...V -f&
. ..... -t- i i- .. V .. C - ... .. .-' -n , - . . .. ' . - - -
VOL. IV.-NO. 7.
MORG ANTON, N. C, SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1879.
WHOLE NUMBER 164.
HE BMJB HDGE BLADE.
i
It"
t
SPEAX SO ILL
Nay Bpeak no ill a kindly word
Can nTer leave sting behind.
And, oh! to breath each tale we've heard,
' Is far beneath a noble mind.
Fall oft a better seed U town
. By choosing thus the kinder plan ;
For if but little good be known,
Btlll let us speak the best we can.
Give ns the heart that fain would hide
Would fain another's faults efface ;
How can it please e'en human pride
To prove humanity but base ?
No ! let ns each a higher mood,
t A nobler sentiment of man ;
Ee earnest in the search of good,
'' And speak of all, the best we oan. i ,
Then speak no ill, bnt Jenient be,
. To other's failings if JV own ;
If you're the first a fault (o see, .
Be not the first tvoyke a know.
For life' is but a paStng day,
No lip may tell how brief its span ;
Then, oh! the little time we stay.
Let's speak of all the best we can,
Cousin Bob.
It was ftn otld-looktng old ring, set
with a single opal. Not the sort : of a
ring," by any' means, usually chosen
for a wdading-ring. But it had been
in the Kedfern family for ever so many
years, and on the bright summer
morning,, when Jack Kedfern was to
make pretty Susan Wheatley his wife,
he brought the opal ring, and with it a
s'.rihg of old-fashioned, pinkish-tinted
pearls.
"I have always heard that opals are
unlucky," said Susan, "Why didn't
yon get a plain gold band. Jack"
"It was my mother's wedding-ring,
and my grandmother's, and my great
ur.inil mother's, and maybe even fur
ther back than that."
A year had sped by. In the waning
brightness of departing summer, Susan
sat in the old trysting-placo alone. The
quaint opal ring glittered on her finger.
She touched it caressingly, turned the
stone 10 catch the sunlight, her pensive
eyes full of unshed tears, a tender
smile parting her lips; as she thought
of her happy bridal morning, only one
short year ago.
For Jack was gone ! Gone off over
the seas; never to return, perhaps;
gone, and not one word or line had
come to her since that terrible night of
his going. But she waited ard hoped
with that faith which is born of death
less love.
Jack, fond and proud of her in his
masculine fashion, had been prone to
be jealous. Without cause, as he con
fessed himself, but the miserable fail
ing seemed t be part and parcel ot his
nature.
One afternoon, Susan had gone into
her garden to weed her flower-beds,
while awaiting her husband's return.
"Susan!" called a pleasant, lazy
voice.
She dropped her rake and looked up.
It was only Bob her cousin, Bob
Wheatley.
"Why, Bob, how you startled me!"
she said. "' , ,
Will you come in? But 1 m very
busy.''
The young man sauntered in.
"You're always busy, it seems to me,'
Susan, when I'm about," he said with
a smiling sort of impudence. Wou't
yoti shake hands with a fellow, for the
sake of old times?"
A flush rose in the young wife's
cheeks ; but she gave Bob the tips of
her fingers. ,
In her girlish days, Susan had been a
good deal admired for her own sweet
face and winning ways, for the most
part; but Irt a few cases, the fact that
she would -inherit the old Wheatley
Homestead served to enhance her at
tractions.
Iler cousin Bob had been one of her
most assiduous admirers. He followed
her like a shadow and even after her
engagement to Jack Redfern, was a
little disagreeable by his marked de
votion, ti
After her marriage, on one occasion,
Cousin Bob had excited Jack's jealous
anger by making himself over-attentive
to Susan, and some pretty hard
words had passed between them.
' Bab took the finger-tips she offered,
held them an Instant, and then carried
them to his lips.
"How dare -you?" cried Susan,
snatching her hand awav; then picked
up her rake and went on with her
weeding.
"Let me do that for you, Susan," he
said after r minute. "If you were my
wife, you shouldn't drudge like a
slave."
Susan gave him a blazing glance.
"But I am not your wife, and glad
enough 1 am of it," she replied. "Go
away Bob; I don't want you here when
Jack is absent." j
Bob laughed an ugly, provoking sort
of laagh. : j '
"I suppose not.- You're afraid he'll
come and find me here, t the 'jealous
brute. But I am not going."
'Then I'll go myself," 'said the
young wife, and leit the garden.
. Rnb stood irresolute- a minute, halt
regretting what he had done, half in
clined to follow his cousin, and beg
her pardon. Something glittering in
the mound at his feet caught his eye.
He stooped and picked up the old opal
ring, which had always been a little
large for his cousin's finger. -;
His first Impulse was to return it to
Susan at once; his second was to keep
it, and pay her off for treating him so
seornfully.
H'sl!pned It tn his vest pocket and
took bis way to the vilJlage tavern. The '
place possessed a great charm for Bob.
He ordered a bottle of wine, and then
brandy and seltzer, and by sunet was
not quite himself. Lounging tnthe
tavern porch he " J-!rEe?fcrc com
ing down the rcio, u a, nuked
thought flashed thuugV Lis.- excited
brain.
"He's coming in. Xcvi toys," he
cried, "look out for some fun."
Jack came in to. leave a message with
the tavern-keeper, and, having deliv
ered it, was going out again, when a
loud voice paught his ear.
"Here's to pretty Susan Kedfern !"
it said.- :; '1 w
He wheeled around. Bob was Just
in the act of drinking his glass..
"How dare you trifle with my wife's
good name ?"-, demanded Jack. -
; ob laagbeCsixeertrljt
"When a woman shows a fellow fa
vor, he dares.everything," he answered
and held up hisight hand.
Ou the little finger gleamed the opal
ring. Jack saw it, and his dark face
flushed crimson. He cleared the dis
tance between himself and the speaker
with one bound, and before the by
standers could interfere had felled Bob
to the ground.
"'Stand back, neighbors," he panted
as he tore-the ring from the prostrate
man's finger. I'll have hisiife.for it."
But the bystanders interfered, and
Bob was got out of the way.
Jack went home, with all the bright
ness of his life dashed out. His young
wife met him at the door, in the silver
shine of the spring twilight. He
caugnt her, ana neja her at arm s
length.
"Susan," he said angrily, "where is
vour wedding-ring?"
"Why) Jack," flushing and speaking
with embarrassment, "it was on my
finger, I hope I have not lost it.
Her husband threw her from him
with a muttered exclamation, and
strode out of the house without a word.
All through the night, from the ris
ng to the setting of the stars, Susan
waited, but Jack did not return. She
fancied he was angry because her wedding-ring
was missing, and wept her
self ill over, his cruelty.
Morning came at last, and Mrs. Red
fern, Jack's mother, appeared. She
had the opal ring on her finger, and a
letter in her hand from Jack.
"Your husband has returned the opal
ring to me," she said in a severe voice.
"His letter will explain the rest."
Susan read the letter and then, with
the pathetic cry, "Oh, Jack, comeback
to me!" fell in a swoon at Mrs. Red-
fern's feet.
The tulips had bloomed, and were
withering on their stalks in the garden
when she awoke from that awful trance
of death. On her white, thin finger
glimmered the old opal. Hearing of
her illness, and bitterly remorseful for
the evil he had wrought, Bob had told
the truth about the ring. But it was
too late. Jack was gone-
"I'll find him, and bring him back
to her, if it costs me my life!" said
Bob. in remorse. And with a last look
at her death-like face departed.
Months came and went, and the cr
of the little new-born babe was heard
in the cottage.
'Mack's little baby," said. Susan, as
it lay on her heartj "and he may never
see it !" '
And now in the curly autumn, she
sat by the old stile, waiting the post
man's arrival. She had waited so many,1
manv times, but surely the letter would
come to-day; the letter from Jack, as
suring her that he loved her stiil.
The shifting sunlight fell about her,
fair head; a golden leaf fluttered here
and there, across the green turf at her
feet. Wife ant! mother in onei her bo
som thrilled with tender longing. Su
san looked at her wedding ring and
waited.
A quick, resolute tread on the coun
try road below. Could that be the
postman's nag?
Susan looked up, with her heart in a
wild flutter. It was not the postman,
but a tall, bronzed man.
"Oh, Jack! oh, Jack!"
In a twinkling, Jack had her in his
strong arms, and his tears were on her
"Oh, Susan, can you forgive me!'!
he said, with a choking voice.
"There is nothing to forgive," all
sobbed, clinging te him. "See, Jack
I have got my wedding-ring! Jack
you can never know how my heart has
hungered for you. "Jack, hiding
her hot face in his breast, "there'
someone besides me to welcome you.
Can't you guess, Jack? A little, wee
baby, Jack, with his father's own eyes.
I thought, once, you would never see
him, Jack, but thank Heaven you have
come." s
He coulil only hold her close to his
heart; he had no words to answer her.
"Jack, how did you know?" she
asked, at last, when the first rapture of
the reunion was over. "Did you get
my letter?''
"Xo," he answered hoarsely. "It
was Bob. He followed me across the
ocean; found me, and told me every
thing Oh, Susan, say you do reahy
forgive me?"
"Come and look at baby," was Su
san's xcply to that.
She Got Him.
A girl, young and pretty, but above
all gifted with an adorable candor, pre
sented herself before a certain Prussian
lawyer. "Monsieur, I came to consult
you upon a grave affair.l want to oblige
a man I love to marry me in spite of
himself how shall I proceed ?
The gent'eman of the bar had of
course a sufficiently elastic conscience.
He reflected a moment ; then, being sure
that no third person overheard him re
plied unhesitatingly : ' "Mademoiselle,
according to our law you already pos
sess the means of forcing a man to mar
ry you. You must remain on three
occasions alone with him ; and then you
can swear before a judge that he is your
"And that.Klrt Wlcc,
"Yes, modenmselle7vith one further
condition, whrcTi is, that you will pro
duce witnessess who will make oath to
their having seen you remain with the
individual said to have trifled with your
affections."
Very well, monsier, 1 Will retain
you as counsel In the management of
this affair. Good day." -
A few days afteWard the young girl
returned. She is mysteriously receiv
ed by the lawyer", who scarcely giving
her time to seat herself; questioned her
with the most lively curiosity. "Well,
mademoiselle ,how do matters prosper ?"
"Oh. all goes on swimmingly. I
nave passed a nau-nour with my in
tended. I have been seen to go up
stairs and come down again. I have
four witnesses wlud wiU affirm this tin
der oath."
"Capital, capital ! Persevere in your
designs, mademoiselle, but mind, the
next time you consult me you must tell
me the name of the young man we are
going to render happy in spite of him
self."
"You shall have it without fail."
A fortnight afterward, the young
person more naive- and candid tnan
ever, knocked discreetly at the door of
her counsel's room. 2o sooner was
she within, than she flung herself has
tily in a chair, saying that she had
mounted the stairs too rapidly, and
that emotion made her breathless. Her
counsel endeavored to reassure her.
putting his arm around her to keep her
from falling and offering her every as
sistance.
So she said, "I am much better "
"Well, now do tell me the name of the
fortunate mortal you are 'going to es
pouse."
"Are vou very impatient to know
it?" ,
"Exceedingly so."
"Well, then, the fortunate mortal be
it known to you, is yourself," said the
young beauty, bursting into a laugn.
"I love you, 1 have been three time
tete a tete with you, and my four wit
nesses are here below, ready and wil
ling to accompany us to the magis
trate," gravely continued the narrator.
The lawyer thus'fairly caught, had
the good sense not to get angry. The
most -singular fact of all is, that he
adorshis young wife, who, by thevay,
makes an excellent house-keeper.
The Beginning of Guns.
manufacture were made at Buxted in
Sussex, in 1543, by Ralph Hogge, mas
ter founder. About Cfrs time there also
came into use guns called arquebusses,
which were fired from a rest planted
into theearth. , Thej'rench were now
making rapid stride in the manufac
ture of brass guns," for is 1545, when
Francis 1. was preparing to invade Eng
land, we find Mm . (according to Pere
Daniel) possessing in his fleet one ship
carrying 100 brass guns. At the battle
of Pinkie (1543), pistols jnere in use
among the Germans and, others em
ployed In the English army. The can
non' were now provided' with iron balls
instead ot the ponderous stone ones In
use previous, to tb& yltiHere also
we nna mention or um j'css pi-is
4
tdi.
are frequently mentioned among the
firearms of the age. The first was so
named from having beeri used in the
vessels called carabs; the second from
being fired with its square butt planted
on the chest; the third, from its muz
zle being frequently decorated with a
dragon's head hence the troopers who
used it came subsequently to be named
dragoons. The wheel-locM hackbut
was used in Elizabeth's reign, with the
rest for the heavy matchlock, but the
powder was now made up in liases, each
containing a complete charge to facili
tate the loading of the piece, and the
strap to which they were attached was
named a collar or bandolier.
A Female Robls
i Cnuoe.
Jfo One to Blame.
Shrewdness and Ability.
Hop Bitters, so lreely advertised in
all the papers, secular and religious.are
having a large sale, and are supplant
ing -all other medicines, lhere is no
denying the virtues of the Hop plant,
and the proprietors of these Bitters
have shown great shrewdness and
ability in' compounding a Bitters.whose
virtues are so palpable to every one's
observation. Exchange.
In 13-iG cross bows were in pretty
general use among the English, but a
new era in war was to be inaugurated,
for with the army of Edward III. (at
Ipressy) came five small pieces of can
non, a species ot weapon supposed 10
be unknown in France, though cannon
are spoken of in a sea engagement in
the 13th century between the' King of
Tunis and a Moorish king of Seville.
By whom the five pieces of cannon were
made is uncertain : but Le Blond, in
his "Treatise on Artillery,"vsays that
the earliest guns "were of very clumsy
and inconvenient make, being usually
formed of several pieces of iron fitted
together lengthwise, and then hooped
with iron rings ; and as they were used
for the throwing of stones of prodigious
weight, they were of enormous bore."
The "Dictionare Militaire" (175S)
asserts that cannon "were known in
France," according to some authors, in
1338, under Philip, but known of only.
"Nevertheless," says Voltaire, ,"tili
the reign of Charles VIII., artillery
continued in its infancy. They did not
make use of artiUery in sieges till the
reign of Charles V. King of France:
and the spear was their principal weap
on till the reign of Henry IV." No
more mention is made of cannon in the
Eno-lish wars until 1405. when we are
told that, at the siege of Berwicka shot
from one great gon so shattered a tower
that the gates were at once thrown open
by the alarmed garrison. In the year
14C0. James the Second of Scotland
lost his life by the bursting of one of
these rude implements of war. At the
siege of Roxburgh, standing in the vi
cinitv of a gun which was about to be
discharged, the rude mass composed of
ribs of iron, bound together dv noops
of the same metal, burst asunder, and a
fraWment striking the king onhe thigh.
broke it asunder, and killed him on the
snot. Handguns were not then in
vented, but at the battle oi snipping
Barnet(1471) mention is made oi w)
Flemings armed with hand guns, but
of the construction nistory uw uui
tell. At the battle of Flodden (lold)
James of Scotland had with him thirty
pieces of artillery, which had been cast
frr him at Edinburffh. bv the master
gunner of the Castle, Robert Borthwick
Seven of these guns were of great beau
tv. and were known as the "Seven
Sisters of Borthwick." The cannon of
Mia English were of inferior make to
The other day when a house on Fifth
street took fire and was saved by the
firemen in a damaged condition, they
set about trying to discover the cause
of the accident, and in so doing ques
tioned various inmates of the family.
The bead of the house had ahis theory
all ready.
"It is my Opinion," he began, "that
some enemy of mine climbed, to, the
roof and emptied coals on the shingles.''
The idea' was laughed at and the wife
said :
"Well, there was a lamp up stairs,
but it was not lighted. Iow, if the
rats got hold of matches and tried to
light that lamp, they would just as
quick throw a lighted match on the
bed as to blow it out. I don't say they
set the house afire on purpose, but you
know, how careless rats are."
The theory didn't hold with the fire
men, and the oldest daughter was call
ed upon.
"I expect it was spontaneous com
bustion," she began. "You see, in my
room tip stairs, w here" the srV" "broke
out, there was a hole in the chimney
I didn't like the smoke coming in my
room, and so I stuffed the hole full of
straw. It may be that the straw and
mortar and the bricks caused sponta
neous combustion."
The firemen were about to accept her
theory when the small,,boy of the fami
ly came up and said :
"I know all about it. Ye see, Bill
Smith he was on the shed a heavin'
snow balls at dogs. Tom, the feller
with one arm, was m the barn playiu'
with my goat. That Turner gal she
was on the fence out there callin' us
names, and her mother had the clothes
line and was tryin' to lasso a stick of
wood off a wagon in the alley. 1 went
down in the cellar to see if my mud
turtle had got away, and I was just try
ing to set the cat on him when 1 heard
father fall down stairs and mother give
a yell, and that's how the house got
afire, and now I won't- have to so to
school for six weeks."
Meteoric Stones Catalogued.
Mr. Charles U. Shepard. of New
Haven, Conn., writes to the Judionapoli
Journal for fuller information concern
ing the alleged meteQric stone of recent
those vised bv the Soots, being com
Dosed of hoops and bars.
. The first cast-irOn gun9 of English
Otoriety, and expresses an earnest de
sire to procure a piece of irto add to his
large collection. Mr, Shepard has been
nformed of the facts, or rather the
want of the facts, in the case. His let
ter states that he has been for forty
years a diligent student oi meieuruiugj ,
nd that he has accumulated the larg
est collection of meteoric stones In the
I'nUed States, if not in the world. He
forwards a catalogue of his collection
showing the number of stones, and the
date and locality of their tall, lhe
collection embraces over 300 meteoric
stones and meteoric irons. The . total
weight of the collection is about 1,200
pounds. The largest iron, procured
from Colerado, weighs 4W pounds, and
the smallest, from Ostego county. New
York, weighs half an ounce, lhe
largest entire stone procured from Mus
kingum county, Ohio, weighs fifty-six
pounds, and the smallest one, irom
Sweden, weighs less than fifty grains.
The specimens have been gathered from
all narts of the world, lhe catalogue
begins with one which fell November
7. 1402. in Alsace, and ends with one
which fell February 12, 1875. in Iowa
county, Iowa. There are none between
1492 and 1763, but most of the -years
since the latter date are represented,
and some years by several specimens.
Nearly every country in the known
world is represented in the list. The
entire collection is in one of the build
ings in Amherst College. Mr. Shepard
makes one statement which will sur
prise most persons, ne says : "There
have been several instances of death
occasioned bv meteoric stones. Two
monks in different places were thus
killed in Italy, and twr sailore on ship
board in Sweden."
in the spring of 1835 the small schoo
ner Peor es Nada, built at Monterey,
was chartered by Lewis T. Burton and
Isaac J, Sparks ifor an otterhunting ex
pedition from Santa Barbara to the
coast of Lower California. The schoo
ner sailed in May, but the trip not
proving so successful as was anticipat
ed, she returned as far north as San Pe
dro, where she remained at anchor du
ring a portion of the month of August
ot the same year. It being known that
the small inland of San Nicholas, situat
ed -about seventy miles southwest of
San Pedro and a little further southeast
from Santa Barbara, .was inhabited, by
a ,n,uniljer,pf Indians, the. Peor esJKada
main land. Nineteen men, women and
children were taken on board the
schooner, which was preparing to de
part when one of the Indian mothers
discovered that two of "her offspring had
been forgotten and left on the island.
With true niaternal'devotion she sprang
into the water and swam to the shore
in search of the missing children, one
of which was 4 years of age and the
other an infant unable to walk. Her
hurried search was unavailing, and,
abandoning all hope of finding the
babes, she returned to the beach just
n time to see the schooner sailing
away with all her friends on board.
She called frantically f9r some one to
take her to the vessel, but received no
reply but the one sad word, manyana
(to-morrow), which never ceased to
ring in her ear and was repeated on
her dying bed. The schooner never
went back to the island, which was
nol; again visited until lool, when
George Nidever, an otter hunter,
stopped there for a few days. He was
not previously aware that the place
was inhabited, but on his occasion he
became convinced that such was the
case. He noticed three small circular
in closures about two hundred yards
from the beach about a mile apart.
They were about six feet in diameter
made of brush, the walls five feet high,
with a small opening on one side. Near
these openings were sticks of driftwood
stuck in the gronnd in the form of a
tripod, supporting tried blubber. These
Inclosures appeared to be simply wijnd
breaks, affording no protection from
rain. He also saw a mysterious foot
print, and judged to be that of a wo
man from its small size and arched cen
tre. An approaching storm obliged
Nidever's vessel to leave the islaind
without allowing him to persue his jn
veVTgartonS any farther, ill . 2?0wfever,
having seen many otter on his visitl to
the island made a second during the
winter of 1852, and being requested jby
the Mission Fathers of Santa Barbara,
he and a party determined to make a
careful hunt for the supposed lone In
habitant of the island. Within half a
mile of the head of the island they djis
covered a basket in the croth of a biish
or small tree, covered with a sealskin
and containing a dress made of shagc
skin a seafowl common in that section
carefully folded up, and several piec
es of skin similar to those of which he
dress was made; also a rope of seal
sinews, shell fish-hooks, bdne
needles, etc. As it was late and time
for them to ruturn to their boat for tjlie
night, Mr. Nidever scattered the con
tents of the basket on the ground.jso
that upon his return' he could judge) of
the presence or absence of the owner
by finding them gathered up or remain
ing as he left them. The following
four or more davs were spent in otter
hunting, and before the search for tjlic
j
Indian woman was renewed a southeast
gale compelled them to seek a more
hospitable harbor at the island of San
Miguel. A third expedition made; to
the island in 1853 by Nidever, Charles
Brown and four Indians from the San
ta Barbara mission were more success
ful. On the day after landing jj
Brown discovered the object of thir
search at a distance, and cautious ap
proaching in an opposite direction frOm
the remainder of the party came'
close to her without being observed.
She was sitting cross-legged, skinniing
seal blubber with a rude knife made of
a piece of hoop-iron driven into a piece
of wood. There was no covering jon
her head excepting a thick mass of mat
ted hair of a yellowish-brown color,
due to the exposure to the sun and fcjir.
The hair was short, as though the ftjne
ends had rotted off. She would occa
sionally raise her hand and shake her
eyes and look toward the other men jon
a sandy plain near the beach, whom
she evidently saw,. The balance of (he
party were now signaled in order tfcat
t-he might be captured if the attempled
to escape. To the surprise of all slie
made no attempt to get away, feut
greeted each one as they approached
with a bow and a smile, and chattered
spring of water issuing from the bank
above the beach, under a shelving
rock. The cracks or Assures in this
rock were stuck full of bones, and there
were other evidences of an encampment
ot the lone inhabitant of the -island.
These bones were used for nourisk
ment, obtained by sucking; they were
dried and resucked many times, show
ing that occassionally she was put upon
short rations. Wit at the time of her
discovery appeared to have an abun
dance, such as it was. She retained
ill her teeth, but they were worn low,
supposed to be due to her chewing
tough and solid articles of food. Her
age appeared to be about 50 years, Mr.
Brown made heraskht of ticking, with
which', ahd sal for 'Sctto shift and a.
oiacK neKtie, ner uress was conrpieie.
A severe storm arose, and embarking
with their island queen, the men soon
found themselves at sea in a storm. She
made signs that she could stop the
storm, and obtaining permission she
knelt on the deck facing the quarter
whence the wind came and commenced
muttering something supposed to be a
prayer. She soon got up, but contin
ued the prayer at intervals during the
day, apparently without fear, and
when the wind began to abate she
turned to her fellow-voyagers and with
a smile made signs that her prayers
had been answered. She was taken to
the house of Mr. Nidever in Santa Bar
bara, where she became the centre of
attraction. I he Mission fathers took a
great interest in her, sending to Los
Angeles and other places, hoping to
find one who could converse with her,
but'failed. Even the Pepimaros Indians,
who were said to have had an acquain
tance with the Indians on the island,
could not understand her. Two offers,
one of $1,000, for he privilege of tak
ing her to San Francisco were refused
by Mr. Nidever. When found she was
in excellent physicalcondition, strong
and active; but the eating of fruit and
vegetables brought on a sickness, which
in connection wiih an injurv to the
spine received by falling from a porch,
terminated her life four weeks later,
or seven weeks from the time she
landed. "
BRIEFS.
A Mean Advantage.
There were a score or more of women
gathering together at Mr. Johnson's
house. Mr. Johnson is a jjcod-hearted
man and a respectable citizen though
he is rather skeptical in some things.
The women had just organized "The
Foreign Benevolent Society," when
Mr. Johnson entered the room. He
... d at- finfta annaktMl trk AnnntO U few
dollars as a foundation teorfcA And
then Mrs. Graham added
"It would be so pleasant, in after
years for vou to remember that you
gave this society its first dollar and its
first kind word."
He slowly opened his wallet, drew
out a ten dollar bill, and as the ladies
smacked their lips and clapped their
hands, he asked :
"Is this society organized to aid the
poor of foreign countries?"
"Yes yes yes!" they chorused
"And it wants money?"
"Yes yes."
"Well, now." said Johnson, as he
foWcd the bill in a tempting shape
"there are twenty married women
here. If there are fifteen of you who
can make an oath that you have combed
the children's hair this morning, wash
ed the dishes, blackened the cook-stove
and made the beds, I'll donate ten dol
lars." "I have," answered two of therrnwd,
and the rest said :
"Why, now, Mr. Johnson !"
"If fifteen of you can make oath that
your husbands are not wearing socks
with holes in their heels, the money is
yours," continued the wretch.
"Just hear hinA" they exclaimed,
each one looking at the other.
"If ten of you have boys without
holes in the knees of their pants, this
X goes to the society," said Johnson
"Such a man !" they whispered.
. , . ., a : . e , i
i "11 mere are nve pairs oi w inngn
fr
ill this room that do not need darning,
I'll hand over the money," he w ent on
"Mr. Johnson," said Mrs. Graham,
with great dignity, "the rules of this
society declare that no money shall be
contributed except by members, and as
you are not a membfcr, 1 beg that you
withdraw and let us prorced w ith the
routine business."
It Is rumored In Berlin, that Queen
Victoria will, during the present year
pay a visit to the grave of the late Prlu- ,
cess Alice.
It is suggested that New Haven,
Conn., celebrate on the next 4 'it of July
the lootb. anniversary of the invasion
of that city by the British.
London converts her public bath
houses into gymnasiums for the winter,
under the provisions of an act of Par- .
liament parsed at the last session. -
In November there were five four-,
masted ship In San Frafietscd harbor.
which the Bulleti r that city call -a
maritime phenomenon. -... t i . a 'j
The stock of grain la Boston elet-. .
tors is only 200,000 bushels, agains,thlfRf t
a million bushels at tne same
year. Joseph Milmore, the sculptor, has v
received a commission to execute busts
of Lord Lome and wife, for the city of
Ottawa.
Of the 907 students at Eton, one is a
marquis, one an earl, one a vifcount,
two are counts (foreign), thirteen are -lords,
thirty-eight are honorable and
three baronets.
Dr. David Lalng, the well-known "
investigator of Scotch antiquarian liter
ature aud keeper of the Signet Library - -at
Edinburg, died recently at Porto
bello. M. Ambrolse Thoma7 the compos
er of "Hamlet" and "Mlgnon," was
married recently at Nancy, te M'lle
Elvira Remaury, a sister of Mine. Mou
tigny Remauay, the pianist.
The Bordeaux Mint, the scene of
the recent misappropriation of MM. '
Rothschild's sliver, it to be closed and
the staff transferred to Paris, which will
now be the only rench mint, Stras
bourg having become German.
The death is announced of the Ger
man painter Nerly, who has been living
in Italy since 1820. He was acquainted
with Uoetbe and Byron, and Is mention
ed In the respective biographies of the
two poets.
The Berlin police have lately found
that at least one tenth of the population
of that city live in cellars. The mor
tality among them is great. Half or
the houses of the city are excessively
crowded.
The silver mounted. Malacca cane
of Judge Lynch, the founder of Lynch
burg, Va , and the originator of Lyncb
law, and his Inkstand, are In the posses
sion of Mr. E. J. Withers, ol Henderson,
Ky.
Mrs. Appel. said to be the oldest
person in Cincinnati, died there several
days ago, at the age of 07 years. .She
was active up to tlie time of her death.
A singular feature in connection with
the woman is that she never shook hands
with George Washington.
A lady in a Franklin county (Me.)
town In providing for the .twenty-firsts
anniversary -cupper of her son, an pnlj
rhlld, set upon cue table K dish re
serves that were put up in Aug"itV07. "
They were first tested on the eventful
day of his birth, again when seven years
of age, and also at fourteen.
New discoveries of gold, have been
made in Siberia, near the source of the
Konnls8ar, and a nugget of gold, weigh
ing 147 pounds, the largest ever discov
ered In Russia, and probably in the
world, has been found on the banks of
the Upper Toungouska, about 100 versts
above the river's mouth.
The Special Relief Committee of the
Odd Fellows of Memphis, Tenn., have
made their report, showing that they
received $18,061 in contributions during
the prevalence of the yellow fever.
Ninety-five members of their fraternity
died, and of their families, 134; The
number of widows is 54, and the orphans
150.
Judge Junicin, of the Court of Com
mon Pleas, of Juniata county, Pa., in a
recent case against an employe of the
Pennsylvania Railroad for shoveling
coal on an engine on Sunday, held that
on long lines of railroad "both necees?
ity and chanty require that trains car
rying live-steck and perishable freight
be run upon Sunday, and the statute of
1794 is not violated thereby
A man in New Haven, Conn.,
whose house was infested by sewer rats,
tried the experiment of catching one of
them in a trap, and leaving it to starve
to death, believing that its cries would
frighten away its old associate. Its
xbriekg of rage and despair had the de
sired effect. The trial was made tlx
months ago, and not a rat has been
heard from or seen within those walls
since.
The productions by State and Terri
tories of precious metals during 1878 is
as follows : California, 118,820,461 ;
Nevada, $35,181,949; Oregon, 11.211,724;
Washington, $73,311 ; Idaho, $1,868.1x2;
Montana, $1,763,040; Utah, $6,064,613:
Colorada, $0,232,747; New Mexico,
$453 813; Arizona, 2,287,983; Dakota,
$2,2 15,805; Mexico, (west coast,).$l,694.
995; Britiah Columbia, $1,283 408.
Total, 87, 154, 622.
The Power of Latin.
Already three clalmst to the $15
bounty offered by the Princess Louise
for triplets have been made within a
fortnight.
all the time in a dialect that none! of
them understood, although the Indians
accompanying Mr. .Nidever were ac
quainted with several Indian dialects.
She was talking apparently to herself,
from the time Mr. Brown approached
within hearing distance until she was
made aware of his presence. The x
pression of her face was pleasing, her
features were regular, and her comple
xion much fairer and her form more
o-.e.il than that of the Indian
BJ 1JJ v. v ,
women on the main land, and she is be
lieved to have belonged to a different
and superior race. By signs ana otner
means of communication she was m$dc
aware that they wanted her to accqm
nanv them, and without any apparent
hesitation she made ready to follow
in their course to where the schooner
lay at anchor they found a beautiful
It is an oft-spoken whim of the cy
uics and possibly something more
that the doctors give their prcsciptions
in Latin so as to afford their ignorant
patients the benefit of a little Imagina
tion. Bolus ranificut Hounds a good
deal moee Important than "bread-pill.'
Some years aeo in a Rhode Island Je.
gislature a member moved to translate
all the Latin phrases in the statutes so
that the people could understand them.
A Mr. Updike took the ground that it
was no advantage toave the people"
understand the law. He said that they
were not afraid of anything they un
derstood ; that it was the Latin w ords
they were afraid of, and proceeded to
illustrate as follow: Mr. Speaker,
there was a man In South Kingston
about twenty years ago who was a per
fect nuisance, and nobody knew how
to get rid of him. One day be was hoe
ing corn and he saw the Sheriff coming
with a paper and asked him what it
wu. Now if he had been told that It
was a writ what would he have cared ?
But he told him it was a capiat satisfa
ciendum, and the man dropped his hoe
nl ran and has .not been heard-of
since. '
' The school population of South Caro
lina is 228,128; of this number 144,315
are colored. The school attendance
during the past year was 102,336 color
ad 55,952. There are 2483 public schools
employing 1725 white ana 949 colored
teachers. The average salaries of male
teachers were $28 32 per month; of fe
male teachers, $26 67. Of the 226 020
expended upon the schools, $100,000
was appropriated by the State, and
$4100 was bestowed from the Peabody
Education Fund.
ft is asserted that from the summit
of mount Etna the circle of vision has
the enormous radius of 150.7 miles. The
habitable zone of the mountain is very
fertile, and sustains a dense population
1424 to the square mile. Rod well
says the gigantic chestnut trees of Car-
plnelto are no my tns, dot sodot nwiuw.
He asserts that the diameter of the
trunk of one of them Is twenty-five
feet, and that a public road passes
through the much-decayed trunk of the
largest, the Caatagno di Cento CavallL
It Is estimated that there are In the
State of New York no leas than 6400
ecclesiastical organizations of all de
nominations, occupying nearly "many
edifice, which famish teat for 2,600,000
persons and have an enrolled member
ship of 1,300,000 in round numbers.
The total value of these cfenrch edifices
and the lots which they prj",1j
$101 J10.0CO, to which should be added
aay $16,600,000, the value of the parson
ages and other real estate belonging to
the various denominations.
7T