone It," says thec boy, in a weak little voice, butt as steady as could be. "Father's dead, and imother's aiarried iagain, and my new fathter says as how hie won't ha' no brata about eatln' up lis wages; and he stowed me away when nobody warn't looking, and guy mite soane grub to keep me goen' for a diky or two tiltI got to see, ile says I'm to go to Ant Jane, at hlalifax; and here's her address." And wIth this lie shIps hiis hand Into the breast of his shIrt, and out with at scrap 0 paper, awfully dirty and crumapled upi, bua with the address on it right enough. We all belioved every wor-d-on It, evet, without the Dapner. for his look and hit voice, and the way he spoke, was enough to show that there wasn't a ha'porth o' lyin' in his who:* skin. But the mate didn't swallow the yarn at all; he only shrugged 1 his shoulders with a kind o' grin, as much as to say: "I'm too old a bird to be caught with that kind of chaff;'' and then he says to him, "Look here, my lad; that's all very ilne, but it wonit do here-sone o' these men o' mine are in the secret, and I mean to have it out o' them. Now, you just point out the man as stowed you away and fed you, this very minute; If you don't it'll be the worse for you." The boy looked up In his bright fearless way--it did my heart good to look at him, the brave little chapl-and says, quite quietly. "I've told you the truth; I ain't got no more to say." The mnate says nothin', but lie looks at him for a minute, as if he see clear through him; and then he faced round to the men, lookin' blacker than ever. "Reeve a rope to the yardi" he sings out, loud enough to raise the dead; "stuart now." Thie men all looked at each other, as much as to say, "What on earth is coming uowf" But on board of ship, o' course, when you are told to do a thing you've got to do it; so the rope was rove In a july. "Now, my lad," says the mate in a hard, square kind of voice, that maue every word seem like fitting a stone in a wall, '"you see that rope? Well, I'll give you ten minutes to confess," and he took out lils watch and held it in his hand, "and if you don't tell the truth before the dime is up, I'll hang 3 ou like a dogi' The crew all stared at one another as if they couldn't believe their ear--I didn't 'elieve nine, I can tell ye-and then a long growl went among them like a wild beast wakin' out of a nap. "Silence therel" shouts the ninte, in a voice like the roar of a northeaster. "Stand by to run for'ardl" and with his own hand fie put the noose around the boy's neck. The little fellow never flunched a bit; but there were some among the sailors, big chaps as could fih' felled an ox, as shook like leaves In the wind. As for me, I be thought myself of my curly-headed little lad at home, and how it would be if any one was to go for to hang him. And at the very thought on ItI tingled all over, and my fingers clinched themselves as if they were a grippin' somebody's throat. 1 1 clutched hold o' a biudpike, and held it behind imy back, all ready. 'Toni," whispers the chief engineer to me, "do yod think lie reamly means to do it?' "1 don't know," Hays 1, through my teeth; "but if lie does lie shall go that, if I swing for it." I've been in many an mly scrape in my time, but I never felt half as bad as I did then. Every minute seemned as long as a dozen, mud the tick of the mate's watch reg'lar pricked my ears like a pin. The nen were very quiet, but. there was a pre cious ugly look on some of their faces; and I noticed that three or four on 'cmn kept edging for'ard to where the mate was stand in' In a way that meant mischief. As for me, I made tip my mind that if lie did go for to hang the poor little chap, I'd kill hin on the spot and take my chaices. "Eight minutes," says the mate, hils great, deep voice brenkin' in upon the si lence like tihe tone of a funeral bell. "If you've got anything to confecs, my lad, youl'd best out with it, for yer tiue's near ly I1p.'" "I've told you the truth," answered the boy, very pale, but as firm as ever." "May I say my prayers, please?" The mate nodded, and down goes the poor little chap on his kness, with that in fernal rope about his neck all the time, and puts up his little hands to pray. I couldn't make out what lie said-fact my head was in such a whirl that I hardly could have known my own name-but I'll be bound G.od heard it, every word. T.en he got up on his feet again, and puls lisa hanids behind him, and says he to the mute, quite quietly, "'I ami read1y." And then sir, the mate's hard, grim face broke up all to onice, like I've seed the ice in the Baltic. lie snatched up the boy in his arnms and kissed him; and burst out a crying like a child; and I think there warn't one of us as didn't do the same. 1 kiiow I did, for one. "Glod bless you, my boy!" says lie, smoothmin' the child's hair with lis great hard hand. "You're a true Englhshman, every Inch of youi; you wouldln't tell a lie to save your life! Well, if so be as your fattier cast you off, i'll be your father from this (lay fdrthi, and if I ever forget you, then may Glod forget me." And he kept. liis word. nutst. Instances of exp~losions caused by the 1g. nition of carbonaceous (lust floating in the atmiosphiere have become so numerous that such dust may be contedt among the ex plosives. iSuch exlosions are not uncomi mion in coal minecs. An explosion was caused in Paris In 1809 by the taking fire of dust rising froni a sack of starch which was thrown down stairs and burt. 'Tho fatal explosion which took pilaco in a candy factory ini New York city a few ,years ago was probably due1 to the starch dust float ing in the room. TIhe explosion of the flour dust inithe :nilms at liinneapohs, hiinn., in 1878, is aniothier case ia point. An explo sion of malt dust recently took place in a brewery at Burton-on-l'rent, England; finally, It fins been suggested that the ex plosion which signalized the breaking out of the fire on the Seawanhaka was one of coal dust, suclh as often takes place In our stbves. Facts WVortha Itemnembering, One thousand shingles laid fouir Inchtes to the weather will cover over onme hundred sqjuare feet of aurftice, and flye pounds of shingle nails wIll fasten them on. Omie fifth more siding and~ flooring Is nleeed than the niumbier of square feet to be covereud, because of the lamp in thea siding and matching of time floor. One thiousand laths will cover seventy yards of surface, and eleven pounds of lath nis wi:t niail them on. Eight ashels of good lime, sixteen bush clsi of sand and one bushel of hair will make enough mortar to plaster 1(90 squatre feet of Five courses of brick will lay one foot In height on a chimney; nine bricks in a conrse will make a flue eight niches wIde and~ twP'ty inches long, andi eight bricks In a course will make a flue ofight Inches wide andi sixteen inches long. -icago Is to liave a asugar reen hng company, wIth a capital of $710, '00. The Plucky Boy. Thu boy marched straight up to the coun ;er. "Well, my little man,' said the merch. Wt, complacently-he had just risen frogi iuch a glokious good dinner-"what w1ml you have to-day ?" "Ohl please, Ar, mayn'L I do sromo work for you I" It might have been the pleasant blue eyes that did it, for the man was not accustom ad to parley with such snall gentlemen, mnd Tonmy wasn't seven yet, and small of As age at that. There were a few wisps f hair on the merchant's temples, and tooking down on the appealing face, the nan pulled at them, he gave the ends of jis cravat a brush, and thou his hand trav lled down to his vest pocket. "Do some work fnr me, eh? Well, now, about what sort of work might your small nanship calculate to be able to perform 1 WYhy, you can't look over the counter." "Oh, yes, I can, and I'm growing, please, growing very fast-there, see if I can't took over the counter." "Yes, by standing on your toes; are they coppered I" "'What, sir?" "Why, yourtocs. Your mothercouldn't cep you in shoes if they weren't." 'ho can't keep me in shoes anyhow, ;ir," and the voice hesitated. The man took pains to look over the ounter. It was too much for him; he ,ouldn't see the little toes. Then he went ill the way around. "I thought I should need a microscope," ie said very gravely, "but I reckon if I get close enough I can see what you look ike." "I'm older than I'm big, sir,'' was the eat rejoinder. "Folks say I'm very small ,or iy age. "And what might be your age, sir?" re iponded the man with emiphasis. " 1t'm1 almiost seven," said Tommny, with 1 look calculated to impres even six feet iiue. " ou see my mother hasn't any oody but me, and this morning I saw her ,rying because she couldq't find five cents n her pocket book, and she thinks the boy hat took the ashes stole it-and-I aven't had any-breakfast, sir." The voice again hesitated, and tears came o the blue eyes. "I reckon I ean hell) you to breakfast, ny little fellow," said the man, feeling in dis pocket. There, will that quarter do ' The boy shook his head. "Mother ,vouldn't let me beg, sir," was his simple eply. "luiph I where's y',ur father l" "We never heard of him, sir, after he went away. lie was lost, sir, in the steam .r City of Boston." "Ahl you don't say. That's bad-But fou are a plucky little fellow anyhow. Les ie see;"-and he pondered, puckering up us umouth and looking straight down into he boy's eyes, which were looking straight jp into his. "Saunders," he asked, ad Iressing a clerk who was rolling up and writing on parcels, "is Cash No. 4. still liek ?" "Dead, sir; (lied last night," was the ow reply. ''Ah, I'm sorry to hear that. Well, xire's a youngster that can take his place." Mr. Baunders looked up slowly-then ie put his pen behind his left ear-then his ;lunce traveled curiously from Tonuny to ir. Towers. "Oh, I understand," said the latter; "yes, lie is very small, very small indeed, ut I like his pluck. What did No. 4, get I" "Three dollars, sir," said the still aston shed clerk. 'Put this boy down four. There, young iter, give him your name, and run home mUd tell your mother you've got a place at 'our dollais a week. Come back on Mon Jay, and I'll tell you what to do. Here's i dollar in advance; Ill take it out of your irst, week's p~ay. Can you remember?" "Work, sir,--work all the time ?" Tommy shot out of that shop. [f ever >roken stairs, that had a twist, through the ,vole flight, cracked and tremibled an ter; lie weight of a small boy, or perhaps, as night be butter stated, laughed and elmek ed on account of a small boy's good luck, hose In that tenement house enjoyed ,hem 'elves thoroughly that morning. "I've got it, mother I I'm took IiI'm iash boy I Don't you know when they make the parcels, t he clerk calls ~'cash?' WVell, I'm that I Four dollars a week, and he mani said I had real pluck-courage, tou kniow, And hero's a dollar ior bread mst; anid don't you never cry again, for 'i the man of the house now. The house was only a ten by fifteen om, but how those blue eyes did magni y' it I At first the mother looked con oundedlc; then she looked faint ; and then lie looked-well, It passes my power to oil how she did look, as she caught the >noy in her arms, and hugged hinm and L15sed hin, the tears streanilng down her :hieks. But they were tears of thankfi. A Cheap Skating Kink. select a level piece of sod-ground, say 20x40 feet, then build a clay loom around .he border twelve inchesn blah by twelve aches wide on the top with sloping sides. Wh~ere the soil is sandy, or the turf will uot hold water, then four inches of clay must be used on the bottom surface, to mako everything water tight,although wa. er must never be allowed to stand in It; mad if buit early in the fall, you mast pro.. ride an outlet to carry off time water that night accumnulato from the fall rains. sverthing being in readiness. when the j thermiometer fell eight degrees below rcezing, connect the garden hose with a uydranut, using a fine rose nozzle,and play-. Ing thme stream up in the air so as to have t come down in the form of a line mIst,, mud freeze on striking the ground, as no waler must be allowed to stand in puddles mor ian on striking the surfaco at'any tim@T luring the winter, as it will make shelly cee. You can begin to skate on one inche~ f ice on the first night afjer you spray It md continue to spray it every cold night ' until you have sIx inches of Ice. Yott must acot allow the snow to stand on the ice at. ter a snow, but shovel it off at once, as itn ijures ace for skating if left on. Sutch a rink will accommodate twelve persons and be wnder your control so no accidents can happpen. Total ox pease of constructior4 about $O0 and affordting one of tiis meoss pleasant and hioalth-giv'ing smusements fo*, bth sexes, yyung and old1 oer ol