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The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, December 01, 1881, Image 1

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HENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher.
' NIL, DESPERANDUM.
Two Dollars per Annum.
i.
1
VOL. XI.
RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA.; THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1881.
NO. 41.
'0
Who Is Thy Friend f
Who ii thy friend ? The man that shares thy
pleasures .,
In banquet hall or beauty's witching bowers ,'
He that will dance with thee to folly's measures
And make no reckoning of the squandered
hours
To whom the revel and the (fame is all ?
These are the friends that help men to their
' fall.
Who is thy friond The man that shares thy
prido,
Thine hour of glory, or thy day of gain ;
Who stands in every triumph by thy side,
And never finds that triumph false or vain,
But shapes bis doctrines as thy humor goes ?
These are the friends misfortune turns to foes;
Who is thy friend ? The man that for his
winning '' '
'IVi power or place hath need of thine or thee
Who will not fear thy risk, or blame the sinning,
80 it but speed his fortune's growing tree j
Whose praise is large, whose promise larger yet -These
are the friends that fail ns and forget
Who is thy friend ? The man of truth and
trust,
In gladness near, in sorrow nearer still ;
To thy faults generous, to thy morits just,
Thy help to every good from every ill,
Whose love for the world's hato might make
amends?
Alas for it ! this life hath fow such frienctf.
Who is thy friend ? The best, tho leat re
garded, I
In faith unfailing, and in love unchanged".
Through all tho changeful years, though ill
rewarded 1
Give Him thy heart, so long and far estrangec
And from the broke n reeds of earth ascend,
To soek in heaveu thine everlasting Friend.
Frances Browne, Blind Irish Pcetret.
DANGEROUS. COMPANY.
"It is very remarkable," said my
nncle, aa Mr. Gregory left the room.
. "It is very mysterious," said Lily,
with strong emphasis on the adverb.
" To me," observed an elderly lady
boarder, "it appears to be something
worse than mysterious ; and, without
making any assertions, I would at least
caution you, my dear, against any closer
intimacy with one who seems so often
to be possessed of information in a
manner of which there is no conceivable
natural explanation."
' It reminds me most," said the Bev.
Mr. Brigg-i, "of -certain cases, un
doubtedly well-anlhenticated, in which
the existence of the so-culled ' second
night ' liHb been demons) rated in a very
singular manner."
"And," added my uncle, "although
many of fun jiroft s-ors of e piritnalism
have been proved impostors, it by no
means lollows that all"
" Yos, ym " lii-i lu- iu our lady fii ml,
" bnt o r'.I Inow that people "onco hart
dealings wi h familiar spirits, and I
never could find any proof that tliis
kind of thing had ever ceased, and
therefor?, us I taid before, I very
strongly caution you "
' Hindi I ' cried several voices. "Here
he conies."
My uncle, my cousin, Lily and I
were staying at a boarding-house at the
seaside, and among a somewhat-numerous
company was a certain Mr.
Gregory. We had made his acquaint
ance on the night of our arrival in a
rather comical manner. He was pass
ing our r.om just as Lily was calling
to me in a tone of woful despair that
she had broken the key in the lock and
could not get out. Through the key
hole he had volunteered his services as
an amateur lock-picker, and released us
from our. imprisonment.
This introduction had served quite as
well as a much ruoro formal one would
have done to inaugurate what promised
;to bo a pleasant seaside acquaintance.
Now on first sight he certainly presented
"very little appearance of being a sus
picions or dangerous character. He
was a young man of some twenty-five
years of age, with a bright, frank ex
pression and a gleam of mischief in his
eyes. He was exceedingly .intelligent
and well-informed, and though rather
retiring in the mixed company of our
: establishment, could, wo discovered,
sing well, read well, and talk well.
Without intruding biruself upon us, he
had made himself very agreeable to us
two girls j and we had surmised that he
was a young professional man suffering
from overwork, who had come down to
recruit his health. Bat we are often
warned against judging from appear
, anues, and he had during the past few
, days manifested . a very remarkable
powerof clairvoyance or second eight, or
whatever else yoa like to call it, which
had created a great sensation among ua.
' On the previous day, for instance, my
uncle had met a gentleman at the station
aud had brought him home to dinner.
We saw them walking slowly up the
garden together in conversation, and
Lily had exclaimed.
" Who on eaith is this V
Mr. Gregory looked and said :
His Dame is Smith, and ho is return
ing to town bv the midnight train."
" You know him?" I Eaid.
Never saw him in my life-Wf ore,"
was the answer. ' -
Huro enough his name proved to be
Smith, and he returned to town -that
night alter a long private interview with
my uncle ; nor had he, he told us in
answer to our inquiries, ever seen or
heard of Mr. Gregory before. '
On Saturday morning also the Bev.
Mr. Briggs, taking a walk on the beach,
meditating on his Sunday text, had en
e untered Mr. Gregory, who volunteered
information as to the eaid text, with
ohapter and verse all correot, to the
petrifartion of the reverend gentleman.
On another occasion, when - - our
elderly lady friend mentioned .that she
had been out making a small purchase,
. Mr. Gregory informed me sotto voce
that a bottle of hairwash constituted
the purohase in question. This com
munication was very unfortunately
overheard. Its correctness was not at
the time definitely established, but it
was shortly after this that she first pro
pounded her own particular theory on
the subject, which she put forward
with renewed confidence in the conver
sation given above, after a fresh dis
play of the unholy phenomenon as she
Mllod it. lau was the oooasion thereof.
Mr. Briggs had been seen coming up
the walk in great glee with a parcel un
ite? his arm. (i- .;-)''"" '
" What has he got there ?" said some
one.
"All the works of Josephus for ten
pence," replied Mr! Gregory.
Immediately afterward Mr. Briggs
entered the room and said to the com
pany s
" What do you think I have just
bought?" to which the general response
was :
" All Josephus for tenpence."
It turned out that he had just fer
reted it out from a second-hand book
stall. When questioned about his mysterious
powers Mr. Gregory always became very
serious, and gave no information, but
changed the subject as soon as possi
ble. In consequence of all this, interest,
curiosity, uneasiness and even alarm,
were in varying degrees excited in the
breasts of the several members of our
company. Most of tho ladies declared
that they were daily expecting some
thing serious to happen. That those
expectations were not altogether un
fulfilled will now be made plain.
There were two new arrivals on tho
day on wbich our story opens. Onr
company had hitherto been pleasant and
select, but tho lady and gentjenian who
now came among us, and who were
named Mr. and Mrs. Grice, were ex
ceptions to this. Showily dressed, and
loud in their conversation, they made
great efforts to mix with ease in our corn
puny, and for som; inscrutable reason
seemed to make special . endeavors to
become intiinato with our own party ;
Mr. Grice attacking my uncle, and his
wife devoting herself to us.
We were at no pains to conceal our
aversion to their ill-mannered and offen
sive intrusion, but they seemed deter
mined to accept no rebuff. Lily said
tuat we had met here tho most pleasant
aud the most unpleasant persons whom
we had ever seen in our travels. The
former cluss.I prosume,main,y embraced
Mr. Gregory.
Ever since Mr. Smith'a vir.it on the
previous day, my uncle had seemed to
bo unusually worried and ansioun.
Something had Lupponcd ftt the oilieo,
it appenred, which caused him very
treat. uneasiness, and he kpta constaut
watch for the post. Lily aud I were
troubled about it, but wero hardiy pre
pared for his sudden announcement at
lunch the next day, upon receiving a
letter from town, that wo must pack up
at onco and return by the first morning
trtiin.
We had no objection to escape from
the Grices, but in spite of Mr. Gregory's
ill-repute for his mysterious arts, we
wero very sorry to leave mm, to say
nothing of the abrupt and unexpected
termination of our holiday..
The Grices were sitting next to us
when my uncle made this announce
ment, an'.l I saw a pecnliar look of fiis
niticance pass betweeu them. Mr
Gregory was siltmg at the other end of
a long diuing-table, and qnito out of
earshot, but he camo up immediately
after we rose from the table, and taid:
" A very ead thing, this sudden de
paitureof yours !"
"Mr. Gregory, I replied, " you are
perhaps awaro that you are under grave
suspicions of being in league with the
powers of darkness, and this is another
proof? How could you possibly
know ?"
" Oh, ill news travel fast,'- he said,
laughing. " But it is a very hot after
noon; what do vou say to a little read
ing?" Lily here squeezed my arm vigorous
ly, but I answered: "I f-ar my undo
will not let us go out of hi$ bight. He
feels it his duty to keep special guard
over us while wo are in such dangerous
company."
. "Never mind," he said, "I will read
to him as well."
We wero now in the corner of tho
drawing-room, near a window looking
out on to a covered balcony which
overlooked tho garden. My uncle came
up and returned Mr. Gregory's courteous
greeting in a manner which was, I fear,
not very gracious.
" May I trouble you for the paper
after you, sir V he said.
" Certainly," was the answer. " But
may we not all enjoy it together? With
your permission I will read aloud to
the company."
My uncle looked considerably aston
ished at this unusual proposal. Lily
looked up with open eyes and curious
expression, this being net exactly the
kind o reading she had intended. But
the ofl'cr was seriously made and o
peated, and my uncle, who dearly liked
being read to, gave a dnbious consent.
Mits Lily, with iili-l affection, made
him particularly comfortable in an arm
chair, and Mr. Gregory commenced
reading a long, prosy article on French
Eolitics. Ho read with anything but
is usual spirit, and in a soft, low,
monotonous voice. The consequence
was as had possibly been cot wholly un
forseen that my uncle was soon enjoy
ing his accustomed afternoon sie-ta.
Tho readiog, having become gradually
blower and softer, now ceased, and the
reader, looking up, suggested by a
slight gebture an adjournment to the
garden. '
Lily an I tried to smother our
laughter and look shocked, but wo
adopted the suggestion. A book of
poetry was soon produced, and I found
that there is a difference between hear
ing French politics read in a stuffy
drawing-room to a middle-aged gentle
man, and hearing " Enoch Arden" read
iu a cool, shady alcove, to a pretty,
dark-eyed, lovable maiden, with tender
bosem heaving in sympathy with poor
Enoch's sorrows, especially when tho
reader is a handsome young bachelor,
with an exquisitely modulated oice,
able to do full justice to the harmonious
numbers of the laureate. . . .,
At the end of half an hour I was
startled by an exclamation from Lily.
Looking up, I saw in the garden below,
silting on a seat under the trees with
their faces toward ns, our dear friends,
Mr. and Mrs. Grice.
The gentleman was keeping up, ap
parently, a desultory conversation with
Lis wife. They waved their hands on
c bohing oar eye, and beckoned to us to
come and join them, which we did not
do. 1 ' -. -
Mr. Gregory, instead of going on with
Lis rending, continued to regard thorn
intently, and asked ns whether wo knew
them.
! We said, "No."
' " But they seem to ' know you," he
said.
We explained how. they had favored
us with their attentions. To our dis
appointment he could not be induced
to go on with his reading, bnt he con
tinned to stare at the coupla before us;
and when at last they strolled off in dif
ferent directions he said that he must
apologize for having an engagement,
and he left us abruptly. " A strange
young man, indeed!" we thought, and
we were still more surprised when in
at hour he returned and asked my uncle
to be allowed a short private conversa
tion with hittu--My uncle seemed
startled at this request (and so, by tho
way, did Lily), but after a short pause
he led the way into an adjoining apart
ment. The conversation which ensned , as
we subsequently learned, was as follows:
"I om about, sir," said Mr. Gregory,
" to refer to your private affairs to an
extent which will surprise yon, but I
hope to be able to render you a service 1
which will be an ample excuse for my
intrusion. Yon are, I believe, returning
to town to-morrow?"
Yes."
"The cause of your return is, I be
lieve, connected with the forgery of a
certain check in your name."
"Sir, how can you possibly know
that?"
" That check was brought to you for
your inspection threo days ago by one
of the clerks from the bank, a Mr.
Smith, and it is now in your posses
sion."
My uncle was speechless.
" Hear me further. The accuracy of
my statements hitherto may claim
credence for what I am about to nllirm.
Unless I am greatlv mistaken, thoro
are now in this establishment two per
sons who have been employed to re
gain possession at all costs of that
forged paper. They suspect that you
have it, aud already your room and
your daughter aud niece's room have
been searched aud it only remains to
search your person."
My uncle turned pale.
" it is known that you aro leaving to
morrow morning, and the attempt will
bo made between now and then. Will
you allow me to offer you my advice V.
I will not attempt to describe my re
spected uncle's condition of body and
mind at this part of the interview, suf
fice it to siy that the proffered advice
was ultimately adopted.
On that evening my uncle declined to
accompany us when, an hour after din
nei, the houwe emptied onto the promo
nade. Mr. Gregory was also missing,
tmd had not appeared at dinner. The
Rev. Mr. Briggs took us under his care.
My uncle was already nodding in his
clmir as we went out. Twenty minutes
aftorward two of the company softly re
entered tho room. This I had fioin an
eye-witness. Their names Were Mr. and
Mrs. Grice. Mrs. Grice stood at tho
door, and her husband udvanced gently
across the floor to whero my uncle lay
bad; in his chair, snoring audibly, his
handkerchief over hia head, his coat
thrown., optn, and a pocketbook just
showing in his brear-.t pocket.
Mr'. Grice crept up to him, abstracted
the book with a practiced hand, put it
into hia own pocket, and turned to go.
Now, as he rocrossed the room he had
to pass before a large lounge, with long
hangings in front, and he was, perhaps,
somewhat surprised to find his ankles
seized in the firm grip of a pair of hands
thrust out suddenly from under tho
lounge. As he fell, Ins amiable partner
turned round into the arms of a detec
tive officer. At the same momont Mr.
Gregory entered through tha window
from tae.baloony,
"This i3 your pocketbook, sir," said
one of the detectives.
" Thank yon," said my uncle. " It
has nothing in it, but I am glad to have
it back again."
Mr. and Mrs. Grice were removed at
once to another public establishment in
the neighborhood, where tho company
was very select, the hours very regular,
and the maintenance very cheap a style
of establishment which it was subse
quently proved they had frequented in
more than one part of the country.
Amid considerable excitement we
promenaded lute that night. My uncle
said :
" You have rendered me a service,
sir, which lays me under the deepest
obligation to yon. I have no doubt
that the original delinquents, of whom
thosa creatures are only the tool, will
be brought to justice. Finding that we
are on their track, they have mado this
ellort to destroy tne proof of their
guilt, and prevent us from submitting
it to exports. Thanks to you, they have
failed. 1 can only Bay how welcome
will be any opportunity of making any
returns to you, however slight."
" I shall certainly take you at your
word, sir," was the answer.
" And now, Gregory," continued
my uncle, " will you pardon our curi
osity if we beg you to tell us the means
by which you were able ta divine the
intentions of our departed friends V" ' .
" Oh, Mr. Gregory," cried Lily, "you
must tell us. We are on thorns to
know, and will do anything in the world
you like to mention if . you will tell
us." ' s
. -" On those terms I consent," said ho,
with a curious look at Lily, which made
her suddenly blush very much, as I
could see even in the moonlight.
" You may have.noticed," began Mr.
Gregory, "that I am somewhat deaf,
a'-d I have been much more so. In con
sequence of this I have acquired the
art, which I believe almost any one can
acquire, of reading the movements of
the lips in the same way that the deaf
and dumb are taught to do, so that I
can always understand what people say
if they are only in seeing distance; and
my seeing is very acute. I need hardly
say that I avoid over-seeing conversa
tion, if you will allow the expression, as
much as I would over-hearing it; but I
frequently see people speak a few words
on accidentally glancing at them. I
think that what has puzzled yoa will
now be plain. Perhaps I ought to con
fess that I have yielded a little to the
temptation of mystifying the company
durin;; the liWt week, especially in the
case of Mr. Brigjs, who ha', like many
pecple who have lived a good deal
alone, a habit of talking to himself as
he goes along, which he is scarcely
aware of. This afternoon, however, I
watched the Grices in good earnest. I
was very much astonished at 'what I
saw. Your sudden departure had dis
arranged their plans, and they had a
full disoussion of pas'; and future op
erations. It was not at all a bad idea to
hold their deliberations before your
very eyes, eo as to keep up their watoh
on your movements and disarm sus
picion, but they had taken no precau
tions against being overseen. Tho rest
yoil know." 1
"But how about the purchase of the
hairwash, that sad proof of occult art? '
I said. .
"Oh, that had nothing to do with it.
I was in the shop being shaved and I
saw tho transaction in a looking-glass."
Later still, when my uncle had gone
in, I heard him quietly say: "So you
will do whatever I like to mention ?"
But these words were not addressed to
me and I judged it best to fall into the
rear, and having no gifts of clairvoy
ance myself I cannot tell you the rest
of the conversation. I can only add
that our return was postponed, and that
shortly after these events Mr. Gregory
again requested a private conversation
with my uncle; and that he had again
some revelations to niako concerning a
conspiracy of two, male and female, in
this case also; and that shortly after the
first pair of conspirators had been "sen
tenced for life" by one of her majesty's
judges, a similar sentence was pro
nounced upon the other pair by the
Ebv. Mr. Briggs.
How Rugs Are Made.
How many who stop to admire the
show windows of our carpet dealers
know how tho rug is made? That ii is
woven somehow is all that is apparent
aa it lies there, warm, soft, bright, with
a dozen colors, and attractive in its
pretty design of flowers, fruits, birds or
tiRurec. The rug is twico woven, and
this is its hibtory: First, the border
and center that is to form the pattern is
designed; then painted in straight lines
upon paper containing a ruled scale,
aud in tho proper colors that aro after
ward to appear on the rug. This paper
rug 13 then cut into strips, each con
taining two spaces of tho scale, and
these papers are tho pattern that the
hrst or weft weaver has to follow.
In weaving wo.ft a warp beam of say
two hundred threads in width and n
lepp beam of one hnndred threads in
width are required. Two threads of the
first and one of tho second pass through
the same split m the ivea at regular in
tervals of say one-third of an inch, the
intervening' splits of the reed bein
empty. The paper pattern is fastened
to the middle of tha work, and the
weaver folluws it exactly as it iB painted,
that is the pattern may need six threads
of crimson, two of black, twelve of
ecru, ten of green olive, and so on, the
weaver filling the "spot" exactly as to
length aud color. Having woven tho
lull length of the paper as painted in
tho left-hand space the paper is bnguu
again and the painting on tho right
hand fcpaca is lollowed, and when all
tho papers which, laid side by side,
form the rug have been thus gono over,
tho weft for tho rng is finished.
The roll of welt-cloth is then run
through the cutting-machine, a ten
inch cylinder, around which a contin
uous thread yf knife-blades i3 wound.
This cylinder i; revolved ut a high rata
of Fpeed, and the weft-cloth, passing
within range of tho knives, is cut into
strips by them. These strips do not
unravel, because in weaving tho wheel
thread is twisted about tho two warp
thrcads aud the filling is locked iu.
After twisting each 6trip to change i.
from being a flat thread into a round
thread, it ia wound upon a bobbin and
is ready for the second weaver, who is
called the setter.
Th 3 warp of the. rug is black flax;
and the setter uses two shuttles alter
natelya small one, containing a bob
bin of two-ply cr three-ply flax, and a
largo one for tha unwieldy bobbin of
weft. A white thread on each side and
one in the middle of the black warp
aro the guides to tho setter, who sees
that certain parts of the warp-throad
come under those white threads before
ho presses tho weft in. Each bobbin
weft will weave about three inches of the
rug; so, if the rug is one yard long, it
will require twelve bobbins, which mean
twelve pieces of weft-cloth, to complete
it. But these twelve pieces, having
rach been cut up into ninety-six iden
tical strips, will" make ninety-six similar
ruga. Therefore, should the weft
weaver put in, fay, eight threads (ouo
half inch in length) of a wrong color or
shade, the error would appear in
ninety-six rugs.
The setter having finished the ninety-
six sets of twelve bobbins, the rugs me
ready for finishing. The machine
through which thej pass cuts the sur
face off evenly, and brushes them free
of fragments of the materials used.
This treatment brings out every detail
of the design and heightens the colors,
Most of the rugs made . here are) of
flax and wool ; others are of silk and
shoddy silk. Tho weft tor the silk rags
has eight stripes to the inch, and to cut
requires 28H knife blades, each one of
which must have a razor edge. The
weft cloth and the blades must bo sot
to a nicety, since the variation of the
sixteenth of an inch would make tho
knives cut the 288 threads instead of
the filling between the threads,
There is a firm in Glasgow, Scotlaud,
who manufacture for the royal houses
of Europe such elaborate designs as the
Lord'sS upper, the weft-weaver, in'some
cases, using four hundred different
shuttles. Philadelphia Record,
A family of Uerman rmmigrants re
cently passed through Harrisburg, Fa,
consisting of lather, mother, nine
children, forty grandchildren, and
eleven Rreat-grandchildren. Enough of
them were married to make the entire
party number ninety-five. Tney were
bound for Northern Iowa.
DiniTIIEItlA.
Rul
lor Its Prevention and Treatment.
The Massachusetts State board of
health has issued rules for the preven
tion and treatment of diphtheria, which
are applicable to any locality. ; They
are as follows:
In the first place, as diphtheria is a
contagious disease, and under certain
circumstances not entirely known, very
highly so, it is important that all prac
ticable means should be taken to sepa
rate the sick from the well. As it is
also infectious, woolen clothes, carpets,
curtains, hangings, etc., should be
avoided in the siok room, and only such
materials used as can be readily washed.
All clothes, when removed from the
patient, should be at once ploced in hot
water. Focket handkerchiefs should
belaid aside, and in their stead soft
pieces of linen or cotton cloth should
be used, and at once burned.
Disinfectants should always be placed
in tho vessel containing the expectora
tion, and may be used somewhat freely
in tho sickroom; thoso being especially
useful which destroy bad odors without
causing others (nitrate of lead, chloride
of zinc, etc)
In schools there should be especial
supervisions, as the disease is often so
mild in its early stages as not to attract
common attention; and no child should
bo allowed to attend school from an in
fected house, until allowed to do so
bv a competent physician.
In tho case of young children, all rea
sonable care should be taken to prevent
undue exposure to the cold.
Ture water for drinking should be
used; avoiding contaminating sources of
supply; ventilation should be insisted
on, and local drainage must be carefully
attended to. In country towns, privies
and cesspools should bo frequently
emptied and disinfected; slop water
should not be allowed to soak into the
surface of the earth near the dwelling
houses, and the cellars should be kept
dry and sweet.
In cities, especially in tidal districts,
baBins, baths, etc., as now connected
with drains, should never communicate
directly with sleeping-rooms.
In all cases of diphtheria fully as groat
euro should be taken in disinfecting the
bick room after use, as in scarlet fever.
After a death from diphtheria the
clothing disused should be burned or
exposed to nearly or quite a heat of
boiling water; the body should be
placed as early as practicable fa the
coffin, with disinfectant and the coffin
should be tightly closed.
Children, at least, and better adults
also in most cases, should not attend a
funeral from a house in which a death
from diphtheria has cccurred. But
witu. suitable precautions, it is not nec-
e isury that the funeral should bo pri
vate, provided tho corpse be not in any
way exposed.
Although it is not at present possi lile
) remove at onco all sources of t-pi
euiic disease, yet the frequent visita-
ion of such disease, and especially it
onlmued prevalence, may be taken as
sufficient evidence of unsanitary sur
roundings, and of sources of sickness
to a certain extent preventable.
It should be distinctly understood
that no amount of artificial " disinfec
tion " cau ever take the place of pure
air, good water ana proper drainage,
which cannot be gained without pi ompt
and efficient removal of all filth,
whether from slaughter-houses, etc.,
publio buildings, crowded tenements or
private residences, in tne opinion of
the board this is likely to be done
proporly only through independent
local boards of health, the appointment
of which in all cases we most respect-f-'.llv,
bnt earnestly, urge upon the
citizens of the State.
Cases of Leprosy in Louisiana.
A writer for the Morgan City (L.,)
Rivietn, who has lately visited the Bayou
Lafourche, says:
As a companion and myself ap
proached a house below the Cut-off he
told me the entiro family were afflicted
vrith leprosy. I s-.w a man hobblo out
with a half sack of rice on his bent
shoulders ; ho was followed by three
little children. There was a trading-
boat coming up the bayou at the time,
ana so we stopped at the fence, my
companion exchanging a lew remarks
in French with the unfortunate. One
excellent quality about this poor man
and his children was the lack of that
everlaEting trait of the 'Cadian "hand'
shaking." Ho dian t rush up to us
and hold out his whole arm, like a
Hiudoo would, until something
happened to . lower it, but, instead,
he went on jolting his rice
down into his sack, and now and
then casting fugitive glances over to
where we stood at the fence, beside our
horses. When the trading boat tied
up to the bank he went on board with
his children and we followed. Tins
man had what is called elephantiasis,
his legs and feet were horribly swollen,
and were incased in large, shapeless
canvas coverings neither shoes nor
moccasins. At two isolated, common, J
hovel-looking dwellings my companion
pointed and said;
'lucre is leprosy in mere, am tne
houses were closed up; doubtless the
inmates were out in their little rice
patches, and so we rode on.
"I'vo heard that sometimes those
poor creatures bait the trading boats
for something to eat or to trade with
them, and they ' pass by on the other
side ;' is this true?"
" You have seen how that family was
treated above here. No trading-boat
shuns them, except the trader is that
of provisions, or has a fall return of
freight ; then he don't stop for any
body."
"Do any of the children of these
lepers attend the publio schools?"
"No. Though these lepers keep to
themselves, they are all - known. One
of the children of a leper down here
tried to attend school last year, but the
pupils all left immediately."
A pleasantry attributed to M. Thiers:
"When I was very young I was so little
so little that I needed a polo to
knock down the strawberries." Li
Figaro,
Fish as Food.
A doctor writes in Good Word, an
English tntinziue, as follows: Found
for pound IMi is fatly ns nutritious as
butcher's meat. It may not seem so
satisfying, but that is because the sense
of satisfaction which wo experience in
eating is the result of supplying the
stomach with food and in na direct or
immediate way related to the nourish
ment of the organism as a wholo. Very
few of the solid substances we eat are
digested, even so far bs the stomach is
concerned, in loss than an hour, and
nutrition cannot commence until after
digestion has proceeded for some time.
It follows that the feeling of satisfaction
produced by solid food duriug a meal
must bo due to the appeasing of those
cravings which are set up in the stomach
rather than the supply of the noeds of
the system. Inasmuch as butchers'
meat is less easy of digestion than fish,
and it gives the stomach more to do, it
is easy to see why it seems, at the
moment, more satisfying.
Looking to the ultimate purpose of
nutrition fish is tho better kind of food;
it is more readily and completely re
duced in the stomach, and it nourishes
the organism more thoroughly, and
with less physical inoonvenienco, than
the flesh of warm-blooded animals, A
common error in regard to the use of
fish is the failure to recognizo that
there are two distinct classes of this
staple, looked at as food. In one class,
which may be represented by the mack
erel and the salmon, the oil and fat are
distributed through the flesh, whilo in
the other of which the cod and whiting
may be taken as examples, the oil and
fat are found almost exclusively in the
internal organs, notably tho liver. Now
the oil and fat are necessary, and if the
fish is not cooked and eaten whole, or
nearly so, these most important parts
are wasted. In cleaning fish, as littio
as possible should be removed. This
i3 a point of the highest practical mo
ment. Fishmongers aud cooks need to be
instructed afresh on the subject. To
omit any portion of the liver of a cod
in preparing the fish for tho table is to
throw away a great delicacy. A cod's
liver properly dressed is a dish for a
gourmet. It is inexplicable how any
thing so nauseons as tho " codliver oil"
of the chemist and druggist can be pre
pared from anything so nice as the liver
of cod. Housekeepers and those who
purvey for the table should take care
that nothing edible in a lisli is sacri
ficed. For cooking purposes it may be
assumed that fish is not only good food,
bnt food of the best description; well
able to supply the needs of the system,
and particularly easy of digestion. It
is equally serviceable for the weak ns
for the robust, the young ns the old.
The Secret Order of tho Zimls.
Mr. Francis H. dishing, the young
ethnologist, who was sent out by the
Smithsonian Institution to study the
inner life of the Pueblo Indians of New
Mexico, had some strango adventures
recently when he was initiated into the
secret order of tho Zunis. Having
secured a scalp - a necessary perquisite
iu the war with the Apaches, he pro
sented himself to the council of Zunt
warriors, aud like Othello, though with
a different puvpore and to a different
audience, told the story of his valor iu
war. Alter rnncli persuasion on Ins
part he was filially accepted us a suit
able candidato and ceremouies began
lie was taken to tho burring-giound,
where a sham fight, with prayers nd
songs interppeined, ensued. Carrying
a pole on winch was ti 0 bcalp, he then
marched at the head of thoytlliug band
of Indians to souie.girdons, whero the
ri-le was stuok in tho ground. Then
until eveuing he had tho pleasuro of
bitting motionless on an Rnt hill filled
vithants, which doubtless made tho
most of their unexpected opportunity.
Aller further prav-rs and other cpio-
monics he was formally takpu into the
ordt-r. Then flowed a march around
tho town. A scoi'O or more of do;rs were
killed to rive, variety to tho dav's fes-
tiviti'x, und tLo mng fellow was hur
ried off to bo baptized ua " a child c
tho parrots " and "a son of the eagle."
For the next four days ho was locked
up without " fire, meat, oil or tobacco,"
being forbidden to see any one. Nor
was this all. For the ensuing twelve
days the ceremonies of this mystio order
were continued; and of them he writes
to a friend in Boston. " Fresh in my
memory as they are, they seem to me
tho grandest, most interesting, weird
and terrible expenences and days my
Ida has over seen, and open up the sub
depths 01 meaning to my resarones in
Zuni." If, as he says, this was the least
wonderful part of his experience he will
return from the land of the Pueblos with
a narrative of striking interest, and
with much valuable information regard
ing the docendants of the Montcmumas.
Kerosene and Salt for Diphtheria.
A correspondent of the New York Sun
says: in lob'z, on a plantation in Uontb
Alabama, where there was great diffi
culty in securing good medical advice,
I saw a whole plantation of blacks, as
well as the white members of a large
family, successfully treated for diph
theria with kerosene oil and salt; used
thus: Every patient was given a lnmp
of rock salt about the size ox a boy's
marble, and instructed to keep it in his
or her mouth, swallowing the salty
paliva. At the same time the throat was
rubbed with kerosene oil, and a flannel
saturated with kerosene kept around
the neck until tne symptoms were
abated or entirely gone. If necessary
mild cathartics were given. Not a case
was lost, and there were fully 120 in all
on the plantation.
In Walker county, Ala., is a natural
bridge said to rival that of Virginia. It
is in the sandstone called millstone grit,
which underlies the coal formation. It
spans about one hundred and twenty
feet and its height is about seventy
feet. A smaller bridge connects it with
the bluff beyond. The lines of strati
flcation of the sandstone give the struc
ture the appearance of having been ar
tificially built up with massive blocks,
It is in the midst of a region of wild
and romantio beauty, high, escarpments
ot tne same sandstone being seen stand
ing out iu the face of the hills around,
May lie.
She leant across the stile,
With her merry golden smile
And her bonny brown eyes glancing
Through the groen leaves all the whilo
And he who loved her so , . ,
WBtcIicdJfrom the path below s , ,
Put Bho tossed her head so daintily,
And laughed and bade him go.
Maybe I maybe I we cannot know i
Maybe I maybe 1 'twas bottor so 1
When the winds of March wore loud,
And the skies were dark with cloud,
He had won her lovo forover,
And she trusted all he vowed.
But sho wopt against his heart :
' " Oh, my darling, wo must part ;
For a barrier lies between us.
Forovormore, Bwoetheart 1"
Jkybc 1 maybe 1 we caunot Itnow ; .
Maybe t maybe 1 'twas better so 1
And the years havejpassoii away,
And they both are old and gray ;
But the same sweet dream is in their hearts
Forever and forgave.
Oh, sweet and sad tho'pain
Of the love that will not wane ;
Bo sweet, so sweet, because so true
So sad, because in vain t
Maybe ! maybo 1 we cannot know ;
Maybe 1 maybe I It shall bo better so
Aiid'onai Republican,
HUMOIl OF THE DAY.
Some of the most timid girls are not
frightened by a loud bang.
Wbon a o-irl reiects an offer of mar
riage she goes through a sleight of hand
performance.
"What pressing necessity to crusn
the life out of us?" inquired the apples
of tho cider mill.
Peacock feathers are emblems of
vanity. They serve to point a moral
and adorn a tale. Picayune,
Politicians ought to make good tele
graph repair men. They are used to
pulling wires. Chroniclt-Herald.
An old negro says: " Sass is power
ful good in everything but children.
Duy need some other kind of dressing."
A gentleman friend had thirty-two
teoth taken out tho other day without
pain, and no anesthetic of any kind was
used. jjaiser yon say. xes, iney
wero false.
...Inst tha American oyster die?"
asits one 01 our exouanges. it must,.
If it is tough enough to go through a
olaia stew or a fancy roast alive, we
don't want it.
' Whot can I do for yon to induce
you to go to bed now?" asked a Lowell
mamma ot uer nve-year-oia ooy. - iou
can let mesit up a little longer," was tho
youngster s reply.
An advertisement reads: "Wanted
A young man to be partly out-door and
partly behind tho counter;" and the
Cleveland Lender asks: "What v
be tho result when the door slams?
Tho Boston Bulletin says: "The
America Angler is a new pap r which
w hope will not live by look and
ljin'." We have no doubt it will pub
lish do-baits, tn I worm its way into
iscatorial cij-cl.i-.
They sat (o !; her in the lampligh
aud read tho .uiverti-ing columns ot
their local paper, when Vie suddenly ex
claimed: "Loot, only $15. for a snit
of clothes! "Is it a wedding suit?-'
he asked. "Oh, no," ho replied; "it
is a business buit." "Well, I meant
IniMuebs," ehc replied. That settled it.
If lei World.
"Edward," said Mr. IVcp, what do
I hour ? that you have disobeyed ycur
grandmother, who told ,you just now
not to, jump down theEe steps?"
"Grandma didn't tell us not to, par-1;
she only came to tho door and said : I
wouldn't jump down those steps, boys;'
and I shouldn't think she would- an
old lady like her!" Onurenieur Her
nil. When you are coming up the cellar
stairs with a bucket of coal in one hand,
two pics and a plate of butter in the
other, and a loaf of bread under each
arm, it ia exceedingly trying to your
Christian fortitude to have a woman yell
down and caution you not to forget the
preserves on tho swinging shelf, in tha
corner of the cellar, next to the cuirant
jelly. Been there, haven't you?
Williamiport Breakfast Table.
The Mysterious.
He is a man with a light beaver over
coat on. He drives a white horse and a
top buggy, aud all of a sudden ho
stops in tho middle of the street and
looks fixedly at his horse. In two -
minutes fifty people line the curbstone.
" W hat s the matter ? "
"Balky."
A man steps out to seize the bridle
and start the horse, but the driver
shakes his head and motions him away.
1 11 bet he s an ugly brute."
Of course he is. Look at that
wicked eye of his!"
The crowd has now increased by
fifty, and several vehicles have stopped.
" Auybody nurt r
" No; balky horse."
" Why doesn't some one whisper in
his ear?"
Four men stepped out to give ad
vice, but tney are nastily motioned
back, and a livery stable man in the
crowd observes:
" II that horse doesn't kill two or
three men hero I shall be much mis
taken."
Three minutes more and the crowd
numbers 200. Tho man with the gray
horse looks up and down the street,
braces his feet, takes a firm grip on the
lines, and softly says :
" Come, Peter." . ,
And Peter drops his head, dangles
his ears and moves off as slowly and
softly as a river of grease. , ' 1
" What was it?" calls a man who has
run four blocks and , is . puffing like a
whale. - . -
But there is no uuu to answer him.
Tho crowd has dissolved like a handful
of sugar in a barrel of water. It is
very mysterious, and the crowd doesn't
enjoy the climax at tW.DetroitFre
Pre.

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