The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, March 26, 1881, Image 1
4 i4 -
TR1-WERKLYEDITION. ~. I~ICI 26,
- ~~~~~WINNSBORO, S;8 AC 6 88.Et uu
LO'8 REPENTANOE.
Love osne kpoo$lug. gently knocking
At the kortals of my l!eart,
And beseeched me there'nnlocklng,
For a seoret he'd Impart,
But I laughed to scorn lil greeting
And regretted pot the fleeting
Of his baffled 4teps ret'eating
On their Way.
Then again a message brought he,
Knocking gently as before,
And with courtly tones besought me
Yet I opened not the door,
Mildly chiding my denying,
-.-R, pith-low and mystic sighlng,
Tulne4 away.
Soon the little tyrant hyl
Without warning as before
Pulled the latch-string end-then slyly
Pushed as do the loacuiod dror,
Though my heart waiaebaireienting,
And I folt 'twould bring repenting,
Yet 1 would not by consentnig,
Lovo to-day. . . .
Could I catch him ai-1 securely.
Tie his little wicked *ltns.
I would kneel to him dmnurely,
Tho' I know they say he stings
That is he I know his knocking,
I will laston the unlocking,
Al, the lit do triler, mocking
Files away,
o Defrauded.Hleir.
One January evening,, eighteen years
after I had left Dr. - Lignon's, I returned
home as usual after the labors of the day.
I found nly wife seated by a cheerful fire,
and the tea-urn hissing on the table, on
which tdo was placed the tea-service, and
the toast racks fastened to the fender be
tokencd that the evening meal was waiting
for me.
"Home at last, dear James," said my
wife. "I have been waiting tea for you
so1e time."
"\ es, I was engaged longer at the office
-i the Chief of Police than I expected to
day. By-the-by, whom do you think I met
on Broadway to-day ?"
"I don't know. Whom ?"
"No other than Amos Barton."
I should have said that my wife came
from the village where Dr. Lignon lived,
and was well acquainted with all the par
ties mentioned in this history."
"Indeed," sne replied; "did ho.speak
to you C"
"Oh, yes; it appears he intends running
for council. iHe solicited my influence ;
but, of course, I did not promise It to
"It is very strange, but father never liked
that man. There was something in his
countenance or his manner which was very
repulsive to him."
"A great many people share his preju
dices, miy dear," 1 returned. "Amos Bar
ton is by no means a general favorite. I
remember when1was a pupil atDr. Lignon's
i "R-d to hagte-him "
"Aniyet no e0 dan tell why tney Qis
like him. They can bring no immoral act
against him. Did you ever hear anything
tangible proved against him?"
" Never."
"Do you remember how strangely he
came in for his property ?- I was but a lit
tle girl then, still I recollect distinctly the
sensation it made. His brother and nephew
died within ten days uf each other. It was
very curious."
"Very."
I suppose I uttered this word in a very
peculiar manner, for my wife put down
her cup which she was in the act of raising
to her mouth, and glanced curiously at
me.''
"What do you mean by that 'very ?'"
said my wife. Now, James, I know by
your manner that you have a secret to tell
me."
"M~y dear, what secret should I know ?"
"I dlon't know ; but you are so different
from other men--you have such an extra
ordinary laculty for tracing matters out
I am certain you know more about tha
affair than you pretend."
At that moment there was a ring at the
bell, and a servant entered almost directly
afterward and banded me the lollowing
message:
"Come to me imediately. I am dying ;
I have somethmng ot imnpoitance to commtu
nicate to you. D~octor Lignon, --, New
York."
I handed the, dispatch to my wife.
"Mlust you go 1" saidl she, with a shade
of disappointment in her voice.
''1 must, indeed," I rejoined. "I have
some1 liea as to the nature of time commui
nicaition lie has to make, andi leaving out
of consideration my duty as his former
pup~ii, I must go for other reasons."
Kissing my wife good-bye, I hurried off.
It was bitter cold in the streets, and the
snow was falling in large flakes. In spite
of the obstructions caused by the snow, I
renohed the depot in good time, and t aking
a seat in a emar near the stove,' in a few
iminutes 1 w as proceeding on my way to my
aestination. 1 was awaked about midnight
by a man and a woman in a seat before me;
the former had mentioned the 'f Mr.
Barton. I still preten'Jd to 1 'tt
examinced my fellow travelers v. 1
tinizine glance. I ioundi they i . .a
mon-looking people, evidently w the
meridian of life.
"I toll you," said the woman in a tone
of renmonstranice, "you can't dect lye him
much longer. Hfe'll hind out that the hoyt
ran away from us, then good-bye to our
allowance."
"How can he find it out," returned the
man, in a gruff voice, "If you only keep a
quiet it ngue in your head ? But you
always have such a confounded lot to
say-"
"Suppose you tell him his nephew is
(lead t"
"B~ah, that would be of no use. lie's
such a sIlingy beggar, he'd slop the supplies
at once."
"kiow, Ralph, suppose ho should be dc-,
termined not to give you any more, what
would you (10 ?"
"What would I do?" 1 would say to
him, 'Look here Mr. Barton, if you don't
send me the money you owe me to 22
East Broadway before three (lays have ox..
piredl, then if you don't see the btate prison
looming up in the distance, I'm a Duitch
man.'"
"Well, I hope we shall be successful,
that's all 1 have my doubts, however."
A fter this they relapsed into silence, and
did not apeak any mere until they reached
their destination. 'lamade a few Dotes of
this conver'sdtion in my pocket-book.
Abouit two on1Alocr the hrzt dlay racnhed
the end of my journey, and was at Dr.
Lignou's house. I rang the bell and I was
at once shown up staire.) The monent.. I
entered the doctor's bedroom I started
-hack in horror. Famillir as I had been
with scenes of suffering, I had never met
with one equal to his. Eighteen years had
elapsed since I had seen Dr. Lignon, and
he wes *now cercely r ognizable. He
was dying from the effect# of q cancer.
"I know my days are numbered ;" said
the old doctor, after he had given me the
particulars of the case. "My disease is
utterly ineurablo. But, I have a tearful
confession to make to you, one which I
fear will drag me down to perdition, unless
I atone for it by endeavoring to make res
titution. Oh, James, how can I summon
up resolution enough to tell yau what a
guilty wretch I am ?"
"Perhaps I already know something of
the matter of which you would speak," I
returned.
"Impossible I No living, soul save one
knows It. 0, God, must I reveal my own
shame ? ' Must I tell how guilty I have
been? -I cannot-I cannoti1" And the
old man buried his head in the pillow.
I sincerely pitied him, and determined
that I would begin th subject myself,
"Doctor," said 1, "you had.a compan
ion in the transaction to which you re
fer "
"I had! I had I But how can you know
anything about it ? Can it be possible that
you could have suspected anything at the
time?"
- "I know all; and to spare you the shame
of confessing I will repeat to you the par
ticulars of the transaction which brings
remorse to your dying bed. Eighteen
years ago, Mr. Stephen Barton died, leav
ing an only son heir to his immense wealth.
Mr. Amos Barton was appointedhits guar
dian. By some means, I know not what,
he persuaded you to assist him in his nefa
rious designs. You administered a prepa
ration which produced the effect of sinu
lated death. Amos Barton procured a botdy
from the University Medical College in
New lork. While Henry Barton lay
in an insensible condition his body was re
moved from the ceffin, and substituted by
the one obtained from the city,"
"Great Heavens I how did you find all
this out I I had no Idea that any mortal
man, save the other guilty part y, knew any
thing of the matter."
I here related the manner in which I had
ferreted out the truth, with which the
eador is already acquainted.
"But what became of the boy, the right
tul heir I" asked the doctor, eagerly.
"I don't know. If you remember, at the
time all this occurred, I left your house
and visited New York. I made every pos
ile search, but without any suoccs3, except
obtaining information from where Amos
Barton obtained the substitute. I debated
a long time whether I ought not to make
known what I had discovered to the au
thorities. But I knew Amos Barton's in
fluence, and feared I should only bring
isgrace on myself. Besides which, I coni.d
not bear the idea of blackening your fair
"Oh, thank you for your consideration.
[did not deserve it. But do you think
he-"
The old man hesitated, as if he dared not
give utterance to his thought.
"Murdered him, you would say, I re
Joined. "No; this very day I have dis
covered that he did not make way with
him."
And I here related the conversation I had
heard in the railway ear.
"God grant that he may still be alive,"
said the old man, "and now, James, listen
to my dying words. Promise me you will
use every possible exertion to discover
young Barton and reinstate him into his
property."
I made the promise, and a few hours af
ter Dr. Lignon was dead.
After I returned to N~ew York, I debated
in my own mind as to the means to be used
to discover if Henry Barton were still
alive ; at the same time I set a watch on
they premises, 222 East Broadway, giving
orders for the me'ssenger to informz me
the moment lie caught sight of the man
who had been called Ralph.
I had been niome two days when my
messenger informed me that lie had seen
Ralph just enter a restaurant in East, Broad
way. .[ Immediately started for the place,
and found the man seated in a box, gazing
earnestly at a young man ab~out twenty
two years of age, who was seated ini the
box exactly opposite to him.
At last, satistled with his scrutiny, lie
left his box and advanced to the young
man.
"Young man,'' said ho, carelessly, seat
ing himself by the young man's side, "may
I ak youir name ?"
"My name is Hlenry Graham. What do
you want whhm me ?"
'"No, sir, your name is Ihenry Murdock,
and I am your father."
"You umy fsther!i You know you lie.
Do you suppose that when I had the sense
to discover such was not the case when I
was a chili, you can impose upon me
now ?"
"Oh, it's all very well for you to dleny it,
but I can prove that you arc mnuy soin."
"Have done, and leave me, or rather I
will leave you," returned the young man,
rising from his seat, '"and listen to me, fel
low-if you presume toe address me again
I will invoke the protectlin of the law, and
should that not be sufilcient to shield me
from your persecution I will take the law
into my own hands."
So saying lie left the place. Ralph
Murdeck followed him, and I was not far
behind. The young man entered the St.
Nichmolas hotel, in ten minutes 1 sent up
my card, andi was at once admnitted into
his presence. Inm a few words I exp~lained
my business, and was perfectly satisfied
that 1 stood in the presence of licary Bar
ton.
When IHenry Barton hiad finished his
history, which is not essential for tihe
purpose of our sketch, we entered into a
long conversation as to the best means to
prove his identity. Trho task was not an
easy one and I saw but one way, andi that
was to get Murdock Into our power and
make him confess the truth, it was to thuis
end that 1 devoted all my energies.
The messenger that I had set to watch
Murdock informed me that the day after
his meeting Henry Barton, lie had left by
thme iHudson River cars. I felt certain lie
ad gone to inform Amos Barton of the
discovery ot the heir. In t wo days he had
returned again.
My mhindi was made up what to do. I
disguised myself as a denenm of f~he Five
Points and throw myself in the man's way,
frdnnentlnr the samic haunts that he did,
and ended by making hijn believe 1 be.
longed to the same class as himself. At
last he accosted me, and we became quite
Intimate. He then proposed- tome - bit
of business, which was no less thpn the
murder of Henry Barton. I managed to
draw out from him the fact that ho had
been promised five thousand dollars by
Amos Barton to effect this piece of vil
lainy. I seemingly entered eagerly into
.ali his plans, and it was decided that'he
should givo me one thousand dollars to
assist him. . I allowed the affair to progress
to a certain point until I had him com
pletely in my power. I then'revealed my
self in my'true character, and threatened
hun with Immediate arrest unless he would
make an Instant confession. This he did
after some little hesitation, and it was pro..
perly witnessed.
Armed with this document, the confes.
sion of Doctor Lignon, aiid my own knowl.
edge, I presented myself to Mr. Amos Bar
ton. When I told my story he at first set
me at defiance, but whdii I read to him
the two confessions, he gave In at opce.
Henry Barton treated him leniently. The
uncle resigned all the estate to Henry, and
then left the country for France, where lie
lived on an annuity bestowed upon him by
his much injured nephew.
Henry Barton is now one of .the most
respected and wealthy gentlemen ns the
neighborhood where he resides. 'Ralph
Murdock a few years ago died of delirium
tremens in the Bellevue Hospital, and
Amos Barton only lived' two years after
the restitution of the heir to his rights..
Princo Gortsohaakoff.
Prince Gortschakoff Is fully entitled to
the reputation of being the Nestor of Eu
ropean statesmen. Ho was born in 1798,
at a period when the state of affairs in
France had plunged all Europe into a state
of profound anxiety and vast confusicn.
Three years after the overthrow-of Napo
leon at Waterloo lie abandoned his studies
at the Lyceum Zarskoo and entered upon
the diplomatic career which has since made
him one of the most remarkable nen in
Europe. In 2824 he was sent to London
as the Secretary of the Russian Embassy.
Two years later found him Plenipotentiary
at Vienna, where the death of his official
superior threw a power Into his hands
which lie utilized for the good of his coun
try and not a little foe that of his own person
at aggrandizement. It was in Vienna that
Gortschakoff first showed himself a power
in influencing the affairs of Europe. In
1841 he.proceeded to Stuttgart as Embas
sador Extraordinary and conducted with
delicacy the negotiations for the marriage
between the Grand Duchess Olga and the
Prince Royal of Wurtemburg. In 1850
it was suspected that he used the infornia
tion previously obtained in Florence for
the purpose of causing the downfall of
Ferdinand I., and the upraising of King
F ancis Joseph. He returnd to Vienna as
ambassador in 1854, in which year the
Eastern question, which lie had helped to
tinuijhed untiletwo years later, enuasto
pol fell before the allied powers. Gorts
clakoff's cousin was the general who con
ducted the memorable defense of that pow
erful stronghold. In.1850, when the Prince
was still at Vienna, the Conference of Pa is
was held, and it was owing to his influence
that Russia consented to accept the four
great points which formed the basis of the
treaty that was there discussed and signed.
In tie same year lie superseded Count
Nesselrode as Minister of Foreign Affairs,
and proceeded to St. Petersburg to assume
the office. When France was at the feet
of Germany, and when the latter country
had been exhausted by a terrible war,
Gortschakoff saw his way to strike a diplo
matic blow for the advantage of Russia,
ie issued his celebrated circular to the rep
resentatives of Russia in the capitals of Eu
rope, informing them that Russia no long.
er intemnded to abide by that portion of the
trc aty of Pa is which bound it to respect the
neutraility et the Black Sea-one of the
very p~oints which he himself had advised
his Emperor to accept in 1850. The Turk
iish Government considered this a direct
menace to its independence, but England
did not conmider it expedient, without the
aidl of France again, to go to a second war
withi Russia to) comp~el it to keep the treaty
of Paris inviolate. Diplomatic negotia' ions
on the subject ensued of a more or less ae
rimonious nature, and finally a conference
was held in London which resulted in Rus
sma agreeing to modify her intentions.
Gortschakoft's last pronminent public action
was his taking a seat in the Berlin Con
gress of 1878 as a Russian Pier ipotentiary.
TIhere lie struggledl long and stoutly to so
cure terms of peace which would have
practically turned the Turkysh Empire into
a Russian Province. As It, was, his perti
sn aity that sectured for Russia terms mnore
adivantageousa than the Trurka could afford to
pay, and up to this date they are not whol
ly fultillled, and may poss.ibly form thiebavis
of anot her wvar.
GSon. Garfloid's Sunday.
Every Sunday morning, at a few minutes
past ten o'clock, General Garfield's team of
black colts is brought out, and the Gen
eral to~hses the lines himself, drives with lis
family to the little country church where
they worship. It is about one mile east of
the Garfield residence and Is a plain wood
en building, neatly finished within aind
without. it, has seats for about two hun
dred persons. Arriving at the church door,
General Garfild alights and tenderly lifts
his mother and Ihis wife from the wagon,
or sleigh, and then drives to a friend's
place near by, where lie unhitchesi his
horses and leaves them in thme barn unti
after the services. Returning to the church,
ho walks up the aisle with bowed head,
and takes his accustomed cat near the
front and only a few feet Ironm tihe preach
or's desk. lie joins heartily and unaffect
edily in the service of praise, and listens
attentively to the sermon, whether it be
good, bad or indifferent. After the sermon,
according to the custom of the d'isciples,
the Lord's supper is observed in the simn
plest and most, informal manner. After
thme congr'.gation is dismissed Gecnerah Gamr
field warmly clasps the pastor's hanti, speaks
kind and encouraging words In his ear,
and as lie goes down the aisle toward the
(d0cr gives a hearty greeting to such of the
congregation as linger a moment "to be
sociable." Then he hitcnes his team, and
with lisa family drives homeward. Hie
pays little attention to religious forms and
ceremonies beyond the few and simple rites
of lis church. Ho encourages the largest
freedom of opinion in his own household,
and never obtrudes his own religious views
upon~ his guests.
Stitching on atRuttot.
lie had never tried it before, ut 1he was
naturally a ielf-reliant man, and felt con
fident of ble ability to do it Moreover,
his wife htd gone to the c-unthy. Tihere
fore, carefully seleoliog frbmA that lady's
w -rk-basket the thickeatine .lle nud
stoutest thread, he resolutely et himeelif to
the task. Spitting upon hi fingers, he
carefully rolled the end of the thread into
a point, and then, closing one. of his own
optics, he attempts to fill up Ilie needle's
solitary eye; but the thread eilher passed by
one side or the other of. th needle, or
worked itself against the glittei ing steel,
and refused to be persuaded. However,
the thread suddenly bolted through the
eye, to the extent of an inch, nd, feating
to lose this advantage. lie quickly drew the
ends together and united theia with a knot
about the size of a buckshot.
The button was a trousers one, but he
liked the dimentions of its Loles, and it
was only going on the back of his shirt,
anyhow. As he passed the needle gently
upward through the linen hel-it a mingle
pity and disdain for men bungling ov'.r
such easy jobs; and as he let the button
gracefully glide down the tbrvaa to its ap
pointed place, lie said to himself that if
ever lie marnied a second time it should be
for some nobler reason than at dread of
sewing on his own buttons. The first
downward thrust had the same happy re-.
sult, and holding the button down firmly
with his thumb, he came up ain with all
that confidence which uniforn success in
spires. Perhaps tie point of the needle
did not enter to the bone, but It seemed to
him that it did, and his comment upon the
circumstance was enphatic. But lie was
very ingenious,and next time huewould hold
the butto-n by one edge, and come up
through the hole nearcst the other. Of
course lie would. But the needle had an
independent way of suiting itself as to the
holes,and it chose the one where the thumb
was. 'flien the net die got sulky. It didn't
care about, holes, anyh,>w, if it was going
to be abused for finding them, and the but.
ton miight have been au unperforated disk
for all the aperatures which that needle
could thenceforward be made to discover,
without itfnite poking and prodding. It
always cume through when least, expected,
and never when it was wanted. btill he
persevered, and it, was not until he finally
discovered that he had stitched over the
?dge of the button, and had sewed it, on the
wrong side of the shirt that. lie utterly
)roke down.
A Bar for Women.
The latest project for the refreshment of
lashionatle women is a bar. Now, bar
'ooms in which disreputable women dring
ire no novely; but this is no euch concern.
It is as respectable as it is unique. It is In
Broadway, close to 6tewart's great mart
tnd Wallack's theatre, New York, in the
nidet of handsome retail establishments.
;antly fitted up. The walls and ceiling are
tr scoed, and the floor is marble. One
ide is devoted to the sale of confectionery.
'tat shows the proprietor's shrewdness,tor
.vomen probably would not go in if there
was nothing but a bar in the place. 'The
mar runs along the opposite side and , is
about the same in style as those of the best
atfes, though the marble counter is a little
ower. An immense mirror faces the
drinkers, and the back bar is adorned with
cut-glasses and decanters. Instead of a
beer pump, however, there is a soda foun
ain. Pies of lemons,an ornamelal lemon.
3queezer, groups of ginger al bottles and
pyramids of silver Tom and Jerry cups,
make a display as gorgeous as can be found
)n any bar in the city. Two bartenders,
f the regulation pattern with their hair and
mustaches caretully brushed, diamonds
glistening on their polished shirt-fronts, and
the sleeves of their white coats turned up
to the eloows, are constanily on duty. The
women walk up just like little men, and
order their drinks with the careless air of
veterans. The enterprise has been under
the way only a fcw weeks, and is already
an established success. Tihe beverages are
about what might be expected. "Haird
ilquors" are not soldl, except In mixed
drinks, as m Tom andi Jerries, on which
the run, during cold weather, is brisk. They
are made hot and sweet, and the womnen
dote on them. The next most popular drink
is hot punch, composed of. rum, lemon
juice, water and a dash of brandy. bomne
Limes seltzer is ordered in place of the
water. Hot cofice, chocolate and lemon..
ado, are also sold in large quantities. On
days of moderate temperatu:e the call is for
cold lemonade,claret punchj ginger ale and
soda water. While I was there the p)op of
the ale bottle was momnentaly and the lever
of the lemon-squeezer was h aimioat con
stant motion. Women at d three feet
deep in front of the bar. 'I o companions
drank together, andi each piki for her own
dissipation; but as a rule tiagentle tipplers
gracefully imitated polite ha room manners
though they were given to sipping their
beverage slowly, instead of tossing them
into their mouths like so nich medicine.
"Whiatare you going to dunkP" said a
mild faced sapling of a girlin a cloak of
satin matelasse and a blue capote. "It's
my treat this time," replie< a eherry lip
pod dumpling o1 a belle in -naroon velvet.
"No, no; you bought reent ly. "Come,
what'll you take?" "A selter lemonade.''
"Make me a TIom-and-Jerr, sweet." bo
the confusion of orders andthe cager drink
lug went on. I asked oneif the bar ten
ders why ho didn't keep laer beer on tap,
since New York women d'ik It at home
and in the concert gardes so generally,
Hie said: "0, we want to g slow at fIrt,
don't want to startle our customers too
much; but we'll give 'ember as soon asa
warm weather comes.
A Mlonum'ent n anger.
The Brunswick mounmt, built in Ge
neva, Switzerlaiid, at so treat a cost, Is
showing ominous signs of~ivlig way. It
is built on land which not nany years ago
was reclaimed from Lihe Ike. buchi land
Is notorlously ireach rous,'or often beneath
it rad only sunperficciy overed, there are
enjormous holes ho bwedout by the ice nc
tion when the Run e gl.cicr swept over
the present site o~L encyt,. In the ease of
the Brunswick niuimen; every precaution
was taken to as e its lategrity by placing
it on an exceedi hy thick and seemingly
solid foundati of contrete, but It op.
pears oniy~too obablo from present mina.
cations that t ground underneath is sub.
siding and th the structure Is threatened
with serious ger, if noet with complete
dnatruationn
Rubles and Sapphires.
The i uby is the next hardest thing in na
ture after the diamond, and its value as a
precious Stone even precedes that brilliant.
The finest rubles are found in the East
Indies; and the king of Burmah takes one
of his titles from this gem, that of theI "lord
of the rubies.'' In early times it was con
sidered to possess inany magical properties
Its value is dependent upon Its color. In
Burmah tIh.e ruby is a royal monopoly, and
those of any great value are never per.
mitted to leave the kingdom. The finding
of a flne gem of this class is made a state
event, and a procession of grandees, at
tended with soldiers and elephants, which
go out to take possession of the jewel, is
one of the ceremonies which Is attended
with marked iniportaLee. '1ie king of
Burmah is said to possess a specimen of
the ruby as large as a pigeon's egg. Bome
fine exumples of this gem are found in
America, North Carolina and other
8outhern States having produced rich
specimens.
The Greeks called the ruby "anthrax," a
live coal. 'The carbuncle is said to derive
its name front carbon in like manner. The
colors of the ruby vary from pale rose to
deep red, but the tint that is most highly
prized is that described as "pigeon's blood."
One of the largest rubies in Europe is
among the French crown jewels, at one
time adorning the Order of the Golden
Fleece. A true "'pigeon's blood" tinted
ruby of four carats weight is valued at
$2,000 and upward. In China, tie ladles
decorate their slippers with rubies. The
finest ruby in existence is said to be in the
possession of the king of Pegu, its exces
sive purity isthelegend of the country, and
ite approximato value has never been at
tempted in the kingdom.
Tavernier imontioned two magmficent
rubies owned by the king of Visapur, one
of which was of the extraordinary weight
of fifty-three and three-quarters carats, and
the other seventeen and a half carats ; the
vast difference in their size was nearly
compensated by the superior purity and
brilliancy of the smallest, btoo.
The finest collection of rubies in Europe
is probably that In the possession of the
queen of England, which was exhibited it
the sydenham Exposition by the queen's
jewellers. The duke of Brunswick had
among his gems two or more exquisitely
engraved rubies, one of which weighed fit
ty-three carats. The Czaiina Catharine
was presented by Gustave 111. of Sweden,
in 1777, with an exquisite ruby, the size
of a pigeon's egg. It ii still aniong the
crown jewels, as well as sone other superb
specimens of this Stone.
Next to that owned by the king of Pegu,
the East India Company have probably the
finest single ruby on record, besides ani in
valuable collection of paragon stones, about
fifty in number, ranging ini weight from
fifteen to fifty-three carats, many of them
of remarkable briliancy. 'Tavernier makes
mention also of an exquisitely eng raved
ruby in Paris, of half the sizc of a lien a egg.
thers u- authentically reuorted in
carats.
It is said that diamonds and rubies are
Seldom, if ever, found together, but in
Evelyn's diary, in 1645, is mentioned the
tact, that in the collection of a noble Vene
tian-ig-nor Rugini-was contained,
anong other valuable gems, a diamond
whica had a very line ruby imbedded in it.
The bapphire is a precious stone held in
high estimation, and closely allied to the
ruby, but possessing a variety of colors and
tints. It occurs in blunt-edged pieces, in
round pebbles and in a crystallized form.
Its colors are blue, red, gray, white, green
and yellow. It varies from transparent to
translucent, and hits a double refraction.
Tihe blue tone is harder than the red va
riety. It is found in Bohteniia, Saxony and
France ; but the red sapphire, or Oriental
ruby, is found almost exclusively in Ava.
Pate sap~pbires exposed to heat, of great in
tensity, piermnitted to cool in like manner,
can be rendered colorless. By this process
the stone attains great brilliancy and is of.
ten then mistaken for a (diamond, which it
closely resembles.
Theim most highly 1)1 izedi varieties of the
sapphire are the crimnsont and carmine red,
watch are denominatedi by jewellers as Oi
ental rubies; next to which in rank is the
yellow or Oriental topaz. The asterias, or
star stone, Is a very beautiful variety it
which the coltor is a beautiful violet, and
the form of a rhomtuoid, withI truncated
apices, which exibit, an opalescent. lustre.
The pirec ious stones which exist in the
Burinete territory tare chiefly those of thte
sapphlire and sptineh ruby, and are found In
t wo localities aujacent to each other, called
Mogant and Kytitpean. All the varieies
of sapphire, as well as the sp)inel, are found
together, andt among them are large quanti.
ties of corodum. 't lie varieties which here
exIst are theOriental sapphire, the Orient al
ruby or redl stone, tihe op~alescent ruby or
cats' eye ruby, the star ruby, the green, the
yellow and wite saphiiro and the Oriental
amethyst. 'The coimmton sapphire is the
nmott frequent, but in comparison wvith the
ruby is very little prized *oy the Biurmese
or' other nationsb.
A Slut, Vater Coliumn.
One of the sitngular natural phenomena
knowin in North Montana is thme formation
of two geyses in thme strip of country known
as the "Sag.'' about, a itil andi a half from
Mr. Patterson's ranch, on tlhe Shtonkin. It
was first seen recently, but not until lately
has It assumed proportions which consti
tute its wondierful formation, it. Is situi
atedl in a smiall canyon runnting out fronm
the wall of rocks ont Ihe cast of Alkali lake.
Two geysers have appeared, one of them
being of monster proportions, throwing up
a columnt of hot water and steam over one
hundmed feet high, the other spouting
about fifty feet, but, with a larger proper
Lion of water; dliamteter, ab~out four Inches.
They are intermittet in character and are
active during thme morning hours, about
eight or atti o'clock. Th'le formmation of
the country is a sandstone and gneiss and
has till the appearance of being an ancient
river bed. What, has producedt this curious
phenomnenon It is of course, only useless to
spcculate,as theme Is no evidlence of ancient
volcanic activity and tno htypothesis can be0
formed whicilacoiut for it.
Fixing Flowser Colorj,
This sinll solutin for fixing the colors
of flowers nmty have interest : Dissolve half
a grammne of salleylic.acid In 800 grammes
of heated alcohol. Through tIs fluid pass
slowly the blossoms to be preserved, and
shake off the drippings from thtem. Dry
them carefully on sheets of blotting paper
and do not lay them aside until perfectly
dry.
The Ited Itehool Hnous.
Grandfather Ezekiel was shaking with
aughter. He bobbed his head against the
back of the chair and brought his hands
own on his knees with resounding smacks.
He took off his spectaclesand rubbed them
with his red handkerchief. He stopped
suddenly, screwed up his face, groaned
"Oh I" and put his hand to his back.
"What is the .matter ?" exclaimed the
children; "Just look at Grandpapa; what
can be the matter with him ?"
"It's the rheunatismu," said Grandfather
Ezekiel, becoming calm; "I laughed so
hard that I fetched up the rascally twitches;
but I couldn't help it-these newspapers do
carry on so. Here's one that says this is
the coldest weather since the Revolution.
Why, this isn't a circumstance to one win
ter day kwhen the Oak Townslhp boys
helid school in the Red School House with
out a teacher. This is nothing."
"it's pretty cold out,' said Nellie, -'and,
grandpa, you've been here by the lire all
the week."
Grandfather Ezekiel, who had limped
over to the window to take a look at the
snow, didn't notice Nellie's defense of
modern weather. Indeed, Grandfather
Ezekiel was deaf every now and then.
"Please tell us about the school with no
teacher," added Nellie.
The other children chimod in with the
same request, but Grandfather Ezekiel
didn't need much urging. lie already was
in his chair and as he put a coal of fire
into his pipe he began :
"Well, children, that was when I was
somewhere about twelve years old, and it
was a few days after New Year. That
morning my father took his three boys to
the school house in a sled drawn by oxen,
for the snow was tco deep for horses. We
all had extra coats, but it was terribly
cold, and when father left us at the school
house, which was in the woods a ntile from
any dwelling, we were ahuost frozen. Al
most all the boys were late that morning
and not a single girl caie. Well, we
waited until nine o'clock, and then until
ten, expecting the teacher every minute.
We kept the stove red hot, chopping the
wood ourselves a'id piling it in wittiout
stint. We had a jolly time all the morn
ing and at noon atb our dinners, which we
had brought with us lin baskets with great
relish. None of us could go home until
the teams should come after us, and hav
ing given up expectiig the teacher we cast
abutL for something to passa way the after
noon. One of the Doys, Jack bhelton,pro
posed a spelling contest, and we all agreed.
Jack said lie would be one of the captains,
and Samn Nye, who was Jack's equal in
spelling, said lie would be the other. So
they tossed up for the first choice. When
the sides had been chosen Jack had thir
teen and Bam thirteen, and Will Knight,
who, though nieteen years old, was the
poorest spiller in school, was leit out. Will
didn't mind the slight for he was a good
natured boy, and said he guessed he would
give the words out for us. I was
a little shaver compared with
aJUUA&AW4 W11 -0.A - . - A . 1.,,t.
chosen sixth on-Jack's list. The first word
given out was 'Odontology,' and ai
spelled it without trouble. 'fTle next was
'skemn,' and Jack put the proper letters in
shape in a twinkling. And so the words
pasbed on down theline until 'ghost, was
given out to o of 1 Sam's speliers, and
t1 boy whose word it was spelled it
'gohst.' Tien there was some excitement,
and when our next boy spelled it right we
hurrahed and' Sam's boys hissed. The
uoy wiro missed stepped out and we were
one ahead. As the spelling continued and
as the spellers dropped out one by one the
excitement increased. Finally the lines
were reduced to Sam and Jack, the best
spellers, and they had it hot and heavy for
a quarter of an hour. After a while Will
camne across tio word 'pht.islo' and hurled
it at Jack's head. Jack hemnied and
hawed and tugged at Iris topknot, and
tinally said it wasn't fair. Then 8.im's
tboys shonutd that it was all right, and one
of theni, who had ia speller in his hand,
slipped ever to Sami and whispered how to
speu the word. Hie thought we didn't see
unni, but we did and most 01 us jumped
up on our desks, shouting: "(lhpn!! 'Uheat!'
'Uirat I" 1 tell you what none of us were
coiht tuen, thouigh it was regrilar zero
weather out of doors.Jack and im Henry
were as red in the face as the sitles of the
stove arid by-arnd-bye I saw there was go
ing to be a big light. Blefore I could get
down ol the desk Timt threw his slate at
Saii's head and it struck poor Will on the
nose, making the nose bleed anid breaking
the slate imro iittle bits. In a momlent the
bigger boys-somei of them were eighteen
and nineteen-pitched into one another.
Th'ie desks were eriashed, the blackboard
was knocked down, the maps wore torn
fromtire walls and mean wile every boy
was shrieking arid howling at tire top of
his lungs.
"The struggle got hotter and hotter and
after a while over went tire stove,scattering
big red coals everywhere. I tried to shovel
up, the coals, but one of the boys fell on
top of me and I was badly burned-there's
the scar on my neck nrow. Well, about
that time things began to sober down, for
the room was on fire In several places and
the boys turned to for the purpos'r of sav
ing the building. It wasn't any use,
though. Trho house was built of heart pine
and In. burnt like so much tinder. We ran
out into tire snow, barely saving our books
andl overcoats, and I tell you we didn't
feel good as we stood there and saw the
old red school house, go up in smoke. Nor
did we toel good when we realized that we
must break our way through the snow
clear home. 1t was about three o'clock1
when a party of us who were all going in4
one direction started up the road. Sam
was in our party, and hre looked terribly.
le hung his head and said nothing all the
wany. I never came so near freezing in
my life, and if we had not stopped at the
first dwelling to walt for father with the
team I am sure all of us wouid have been
frozen to death. Did we got a scolding
when we got home ? Well, I should think
so, anid we got the hickory gad well laid
on, too. We didn't have any more school that
winter, and neIther Jack, Sam, Will nor
TIim over went to school again. Where4
was the teachler ? Oh I J. had forgotten him.
Wiry, he was sick in bed and couldn't
come, lie didn't hear of the lire that day,
but the next morning ho managed to got
out, and when he saw nothing buit a pile
of ashes whore the school house had been
ho cried like a little child.
"Oh I yes," concluded Grandfather
Ezekiel, as ho dropped oli to sheep. "tho
weather nowadays is nothing to what il
was then."
NEWR IN RRiJDF.
-pollnslvam Ia's population is esti.
mated at 4,282,78.
-Q!een Victoria made $4,000 on
stock farming last year.
-The yield of corn in France for
1879 was 234,168,820 bushe!s.
-There are only twenty-four match
factories In the United States,
-Mince pie was discovered In 1590.
Dyspepsia was discovered In 1507,.
-The number of Indians in the
United States is estimated at 275,000.
-The State of Winconsin produced
last year 10,000.000 pounds of tobacco.
-Richard Ill. was killed at the bat.
tie of Bosworth Field in the year 1485.
--English capitalists are going to
build a railway througn Syria to
India,
-The census gives Wyoming terri
tory 407,884 head of cattle and 332,568
sheep.
-There 're engaged in the Connec
ticut oyster trade 3,000 men and $2,500,
000 of capital.
-The value of last year's cranberry
arop on Cape Csd is estimated at $300,
00 to $350.000.
-In Lisbon, in 1755, 00,000 people
perished by an earthquake in the spAce
If six minutes.
-There are over twenty-two Sena
L,ors who are said to be worth more
rhan $500,000 each.
-Tie amount of revenue raised last
year by the protective tariff on steel
ralls, was $21,70J,000.
-There was shipped from the Black
Iiii1s duritig the year just closed $5,
788,30J worth of bullion.
-Tite total number of Methodists in
the United btates is 3,45,909. The
number of ministers is 24,304.
-it takes 75,000 acres growth of
twenty years old wood to supply the
tnntual demand for railroad tIes.
-A barrel factory atSeymour, Wis,
impiorys about 80J mUii, and pays out
P75,000 a year for raw material.
-The hirst railroad locomotive ran.
3i the liiti of Oatober, 1829, between
Liverpool and Alanohoster, Eugland.
-Tue total nuniber of persons who
left Irish ports In 1879 was 47,1304, ah
iorease of 5,738 as compared wita 1878.
-In 1800 the number of lunatics in
England was 38,058. Now It is 71,191,
Ai lixureaso o no less than 87 per cent.
Canada raised 10,000,000 busnels of
barley last season. Tnis wlil aiford a
surpLus of 8,000,000 bushels for ship
uctint.
-l'he Chicago and Milwaukee Tele
graph coutpany reports recolpti for
6te year of 1880, $20,21)9, and disburse
mencs of $14,4UU.
-About $7,500,000 has been expend
Dd on the ALitsissippi river, aside from
he Jetties, since lte formation of the
Covernmenot.
-Seven hundred thousand women
ue ianuaucure el raw silk irou i
-North Carolina has less foraigners
smong nor population than any other
State of Ele Union, the number being
iuly 3,678.
-Wnien Gen. McClellan retires, New
Jersey will liave *eVon living eX-UOv
ira1s8. Oly four Goveruors have
lied since 1842.
-The highest price ever paid for
Dhicago real estate was $4125 per l.a.
provud tront foot, and the sale was
Lorceitly made.
-Snioe-pegs consumed 100,000 cords
Af tiznsr, Iasts and boot-trees 500,000
jords of uirch, and m aple, and the
iandles of tools as muun more.
-TLhe Russian mnillionalre Maltsefi
ust ducased, has bequeacathed 500,00t
oules ($307,000) towar*d establish'ng
I techia college at Vladimir.
---The nailitary prison at L3aven
wvorthi, Kansas, is reportelt aS having
,urnuu out in the last fis cal year 25,
146 pair oif boots and 31,2420 of shoes,
--wlIzerland produces 1,500,000
watones annuaily, France 530,00 the
Unined status 300,000 to 35J,000, and
ilunlaud 20I0,00-0ut .these lnst are of
very Superior quality.
-Texas wichio cow imenced raising
wool in 18415, has no w 4,000,000 sheep,
lath it 1 is stunated tinat Montana will
> o'uce 50,000j,000 pounds of wool in
-A bout 300,000 ne w telegraph poles
ire used fcr add atijns and repairs
iyery year, cachi pole representing a
~ree, while 2,000,000 cords of' wootd
were burned up in Drick-mnaking.
-The total amount of letlers passing
hlrough tihe inails fast year was 512,.. *
)31,000; postal cards, 103,04f9,000; news.
>apcrs, 400,700,000o; pieces oi all classes
L,505,503,U00.
Ex-Governor Washburn, of Wiscon
lin, wile has been suffering from a
troke of paralysis, is gradually im
)roying. 1t is expected lie will leave
Lbacrosse, Wis , for Minnesota In a
seek or ten days.
-On the 1st of January, of a total of
83,942 non-commhissioned ofli 'ers and
nen in tile British arany, 122,793 were
nuglishl, 14,150 Scotch, 38,875 Irish,
.80 were born in .India or the colo
ies, 2,301 were foreigners, and 4,094
re returned as "not reported."
-The consumption oh beer in the
Jnited States has more than doubled
ince 1870. In 1870 it was 0,574 000
arrels ; in 1880 tax was paid on 13,A49,
100- barrels.
-Superintendent Walker says that
he cost of taking the census of 1880 is
>robabiy $4,080,u00. This is about four
ents a piece for every main, woman
~nd child in the United States. .~
-Laist year 3,769,743 gallons of wine
~nd 133,764 gallons of brandy were re
cived at San Francisco from the in
erior of California, against 3,204,007
lallons of wino and 93,500 gallons of
trandy in1879.
-It Is estimated that there are 1,- i
100,000 acres cultivated in jute each
rear in India, employing 1,850,000 per
ions in its culture and la the manuc'ao
urc of gunny bags. The United States
mport 00,000,000 lbs. annualiy.
-West Virginia can scarcely con
inue to be ranked among the States
syith a distinctive negro population in
he light of the present census, With a
otal population of 018,195, the State
uas but 15,760 negroes, or abodt one in
avery swenty-flye,