The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, May 07, 1881, Image 1
TRI-WEERLY EDITION. WINNSBORO, S. C., MAY 7, i881. ESTABLISHED 1865.
THE VOIOE OF NIGHT.
How beautIful the heavens look to-night I
So calm, transparent: and the starry crowd,
Those exquisite embodiments of light,
Could ye not almost fancy they were proud
Of their own loveliness PRhat they had blis
In beaming forth on such a night at this P
Forover and forever there is set
Tn the enduring sky a seal and sign,
A voloeless evIdenoeoof God I which yet.
Unchanged shall live when this frail form
of mine
Hath mouldered from the bosom of the earth,
Leaving no record of i's mortal birth.
Tuo elements of which we are composed
May perish, they are finite ; but the i-oul
Bursts from the frame in which it laid inclosed
Beyond the grasping reach of timo's con
trol ?
That spirit which within us swells and speaks,
WhaI find the immortality it seeks !
0 thou, Oreator, God! and can it be
That man is heir to thine own glorious
heavens,
Ts so I the light which is sublimily.
The essence which is thought by Theo were
given I
The fear and heaviness of doubt are o'er.
I muse and feel, and tremble and adore I
Au Unexpected Bequest.
A bright fireside, with fender and fire
I -on shining like igold,windows hung with
drapery of Turhey red, walls of' crimson
flock paper, starred over with gold, and a
little walnut stand of booksopposite-Mrs.
M ilford's parlor was a cabinet gem in its
way. Not that the Milford's were rich;
On the contrary, Merton Milford was a
bank clerk, on a salary so small that it
sometnimes became an almost insolvable
problem to make both ends meet.
Almost, we say, but never quite; for
Lucy Milford had learned the lesson of
household economy, and it was her pride
to be able to say that they had never been
in debt. Yet Lucy had a woman's taste
and a woman's cravings after the beautiful
and the costly;and on this special evening,
as she sat by the fire leaning one cheek on
her hand, her foot mechanically agitating
Ihe rocker of her baby's cradle, she was
thinking of the possible-the unattainable.
'If we were only rich.' thought Lucy as
she gazed across the room, 'how I would
like a Persian patterned carpet, instead of
this staring red and green ingrain. And a
little oil painting, or a bunch of water
colored flowers over the table, where the
map of the city hangs now. And then I
could afford a Valenciennes cap for the
baby, and a real ponson silk for myself,
and I couid surprise Merton with half a
dozen silk handkerchiefs, and 1 would send
papa a new meerschatn, real sea-foam,
with an amber mouth-piece and odd carv.
Ings on the bowl, and mamma should hav u
an Indian-bordered ahawl, and -
Bang went the front door. Tramp,
tramp, came a well-known footstep along
the hall, with just enough pause to fling
the hat carelessly on the little circlet of
pegs, which in that unpretentious house
hold took the place of marble-topped,
Mirror-backed hall rack.
'It's Morton,'said Mrs. Milford, starting
up; and Morton it was.
'Hallo, Puss,' said Merton, coming in,
flushed and breathless. 'And how is the
little kittent'
'Kitty is well,' said Mrs. Milford. 'Shiall
I order tea, dear?'
'Yes.'
SThe little maid-servant-Lucy Milford
only kept one-bro'ught in the urn, and
when she had tip-toed out again, Mrs.
Milford lookedj her husband in the face.
'Merton,' said she, 'something has lisp
pened. I can read it in yonr eyes. What
Is it?'
'What a little fortune-teller you are, to
be sure,' said he. 'Yes,, something has
happened. P'vggot a telegram from
F~ortley, and old uncle Jesse is dying.
Uncle Jesse, the rich old miser. And
Wirn informs ime that his last will,made in
a fit of pique against the directors of the
F"ortley Orphan Asylum,'leaves everything
to is.'
'To us, Morton?'
Lucy drew her breath with a little gasp)
inlg souind.
'Why, it must be half a million of
money!'
'That, at least, We shall be rich people,
Puss.'
'Oh' Morton, it scarcely seemis possibid I
It's like a dream.'
'It's a dream with a pretty solid vein of
reality running through it, you'll find, my
(dear,' said the huisbaud.
'And just before you came in, I was
sitting hero and thinking what I would do,
and how 1 would ornament mny home if
only we were richi' cried Lucy, clapping
he'r hands.
Mr. Milford pinched her cheek, and
laughed complacently. Evidently he was
in the best or humor.
'Half a million, Lucyl' said lie. 'You
shall h'uve a set of diamonds that will rival
those of Mrs. Merriwell, t1e' banker's wife,
and a real ea-hmere shawl. And Il ordler
a pony phaeton for your own driving, and~
you-'
'But we shall buy a country place,shan't
we, Merton?' wistfully asked Lucy, the
soft carmine & hadows deepening over her
cheek.
'A country place! What for?' saidl
hierton, a little contemptuously. 'What on
earth should we bury ourselves in the
country for, when we can buy a place at
the West End, and sut'routnd ourselveswith
all the refinements of city life?'*
A shade of disftppointmenit caime over
Lucy'. face.
a country house,' sighed she.
'With burglars and mildew and spli
thrown in, eh? Nonsense, my dear, n
sensel The city is the place to live in.
'And we can have papa and mnammi
live with ts, can't wel'
'W-well, I don't know exactly a:
that,' said Milford, thoughtfully strol
his moustache; 1'111 buy 'ei a snug 11
place, ityou say so, my love; but I no
did believe in fathers and mothers-m
living with their children. - Every ho,
hold is complete in itself. That's
notion.'
'Oh1 Morton, how can you talk sol' c,
Lucy in a pained voice.
'Oh, well, Lucy, there's no use in a
timentalizing on these points,' retorted
husband, a little brusquely.
'1 don't care to be rich if I can't en
the pleasure of my money,' said Mrs. A
ford, pouting.
'80 you may enjoy them if you only V
be reasonable about it.'
'And I've always thought so much
having mamma with me.'
'Better leave off thinking of it then,' s
Milford, lighting a cigar anu leaning bi
in a chair, the better to enjoy it.
'I suppose I can have as many serva
as I please, now?' hazarded Mrs. Milfo
wisely steering the conversational bar<
iway from the shoals of dispute.
'Twenty, if you like, my dear,' repl
Uerton.
'And a housekeeper, like Mrs. Miller
'.Not a housekeeper,' said Mr. Milfo
ihaking his head. '.No fine ladies for D
lisquised as dependents. As many a
Iants as you like, no one to dominecro
hem-a proxy for yourself.'
'I will have a hQusekeeper,' said Lu
3xcitedly.
'No, you will not, my dear-not in
louse.'
'And can we have a cottage at Bri
'Why do you say Brighton?' grav
Inestioned Merton. 'To my mind, Pt
Brighton is nothing more than a hot-1
)f folly and flippery. At Hasting's no
'I don't care for Hastings,' said Lui
nooddy: 'the air never did agree i
1iC.' Lucy burst into tears.
Mr. Milford got up and strode out of
room.
'Merton, Mertonh' cried the wife, 'wh
ire you going?'
'To the billiard .room at the corner, 's
S1ilford, hotly. 'I can find friends enou
here, I dare say, to give to me the s3
pathy my wife seems inclined to wi
oldI.'
Lucy cried bitterly. In all the brig
years of their married life they never I
any serious differences until now. Wa
possible that riches were destined to br
them only i mead of misery instead of
expected rush of happiness ? Next ca
a feeling of bitterness and resentment. E
would show Merton that she was not t<
treated like a child. le came home,
Mr8. Milfoid feigned to be asleep. f
lid not come down to breakfast ni
iorning, making an excuse of a eli
headache, the effect of last night's te
ind Milford ate and drank alone.
'Humph!' commented lie, swallowing
sotfee in a succession of dyspeptic-breed
zulps. "A pretty sort of a life this.'
For three days Lucy cried and Mer
mlhked. At the end of that time lhe cx
liomie with a curious expression on his ft
'Puss,' said he.
Lucy looked up. her pensive face brig
iming at the old, caressing pet-name.
'I've just had a second~ telegramn-Um
Jesse is dead.'
'Poor old man,' said Lucy soberly.
Tou know, Morton, 3. begin to de
wvhether Uncle Jesse's money will do
any good.'
'I don't think it will,' said Milfc
'because you see the old man rallied
last, andl made a new will in favor of
Refuge for Old Men.'
Waite antt Abuse or Fl'owers,.
Masses of flowers on a dinner (able
an anomaly; there is something ahr
offensive in the mingled odor of their i
fume and the reek of the dishes and ligi
At a ball they arc not out of place r
keeping for cerrnin purposes. Roi
liles, carnations, violets are natnral ado
ments for a young woman, and a bunci
them in her hand or on her breast is
appropriate ornament, and the complenm
of her evening dress; but where is the
ness, the beauty, the sentinment, the c<
mon sense, wheD she line six, a d'4en
twenty? Are there twenty persons,
t welve, or even six, at the same time
sendi her flowers which mean more that
they wore of wax or tissue paper,or wh
have any more intrinsic value to her v
carries them? Aro they witnesses of ho
or even of admiiration? Hlow many
sent merely to satisfy the demiands
vanity? At every ball rival beauties ca'
bouquets eent to each by the saime im
Alany are seait by members of the lac
family, which takes half the slgiicam
from flowers sent by the same ainsfolk
birthdays, or in awknmess, or at a tim(
special joy or sorrow. And what is-to
said of the bouquets sent as brIbes to won1
of fashion by men who wish to obtain ti
goedl oflicces? And what, of those senit,
a man to a woman whom ho admires,
to give her pleasure, but precstigo-.
gratify her vanity and rotlexly his o~
k'here is an instance, well-known, ia
of our ownm great citida, of one aman so
luig several bouquets for thie saine bail,
consolqi her for a social slighmt;she appca
to be unitiate.d as a great, bictt and he
the belie's favorite cavalier. And what
the bouquets stacked on the front cush
of a prosceniumn box, in the blast of thie ft
lights and1 flung, half faded, to a prih
donna, to whom they are already a dr
who perhaps is hurrying through her i>
to leave town by t ho nexts treamn
An Autumn Night'. Dream.
lera
on- The year was waning. The leaves 0
the chuichpuei trees hung red and yellow
or dropped slowly to the ground. Th
ivy on the church gables was in flower
and the honeysuckle on the mossy church
out yard had put forth its second blossoms
Ing Chimney-swallows and house martins con
ttle gregated In scores upon the lichene<
ver church roof, warining their wings In thi
nild Autumn sunshine for flight to glow
law Ing lands beynnd the sea, anti starling,
[se- mustered in hundreds upon the Downs tha
my swelled around the churchyard in might,
wavesof perfect calm.
Icti But the birds had grone to sleep for thi
night-all except the hooting brown owl
as a travel-bronzed, travel-stainod mat
on- walked over the downs, dragging his fec
her wearily in spite of the springiness of th4
thy my turf, beneath a full moon whici
joy made the shallow little chalk bottomei
[1- sheep ponds lash with silvery radiance. I
was a very still night. There was scarcm
the faintest sight of a breeze to stir th<
vill brambhle sprays. The hooting of the owl,
and now and then the drowsy tinkle of t
of sheep bell were the only sonids lioatlu
over the great land sea of huge wave(
peace; but there was no calm in tht
aud traveler's breast.
ick On lie plodded toward the churchyard.
There, after all his wanderings, lie had
uits come back to fin d, was his only home, it
kindred make a home; but it was a homi
r, in which lie could hear no hearty shout
uC receive no clinging kiss of welcome, the
lips of all his kindred were sealed in ever,
jed lasting silence, if not crunbied Into dust.
le entered the churchyard by the lych
gate, laid his knapsack on the dewy grass,
and sat down with his back against [ht
rd, wall in front of the stone their was hif
ie, family register.
er- The churchyard was crowded wit]:
ver graves, but lie had gone straight to tle ot
of which lie was in search, because he re
membered the corner where thei primrosei
cy, and Lent-lilies grew in which his mothei
had often wislied to be laid, and felt sur<
ny since she had died before his fat'or, thal
her wish had been gratified.
There was the tall stone, inscribed with
name after name, hers first upon the list.
the latter entries crowded in smaller let.
ely ters.
SS. All his close kindred were buried in oii(
ecd grave, before which he seated himself,and
longed to be able to roll back the years, tc
be again at home respected and beloverl,nL
'y, stain or shadow of future shame upon hiu
ith naie,with an intensity that made his he irl
literally as well as figuiatively ache. lII
the could not weep. The fountain of his I car
had long been dried up, and, deprived 0a
that relief for his feelings, it seemed tc
are him that he must go mad. He raised a
wild cry that rang wearily over the still
aid Downs. The startled birds whirled from
their roosting places in the ivyand wheeled
igh round the church in a black cloud.
ni- Ere long, however, they settled again,
th- and the way furor was aguiu staring at the
moonlit headstone in hopeless stillness.
Hour after hour the church clock rang
lit out in a voice cracked 'vith ago, whilst the
iad moonlight in quiet frolic marked fantastik
it time upon the sun dial. The last stroke ol
ing one had just died away, when the wand
the erer started. 'rho headstone fell flat., th
grave opened, and he was in his mother'*
e arms. My son, my son,' she sobbed, 'aI
he last, after these many weary, wear years.
be And then from the grave rose brothers ant
but sisters, some of whom greeted him bu
3he coldly; and last of ail his father, wi
cxt frowned and turned aside without speak
mng.
lit But the weeping mother made peace be,
irs, tweon the son and the father whom he hat
disgraced, and the brothers and sister
his whose portions lie had squandered. Th(
years had been rolled back. Ile was f
Ing young man once more, forgiven after som
mad prank by his father, the idol of hi
ton mother, the darling of his sisters, the mode
me hero of his little brothers.
c. The autumn moon went solemnly down
but In its stead there rose the sun of spring
Other graves gave up their dead. It wva
lit- a May Sunday mornIng, and the countr
sitde churchgoers, when they had come out
cle stopped to chat with their neighbors In ti
churchyard.. The wanderer saw faces
heard tones, that h<. had not seen or heart
Do for half a lifetime; but it seemed quitt
ubt natural that lie should do so-the years hat
us beeni rolled back.
Instead of mustering for departure
rd, swallows had come again from their winteo
'quarters. Blackbirds, thrushies, skylarks
at woodlarks, titiarks, goldflnchies and greenI
the flaches, wrens and robins, yellowhaimmer
and whitcthroats, were singing; in th<
hanger, sloping down to the pasture [uftet
winh paigles, imore than one nighit-ingali
might be hearh. The tuft of [he D~owmi
was white-as if milk had ben spilt up.
are on it-with the flowers of sandiwort and
Ost rogation flower, fuize and bee hiauntec
or- broom were out in all their glory, [lie Rmip
its. Wood was pink anti white with [h
nd blossoms of wild pear. trees, crabs, anc
es, rowans. The oak, the becch, the miaple,
rn- thie barberry, the horse chestnut were als<
of in flower. Th., hly-of-the-valley and thie
an wood- sorrel shook [heir soundless littl<
ent fairy [eain bells in [lie warm breeze [hal
fit- had stolen into their cool hiding places
m1)- Forget-mie-nota, veronicas, anti brookilim<
or matte earth hpok sky-like with their streaks
or and specks, antd patches of brilliant blue ih
to places moist andh dry. Buttercups ani
if daisies were scattered over the green earth
Ich broadcast.
rho The strangely unitedl family came to [th<
re, leafy lane, at [lie bottom of which sto >d
fire thie old farm house, In the mitdst of a few
of remnant ricks anti straw stacks, looking ou
ry comnpiacently on [lie springinig crops it nex
en. should garner. Tlhiere was the orchard
y's with [lie apple trees and the old media
Ice tree in blossom, and the walniut anti th<
oni mulberry coing out in leaf; lilac am
of laburnum, foxglove anti flags, cohuibin<
be and peonies, were blooming in thie gartden,
1011 antI over [lie little moat huing guclder rose
oir and elder flowere. The oldh dog got, up froni
by his lounge on the warm step of the opem
iot door, and wagged his stumip of a tail ti
-to greet [lie wantderer, but onl'y as If lie had.
nh been away foz' a couple of hours, instead a
me some forty years. Tlhe leisurely, bette
id- than ordinary Sunday dinner followed
to with Its friendly, thoug~h sometimes een.
'edi sorious gossip auout the clergymnan and i
as wife, mnd the dlress, demieanior, anid affair
of in gt4seral of the other neIghbors that, ha
on been n#ei at church.
lot- Thlec camne the lolling about Sundla
na af terno42, the farm-folk half picaned, hall
Lii perplexo , by their spell of haainess; th<
art wandering through the fields to criticist
their owand thei, nataghor c...ops
milking of tihe fows, the feeding of the
bullocks and horses, the looking after the
calves, sheep and poultry, with an enjoy
ment not felt on other (lays, because to
those who have few resources to wile away
L leisure time the want of oocupation brings
but little rea'.
At night the father whom he had almost
ruined, the mother whose heart he had
broken, the brothers and sisters whose pros
lpects he had blighted, knelt with the
wanderer whilst the mother read their
9 simple evening prayers.
He had not bent his knee in worship
since he had left home, but it aill seemed
quite natural- -the years had been rolled
back.
His mother had given him her gaod night
kiss; he was about to shake hands with
his father, when suddenly he saw in his
face the frown which he so well remeni
bered-the frown that had driven him
from home. The faces of his brothers and
sisters, so lately so affectionate, again grew
cold; the sweet, pleading face of his mother
faded from his sight.
le shuddered-and awoke in a raw,
autumn mist, with his lips pressed to damp,
faded leaves. Alas that the dead can not
return again to forgive and to be forgiven.',
A No'ey Dpeposit,
A tall man, With a squint in his left eye
and a terrible lonr nose, which was beauti
fully decorated with a red tip, entered a
corner store and demanded of the bartender
if the boss wats in.
'Nixie,' replied the bartender.
'At what time do you expect hin?
'Can't say; probably in one hour and
probably not.'
The tall mian looked mysteriously around,
and then, in a low tone, asked:
'Can I trust you?'
'WVll, I guess so.'
The tall man rubbed his hands convul
sively together, and said:
'Ai,coniidence begets confidence. Then
if I can trust you surely you can-ah I
you can trust me for a drink until the boss
comes in.'
'No trust,' was the laconic reply.
'1 tell you I'm a friend of the boss.'
'1 don't care if you're a friend of Alexan
der i1i. No trust.'
'Do you doubt my veracity?'
'Have you got it with you?'
'Have I got what ith me?'
'Your veracity.'
'Yes.'
'Then take it with you and get out of
here, or you'll not have nuch of it left
when I get through with you.'
'But, sir I will leave a deposit,' and he
offered to leave his coat, which looked as
if it might have been a new one in days
gone by; but now, alas! It possessed but
one sleeve, and was half slit up the back.
The bartender's heart was made of stone.
le said lie had all the coats lie wanted.
Then the tall fellow offered to leave his
hat. It was a high hat, and looked as if
it had descended from old Brian Born,aid
had been worn by every Knight of St.
Patrick that had ever paraded.
'1 don't want your coat; I don't want
your hat. You have but one thing that I
would accept as a deposit," said the bar
tender.
'And what is that?' eagerly asked the
big fellow.
'Your nose.'
'Do you mean it?'
'Yes.'
Can it be believed! He actually took it
off and latti it on the counter. It was a
wax one.
He then explained lie had lost his 'good
nose' in a rough-and-tumble fight, and lie
hated to part with this one, but when
necessity drives, needs must.
The bartender made no reply, but
placed a bottle and glass before him.
The long fellow said:
'I always thought a good deal of th'at
nose. We have been a good many years
together, and I have learned to think as
much of it as a brother. I hate to part
with it, but 1 must satisfy tlhe inner man.'
lie filled the the glass to the brim amad
dIrank It at, a g~ulp).
lIe took a second nip and was about to
help himself the third, whein the bartender
grabbled the bottle brushed the wax nose
from the counter and told hinm to 'git.'
lie picked up his nose brushed off the
saw-diust, with the gentleness and grace
that a mother mIght caress the head of lier
child and adjusted it in its proper place.
.tie had jtust got to the (door as the pro
prietor entered.
Hle stood for a moment, andi saidl:
Any time you want any noses as a
dteposit, you may call on me. At piresent
I reside at the F~itth Av
ie dodged just in time to escape the
bng starter, which camne after him with
lightning-hike rap idity.
The bung is a homely dhevice, lacking
altogether the symmetry of an obelisk and
having little even of the grace wimck corks
often possess. Iit Its uses are of a niost
important kind, and wherever liquids are
contaiined in casks andi barrels there must
the bung be also, It is almost impossible
to estimate thme ouantity of bungs made and
used annually, but, thme number is well uip
in tihe millionie. 'I hey are made of wood
well seasonedt, and are cut by machmecry
wiiichm is 'patented. In no counitry are so
manny bunmgs made as'mn thme United States,
for nowhmere else are thme woods whIch are
uisedl so plentiful. Oak, hickory, spruce
andi pine are among the varieties utilized,
aind the biing factories are scattered about,
thiecounmtry ini the neighborhood where time
woods used are found. Uy cutting the
bungs before shipping the cost of transport
ing the waste niaterial is savedl. A great
niany bungs for beer casks are sent hoth to
Germauny andi England from this country,
n mot, because they are better, but because
they are cheaper than those made abroad.
~uangs are cut by peculiar and Ingenious
machinery, which works against the grain
of the wood, tapering tihe bung with the
grain. In many cases the taper is made
but slight in thme cutting, and' thon the
bungs is submitted to a p~owerful comnpre 5
sion to inicrease the taper. Bungs of ale
andi beer barrels are of a standard size,
measuring 1I inches, while bungs for ol
barrels are 2 inches. Whisky barrel buings
are used over and over again. Beer andl
ol barrel bungs are always pilcked out, be
cause hianmmering thie staves to start the
bungs is sure to inju-o the coating of th e
barrels.
IIt Is with yousa 'as with p'auts;
from the irsi.iruits they bear we learn
S w hat. may bha arntmd In uruea
A lialloon A iventure.
Mt. Allioth, the editor of the Jare du
Littoral, Paris, gives an interesting ac
count of his adventures In the balloon
Gabriel, on Sunday the 6th of March, in
company with Captain Jovis and Lieu
tenant Vivier, The balloon, which started
from ice in the morning, rapi'dly rose to
a height of 6,000 feet. The view was at
first magnificent. The Alps and a great
part of Switzerland were distinctly visible
aud the air was warm. But the clouds and
a thick mist soon hid everything from
view, and when by degrees, and in spite
of every effort to prevent it, the balloon
descended, the party found to their horror,
that they were about nine miles out at eea,
when they had al along believed them
selves to be going steadily in a northeaster
ly direction. Once or twice the Gabriel
was induced to rise asain for a short time,
but it soon returned to the water, and al
though anchor, ballast, bags. boots and
every article of any weight were thrown
from the car, it remained obstinately
wedded to its new element. At times the
balloon scudded along at a great rate,
though the lower portion of the car wais
submerged, the water, winch had at fir-st
only been ankle deep, finally rising suflici
ently high to stop M. Allioth's watch in
his waiscoat pocket, at thirty-five minutes
past five in the afternoon. Night found
the unfortunate travelers in eveni a worse
plight, and to add to their difliculties, the
car began to rockwitlh the waves, and al
though numbed with the bitter cold, they
were compelled to liold on tightly for bare
life. At, intervals they shouted together,
but it was labor lost, and no answer was
returned. At last, to their grent. delight,
they espied the sail of an Italian craft
bearing dc.wn upon them. A boat was
speedily launched, and they were soon on
board, in (try clothes, and making a hearty
supper. The ship proved to be the Morosim,
bound from Naples to Cette. 'The captain
had, it, appears, percei ved the balloon dur
ing the afternoon and had actually gone
out of his course for several hours in the
hope of rescuing its passengers. But the
balloon sped along much faster than lie,
and Signor Penielli was obliged to give i)
the chase. The meeting i the dark was
thus pure accident. The balloon had
drifted about, while the shi) had held to
its course. The unlucky occupants of the
Gabriel were picked up about half way
between the mamiland and Corsica, and
but for the timely appearance of the
Morosni they must have inevitably been lost
As it was M. M. Jovis and Allioth were
terribly exhausted by all they had gone
through. The party vere landed at Villa
franca at half-past, nine on the following
morning, anci their reappearance at Nice
was tile signal for a general ovation, theIr
friends having despaired of ever behohaing
them again. As for tie balloon, as 0011
as they had quitted the car it soto once
more into the air with lightning speed,and
may be careering still, for all any one
knows to the contrary.
An Umbrolla R0omance.
One (lay, during the summer of 1819,the
Duc de Berry happened to be takinga walk
in Paris with his wife, and they were re
turning towards the Elysee, when a heavy
rain-shower caie on. The two prome
naders, being unprovided with umbrellas,
took refuge under a p)Ort cocherc already
teianted by at young man with the appear.
ance of a ekrk, wlo had an umbrella. When
tile storm had somewhat abated,the Duc de
Berry stepped up to the young fellow, and
asked whether lie would mind lending the
umbrella to enable him (tile Duke) to take
his wife home.
The other was suspicious, and decidedly
objected to parting with his property on
any conditions. The Duke persisted, but
finding that there was no hopes of obtaining
a loan of the coveted object, he asked its
owner whetlhcr, though not, having sufilcient
confidence im him to lend it, lie would mimi
offering the lady his arm as far as her resi
(dence. Thle gallant young clerk willingly
agreed to do so, and off the Duchess and1(
hier escort, accordingly started.
The latter individual very garrulous by
by nature, soon opecf(d a conversation by
the query as to whether his companion byv
edl in the quarter they were then in.
"Quite close to here," replied the Duich
ess.
''It, Is a splendid quarter, madlame, plen
ty of luxury and very com si faut. In
fact, it is the grando dames' quarter,witu
nothing but dluchlesses and~ marquises in It,
with their dresses all worked ini gold.
"'Quite so."
"'1 dlon't, kniow wVhethier mfadlame has no.
ticed the fact, but generally the less ele
vated a person's gradle of nobility the high
er' the Iloor lie or she occupies."
" There is some truth it1 that," gravely
resp~ondled the duchess.
" For instance," pursued the thicoriser,
''you will usually find vicomitesses andl bar
onessess on the fourth floor, anrd if madlame
happened to be a Vicomitesse, I would wa
ger that I know the floo~r on which she lives
-thie fourth, that is-"
"Not low enough, sir," said the lady.
"'Ah, wvell then madame is very likely a
comtessae."
"Lower still, " observed his companion.
'"Indeed; madame muist be a malrquise,
then?" queried the astonished clerk.
"M~y lloor is lower yet,'' replIed the (duch
0ss, who( hiad found~ It very difllcuilt to avoid
laughIng outright.
Just, at, this momient they arrived at the
Elysce,the guard of couirse,presenting arms
in (die form. 'The prFopJietor of the ium
brelha felt inclined to shrink Into himself,
and was beginning to stammer out some ox
cuso, when the duchess cut him short by
thanking him very heartily for the service
he had done her,and statingthat she would
not forget it.
The young follow returnmedl to his em
plcor, a'wealthy mani of b~usiess, and re
counted his adlvenlture, not quite recovering
from tile, to ham, umnexpetedl effect, of the
society of a duchess for tihe remalinder of
the (day. Before the expiration of a week
hue reeived from his qu~onam acqualmit
ancee of the Elysee an umbrella richly
adlornedl with silver.
MiedicaI At'1ec.
Dr. Cutter states that, the inces" of
nervous diseases, decaying teeth, proma
tur', baldness, a'd general lack of muscular
bone strength are greatly dug to the im
poverishued quality of flour now in use, the
fulroni beIng thrown .uway.ln ordier to make
the flour white. ie urges the use of un
bolted flour, and of eggs, mIlk and butter.,
lie denies that ish Is brain food, or that
Agassia over said that It was, and claims
that butter, being nearly all fat, Is a better
kind of braIn food than any ot her,
"Holti Your Bandn Up"'
Catch a rat In a trap and he will fight.
Trap a man, and-well, you can't rely on
him. It is according to) the trap. In the
heavy stage coach as we rolled out of Lead
ville, says a frontier letter, are seven men.
One is an army olicer who has a half-a
dozen scars to prove his bravery. Cut off
fron his command on the plauis last sum
iner by a score of Indians, he entrenched
hinself and fought the band off until help
arrived. Two of the others are despera
does, wh have killed their men. Three
of the others -are stalwart miners, each
arined with two revolvers, and they look
as if they would prove uglyicustoiers in a
light.
The seventh man might do some shoot
ing on a pinch, but lie hopes there will be
no pinch. In the crowd are ten revolvers,
two derringers, three repcating rifles, and
four or live bowie-knives, and there is per,
feet good feeling as the stage rolls along.
It is tacitly understood that the army cap
tain is to assume command in case the
coach is attacked, and that all are to kc3p
cool and fire to kill.
It is 10 o'clock in the morning. The
windows are down and the passengers are
smoking and talking and trying to seek for
comfortable positions. The coach ias just
reached the top of a hill, when every horse
is suddenly pulled u).
"If it's a b'ar we'll have soniC fun,"
growled one of the miners, as he put his
head out of the window.
"If it's a robber, gin me the first vop a t
at him,'" whispered one of the despera.
does.
No one could say what the trouble was
when a wiry little chap, about five feet six
inches tall, with black eyes and hair, clean
face and thin lips, appeared at the left
hand door with a cocked revolver in either
hand, and said:
(ents, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I've
got to make a raise this morning. Please
leave yoir shooters and climb down here,
one at a time."
It was sudden. It was so sudden that
it took ten seconds to understand Lhe drift
of his remarks. Then every eye turned to
the right, hand door, and the two revolvers
held by a second robber were seen at the
open window It, was a trap. The rats
were caught, and would they fight?
"Glents, I'm growing a leetle impatient,"
continued the Iirst, robber, "and I want to
see the procession begin to move."
Let's see. Th1e captai Wias to lead us,
and we were to be cool and lire to kill. u't
the captain was growing whitte around the
1imuth, and nobody had a weapon in hand.
The rats were not going to light. One of
Ilie miners opened the door and descended
and the other six humbly followed. The
seven were drawn up in line across the
road, and while the robber held his shooter
on the line he coolly observed to his part
ner:
"'Now, William, you remove the weap
ons Fron the coach, and then search these
gentleien."
As William obeyed, every victim was
ordIered to ho'd his hiands above his head,
and whatever plunder was taken from his
pockets was dropped into William's hat.
Four gold watches, two dianiontd pins, a
telescope, a IUtmond rmi, a gold badge,
an1d $1,20U ihi cash changed hands inl tell
mintites. Not a nia had a word to say.
The driver of the coach did not leave his
sent, aid was not interfered witli. When
the Iast man had been plundered the gen
tell I)ick Turpin kindly observed;
"Youi are the most decent set of men I
everrobbed, and if times weren't so blasted
hard, I'd make each of you a present of
$10. Now, then, clim back to your
places and the coach will go on."
The crowd "clunib," and the vehicle re
sumed its journey. Not a weapon or a
time-piece or a dollar had been saved.
Sevenl well-armned tacn had been cleaned
out by two, and niot, a shot lfired or' a woutnd
given. Each mnan took his seat without. a
word. Mile after imile was passed in ei
lence, and Ilhily the sevetnth man-the
onte who might light on a pinchl, but didn't
-laiinti vely suggested:
"'Qa't somte oi y'ou gentlemen think of
a few remarks which wvould be apropos to
the occaistoni"'
No (on0eduldI, anid the silenice was ue
niewed.
* (iiood Day, sitrt"
It Is well for is peace of 11ind( that our
local signiai corps observer at l3etroit is 1o
cated about hailf a mille above the or'dinary
walks of life. Were lie (dowl) on the fIrst
floor he wouIld be shot at thiiee or four timtes
p)e1 week until lie wats grtidutally killed and
buried. Otte day during thie winter fur
tnished a fair satmplle of thme way most peo
ple would talk to him if they could get at
him., lie was busy with the temlperature
of the lower lake region wheni a citizeti,
pullig htke a whale on a lee shore, gaitied
the towver tand begant:
"'it's snowitig."'
"Yes," wasu the qjuiet reply.
''it's snowinig like Tlexasi'
"Yes," again.
"Y esterday we had dust two iniches deep
and~ tiow we have sniow enioughi for sleigh
ingl' we. ac'
"I guess w ae'
'"Anrd it's going to snow all (lay, I sup
pose?"
"I think so."
''And we'll have miud and slush and
slosh for the nsext week("
"Veiry lIkely."
"Very likehl Why, sir, I--I--why-i'
lie was so mtad lie couldn't fInish except
by p~ountding oni the table.
'1 doti't miake the weather, you know,"
huimbly obseirved the signal imin.
"Y'ou doni't, chd Then wile does!"
''Nature."
"Where is she, or he, or whatever its
blasted sex Is? Just tell mse who to lit. and
I'll kniock hiim higher'n a kite?''
''Well, don't blamie me."
"I will! Young matn I feel like whack
ing you?''
"'4Oh, don't."
"Sniowl What business has It to snow
tis tune o' yeaur?. Why, sIr, It's the big
gest nonsense I ever heard ofil But let 'or
snow, and hltl, and raIn, and slash, andi
slop overh Ihang me, but I can stand It If
the rest can, and Ill be dlarded If I don't
stand Ii Yes, sir, I'll wade through
your old slush and grow fat on hI
ll sing-yes, I'll sIng as I wade through
your Ilernal eniow, anid the sorer my throat
Is the harder Ill sing! Glo right ahead
with your old weather, sir-keep right on
-...ood day, uril"
Torturing by Electriotty.
Park Benjamin. said recently the idea of
torturing criminals by electricity Is not
original with the iussians. It Is a British
inventiou, and was first suggested about
five yeafs ago by an English mechanical
journal, in commenting upon the execution
of criminals by electric shocks instead of
by hanging. The i4nglish writer wanted
to do away with the cat o' nine tails,which
is adininstered in England togarroters and
other criminals of certain classes, and use
the electric battery, as he somewhat grim
ly expressed it, so as to produce absolutely
indescrilbable torture (unaccompanied by
wounds or even bruises) thrilling through
every fibre of such miscreants. There was
on American inventor who load a design
for Inflicting this species of punishment.
lie fitted brackets of iron on the arms and
thighs of the criminal, and placed in thom
wet spongers. When connected with a
current of electricity the shock would by
this system pass thr ugh the legs and
shoulders and avoid the vital parts of the
body.
"The torture inflicted by electricity is of
two kinds-by contraction of the muscles
at rapidly recurring intervals and by burn
ing wih sparks. h'lc torturesof old days,
when not done by fire or compression, were
the straining and tearing asunder of the
muscles. Of this kind were the rack,
scavenger's daughter, and the cages of
Louis XIV., in which a man could not
stand up or lie down. The electric shock
exactly reverses these conditions. It pro
duces an enormously rapid contraction in
the body of the muscles at very short inter -
vals. The degree of pain produced isajout
the saiie. The force ot the electricity fihs
to be nicely graded, as a too lowerful shock
would numb or kill a man.
"rhe other method Is by condensing a
nuiber of intermittent sparks on the flesh.
This burns the skin, and at the same tinie
produces contractions of the nuscles. If
put to the side of the jaw it would make
every tooth ache."
A distinguished surgeon of whom ques
tions were asked concerning the machine,
said: "The best way to explain it in to give
you actual experience; then you will know
exactly how it feels. lcre Is a Faradic in.
duction coil. I pull out this tube a little
way. Now let ine place this electrode to
your hand. There."
SOl!" exclaimed the inquirer, as a ting
ling, thrilling sensation ran through every
finger, and his hand closed in an invd'un.
tary grasp.
"Does it hurt?" asked the doctor.
"A little."
"Well, we'll try again. 14ow, you see,
I pull this tube further out. I again toutels
it to your hand and-'"
"Wiioopl" shouted the victim; "take it
awayl" The feeling was as if' the hand
was crushed in a vise. E very nerve ached
and treibled with pain.
"That hurt, did it? Why, that's noth
ing. hiere's something of a very different
sort."
lie fastened to one wire a small wet
sponge, andi lo the other wire something
like a paint brush, with the brush part
made of line wire. lie Put the sponge in
the visitors hand, and then touched the
back of tle hand with the wire brush.
The pin was unbearable. The amiabu (&
the skin was scorched and the muscles of
the hand were Contracted in a violent ia
ner.
"That is called the electric scourge,"
said the doctor. "If it were dark you
could see sparks fly frgm each wire.
Imagine the effect if the electricity weie
10 tines more powerful."
"Could any man bear that torture?"
"I think not; any man would confess
under it, but it is a question what coni.
dence could be placC. !n such a confession.
A man would confess anythijng to ese .
the agony."
"WVhat could you compar'e the pain t&'
"It would be the same as burning ahiv.
"Would it injure the man?"
"~No-nost unless the pain drove him In.
saine. If the battery was too powerful it
would kill at once. Ajppied to sonic parts
of the body the scoui'ge hsurts mere than on
otner parts."
Among the most Interesting of the cus
tomns in country parts of italy, are those
which relate to tao dead. As a general
rule cottagers, before going to bed, rake
together the embers on the hearth, and
cover them uip with cinders. lBut on the
eve of the Da~y of the Dead not a spark is
allowed to r'emsain, lire being the symbol
of life. in inmny places the remnainis of that
nIght's supper are iiot clear'ed away, but
are left to be distribuited as almas next
morning, lBut a meal is served at night for
the special uso of thme Dead. During the
darkness the souls of t~me departed are suip.
pocsed to flock to the table. In the morn.
img the food is given to the poor. 8imilar
banquets are still, It is said, offered to the
(lead in liussia. But thicy are there ultima
tely enjoyed by the living who have pro
vided them. Th'le first person who enters
the church at midnight, holding a tapor in
his hand, is believed to obtain the privilege
of freeing a soul from purgatory. Tao
deadI are supp)Iosed'to reveal themselves in
a basin of water flanked by two candles.
The seer is generallhy an 0o(1 woman who
holds a taper in her left hand and a linens
cloth In her right, and who places her
neck in the curve of a woodlen pitchfork
the hansdle ot whichi rests on the ground.
I'hus p~osed she sees the departed.
'3 To Detect (ass in Milnes.
An ingeniious instrumnent, termed a 'spark
ttibe,' for indIcating tho presence of in.
flammable gases Ina mines, was lately ex
hibited anmd explained at the meeting of' the
Manchester Geohogical 8>clety, by Dr.
Angus nSmith. Tme desmin of thme instr'u
ment Is taken from the 01(d compressioii
syringe used for Igniting tinder, and the In
strument Consists of a small brass tube wi h
glass let in at thme bottom, which is closed
up, and a piston and rod fittIng closely In
the tube. The air to be tested is taken Into
thme tube either from the top or by means of
a stop-cock at the bottom, and then tho
piston rapidly pressed down with the handm,
the compression of the aIr thus elfectedl
with time aid ot spongy platilnum causing
the gases to explode inside the tube, the
explosion beig visible through the glass
let In at the bottom. Dr. tSmith stated
that the presence of gas down to 2j dog.
could be detected by the instrumens, and*
as the explosion within the tun~e, was per.
feotly harmless, ho thought the Instrunment
mighmt allord a uisoful means for exploring .
gea$@ls fltaeh,