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TRI-W EEKLY EDITION. W INNSBORO. S. C. MtY 6. 1882ESALHD184 SLIPPING AWAY. They are slipping away-those sweet, swift years, Like a leaf on the current cast, With never a break In their rapid flow, We watch tiem as one by one they go Into the beautiful past. As silent and swift as a weaver's thread, Or an arrow's flying gleam; As soft as the languorous breezes hid, That lift the willows long golden lid, And ripple the glatsy stream. As light as the breath of the thistle down, As fond as a lover's dream; As pure as the flush in the sea-shell's throat, As sweet as the wood-birt's wooing note, So tender and sweet they seem. One after another we then pass, Down the din lighted stair; We hear the sound of tizeir steady tread In steps of the centuries long since dead, As beautiful and as fair. There are only a few years to come, k hall we trainple them under our ruthless feet These beautiful blossoms rare and sweet, IBy tae dusty way of life? There are only a few swift years-ah, let No envious taunts be heard; Make life's fair pattern of rare design, And fill tip the measure with love's sweet wine, But never an angry word i A SEWING-GIRL. "Now, girls, this won't do!" said MadL~me Molini, pouncing in upon tho ix pale sowing-girls, like a wolf into a I fock of lamLs. "No it will never do in the worl! I I don't pay you all exor bititut wages to sit with your hands folded like fine ladies. Miss Sedgowiok, I we are waiting for that lavender silk I polonaiso. Lucy Lisle, why doyou not I go on with those buttonholes? Miss Fox, you will be so good as to change I your seat from he window to the mid- f die of the room at oncel" "But, Madame I'can't see there to lay on these fine bias foldst" pleaded Miss Fox, "You mean you can't see the carts and i carriages in the street, and the type-set- h ters at the windows opposite!" retorted Madame Molini, whose true nomencla - ture was 'Mullons,' and who had been a c Milliner's apprentice, in the goodly city of Cork, before she set up on Sixth ave- I nue as a Franch modiste. Luoy Lisle caught up her work. "I stopped just a mimuto Madame, with that bad stitch in my side," .she said and began to stitch away with i eager haste. "If you're sick, "said Madame,severe- I 2 . J1 1 hi"b? omuo and send your tImo is miue,bunght and paid fort" l While Miss Sedgewick,in self-defense urged that she *had not enough silk gimp to trim the polonaise and was wait ing for more. "Not enough," shrilly repeated mad ame-'not enought I measured that f triniting myselt, and I known there is enough. You may just rip that off again, and Sew it on higher op, and more eco nomically; and I shall deduct this morn ing's lost time from your wages! What's i that, Flora Fay-the mode colored silk I dress? Finished? And where are the two and a half yards which wqrd left?" "I folded them up with the drevs,ma dano,said Flora Fay an innocent, blue eyed young girl recently from the coun try, who stood, in an unconsciously . graceful ettitudo,beforo the fat and flor id dressmaker. "Thou you u crc a goose for your pains,"shortly retorted Madame Molini, as she unfastened the parcel, abstracted the piceo of glistening uncut silk, and whisked it awvay upon the shelf. "Two yards and a half isn't much, but it isa better thann nothing." Flora Fay opened her innocent blue eyes wide. "What is she going to do with it?" she asked Miss Fox, in a wvhispor, as madame rnstled off to scold the errand boy for putting too much coal ou the gratofire. "Don't you know little silly?"laughed 1 Miss Fox. "It is what she cabbages I" "Ciabbages?'"repeated Flora, in amaze ment. "'I don't understand you.' "You will when you see the modoe silki made uip into a sloovaless basque for madame," said the other, 'trimmirt'i with the gimp that was left from Mrs. Au brey's dinner-dress, and the pearl fringe from Mrs. Ossott's white damasso ball costume." "Btut you don't mean," said the breathless Flora 'that mnadame takes the silk that is loft from the customers' dressea?" "Goosiel" eried1 Miss Fox, "don't talk nonsense any longer. It is what every fashionable dressmaker does, and "There's the reception-room boll," shrilly called madamo. "Miss Fay, an swver it at once!" Hairy Drake was standing in the room, all glistening with satin drapery, gilded mouldings and huge mirrors, when Flora camie in-Harry Drake, the young soa-cap~taim who boarded at the same quiet and inexpensive house where Flora was allowed a hall bedroom at a reasonable rato,on account of Mrs. Dodds having once boarded a summer atfho old Fay farm-house up among the Berk shire hills, and still r statining a kinid re collectton of Mrs. Fe) 's kindness dturmng an illness wvhuch overtook her ther-e. "Oh, Miss Fay, is it you?" said Harry. "Do you work here? Upon my word, you seem to be in very comfortable quarters." "Bu~t I <don't stay here all the while," said Flora, noting how his glance wan dorred from gildinlg to freso. Azxmnnia ber carpet to bronzed chandelier. "I sow in a little dark roo-., where there is a stifling smell of coal gas and no carpet :n the floor." "i'ye come for a dress," said Captain Drake, plunging headlong into his sub eot, after the fashion of men in general -"my sister's dress, She is to be mar ried next week, and some of her friends 3onxed her to have her dress made hero. Uiss Fortescue-she's only my half-sis ber, you know,' in answer to Flora's ook of surprise; "but she is going ' to narry well, I hope." "Its the modo colored dress," said Filora with brightening eyes. "I helped :o trim It myself. :'Yes. it's all ready." And presently madams came smiling 1n, with the bill, and the dress folded icatly in a whito pasteboard box, and Japtain.Drako departed with a dim idea ,hat Madame Molini perfectly compro iended the art of high charges. Miss Fortesoue herself came the next lay. She was a lady 'not lacking in luiet resolution. She knew her rights, md was prepared to defend them. "Where is the material I sent?" said ihe to Miss Fox, who 'was in attendance n the reception room "It is not made ip in the dress. I had purchased enough or a new waist and sleeves, and it is not dll here.' "You must be mistaken,' said Miss Pic A with an aspect of polite impossi >lity. "The bias puffs and folds cut up Io material shockingly, and-" But at this moment, little Flora Fay vho vas packing some tullo capos and ichus into a bandbox, at the back of he room, roso and came forward, with leepening color. "There are two yards and a hal? of the node -colored silk, Miss Fox," she inter upted-'don't you remember? on the heif in the back rocm." Miss Fox colored and bit her lip. Madame Molini,with ominously dark med face, twitched the two yards ai nd a ialf of bilk off the shelf, folded i- into a >aper and handed it to Miss Fortescue, nuttering womething about a 'mistake nado by one of her young women;' and he young lady departed,a little dubious A to whoher or not the fashiolable lressmaker had intended to cheat her. She had hardly clos d the door be ind her, however, when Madame Mo ni turned upon poor Flora Fay-, with a *-I& X%^. 'Winwinst in eaochee~u pa GlOROyCompreuah cheek and "Young woman," said she, "you are ischargedI" "Dischargedl" echoed Flora. "For rhat?" "I want no one in my service," said andame, "who is too conscientious to ulfill my wishes. You have intermed Lied unwarrantably in the matter of that ilk, and I repeat that you are no longer n my employmontl" So poor little Flora went crying home, vith a vague comprehension that she iad been discharged because she had ipokon out the truth. It was nearly a fortnight afterward hat Captain Drake noticed the absence )f Miss Fay from the table of the board ng house. "Is your little blue, eyed lodger ill, .ies, Dodds?" he asked. "I don't think nave seen herof late." "No, she's not ill," said tho landlady. "That is to say, not exactly sick. But he will be if she don't look out. She's >Oarding herself, Captain Drake, on )read and crackers, and such like, poor Lear I and wasting away like a little had ,w, because she's lost her situation bt that dressmaking place, and don't eo her way clear to another.. And she von't run into debt, she says, not even or a meal of victuols. Ak !" the good voman added, "I can remember when ho was the pet and darling of the old olks at home, before they lost their all, unmng about among the daises rand >Uttorcups like a sunbeam." 'But how did she come to lose her >lace?" asked Captain Drake. And Mrs. Dodds, who liked to hoar ~ho sound of her own voice, told the vhole story. "It's a shame!" criqd the captain. "Just what I say myself," nodded the andlady. And the next day, M~iss Fortescue (whio was Mrs, Awkright now) came to 500 Flora Fay. ".It was all my fault," she said, with affectionate vehemence, "that you lost your situation-andl oh, if you would come and stay with me. and help me with the sowing for my now house, I should esteem it such a favor I Would you, please?" "Are you quite sure that I can make mnyvlf useful ?" said Flora, a little hesi tatingly. "Yes, quita," said Mrs Awkright. And, in the sunny atmnosp~here of th( bride's p~rotty home,the young country girl Loed to expand into a different creature. Captain Drake, the most de. voted brother mn the' world, came thiere nearly every dlay; and little Floram, all unconscious of her own feelings, began to watch for his daily visit 'us a hlio trope- blossom watches the gan. Until at last, there was talk of anoth or long voyage to Japan, and then Flora grew p~ale ando nervous again. "I-I have been here long enough,' she said. "If I go to the Exchange Bureau, they will perhaps tell me of a new situation. And I need a change.' "Flora," said ho, "are you unwvilling that I should sail to Jeddo?" "I always had a horror of the usa1 whispered Flora. hanging down he pretty head. "But of course Captait Drake, you must do as you please." "Yes, of course," he answered, ab sontly. and - when he was gone, Flor shed a tow quiet tears over the tabl linen she was hemming for Mrs. Awk right. "How bold and uumaindonly it Is c me," she thought, "to lot myself car for a man who does not think twice o me ? If he had cared one iota for me would he not have said so Men?" But the next evening, at dusk Captaij Drake sauntered in with that swinginj gait of his, as if he were still troadin the deck of an outward-bound vessel. "Don't run away, Flora," said he, a the girl caught up her work, and pre pared for a precipitate retreat. "Did-did you want to -peak to me? she faltered, with downcast eyes. "Don't I always want to speak to you Sit down, Flora," said he, "and hea what I've been planning." "Now it is coming," tbought Flora with a sick feeling at heart. He is goi to be married, and he is coming to to] me 13." "I have decided to give up the sea faring business," said Captain Diake. "Have you?" muttered Flora, faintly "I am so glad." "And L'v'e bought a farm In Connooti cut," he went on-"the old Berkshiri farm, Flora, where you were born an( brought up. I'm going to be a farm or I" She looked up at him, the roso ani lily followingt each other acioss he: cheeks. "Oh!" she cried, Involuntarily, "If: could only see the dear old place one< more!" "But I won't go there to live." sai the captain detei minedly, "unless you'l go there with me, Flora. as the farmer'j wife I What do you think of it, littli girl? Shall it be a partnership ?" And when Mrs. Awkright came in the papers were all sealed, signed an< delivered, the "partnership" was a fore gone couclusion! "I don't know how I shall sucqeed al a farmor," said Captuin Drake, to hil sister; "but if little Flora here is onlj with me, there's nothing in all th< world that I haven't courage to under take." And when Mrs. Awkright took Flora' hand in hers, the girl whinArbf.. in all the wide world to-night. Because, dear Mrs. A wkwright, he loves me ?" London Names. So far from Blough being a corrup tion of "slow,"the place, as might hav been expected, had a name long befor a coach. or even a wagon, trundle< through its rutty street. As far back a 1442 the villiage was called "Lei Slowe," and the bricks with which Eto College is built wore made, accordinj to authentic documents still extant, a "Slowe." Thus the local derivation - the name of this ancient hamlet, which at the first blush, could havo deceive< no one, falls to the ground. Etymolo gy, indeed, is a dangerous pastime fo unpractised hands to plaRy at. It some times leads to awkward consequences At one time the railway authorities in sisted on naming a station not far from Cambridge Oakington, though the country folks in the immediate vicinit; know the locality as H-okington. This however, was deemed a Cockneyist until a sceptical, antiquary discovere< that the name was derived from the family of Hocking, and that in realit' the rustics were right and the railwa; wrong. Again, no belief has bee stronger than that a court of Ludgat Hill wvas named in honor of Pocohonta --"La Bcile Sauvago." Unhmappily how~ever, furthb-r rerearch p~roves thi the spot has no association wvith thi beautiful daughter of Powhatan, "En perour of Virginia," but was tha quondam slit of the "Bell and Savaga public house. If the world was to b dominated by scholars of the Sloug: type, Hampsted, instead of being corruption of t'he Saxon "hamstedo, or home place, would be named frol somebody who once lived there, an preferred pig's flesh to mutton. Agaii Holborn is "Old Bourno" or river, an Hackney has nothing to do with coacht plying for hire or tales twvice told, but a long-doscondedl memory of Hakoi the Damshi Jarli, who, following tl, ways of his race, 1,500 years ago ai propriated the "cy," or island. Clai ham hooks, at first sight, to the etymoJ ogist wecll read in old1 chronicles easy t associate with one of the old lords < the sodl, Osgodi Clapa, the Dane, a whose daughter's marriage feast Hard: canuto drank himself to death. But n are at, once silenced when we find thi in the Chertey Register the placei named Clappenham as far back as tI reign of Alfred, and that by the tin the Domesday Book was compiled ti name hand become transformed int C~opeham. (Picondfly is in no way coi nected with pickles. But after settli this poinit, there is left us a wide choic among '-peccadilloes," a word whic Butler at plies to the collar in the pi lory; Piceadilla Hall, a shop for the sal of "peccadillas," or turnovers, a ont fashionable article of dress; or "peecai dallas," a cake for.erly hawked in ti filds now oovered with a proyiMee bioa r -The Itussian 4ahilfsts. The trial of the two men concerned in - General B-relnikoff's assassination ter m minated. very quickly. The following D facts are gathered from the evidence - given: -The deceased was sitting on a seat in the boulevard quietly contempla f ting the sea, when his murderer ap e proached and fired a revolver. The f General was shot through the neck, the , ball entering his brain. He expired in a few moments afterwards in the arms a of some persons who had hastened to z his assistance. After' committing the g crime the murderer jumped into a droshki which was awaiting him on the s boulevard. He was stopped, however, by a onan called Korriga and was arreast ed, together with his accomplice, who anoted as coachman.. A citizen named Labsine, a soldier named Nokrasson, and a Custom Hqisc clerk named Igna. r tovitch also played a part in the capture. LIabsino and Nelr.-assan were wounded by the murderer in the struggle. The droshki had been hired by the two men 1 for a day and a half. The horse had been bought for 25 roiibles two days previ ously. On searching the assassins three revolvers, three daggers, and several flasks of poison were found on them, One of them was stopping at - the Hotel de la Crineo, where General' Strelnikoff also stayed. The accused I declared that the General's death had been resolved on because of his activity in prosecuting inquiries into crimes I against the State. He was an obstacle e to the successful propagation of revolu tionary doctrines among the working [ classes of Odessa. The two captured 3 criminals, who gave false names, were brought before the military tribunal at Odessa, and on the 21st of April were sentenced to be hanged. Ger.eral Strelnikoff's funeral took place with 3 great pomp on the 2d instant, at the Cathedral. The hearse was escorted by a large detachment of infantry and ar tillery, and was followed by thousands of spectators. The execution of the murderers took place the next morning, after the son tence had. been approved by General Gourko. At 7 o'clock on Monday morn ing the prisoners reached the place of execution, wearing oa their breasts placards, on whioh was the inscription "8tato Criminal," The hangman, who bkAA- av.-slia 2 A . Qmight, from his during the ., ,' according to custom. was dressed ihe red shirt of the Rus sian moujiks, io wide trousers tucked into high - boots'. The scaffold, which was approached by live steps, was a 3 rough platform resting on trestles. ) Two gibbets rose above it and two black I posts. The local authorities were sta i tioned in a circle around the scaffold, 3 The arrival of the prisoners was herald ' ed by the shrill sound of files and the Z beating of drunis. Each prisoner was t attended by a priest. On ascending the f steps, they were received by the hang man and bound to the posts. In three minutes the execution was over, r A Clever Chinnlan., - i8m Ohanglo, a C.ianese laundryman In St. Louis, is something of a genIus. He - possesses a ktowledge of paimting, clock mnaking, eng~ineering, engraving, fancy Ssewing, and Is well up in the arts and sciences, including chemistry and other y branches of learing. At present Chaneglo is engaged in completing what lhe pleases a 10 term the "Worhd's iFair." Tis curi osity consisti of a miniature Chinese house containing towers and verandas, 3 and possessin;( other features peculiar to ,Maongolian architecture. The structure rests on a table. it Is about four feet hish and five feet lonig, and its rooms arc all open on one oide, in' order that the spec tator may see swhat is taking place within. aDirectly in frdnt of the house Is a yard in ~which two Ohinamen are represented as t -playing a Mongolian game, andi two ot ners in the act of building a brick wall. On the steps two ladles are standing face to face, in the, adt of ratuting each other. e T'hrce Chinese la'.hes alt on the Veranda engaged in close onversation, while two nwmn en the veranda directly over thel: Sheads are lean'ng forward and endeavoring to o rerhear what, they are sayin. About, a Lhe building butttties, that look as natu ral as life, are scen with wings outstretched in the act of flying. Thils is what the ob d server finds on the exterior of the build ing, but he beconmes more aceply inter 4 ested when he inspects the contents of the 1l apartmnents wiL inuir In one apartment lie sees an army of lodlers iiounted on horsies, in another a solemn procession of priests, andI in another a lot of wild animals, etc. b When the clockwork that operates this e0 vast establishment is wound ip and > started, tLhe effect produced is deciedly ,. striking. The butteriltes tremble on invis Ible wires, and appear to be flying about 'in the air; the men at the brick wail work a vigorously, the characters In front of the ,f main entrance bow gracefully, with their t hands clasped before them,Cnilnese fashion; i. thme soldiers move around brissly, the ami mals runa swiftly, and the wonmen on the verarcda over the main entrance vociferate wildly. In fact, everything connected 5 with tao establIshment is natural and life 0 like. to "fow long did it taske you, Mr. Changlo, tomake that concern?" o"Oh, it took me not longer than a month. 0 work very fast and can make such things m- very q ajck. The house, you see, is coin glosed of wood, All the trimmings are of a silk. Tfho:- pictures you ace on the table h ctoth hiding the legs of the table, I painted, They are oil paintinge. One - represents a Chinese castle. The other eo two are landscape representations of moun o talns. There are in the building and yard in front of it just 150 fIgures, whlih move when the house is wound up." .0 fT wo Captains in ono ship will surely *hink har. A Nigh; With A Rat Catcher. One of the' most expert rat catchers in New York is a little man with a thought ful face. "I constantly thinks about 'em, sir," he says, "and .1 lose no opportunlty for a (Indin' eut their curious ways, which is quite remarkable, 1 do assure you, sir." "Are thet e many in your )ue here?" "There is many, sir, which has the auda city to call themselves rat catchers, which they ain't, notwithstanding. I should say there is about ten of 'em." His hair is long and tangled; he has a scraggy moustache, and his hands are un commonly large, with monstrous knuckles and long nails; they are scarred in many places. He is much under the average height, and as quick as a rat in his move ments. le does everything with abrupt gestures. When puttiog on his hat his hand moves with great rapidity. le walks leisurely to within two feet of a door, and then his hand flies out and the door opens like a flash. His speech is as slow as his movements are rapid, and the muscles of his face never seem to change. His ruling passion is hs great pride in his calling. "Which it's looked up to on the other side," he says, "as it should be, bein' a perfession requiria' unusual abilities." He invited the reporter to go with him on one of his expeditions against his en emy, the rat, and a few nights later they met at a stable in West Fortieth otreet. The rat catcher woze a pair of light cloth slippers, heavy trousers, flannel shirt, and vest. lie had a kit of tools with him, and at about 11 o'clock he went to work. First he went carefully around the edges or the floor, and learned every rat hole. Thera were a numbt-r; some at the edges of the partitions between the stalls, others at the washstand, and a number in the harness closet. I'le rats had ruined val uable harness. Many effrts had been made to exterminate them, but without succ as. "I guess I'll get 'em out, sir. I just cleared 217 rats out of a private residenceJ on Tenth avenue in three night." he said. le then took a number ot little wire doors out of his bag. They were about four inches square. One of these was screwed over each rat hole at an anrle of forty-five degrees, so that the rat could easily raise is on coming out of the hole, but could not get back into the ho'e agatn after it had dropped in place. When every hole had been thus covered the re porter retired to the top of a shelf of a long step ladder and smoked, while the rit catcher turned down the lights and cleared the large floor of the stable of all the small objects that could be readily piled in the carriages or on the shelves. "Are you sure the rats will come out?" "Oh, yea, sir. Thay cornes out every night. -Scme men professin' to call them selves professiona's claims that they have a poison that will make rats como out o' their hole an' die, but it can't be done. rous poison causes most horrid thirst, an' the rats comes out of their holes an' drinks, an' tben goes back an' dies. Then there's a pretty how-to a, an' whole floors must come up at great expense." lie was moving about in a most stealthy manner, now trying one little gate and now another. A large bag of coarse material, witn a string with which to close the opening, hung on a harness peg, and he had sprinkled alittle powder down several of the holes, which was designed to make the rats thirsty and cause them to come ou-t for water. lie lighted a stub pine and perched himself on the bottoti of the step ladder with his chin in one hand, while lie slowly opmed and closed a pair of tongs, nearly two fcet long, with flat blades. Everything was quiet for a few iwinutes, and then there was a slight scratching at one of the little do:,rs, and a monstrous rat, as fat as an alderman, slowly camne out. The door" diopped to behind him; he turned quickly, tried to get back, and ran squealing along thme wvall. "lie's a good one," remarked the little man in a whisper, going out into the middle of the room, layilug lis pipe on the sntelp and turning up tho gas. "il tell you what fill do; ll catch this one mn my hands." ie began to squeak throukh his teeth, making a noise like tihe squeakmng of a rat, and slowly approached the fat intru decr. The rat backed into a corner and stood with his little eyes gleaming and tail swishing rapidly from aide to side. The rat catcher slowly drew closer until the rat suddenly bhot oil along the wall. In an instant, the little miau had sprung forward with a bounmd that was entirely reckless, and went, head lirst, for the rat. Uoth his hands were outstretched, and he pinned it to the floor with a force that made it squeal. Tihe bouind was lae that which ra cat, would make. "Ilo is indeed a fat one, air," lie said, getting on his feel; "yoai'hl observe-" "Keep) ii awa.5l Ain't you afraid he'll bite?" "Atfraidl, sir? 1 do assure you nothing Is J urther f rom my thoughts. Ifesides, it's very rareiy that they bite if you know how to handle 'emn. You mght, let this one run all over you and not get, hurt." "Y es; I might, but I won't.'' "1 will, then," ho said, calmly, and be fore the reporter could interfere the little Englishman had thrust the rat inside bis clothing, and the creature emerged from his right trousers leg and( shot, like a me tL'cor behind the ste~p ladder. The reporter raited his feet, one step higher, and the i at catcher crepg up toward the rat withI the same quict nmovemnent that a cat dim. plays. Thle badgered aniumal shot one way and another until it reached the corner, when the little an pounced on it anid dropped it into the bag. Theinre it iqiealed Ior a time and then became q ,iet. while the little rat catcher reiind his pipe. " W crc you ever badly bitten?" "devral times. Once I suffered long, but I deserved it, for I let tuhe beast bite imc through carelessness, you know. Ills bite poisoned my arm, an' I had a dread ful unhappy tlIme for four months or so. It was in Pittsburgh, Pa. Rats? Well, there a as rats theme an' no mistake. .1n the St. Clair hotel I caught 120 ini one' night, and 437 in ix nights. I caught 169 in the lBevenmh Avenue hotel .in two, ights, and in five I got, 211 out of the Mlonongehela hiotet," "fTe hotels there seem to have been' very fairly stocked.'' "Well, yes, sir, but it's almost as bad' hero. i've been five years employed by Earlo's hotel, Oleared out the BL. 8tenhnn. in' get regular jobs at the Fifth avenue, Windsor, Brunswick. in' Metropolitan otels. Rlats In abundance is not de. mirable." He laid his pipe on the step again and aid, reflectively: That's as ugly a lookin' customer as I've aeon this many a day. 11e'll tight, but I'll get him bare-handed just to show you the sport." Another rat, much larger than the first, with scrawny legs and an emaciate1 body, was standing by the hole he had just emerged from, and trying to open the little wire door. When the little man ap proached him the rat elowly retreated, but did not go as though frightened, as his fat predecessor had, but rather as a savage our retreats, turning half around toward his pursuer every few steps. When he had reached the corner lie stood at bay. 'he man edged up towaid him, but be fore he got within jumping distance the rat shot off along the wal!. 11e was driven back several times, and he became uglier at every defeat, until at length the littlq man was ready to spring at him, when the rat made a noisy squeak and jumped strahcht for his throat. it bounded iron the flor with a spring of extraor dinary strength. and shot at the mnan's throat as though driven from a cannon with its teeth all showing and its long tail straight. The rat catcher threw up his arm, hitting it a savage blow, which drove it against the wall, whence it fell to the floor with a thud. In an instant it got on its feet, and made another furious spring At the rat catcher's throat. This time he itodged it. The rat, when it came to the tloor then, started for its hole, but, failing to get in once more, ranalong to the corner. rhe little man was circling about it, con Itantly uttering the squeaking call through I's teeth. "I'll get him this time," he said calmly; lc's a bad one, but I'll get him." He slowly approached the rat, wuich was again at bay in the corner, but when ver the animal sho wed any disposition to ump he would retreat. These tactics were kept up. for some time, till the rat itarted once more toward its hole. That was the fatal step, for the instant it started he catcher threw himself forward and )inned it with both, hands to the flocr. 1is recklessness in diving forward was a. -emerkable as his success in always catch ng the rat. "Ah you big villain, youl" "Will you keep away from beret" "All right, sir. He won't hurt you now, vill you, me boy?" and be gave the beast wo or three vicious slaps before he depos ted it in the bag with its fellbw. "i've ackled many, but lie was as ugly a house at as I ever seen, an' a man who don't inderstand handlin' of 'em would be ap . o get hurt, sir. I'll shiw you now how cateies the most of 'em." The reporter noticed that nearly half a lozen big rats were on the floor, huddled aehind the harness closet. They had the fight. The catcher took his long tongs, and.crept toward them with the Implement >pea and held well in frent. Oe of the rats started along the wall, and the catcher ;prang after it ani caught it by the tail as x, ran aloag with his big tongs, and held .t dangling up to view. This was thrust nto the bag, and the others soon joined it. "Now we'll have ,the pleasure of vaitin'," observed the little man, as he prinkled more of the thirst-inspiring )>wder in the holes, relit his pipe, and. urning the gas altnsst out, seated himself )> the lower steps of the ladder and fell nto deep meditation. Fo)r an hour he sAt hus, without speaking, and, while the 'eporter roosted, listened to the occasional licking of the little door and the nionot )nous phtter of the rats' feet as they scam ered to and fro on the bare floor. When ,he little man turned up the gas, there was a sighti At least half a hundred lack and brown little animals were scud. lung around on tne floor. The repugnance hat men naturally feel for rats seemed to iave no place in the feechngs of the stumpy ittle rat catcher, who sailed inito his work with great vigor. O ily twice did lie en ouiner any opposition, and then it was short, lived. At the expiration of halt an iour they were all rq icaking together in dhe big bag-'a turbulent mass of ra's, Lie went outside in the yard, andi broughit an a little terrier to guard the lace till :norning, and then, singing the bag on lis shoulders, he went out into the street. "What do you do with them all?" we uked. ''I have a number of dogs- for trainiu\, en' they're very fond of rats." The little man went trudging up the itrect in the early mnorning, with his huge burden of scrambling rats overshadowing als igure. The 'Tainaiutt. This tree is indligenous in various parts f Africa and [Indma, and it grows wily ini several parts of the Easst Indian lslands. Lt is a handsome tree, 60 to 80 feet in kieight. its compou'nd hiavos of ten to twenty pairs of smiall obient lallets formi 4 dlense foliage. The tlowers are white when they iirst open, but soen turn yel. Low. The frmit is an indlehiscent, legume or 1)od, 8 to 6 inches long, straighut or somsewhat curved, anid with a hard. brittle exterior shell. Thhe seeds, iroms four to tweive In number, are cacti surrounded by a tough, peppery membrane, outside of wihich, bet ween it and the shell, there Is a firm, juicy acid pulp, traversed by strong w xxty tibers, wich start, from the fruit stalk. 'rho ripeness of the fruit is knowna by the brittieneas of the outside shell. in the West Indies its fruits is picked, deprived of its shell, and packed In casks, and boiling airup is poured over thenm un tii the vossel is full; when cooi, the pack age is headed up anid is readly for market. A botter kinal, rarely founti in imarket, is prepared b~y packing the esoctt fruilt in stone jars ithi alternate layers of sugar. Tihe pulp has a brisk acid instc,mnodilted more cr less by the amnount of sugasm used ; it contains tariaric, citric, and other acids, andI some principle not well ascertained, which gives it a laxative property. Taum arnde are used in tropical couintrie's ton prepare a refreshing drink by p'aring boiling water over the fruit. 'This drink Is also used as a laxative and refrigerant in fevers. The wood is usetul for timber, and makes a flue charo~h. l'hie shell of tlie seed contains tannin, and the kernels are used as food in uindia in times of scarcity. A fly is notldug, bt it eJpoils $ho aip notite. An Insigat Iuto Commerotal Fertiluuers. A few years back dealers in fertilbzers, placed upon the market cortain gradeu which they claimed to be espeoially adapt ed for all crops. It was sjou discovered that sone of the causes of dissatisfaction on the part of the users were due to tie fact that a fertilizer might be very good for certain crops and not benefloial to others. Nearly all fertilizers contain ni trogen (as ammonia), phosphorio seidt potash, lime, soda, magnesi., s'ilphurio and other acids and organic matter. 'The aeids, with the lime, soda, maguesia aid organic matter usually comprise about 75 per cent. of the whole, leaving the re maining 25 per cent. to be apporLinied between the phosphoric acid, nitrogen and potash. Now, the chief value of a fert lizer consists in this matter o1 apportni mont, the slightest variation affectina, its commercial as well as its economic value several dollars per ton. If iiatrogen be ia excess It greatly Increases the worth of the fertilizer; phosphoric acid and potaph come next in order of value as leadaig constituents. We can at once by noticing the ar rangenent of these ingredients in their several proportions, understand why a fertilizer for potatoes should cost inore than that intended for fruit and vines. 8o we learnt also, that instead of any particu lar fertilizer being adapted to all soil:, amt all crops, each crop has requirements of its own, and the most economical nethod of using fertilizers I, 'to apply them in proprtiois adapted to mneet the wints of the crop. The fertillaurs formulated for potatoes are so proportioned that not only must the sabstance for the growt't of the tubers be ihpplied. but that for tni vines also. The proportions of ingredients for a complete lertilizer for potatoes la usually aboit. 4 75 per cent, of aiouli, 9 per cent, of phosphorie. acid, 7 per cn-t. of potash, and about 80 per cent, of iime. organic matter, etc. Theso proportiond vary slightly with different manufactures, but they are about the quantities required'. The price of such a fertihzar, according to present cost of ingredients, shouid be about $17 per ton of about 2900 pounids. It is very different with fertilizera fof frusts and vines, for they are formiulatod with about 2.50 per cent. of amnoula, 7 per cent. of phosphoric acid, 0 5j per cent. of potash, and 84 per ceut. of fimie, organic ntatter, etc. The vricu shouid be 10 tinV neig.aborhood of $36 per ton. This dilference in cost arises zroen the different quaMitLes of amnUonia in the two forti ZerS-Lhe one being 4.75 per cou. and the other 2.50-whicii seems like a very small amount. Another look into the bape, and we stop to consider the kind of ferizA.r we are buying. S lubility of the ingredients is the main object to b considered, but it does not follow that the farier has beun cheated because tue ingredients are not ait soluable. Ilia want is t. at once sup oly gis.rop g alg d jgcg erod, and available as desired, it may be in a goij condition for a succeedIng crop. It makes a great difference what form of aanionia, phosphoric acid or potash take In the fer Liuzer. For instance, if ammonia exists iu the shape affordinug good Peruvian gusao, or as nitrate of soda or sulphate qf itiUo nia, it is in a form to be readily hvailable for plant food ; but If it existed In pow dered leather it would not be so sitisfac tory, for time would.be req ilred t'),dissoivo it in the soil ; and yet iu buying such a fertilizir tW- farmer would not really be wronged, for analysis by a cheniusi would show it to contain its proper proporion of anionia. But the fertilizer wousd not be available for early action; yet the moa ey woull not be lost in the end, esp-e.ciatiy it the dressing was applied on a clay b.h. Two per cent. of nitrogen in a boluic conidition is ordinarily better than 10 psr cent. In an improper state.. Coznf,rtable Shoes, L. 't women take into consideration the p:ropriety of buying comfortable shoes. T'his matter is of na pmatl impor:ance when we consider how many ills may result from being unproperly shod. A yonug lady perched on "i'rench heels" mnits surely have wveakc ankle joints. A p)re" tical physician says: "If the enemy or righteousniess is now looking for schemes by which to ruin our race p)hysicailly, noe need only encoutrage smaller and highuer heels and sualier waists, so that the future mothers will be neither able to walk eor breath naturally." And not only the~ helghth of the heel but the width of tihe sole and the thickness of the leather are matters worthy to be looked alter. Coid feet are often the cause of untold suffer ing among women, and yet our girik - - intel'igent girls-can haidly be p~rcvaded upon to wear leather shoes and warm stockings in winter, with warm overshoe 4 when they go ot, but cloth their fhet pretty much the same the year round. Home-kmit overshoes of double zephyr, o~r Germantown wool, with cork soles are neat and comfortable,and half the ingeniu ity spont on foothers, braids and iaces would provide them. W'ithsou thies promoters of health andt comfort a woaan us poorly provided for winter weather. Ice. Mr. B3ergh has drawn attention to the powerful agency exerted by ice In sever amg rocks, of which he gives a strlimg instance, occuring on the Aalesunel ini West Norway, where a low ledge risir; out, of the fjord p~romnontory is all that remains of a onice extensive ijord promou tory, which, In the year l1717, was sud denly blown up and precipitated into the waiter by tne force of the ice witina thme literstices of the stone. The winter h i been nuld, anti during a rapid thaw a ca1n siderabie streamn had welled upj fromu the ice-covered summit of the Ijueld, andi ciir - ried its waters into every creviccof the rock, when a sudden change of wind brought about a sharp frost which turned the do. sce'ndiag waters of the newly formed stroami into ice, arresting their course withain the intestices of the rock. Tlhe result was (nc ezplosion of the entiro fjnc d below the outbreak of the streani, auud its projection from a hieigr t of more than 1,500 feet into the neightiorlog I jo:d, which inguite.d the whole of tihe prom mn tory, with as cultivated fields and harem stead. Simaulaneously with the disap. pearance of the land below the surface of thme fjord a huge mass of waters wias pro. pelled against the opposite shore, carrying with it rusly anchors, boat rafters, andI punmerous other objects,