JjjllylllJ'
VOL. III. NO. 19.
PITTSBOliO', CHATHAM CO., N. C, JANUARY 20, 1881.
E. A. LOHDOH, Jr., Editor M Mlister.
Winter.
fkere'i glory in the ci earning blast,
A beauty in the treated tree;
A wyrtery iu th lake that's glassed
With ice. and awe upon the sea;
Enchantment on the lar-ofl hills,
A mueic iu the snow flake gale,
Beneath the ice, the ringing rills,
Sing many a song, tell many a tale
I always knew I scarce know why
But knew that superhuman power
Was in tbe snowdrift 'ueath the sky,
As well as in the little flower,
knew it when first I saw the snow
Lie like a shroud upon the earth;
When 1 .olt the gentle south winds bio
And newborn roeeB sprang to birth.
And I have learned to love the time
When nature wears its lrosty crown;
The sleighbells with their merry chime,
O'er hills and valleys, up and down.
1 like to hear the schoolboy's shout.
The sparkle ol the lass' eye ;
And mark their lootstepe on the route
That leads btyond tbe winter's sky.
i GREAT, TALL FELLOW.
I bad known my sister-in-law Adeline
Eliza in a desultory way ever since my
fourteenth birthday June 15, 1972
when I was brought home from boarding-school
to be present at her marriage
to my eldest brother; but never until
that dreadful Fourth of July, 1877, had
I had the slightest idea of her extra
ordinary capability and endurance as a
story-teller. Nor do I suppose T should
ever have known of them our ways in
life lying far apart had not Adeline
Eliza's annual visit to New York hap
pened at the very time I had my first
serious quarrel with Gabriel Huviiand.
That occurred the evening before the
above-mentioned anniversary of the
declaration of American independence,
ard was about dear me! the? silliest
thing. Looking back, it seems almost
impossible to believe that we could have
been so extremely foolish as to quarrel
as we actually did But Til tell you
all about it, and you can judge for your
self. Gabriel had been reading aloud
from some English paper or other the
Baiurday Review, if I remember aright
an article entitled " Mothcrs-in-Law,v'
and as he laid down the paper he said:
" I fully agree with the writer that the
jokes many of them very stupid ones
at the expense of mothers-in-law have
been carried quite far enough, and I
also agree with her"
" Or him, I suggested.
"or him, that there are lots of
plendid women among them, but at
the same time I must conless that I'd
prefer a home without a mother-in-law
."
Now I had been an orphan ever since
I was five years of age, and what pos
sessed me to feel so angry at Gabriel's
remark I cannot imagine; but angry I
was, and with flushed cheeks and flash
ing eyes I raised my head from his
shoulder of course we were engaged
and asked, indignantly, " Do you mean
to eay you would not have liked my
mother?"
"Nothing of the sort.' said he, with a
emile. "1 know I should have liked
her. She must have lieen charming, to
have had so charming a daughter."
But I refused to return his smile, and
with head very erect, went on: "But
you would not have shared your home
with her?"
"No, darling, frankly, I would not."
" Thcn'I would never have lived with
you if you refused to allow my mother
to be one of the household," cried I.
"Ah, your affection for ine must be
dec p indeed," said he, with provoking
coolness. "But in spite of our touch
icg declaration, my dear, I still repeat,
no niotbT-in law in ruy house. I've
seen Uo much of that arrangement in my
own family A man m.iy be a good fel
low, sad Ins wife's mother may be a
good fellow, while apart, but bring them
together under the same roof, and m
ninety-nine rases out of a hundred fire
nd eunpDder would be amiable com
Vini jds in com parison."
"Other lamilies might be better
tempereJ than yourV said I, with an
attempt at sarcasm. " Mine might
be."
"No mother-in-law, my love," was
Gabriel's sole reply.
" Then no Caroline Frower," said I,
in a perfect rae. "And what's more,
you needn't wait any loLger. I won't
ko to your sister's. So there, now !"
"Very well" (why do people say
" Very well " when they mean quite the
contrary?). And at last, really pro
voked, my lover seized his hat, and was
gone in a flash.
Did you ever hear of a sillier quar
rel, taking into consideration, as I said
before, that I bad no mother, and, as I
didn't say before, Gabriel was also
motherless?
The bells were ringing merrily when
I awoke the next morning (I had shut
out tbe moon, and cried myself to sleep
the night before), and when I drew up
my shade the sunshine came in as glo-.
riously bright as though Gabriel and I
bad not quarreled. But its brightness
ould not make me forget that we had.
1 was thinking of it all .the time 1 was
dressing, and wondering what I was to
do with myself all the long, hot, noisy
day.
It had been arranged a month before
that Gabriel and I should spend the
fourth with his only sister, who lived
in a charming ce untry house in a pretty
Uc-anecticut village, and Gabriel had
called to escort me thither on the morn
ng of the third, when, unfortunately,
Laving a little time to spare, he regaled
me with "the article on " Motbers-in-w
That read in, as I have already
narrated, resulted in my staying at
home. "I suppose," I said, bitterly,
to myself, "that Gabriel has gone, and
that that Price girl, with eyebrows like
interrogation points, will be hovering
about him all day, as she always does;"
and I gave my wrapper, such a pull that
two cf the buttons came o", when Ade
line Eliza came in.
"Why, Car'line," said she every
body else called me ..Carrie " ain't you
gone?"
"No," replied I, shortly, resisting an
inclination to make some sarcastic re
mark oa that most obvi jus fact.
"Why not P"
"Beewise I didn't want to" pet
tishly and ungrammatically.
"Had a tiff with GabeP" (Every
body else called him Gabriel.) And
then seeing I would not answer, she
continued, good-naturedly to do her
justice, she was the soul of good nature
" Well, don't stay mopin' here. Take
a c up of coffee, put on your things, and
come with Gus and me. My folks are
all K-i'oin' to meet at Hillside and have
a good old- fashioned picnic. You know
grandfather and mother and heaps of
my relations live there. Hurry up and
come along."
And I hurried up and went along,
for, as I quickly reasoned, spending the
day with daisy-dotted fields, fine old
trees, green hills, and an old-fashioned
picnic would be much better than being
nearly driven crazy by cannons, fire
works, smoke and boys.
Hillside looked cool and inviting as
we stopped at the depot, but my heart
sank within me as I st p ed from the
train. I seemed to be so far from Ga
briel, and the thought that the Price
girl was no doubt so near afforded me
anything but consolation.
And now while we are walking single
file along the narrow aidewaik.shadedby
round old apple trees, I'll go back a lit
tle in my story to tell you that a week
before this Fourth of July a burglar
had been caught in grandmamma's
house. Adeline Eliza caught him, but
unfortunately had been obliged to let
him go before assistance had arrived.
Since the eventful night I had heard
her tell how she " woke up, about
twelve o'clock" Gus being away
"feeiin'as though somethin was goin
to happen, and there stood a great, tall
fellow, with big black whiskers, at the
burer;" and how she " sprung for him,
and hung around his neck till he.begun
to choke, screamin' 'Murder!' all the
time;" and how he "got away, and
jumped out of the back winder on to the
grape arbor, just as the policeman came
in the door;" and how " he had a pistol,
and if he could have got it out of his
pocket, he would 'a shot me" (before
that dreadful day was over I almost
wished he had) so many times that I
was as a wearied as " Mariana in the
moated erange." Ami -vhen I heard
Adeline Eliza begin, to a r elation who
had met us at the station, and in whose
footsteps bhe followed, "A great, tall
fellow," I groaned in spirit. Not that
I had any idea how that burglar would
pursue me all day. If I La4 had, I
should have silently turned and fled,
and taken the next train back to the
citv.
After a quarter of an hour's walk we
arrived at the house of the particular
aunt who was to be our particular host
ess, and found her and her whole family
awaiting us on the ample porch, while
betore the gate stood a large and comfortable-looking
carry-all. Into this,
after numberless hearty welcomes, we
were helped, and in a few moments were
upon tbe grounds selected for the pic
nic. Pleasant, grass-covered, undulat
ing, tree-shaded grounds, with a little
brook runnintr along at the back of them,
glittering, splashing, and chattering in
a most delightful manner.
Beneath a gnnd old hickory which
partly overhung this brook I sat me
down, and Adeline Eliza and several of
her brothers, and a few 'of her sisters,
and two or three of her cousins, and her
aunt, and her bright-eyed old mother,
grouped themselves before me.
" Isn't this lovely?" exclaimed one ol
the cousins.
" Beautiful!" said Adeline Eliza. "But
I must tell you about the burglar; never
came so near being killed in all my life."
gently swung my feet over the bank
on which I was sitting. "I went to
sleep th. it night awful tired " I dropped
almost into the brook below "but some
thin' made me wake up "I stole away
on tip-toe "and there stood a great, tall
fellow " reaching my ears as I descended
into a Lilliputian valley with my spark
ing li ttle companion.
I walked with the happy brook a mile
or more, and then turned back as the
dinner-horn sounded. And such a din
ner! or, more properly speaking, such a
breakfast, lunch and dinner all mingled
into one huge meal, as met my aston
ished vision when I again joined the
party!
Giant loaves of home-made bread;
biscuits, buns, crackers; pork and beans
together; beans without the pork; pork
without the beans; chickens roasted,
broiled, and in salads; beef boiled and
baked; peas, corn, and more beans skill
fully combined, or in separate dishes;
young beets, cucumbers, lettuces ; cakes
a legion of cakes ; pies a host of pies ;
berries bushels of berries; coffee, tea,
and lemonade gallons of them all! If
ever table did groan beneath the weight
offere d , those tables should have groaned
with a groan more appalling than ever
was heard from the ghost of Hamlet's
father. Never saw I so bountiful a re
past before, and, truth to tell, it was a
welcome sight, for, notwithstanding my
srief at being separated from my Gabriel.
youth and country air asserted them- '
selves, and I was decidedly hungry.
"Set right down here, Car'line,"
called my sister-in-law, the moment I
came in sight, pointing to a vacant seat
on htr right. I obeyed, unfolded my
napkin, took a cup of coffee somebody
handed me, said, " Yes, thank you," to
an offer of roast chken, when Adeline
Eliza, with her mouth full of succotash,
turning to her neighbor on the left, re
sumed the story which my arrival ap
parently had interrupted for a moment:
"A great, tall fellow with big " I
jumped up hastily. There was an un
occupied chair at the children's table.
I'll help take care of the little ones,"
said I, and fled once more.
Dinner lasted about two hours, and
shortly after a stalwart, brown-faced
young farmer bashfully proposed a
swing, or a ' scup," as he called it. 1
eagerly accepted his invitation. Any
thing, anything, I thought, to cet away
from those " big black whiskers," and
keep Gabriel and that forward Price
girl out of my mind. Besides which, I
was very fond of swinging. So in a few
moments I was merrily flying up among
the tree-tops, and in another few mo
ments a shrill, too well known voice
followed me. I glanced down. Adeline
Eliza stood beneath an adjacent tree,
talking to her deal old grandfather.
44 No, no, I didn't say black sisters,"
she screamed; "black whiskers big
black whiskers."
And thereafter, no matter how high I
soared, that wretched story soared with
me."
" I gave him a choke," yelled Adeline
Eliza.
"No, no, not 'joke.' It wasn't no
joke, but a real burglar."
"Let the cat die," murmured I to my
farmer friend, and before it was fairly
dead I sprang from the pw'ne. nnd ore
cipitately ioined a noisy party who were
playing "Follow my leader" with
shouts of laughter that could have cer
tainly been heard a mile away.
Supper. Another heavily-loaded table,
and people eating as though they had had
no dinner. Adeline Eliza sat opposite
tome. An elder sister, who had just
arrived on the scene of action her car
riage having broken down and tumbled
herself and children into the dust five
miles up the road, from whence they
had all trudged, while "pa" went to
look lor a blacksmith took her place at
my side.
" I declare, when that wagon went to
pieces," said she, " I was almost scared
to death."
" Scared to death !" repeated my sister-in-law,
with an accent of scorn.
" Guess it you'd 'a waked up and seen a
burglar in your room, as I did t'other
night"
' No !" exclaimed her sister.
"No 'no' about it," replied Adeline
Eliza, gulping down her ice-cream in
such a hurry that her nose turned blue,
and I shivered. "A great, tall fel
low" I started to my feet, plumped an open
eyed, open-mouthed urchin into my
place, handed him my cake and ice
cream, and rushed out into the old
fashioned garden. Even there my evil
spirit seemed to pursue me, and I fancied
the crickets chirped over and over
again, " A great, tall fellow," and the
treetoads and katydids joined in with
"Big black whiskers, big black
whiskers."
"Oh, Gabriel! Gabriel!" said I, "if
you but knew what I have suffered, you
wouldn't even speak to that Price girl,
let alone play croquet with her, as I
suppose you have been doing all after
noon!" And I wandered about among the
sleeping flowers until the crickets and
tree-toads and katydids had resumed
their usual son;, and then I returned to
the house, hoping to find the old arm
chair that stood at one end of the porch
without an occupant. It was. All the
party, as I saw when I peeped through
the white muslin window-curtains,
were assembled in the long, low-cei1
inged pallor. Adeline Eliza sat in the
center of the room, one of her children
asleep in her lap. "And I woke up,"
9le was saying, "and there stood"
Where, oh, where shall I fly?" ex
claimed I, in nervous agony: and in my
agitation and the darkness, missing the
porch steps, I stumbled, and fell into
the arms of Gabriel, my Gabriel.
" Who are you flying from, dear?" he
asked, as ho gave me a kiss.
" A great, tall fellow" began I.
He put me away from him sternly.
While I have been at home alone all
day." he said, "thinking of you, and at
last, unable to endure your absence any
longer, have followed you here, you, it
seems, have been flirting"
- " No, no, Gabriel," I almost shouted ;
"you are mistaken ever so much mis
taken. Ycu can't imagine you never
could imagine what this day has been
made to me by what's its name? ' it
eration,' as somebody says in Henry the
Fourth. Poe's raven, with its funereal
Nevermore,' must have been bliss in
comparison. Only listen." - And he list
ened, laughing heartily one moment,
and sympathizing with me the next.
"You poor little martyr," he said,
when I had finished . " But it's all over
now, and we'll never quarrel again.
Had you fifty mothers, they should all
be welcome to the shelter of my humble
roof."
" Oh no, you are too good, dearest,"
cried I, not to be outdone in generositv
" We'd take care of them nicely just
around the corner."
When, the party breaking up, Gabriel
helped me into the carry-all. "Why,
Gabe," exclaimed Adeline Eliza, "is
that you? You'll have to sleep in the
barn.1 And then, t looking down into
the earnest face of a young nenhew who
sat at her f et, she said : " Let me see.
Where was IP Oh yes. A great, tall
fellow" But what cared I? The spell
was broken. I never heard another
word of the story, although I believe
she told it again to the very end, for my
heart was singing loudly, " Gabriel is
ere! Gabriel is here!" Harper
Weekly.
Russia in Christmas Time
When the leaves fall the Russian
winter sets in at once, imprisoning the
serf3 in their cabins for seven dreary
months. This is their period of domes
tic life. Home has to be made the most
of. Deep canon-like cuts lead fron
house to house, and there are3requent
gatherings of young and old.
When Christmas comes the father of
marriageable children arrange with
their neighbors, and the girls are all
taken to one house with their parents.
A Christmas tree is set up on the table,
where brandy is dealt out to each comer
with piroge a meat biscuit. Then the
marriageable girls are placed in a row
on a long bench, each one vailed. The
young men, who have ben kept in an
adjacent room, are let in one by one by
the master of the house.
With throbbing heart each girl awaits
he entrance of the youth to whom she
has already given her heart. Will he
be sure to recognize her in her disguise?
We do not know whether the heart of
the true lover is preternaturally keen,
or whether in these cases there is some
preconcerted signal, but it rarely hap
pens that when a young man bows low
before a maiden she does not raise a vail
to meet his glance with blushing locks
of love.
Yet it sometime occurs that a blunder
ing dolt hits upon a girl whom he does
not love, or who eyes him with scorn
The unfortunate fellow is then the but,
of ridicule from all sides, and can escape
only by a considerable present in the
way of damages.
When the couples have all been satis
factorily told off, each bride and groom
proceed to their parents' cabin, where
they enter vailed. The oldest of the
family then exchanges rings between
them three times, a holy picture is given
to them to kiss, they embrace one an
other, and are recognized as betrothed.
As the Russian government always
gives a young married couple farmland
and wood for a house the marriage fol
lows soon after the engagement. On
the wedding day the friends of the bride
dress her up, taking off her maiden at
tire to invest her with that of a married
woman, on which they lead her to her
groom. The wedding always ends in
copious libations of brandy.
The next day the parents enter the
honse of the new-married couple to wish
them happiness, and oner them bread
and salt. Titus peace and happiness
enter the new home the best of Christ
mas gifts.
An Appeal io nonor.
Several weeks since a prisoner was re
ceived at the Detroit house of correc
tion who seemed determined to have his
own way at every cost. In twenty-four
hours he was in disgrace for obstreper
ous conduct, and he was no sooner out
of one sera pe than he got himself into
another. He was locked up, tied up
and punished in diflerent ways, and the
other lay when he committed soma new
breach of discipline the deputy called
him into the oifice in despair and be
gan: "John, how long have you been
here?"
"Two months.
" How many times have you been
punished?"
" About a dozen times, I guess."
" And still you are lazy and impudent
and quarrelsome?"
It isn't for me to dispute you, sir.'
"I've been thinking over your case,"
continued the deputy, " and I have con
eluded to put you in charge of the
smallpox hospital. You are too lazy to
catch the disease, and too mean to let
anybody else have what you can't.
Get your traps together."
" S:iy, deputy," replied the man, as
his eyes began to bulge, " this is the
trst time since I've been here that you
have appealed directly to my honor.
When I was. ordered and commanded
and compelled, I felt aggravated and
obstinate. Now that you appeal
directly to my sense of honor and duty,
I shall cheerfully obey. I think I can
paint more chairs than any three men in
the shop."
"You do?"
I do, sir, and I'll prove it."
He was given a chance, and he hasn't
given occasion for reprimands since.
Free Press.
Mr. A. Broson Alcott says that his
daughter Louisa, author of "Little
Women," was a bright child ana got
most of her education 'at home. She
kept diaries and filled them with short
stories. With her three sisters she es
tablished a theater in the garret, and
wrote "no admittance" over the door.
Soon the neighbors heard of her theatri
cal performances, and wishing to see
them, the little actors had recourse to
the barn, which they fitted up with plat
form and scenery. Love was the rule in
the Alcott family, and the office of ser
vant was unknown. In order to learn
what it was to be a servant she entered
the household of a former senator and
was put at all kinds of drudgery. A
young theological student boarded in the
family. Shortly after her time as a
servant had expired he asked her to
black his boots. Her reply was that
while studying divinity he should have
learned humanity. Her literary career
was commenced with writing stories
for magazines and papers.
FOB THE FAIR SEX.
Finger Rings.
The practice of wearing ring3 has been
very prevalent in different countries and
at different periods. Rings have been
used to decorate the legs, fingers, toes
and nose, which last fashion was very
prevalent among Israelitish women.
The form of the ring symbolizes eternity
and constancy. In the Saxon period,
and even after the Norman conquest,
800 years ago, a ring around the neck
was the recognized badge of personal
serfdom. The Egyptians wore finger
rings, the signet being an emblem of
authority. Too dark-eyed Jewess, in
the days of ths prophets, delighted to
adorn her slender fingers with glitter
ing rings set with rubies, emeralds and
chrysolites. The GreekB used finger rings
in connection with marriage rites.
There are some specimens on which are
brief inscriptions. A Greek ring has
engraved on it. "Faith immortal,"
There are Roman nuptial rings in the
cabinets of the curious, on which are
engraved, in rude Latin letters, " Love
me," "I love you," "Happy life," etc.
Among the ruins of Pompeii was found
a cold ring, picked ui in Diomed's
house, on which was cut the device of
a man and woman joining hands. This
is supposed to have been a wedding
ring. Th custom of inscribing short
sentences, called "Posies," on wedding
rings is noticed by Chaucer, Shakes
peare and other dramatists. The Grimel
ring as a marriage ring was at one time
in great favor. It was a double or triple
ring, formed of two or three links turned
upon a pivot. At the betrothal the par
ties concerned broke the ring asunder,
each retaining a link to serve as a re
minder of the engagement until they
ratified it at the altar, when the parts
were reunited, and served for the mar
riage ring. This ring is mentioned in
the "Beggar's Bush," by Beaumont and
Fletcher. It is undeniable that finger
rings look remarkably well upon a lady's
delicate and well-formed pretty little
hand or hands. They become them,
and what a neat way they have for ex
hibiting the rings there, that is suffi
cient. Troy Times.
Faablon notes
Some of the short petticoats worn
with little sacks for morning dress are
quilted.
Link sleeve-buttons do not sell as well
as the single buttons, in spite of .the
favor of fashion.
The gowns with plain straight trains
and fronts opening over trimmed aprons
are iu high favor.
Puffs of colored satin are inserted into
the outer seam of black dress sleeves
when they are worn in the evening.
Collars for the outer garments worn
by small children are pointed on the
right shoulder and fastened on the left
by a steel clasp.
Alsatian bows for the hair are simply
shirred to form their loops instead ol
being held together by a band of ribbon.
Veils of red guaze are much vgornin
Paris, although they injure the eyesight
and make the face look as if painted
It is a mistake for a young lady who
wishes to appear slender to wear a very
large cord about her waist, and a fat
woman should content herself with a
vest.
Webbing or stockinet, of silk, and 'in
all the new colors, is sold by the yard
for corsages and sleeves.
Cardinal, old gold and heliotrope satin
line many of the most elaborately jet
embroidered dolmans.
Dresses continue to be narrow. Wide
sleeves, gathered at the top, are much
worn, and new combinations are com
bined with old ones.
Some of the most elegant ball dresses
for the winter are of black tulle, em
broidered with gold, amber and irides
cent beads, and have a most dazzling
effect.
ne wasned oa Sunday.
He only whispered it to a lady friend
who sat beside him in church, but it cost
considerable trouble.
' There comes Mr. Proud's wife. Do
you know she washes on San day ? I've
seen her do it," is what he said.
" Heavens! Can it be possible?" ejac
ulated the lady.
" Yes, but please don't say anything
about it."
She didn't.
In exactly seven days by the clock
everybody in church knew it. It came
to the ears of Mr. Proud, and he set
about tracing the story to its origin,
Mrs. Proud was being snubbed by near
ly everybody in the congregation . Even
the minister forgot to take off his hat
when he passed her in the street.
There was some talk of dropping Mrs.
Proud's name from the roll of church
membership.
Mr. Proud became furious. He
went around tows with a pistol in his
pocket.
He finally found the lady who had
started the report, and asked her who
her informant was. She referred him
to the gentleman who had mentioned it
to her in church. Mr. Proud jammed
his hat over his eyes and sought the
miscreant.
" Did you say that my wife washed on
Sunday P" asked Mr. Proud, with mur
der in his eye.
"Certainly," responded the man,
without budging a muscle.
" I want you to take it back."
" I can't. It's a fact, and 1 dont see
anything to get mad about. I wouldn't
let a wife of mine-come to church with
out washing. Would your'
Tableau.
TIMELY TOPICS
The marvelous accomplishments ol
lectric telegraphy at the present day
ire seen in the louowms schedule of
imes and places, as "given in a French
paper of recent date: A telegraphic
jispatch sent from Paris will reach
Alexandria, Egypt, in five hours, Ber
lin in one hour thirty minutes, Bade in
yne hour and fifteen minutes, Bucharest
live hours, Constantinople in five
hours, Copenhagen in four hours, Cuba
in ten hours, Edinburg in two hours
and thirty minutes, Dublin in three
hours, Frankfort -on-theMain in one
hour twenty minutes, Geneva in one
hour fifteen minutes, Hong Kong in
twelve hours, Hamburg in one hour
thirty minutes, Jerusalem in six hours,
Liverpool in two hours, London in one
hour fifteen minutes, Madrid in two
hours thirty minutes, Manchester in
two hours and thirtv minutes. New
York in four hours. New Orleans in
eight hours, Rio Janeiro in eight hours,
Rome in one hour thirty minutes, San
Fan Cisco in eleven hours, St. Petersburg
in three hours, Saigon in eleven hours,
Southampton in three hours, Sydney,
Australia, in fifteen hours, Valparaiso
in twelve hours, Vienna in one hour
forty-five minutes, Washington in six
hours, Yokohama in fourteen hours,
and Zanzibar in seven hours.
In Mr. Gladstone's household, at
Hawarden, was an old woman servant
who had a son inclined to go wrong.
The mother remonstrated and advised
her boy, but all to no purpose; he
seemed determined on a headlong course
to ruin. At last the mother, in her des
peration, caught the idea that if she
could persuade the premier to take him
in hand, perhaps the prodigal might be
reclaimed. 44 Screwing her courage to
the striking point" for what will a
mother not do for her child? she ap
proached her master, and, in trembling
tones, preferred her request. Mr. Glad
stone responded at once,and though the
affairs of the greatest kingdom in the
world pressed heavily upon him, with
genuine simplicity of character he had
the lad sent to his study, when he spoke
finder mwords of advice and remon
strance, and eventually knelt down and
prayed a higher power to help in the
work of redemption. This kindly action
was effectual, and the lad became a re
formed character.
The recent earthquake at Agram,
Austria, was almost as terrible as simi
lar convulsions in South America. The
damage to private buildings in that city
alone amounts, according to the best
estimate, to upward oi 4,000,000 of
florins. Among the minor inconven
iences consequent upon the disaster, the
total suspension of lighting by gas was
severely felt. But the inhabitants were
not simply deprived of light by night,
but even of fire by day. The chimneys
of most dwelling-houses fell down, and
though the cold was very severe the
citizens did not venture to light their
fires as usual. Tbe loss and damage in
works of art and antiquities in the city
very great. A most extraordinary
natural phenomenon was observed at a
spot about nine kilometers from Agram.
There a number of fountains of hot
water burst out from the earth. These
geysers, which resembled the well-
known hot springs in Iceland, were,
however, only temporary. It was also
noticed that all the rivers and streams
within a certain radius of Agram sud
denly rose more than a yard above their
previous and usual level.
Alexander Graham Bell, of telephone
fame, is a tall and well-proportioned
man, with black hair and beard, shining
black eyes, a genial smile, and very
gentle and courtly manners. His wife
an exceedingly pretty woman war a
Miss Hubbard, and although she is
what is called a deaf-mute, she both
talks and understands her interlocutor
as well as those who have always heard
and spoken. Her mother, acutely dis
tressed by the indifference between her
child's future and that of more fortunate
children, bent her whole energies to the
task of discovering methods of commu
nication by the use and observation of
muscles of the lips and throat, and was
lately instrumental in developing and
perfecting the system by which the ed
ucated deaf now talk themselves and
understand what others say.
His Diamond Pin.
A fashionable young man, belonging
to one of the first families of Galveston,
was seen on the street yesterday with
out his magnificent diamond pin, and a
friend asked him : " Why, Gus, wha",
has become oi your big diamond pin
soaked it, eh ?" " No, I've just lost it."
" Why don't you advertise for itP You
ought to offer five hundred dollars re
ward to the honest finder." " 1 don't
want it found. I am scared to death
for fear somebody will find it." " Why
so P" exclaimed the friend in amazement.
" People would find out then that it U
one of those thirty-five cent diamond
pins you buy at a hardware store. Keep
lUlCb HUVUIi 111 UUU1 A lw UUUVMUV.
Galveston News.
King Louis, of Bavaria, has summoned
Richard Wagner to Munich to consult
with him about the theater which is to
be a part of the new royal residence
upon an island in the lake of Herren-
chiem. This palace is to cost $10,000,
000. Attached to the theater will be
spacious and comfortable lodgings for all
the artists who will be annually engaged
to perform before the king. Only such
guests will be invited as in King Louis
opinion are competent to appreciate
Wagnerian music
ITERS OF INTEREST.
Lo' diet Indian gruel.
Afghans are generally worsted.
A name for a female base-ball club
we have read of The 1'enii-nine.
All reports to the contrary, the ioa
crop for 1881 has not yet been damaged
by frost.
A Michigander sneezed from his noser
the other day a minie ball that entered
his eye years since, during the civil war.
Next.
An exchange says: "Threshing eason
is over" in the very teeth of the fact
that the schools have just opened for
the year.
The man who bet he could jump
across the Mississippi River in three
jumps has postponed his attempt until
mid-winter.
Quite right A correspondent, who
owns a valuable horse, objects to turning
him into a pasture for fear he should
graze his knees.
A queer old gentleman being asked
what he wished for dinner, replied: "An
appetite, good company, something to
eat and a napkin."
A Boston, musical critic lately re
marked of a professional'? organ playing
that he not only could Handle Baoh,
but actually Beet-hoven.
A North Carolina woman stabbed the
man who attempted to hug her. This
proves that all women are not enthusi
astically in favor of a free press.
An old lady in New Scotland, hearing
somebody say that the mails were irreg
ular, said: "It was just so in my young
days no trusting any of 'em."
A poor young man remarks that the
only advice he gets from capitalists is to
"live within his income," whereas the
difficulty experienced is to live without
an income.
Mrs. Harriet Cooper, colored, aged
115 years, and weighing 400 pounds,
died at Cheltenham, one of the suburbs
of St. Louis, recently. Her husband,
who is still living, is 101 years old. She
was the mother of twenty-five children,
the youngest being 62.
One of Hartford's popular dry goods
merchants was asked the other day how
he spent his evenings. His reply was,
"At night I store my mind, and during
the day I mind my store." He was
alive at last accounts.
"I can't go to the party to -night," said
Jones; "the truth is my shirt is in the
wash." "Shirt in the wash !" shrieked
Smith. "Why, man alive, have you but
one shirt? jne snirtr exciaimea
Jones in his turn; '.'you wouldn't want
a man to have a million shirts, would
you?"
Sword-Wearing in Japan.
In Japan, the sword, until a recent
date, has been considered a badge of
the aristocracy. The etiquette which
regulated the wearing of the long and
short sword was expressed in a number
of minute rules. Since the contact of
the Japanese with Europeans and
Americans these weapons are not so
generally worn, and the rules have fallen
into disuse. But the following narrative
shows what was their character:
The most trivial breach of these
minute observances was often the cause
of murderous brawls and dreadful re
prisals. To touch another's weapon, or
to come into collision with the sheath,
was a dire offense, and to enter a
friend's house without leaving the
sword outside was a breach of friend
ship. Those whose position justified the ac
companiraent of an attendant invariably
left the sword in his charge at the en
trance, or, if alone, it was usually laid
down at the entrance.
If removed inside it was invariably
done by the host's servants, and then
not touched by the bare hand, but with
a silk napkin kept for the purpose.
The sword was placed upon a sword-
rack in the place of honor near the guest
and treated with all the politeness due
to an honored visitor who would resent
a discourtesy.
To exhibit a naked weapon was a
gross insult, unless when a gentleman
wished to show his friends his collec
tion.
To express a wish to see a sword was
not usual, unless when a blade of great
value was in question, when a request
to be shown it would be a compliment
the happy possessor appreciated.
The sword would then be handed
with the bacK toward the guest, the
owner and the hilt to the left, the guest
wrapping the hilt either in the little
silk napkin always carried by gentle
men in their pocketbooks, or in a sheet
of clean paper.
The weapon was drawn from the
scabbard and admired inch by inch, but
not to the full length unless the owner
pressed his guest to do so, when, with
much apology, the sword was entirely
drawn and held away from the other
persons present.
After being admired it would, if ap
parently necessary, be carefully wiped
with a special cloth, sheathed and re
turned to the owner as before.
The short sword was retained in tbe
girdle, but at a long visit both host and
guest laid it aside.