l)c Cl)atl)am Kccorft.
II. Jl. LONDON,
EDITOR AKD rROPlUETOR.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION,
l)c Chatham Bworo
KATES
or
mm
$2.00
$1.00
50
The Doctor.
Tlio doctor is a u-oful man,
C u itru"t?d on a noble pi m;
He's sometime fat and sometimes lean
And sometimes just half-way between,
rut none confers nmre blessings than
The doctor.
J'lte doctor goes and lingers where
Men's moaning" freight the fetid air;
Where'er he can he gives relief
To r-iekivss and as well to grief.
Ah, ill could we poor mortals sparo
The doctor.
lie may some stately paliee own,
All silii inside and outside stone;
Hut still, in counting human woes,
lake sonic base-burner stove he goes,
And never sleejw so far as known
The doctor.
MY may nof know him when this shell
Of clay lietits the spirit well,
Hut when the spirit doth protest,
Againt the clay that doth invent,
Our grief in ontidence we toll
The doctor.
T!ie ilH t'i is a generous man.
l'ut people cheat him when they can:
They have their boiilt h restored on "trust.,'
And pay him sometimes wh- they must,
Ani swear no bill is bigger th tn
The dx'tor's.
Columbus 'fws.
A BRAVE COWARD.
I remembered 1 woke up very early
hat morning, with that dim sense of
lonuthing important being about to
aappen which so often inserts itself i.-.to
:hc brain of tin; partially-aroused
deeper.
Withinh op:'t.i:i my eyes, I began
Iroily won b ring what it was. Did J
vp-ct my commission: No; that ar
ivci three months a,. YV;is I to join
ny regiment X: 1 had already douc
hat. and wa now settled m barracks in
i small Irish gairi.Ki town with an un-)-o:jou!jit;;1!c
name. Then 1 remember
I dozed off agah. only to start up and
ttunder what on earth it was.
The start dil it. 1 opened my eyes,
iml knew it was the 2 1th of June, the
lay our fellows 11 arranged to give
their picnic ia Arra ig nmick Woo 1.
Of tourse I h: d gone to sleep thinking
if it, dreamt of it, an I now sill my pines
rushed into my brain; how that I, Lku
fenant Eric .Maurice, II. M. Forty-eighth
llyal Blues, stood pledged at a;iv rate,
ia my own mind on that day to gain
for my own the kindest little heart, the
merriest blue eyes, the roiesklips in nil
the Emer.dd Isle.
That all these belonged to Norah
O'Cregan I need not tell you; for if you
have ever heard of that military town
of lfjutgorou, you have heard, too, of
Xorah.
Oace I had fully comprehended all
that wa before m I jumped out of my
bed into my tub, singing, whistling and
shouting, as is my wont during tha pro
gression of my toilet. Walls ia barracks
are notably not of the thickest, and I
received many interruj tions to my song:
"When and how shall I earliest me-e-et her?
What are the words she fir-r-st shall sayT
"Bother you'.'' shouted Tompkins
from the room on the left, and crash
came a boot hurled viciously against
the wall.
"By what name shall I lear-rn togree-ether?
"You idiot." this from Williamson
the right, accompanied by tapping, as
of a brush. "Can't you let a fellow
sleep i :"'
"I know not now, but shall kno-ow some
day."
At this juncture my door was burst
violently open, and in came Tompkins
himself in an unbecoming state of un
dress and another boot held menacingly
up in the air. This, however, he drop
ped when he saw mc already dressed and
fixing a crimson rose-bud in my coat the
exact shade of the silk handkerchief
whose comers showed knowingly from
my pocket.
"Whew! whew!" he calmly re
marked, seating himself on my bed. "Is
that it? Poor fellow!" And he slowly
inspected me from head to foot. "Don't
you think," he continued, "that flower
leans a little too much to the left? It
might fall out, you know, and then all
the heavy work would fall on the hand
kerchief; you can't expect it to do the
business unsupported. But 6tay, dear
boy; alter nothing. As yon are, you
are"
But here I left the room. This man
always irritated mc almost beyond en
durance, and I never could understand
how any one in this wide world could
find amusement in his foolish remarks.
I looked at my watch. Good gra
cious! It wanted still three hours to the
time we were to start. Breakfast might
be made to last one, but what to do with
the other two rather puzzled me. I
went outside and walked up and down,
but was soon driven in again by sceiug
Tompkins' ugly face watching mc with
a broad grin from his window.
However, the time passed somehow,
and I saw no move of Tompkins, and be
gan to hope that after all he was not
coming with us. This hope lasted until
I was seated on the drag, when sudden
ly I heard his loud voice as he mounted
the steps to the top.
"Never know if I feel most like a cir
cus or a bank holiday on this thing," he
was saying.
And as his head appeared over the
seat opposite me, and his eye caught
mine, he paused, put up his eye-glasses
One copy, one year -One
copy, six months
One copy, three months
vol. x.
and slowly surveyed mo from my feet
upward, until his eye rested on my rose
bud, when he gently waved his hand to
intimate that it inclined too much to the
left, burst into a loud guffaw and sat
down.
This added to the annoyance I already
felt, and declining to take any jart in
the fun that went on during the drive, I
arrived at the scene of the festivities in
anything but an enviable frame of mind.
But soon I saw Norah standing with
some friend in the shade of the trees,
and the sight of her fresh, sweet face
seemed to act like magic on my spirits,
and blow all the cobwebs away. Heed
less of the impudent smile on Tomp
kins's face that greeted my start of
pleasure I made my way quickly to her
side, and the shy, sweet smile that wel.
corned me more than repaid me for my
late annoyance.
"They start at once for the ruins," I
jaid. "Will you come, too?"
"I want first to finish my sketch,"
she ar.swercd. "I want to put in some
cattle, and hear there are some fine oxch
near. Could you show me the way?"
Now, I think, if Xorah had asked me
anything else in the world I should have
jumped at the chance of doing it for her
sake; but to face bullocks! From my
infancy 1 have had an iuborn dread of
the whole race; even the homely and
succulent cow of commerce is not ex
empt from my dislike; while the mis
named "monarch of meadows," the un
mitigated bull, fills me with a feeling
that hardly falls short of absolute terror!
I did not answer; I could not.
"Please do not come, if you would
rather go with thy party to the ruins,"
Norah continued. "I will ask Captain
Tompkins. "
It was enough. Hardly considering
the consequences, I exclaimed, "I will
come with pleasure."
We started.
"What magnificent creatures!" she
cried, when she reached the field. ' 'Oh,
and what a number."
There certaiuly was, and more than I
care I for. Behiud, before, on either
hand they stood, grazing, or lay down
chewing the cud.
"Oh, do come closer! I must get
that lovely group!" exclaimed Norah.
It was a group of four ferocious-looking
beasts, one standing, the rest lying
in various attitudes around. One, a
great black animal cjod us steadily, and
slightly altered his josition the better
to see us. Norah sat down; I reluct
antly did the same.
"Would you sharpen my pencil?" she
asked.
She was looking at me curiously. I
fancy she half-suspected my nervousness;
so, putting the best face of matters, Igot
out my knife and held out my hand for
the pencil, and, as she held it toward
me, I forgot all but her own" sweet self
and seized the little hand tenderly. She
snatched it hastily away, and I think
now she thought, as doubtless my atti
tude suggested, that I was about to pare
her naih.
"I think, Mr. Maurice," she said
gently, "I could manage Letter if you
would not mind going the other side of
the bullocks and attracting the notice of
that black one in the other direction.
They are looking the same way and it
looks so stiff. If you held out some
gras3 to him or switched your stick
about, it might keep his attention
fixed."
I rose slowly, and cautiously found my
way to the other side.
It was quite needless to do anything
to attract that monsters attention; his
eye was on mc. As I moved, so did he;
aud, as I sat down, he turned his head
right around, the better to watch me.
I was turning hot aud cold by turns.
"That will do nicely, thanks. Keep
him in that position for a few minutes,"
called Norah.
Then cams a silence, broken only by
the beating of my heart. The suspense
grew unbearable, and the perspiration
began to pour down my face. I drew
out my handkerchief to wipe my heated
brow, when, with an angry grunt, the
animal began to rise. I saw my fatal
error; the handkerchief was red!
Rapidly the brute gained his feet and
with head bent low advanced toward
me. It was too much. All, all was for
gotten but the fate that seemed before
me. I sprang up I blush to own it I
turned around and I ran !
Thud, thud came those hoofs behind
me. Nearer came that snorting breath
till I almost thought I felt it hot upon
my neck. Faster and faster I flew
nearer and nearer came that frantic
beast !
Just then I thought I caught a faint
voice on the air "Pray drop your hand
kerchief!" I did, for I found in my ter
ror I have been waving it from side to
side as I ran. Almost immediately the
tramping of hoofs ceased; but without
pausing to look behind I made straight
for a fence just in front of me, which
having vaulted, I found myself safe at
last.
Then the whole absurdity of my posi
tion burst upon me. The ridiculous
figure I must have cut before Norah, the
contempt she must feel for my coward
ice ! Oh, what would I not have given
to be able to wipe the last half hour out
of my life !
After a great deal of consideration as
z
PITTSBORO',
to my future conduct, I determined to !
face the party at lunch, when I could j
judge if my late exploit was known, j
When I joined them, they were all seated j
on the grass. I noticed a decided pause
in the conversation as I approached.
Tompkins was busily helping Norah to
some strawberries. His head was turned
away from mc, but when he saw me up
went that detested glass, and the usual
inspection began. When his eye gained
the level of my pocket, where the hand
kerchief so lately had shown itself, he
looked suddenly full in my face and,
calling to the carver, said: "Brett, Mr.
Maurice will take some beef."
A roar of laughter followed this sally
and I felt that all was known. I felt
mortified, humiliated, and, without
power to face it out, rose hastily and left
them, returning at once to barracks.
I knew I had lost Norah O'Cregan.
How could she ever care for a man
whose conduct must have appeared so
contemptible ?
My life after this incident was not a
happy one. As far as I could I passed
the time alone, pondering how to re
trieve the lost ground, and hailing with
delight an opportunity which soon after
offered itself of changing into another
regiment, which was ordered abroad on
immediate active service.
Time passed and once more I was on
my native soil. We received a perfect
ovation when we landed in dear old
England.
Tel-el-Kebir was the subject of every
one's thoughts, and sick and ill as I was
my cheek flushed with honest pleasure
as handkerchiefs were waved and wel
comes shouted.
I was faint and dizzy; my arm had
been amputated at the shoulder and I
suffered acute pain, but it was a proud
moment to me, all the same.
I was invalided directly after, and
weeks were passed in the sick ward of
Brighton barracks.
One day the door was suddenly thrown
open and some of our fellows burst in.
"Cheer up, cheer up, old man!" cried
one. "Hear this, " skimming through a
paper he hold in his hand. " 'Conspic
uous bravery, V. C Why, it's worth
dying for!"
And as their cheery congratulations
poured in upon mc I felt it was worth
living for.
I began to mend rapidly at this, and
was soon able to go down to the sea in a
chair.
One morning, as I was lazily lying
back drinking in the fresh salt air, I be
came conscious of a figure standing by
my chair. I opened my eyes.
"Norah!" I cried "Norah!"
Neither of us spoke for a few mo
ments as I gazed fondly on her blushing
face.
At last she said, "Oh, I am so sorry,
and yet so very glad, so very proud!"
"Then tell me you do not think me a
coward now !" I cried eagerly.
"How could I? Oh, do not ask mc
such a question!" she faltered.
And as her eyes rested .on the empty
sleeve that was pinned across my breast
I saw they were full of tears; and so
were mine, but they were tears of joy,
for as my hand closed on hers, I knew
that for all time Norah was my own.
Stories of Cats.
A St. Louis cat with only three kit
tens went out and brought in two young
rabbits, and a few days later added a
pair of young coons to her family.
An engineer on the Wabash Railway,
whose train has yet to meet its first ac
cident, attributes his good luck to a cat
that has been his constant compauion in
the cab for a year.
Dr. Snow of Danbury, Conn., has a
cat and parrot that arc firm friends.
The parrot escaped from the cago and
flew out of the window, when the cat
exhibited th3 greatest distress, and on
the Doctor's return from a call made
plain to him by her actions what had
happened.
A cat belonging to a Boston family is
used to traveling, being taken to the
country every season when the family
goes. This year she had a kitten that
she was anxious about, and as soon as
the approaching immigration appeared
she packed her little one into a partially
filled trunk lest it should be overlooked.
New York Sun.
Wanted, a Faithful Watch Dog.
First Omaha Burglar Say; Bill, here's
a eminent citizen advertisin' for a faith
ful watch dog.
Second Burglar Well, I hate to part
with my dog agin, but I guess I'll have
to.
"Well, I'll take him around and sell
him to him. Y'r sure he's faithful, are
ye?"
"Every time. He'll be faithful to us
every time we want to climb in the win
ders." --Omaha World.
The Wealth of Nations.
It is estimated that the wealth of the
following countries is increased annually
by the sums named : Germany, $200,000,
000; Great Britain, $325,000,000; France,
$375,000,000, and the United States,
$375,000,000. The United States
is already the wealthiest nation it the
world, and as the above figures show, its '
wealth is increasing the most rapidly.
CHATHAM CO., N. C,
TURKISH SCHOOLS.
Teaching the Young Idea in the
Ottoman Empire.
The Branches Taught in Pri
mary and Normal Schools.
Not until a Turkish child reaches his
sixth or seventh year does hi3 education
begin and his first day at school is cele
brated with ceremonies that are unheard
of in America, says S. S. Cox in Youth's
Companion. No other such ponies are
to be found as tlvj spirited iron-gray
ponies of the east, andbao of thse is
gorgeously caparisoned for the new pu
pil, who is met at his father's, house by
all the school, dressed in holiday
clothes.
A priest makes a short prayer, the
child is placed upon his pony, and the
pupils, males and females, arc formed in
double line. The proccssiou moves,
singing hymns as they go, with the little
hero of the day following, and thus he
is initiated into the new world of learn
ing. In the primary schools boys and girls
are educated together. The teachers
arc taken from the priesthood, and from
the graduates of the theological univer
sities who have learned to read the "Ko"
ran," which is written in Arabic, and
which all good Musselmen must learu
how to read. Persons of this class of
teachers are consequently stringent re
ligionists, and some of them are quite
fanatical. If the pupil does not acquire
much discipline or information pertain
ing to modern material progress, it is
because the twig is not bent in that di
rection. A primary school is composed of one
or two rooms, or "holes in the wall,"
with three divans for the pupils, and a
scat for the teacher. The pupils sit
cross-legged in a line on the divans,
holding their books on 4 heir knees and
reciting all at the same time, in a loud,
shrill voice. They learn grammar and the
four rules of arithmetic.
When they are able to read from the
Koran a little, they take up writing, and,
as there are no writing tables or desks,
they hold their copy-books in their
hands. This is all they education they re
ceive in the primary schools.
Besides the primary, there are four
superior schools, except the military and
naval schools, and the school of medi
cine, established in IS30, and outside of
these no education is to be had. Wealthy
men engage European teachers to help
their children in the study of languages
and modern science ; but the common
people have to satisfy themselves with
the little that is to be' obtained at the
primary schools. If any one is astonished
that the governing class in Turkey
generally talk French, and often Eng
lish, Greek, Italian and German, it may
be stated that the Turk has an aptitude,
like the Russian, for tongues, and makes
his necessity the mother of his study.
Dining the reiga of Sultan Abdul
Medjid, some thirty-live years ago, an
effort was made to spread normal schools
throughout the Empire, but without
iuccess. It is only during the reign of
the present Sultan that the matter of
education has been earnestly taken up.
In the course of eight or nine years, the
Administration of Public Instruction has
Dstablishcd throughout the Empire in
Europe, Asia and Africa, three hundred
and eighty-eight primary and normal
schools, and last year there were twenty
thousand and ninety-three students.
Besides these, there arc eighty pri
mary and normal schools in Constanti
nople, in which there arc five hundred
nd forty students, two hundred and
seventy-five being in the free school, the
Dnly one in the empire, and six hundred
and thirty-four in private schools. The
programme of the studies is divided into
four years, and the pupils must recite by
heart, beside writing down the lessons,
which include calligraphy, arithmetic,
history, grammar and theology. More
time, however, is given to the study of
the Koran than to anything else.
No account of the education of young
Turks would be complete without some
reference to the storytellers of the East,
who have as much influence as the pro
fessors of mathematics and history. In
the early trainiug of the child by its
nurse and tutor, wonderful stories are
told to him to inculcate moral and reli
gious truths, and by them he is taught
that he must not be afraid of death;
that he must not be astonished at any
thing, no matter how strange; and that
he is not obliged to say anything in con
versation that will be against his own
interests.
" Quite a Coincidence.
Papa Why so pensive, my daughter?
Eloise Jack Buffington has just re
turned all my notes, and everything be
tween us is ended.
Papa Quite a coincidence, my dear.
One of his wa-? returned to mc this
morning protested. Tid-Bits.
Not Missed.
' 'And so your father has gone to a
missionary station?"
"Yes; we are quite alone now."
"Don't you miss the directing hand of
your household?"
"Oh, mother didn't go!"
Ayvy
SEPTEMBER 29, 1887.
The Vinegar Plant
"The tough, leathery substance, com
monly called 'mother,' which forms in
vinegar," says Popular Science Monthly,
"is one of the many fungi whose spores
float in the air, settle as dust on exposed
objects, and fall into exposed liquids,
ready to grow into a bulky plant when
conditions favor. The exact position of
the vinegar plant among fungi has not
been settled. The plant develops while
the vinegar is making; that is, while the
percentage of acetic acid is increasing,
and its presence tends to hasten the
operation. It grows on the surface ol
the vinegar, and if not disturbed will
cover the whole surface, conforming to
the shape of the vessel."
Manufacturers of vinegar get rid of the
"mother" as soon as possible. The pop
ular notion that the presence oi
"mother" shows that the vinegar is made
of cider, and is of good quality, is not
well founded. The vinegar plant ap
pears in vinegar made of molasses, and
it is really as undesirable in vinegar as
mould on bread. The little wriggling
creatures that swarm in some vinegars
have been credited by some uneducated
persons with being the life of the vine
gar. The fact is that their presence is in
no way beneficial.
These eels are developed in most fruits,
and hence readily find their way into
vinegar made from fruit juices. Vinegar
which contains them must contain some
mucilaginous or albuminous matter, or
tho eels would have no food, and could
not exist. They need air, also, and they
have been observed engaged in a curious
struggle with the vinegar plant at the
surface. The plant tends to prevent
their obtaining the requisite supply of
air, and the eels were seen combining
their efforts to submerge it. They may
be killed by heating the vinegar to 128
degrees, or by adding boracic acid. The
presence of the vinegar plant, vinegar
eels or other foreign substance is liable
to induce putrefaction, especially if the
vinegar is weak.
A Snake Farm.
The Omaha Herald is responsible for
a description of a snake farm, which it
says is situated at Galton, 111. The farm
it says, consists of forty acres of virgin
prairie, owned by Col. Dan Stover, and
is a short distance from town. There are
thirty-seven mounds cf earth on the farm,
prepared in such a way that the snakes
use them for nests, and there arc about
ten or twelve nests to the mound. The
Colonel says each nest turns out about a
dozen rattlers each year, so that his
stock is increasing rapidly. He has a
contract with a Philadelphia patent med
icine firm that is making a rheumatism
cure, and furnishes them with 250 snakes
a year at $2.25 each. No snake less
that four feet long is accepted. Last
year 708 snakes were sold, his customers
being scattered through a number of cit
ies. As much care is taken of the young
snakes as if the' were lambs. The new
ly hatched snake, if not properly cared
for by their mother they arc taken to
the Colonel's home, located in one cor
ner of the lot, and there fed by the
children wdio catch bugs for them about
the garden and street. Sometimes the
eggs arc hatched out under the stove. A
half dozen very large snakes with their
fangs drawn arc kept about the house as
pets. They are excellent mouscrs,much
better than cats, the Colonel says. Tho
Colonel wanders about his farm, taking
no other precaution .against the reptiles
than to wear a pair of thick boots. When
a reporter called on him the Colonel
complained that the neighbors did not
come to visit him very often, and that
his wife didn't like that very much, for
she waa fond of company, but, on the
whole, since there was plenty of money
iu tho business they were well content.
The Origin of Opera.
The ancient Greeks and Romans had
both tragedy and comedy, but no opera.
The latter was introduced in 1G00 In
order to celebrate the nuptials of Henry
IV. and Maria De Medici, and the play
of "Eurydice" was rendered by singers.
Under the patronage of the court this
combination became highly . popular.
In 1710 Italian opera was performed in
London and was at once keenly assailed
by those who opposed what they con
sidered foreign trash. In order to assist
in ridiculing this innovation Gay wrote
the "Beggar's" opera, which had a great
run. Both Pope and Hogarth united in
satirizing the Italian opera, but it held
its place, and is now a permanent feature
in the British stage. The Italian opera
was introduced in America in 1826 by
the Garcia and Malibran troupe, the first
performance being the "Barber of Sa
ville." Troy Times.
How He Knew.
Inquiring youth So you are the great
patent medicine manufacturer and patron
of astronomy?
Rochester doctor I have that honor.
"I have called to get a few points on
the subject of debate at our club. The
question is: 'Was the moon ever in
habited?"' "It never was."
j "You are sure of it?"
j . "Certain. I have examined its rocks
with the most powerful telescope and
"haven't struck a liver cure advertise
ment yet, Boston Beacon,
Ay
NO. 5.
LOADS OF MONEY.
What Uncle Sam's Cash Box
in Washington Contains.
Instructive and Curious Calcu
lations in Figures.
Few persons, perhaps, . who read the
frequently-published reports "of the fiscal
operations of the government give Tiny
consideration to the vastness and signi
ficance of these operations, says a Wash
ington letter to the Chicago News. Wc
read of the hundreds of millions of gold
and silver in the treasury, but how few
persons have any intelligent idea of what
is embraced in the nine figures required
to describe the liabilities and assets ol
the government? It is only when tho
auriferous contents of the treasury vaults
are weighed and measured and placed
by the side of articles and commodities
that are daily handled by the masses
that an intelligent comprehension can
be obtained by the people of tho finan
cial strength of the treasury and the
great extent of the government's fiscal
operations.
I find by reference to the latest pub
lished statement of treasury assets and
liabilities that among the assets was
$281,096,417 in gold and nearly $250,
000,000 in silver, including $34,000,
000 of trade dollars and fractional
coins. Taking up this $281,000,000 ol
gold and placing it on scales, I find that
the gold held by the treasury weighed
519 tons, and is packed into ordinary
carts, one ton to each cart, it would
make a procession two miles long, al
lowing twenty feet of space for the
movement of each horse and cart.
The weighing of the silver produces
much more interesting results. Running
this over the scales I find its weight to
be 7396 tons. Measuring it in carts, as
in the case of the gold, the silver now
held by the treasury would require the
services- of 7396 horses and carts to
transport it, and would make a pro
cession over twenty -one miles in length.
The surplus about which so much is
said in the daily newspapers amounts to
nearly $47,000,000, an increase of $5,
000,000 since July 1. Counted as gold
this surplus would weigh eighty-six and
one-half tons. Counted as silver it
would weigh 1 3S5 tons.
Each million of gold adds 3,685 pounds
to the surplus, and each million of silver
adds 58,930 pounds.
Applying cubic measurement to the
treasury gold and silver and piling the
two metals on Pennsylvania avenue, as
cord wood is piled before delivery to the
purchaser. I find that tho gold would
measure thirty-seven cords and the silver
400 cords, and that both would extend
froin the treasury department to Pour
and One-half street, or from the treas
ury to the pension office in a straight
line, and forming a solid wall eight feet
high and four feet broad.
Extending these calculations and com
putations to tho interest-bearing debt,
equally interesting results are obtained.
The public debt reached the highest
point in August, " 1865 t wenty-two
years agowhen it was $2,381,530,295.
The general reader will better appreciate
the vastness of this sum when informed
that it rcptesents 70,156 tons of silver,
which would make a procession of carts
that would extend from Richmond, Va.,
to a point twelve miles north of Phila
delphia, the distance it would thus cover
being 266 miles.
The interest -bearing debt is now (not
including the Pacific railroad bonds) $1,
001,976,850, showing that the sum paid
has been $1,379,553,415, or more than
one-half of the total amount, and repre
senting 40,637 tons of silver dollars,
which would extend 154 miles if packed
in carts containing one ton each.
Gardening by the Barrel.
The agricultural editor of the Phila
delphia Record mentions a Jerseymau's
practice which enables him with very
little extra outlay to secure better re
sults, especially in a season of drout,
than from three times as much space de
voted to vegetable-growing in the usual
way:
"He procures old 'soap-boxes, flour
barrels, kegs, or anything that will hold
earth or manure, and if the boxes or bar
rels be somewhat rickety, so much the
better. In planting melons, cucumbers,
tomatoes, squashes or lima beans he
places a box on the middle of the hill,
which should be six feet across, fills it
half full of fresh manure, and over the
manure a half peck of a mixture of wood
ashes and superphosphate is placed. The
seeds of the melons are planted around
the box, four plants being allowed to the
hill, the distance of the seeds from the
box being about two feet, as too close
contact with the box is not desirable.
When the young plants are up soapsuds
are poured over the contents of the box.
In a few weeks the roots of the plants
will have readied the box, and they are
then freely and liberally supplied with
all the moisture and liquid manure they
may need, as water is poured in the box
as often as may be desired. In dry
weather a bucket of water in the box
causes the matter in the manure to leach
out, and it soaks ia the ground around
the box, where the plants appropriate it."
advertising
One square, one insertion- $1.00
One square, two insertions 1.50
One square, one month - - 2.60
For larger advertisements liberal con
tracts will be made.
Beautiful Hands.
My mother's weary hands!
Their praises let me speak,
They have held love's golden bands,
So long they are thin and weak.
They are tremulous now and slow;
But, to me, they are just as sweet
As when, so long ago,
They guided my baby feet.
They have old and wrinkled grown;
. .But, to me, they are just as fair
As when they clasped my own
And folded them first in prayer.
They have toiled thro' patient years
While no one praised their deeds.
They have wiped most bitter tears,
And supplied unnumbered needs.
They have heavy burdens borne,
When manhood's strength has failed;
They have soothed the hearts that mourn,
And inspired the hearts that quailed.
The naked they have clad;
The hungry they have fed;
With tender touch, and sad,
They have laid away their dead.
Mother's hands are thin and old;
But their every touch I'll love,
Till they clasp the harp of gold
That awaits their touch above.
Good Housekeeper.
HUMOROUS.
The gardeners in India are all BuddJ
hists.
Market report Onions stronger, milk
weaker.
Unsatisfying food The "provisions'
of a mortgage.
Hanging is too good for a painting
that is badly executed.
A very appropriate diet for oarsmen
in training is oysters in the shell.
Pug dogs are going out of fashion, and
their naturally sad expression is deep
ening. "The Fatal Three" is the title of Miss
Braddon's latest novel. Perhaps it is a
story of cucumber, soft crabs and milk.
They say that elephants have dropped
down to $500 each. But tigers have not
lowered in price. It costs just as much
as ever to see the tiger.
Life is full of disappointments, and a
man realizes it a while after he has
planted some bird seed with the idea
that he was going to raise canaries.
Drawing room car: First Porter (in a
hurry) Another wash-out I Second
Porter (excitedly) Where, where? First
Porter (as he disappears through the
next car) On the clothes line !
An embarasscd young man who had
just been marrietl by a clergyman, not
knowing how to express his gratitude,
in handing over a small fee said: "1
hope to give you more the next time,"
Profit in Old Corks.
Where do all the corks go? They
come ashore by the million. Those that
are not thrown into the sea by improvi
dent barkeepers are used, over again.
The careful barkeeper saves his corks,
one by one, until he accumulates s.bar
rclfub which he sells for $5 to men who
select the good ones and dispose of them
to bottlers. The bad ones are ground
up to make linoleum. If not irredeem
ably bad they arc trimmed down and
"made as good as new" for use in smal
bottles or phials. There was a time when
waiters pocketed the corks pulled from
bottles of costly foreign wine, and for 3
or 4 cents apiece sold them to parties
whose champagne vineyards arc in
Avenue D or New Jersey ; but something
like a safeguard has lately been thrown
around the better class of foreign wines,
and there is now not much demand for
corks to do "revolving" duty. New
York Times.
An Effectual Treatment for Warts.
It is now fairly established, says a
writer in The Medical Press, that the
common wart, which is so unsightly and
often so proliferous on the hands and
face, can be easily removed by small
doses of sulphate of magnesia taken in
ternally. M. Coi rat, of Lyons, has drawn
attention to this extraordinary fact.
Several children treated with three-grain
doses of Epsom salts morning and even
ing were, promptly cured. M. Aubert
cites the case of a woman whose face
was disfigured by these excrescences and
who was cured in a month by a draclun
and a half of magnesia taken daily.
Anoiher medical man reports a case of
very large warts which disappeared in a
fortnight from the daily administration
of ten grains of the salts. jMedical
Press.
A Blind Boat Builder.
It is a positive fact that Herreshoff
the boat builder, is totally blind ; but so
sensitive and acute to his touch that he
an pick out different sheets of draw
ings, and seems to be able to make his
ears perform the function of his vision.
He seems to be able to carry a plan in
mind's eye and to follow in imagination
his lines as well as others using their
sight. Several others in his family are
also blind. New York Times.
Curiosity.
Mr. Popinjay Woman's curiosity
amuses me.
Mrs. Popinjay Aha, by the way,
what's the stain on your hand?
Mr. Popinjay Paint, I was coming by
Blobson's fence and just touched my fin
ger to it to see if it was dry. Burling
ton Free Press.