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H. A. LONDON, Jr.,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
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One square, two Insertions
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VOL. III. NO. 26.
PITTSBORO', CHATHAM CO., N. C, MARCH 10, 1881.
B. 1. LOXDOH, Jr., Editor M Pnbllsber
'or larger advertisements liberal contracts will
made.
MEMORIES OF MY MOTHER.
H. lttlNi. AMIS, RALlO.
iltnly I m: .m l ponder o'er tin1, day now
gone.
And !. - iifti ii do 1 wonder where years
h;oe rlov n. I
All. Ii"v plainly like a picture docs it seem to
Tli.it my gentle, loving mot In r nursed me on
knc!
i oint'ottm- my ihtldish -oitows with a sooth-
in;; kiss .
Even now, oh, gentle mother, thy comforting
1 mis-., i
IM't 1 Ions to hear thy iot.tlall and thy gentle-
voice,
S o thy r.i smile of gladness, making rue
ivjoi.v I
A" you ever 1 i'l in childhood, go wh"ie"er von
may.
Kv r kept di-pensing sunshine - turning night
to day;
.toniing in our childish pleasure, sanctioning :
our fun
A lonipamon for your children, se ining just :
as one.
"Wha is home without a motht r." From the ;
s"-.-n' I has".
I tan Ml, for veil I know it is a hanen
was-: ;
M'"iuorv weeps when I recall the ploasim s that
arc past, i
Vet Tin cheered by that sweet hope - that we ;
shall mi et at last!
MATTIE.
I
Mattie had a fiery temper, but that was '
her worst fault. When she mairied :
Marsh Hunter, people Miid,
She'll make his life a warm busi- ,
ne.ss for him." :
F.ut Mattie thought differently.
I ll show them w hat a triumph of love j
will work. I'll teach them I'm not the j
vixen I seem." '
Ami so she married him. The wetl-
ding was a very pleasant affair some- ,
tiling to look back to as long as they :
lived. Mattie looked very sweet in her ;
new white Sw iss. Her long, jetty curls .
trembled and shone in the brilliant light. !
her eves sparkled like twin stars, and '
her soft cheeks were mantled in softer j
blushes as she leaned trustingly ou the ',
strong arm of the stalwart man who was j
to lie her guard and guide through life, j
The honeymoon was rich with the
pleasures "of new married life to the hum-
ble pair, but the time soon came when j
the bride must leave the old roof-tree
for the untried realities of a home of her
own. This was the first sorrow the
trial of leaving home and mother but
it was fleeting, for in the excitement of j
setting-up" housekeeping in the white '
ottage on Squire Blackburn's farm, the j
littl" sorrow was drowned. j
It wa very funny, and Marsh laughed i
and Mattie laughed, when just they two j
sat down to the little new table and ate
the viands prepared by Mattie's own !
hands. i
Everything was new and strangely j
sweet. Everything went on nicely, and i
Mattie was triumjhant. But all things
earthly must change. The w eather grew j
warm and the kitchen hot, and one of i
hottest days of the season Mattie had the
!i.ada he, and the supper must Vie ready j
at live o'clock. Mattie tried to get it j
ready, but burned her wrist; then she !
burned the bread. Then she looked at
the clock, and saw that it had stopped, j
and looking out at the door she saw I
Marsh. '
"Is supper ready?" he asked, and she j
blurted out something, and they had j
their first quarrel. j
Oli, dear me, the first quarrel. How j
sorry it made the poor little woman. j
But Marsh looked sullen, and went off !
without kissing her. They never talked !
that quarrel over, simply because they
were both too proud to broach the sub
j'.rt. After that quarrels came oftcntr
and easier. They did not mean to quar
j1. but somehow angry words would
t ome up.
After awhile a little boy came to their
household, and it seemed for a month or
two a good deal like the w ell-remember-rd
honey-moon; but Mattie's wretched
temper would fly to pieces again, and
the happiness was spoiled.
"It's curious we can't get along with
out so much quarrelling," said Marsh,
one Winter day.
Mattie felt the tears in her eyes in a
moment, and her heart softened towards
Marsh, and she was about to confess her
failings and ask forgiveness, when he
continued
"It's all your hateful temper, Mattie !
you know it is." !
I hat was enough, and w hat was meant !
to be a reconciliation w as simply another j
quarrel. " '
"Oh, dear me; it is mv wretched tern-1
per I know it is," sobbed Mattie, after i
Marsh went out; "but he needn't have J
wiid so." i
"If I only wasn't so blunt," said Marsh j
b himself with a sigh. j
So things went from bad to worse, j
V'Htle mistakes were imagined into terri- j
wrongs.
The neighbors had their fill of gossip
'"'out the matter, and finally, one day,
''n Marsh was away, Mattie thought
'he thing over.
"I am a wretched little nuisance," she
'"id mentally; "I don't know why I am
ither, but I can not help it !" she
sk1, despairingly, her eyes filling with
b ars. .''ve a great mind to take Ncd
and go home, and stay there. My
shame couldn't be any greater than it
is."
Hhe clasped the baby close in her
arms; and the tears fell fast on his curly
head.
Her heart seemed bursting within her,
but she wrapped the child in her shawl,
and with a quickened step she fled the.
place aud hurried across the snow-covered
fields to her mother's.
"What's the matter, child?" asked her
mother, as Mattie, pale and shivering,
appeared at the door.
"Don't ask me, mother," sobbed the
wretched little woman.
"You ain't left home?"
"Yes. mother, forever."
"Don't say that to me. You shall go
back this instant," said her mother,
thinking of the scandal that was sure to
follow such a proceeding by her misera
ble daughter.
"Oh. don't mother," and Mattie looked
the picture of despair.
"Tell me about it, my child," said
the mother, melted into tenderness by
the look.
Then Mattie, through her tears, told
her mother all, and ended with these
pitiful words
"But, oh, mother, I do love him, the
father of mv child I love him, but he
doesn't understand me. If he could but
understand me !" and she fell sobbing
beside her mother's knee.
"Let me advise you. my child," said
the mother, softly stroking her daugh
ter's glossy hair. "I've passed through
it all, and I'll tell you a secret. There
is almost certain to be mistakes come up
between husband and wife, and ofnte
words are spoken that are regretted a
moment afterwards. But, my child, such
a word can do no harm, if repented of
and a confession made. If you have said
anything to wound your husband's feel
ings, no matter what he may have said
to you, go and tell him you are sorry,
and I know that he will not only forgive
you, but will beg you to forgive him.
The hour that follows will be more de
lightful than the hour of your wedding.
Let nie tell you of a little instance in my
own life."
And her mother told of one of those
little family differences that come up be
tween so many worthy couples. The
story ended so pleasantly that it soothed
the tempest in the breast of the heart
sick daughter.
After the story was done. Mattie still
kneeled, resting her tired head on her
mother's knee. Her mother stroked her
glossy hair in silence for a quarter of an
hour, but Mat tie's thoughts were busy.
Suddenly she arose, took her child into
her arms and wrapped it close in her
shawl, and prepared to go.
"Where are you going, my child?"
asked her mother.
"To make my confession," answered
Mattie, through her tears.
"Heaven bless you !" said her mother.
When Marsh Hunter came home that
night a pretty scene met his view. The
lire was burning brightly on the hearth,
and Vie fore it stood Mattie, dressed in a
neat calico wrapper with snowy collar
and culls, and a scarlet bow of ribbon at
her throat. Baby sat on his pallet be
fore the fire, crowing lustily, and beat
ing the floor with a tin rattle.
Supper was on the table, and the tea
was steaming on the hearth. Marsh was
cold, but such a scene warmed him. He
went straight to the pallet and commen
ced a romp with the baby. Mattie went
and knelt there, too, determined to make
her confession, but she did not know
how to commence. It was very easy to
think of beforehand, but when the time
came she was lost. There was an awk
ward pause; then both spoke at once,
"Mattie, I've been"
"Marsh, I'm sorry"
Their eyes met, and each saw the ten
derness in those of the other; all was now
told in an instant. Both made their con
fession. Marsh opened his arms and Mattie fell
sobbing on his breast, while baby looked
on in amazement. From that hour they
w ere the happiest of couples.
A Reasonable Time.
In one of Michigan's interior towns
live a couple known as the "Siamese
Twins." They are always together. No
one in the village remembers ever see
ing one unaccompanied by the other.
They go to church together, they split
wood together, and they fight together.
Not long ago, after a severe battle, a
gentleman said to the feminine twin;
"Sarah Jane, why do you pummel
your unprotected husband? Think how
bad you would feel if he would die."
"Oh," said Sarah Jane in a tone that
showed the matter was settled in her
mind, "we will die together. We made
that arrangement when w e were married.
You see, John Henry was married be
fore, and seven days after his first wife
died he came to me and asked nie to
marry him. 'John Henry,' said I, 'you
ought to be ashamed of yourself. Only
seven days a widow er. You should at
least have respect enough for your late
wife to wait a reasonable time. Come
back ten days after the funeral, and I'll
marry you.' And I did."
Boston Transcript. When a New York
young man iops the question he now
says, "Let's consolidate."
Coaxing Sarah.
Justice Alley had hardly been opened
to legal business yesterday morning
when a sleigh containing seven or eight
persons from beyond the city limits,
drove up to the door of a popular jus
tice and piled out w ith in air of busi
ness. His honor was jiokiiig of the fire
when an old man beckoned him into a
corner and w hispered,
"Got a job of splicing here for ye! My
darter Sarah here is going to hitch to
that chap there with the blue comforter,
and then we're going out to have some
oysters."
"All right all right," was the reply,
and in two minutes the official was all
ready.
The man with the blue comforter
peeled his overcoat, laid aside his hat
and extended his hand to Sarah.
"I won't do it -I'll die first!" she said,
as she shrank away.
"She's a little timid," explained the
old man, while the mother rebukingly
observed,
"Sarah, don't you make a fool of your
self here. William will make you a
good husband."
"Ami don't you forget it !" added Wil
liam. Come, Sarah."
"1 won't, unless we can go to New
York on a bridal tower !' she snapped.
"lou'd look nice bridle towering
around New York with no better duds
than you've got !" said the mother.
"Now, Sarah you stand up and get mar
ried?" "Be keerful, mother donlt maker
mad!" warned the old man. "Now,
Sarah, if ye back out everybody will latl
at us."
"I don't keer ! I want to travel."
"You shall," answered William.
"Where?"
"We'll all go to the Hou,e of Correc-!
tion."
"Tain't far 'null'."
The old man beckoned William and
Sarah aside and began,
"Now, Sarah, William jist dotes on
you."
"But I want a bridle tower."
"Yes. but you can't have one. The
railroads are all snowed under, and tow
ers have gone out of fashion anyhow."
"Then I wan't a diamond ring."
"Now don't say that, Sarah, furl went
to every store last Saturday and they was
otit of diamond rings."'
"Then I want a set of mink furs."
"Mink jurs! William. I know you'd
buy "em for her in a second, but they've
gone out of style and can't be had. Sa
rah, I'm yer father, haint 1
"Yes, dad."
"And I've alius bin tender of ye?"
"Yes."
"Then be tender of me. 1 want to see
ye married to William. You can't have
a lower, nor a diamond ring, nor aet of
furs, but I'll buy ye a pair of new gait
ers. William will pay for the oysters,
and I'll see that mother divides up the
dishes anil bedding with ye. Sarah, do
you want to see my gray hairs bowed
down?"
"N-oo."
"Then don't flunk out."
"Will they be two-dollar gaiters';" she
asked.
"Yes."
"And all the oysters we can eat?"
"Yes, all you kin stutV."
"And a tower next fall, if wheat dot s
well?"
"Yes."
"Then I guess I will. Come, Bill, 1
don't keer two cents for you, but I want
to oblige my father." iMroif Free rrexs.
A (ireat Musical Festival.
New York seems determined that Cin
cinnati shall not have all the glory at
taching to musical festivals on a mam
moth scale, and hence great attention is
to be bestowed on the musical fes
tival which is to be given during the
liist week in May next, in the new ar
mory of the New York Seventh liegi
ment. The festival will comprise four
evening and three day performances, and
provision will be made for 10,000 seats,
including 150 private boxes seating four
and five persons each. The festival is
to be under the leadership of Dr. Leo
pold Damrosch, and the chorus, which
will consist of 1,200 select voices, in
cluding the chorus of the Oratorio So
ciety, is now holding two rehearsals each
week in sections. Among the choral
works selected are the Dottingen "Te
Deum," by Handel, Ilubcnstein's "Tower
of Babel," and Berlioz's "Grand Iie
quium." The orchestra will share very
largely in the work to be done, and will
comprise the best available material,
distributed about as follows ; 80 violins,
10 violas, 30 violoncellos, 20 double base
viols, G flutes, 4 oboes, 2 English horns,
4 clarionets, 8 bassoons, 12 horns, 10
trumpets, 10 trombines, 4 tubas, lOtym
pani, 3 harps in all about 255 instru
ments. Besides the grand festival
chorus of 1,200 singers, arrangements
have just now been comployed for an
additional interesting feature of the fes
tival in the formation of another choral
force, to consist of 1,000 young ladies
and 700 boys, (the latter recruited from
church choirs.) who will sing several
shorter but interesting choral composi
tions at some of the aftemooon con
certs. Queen Victoria made four thousand
dollars on stock farming last year.
Origin of the 'yjaker's Dozen."
Close by Marked Street (now Broad
way) lived and prospered a baker, the
first man that ever baked New Year
cakes in fact, the inventor of them.
The name of our friend was Volckert
Jan Pietersen Van Amsterdam, common
ly known as Bans. He was Dutch from
his large feet to his round bald head,
and had no respect for any one or any
thing that was not Dutch. He was a
regular attendant at the old Dutch
church, but nevertheless, in constant
fear of being bewitched. His wife, Mar
itje, was economical even to saving the
parings of her nails, and his ginger
bread baliies were.always made in imi
tation of his children. It was New Year
Eve, 1055, and Baas was in his shop
dealing out cakes for small pieces of
money, called wampum. He had taken
an extra glass of rum in honor of St.
Nicholas, when he heard a sharp rap,
and in walked as ugly an old woman as
ever he had set hi,s eyes on.
"I want a dozen New Year cookies,"
she screamed.
"Yell, den, you needn'sbeak so loud,"
replied Baas. "Duyvel! I ain't teaf,
den."
"I want a dozen," screamed the old
w oman, "and hero is only twelve."
"Veil, den, und vhat de duyvel is
dwalf but a dozen?" said the baker.
"I tell you I want one more!" she
shrieked.
"Veil, den," said he, "you may co to
de duyvel und get anodder; you von't
get it here."
From this time on our baker's wife
and himself were made miserable. Their
money and cookies were taken away by
invisible hands: their bread either rose
out of their sight or sank into the earth;
their famous brick oven was torn down,
and poor Baas pelted with his own
bricks; Maritje became deaf; Bails was
black and blue from head to toe; and
such a life as he led was purgatory.
Thrice the old woman appeared, and
thrice was she sent to "de duyvel." And
at last, in his agony, Baas bethought
himself of St. Nicholas, who advised
him, on hearing of his troubles, when
he counted a dozen to count thirteen.
"Py St. Johannes de Dooper, put St.
Nicholas is a great plockhead!" thought
Baas; and while he was thus thinking,
St. Nick had vanished, and in his stead
was the old woman. She repeated her
demand for "one more," and Baas, re
membering St. Nicholas, acceded to her
demand, when she exclaimed, "The
spell is broken, and henceforward a
dozen is thirteen, and thirteen is a
dozen." And taking a cooky with an
efligy of the good saint on it, she made
Baas swear that ever afterward twelve
should be thirteen, as a type of the
thirteen mighty States that should
arise out of the ruins of the government
of Vaderlandt.
It is well known how terribly St.
Nicholas revenged himself upon those
who set themselves up against the ven
erable customs of their ancestors, and
refused the homage to him to whose j
good offices it was owing that this his
favorite city 1ms surpassed all others in
beautiful damsels, valorous young men,
mincepies, oliekoeks, and New Year j
cookies. ftrjers Maytziue.
A Street Horror in Paris.
All Taris says a c orrespondent, has
been deeply stirred by the shocking fate
of a little girl of nine, Georgette Babin,
the only child of a prosperous green gro
cer of the Hue Belzunce. She attended
a day school, to which her father every
morning took her and fetched her back
at noon. A few days ago they were
walking home, hand in hand, rejoicing
in the bright sunshine which had come
out after the snow fall. The streets they
traversed were busy with traffic and
sqadrons of sweepers who were pushing
heaps of snow towards sewer traps pur
posely opened to receive them. At the
corner of the Hue Ilautville the child let
go her father's hand to tightened her
muffler. Just then a wagon drawn by
a restive horse rumbled by. Babin
instinctively moved backwards, thinking
his daughter was by his side, btit when
he turned round to look for her she had
disappered. It was evident tLat in
backing out of the hors's way she had
fallen into a yawning sewer which was
of great depth. Cries for help were
heard for a moment and then ceased.
The child had clung doubtless to the
edge of the subterranean platform and
had then been swept awray by the force
of the current, which was swift and
swollen. The sweepers who flocked
around could scarcely restrain Babin
from jumping in after his child, who
must have been instantly drowned. The
district fire brigade was summoned and
came immediately, but too late, and the
police commissary of the quarter tele
graphed to the overseers of sewers to
watch all the gratings between the Rue
Hautville and Asnieres. A fireman was
lowered with ropes into the sewer and
remained immersed for twenty minutes.
Others ran along the platform to explore,
but unavailingly. The poor child's body
had not been caught by any of the grat
ings, and has probably been devoured
by rats.
There w as no encore when Samson
brought down the house.
FOR THE FAIR SEX.
Au lmpetitOMM IltiMbniid.
Henry the VIII., whose matrimonial
experience w as certainly varied, did not
enjoy single life. When Jane Seymour
died upon the birth of her first child, a
few months after her marriage, sa-s a
writer in the International Review, it
would seem natural that a husband of
any affection and sensibility would have
been too much saddened by the circum
stances of her death to entertain the
thought of another marriage at least for
some months; but negotiations were on
foot immediately for Jane's successor.
Henry proposed to Francis of France to
meet him at Calais, bringing with him
the first ladies of his kingdom, from
whom Henry might make his selection.
Francis, though anxious to conciliate
Henry, was not willing to drive the la
dies of France to auction like a herd of
cattle. Anne of Cleves, however, was
soon fixed upon; partly, it seems, be
cause she was reported to be large of
stature, which was a great commenda
tion to Henry, and partly because he
fancied a flattering portrait. She did
not prove to be so attractive in person
as he had anticipated, and proceedings
foi divorce were immediatelv instituted.
Fnhion Not en.
Earrings are not, either, as much worn
as they have been for some years.
Spanish net with large balls of che
nille is the latest novelty for evening
toilets.
For dinners and evening purposes, a
variety of surah aiid lace pelerines are
made.
Collars with large plaits are worn.
They are of surah or lawn, with lace in
sertions. The low-necked corsages are cut in
very deep points, front and back, and
filled in with narrow plisses of lace on a
foundation.
Tainted satin muffs, for evening wear,
match the painted collarettes, cuffs,
fichu, hood and little reticule that swings
at the waist.
The Marguerite gauntlet sleeve is
very fashionable and stylish. The top
is made of the material of the dress, and
the long cuff w hich reaches to the elbow
is made of plush velvet or satin. The
cuff fits closely to the arm, and is but
toned or laced up the back.
The newest fichus of costly lace have
wide Medici collars attached.
Roman sandals are the daintiest and
prettiest low shoes now imported.
Many house dresses have the corsage
cut pompadour or heart-shape, and filled
in with a Ml shirring of brocaded Span
ish net, and a high inching of the same
lace about the neck.
American and Italian Sumac.
It has been demonstrated, and we some
years ago published the proofs of the
facts, that the American sumac, properly
prepared, was decidly more valuable
than that of the Italian, and yet the lat
ter is sold in our market at double the
juice obtained for the former, the Amer
ican variety bringing fifty dollars per
ton. The statistics show that not more
than eight thousand tons are yearly
brought into the market in the United
States, but, if properly managed, the
amount may be very largely augmented.
The Scientific A mericun says that the dif
ference against the- American sumac is
caused by the mode now pursued in its
preparation, which renders it unsuitable
for making the finer white leathers used
for gloves and fancy shoes, owing to its
giving a disagreeable yellow or dirtv
color. It has recently been shown, how
ever, that the leaves of native sumac
gathered in June and July are equal to
the best foreign leaves. The importance
of this discovery may lie seen by the fact
that the cultivation of the plant may be
carried on most profitably in this coun
try as soon as manufacturers and deal
ers recognize the improvement thus ob
tained in the domestic article, and by
classifying it according to its percentage
of tannic acid and its relative freedom
from coloring matter, advance the price
of that w hich is early picked and care
fully treated.
In Italy the sumac is planted in shoots
in the spring in rows, and is cultivated
in the same way and to about the same
extent as acorn. It gives a crop the sec
ond year after the setting out, and reg
ularly thereafter. The sumac gathered
in this country is taken mostly from wild
plants glowing on waste land, but there
is no reason why it should not be utili
zed and eidtivated on land not valuable
for other crops.
Words of Wisdom.
Nothing can constitute good breeding
that has not good nature for its founda
tion. Some people think it an excess of mag
nanimity to forgive those whom they
have injured.
Speak of people's virtues, condone
their infirmities; if you can say no good,
talk no ill of them.
The tongue of a fool is the key of his
counsel, which, in a wise man, wisdom
hath in keeping.
We appreciate no pleasures unless we
are occasionally deprived of them. Re
straint is the golden rule of enjoyment.
Migration of Fishes.
A curious and valuable article on the
migration of fishes appears in a magaz
ine devoted to popular science, and is
evidently the work of a competent hand.
The migration of birds, it is said, is
found on examination to be insignificant
compared with the migration of fishes,
some of which accomplish journeys of a
marvellous character, the marvel mainly
consisting in the fact that they come back
from the most distant sjiots to the place
of their nativity, a truth which has been
ascertained by marking specimens and
watching for their return. It has been
estimated that the salmon of Obi and
Irtish travel about 7,000 kilometres(4340
miles) a year up and down the stream ;
and salmon and sturgeon often go from
1,500 to 2,100 kilometres (030 to 1,500
miles) from the sea to their spawning
places; and salmon to a height of 2,000
feet above the level of the sea. Salmon
may occupy six or eight months in going
xvp the stream and accomplishing their
spawning, but will return to the sea in
one or two months, travelling from 10
to 30 kilomenres (( ) to 18 miles) a
day. Some of the statements made
seem absolutely incredible, the more so
as it is not easy to see the data upon
which the scientific authorities work;
as, for instance, the assertion that "eels
are aide to ascend waterfalls from 4.0 to
50 feet high." One knows the power of
resistance of a waterfall, and by what
means, the reader may well be tempted
to ask, can the eel resist the enormous
force of the stream ? Nevertheless, truth
is so very much stranger than fiction
that the unscientific person would be
rash if he contradicted the student.
The stories of fish travelling on land,
wonderful as they are, seem to be based
upon well authenticated facts. ' 'Certain
tropical fishes have a remarkable faculty
of performing journeys by land. The
climbing fish and an ophiocephalus of
the East Indies and the doras costatus
of South America are able, when the
londs and swamps in which they live
are dried up, to travel for several hours
over the land to find places affording
more water. There is no reason to
doubt that eels can travel. The stickle
back is often found in pools wholly un
connected with other waters. It may be
that the eggs of the fish have been car
ried on the feet of waterfowl, or that
the wanderers have found their way to
such places during the rains of spring
and fall, when the fields, the ditches,
and even the waggon-tracks are running
with water." The habits of vagabond
fishes with no settled abode, such as the
shark, which will follow a ship for
lengthened periods, are contrasted with
the domestic and regular habits of other
finny families; and the probable reason
why some fish spawn in rivers and others
in shallow places on the coast are exam- j
ined, what is known of the artificial
propagation of fishes forming a guide to
these inquiries. The more the question
s looked into the more fish seem to be
possessed of an instinct which in many
cases looks very like intelligence. Lun
Stawlard. A Terrible Death.
At Tuperville, Va., Mr. B. F. Conrad,
a well-known merchant, of that place,
having returned from his store, he and
his wife, Mrs. Lizzie. Conrad, who was
carrying a lamp, were ascending the
stairway preparing to retire. Mr. Con
rad had just reached the landing when
he heard a scream, and on looking
around he was horrified to see his wife
lying at the foot of the stairs in a blaze,
the lamp having exploded," and the ig
nited oil flying all over her, having
wrapped her in flames in an instant. Mr.
Conrad and his niece, Miss Fannie
Byrne, ran to her assistance at once, but
he being a cripple and Miss Byrne being
palsied with fright, were scarcely able
to do anything. Mrs. Conrad's screams
soon brought two young men from a
store near by, who broke open the door
and attempted to catch her, but she
sprang by them into the yard and en
deavored to bury herself in the snow,
her shrieks and cries being most piti
able. The young men soon extinguished
the flames, but not until nearly every
particle of her clothing was bumed off
and she was almost roasted alive. A
blanket was immediately wrapped a
round her, and, strange as it may ap
pear, she walked up stairs to her room
without assistance, begging them not to
touch her. She suffered extreme pain
for some davs, when she died.
A Complex Rat.
A farmer living near Fort Wayne,
Ind., while pitching hay down from his
mow, came on a rat, and speared him
with his pitch-fork. He lifted the rat,
and was surprised to sec that it was at
tached to half a dozen other rats, all of
which were alive. The rats were attached
to each other by their tails, which were
plaited together after the most approved
method of basket -weaving. The farmer
reasoned thus, in explaining the situa
tion; The mother rat, after giving birth
to the brood, braided their tails so that
each might have the benefit of the oth
ers heat, and that they nright be better
able to endure the Arctic cold of winter.
The rats had grown to maturity, appa
rently without a thought of secession to
interrupt the even tenor of a hay mow
existence.
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
The beaver increases in numbers in
America and Norw ay.
Gallenga says that the Spanish-Indian
races will neither work nor think.
Eggs are so dear that Jersey people
will not buy them unless they have
double yolks.
The Christain world is taking an in
creasing interest in the religious and
civil affairs of India.
The Pullman Company is said to earn
on each of its 474 cars about one hun
dred and eighty dollars a month.
The first week of the New Year proved
a week of great disasters and distresses
in Europe and America, by land and sea.
Thirty million dollars is the sum that
Great Britain laid out for a scientific
frontier in Afghanistan, without getting
the frontier, after all.
In the Portugese bull fight the ani
mal's horns are encased in leather and
the battle is bloodless. It is not a prize
light, but a boxing match.
Jennie Robertson, who died lately at
Nashville, was known as Soldier Char
ley, because she had served several years
in male attire in the army.
London K--mim r says that intensity
may make a Cromwell or a Richelieu,
but that a modem statesman should be
not intense but comprehensive.
One gentleman was trying to describe
to another what is meant by "old gold"
color. He said, "Well, to tell the truth,
it is a black eye about four days paled."
A writer on dogs says that every one
given to sedentary pursuits ought to
keep a dog, as the necessity of giving
exercise to the dog will exercise the man.
A new summer city is to be created by
a number of gentlemen of Camden and
Philadelphia at Bamegat Beach. The
Pennsyluania Railroad will furnish
transport.
The following is an epitaph from a
tomb near Versailles; "Except in 185'.
during which for several days she took
lessons on the piano, her life was with
out a stain."
The richest mine in New Mexic, now
worth three million dollars, was orig
inally sold for three dollars in silver, a
little gold dust, and an old revolver.
But they don't all turn oxit so well.
The Baldwin Locomotive Works, of
Philadelphia, are employing more men
at the present time than at any previous
period in the history of the concern, the
weekly pay-roll containing 2,700 names.
The man for whom Carrie Stewart,
aged 14, killed herself at Elgin, 111.,
was just three times her own age, but
her heart was so set upon marrying him
that, when her parents locked her up,
she took poison.
One of those omniscient fellows, a
Washington correspondent, alleges that
the present Congress can show more
portly men and more men of ability than
any other body of similar size. Hereaf
ter constituents are expected to "take
the measure" of their candidates with a
surcingle,
A watchmaker of Copenhagen has
constructed a clock that needs no wind
ing up. It is kept going constantly by
means of an electric current, that ope
rates on the spring and maintains an un
varying and permanent state of tension.
Attention to the electric battery once or
twice a year is all that is necessary to
keep the clock in motion for an indefi
nite time.
Women in the Treasury.
The first female clerks in the national
treasury were appointed in 1868 by Sec
retary Chase, who placed them in the
office of the comptroller of the currency
at six hundred dollars a year. They cut
and trimmed the United States notes
issued in sheets, and did their work well.
As soon as they had been appointed
there were many other applicants, and
their number steadily increased, many
of them securing places through the
peculiar energy and 2erseverance which
will refuse to take no for an answer.
There arc now more than 1,300 women
in the departments at Washington, the
majority employed in the bureau of en
graving and printing and in the govern
ment printing office. They excel as
counters, their slender, sensitive fingers
turning notes with great rapidity and
exactness. They detect counterfeits, it
is said, quicker than men, though they
do not succeed so well with accounts, as
the average feminine mind has little
natural love for figures. Counters and
copyists receive nine hundred dollars a
year, other women, twelve to fourteen
hundred dollars, several of them sixteen
hundred dollars and one in the internal
revenue eighteen hundred dollars. Most
of (lie clerks are well educated and re
fined and many of them have seen more
prosperous days. A number arc widows
! and daughters of army and navy officers
i who lost their lives in the civil war.
i Very few of the young women or widows
I many or resign, and consequently the
hundreds who are constantly seeking,
places in Washington have very slender
prospects of success. The most untir
ing, obstinate place-seekers at the Fcd
eralcapital are women.
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