Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TRI-WEEKLY EDITION. WINNSBORO, S. C., APRIL 30, i881. ESTABLISHED 1865 THE GLADNE8 OF NATURE. Is this a t me to be clou-ly and sad. Whton our mother maturo laug s around. When -oven the deep blue lies /ene look slad. And giadnes breatuos from the blossoming grouanJ. There are notes of joy from the haugbird and wrin, And the gossip of swallows through all the sky. - The g ounid squirrel gally chirps by his den, And tuo waI oing boo huns merrily by. The clout. arc at play in tbe asura spaoo And their shadows at play on the bright groen va o * And hera they stretoh to the frolio chase, And there they rAll on the easy gale. Liore's a danoo c f loaves in that aspon bower, Tuero's a uitter of winds in that beechen tree, There's a smile on the fruit, and a smile on the flawer, And a laugh from te brook that mun to the sea. And look at the broad-faced sun how he smiles, On the dewy earth that am Ia i hin ray, On the leapng wates and gay young itles, Ay, look, and he'd ,-mile thy gloom away. In the Gloaming. "Yru are the best judge of your own henat, but i do not think your future promises much happiness as the wife of Godfrey Hill. Remember who and what lie is." These were the words over which Alice Hill pondered as she walked slowly through the grove at Bellows Falls. It was her favorite walk, when she wished for solitude, though it lay at some distance from her homie, the stately house that crowned an incline stretch of ground overlooking the village. Remember who and what he is I Mrs. Hill had said these words very slowly, and with due emphasis only a few houms betore, when Alice had read to her a letter, in which Godfrey Hill had asked her to be his wile. Who was le, then? He was the second cousin of Alice, a iman of about twenty feven, m ho had been brought up by his grandfother in the house upon Bellows Height, and had supposed his inheritance of house and fortune assured. Alice and her widowtd mother had never entered the stately house while old Mr. Hill livea, but had supported themselves by keeping a school for young children, after Gtodlrey's cousin, Alice's father, had died. It had never crossed their wildest Im agination that the old gentleman at Bellows 1' ile would remember them by even a trifling legacy, and they were inclined to think they were the victims of a practical Joke, when they received hAe lawycr's letter inormiat them that Alice was the heirees of the tntire estate of John Hill, of Bellows Falls. It was like a dream, to come to the splendid home, to know there was to be ' 0 no more weary struggles for daily bread, to wander through magniticent rooms and ex. tensive grounds with the deliciously novel sensation of ownership. And it it.ust, he confessed that Alhce at first thought b1ut ittle of the dispossessed heir. But he introduced himself soon as a cousin, and vitited the house as a welcome guCet. For, in answer to the second clause of Mis. H1il's question, what was he I Alice could Lave answered truly that be was the nost faiciratinag inan she had ever seen. Aind Alice Illl, though a bread-winner in the busy world, had moved in good socit-ty, liavirg aristocratic family con. nec lus both on.hr .ather's and mother's She wes no novice to be won by a merely ) courtly nianier, but she had never amet a mani w bu intellect was so broad, whose ~1couratesy was so winning, whose face was so landsome as were those of Godfrey Hall. Aand yet there was a letter In her writ ing utsk, written by the dead man whose S hecireas she wvas, warning her that "because he~la as uanwouthay, beiause he has betrayed the titust 1 put in hma, .1 have disinhehited Godarey liuh." There was no specific charge, no direct accu-ation, but the young heiress wasi wuarned against her cousin. Yei, ini the narny long conversatihns the two had held togthler, Godfrey Ill had eheavired to conaviunce his fair cousic that hIas ga nfaither had been influenced by false friendslh to believe statemients to his das crediat utterly untrue. Hie lad aamiost convinced lher that lae was an ilnecent, victim to unforiunate circeauni "' stances, a victim to a nmistaken sense 01 h~Ionior. Sh3ie was young, natul'ally trustful, and her heart was tree; so it is not wonderiul that Alice 11:ll was inclined to restore thme dilsinhierited man to his estate by acceptmy the oiler of his heart and hand. Absorbco ini her reflections, Alice did not notlee thai cleuds were gathering, till a sudden sum mer shower btroke with violence above the tree tops. The rain came through the branches sud denly, dreiechng through her thiin black dress, and she ran quickly to the nearest, house for shelter.. '1 he nearest refuge proved to be the cot. tage where Mirs. Mlason, who dad tihe wiashing her the great house, lived with her daughter, Lizzie, one of thie village beau ties. '1 hero was great bustling about when Alice presenited haerself at thle door. - Alerey sakes I You're half drowned,'" * the 01(d womnan cried, hurrying her unex pected guest to the kitchen tire. "You're wet to the skin, decarie. blow ain't it, a blessing there's a whole washing in the basket toe go home ? You can go into Liz zie's room andi change your 'clotheus, ano ll (10 tip thiem you've got on. Dear, deali! Your hat Is just ruined-crapo won't bear wettinag-and you've no shawl. You aust just put on a dicess of Lizzie's to go home in. It's neat ly dark any way.'' "Where is Lizzie ?" Alice asked. Sewhing at alrs. Gorhamn's, dearne. She'll be coiming homne, soon. I allots make thai a part 01 the bai gauin that she's to be let haon.c afore dark, anad It gets tlark now b.) six--iall days are shorter thtan aummner omie. bo She'll be here soon. it's clear iug tip." it wias clearing up, and it was also grow. lng dark, so proitmting to send honie the borrowedidressin the morning, Alice started Jfor home, S3he Smile1 a*t he1ec - a ., stodbeor the cottage mirror, for she had not worn-a gay color since her father's death five years before. Lizzie's blue dress, scarlet shawl and aay Sunday hat were oddly out of place upon the slender figure, and Petting off the palo, refined face of Alice Hill. "Dea me," said the old woman. "I hope you'll soon cairk up a bit, Miss Alice, and take off your black. The ed gentleman has been acad a year, now. Them roses do suit you beautiful." Alice glanced at the staring red flowers reflected in the mirror, and smiled as she said: . "1 will take great care of Lizzie's hat, Mrs. Mason. Good-bye, and thank you.' It wae nearly du-k, and there was a quarter of a mile to walk before home was reached, so Alice hurried throgh the grove, where the trees had already shut out the lingering daylight. bhe had tied a small veil of gay tissue over the gaudy hat, as she left the cottage, and she hoped, if she met any acquaintan ces she would escape recognition. When she was half way through the grove she heard quick footsteps coming ron the village, and a moment later a voice said, "You are punctual," and she was caught for a moment in G-.dfrey lill's arms. She knew his voice, and struggled to free herself, before realizing that he had mistaken her for the village beruty. "Pooh I" he said, releasing her. "Don't put on airs, Liz. Were you going to the house ?" "Yes," she answered, faintly, indignant and yet curious, Her womau't wits quickly seeing his error. "I must go, too, before long, though I had far rather stay hero in the wood with you, sweetheart." "Your sweetheart is at the house, Alice said, trying to assume the jealous tone of an uneducated girl. "What I That chalky-faced girl in black I Not a bit of it. Didu't I love you long before she came to take what is mine ?" And a curse followed, coupled with her own name, that thrilled Alice Hill with horror. "But they say you will marry her," she persisted, calming her voice as well as she could. "They say right I I will marry her, and have my own I Then, when she is dead, you shall have your old beau again, Lizzie, and come to the great house, my wife. It is only waiting a year or two." "But rhe my not die V" gasped the hor ror-sti icken girl. "She will die I I'll have no fine lady taking what is mine-mine, I tell you i But u hat ails you ? You are shaking as if you had an ague fit. i've talked it all ov. r oiten enough before, and you never went off into such shakes I It is nothing new i'm telling you." "But--you---would--not--murder her ?" the pucr girl gasped, drawing her veil closer. "Come now, none of that.," was the rough answer; "ycu're not going back on me, now, af ter all you've heard of my plans. You've sworn to keep my secrets, or I'd never have told you thom. But what is the matter 1 " And here Alice found herself shaken with no gentle hand, to her great indigna ,ion. But her fears over-mastered her anger. Godfrey was heir-at-law to her newly acquired fortune, and if he suspect ed her identity, in those dark woods, she did not uoubt. after what lie had already said, that lie would take her life. "I am not well," she said freeing herself fiom the rough grasp on hr arm, "and I Inust hurry on. v% nit for me here, until I do my criand at the house and come back." "Be quick, then," was the gruff reply. And i1 abe was in haste, the scoundrel might well be saisfied at the rapidity with which his com;. anion left himi. She scat cely knew how she reached her home, tore off her borrowed fluery and wrote to Godfrey Hill, declining the honor he had pr'oposed to her, but giving no other r< aeon for her refusal than the statement, that she did Aut love him stuffciently to be "Mamma," she said, coming into thei dr an ing-ruonm, "1 have written to Godfrey. rel iising his offer, and tont the letter to him by James. I have remembered who and what, he is." Mr. Godfrey Hi~ll'e amazemrent was un bounded, when returning to his home, In the vz~lage hotel to dress for his promised call upon Alhce 11111, ho found her note awaiting him. But he did not renounce his hope of shaking her resolution until the next day, w hen ho met the trut Lizzie Mason in the shaded grove, and in the course of their lover-like conversation, that damsel told him who had worn her gay lint and red slhawl on the previoi's evening. "An' she sent a five-dollar bill with the dress, because it got, wet." said the girl. "An' that I call real handsome of her. Whby, what ails you ?-you're white as chalk." "Nothing-nothing. You wore not in the grove at all, then, yesterday ?" "No; 1 couldn't get off till long after dark and so I stayed all nipht. I knowved you'd be niad, waiting for me, but 1 couldn't help it this time. Why ?" For her lover had started for the vil lage without even the ceremony of a good byve. He lost no time on his way, till lie stood in the office of Jermyn & Jermyn, his grandfather's lawyers. W hite as death, with a voice hoarse and thick, he said to the old partner : "You told me my grandfather left me ien thousand dollars, upon certain condi. Lions" "Quite correct. The conditions are that you leave Bellows Falls and never ret urn to it, and that yoti shin a (teed relinquist ing all clains as heir-at-law, in case Miss Iiilli dies before she is of age. Mr. Hill did not, draw up this paper until his will was signed and sealed; and lie was re minded that he had made 1no ilulation for the reversion of hits estate." "Reminded by you I" was the bitter re joinder. "Reminded by mel iHe was shown the danger that you might become a suitor to the young heiress." " n eli, that; danger is over. I have been a sincro suiitor t'> the heiress, and she has refused thme honor of an alliance." "Ilumi '' "bo, having lost that stake, I am pre pared to accept the conditions, take the ten thousand dollara and turn my back on Bellows Falls for lilo." It was with a souse ot great relief from a very urgent fear. that Alice 11111 heard from her lawyer of the demand upon the estate, that made her poorer by ten thou sand dollbrs. and removed Godfrey Hill from her path for lire. She told no one of the walk In the gloam ing that had revealed to her the black treachery of the man who wood her so gently and had so nearly won the treasure of her young heart, It made her shy of suitors for a long time, fearing her- money was the magnet that drew them to her side; but there came a true lover, at last-onn she trusted and loved, and who won her for his tender, falth'ul wife. And Godfrey IHill left his o)d home never to return. There was no thought of revengo in Alice Hill's heart, when she heard of the death of her cousin, nearly three years after his departuie from Bellows Falls; but she could not restrain a fervent thought of thankagiving, when site realized that there was no murderous thoughts hanging upon her possible death. After har relief she told her husband, for the first time, of that involuntary muas qucrade that saved her from the power of a villain. "It was at this hour, Will," she whis pered, "and this is the first time since that day that I have been able to sit, without a shudder, in the gloaming." The Chie late Man,. Emile Justin Mouler, who cared not who made the nation's songs so long as he inade their clioco'ate, died recently in 'aris. In nothing was he more thor oughly American than in his appreciation of the value and methods of advet titiug. The great belettered slabs of wooden chocolate spelling out his name have wearied the eyes of all civilized people, but his master-pieces in this line were natut ally reserved for France. For years it has been at least Impossible to stir abroad there without reading "Le meilieur chocolat est le chocolat 3enier" as once it was impossible here. to get the cabalistic legend "8. T. 1880 X." off the tired retina. One day a Frenchman said to hitn that he liked Lis chocoiate tolerably well, but it had one lault-it grew white as t grew old. Meier took the bull by the horns, and the next day every newspaper and deat-wall in Paris announced "Le chocolat M1eiler: the only, chicolate that grows white us it grows uau." It would be interesting to know how many million pounds of chocolate Menier have eince been bought because of that reniarkable quality. - Whether Alenter's chocolate does really grow white with age, and whether other chocolates do not do so as well. and whetLer doing so is or is not a recommen dation, of course nobody ever knew. Monier was more than a mere manufac turer: he u as, or thought he wap, a states m1an, his hobl-y being direct taxation, or the taxa. ion of acquired property. One day ie mounted the tribune in the Assembly he reached thu eminuence of a Deputy alter laving lrbt been an Alderman of Puris-to defend his view s aind read a careiully prepared speech. There were many smiles and ironic interrupt-one-for the Frenchnian is ai-ywliero more polite than in tue clianiber ot Deputies-anu at last, whien lie spoke of taxing "articles which deteriorate," Paul do Cassagnac cried, "Like )our cocoa, for example." Monier's retort was at least equally witty, 'Ihe gentleman wishes to reproach me with my trade," said he. "ais uncle used mny chocolatr, and owes me a great deal of mono); if the nephew will only pay the debt-' "You are a 'grossier person ag.'," shouted do Cassagnac, in a white rage. M. Grevy at once iuterposed; a dozen deputies simuhaucously shouted in stilts and sarcasms in a breath, half the members rose in their seats, and in short, the scene was peculiarly French. llow it naight, have ended the world will never know, for suddenly there was an interrup Lion not at all germiatm which diverted every one's atteiotn. A man rose In the gallery and shouted: "Vivo Ihapuleoin IV.'' Of course, it was not a now rebolliun; he was only a lana le Imperialist, as it, was concluded, alter ho had explalued to the police triat he hiad long felt an incontrol abue impulse to say seaaetlng in the Unambers, of wvhich he had been for weeks a silent habitue, .ad, the confusion acting upon his nerves liko music on a cacary burd, he seized1 the oppodtunity of relieving is mind. mtlinok tue -IanaL A well-known engineer on the Union Pacitle who has a bhgiht impedianent- in his abpeech, had an interview a few days since with his dilvision superintendent, time niatute of wnich graduaitlly leaked out andi becafuto a source of conisieratile fun for the boys.' The story goes that on a recent run his engine had ai collision with a cow, re sultuig disaistrously to the animal in ques tion.. By a rule ot the railroad company 5 ichi accidents must be reported by tile engineer and conductor in writing, and for some reasuon the engineer forgot his duty oii this occasion, until lie was suaimoned before the magnate for private investigation. 'Mr. -.-*,' saidt the Superimendent, 'how Is it that you failed to repotrt the khaling of a cow on yottr run, of such a date?' 'Id-d-d-d-d-don't remember any su-s-g-e s'ich accident,' rep~lied the kmghtt of the footboard, scratching his head thought, .fully.. 'Well, you certainly must have kIlled a cow on that run, ior it was repor ted in due forum by the conductor,' isisted the Superintenuent. 'Nn-n-no, .1 d-d-d-didn't," said the en gineer. 'Now just thik a little, and see if you can't remember it,' said the persistent, interrogator. "No, I c-ki-ki-can't remem-m-m-m member ki-ki-kihuig any c-c-cow. J-d-d-d. do remeniber si-mstri-sti iking one, b-b-but, I looked out of the wi-wil-wi-wl-wmndow and1( 5-5-saw her lying on her b-b back, by the aide of the uru-a-ck, moving her feet, (miotioning with his hands) to go ahead, and .I tu-to-took It to mean that she w-w-was all right." 1ie was warned not to be too sure of such signals In the luture. --Senator Bay,~ d is said to be grow - lng exceed angly deaf. --Mr. Chmarles Kean left an estate valued at only $15,ut00,. --Edison has got $800,000 from his telephone in Europe. L IWO PeiaUing a the same -rame. "My dear I" "What will you have, Darius darling?" "iem-1 want to tell you something." "Well, go Un." "Amelia, my dear, the long winter even. k)ga pass off slow.y with us, as you know, and a friend has been learning ine a new game, which I desire you to learn, and I have purchased a ban new pack of cards for the occasion, and -" ''Oh, nol "What on earth is the matter, Amelia?" .."Why, Darius Botch, I wouldn't have a pack of cards in the house for the worad." "Amelia, there Is nothing harmful about cards, and you know it.-l have-' "Been out till ten o'clock every night since October, Darius, you cruel, cruel Lnn." ",Well, my dear, If you will learn to play the gaule, I will stay at home three evenings in the week, sure as you live.'' "Oh, dear, those awf..l cards, but P'H play just to please you, and keep you at hei.e, but it's awiul wicked." The young ian udrew a shiniu'g pack of the crinal things lrom a side coat Ibocact, explained the gauii. dealt out the required number of cards with the eaze of an ola ndner, turned up a trump, lo,>ked his hand over, and said: "What will you do?" "Dol Why, you waited me to play with you, and I'ma going to." "Yes, ny dear, but 3 ou have the right to beg, if yob choose." "I am no beggar, Darius Botch, and you know it." "But, my dear-you don't understand; if you haven't lots of cards like the trump, you can say 'beg,' when I snail - deal oil three mnore cirds apiece, turn u1p a new trump, and you may hold a much better hand, 3ou know." "I tell you I won't beg, Darius-so there." "Well, play away,then, and let me beat you, when there is no need of it." Mrs. lbotch bit her lips and threw down an ace. "1hat Is a trnmp, Amelia; you must keep them back to catch gaine wit." 'Not accoruing to 'ial,' my dear Da rius." "Hloyle, you mean, Amelia." ".Uave it your own way, sir-but I cal culate I know what 'i'n talking auout." They played all the cat ds out, Ai-S. Botch hauling in evety trick till the lust, when Darius put on his Jack and snailingiy ecooped in one. "11ere, sir, that trick is mine; you denied trumps. "But you have the right to hold back a Jack, AuIelia." "I.ot according to "Hal," my dear Da " here you go again, Amella-the name is Hloyie.1 "WNat authority, 31r. Botch, have you to prove that it is iULIG to deny trunps?-" "Authori.1 auihortl I ibird. iietcii The yery best in tue world-1rs. Altna Uriuipt *-0i, you lai5s neaR&eu Lcahr and tnat is where you nave been spending your even. ingsl I ain-" ,And pray give me your authority, Mrs. Ameia, ir saying tuat I have no rignt to 'ng' ny Jack--ou, who neoer hianiled a card belore iu your liet'' "Tne very beat in the world, Mr. Dallas -no less than Mir. *ili' Crimp, your caid teacher s own numbaud." "ine wretch! ilias ht been spending his evenings wita Y0o4, and his wile told me connueLitially tat 1,1 was engaged ever) evening in his counting.or0U&l gLjl bUn these curus, Mrs. Butch. I always knew there was lots of harn in cards, and 1'1 burn eul'" "it aLways take four to have a game of 'old sledge,' Danus, and ,f you are satinedt, way, I a." A Trapp- r's Life. Floyd F. Lobb, was for thirty six years~ a tiapper and guide at Piseco Lake in the north woods, near where Itoute, N4ew York, is row situated. 11e says when he first reached Puueco In 1820 it was a vad wiluerness. Dee", wolves, aind fur beaing amimals abounded. In halt a day a man could go out in a boat and catch it half full of fish. Seven years ag, lie caught next to the largest sulion-trot that was ever caught in that lake. It weighied 26 pounaus, mniasured 3 feet 2 Indies long, and was 2 leet around its body. He caught the lash "'still-ashing'' in a boat, elf an anchor. '1lihe largest. known ilsh ever caught, at Piseco wais a salmon-trout weighing 27 pounds. Thlis Lsh was caught by l'imaot,,y l'liurmnan, oneO winter, whale in his barn shaanty, a heavy hall of snow came during the ight, coin pletely covering lisa shainty, and makmng Lobb a prisoner. Lie luckily had~ prova tions ann wood, but. no rno.v-shoes. lie was one and a quarter imles trom the nearest house, and it was nuiapossible ior him to walk on account of the deptli 01 the snow, lie remained a prisoner for twenty days without seeing a humnani being, letting hhl fire in theo openf fire-place go out, nights, learmng a spark might set his bed of hiemlock bougns on lIre. Th'lus he remained till a thaw camne andit the snow froze, lormaing a crust on whIch I-e could walk, thus lhberating lhim One day, while out fishing, lhe saw what lhe at first supposedi to be a deer swuming across the lake. Lobb went after hhin in is boat, lie caught up with the supposed deer, but lookmng around, beheld aust ad a large bear. Lobb had too much pride and grit to back out, Hie had nothing but his oars andi fishpele, yet ho dletermiined to have that bear, although he knew that bruin, like all other bears when attacked by a man in a boat, will do has best to chnge places and give the 'whole lake to the mn, while lie will try the boat. Lobi, coii mienced the attack by boarding about mid 51hip), near Ill, stern; bruon returned the fire vigorollsly by atteanpaiing to board Lobab's cratt, as Ic trying to come the whale and Joinah dodge on his assailant, Lobab, although tough, thought lie woull not set easily on bia bearslill's stoimacha, so lbe concludeu that lie wotad uier trust to his bo'at as a mneans of gettinig on dry lanmd Instead of submitting to the ol way. 8o lie retreated a short dist ance. Bruin like wise acted as al to say, "'i ama sick of this kind of woik iI you are,'' and was makiig off, when Lobb imane or huimi again, this time running his boat way up on brtdn's back, and giving hian a whacis with his padula neat ruins "sk)hlght'' between wind and water, which knocked the bear's head under water, not lettmng up an inch till ho killed hum, and brought hhai to 1 ia,.11j You Take T 'Take a drinki' 'No. sir. Excuse my seemingly unnecessary firmness, but if you know what cause I have to despise whisky you would not have asked me.' 'What cause have you, Mr. Rilmick?' 'I will tell you. Severalyears ago after I arrivet in Little Rrck, I became ac quainted with a young man inaied Phil Winer. Ile was a noble young man, full of life and with glowing prospects. lie invited tmo to his room, and.insisted that I should make his quarters my home. I gladly excepted the offer, for, having a widoweu bibter and a crippled father do - Inuiig on ne for support, I was glad of a chance to live economically. In accepting my ftiena's ho,pitality, I, of course, did so with the intention of making a return at some future time. I soon discovered that myI friend wus hopelsly addicted to di inking. H1e made repeated effort- to re form, but alter a few days he would fail. One night while we were sitting together in the room, my friend drew out a revolv er, and handing it. to me for examination, asked ine if I thought it would do debtruc tive work. I replied that as the revolver was noted for destruction. the specimen he exhibited mnight he a representative of its class. "lBut w'- do you ask?'' I continued. " 'ILcat. 'he replied. taking the pistol a.d shoving it into lis pocket. 'L intend to shoot mysetf if I ever get, drunk again. I can never amount, to anything if I cont nue to drink, and I might as well end an exis tence so utterly worlhless." 11 argued with him, but saw by the d terinined expression of his face that his woids caie Irom a part of hi - nature where a jest, was never invited to take a seat. "'1 believe, however,' he went on, *that I can conquer my thirst, but if I don't gooa-bye.' "several weeks passcd, during which time he carried the pistol. He braved all teImpttioas, atd his friends had strong Iapes that he was entirely restored to busi ness and society. Now comes the part of my story, the memory of wiuch rises up before me like a ghost, and makes the hair of remoree ihe on my head. One night I went into the ioom and found my rilend 13 iug asleep on the ofa. I don't know wiiat prompoed me to such a fiendish ac tion, but I took a snwall vial of whisky troin my pocket, and atturating a rag, 1 squeez,.ti a few drops into his mouth. 11e grouned, awoke, rubbed his eyes, and re i-urkt.d that lie creamed of being orunk. 'By licavem-l' lie exclaimed, a few ninutes later, 'I taste the oroti .of hell anu 'll havd it.' lie rushed out of the rjon. I followed but could not catch him. lie went into a saloon and seizug a bottle urauk at least a pint before I could pre vent, bu1. *NOw, lie exclainied, drawing a revolver, 'now, I stand upon oath 'Go ahead, tiliick. Did lie shoot himsseli?' uio. He pawned the pistol for a quart. Let's take a trmk. Wh'li you takeo' 1 'M little iniid bourbon.' -Uivu mu un appilo toddy.' - Litflo Rllock Uzctta. avlor Magic. Borrow a Panama hat, the more expen sive the betterand hold it up so that your audience can see that it does uot contain either a savings bank or a white whale. I ott thei procure an ordmar'y kerosene lamp,remove the shade and light the wick. You are now ready. Pass the hat five or six times over the light, or until it is in a couplate blaze; then quiekly placing the bat in a box, into which you have pro viously deposited two pounds of common gunpowder-the hat and box will Instantly disappear. This trick never fills to astonish. A very amusing,alhough exciting trick, hs to cause a person in the audience to st art, from his seat without the aid of miehinery, beint pini,or the placing of hands. This feat requiiros a little preparation during the daiy, as wvill be seen. You open a book and pretend to road as if from its contents, stud immediately a young lady in the iaudience will start toward you with a shriek, andl if y'ou are wise you will ha've a sear wvindow opmn, through whuih you can pass. TIhe iecretof the treck consists ini your reading a purhoine d litter of your sister's lroan her lover. Lay ia wager with some gentleman in fronmt of you that lie can not, walk to with-I ini three feet, of 3011 without pausing and thi owing back his head, assuring im thsat the floor will not be obstructed in any unansier. This trIck never fails, and its success depl)nds upon having a well- waxed threadl stehed across the room at the height, of the gentleman's throat. Do net attihpt, this with your fathber. A goodl conclubion to an evening's en tertaiment of this kisnd is called 'Dissolv ing Feat,' in w hich you,turn out' the gas for sixty secondls, and on lighiting it thi. room will be vacated of all but youirself. Trhe mnonent the gas Is turned out you prsoducie f rom a hermetically sealed box atsout a pound of Lumberger cheese. The etfect is wonderful, especially if the even ing be very warm. If' y'ou are not a ventriloquist you ciD, nevertheless, miake your friends believe you nse. ilofore the audience assemblesj place your little brother under a barrel,. having, of couisse, first inastructed hin s to thie replies he should make to your ques tions. At thes proper time you walk tap to the barrel, and, giving it a sharp rap with your knockles, say: 'Are you there, sir?' 'The repliy comes. 'No, 1 ami seine where elsol' 'I hen yoti hold an animated conversation with a bupposed ('t) person, in whlich many of your fatnily &ccrets are divuliged, and when at the ciose yott in form your audience that, y ou will utate a dirowinsg person and potir a pasi of water through a hole in the head o1 a barrel, all asru wonderfully amazed except your brother, who will be maadder than a hatter. 'How was tihe bombs made which was used for the assiassination of the Usar?' TIhsis questioni was asked of a gentleman who is connected nith one of the great p~owder coinpanies of the city, and who undi~erstands thoroughsly the subject of ox. lhosivyes. 'It, might have been filled with any one of a nsumabc of comapounds. I read yester day lsat it was filled with sulphlur and chilorase of potassa. '1 hat, is a comnion con.binaition wIth which every schoolboy who has undertaken the elements of che mistry is familiar. 'rTe mixture, rubbed with a hamnmer or a stone, wilt flash readi. ly. I doubt if it was this. henanan thara are fulminates which are mucti more cer tain and forcible. The explosion is reported to hive torn a deep hole In the pavoe-neat four feet In dia meter. Mustn't it have required a very powerful agent to accomplish such an effect? Certainly, but not an unfamiliar one. What are known as the d(etonating powders trave been familiar for at least fifty years, and nothing could have been selected that would have been more certain in its results. Simple chlorate of potash and sulphur make a terrific explosive. If It had been dynamite t hat had been contained in - the glass "ombs it is probable thiit on being thiown it would have exploded. Suppoitng the bombs wore provided with percussion caps? Then the Lomnbs would have to be thrown accurately. A shell thrown from a gun strikes accurately point on, so that the cap is explAded, uut glass balls thrown by land would not surely rotain any given position, and a cap at any point would not necessarily be touched or exploded. The whiole mass would have to be highly ex plosive for the certain succes of sucJi a p1ocess. If the balls were filled with nitro gl3cerine, I may say that I wou:d not like to h:ve one of tleni strike at my feet; still, the chances are iht it would not explode. hlow much iore effectivo such a ball would be if it were filled with the fulun nate of u.ercury or the fulminate of silver. Vie fulminate of mercury constitutes the p)ercussion i ordinary caps. I he assassins having that had an agent more powerful Alan nitro-lycerine,and it has been known since the beginning of the century. Dyna Lite, itro-glycerine, iglucod no and gua aotton, are all forms of the same1 thing, tzd the efort has been to make these armless under oidinary bh)ck and tire. Why should the conspira ors hlve used hese? They had a known agent, effec ,ive and certain, and there was no need .0 look for an inferni novelty. What fuliniates are conunon, and what Nould have been their cffect? The fulinate of mercury would have lone. An ounce of it exploded on this lesk would tear a hole through it. It -osts only $S.b a pound. A glass ball, itch as thlto the marksmen ihoot, nt,about be size of a hen's egg,it filled with lulmt inte of mercury and explodeu as the bonbs wero explodedi which killed the Czar, would 'end the ground asunder and produce nfects identical with thoso which have been -eporttd. The ofect of these fulininates a the same as that of dynamite. Dynaimte a only a weaker, less susco,>ble forai of hoem. They operate inet.intaneously. JIunpowder works graitually and moves tue muilet, lion a gun. Fuhninate of mercury exl)iodeu In I gun would act inbtintly,a(.1 jelore the inerua of the bullet was over ;ome the gun would be shattered, If you ut your sboulder to a wagon and applieu :orcegraduaiiy you wou;d mnove tne wagou, It you ran your shouluer lull tilt against a wagon the wagon would not move and you Nould hurt your shouider. That is the lil1erenee in the operations of guapowder Ind a I utlinute. The is no reason why the assassins ihouldn t have been contented wilh the :ulnnmate of mercury. It, is cheap and -ommnon. When it is wet it can be trans orted with inpunity, and when it is dlay , can be explode.d by is slight conctussion, ,un its effects ate disasirous. A supply or those glams bombs could have boon gOt rrotm a nuinber o percussion caps or earL. -idges. The bigger tiO bonib the Inure iisastrous the explosion, of cours;o but a all the size of a hen's Ogg, as I have said, vosld have comained enough of this sub ILance to produce the effect reported Flul tipate 01 silver miglt hivo been Used. It a more highly explosive than tho fulmi tate o inercury. Fulminate of gold is noreo.expjlosivye still. Pro')ably thley did tot use that; it is too daugerous, too fickle. ['he chloride of nitrogen Is another facile ugh explosive; they could not, have iandled it.' Theo Czate Nichoinzg The Czar Nicholas, of Rliassia was a mnan if hasty temper, bat very lull of generous mnpulbes. ilavlig on some occasions used tursh language to one of his Colonels, and i.arning thlat tihe offieer had taken the re ,uie to heart, the Uzar ordered a review, mac publicly embraced him at the head o1 us5 regimeint. A kind maa:i, too, wvho conid nubend at tmutls. On the 1st of April,a lady vwho toli 111 the story herself, wams stur n ised by her servant, abruptly annoncing lie Czar. It was so early in the morning hait she thought it, was somte joke of her isters in connection with tile day,. so she vent on sipping her tea. Presently she ooked tip algaina, however, an11 saw the ervant, stamding aighast, near the dloor, vhichi was still widle open, and( behind It n casque and plumle wias tiao stately figure >f the Emnperor. Hie had come to bring icr good news of her son, wno was abroadt md had. been ill, lie was not toleram, lowever, of intentional disrespect, and( had nit, a modilled appreciation of a joke. A Acencral, whio was Police.naster at St. Leterbburg for a short timie, found this out o his cost,. Th'le G.eneral was considered Ivuty stuplid manif, and( was thbo Czar's Eavorite butt, so his Mlajesty was pleased )lne ntight, at, a caurt, bull to scud him11 off an search of a thief who hiad stolen a colossal ntatue of Peter the GIreat. The P~olice master, finding thIs statue in its usual place, as any one else would have expected, ite, mortitied at, thle laugh raIsed against 1amn, and( determined to be revenged In his own wily. bihortly after ward, there fore, he anal~noncd to his Imnperial master wile at the theatre, thalt the Winter Palace was on time Th'ie Czar rose hastily to witness the conflagration, and on tindhing that the Policemtaster had prestiamed to retaliale on his auguist self, senit him to re flect, on h1s indiscretion in siberia. Finally he was not a faunhful husband, but he was lond of his wile and very jealous. 11er Majesty was quhle aware of tals, and, n I ortuimtely, very maischievous. When ever, therefole, she wished to got rid of an ohlcer tat, displensed her, shle corn nmanded ai~m to dance waih her, andl so i'ure as lie did so he was sent to thne Caucasub. The Czar's p)ersonal habits wqre solierly and~ sin.ple. lie eat, and dhmnk with ex treino mouderaition, anti he slept in ils uni1 form on a tent, bud inl his stuuy, with ->nly a military cloak to cover him, lie allowed his son, thle prcsent Eiiiperor, ?40,000 a mon)Lthl whale traveling abroad; the Etapress spent money so lavishly that her expenses f orone flght that sheo United at lianuvere x cueded ?,60d. Hie gave, too, largely, but 18 paisonal wants mRust have 908t hlttI9 Indeed. It Illoi. -Half the population of the United States Is in nine States. -Th'ie wintar nnrk-paoking at Mil waukee was 325 585. -Alexinder I[[ Is 35 years old, and has four children. -L-ist year the government sold 293 010,000 postal cards. -Qe1001 Vitorla made $4,000 on stock farming last year. -During the p-wk nacking season, 8';. Loills put up 474.159 hogs. -hore are 3,590 rocers in Phila delphia who cemploy 6 000 hands. -The weigh t of the circulating blood Is about twonty-eight pounds. -A man annually contributes to vegetation 121 pounds of carbon. -The puhbe rohools of the United States cost $83,529,000 a year. -The value of the New York hay crop Is estimated at $60,000,000 a year. -The exact population nf New York State by.the consu of 1880 is 5,082,982. -rhe centenntry or George Steph enson, J une 9,1831. is to be celebrated. -l'hero were 100 fires in New York during February, an average of six a day. -Queen Mary 11, daughter of James yv Aune Hyde, died of small-pox In 1694. -The famous destructive earthquake whlohi nitourred at Lisbon was in the year 1472. -T-ioro are in this country 729 Uni verhalist churches, with 32,947 me'n bore. -Twelve torpedo cutters are to be addod to the Russian fleet In Chinese waters. -'he revenue or the Sultan of Tonr key is $70,0.0,000, of which $55,000,000 goes to the army. -Or 257 women in Burlington, Vt., entitwtt to vote at the recent election only 16 did so. -A. site has been selected on George. town hahrihts for a naval observatory, to cost $63,000. -Mlo. Beornhardt's receipts in Bos rou wore $49,157, as agoainst $51,807 in New York. -The crown prince of Sweden ts to 'narr/ the oldest daughter of the grand duke of Raden. -The cost of cremation at the cele brateol Washlugren, Penn., furnace is now placed at $45. -M mnt Ararat, on which the Bible 4ay Noah's ark found a resting place, is 17,112 feet high. -i few cities are there more than half a dozen railway stations. In Lou don there are at least 153. -t Is 0 loulated that sixty tons of dteel are annually consumed in the manufacture of steel pens. -The coluage at the mints for Feb r&rv aiount-ad to $D,558,000 of which $1,703,000 were silver dollars. --hx-Judge Strong will devote his Ilsn ie to literary and scientific studies, and maity practica law. -The poor department in R )ohnster turnishes food and fte[ to 730u families ,it a cOSL or a'3out 13 5 10 a mon th. -Sir. Francis Lvent. of England, ias left more than $1 230 0 10 for the erection of Wesleyan unapeis. -A now oil well was sunk recently in Bo-tvor county, Pa., whieh prodices iity barrels of heavy oil per day. -The land that has been granted by tie United States for ril and wagon roadh amounts to 198 165,764 acres. -French Canadimn Iarmors have been selling frozen milk in M'rntreal during the winter at 2 cent~s a pound. -le is said that postai ocard. writing h-is dliminlahe I tue sale of writing iniper $12,000,000 annually in the United States. --Gen. Robert Toomba, of Georgia, has given a thousand aorea of Trexas land to aid ini founding a unIversity In that state. -[t is stated that the new cigar factory just startsd at T1ioga, Pa., will employ about one hundred cigar mak ers. -The average yild of Indiada corn per neo thsroughuout the United States is 29.2 bustwiis, of an avarage value per bushel of 28%6 centa. -The Oxiord Unriversity calendar qhows a slight increase in the numbher of undergrada-vtes. Trhere are now 2, 882, ..gainat 2,814 a year ago. --A stone pitcher used by John Brown during his imprisonniens in Charleston, Va., was sold recently at aiuc.tion in Baltimore for $2. -Th'e average of the pulse in in fancy 's8120 per minute; in manhood, 8.); at 6J years, 6). 'rho pulse of females Is tuore frequent than that of males. -The late earI of Scaflold was the chiol of the Clan Grant, one of the old est families in Scotland, having an un. oroken line of dostont fer 000 years. -The exports of S wiss products to the United States for 1888 were greater than any other year on record, exceed. ing 1879, by 1J0,000,000 francs. -here are 3500 children in Massa chusetts und(er the care of the State, andi of theeo over 2000 are the off spring of criminals. -One of the vaults in Treasury Building, which is about ten feet square and fourteen feet high now con Lit ns $375 000,000 in registered govern mont bonids. -lhe total number of hogs Out up In Cincinnati durin.g the wint~er season, ' romt November 1st to M-treh iht, is 52J),425, showing. a decrease, compared wit last year, et 12,445 head. --There p.re in Scotland 298 priests, 286 churches and chapels, 21W CatholIc stitl0018, anid torty reglgous communi ties, with an estimated Catuol10 popu latIon 01 311 334 souls. -Clark MhtIs, the sculptor, took a plaster cast of the feattures of denator Uarpiinter after death, from which a oust is to be made for thte Ongres sionai dtatuary Hiall. --Washington swords are quoted or valuedi at $10,000) apiece, at least that IS te price set by denator Wnyte, of Maryland, in a rescinton offareud in sne Senate, which proposes to purchase one froin Washington's nep~he w,Lewi,, for exhibition at thle Yuratowna Cen-. tennial. Tne Niw YoraS ate Librar ', at Albany, has swo of Wasmatm d swords waton coat theS Ssamo $30,,