$Ih$ djhatham Record.
H. A. LONDON, Jr.,
EATES
OF
Kinroii axi ruoruiKTou.
ADVERTISING.
One square, one Insertion,
One square, two insertions, -One
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VOL. I.
PITTSBOBO CHATHAM CO., K. C, JANUARY 9, 1879.
NO. 17.
Tor larger adYertlaements liberal contracts wiU feo
JdvqrUscmtnts.
LARGEST
STORE
LARGEST STOCK
Cheapest Goods & Best Variety
CAN BE FOUXD AT
LONDON'S
CHEAP STORE,
Kew Goods Eeceirei eTer? Weet.
You can always find what you wish at Lon
don's. ITe keeps everything.
Dry Goods, Clothing, Carpeting, ITardware,
Tin Ware, Drag", Crockery, Confectionery
Bhoes, Boots, Caps, Hats, Carriage
Materials, Sewing Machines,Oils,
Putty, Glass, Paints, Nails,
Iron, Plows and Plow
Castings,
Sole, Upptr and Harness Leathers,
Saddles,
Trunks, Satchels,
Shawls, Blankets, Um
brellas, Corsets, Belts, La
dles Neck-Ties and Ruffs, Ham
burg Edgings, Laces, Furniture, Ac
Best Shirts In the Country for $1.
Best S-cent Cigar, Chewing and
Smoking Tobacco, Snuff,
Salt and Molasses.
My stock is a'ways complete in every line,
and goods always sold at the lowest prices.
Special inducements to Cash Buyers.
My motto, "A nimble Sixpence la betut
than a slow Shilling."
HP All kinds of prodnce taken.
W. L. LONDON,
Pittsboro', N. Carolina.
H. A. LONDON, Jr.,
Attorney at Law,
PITTSBORO, N. .
fSTSpecial Attention Paid to
Collecting.
J. J. JACKSON,
AT TOR NE Y-AT-L AW,
ttTTSBOIiO', X. c.
A11 business entrusted to him will re-
C'ivvj prompt attention.
R. H. COWAN.
DEALER IN
Staple & Fancy Dry Goods, Cloth
ing, Hats, Boots, Shoes, No
tions, Hardware,
CnoCKERY and GROCERIES.
PITTSBORO'. N. C.
NORTH CAROLINA
STATE LIFE
INSURANCE C0.f
OIF
RALEIGH, N. CAR.
P. n. CAMERON. JYeafcZmf .
W. E. ANDER80N, Vice Pre.
W. H. HICKS, Sec'y.
The only Home Life Insurance Co. in
the State.
All its fund loaned out AT HOME, and
among our own people. We do not snd
North Carolina money abroad to build up other
States. It is one of the most successful com
panies of Its age in the United States. Its as
sets are amply sufficient. All losses paid
promptly. Eight thousand dollars paid in the
last two years to families in Chatham. It will
cost a man aged thirty years only five cents a
day to insure for one thousand dollars.
Apply for further information to
H.A. LONDON, Jr., Gen. Agt.
PITTSBOKO', N. C.
Dr. A. D. MOORE,
PITTSBOKO', N. a,
Offer hit profaflRional nerrlces to tbe cltliens of
Cbathtm. with an experience of thirty yean ho
tiupe to giro eutira satisfaction.
JOHN MANNING,
Attorney at Law,
PITTSBORO', XT. C,
Practice, la the Courts ot Chatham, Harnett,
Moore and Orange, and la the Supreme and Fedsnu
Courta.
O. S. POE,
Dealer in
Dry Goods, Groceries & General Uerchandlse,
All kinds of Plows and Castings, Buggy
Materials, Furniture, tto.
PITTMBORO', N. CAB.
THE FARMER AND HIS WIFE.
The farmer came in from the field one day;
His languid step and his weary way,
His liemled brow, his sinewy haud,
All showed his work for the good of the land:
For he sows,
And he hoes,
And he mows,
All for the good of the land.
By the kitchen fire stood his patient wife
Light of his home, and joy of his life;
With face all aglow, and busy hand.
Preparing the meal for her husband's band.
She must loil,
She must broil.
She must toil,
All for the good of the home.
The bright sun shines as the farmer goes out;
The bit ds sing sweet songs, lambs frisk about;
The brook bubbles softly in tike glen.
While he works so bravely for the good of men;
For he sows.
And he mows,
And lie hoes,
All for the good of the land.
How lightly the wife steps about from within.
The dishes to wash, and the milk to skim !
The fire goes not out; the Hies buzz about;
For the dear ones at home her heart is stout.
There are pies to make.
And bread to bake.
And steps to take,
All for the sake of home.
When the day is o'er, and the evening is come.
The creatures are fed, the milking done,
He takes his rest "neath the old shade tree.
From the labor of the land his thoughts are free.
Though he sows,
And he hoes.
And he mows.
He rests from the work of the land.
But his faithful wife, from sun to sua.
Takes her burden up that never is done;
There is no rest, there is no play,
For the good of the house she must work away:
For to mend the frock.
And knit the sock,
And the cradle to rock,
All for the good of the home.
When autumn is here with its chilling blast.
The farmer gathers his crop at last;
His barns are full, his fields are bare.
For the good of the land he ne'er hath care;
While it blows.
And it snows,
The winter goes.
Tie rests from the work of the land.
Rut the willing wife, till life's closing day,
Is the children's guide, the husband's stay;
From day to day she has done her lest.
Until death alone can give her rest.
For after the test
Comes the rest
With the blest.
By the farmer's heavenly home.
HQW OUR BANK WAS ROBBED.
One bright morning, a few years ago.
great excitement prevailed in the London
ftice ot the City and Provincial bank
(limited.) Yet the bank had just de
clared a tat dividend of fifteen per cent.
for the halt year, shareholders were con
tented, and god Mammon seemed to cast
a favorable eye on the welfare of the old
and thriving corporation. However, a
mutinous feeling of discontent was plainly
visible upon the facts of the thirty odd
employees. who swarmed like bees into the
hive every week day morning for the pur
pose of manufacturing the golden produce
that delighteth the souls of distributing
directors and radiant proprietors. The
shoe pinched somewhere. Where was it?
The following notice, circulated for the
perusal of each clerk, contained the secret
of the unwonted gloom:
"Every gentleman will be required to
remain at the banking house two Sundays
in the year, to assist in guarding the
premises.
"By order, J. SroFFoitTii, Secretary.
Here was a revolution a coup d'etat
indeed! Six days we should labor, but
the seventh certainly did not belong to
the City and Provincial bank. The gild
ing of a little extra pay might have made
the pill easier to swallow, but on this
point the notice was discreetly reticent.
In the end, after a few days of conjecture
and excitement, every one quietly re
signed himself to his fate, as black and
white slaves are bound to do all the world
over.
I had been ten years in the bank, and
received a salary which, though not
magnificent, was sufficient to support in
comfort a young wife; and very happy we
were in our snug retreat at Wood Green.
Of course, we both thought it extremely
hard to be separated even for two Sun
days in a year; still we soon saw there was
nothing for it but submission.
Now, though I, in common with others,
rebelled against the forcible seizure of
Sunday s rest, yet it must be owneu mere
was some reason lor the extraordinary in
novation. The strong rooms of two
neighboring establishments had been at
tempted within a fortnight, and a boy
carrying bonds in Broad street had been
decoyed away and the securities stolen.
But, worst of all, some pilfering had been
going on for months in our own bank.
Stamps had disappeared to an alarming
extent. Clerks had missed money from
their coats, and now and then the gar
ments themselves were spirited away.
TraDs had been caretuiiy laid, ana a
detective spoken with; but as yet the
rogue was not discovered, and an uneasy
feeling was nie among us an.
The tank boasted ot tour porters or
messengers, one of whom the chief
lived rent free in premises that nearly ad
joined the building. He was a long, lean
man named Bennett, with a parchment
face and a goatee beard. Some people
said lie was civil, others servile; at all
events he was quiet, well up to his work,
and high in favor with the authorities.
Of the remaining three, one had been a
grocer s boy, and the other was a country
lout put into a green coat and orass out-
tons, both honest creatures, out or no lm
nortance in this narrative. The fourth
was an ex-policeman named Lance, a
blunt, pleasant man, much given to re
lating queer stories ot his tormer lite, and
not averse to a pot ot Deer tor ins trouble,
After eight weeks had passed since the
official notification, it came round to my
turn to keep guard. During the week
preceding the mystery had become still
more intensified by the unaccountable
disappearance of a 20 note, and matters
began to assume a very grave aspect,.
On arriving at the bank, the door was
opened by the night watchman, an old
pensioned soldier, who, for one pound a
week, remained in the building all night,
and vanished with the early morning on
the arrival of the porters to open the doors.
A few minutes afterward Bennett walked
in, accompanied, to my joy, by honest
old Lance, whose wonderful stories
fondlv hoped would help to relieve the
tedium of a long, dull day; then, without
more ado, I proceeded to make my first
round.
Preceded by Bennett, with a lighted
taper, I marched up stairs, through every
room and office, across perilous planks
and up dangerous ladders, till we gained
the trap-door which opened on the root;
then down again to the lowest abysses of
the coal cellar and st rong room, looking in
vain for some concealed Guy Faw7kes,
who, however, was conspicuous for his
absence.
Very minutely did I examine and try
the drawer, which had already been tam
pered with, as I knew it contained, beside
stamps, a large sum in gold and notes.
No it seemed firm and safe, and would
take "a deal o' work," as Bennett re
marked, holding his taper close to the
lock. Lance too, had a good look at it
and expressed the same sagacious opinion
as his colleague.
Our hrst visit ended and 1 was ex
pected to patrol at least three times in the
day the two porters went down to break-
last, and 1 adjourned to tbe manager's
room, leaving the door partly open, so as
to be able to see all round the bank. I lit
a cigar, and ensconcing myself comfor
tably in the managerial arm chair, pre
pared to stay the two hours which inter
vened between the cessation ot the cnurcn
bells and luncheon time. Suddenly old
Lance appeared again at the half-opened
door, and spoke in this wise:
"Scuse me, sir, but I ve been a pleace-
man, and 1 don t think that iock s an
right."
"Which lock, Lance? said i.
"That there drawer with the stamps,
sir.
"Well, let us look again."
So saying, we both went to the counter
which contained the drawer, and Lance
pointed out some small scratches on the
lock, and a slight indentation in the wood
work surrounding it.
" l hat s a chisel it 1 die tor it! said the
ex-policeman.
"By Jove! loti don t mean it ? '
"Sure of it, sir."
"Wi ll, let's have Bennett up stairs and
hear what be thinks of it."
Angry at being disturbed at his break
fast, the head porter came grumbling to
the place where I stood, and bending down
to the lock, impatiently inquired if it was
not a deal more likely the cashier had
scratched it in the course of business.
;Vfter a few minutes' further inspection,
he looked up with a knowing smile.
"1 believe Lance is right now; it looks
so fresh, I shouldn't wonder if the w atch
man knew something about this."
"Perhaps so," said 1; "What do you
think, Lance?"
"Well, he looks honest enough but
looks ain't always a guide," said the man
quielly.
" 1 hen 1 11 stop in the bank to-night,
and see if I can trap my gentleman," ex
claimed Bennet, "if you'll leave me the
key."
"1 can t do that, 1 replied, "but i shall
report the fact to the manager the first
thing in the morning."
"As you like, sir," he assented reluc
tantly, and they both returned to their
long neglected meal.
Again I retreated into my den, t
time with the proud consciousness of hav
ing something imiH)rtant to relate when
Monday morning should see the stream of
busy workers once more settling with
books and papers and filthy lucre gen
erally. One nay, two cigars did I con
sume down to the last half inch, read
Byles on Bills nearly through, in default
ot more cheerful literature, and I am afraid
a tiny doze must have ensued, as I was
awakened by Bennett's voice close to me
asking what I would take for Wncheon.
Mechanically I fixed upon the larkneyed
chop, and with it a pint of stout, to be
fetched from the only eating house that
deigned to be opened for a couple ot hours
on Sunday. While he was gone I took
the opportunity of making my second
round, and found nothing but iieaee
everywhere, with the slight exception of
being startled by the sudden appearance
of the bank cat from the cavernous depths
of the enormous coal cellar. Eventually
I returned to my room and found a suc
culent chop smoking upon the table,
flanked by a pewter pot of foaming stout,
which, on tasting, I found nnusually soft
and creamy indeed I fancied I could
detect a peculiar aroma in the grateful
beverage which seemed to make it more
than ordinarily palatable; anyhow I
thoroughly enjoyed the repast, and when
an intensely slumberous sensation crept
through all my veins, my strongest effort
of will proved insufficient to keep me
awake. While I was still struggling
against the impulse, Lance came to in
form me that he was going out to dine at
his home close by, while Bennett was left
on guard below. As he closed the door
behind him, my eyes shut, and I fell
asleep, but only in a few moments to be
re-awakened by his voice again addressing
me.
"I don't think I'll go out to dinner,
sir," said he, gazing at me with a strange
expression.
"Why not?" quoth I drowsily.
"Well, sir, I don't feel very bright to
day, and I'd rather stop indoors; and if
you d be so kind as not to mention to
Bennett as I've come back. But you
don't look very well yourself, sir. just
nowY"
"Lance, that stout has made me most
confoundedly sleepy 1"
' Well, have a bit of a nap, sir. I'll
see the place is all right only I don't
want Bennett to know I'm here."
"All right, all right," I replied, rather
shortly, for I wanted to be left to myself;
yet I was somewhat surprised at his wish
for concealment in so trivial a matter.
Again I saw the man pass out and
partly close the door, and once more 1
drifted into a heavy but pleasant slumber,
Soon I was a denizen of dreamland, and
a sharer in its grotesque and fantastic
imaginings. I thought I was clinging to
the telegraph wires that stretch like webs
over London, and performing thereon
athletic feats in impossible positions; then
I flew through the air toward my home
at Wood Green, spinning, as I went, a
thread of wire by which to return a
useless precaution, as 1 was at once
transported to the Desert of Sahara, where
1 found myself on a camel s back career
ing across the burning plain. But in my
dreams the face of the camel was the face
of the ex policeman Lance, and ever and
anon strange grating noises seemed to be
borne past us on the wind. The pace
began to slacken; and as 1 spurred on my
steed to fresh exertions, 1 seemed to feel
the prick of the rowel in my own flesh.
It became sharper and more painful; and
gradually camel, desert, chase, faded
from my vision, and the bank once again
dawned on my awakening senses. But
though my aerial steed and his surround
ings had all disappeared, the spur unac
countably enough remained, as my nether
limbs were painfully reminding me.
It was no dream this time I was wide
awake. Quickly glancing around. I dis-
covered Lance crouching down beside my
chair, and vigorously applying a pin to
the calf of my leg. To this proceeding I
was about to enter an indignant protest,
when a significant gesture warned me to
remain mute, tlis tace was white with
unwonted excitement, as he rose to his
feet, and beckoning me to a small aper
ture in the wall used for the transmission
of books and papers between managers
and clerks, bade me look upon a spectacle
that made each individual hair upon my
head to stand erect. The drawer contain
ing the stamps and gold was being tam
pered with betore my very eyes in broad
daylight. Stooping down with his back
towards us was a man softly but swiftly
torcing the lock with a chisel. But the
man the thief who was he? I knew
at a glance that long, lean form. It was
Bennett We both shrank back.
"Take off your boots, sir," he whis
pered in a low voice. 1 noticed that his
own feet were shoeless. "Creep round
outside the counter, and wait till I give
the word then over and help me."
I nodded assent; and then I saw Lance
crawl out upon his hands and knees into
the office, behind the shelter of a long
high desk, at the end of which he would
be within a few feet of Bennett. I crept
away to the other entrance of the mana
ger s room, which led into a large space
appropriated to the public, and gliding
noiselessly along, I arrived where 1 knew
1 must be opposite the thief at his wTork.
Click, click, went the chisel against the
brass lock. It was apparently a work of
time and difficulty, though the sound of
crushing wood-work betokened the near
accomplishment of the deed. How long
the time seemed! Had Lance been able
to get close to him undiscovered ?
I judged so, as the chisel still continued
its grating work. Sometimes it stopped
for a moment, and then I knew that the
man was watching the door of the mana
ger's room, to see that I was safe under
the influence of the narcotic administered
in my pint of stout. Click, click, crunch!
and the whole lock appeared to come
away, the drawer being at the same time
drawn softly open.
".wow, thought I, "here goes. '
Not yet! 1 could hear the mellow chink
of the small bags of gold as they were
hurriedly transferred to the man's pockets;
then the stiff rustle of many sheets of
stamps told of a like destination. I
listened breathlessly. Suddenly there was
a yell of mingled fright and rage, and, vault
ing at one bound across the counter, I saw
Bennett falling backward, his throat
clutched by the practiced hands of the ex
policeman, who held on with a will, having
sprung upon him silently from behind.
The half-strangled man struggled like a
hend, dealing me several ugly kicks wtth
his long legs as I attacked him from the
front. But the odds were too many, and
furthermore he had been taken by sur
prise, in a tew moments he was over
powered, and his hands and feet were
securely fastened. Not a word had been
uttered since the commencement of the
conflict, but now Lance looked up and
said in a stern voice:
"Got the scoundrel at last next
thing's a pleaceman. Will you go, sir, or
shall I?"
Here there was a fierce attempt to free
himself by the prostrate thief.
"Perhaps Id better stop with him, '
continued Lance; "you'll get a constable
in a minute at the station in Old Jury.
Seizing my hat, I was oft in a twink
ling, and returned in double-quick time
to the bank, accompanied by a stalwart
member of the city police. A few mo
ments saw the policeman, myself and our
chopfallen prisonei marching quietly to
the station, where 1 made the charge and
left him to the solitude of a cell till Mon
day morning. On my return to the bank,
the night watchman had arrived, ana I
prepared to go home.
"Why, Isaac, you must have suspected
the beggar before this," I exclaimed.
"I've thought it sometimes, sir," he
laughed. "Knew I should cop him some
day." Then, with a frown: "Mean,
sneaking skunk!' I believe he meant to
try to put it on to me or the other watch
man here."
4Well, all's well that ends well. Lance,
and it was a clever catch of yours. We
have a nice story for Mr. Spofl'orth to
morrow. Good night."
"Good night, sir."
When I walked into the bank next
morning, I found the story was already
known. Little kn ts of men were eagerly
discussing the event, and I as well as
Lance soon became the center of an ani
mated crowd. At eleven o'clock I was
summoned to the board room, to the com
mittee of directors, who complimented me
upon the capture, as if I, and not Lance,
had been the hero 'of the day. In the
morning newspapers there was a graphic
account of the "Great Bank Robbery,"
concocted by some ubiquitous penny-a-
liner, which my wife read and re-read
with mingled pleasure and alarm. Ben
nett was eventually sentenced to eighteen
months' imprisoment, which we all con
sidered far too lenient a judgment. The
ex-policeman came in for the head mes
senger's berth, with a house rent free and
a present of fifty pounds. In addition to
very much unmerited praise, I received a
bonus of a hundred pounds, which con
tributedin no small degree th the satisfac
tion of the household at Wood Green.
A writer in the Art Journal be
lieves that American woman are de
generating. The women who lives
next door furnished a sad example of
this fact yesterday. She got up at four
o'clock, and built two fares, lugged
four hods of coal from the cellar, did
the week's washing for a family of six,
before seven o'clock, prepared the
morning meal, impartially licked three
small children and got them ready for
school; potted several choice plants,
set a black patch into the cupola of her
husband's gray pants, read lour chap
ters of a New York Ledger continued
story, visited a neighbor and learned
how to cut her new cloak in the latest
style, cooked a boiled dinner, and
chased a book-agent out of the yard
with a broom, all betore twelve o'clock.
The American woman is indeed de
generating. Rockland Courier.
There lives in Franklin County,
N. C, a man 49 years old, who never
heard a sermon preached, never read a
chanter m the Bible, never fired a gun
and never saw a white man married.
New York Herald. There is a man in
Hillsdale County, Mich., who never
saw a horse, never heard a comic song,
never read a newspaper paragraph,
never saw a boat and never spoke to a
woman. He is deaf, dumb and blind,
poor man. Free, rress.
A MINING CITY TWO MILES UP IN THE
AIR
Leadville, Lake county, Col., is the
highest, newest, and, for its size, the
noisiest city on the continent. It is
what the miners call a rattling camp.
It is close up to the snowy range, over
looking California Gulch, the scene of
the gold-hunting furore of 1859. At
an altitude of 9,000 feet, or to put it
more forcibly, nearly two' miles higher
than New York, it may be considered
as well up in the world. There is no
place like it in the whole Rocky Moun
tains. It is a larger city than Dead
wood on the north or Silverton or
Lake City on the south. The twenty-
year-old towns of Black Hawk, Cen
tral, and Georgetown, are nothing to
it in population, trade, last money-
making, fast everything. Where Lead
ville now stands was a year ago almost
a howling wilderness. There were a
few prospectors busying themselves
with turning up rocks here and there,
but there was hardly what could be
called a camp. No town had been staked
out. It was not until last spring that
the place was organized and named.
r roni that tune until now people have
poured in from all the surrounding
country, from the far East and from
the Pacific States and Territories, until
there Is a bustling city of 8,000 inhabi
tants. It has a Mayor, Councils, po
lice and fire departments, churches,
schools, a telegraph line, daily mails,
money-order post-office, two news
papers, three banks, and hundreds of
stores, shops, saloons and other features
of a fast new city. The streets have a'
sort of straggling regularity. The
principal thoroughfares are named
Chestnut, Pine, State and Harrison
avenues. Almost everything is cheaply
built, the stores which carry the
largest stocks being mere cabins.
There are few story-and-a-half and two
story buildings. Lumber is in great
demand, and the three or four saw
mills in the vicinity are not adequate
to supply the need. Lately business
men have begun to plan larger and bet
ter structures, brick-yards have been
started, and some tine blocks are under
way. The prevailing spirit is that of
rampant speculation. People stake
out claims, tear up the rocks a little,
sometimes "salt" them, get some
plausible do-nothing to talk up the dis
covery, and it is but a few days before
an avaricious 'tenderfoot" catches tbe
bait at a high figure. Lotrbrokers, who
have the refusal of most sill the desir
able property in town, lot-jumpers and
city addition platters drive a big busi
ness. Lverything partakes of the na
ture of a grand debauch. Men seem to
be carried away with excitement, and,
no longer satisfied with the plodding
and sure-looted business ways, seem
lost in a mad, furious chase for for
tunes. Of course, saloons, dance
houses, theatres and keno-dens flourish
in such a place as this.
NAPOLEON'S W0NDEFUL MEMORY.
The Eniperor Napoleon was at Erfut.
A legion of kings and princes had come
to humble their crowns before his re
gent royalty. At one of the soirees
which he gave at this brilliant court.
the conversation turned on an ancient
pontifical bull, about the date of which
there was some doubt. An Austrian
prelate indicated a period which the
Emperor contested. "I am better in
formed than your Majesty, on such
subjects," said the prelate, "and I
think 1 am certain ot what I state."
"And for my part," replied the Em
peror, "l do not say l believe; 1 say 1
am certain you are deceived. Besides,
the truth may be easily ascertained:
let such a work be brought, and if I
am wrong I will hasten to acknowledge
it."
The book was brought. The Emperor
was right. The whole assembly were
astonished at such an excellent
memory oh the part of one whose head
was constantly occupied by a crowd ot
other subjects.
"When I was a lieutenant," said the
Emperor. These simple words, "When
1 was a lieutenant," produced a singu
lar effect upon all present; all the re
presentatives of the old monarchies
looked at each other, smiling. "When
I had the honor to be a lieutenant of
artillery," continued the Emperor, in
a louder tone, "I remained two years
in garrison in a city of Dauphin, which
had but a single circulating library. I
read three times the whole collection,
and not a word ot what I read at that
period ever escaped me. The title of
the book which has just been brought
figured on the list. I read it with the
rest, and, as you have seen, I have not
forgotten its contents."
EXAGGERATION.
The habit ot exaggeration is one
which rapidly grows into untruth, if
encouraged. Never "color" a story for
the sake of a foolish jest, or to excite
the laughter of a few companions at the
expense ot a friend. Be anxious when
you relate anything to tell it just as it
occurred. Never vary in the least de
gree. The reason why our ears are so
often saluted by false reports is because
people in telling real things add a little
to them, and as they pass through a
dozen mouths the original stories are
turned into something entirely dif
ferent. So when you attempt to tell
anything that you have seen with your
own eyes relate it correctly in every
particular, and as you grow older you
will reap the advantages ot this course,
"I hope there are no cannibals
around here," said a traveler to
frontier girl, as she was mixing a batch
ot dough. "There are plenty ot 'em,"
returned she, pouring some corn-meal
into the pan. "We always eat a little
Indian with our bread."
Last winter Dr. Sackett, of Ches
ter, Connecticut, made a violin of two
thousand and fifty pieces of wood. We
always thought there should be about
two thousand and fifty pieces in most
of the fiddles we ever listened io.-Hawk
eye.
SPONGES.
Among the dark-brown leaves and
green filaments which are borne upon
the edge ot the incoming tide, one fre
quently observes a substance hardly
distinguishable from the surrounding
plants, except for its light-brown color
and porosity. This is sometimes den
dritic (branching, like a tree), with
lank branches springing from broad,
thick-spreading bases; but generally it
is broken into fragments, and only the
palm-like parts, with their finger-shaped
ends, are left grasping among the
froth-covered sea-weeds. A slight
pressure will expel the water, and the
aspect of the half-dried specimen will
at once arrest attention.
only in the details of its structure and
its general form from the sponges of
commerce. The latter, whose irregu
lar swelling outlines are so familiar to
us, are ot foreign origin, the better
kinds coming from the more eastern
shores of the Mediterranean, the
coarser and larger kinds from the Ba
hamas. The commercial value of
these is based upon the horny nature
and closely interwoven texture of their
internal skeleton.
A sponge is, typically, a gelatinous
mass, in which is imbedded numerous
little spikes and plates, of a horny,
calcareous, or siliceous substance; or
hair-like threads of various forms.
which are so thickly disposed and knit
together by animal matter, that they
form a sort of open-work frame sup
porting the looser tissues.
In the common sponge this frame
work is wholly composed of horny
hairs, which are so densely packed and
elastic that they Immediately resume
ineir original snape auer oeing com
pressed. The gelatinous matter is in
all cases cleaned out after the sponge
is torn up from its rocky bed, and
those which we utilize are only the
horny skeletons of the living animals.
So loosely constructed and fragile.
however, are the large branching
species ot our own coast, that a dried
specimen may be crushed to powder in
the hand.
The exterior of our beach specimens
have a furry look, due to the project
ing points of the spiculae, which pro
trude through the outer skin. Scat
tered holes of considerable size reveal
portions of the interior, and between
them are innumerable smaller pores.
These larger apertures connect with
distinct channels which ramify through
the mass in all directions, and, when
surrounded by their native element,
expel continuous jets of water. In
fact the whole is only an apparatus lor
absorbing and ejecting sea-water, well
deserving its old name of sea-lungs.
The surrounding liquid is taken
in through tne smaller pores oi tne
outer side, and, passing through the
lung-like interstices of the structure, is
finally collected in the main channels
and thrown out again, together with
quantities of feculent matter through
the larger openings. The meshes of
the sieve and the channels are thickly
lined with myriads of microscopical
animalcula;, to which the perpetual
current bears their minute food, sifted
of all the coarse, unsuitable particles,
and maintains an invigorating supply
of fresh sea-water throughout the
whole colony. The animals themselves
create this current by the motion of
cilise, or little hairs, which grow out
from the region of the mouth. The
form .ot their bodies has been ascer
tained in only one species, called Leu-
cosolenia botryoides. In this, which is
quite small, though common on the
shore, it was found that they were
mmute sac-shaped beings, with a col
lar projecting from the free end, in the
middle of which was the mouth, situ
ated at the base of a long filament
which was hardly ever at rest. It
seemed to be employed principally in
casting morsels of food down into the
mouth, and this action, in itseii so
slight, is yet, when carried on by the
thousands of neighboring filaments,
sufficient to keep the fluids in rapid
motion through the meshes.
Until of late years the animal nature
of the sponge was disputed. Then it
was referred to the AmaJba forms,
creatures which are mere sprawling
drops of jelly, without mouths or
stomachs, but which, however, manage
to move about, and even in some spe
cies build up most elaborate internal
structures resembling minute shells.
Now, through the investigations of
Professor Clark, we know that they
are colonies of such comparatively
highly organized beings as those I
have described, and we are also able to
state, unon the same authority, that
their voung are free, roving globules,
resembling an isolated individual of
the parent stock.
The mode of growth has not been
studied in tbe sponge itseit, out in a
closely allied animal where a number
of little bells grow upon a stem (Codo-
siga pulcherrima). The young of this
is free at first, but finally attaches it
self, and becomes elevated on a pedicle.
Then the vase grows more oval, the
opposite sides at the narrowest diame
ter approach each other, coalesce and
split, dividing all the internal organs,
and the mouth and calyx, or collar,
into two parts. Two other filaments
grow up from these halves, and a fis
sure begins in the d?sc, which . gradu
allvsDreads both upward and down
ward, until two transparent vases
complete in structure, swing upon the
trunk which bore only one an hour be
fore. This prt cess in some species is
continued until quite a cloud ot des
cendants cluster around the parent
branch, but in others, again, only
separate and distinct individuals are
produced, the division totally sepa
rating the stem as well as the body.
The sponge, probably, grows in the
same way; but the vases, having no
stems, remain attached side by side
and secrete the gelatine and spiculae
or horny hairs, from the lower surfaces
of their bodies. These support the
membrane and enable it to maintain a
definite outline, and continue its
growth without the danger of col
lapsing.
xnere are several species on our
coast, but the most noticeable is the
great Halichondria, whose favorite re
sort is an old wharf-pile. This may
not seem an attractive object, but Na
ture has clothed the whole coast with
her living tapestries, and even here,
her taste is as faultless, and her hand
as lavish in decoration, as in more
favored and sunnier spots.
Get into your boat, and when the
tide is iowest float down under the
wharves through which the current
has a clean sweep. The waves lift the
dank bladder-weeds and long green
sea-hair which cover their stained
sides, while below these, brown clus
ters of muscle-shells open their fringed
mouths, and huge anemones, as thick
as your arm, spread their laced crowns
of white, brown, crimson, or varie
gated colors on the water-worn logs;
and in the midst our great sea-lungs
hangs out its mass of branches, and
spreads its weird fingers up towards
the observer. Even the sponge is
beautiful in such places and with such
associations.
mittitn.
A loaded revolver was found in a
cotton bale on the Charleston market.
A Rochester (N. Y.) clergyman is
in trouble because he married a boy of
18 and a girl of 11 years.
Some new goods are made of shark
skin. Porte-monnaies, cigarette cases,
parasol and whip handles of it are hand
somely lacquered.
Within twenty-four hours after Pas
savanti's attempt on King Humbert's
life, the King had received 4000 des
patches of congratulation on his escape
and Signor Cairoli 2500.
Two street preachers were lately
prosecuted in Edinburgh for behaving
in a "riotous, outrageous and disorderly
manner," shoutirg, howling and mak
ing a great noise.
The total number of immigrants
who arrived at Castle Garden, N. Y.,
during the eleven months of the pre
sent year was 76,546, an increase of
15,716 over the same period in 1877.
J. C. McCabe, Commissary of the
Citizens' Relief Committee, of Mem
phis, Tenn., in making a final state
ment, reports that 745,000 rations were
issued to 68,022 persons during the
prevalence of yellow fever in this city.
The Boston Transcript says there
is money enough spent in charity m
Boston every year to carry the whole
excess of population of the city to
points where they could at least earn a
living by working on tne iana.
Three young ladies in Pike county,
Pa., returning from a dance early one
morning, had to row across rorier s
lake. A wTounded buck w as discovered
in the water, when the girls killed him
with the oars and towed him ashore.
He weighed two hundred and forty-
four pounds.
-It is said that the Missouri river,
above the great iron bridge at Leaven
worth, Kan., is rapidly cutting a new
channel through the country eastward
of the bridge, and that, unless arrested,
in a short time the bridge, wnicn cose
nearly a million dollars, will be com
pletely isolated and rendered useless.
A good looking young English wo-
man recently sold her child, a very
pretty boy, thiee weeks old, to a gentle
man and lady whom sne mei m a rail
way car, for a five-pound note. The
gentleman at first jokingly asked the
price of the child, and being told that
a little would buy it, offered 5 ($25),
which was at once accepted, and tne
child transferred to its new owners,
who were greatly delighted with their
bargain.
Two gentlemen who were passing
the Ethan Allen estate, in Worcester,
Mass., recently, were attracted by a
large Newfoundland dog, which was
inside the tence, and Kept running to
wards them and then returning in the
direction of the pond in the grove,
where something was evidently wrong.
The curiosity of the gentlemen was ex
cited, and they followed the dog to the
pond, where they found another dog of
the same breed in the water, and un
able to get out. His front paws were
on the curbstone, but he could not get
sufficient hold to draw himself out. He
was nearly exhausted, and would pro
bably have drowned had not the gen
tlemen assisted him. The dogs showed
their gratitude in unmistakable sign?.
It is of good omen that some of the
members of the courses in political
economy of Harvard College have es
tablished a club for the discussion of
financial matters. Students have here
tofore confined their researches in this
direction to the question of pocket
monev. The president, willing to en
courage this effort to obtain knowledge
absolutely necessary to every one who
would vote intelligently, nas piacea a
room at the disposal of the club lor its
meetings; and several professors have
expressed their warm approval of the
new organization.
The late Mr. George O. Hovey, of
Boston, was in the habit of furnishing
a Thanksgiving dinner for the Chil
dren's Friend Society, his injunction
being that the little ones should have
as much turkey as they could eat. His
family since his death have kept up the
custom, and to make it permanent they
have presented to the society a United
States thirty-year coupon bond, to be
held as a fund, the income to be ex
pended in filling children with roast
turkey on Thanksgiving Day forever.
The intended marriage of the aged
King of Holland with the youthful
Princess Emma, of Waldeck-Pyrmont,
is so unpopular with the people, that
the marriage will not take place within
the King's dominions, but at Arolsen,
and after the wedding, which will be
about the middle of January, the royal
couple will not, as customary, make
their entry into Amsterdam, but will
spend the honeymoon in solitude, at
the Loo. The Prince of Orange de
clines to witness his father's marriage,
and Prince Alexander, of the Nether
lands, will not interrupt his travels to
attend.