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THE SJ'iUT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. jrr C. c. M'm-.ke. night lictore C'bristmaf. when all Ttii tlx1 through the house Notcreiture iinrrot. not even mouse; The Mocking cre hung by Uie chimney with In hoiVT'ial St. Nicholas soon wonl.I lie there; 1 he children were nestled nil snnr irj their Imli, W hi ti-i'-iw ! sugar plums dancvd through t'M ir iK-ad", And mamms in her "kerchief , inj ia my cap, Had lui sclilcd ourselves for a long winter's nl'. When mil on the l there llroe such a clatter, I cpr-mir rxiti uiv bed to sec what aai liie mat It; Away t the n indow I flew like a fla-h. Tore open the fluitu-rK mi l threw up the sash. Tbe moon on the lrcs.t of the new-fallen enow, l.sve the luster of mid dav to objects 1Uw; lien, Mli.it to my wondering ev ghould i. esr Hut a iiiiiititure plcirh anil eight tinv reindeer, :ili a Jill.e vUl ui'-ver lively awf otuck, I knew iu a moment A i;-t b.- si. Nick. Mire rnpid than eii-l. hit- rot.rsrr'- tliev miw, Anil he whistled au i saouta.1 and called them by ii.ime : " Now. !,, cher! ri.or, I lancer! now, I'rancer! riirt . n! On. Omii-t! on, nt.i U on, Is.nderun 1 Ttlti 1 o I In- lop ol the porch ! .i the top of the wall ! Now , oa.-h aw av . da-h a av. dash an av all !" -"1 Milan UWJ: ANGE VOLUME II. MILAN, GIBSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE, DECEMBER 23, 1875. NUMBER 43. ! that before the wild hurricane flv, ccl w itli an obstacle, inoiirit to tin A dry le ive hen tlie i sky. So no to (he house-top tbe coursers they flew, Willi l'ie -1. ij;li lull o to, anil St. Nicholas, Iimi; ' Anl then in a I v. nk'lng I heard cn tie rc-f '. The prancing and pawing o! each little liof. j ' , . As I drew in my hea l itnl was tunrlnz arotinl, Itown tlie chimney St. Nicholas c-une with a bound ; lie was dressed ail in fur from hie head to his foot. And lux c. 'lies were all I irni. heil wit'i aslice ami B'-ot; A liia-lle tif tov he fin ij fluniron hi hark. m An iiie oikui nar a ( Ml.-r Juet opening hie pa. k. his (limplefl, how his note like a Hip rye", how they lirinkle'l merry ! Ilin riHM-k" were like rose cherry ; lli" ilroll lillle month w:i ilrawn up like a liow, A in) the In aril on Ins chin wan an white ao the "now ; and taking tlift ohi htte, coinfiu'iifcd to clcnn tlie frrcase ifT, and s'in its fat did piU-s morp a slofWund s!iiiun; as -mld 1. " I'ncle will peii-t in usinir tliis - fr a candk-stfek," she umUt'rt'tl. "l'wir old lmttle; it is all vc liavc of fa',h-r, p'xxl, dear father. 1 think ko iiMioh of K, Mid ivb hn ft lutd it now sis war a ad, sad six j-ears. liut I'll k t p it, I'll never " A step on tlie stairs interriit'd her; and a drunken voice called out Nelly! Neilv! where the devil are you?" Ilnr lieiliv ilaeinr tlie liottlu m the tahle, sU-tv'! into li:r jnoiher toin, and tnnil tha key.iA hV of aversion and liWifirwa on nurfW'ttfr A n next lo ineiit the door of the stairs was thrown open with a banjr, ami a liesotted, u.ll' looking man stacicd into the room. "That la.v, pnod-for-inrtliin"; pirl; where tlie devil is she? She never waits he struck a match and attempted to lirht the toj) of the bottle. " Pan": that girl! she never will leave the candle stick alone. Panp her old liottle! I'll pitch it out of the. window." Tlie pill's door opens. "Oil! uncle, don't lireak - J 11 -.1 ! . 1 ..I . . . 1. TheM,oiip..fapipliel,e.ltiL'htinliitelh, T "' '""lrr ,Vr Ami the mioke it eneirrle.1 his heail like a J It : pleasf do." hhe lav I her hand Oil renin. the diuiiken man's arm, tlie hrute drew llel,.tai i..ilfa. eiin llittleronn,wlly :f J back his liand, and tlie next moment That fiiook w hen he iaiii.-iieii like a bowl iull of i ( p. starviiirf Lnrl sank senseless and i. 'nl.,., . ,..,.. helpless to thelloor, from aheavyMpiv Aii'l i laiiruri aheu 1 eaw Unu in njule of my- tiuginp .UatuKof viue dt'lMlkwn sonjr. A witik of M" ey !mi a tH"t ntliwul'" " SiHin jravc ine M kn.nv I ha'l iiotlim t ) ilreail hadn't taken a mouthful since lie start ed. The door (if the attic was looked, lie rapped. No answer. He was ex cited. "Six hundred and nine, attic up stairs" ran in his Jiihid. Jle drew hack his foot. Pown . went the dKr, kicked through. And there, there, right on tlio floor, just rei-orerinjf from the ruflian-uncle's blow, lay Ids poor, dear, long lofct daughter. ' How be hupged and squeezed her. How the mother pot well so boon. How the Captain had a dozen doctors waiting on her, when himself and pood food were the only doctors she needed. There was never a merrier Christmas in tiny family I don't care a snap what family it was in there never was a merrier Christmas than they had that s-ame dav. What a prand house thevhad. How rich the Captain was. How happy they all are. On tlie parlor mautpl. tinderuculh ctoiUv uicUire. lind on her poor old uncle." Willi diiliculty rnsil rich rift and ornaments, in the i i . .i i .... .. .i .i . , t'i Jte iliiew'tlie I6ttl.. tlu-oupli " tin-.window pane, aul went slaggt'iinp, reeling, sliouting from the room. llep.ke not a wont, hut went Hr.njrht to lii ! It was Chri.t mas morning. The hells work. . Ana fl! ;! nil trip "toekiiiRs, then turned with a jerk Anil Uyitn; lii.-i Huirer ai.eof hi" noe, . U A nil jri viinr n iiml n p 1lie ehiinney he rose ; Jle t-pntiLr to his i-lcih, lo hiri uuiu pava a whistle. ' A ml aw;n they all flew like the ilown ol a thistle; lint I ln-rir I him exi'laiin, ere he ilrove out of mi hi: "Mi 'ui:ii tin to ami to all a tji.oli Ni .111 ! WHAT A 1I0TTLE I)I1. A ihiMmRl Story A dark, coltl room. Have, lilaek walls, from wltich half of the plastering had fallen, a Unless graie, an old creak v table : a-el there you have the furniture of the topmost room of a tiuu,-ble-il.iw n, hccrlcs hmise, in the dirty, narrow .tr-ctif lnnloii. It. was bit ter Coltl out -i1e, snow was falling in i:ick sttsadv niMs-es, ami eddying here and there, li ien ly thu bitter, cnk-1, jiitiless w ind. On the table in this dark, fold room, through the broken windows of which the inl rv bl.i.-t came freely in, was a large black bottle, whose sides were tilled with clustered tallow, the drippings of the linlf-conumed candle stuck in its month. It was a peculiar bottle. You would have noticed it wherever you saw it. I know I would. Three rings, half hid by the preae, ran round its mouth, a large, triangular chip w is out of the second rim. nd-A large good -nature d crack extended from its shoulder in a diagonal dinvtion across the letter It of the word lirawiy, which was blown in the pi iss. A jolly oht' spool :iinl a wrinkled, sour work- box, .-lo.nl on thetablelie.tr by. Now it max -. ' in preen, but this botile was ntteitipting to speak. '1 here is no ue in deiixiiig the fact, for 1 will maintain it to the la-1. And this was a jxcvliar 1VU von know. If it wasn't for the candle it would have spoken; but in the name of goodm'ss how could any bottle speak with a grea-y candlein its mouth. So it only crumbled and prowled, and tried vcrV hard to speak. The jolly .old F 1 nearly split its sides laughing- at the oncer noise, and the wrinkled, suur work-box frowned as hard frown. A half hour passed bv with this grumbling and prowling, and lauphinp and frowning; when, suddenly the candle fell, as if the bottle had spit it out. The spool pave .piite a start at the noise, and the work-box frowned more than ever. "Wait till I cl rid prea-e out of my mouth," spoke the bottle, "ami I will tell you what hap pened to me six years apo 1 1st month. 1 was aboard the.' Foamy Wave,' and Captain l'.lake thought a great -deal of me. I va :iK ays full of pood dd brandy then; but now I never see a drop." We were in the China Sea. One night someone cried 'Tirates! Pirates! The deils are upon us!' Then the noi.-e of our puns was loud and frequent. There was un awful row on deck, (iuns and pi-tols rattling, swords clashing, feet scutlling, heavy bodies falling, and Captain l'.lake bravely calling on his men. Suddenly the noise ceased, and I heard a heavy, hurried step descending the companion-way. Captain lilake burst into the cabin all covered with soot and blood, and wounded slightly in the arm. lie threw his broken sword fiercely fr.uu him, and prabbing me up pre-scd me long and earnestly to his lips, nearly draining me dry. (Juickly e nipt ing the rest, he grabbed a pencil and paper and wrote. 4 1'inits rm juishtI ;) fov (t"l l'h! ii, awHn 7p vs.' lie then signed his name and that of the ship, .lamming the paper in mv mouth, lie ha-tily forked me, and jump ed through the cabin window, bearing ine with him. All was confusion out side., The pirates were yelling and jab bering to one another. "Chinese junks loomed up in the inky darkness. The Captain struck out manfully for escape, and setting me lose said, 'this may bear the news of my death to my dear, dear family.' I would like to have told I'd try. but I could not speak with the cork in my mouth.- " I floated about for two weeks, when 1 was picked up by a homeward bound ship, the captain of which knew Cap tain. I'.htke's wile, aud brought me safe ly home. How tiny fried, and felt so bad. for old Captain P.lake was mighty pood to them. And then we commenced ti pet poor tlie Captain's brother "rambled the money away and they sank lower and lower. They lost every thinp; but never would part with me. And uow poor Mrs. lilake is sick, st were rinpinp and banging, and clang ing away in a merry style. The snow wits falling very slightly, only a stray suowllake now aud then. Crowds of men and women, and boys and pirls tilled the jolly utreet. 'Merry, laughing Ixitu and girllt they were; shouting; and failing, and blowing horns, and snap ping whips, and ridingimaginary horses, ud 4)uuasionally shying a good-natured siiow'-ball at papa, who always laughed and took it all in fun. Handsome, smiting; 'girls in bands of threes and fours, and muffled in the prettiest and most Switching kinds of hoods you ever saw, walked along ipiite smart. Kvcrv body knew this was Christmas, cycry body accordingly was happy e very center, stands the old bottle. 1 Here it js, the fat old shining aides, the trian gular chip, and tbe good natured, smil ing crack. The poor and needy were never turned away from those prand doors; but met with a kind reception, lint how did it all come about? You may think one thing, and I mav think another. Put the Captain and I always said "that we thought it was the bottle did it." Stanley's Reception by King Mtesa. sick, aud pttor Nelly has no work, the uncle is aiways drunk, and I tell you they are starving, starving." A step on the stair interrupted him. and the next moment a pale, wan pirl entered. She could not have been over eighteen years of age; but sorrov? ?md starvation had set their deep mark upon her features, which even now held something which might be called beauty. Her face and hands were blue villi cold. Her threadbare slrawl was small protection to her shoulders. She carried a small bundle. A voice in the next room called, and, brushing the snow from tier dress, she went miickiy in. The little parcel contained some scauty food, for the sick woman who lav on the led within. Tbe poor other pivistvl the uaupuler to late VCrV liodv was joyous, every body was Uolighlod ,to see every body else, and you never could imagine 'ft time when cvrry body was so jolly and pay.' There wns one person, however, who was not. A tall, hcaviiy-whi-kercd man, closely mullled in a large scarf and wrapped in a .heavy .pea-jacket, with his head bent toVniil the pavement,, walked sorrow fully, sadly along. His black beard with its long silver threads told of past sorrow, and his face showed present erlef . ' Now and then a . tear trickled dowu his cheeks; but he tried to blame it on tlie innocent snowtlakes, as if they would forget themselves so much as to pr living into a person's eyes on Christ mas," when there wasn't a capful of wind to drive them. You could see. at once that lie was a sea faring man. He waa a Captain. He hail arrived the day before. He had rushed joyfully to his old home, only to find strangers in pos session, and his wife and child pone (bid knows where. Perhaps miles away ; perhaps dead. They had sold all b ur years apo; he had been pone six. All the people knew, was that his wife and child were poor, very poor. He groan ed with the weight "of his heavy feel ings. A beggar at the corner was delighted liolf to death by the twinkle of a bright gold piece that" fell into his outstretched Tialtn. from the Captain's lingers. Per- .. . . i i ' . .. " , ... as it count haps Ins wnc and ciuui were pegging. How could he tell? On he walked, his ve still bent downwards anil looking otit tf the larg rwded street into the narrow, deserted lanes. Here he saw poverty and dirt, on every side, squalid, dying poverty and dirt. He passed in- in this horilo many houses, with pel haps a thouglit to see his wife and daughter, .iany a family that day blessed the Captain and their 'Maker, tdr a merrier Christmas than they had seen for years. Passing along a dark, narrow, tUrty street, sud denly he caught sight of a tall, dark bottle, half hidden 'by the snow, lie gsr.ed at it a little "while, passed on, hesitated, and returned. Visions of a dark nbi-ht. an awful night, the cry of "pirates!" a hard pressed tipht, tin defeat, the message in the bottie, his escape, thrown on ail island, discovery of t he pirates' treasure, captured by the villains, live years m bondage, escape at lat, carrying oil" the treasure, two weeks afloat in an open boat, seen by a shin, nicked up, thank Heaven! ana ar rived safe in Kngland, chase each other with the rapidity of lightning through his mind. He uncovers the bottle. Heaven! it is the same! The three rings annum ine mouin, me inauguuu j chip from the second, the crack across the " H," there it all was; how many times he had seen it all before. Had his wife pot his message then? If so, here wasa clew, and he might find her. P.ut how impossible it was that the bottle ha'd come safe to her. Pare he hope? He might be successful, he mipht find them. Yes, he would try. Pushing like an insane man, into a pro vision store opposite, he flourished the bottle and nervously inquired if they had seen that bottle before. Thinking lii iu to bo ;oLue detective, they earnest ly assured him they hadn't. He treated every house for three blocks in the same manner, lie asked at every door, but wittiout tlif bst siiWMW He pave it up in despair. To be thus thrown down after honimr so much, was awful. He never was to find them, never to press them again ia bw arms. Wbat misery was his. Slowly, sadly he walked on. Some how or other the bottle felt fidgety in his noeket. He took it out. and looked at it attentively; it awakened old memo ries. And ripht here now, I won't say for certain, mind you, but whether it was the bottle speaking, or the bells chiming, or the Captain s heated unapt A YbxLni-t Girl l ooking After a For- tnne. When the steamship City of Chester arrived at New York from Liverpool a few days apo, It had on board, amoug the cabin passenpers, a pood-looking woman of about '35 or 40 years, and an old lady who Jokl fully fi.i, and who bore on her face', undoubted. signs ".of trouble or of dissipation most unusual in women of her apparent po-dtloa in life. Attaching to these two women is a somewhat remarkable story, which is ...t.l :., .1... x- .i ii i i .' loin in iuyt.cw iui k i uriu- ,, t son was over, and make the girl his bride. In the meautimeshe had given her heart aud promise to a young man of the val ley wh had never even looked upon the sea. The priest was a manly young fel low, and we admired him because he so heartily sympathized with the young pair, and senfi the father raging out of the sanctuary. After a. little while an other young woman was vailed, and the procession started, leaving the betroth ed pair kneeling in front of one of the altar. The father east himself from the high city wall that night, at a spot where it '"nlles the edge of the hill that over- Many years ago there lived iu a larpeili4ihe riverr where the ivy grows in nation, or tnc wmu. wnistiing mine pot tle mouth, certain it is that something seemed to sinir. Six hundred and nine! Six hunm-ed and nine! Up in the attic! Cp in the attic! Go back! Go back! Six hundred and nine ! " It made such an impression on the Cap tain's mind, that, -jamming- the bottle in the jacket, back he dashed, down the street, overturning two men in the snow, and knocking right up against every second man he met. He gaiued six hundred and nine. He banged the door open. He dashed up the stairs. lou wouldn't nave tnougni tiiose siairs could have stood it. Bang! dash! stumbling up. . No man ever went up stairs like he did; six at a bound was The following is an extract from Stan lev's last letter to the New York U:r til'd : Arriving at P.eya, we were welcomed by a fleet of canoes sent by Mtesa to conduct us toMurchison Creek. On the 4th of April I landed amid a con course of 2,(HIU people, who saluted me with a deafening volley of musketry and iv.-iviii.r of flao-s. Katakiro. the chief Mukunpu, or officer in Uganda, then conducted me to comfortable quarters. to which shortly afterwards were brono-lit sixteen roats, ten oxen, an im mense quantity of bananas, plantains, sweet potatoes, besides eggs, chickens, milk, rice, ghee and butter. After such a roval and bountiful gift I felt more curiosity than ever to see the generous monarch. In the afternoon Mtesa, having pre pared beforehand for my reception, sent to say that he was ready to receue ine Issuin" out of mv Quarters I found my self in a broad street SO feet wide and a half a mile long, which was lined by his personal guards ami attendants, ins Captains and their respective retinues, to the number of about 3,000. At the extreme end of this street and fronting it was the King's audience-house, iu whose shadow I saw dimly the figure of the King sitting iu a chair. As I ad vanced toward him, the soldiers con tinued to fire their guns. The drums, sixteen in number, beat a fearful tem pest of sound, and the flags waved, until I became conscious that all this display was far beyond my merits, and consequently felt greatly embarrassed by bo flattering a recepj tion. Arrived before the audience house the King rose a tall and slender fipure,'lressed in Arab costume ap i.ro!iclie'd me a few paces, held out his hand mutely, while the drums continued their terrible noise, and we stood silent ly gazing at each other a few minutes, l", indeed, more embarrassed thau ever. Hut soon, relieved from the oppressive noise of the huge drums and violence of tlie many screaming, discordant tiles, 1 was invited to sit, Mtesa nrsi snowmp the example, followed by his great Cap tains, about one hundred in number. More at case, I surveyed the figure and features of this powerful monarch. Mtesa is about 34 years old, tall and slender in build, as I have already stated, but with broad shoulders. His face is very agreeable and pleasant, and indicates intelligence and mildness. His eves are larpe, his nose and mouth are a" great improvement upon those of the e.mimon tvne of negro, and approach to those of the Muscat Arab slightly! tainted with negro blood. His teeth are splendid, and gleaming white. As soon as Mtesa began to speak I became captivated by his manner, for there was much of the polish of a true gentleman about it it was at once amiable, grace ful and friendly. It assured me that in Mtesa I had found a friend, a generous King, and an intelligent ruler. He is infinitely superior toSevd Hurghash.the Arab Sultan ot z,anziuar, anu ue ap pears to me like a colored gentleman 1 who has visited European courts, w hence he has caught a certain polish and ease of manner and a vast amount of in formation which he has collected for the improvement of his race. If yon will recollect that Mtesa is a native of Central Africa, and that he had seen but three white men until I came, you will, perhaps he as much astonished as I was. And if you will but think of t,he enormous extent of country he; rules, extending from east longitude 34 to east longitude 31, and from north latitude 1 to south latitude 3 :30, you will perceive the immense influence he could wield toward the. civilization of Africa. In deed, I could not regard this King or look at him in any other light than the Augustus by whose means the light of the (Jospel will be brought to benight ed Middle Africa. Undoubtedly the Mtesa of to-day is vastly superior to the vain youth whom Speke and Grant saw. Tficre is no butchery of men or women ; seldom one sutlers the extreme punishment. Speke and Grant left him a raw, vain youth, and a heathen. He is now a gentleman, and, professing Islamism, submits to other laws than his own erratic will, which, we are told, led to severe and fatal consequences. All his Captains and chief officers pro fess the same creed, dress in Arab cos tume, and in other ways anect Aran custom. He has a guard of 200 men renegadoes from Baker's Expedition, Zanzibar defalcators, a few Omani, and the elect of Uganda. Behind his throne, an arm-chair of native manufacture, the Iloval shield-bf a-ers, lance bearers, and gnn-bearers stand erect and staid. On either side of him are his grand chiefs and courtiers, sons of Governors of his provinces, chiefs of districts, etc. Out side the audience-house the lengthy lines of warriors begin with the chief drummer and the noisy goina beaters. Next come the screaming fifers, the flair and banner bearers, the fusiliers, and so on seemingly ad infinitum with spearmen. Mtesa asked a number of questions about various tilings, thereby showing a vast amount of curiosity and great intelligence. town in Virginia a man of considerable means and of good social and business repute Stacy by name and an iron master by trade." He had married early in life a handsome pirl of Irish descent, by whom he had four children. It was currehfjy reported that the man did not live happily wilh his wife.' and after the birtuof -their fourth child, Mr. Stacy, unable loiiper to bear with the habitual and incorrigible intemperance of his wife, instituted suit for t divorce and, meanwhile, separated fn.HU hex, taking the children into his own care. Pend ing the suit for divorce, Mrs'. Stacy went to England to stay with relatives resid ing there, and shortly after Mr. Stacy, reading in one of the English papers of her-lentli, stopped .the-proceedings for divorce, ami, a few months ..'after, mar ried a young lady living in Richmond. Mr. Stacy had three children by' his second wife, with whom he led a happy and contented life, and ' he was much grieved when, after a'iapseof ten years, she died in childbirth, leaving him for the second time a widower. The grief, however, was, apparently, not inconsol able, for after a short space of mourn ing he moved to New York an 1 married a third time. By this last marriage he had four children, three bos and a girl. After a short residence here Mr. Stacy returned to Virginia. In 1X73 Fanny Stacy, the eldest child by the first marriage, and by all reports a very estimable young person, went to Englaiid on a visit for the benefit of her health. While staying at Torquay she met an old lady who had know n her fa ther and mother in America in the early days of their married life, and from this person she learned, to her utter surprise and dismay, that her mother, Mrs. Stacy No. 1, was not dead, but was living in London in very strait circumstances, to which she had" been reduced by her habit of excessive drinking. Miss Stacy too, no particular stwps to verify this report, but on her return to America told her father what she had heard. The old gentleman was incredulous and particu larly angry that any one should have dared to mention the name of his dis graced wife to her daughter. He re fused to take any measures to find out the truth, and from that time displayed great coldness toward Fanny, who at this time was the only surviviupchild of the first marriage. In the early part of 1874 Mr. Stacy, who had been in bad health a long time, died. When his will was opened it was discovered that by a codicil added the year before he had revoked all bequests to Fanny Stacy, and left the whole of his fortune, amounting to over 1,phu,oii, to the children by the second and third marriages and to his surviving widow. By advice of a lawyer, a friend of the family, Fanny determined to contest the will. To do this successfully it was necessary to find the first wife of Mr. Stacy, prove the first marriage, the con sequent illegality of the other two mar riages and the illegitimacy of all their issue. Miss Fanny, therefore, started in April last, in company with an old friend, to England in search of her mother. For months she searched and advertised and sought in vain ; no sign of her mother was to bo found nor any news' nL- ncr to ue icarnuiu .a.,jew months ago, though, slw. engaged the serviixn of some experienced English , detectives, and by their aid succeeded. She found her mother in a hut iu the verv lowest part of lyomlon, inhabited by the poorest classes of Irish laborers, living a disgraceful life of continual in toxication. The mother recognized her daughter by her striking resemblance to hnr father, and after much persua sion and earnest entreaty, consented to go to America and reform her life, help her daughter to get what. ws due her ami to get her o.wii Ua'Q- Theol.l lady was taken from her squalid abode, washed -ami- decently clad, taken to Liverpool .aud put aboard the City of Chester, bound for New York. On the voyage she was seriously ill, owing to her sudden and total dejnivation of all intoxicating drinks, which Fanny Stacy had absolutely and firmly refused to al low her. Howeverj she rallied and got through all right, landed safely in New York,0 and started with her jduoky daughter fox Virginia, 'where tint suit is now" pending to set aside the will of the late Mr. Stacy, ironmaster, of Virginia. wi, J masses that can never be imagined by -na American. who pets and coaxes ih obstinate vine to twine for a few fct a? sig his walls, and then sees it turn v jow and refuse to thrive. Into this L.i jled mass, 'the poor frantic wretch of a lather threw himself, and only broke a leg when he intended to take his life. He was found next morning, his leg properly dressed, and he was sentenced not a loiig time after to a year's impris onment for attempting suicide. ; ' - i i.i: T A ruralize neuuiag itc A clergyman who was formerly loca ted in this city, but is now in New Y'ork, married, a little over a year apo, a couple who at once started for Europe 1 and have recently returned. The bride groom "was a gentleman of wealth, and before he presented himself before the bridal altar he placed a .100 greenback iu his vest pocket to give the parson for the marriage fee, and did pay it to him as he supposed. While crossing the ocean he discovered, greatly to his as tonishment, the bill in the pocket where he placed it, and could account for its presence there only on the theory that he must hare had another bill of a dif ferent denomination which he had do nated to the clergyman by mistake. On getting back to this country he de termined' to solve the mystery, and waited upon the reverend gentleman, who did not recognize him. and inquir ed if on a certain date he did not marry a certain couple. The clergyman re membered the occasion perfectly. "I know 1 am about to ask an impertinent question." said the visitor, " but I should like to be informed what fee you received for performing the ceremo ny?" The clergyman was not prepared to make any disclosure, naturally be ing astonished mat ins imer.eei should propound such a question, but upon an explanation being made that the "cntlenlan himself, whom he then rei-o'Tiized. was the one lie h id mar ried," he said that he would, of course, gratify him, since he was so anxious to know. " I received." ne men went on lo sav, " n very small quantity of fine cut chewing tobacco, folded in a very small piece of paper." That, was 1Mb HH""h : the onlv thin? remaining to be done was to apologize, laugh hearti lv, shake hands, and make the 6100 de posit good. A Warning to Reckless Adrisers. ' The Baltimore Sun says a singular ease was recently decided in the Circuit Court for Washington County, Mary hind. It was given in evidence on the trial that, in 1871 Mrs. Susan Wecklcr asked the First National Bank of Ilagers town to cash a draft on New York for 1,047. The teller of the bank, John P. Newcomer, being told by her that she w ished to invest 1,000 in Washington County bonds, advised her that a better investment would be in Northern Pacific Railroad bonds, which have since de preciated to about fifteen cents on the dollar. He told her, as an inducement for such investment, that Pr. Smith, her physician, had invested .f 10,0 in the Northern Pacific bonds, and this assur ance induced her to invest in them also. Her son-in-law confirmed her testimony, having been present at the conversation. The action was brought against the tell er of the bank to recover the amount in vested under deceitful representation. The jury gave a verdict in Mrs. Weck ler's favor. The defendant denied the allegation of deceit, and said .that at thatYnne the railroad bonds were es teemed as an excellent investment. Pr. SmiUi testified that he never had invest ed in the Pacific Itailroad bond.-, ad never told any one that he had any. Mrs. Wecklcr first brought her action against the bank, but the court decided that it could not be maintained. Mr. New comer has filed a motion for a new trial. A Silk-Stocking Patiper. The good people of Marengo, Iowa, for a long time had on their hands a piti able object of charity, and tried to do their duty as sympathetic human beings. Emma Bcanford was a widow of Maren go. She was once supposed to be quite well-to-do, but had been reduced to rags and squalor and starvation under tlie eyes of the people of Marengo. They gave her food aad clothing and consola tion in her abject poverty, trying to lighten her oppressive memories of bet ter days, as well as to keep her body and soul together. At length the Widow Bcanford became ill, and her sympathiz ing neighbors provided her with doctors, medicines, nurses, and other sick-room comforts. Then the Widow Bcanford died, with her shoes on and without stock ings. She was buried bv the Odd-Fel lows, who gave her a respectable funer al, a good, comfortable cotlin and a hos pitable grave. The public administrator went to rooting among the Witlow Bean- ford's boxes and trunks, not looking for mv thing but merely performing the perfunctory duties of his oinee. He came upon hidden and unsuspecieti treasures. He unfolded money in gold and silver and copper and paper curren- cv. promissory notes ior iiuniiieus oi dollars, a valuable gold watcJi and chain, three diamond rings, one containing a cluster of six stones, other sold and sil ver rings and trinkets, several fine .silk .Tresses, some Joens of pairs of silk stockings, a splendid feather-bed and bedding to match, ami all the parapher nalia of a tir-t-class female establishment ud outfit. The good charitable people of Marengo were astonished at these de velopments. They had carried the poor woman for years anil had not felt the biird"U, but now the load that had just rolled oil their shoulders into the grave hurt them a liitle. The Widow Beanfoid was richer than any ol I hem, and died on the hands of chanty witn tnousanns oi dollars rusting iu her house. A Horse Funeral. A pray horse, which in a lifetime of twent -eight years had traveled wun a circus", been" mortgaged four times, served in the rebellion, and been less gloriously useful in his old age at farm work, died recently at Oconto, Wiscon sin. His name was Robinson Crusoe, and he was called Bob for short b familiar acquaintances. His owner had a coffin made of black waluut. hand somely finished, and bearing a plate in scribe'd with the name and age. A funeral was attended by two hundred villagers. After a speech laudatory of t ho dead horse, a procession was form ed like this : Hand of Music, ('(.flhi on a Truck drawn by Six Horses, boll's Mate, heaviiv Draped with Crape. Mourners Afoot. The route to the grave was through the main street of the village. A halt was made to allow a photographer to make a picture of the pageant. At the grave there was a discussion as to whether the co lliir, which was shaped to hold the animal with his legs naturally extended, should be buried on the side or stand ing up edgewise. Some argued that the horse should lie on his back, just like a hnman corpse; others that he should be left in a standing attitude, as m life: and a third party held that he ought to repose on his side. The own er,who had intended no burlesque, de cided to bury his favorite in the latter way; and so this strange funeral rite ended decorously. DEPARTMENT REPORTS, Accompanying th PriU-nt' MenSt. The following is an abstract of the more important reports of the heads of Departments, which accompanied the message of the President, and which have not heretofore lieen published: HE 1 "OUT or TUB SFXUETART OF T1TK TCEASI KV: The net n"etiue lor the fiscal year wer- f S , oni.i.'Sl. Hi, ami Uc uriliuary exiH'iiivs fJTl.nj:!,-s-4 lenviu a purj.lus lcvftui.'. exrhisive of Uiesiiikir.it uq1.o( M.3;.M.V.irt. The rwvipt exceeded estimates by about t3..,,0i. U expenditures fell below estimates about t'ii an. 1 be estimate nf revenues for tlie eiisunm year, base.) on thellrures of theilrat quarter, i V.'aT, 4.V.,U...1.. anil of expenses, is U7,."4:l.., giving a surplus of -2!i.uns.tiul.:fc, ini.uili.-i.nt by til.iVi.uno to provide for toe sinking tiind. The reduction of tlie public debt lias lieen 14,3W, 514. S4, b.'inz 1,i2-.,.s.'i6..' more than tbe sur plus of revenue-. The Secretary declares that lie regards the requirement of law directing- the maintenance of tlie sinking fund as second only in importance to the payment of nuer.-stun die public dctit, aud he will act so. The Secretary isabieto amiwince tlmt .-'e.000.tioii of t per cents have been funded into a per cenis. He be; licves tbe remainder can berelunded "in aecopl- nnff. Willi ti... iir.ivirti.inrt .if the urt9 of 170 and S7i." Itnt he recommends that furibc leirisla- j hain't UO fool. ti -n be iia.l extendnur tlie time ler me rrncnip tion of the 4S P'r cents from 1 ' to .M years from the .late ol their issue, tin the subject of the re sumption of ep.-cie payment the .secretary con -suiii. sniu. h siac.c. In order to insure resump tion bv the dav fixed bv taw .Ian. I, l-7'. he recommends the atioiilion of the Ics'al-teii'lcr fea ture of the greenbacks as to contracts entered in to after the lirst dav of January. Is77. .Mean time be also recommends that authority lie irivcn him to fund the legal-tender notes with long-time bonds for small sums as low as bearing a low rate of interest, say 4 per cent. , and that these lionds be made available to national banks as security for their circulation. ncsugz 'so" that this a'ulhority might be limited to 0,ii" iiurmmiiii. The Secretary reurrlA thai lie has been compelled to make sales ol gold, but ne. es sitv has enforced him to the measure as h nie:.ns of meeting the ciurent expens. of (joverliiner.t. The numlier of National bank omaiiiie.1 up to the lstinst. i8 2,3o7, of which -',1-7 were doing business Oct. 1. Itcporls of the last named date show their capital to have been So4,si!t, Kl ; cir culation, '1IS,:( ,:I7'J, deposits, a,Si!i!; loans f 'So. 'i d ; specie, including coin cer titicites $s.ii,:f.li. Cinler the iree-baiiking clai'-e of fie act of January 11 1-7', l",'si,il ofn.ttioa:il bank notes lime been issued and s 7.",7 (i of legal-tender notes retired. 1 n.ler the act of June it, 1-74, which provides for the re lireineur of na ional banK ciicul dioo. and the surrender of I Is .1. posited as s.-curity b the ubstnulion oi leL'al-U'iider notes. 7. li.l.'J of such legal ten ler not . . have been dei Ited. Of this sum 17.:H7,.M; bis lieen paid o tiny deinption of national bank notes, and in.i'is, 14.' remain in the Treasury. On account ot the silver-resumption scheme S.ii.l, it ounces of silver bullion have b.-en ptircliasvd, at an aver age price of 111 4-10 cents per standard "um P audit ha. been coined to the ainoiin of h.i'", Oon. Hut the S.-eretarv declines t.. use it. !' savs: "For obvious reasons it has been, and yet is, imprceiieable to put or keep saver iu co ition." The receipt- trom cusiom- ior ioe coning June i-.. " i". " Klimiiiig a tall i. ir olf in the latie year of .",!" Hi, ! 1 1 34. The views of tin- secre tary in support of a tanir lor revenue as rv,,rPsseil in his reiiortof lasi year are reiterated. He refers to twoevils i" the collection of custoin .I'lt.es. namely, smuggling and undervaluation. The restoration of the duty on tea and coffee is rec itnuiended. Ininngthe fiscal year 1-73 the j costot collecting tlie custom revenue has been i reduced more than ha f a million d 'liars bi drop ping employees and reducing the salaries of o'h.-rs. Fines and penalties nr among the things that ere, only is,5 1.7 having been collected , for the lirst quarter of ihe current li-c:il ye ir. on . the basis of which the tailing off for the v.-ar, as compare.! with ls7t will lie !t.e.OH0. Thisl.-s has lieen met bv a further reduction of eien-es to the amount of more than a million dollars per annum. But ttie Secretary doiints if there, uc tion ca be maintained m it'i ut injury t - the ser vice. The Internal Revenue exhibit is more gratifying than that of customs. The total re c ipts' lor the fiscal rear 1-74 were lo;.H4l -T4i; !H, while those for the last year augreg ited 1 1 10,.i4 '.,1.4.2a, an increase of 7,'.n ,4.i7. ... There was also an increase of .l-i.7rt.in for the m nths of Octolier and November of this year as compared with the coiresiion'ling months of 1-74. 1 he subject of frail s by the. Whisky King and their prosecution is discussed at length. Reasons are given for the refusal to compromise anv cases of fraud, and it is declared that per sis'trnt find systematic frauds will be visited with the severest penalties of the law. ITSGEST riRHJUAlIlS. What to buv for Christmas is an im portant question just now, but where to get the money to buy it with is still more so. "TFlike crtreslike," quoth nibulussthirt, "Each second clas must siiretv cure the tirt." Alas, he missed ht cmirit. and. sad to see, The drinks came out uneven) did he ! While a woman was getting off of a Madison Street car yesterday her foot slipped and she, her baby, and' her shop ping were precipitated to the -ground beneath the very hoofs of two 'bus horses. The spectators were thrilled with horror for a moment, but the woman scrambled to her feet unhurt ere they could dart to her assistance, ami. shrieked in an agonizing tone: '. mcrcv me, my dress! Where's mv other brown paper parcel? Is the baby hurt?" Is the office of one of the hotels the other dav a man spit a great deal of to bacco juice around and had a great deal to say aoout Ins vovage u r.ui"i" year, lie used many oaths, made him self disagreeably- familiar to all, and finally stepped on a little man's corns and bluntly asked : " Did you ever go to Europe ?'- "No, sir, I never did, was the replv. " I have had all I could do to stav at' home- and learn manners!" There was lots of silence around there after that. Ihtnnt Free iVcss. I'NCLE Dick, a Vicksburg negro .r,0 years old, with three marriageable "daughters kicking their lac's under lire dinner table, leaned over his gate 1 ist night, i,nd remarked: "You see. Mis ter t'osgtove, ' doze ar' gulls be, had forty chances to marry, but de ole man Lots o' voting niggers cuius spoonin' arounu nean, m on dere wool an' new paper collars on. but dey hain't got no stamps. It would only betakin' anoddcr bo'der. Dere's heaps ob poor trash llyiu' around. Mis ter Cosgrove, and do.e gals he got to hab a pile ob watchin, dey hez."--Vii-ksbunj Herald. On, the slush, the beautiful slush, slippino- about with an unctuous gu-h, yielding and soft to the hurrying feet that soggle about in it. out on the street clumping and thumping about in the mud, and once in a wlii'e coining down with a thnd. Splashing the peo ple from ankle to crown, and fre.pient lvjielping a man to sit down right on tlie sidewalk, before the whole town (there is no valid reason under the sou why peoiile should think it such tern ble'f in to see a poor fellow go down wilh a run). Sticking to every thing, outdoor and in: ipiite oleaginous glue but thin. No other nuisance is half so i.t-oiiouii.-ed. and if we d-.n't swear to i . , ,... ilia!, may we ne tiouueeu. t ntmy, i-ter-Octan. cu ve.irs A Timely Story. A little incident came to our knowl edge the other dav, which at thi- time mav bo worth the' telling. .Ju-t after the" holidays of Is,?:!, a physician, m one of the large cities, while making his daily rounds, gave a description to one of his patients of the almshouse that day. especially dwelling np.di tie- pitia ble sight of so many children to whom C'hrisnnas bad not" been even a name, but had passed in all the dull misery f other days. The lady to whom bespoke was a helpless invalid, unable for years to leave her bed; she was straitened, too, in means. But, hearing the story, sbe determined that next Christinas should bring a little pleasure to at least some of the little ones whom society had thrust out of the pale even at their birth. She had the inevitable storehouse in a family, the " piece bag," brought and emptied on her bed, and began to make rag babies, knitted mittens, balls, etc., etc. the thousand inexpensive little ...in. ,.-b;, li ronniri'd onlv labor and Good for Pony No Good "rior." for War- A Rreton Romance. in nothing. If von had seen all the ten- onlC : OUIi SliC inm lin tuu ii.w liumciiuan mpiiiiijj wui ;.'i , men i ijxjjs, v.u outside it ml would prefer to eat it in would have thought SWfe that a baby the next room. And coming, out she j had fallen down the stairs, or that Mr. c'.t lwineVs-lv down aud cried in mufSed . Muleachy had "cum hum dhrunk agin." subs -iS if Iter Heart wouiu on-ah.. oue . i' i.v "V". "-- civin.', r,,u,u; uic as sUrviii"- poor ffirl, and this joyous House HKe an eartnquaKe. i p inesixin Lristmas Je- brought no hopa, no 1 flight of stairs he dashed seven at a 1....! t, her anil Her sieK l oounu was now nei c oi . , uciraii.cu w Chri work, no Peoctok, the astronomer, who is only 39 rears old. already has 11 children with a very promising future yet to hear from. It" is hardly surprising that he should take such an interest in "Other Worlds than Oars." The earth is a lit- ! tie planet, and there's such a thing as crowding it. Brooklyn Argus. A letter from Brittany, to the Metro politan, describing a fete day to the Virgin, says: " Vhite-robcd yvoinen came and gathered at the church. Now and then oue came wearing a vestal vail of white, through which her ruddy checks glowed vividly, and her not too beautiful features appeared softened and womanly. These had been ap pointed by the priests as bearers of the sacred image, and no young Breton girl wishes or dares to refuse this sen ice. It is a high honor, and signilies that t he honored one possesses piety, chastity and all household virtues. One girl, prettier than her companions, was no ticeable for her shyness and nervous ness while the priest was placing the sacred effigy upon its proper platform for excursion about town. Just as ine four white-vailed young women were about to lift it on their shoulders, a lit no-hl on -ipil K:ivnop-liicL-imr inn n mill ed into the sanctuary, snatched the vail from tbe head of tlie most delicate oi the girls, tore it, and trampled it on the rouirh stones of the cathedral floor. The girl dropped upon her knees be fore the priest, and wrung her hands in agony, but her voice could not be heard above the ravings of her father, ine priest lifted the girl and stood between her and her father, who had thus puo licly wreaked upon her the most dread ful vengeance known to a Breton maid en. While the wild stir was throbbing through the temple, a young man, doubt- less brought oy a messenger, entered, and to hhn the priest held out his hand, publicly betrothed the frightened girl to him, and told them to return for mar riage at 8 o'clock that night. It was explained to us that in Brittany no young woman is permitted to wear a vail and assist in bearmar the image of the mother. Drying her tears, she arose, the top. lie stopped for brcath-he I society Bripal tours are out of style in good Col. Stevens, an officer with much ex-pcrieTire-of savage life,-wiw employed on the nlains. as Government engineer, t.. lniil.l a number of stone houses for the Indian chiefs. These tenements are designed as baits to catch their tribes." in six months all his tenements were ."-one, sold to the white men for a f,w iTee-R of -whisky'; One big chief. Antelope, kept his house, and Stevens rode to see this chief, as being a man of higher hope than others of bis i-i. e. lie found Long Antelope smoK iter in a tent pitched near the window of his house. " Why living in a tent. l .mo-Ante one. when you have a goon house?" Long Antelope smiled. 'House-' good for pony, no good for warrior uo-h." Stevens went in, and ! found Long Antelope's pony stalled in UIC Ullling-lOOm. .1 HOUSE, Stevens, "is too much for a full-blood Indian's brain. The only notion you can get into such a fellow's head is that to settle down means to wrap his shoul ders In a warm blanket instead of in a kin. to loaf about the agency instead of going out to hunt, and to spend his time in smoking ana unnung msicaiiui lad ing scalps." Greenland Dosrs. Two of these dogs can drag. as much as one man. Nothing can be more ex hilarating than dog sledgiiir in the Arc tie regions on a fine day. The rattling pace of the dogs; their intelligence in choosing the road through the broken ice j.the' strict obedience paid by the team to one powerful dog whom they elect as leader; the arbitrary exercise of authority by the master dog; the constant usaot the whip, ana ine run niog conversation kept up by the driver with the different dogs who well know their names, afford constant enjoyment. However useful they may be, these Arc tic dogs seem to be deficient in that af fectionate disposition which endears their species so much to man. A travel er once said that he betievedthe Esqui maux dogs to be the most ungrateful Creatures in creation. He had traveled i for several . hundred miles by sledge ; ! and for six weeks it was his duty regu- Virgin, if she has been guilty of . willful : laxly to feed the dogs, but after only a sin. and this voiind-erpatnre had refused few weeks' absence, on the conclusion to keep a promise e lie. had been per-1 of thejourneyi they would not recog suaded to make her father. She" had re niz'e'liim in the slightest degree. It is fused to marry a fisherman friend of his t impossible to domesticate these crea own, who was to come in from the sar- j tares, as under tender treatment they dine shores of Finisterre when the sea- sicken and die. Log-Fanciers'1 Journal. Di'alli from a Mental Shock. Miss Ida McfJill, daughter of Captain A. Met Jill, formerly of Louisville, diea on Sunday morning oi lypnoiu iet;i, ifter a prolonged illness. Her case was most distressing one. A week or i ...i...- more ago sue was pronounced convales cent, and under the tenderest care that a loving and watchful solicitude could bestow, she seemed in a fair way to re- cover, when suddenly sue expeiienceo relapse. It appears that a lunatic (a name bestowed upon mm ouioi pute charity and a disinclination to call him by a more deserving appellation), learn ing that the girl was sick, made his way toiler room iu the l'lnenix. Without warnino-he entered, to the surprise of the child and her only attendant at the time, a young lady who resides a short listatice lroiu the cuy. noing io m giil's bed-side he felt her pulse, and then in startling tones announced to her that she would die in two days and o-otohell. The melancholy effect was tantaneous. The affrighted child swooned, and when again visited by a.'.. iii her olivsician. it was found that she nau a relapse, and was in a worse condition than ever. The physician. Dr. Skill man. has no hesitancy in attributing this result, and her consequent lament able death, to the cruel mental shock which she received. Her grief-stricken family are inconsolable at their loss. Little Ida was one of the best and sprightliest of children, the favorite of her teacher and the delight of the home circle. Lexington (Ky.) Pre-is, Dec. 7. The Man in the Glass. It was on the good steamer Brans ford, ami there was something the mat ter either with his legs or chairs sitting alono-down the cabin, it could hardly be told which. The presumption, how ever, was slightly in lavor oi tnecnairs, because, if he gave them a chance they would sit still. It might have been the motion of the boat, but anyhow he pen dulated before the large pier glass in the ladies' cabin, just between two doors anil remarked : " 1'earst me I no.hu." It did not appear that the image knew him, or it mighr'have known him and was not now acknowledging his kind. ' I say, pearst me I nozhu, by g-um." The man in the glass said nothing, but looked as drunk as a boiled owl. "Cher goin' ter zpeak, dang yer wormy skin?" Silence. " sae 'few don't zpeak tree, bust ver dum znoot." " Man in the glass looked like he would hit something but preserved his silence. "Crooked" legs drew back about a I twelve-pound fist and let fly just iu time to draw the claret from cook's nose, who had popped his head in to see tne clock. And now "crooked" wants to know why he smells so much like mashed potatoes. Mother Stewart, the well-known leader in the temperance crusade in the spring of 187-1, has decided to sail for England the latter part of December to begin a similar movement in that coun try! A wealthy lady, who has been a constant promoter of temperance enter prises, will accompany Mother Stewart aud assist her in her worK, wnicn win be carried on in London and other cities of England during the winter, and dur ing the spring will be prosecuted in Si-ctland under the auspices of the Scot tish Temperance Alliance. KKl'OKT OF THE RKCKETARV OF WAK. Secretary ItelLnap. in his report, says that the year has been uneventful so lar as the Army is concerned. AceordinK to the report we have barely -2",IKK) soldiers, and these, iu larire part, are employed in the Indian country. As com pared with tne vear preceuiim, ..e-e. nous ..... t icreallv lallen off, there having been buti,-i;i, as airainst 4,-0 for the fiscal year ls7:-4. The Sec Is the n lieal. if the act ol Marc h :i, 1S.;0, under which nil "bands" were mustered j out of the service, and that a military band ol "i : musicians be allowed to each regiment. He also recommends the enlistment and organization of men for transportation service exclusively, as in thetiernian annv. He als recommend the still further discouraeement of enlistments ol I men of family into the Army by providing a more j trinirent oath for that purpose. The Siki.sI- I service has been kept up and extended, showing good results, as the verification of s; :l-111 per cent, of predictions is an improvement on pre vious years. Special attention is railed to the recommendation of the Thief Signal officer that the Sitfnal Corps lie constituted a bureau of the nepartinent. I ndertlie act ol Kelt. HI, 1S7., for the relief of grasshopper sufferers, 1 ,:t.i7. Ills ra tions were issued toli,..!3 adultsand i:l,!M2 chil dren miller 1." vcars of age in the States of .Min nesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and the Ter ritories of Dakota and Colorado The enact ment of a system of annuities for the lamdies of deceased officers by voluntary deductions from the monthly par of those holding commission in the Arm V is "recommended and urged, the estimates of the Chief of Kngineers for the ensu ing year in the aggregate are $ IT.-.".'S,s, l. of this sum t Vtl.non are for formications and other works of defense, and U.-Sol , loo are for improvement of rivers and harbors. An increase of the appropriation for arming and equipping the militia is attain recommended. It was 000 in 1-S'S, and still remains ut that Ugure. 1 he present organized strength of the militia is S4, i while the unorganised strength is ;i. .id,'.'. The -Secretarr thinks, were arms and equipments forthc lining," the organized force would be great ly au 'inented. The expenditures of the Iicpart tiient"( including river and harbor impriiveuifi.ts) foot up 41.27;,:7S.2S, beinga reduction ot 1 1, I4S I'.IH.W from the total of 1-7:1-4. The estimates i.-.i... r-.r ore 4V2 '.s-,.5ll Hie Secretary recommends the restoration of the old system ol appointment of post traders by Depart ment commanders. patience to make them precious to anv child. She had a whole year in which to work; her courage and zeal grew with her every day; her friends became interested and brought in their contribu tions of velvet, cloth, yarn. etc. When she had provided some little gift for each of the children she began to work for the insane ward, then for the hos pital. f course, as nothing is more contagious than charity, the idea spread am mg her neighbors. One brought socks, another comfort able underclothing, an old lady a knitted jacket, her son a collection of pipes, one housekeeper a pile of chromos and old prints, another a cartload of magazines, until by Christmas, although theltlmshouse has" as many iuhabitiw.ts as a flourishing town, there was not one for whom this woman did not have a gift. The Christmas presents were given from the unseen friend, she lying m the far off little room which she never was to leave alive ; ami with each gift was some message of Christmas kind ness which told of Him who was born on that day and of His errand here. All this happened last Christmas, and was the work of one poor crippled vc..mnn. The birth-lay of Chri-t is coming again, and in every town there is an almshouse, asylum, or j til tid with the miserable, the guilty, Ui- poor -the very da- RF.I'OItT OF THE SKCKETAKT OF THE SAW. Secretary Robeson's report of the Naval Service for the veir shows that the numlier of vessels of every class and description now borne ou the Navv Register is 117, carrying l.l'.l guns, and i.'.i i.rl tons measurement. f these, many are sailing vessels of little or no v .lue as part of the efficient force lor either the cruising or lUhttHg purposes of the prcscntilay. The steam vessels, is distinguished from iron-clads and Uirpedo ships, number !5, of which 25 are tugs. Ot the remainder :iS are ready for use when rc.pitred. our in m-clad licet consists of 2ii vessels, il ol the monitor type, i torpedo-ships, a"d 3 never launchod. All the vessel (S ) are available, including IV iron-clads and 2 torpedo-boats. Details are given r the operation of the fleet on each of the six stations. The Secretary i... tin. rnllowin? to sav ution the condition o the Navv: ' It is gratifying to be able to re to whom He came first; ami in every one of ttiese i.rwns there are communities of men and women who propose to follow Him. When one woman can do so much to "ive significance to His birth to thous ands of these His brethren, what may not these communities do? Christians, as a rule, do not visit the prisons and almshouses. "What if they made Christ mas Day an exception to their usual neglect? Let them go, not with stern rebuke or tedious sermons, but with some cheerful, tangible, like remem brance of their Master, which will glad den and soften the hearts of these who know God only throu-rh the hard justice of men. Xetv York Tribune. Colonel Hunter's Vast Stoct-Farm. The ranch of John S. Cliisum, of i Bosque Grande, New .Mexico, was sobt to Colonel U. D. n-inter, of St. Louis, . .... 1 I - -,-r. I I C 1. nort that th Navy is now in a stronger ami more the Other day lor ? 21 J.ooo, one-nan c.i-u ' . . i. ...... ik.,n it le.a over hen at - . . , i .l . i u i ent oi your i- efficieiit ..v tune since the commence mi'nistrati n. It is not only very strong in num lier and iu the classes of its ships, but what there are of them are in good condition as it is practicable to keep such materials of war under the variousand trvinr conditions towi'tch lliev are, in the nature 'of their service, constantly ex posed." . m , The Sultan of Turkey. I saw the Sultan last week as he re turned from the ceremony of kissing the Prophet's mantle in the Treasury. In appearance lie lias necomc. o. ft-ably older within the last two year He has -ood reason to look careworn if he realizes what is happening. He rode in a r irriao-e drawn by four fine horses, and tlie authorities had, as is the cus tom, covered up the pitfalls of the pavement along his route with 6 inchps of sand, well watered and rolled. His Majesty enjoyed a comfortable ride over well made roads, but, after he had pased, the sand was all swept up and moved in carts, for use next t'ne, and the tiitfalls returned. This incident,! makes one surmise if the Sultan's Min isters have not likewise some device for concealing from him greater abuses than the neglected streets of Constanti- nole.Constantinrjple Letter to tne Jetv York Tribune. At Norwich, Conn., the other day, a tramp was given an old vest. He soon returned with a five-dollar bill he said he found in one of the pockets. The centleman of the house was so well pleased with his honesty that he gave him a dollar, and the next day discov ered that the bill was a wretchedly exe- j cuted counterfeit. down. The purchase includes me..tyniu cattle now on the ranch. During the past year Mr. Chisuin h is sold to Colo rado, Kansas City and St. Louis buyers about J(i,0W head of beef cattle. Boide these, he has supplied some 8,(XMi head to contractors In Xew Mexico and Ari zona. The ranch extcuds along thes Pecos river from Fort Su.nner to Seven Uivers, a distance of Vj) miles. This is its scope north and south. Last and west it extends as far on each side of the stream, as stock can range without water. The range on both sides of the river is high, rolling prairie, covered witn a thick, heavy growth of black gramma, a most nutritious grass. During this past summer the gra-s over much of this area has stood knee high to cattle. The residence buildings are situated in the center of the ranch. Stations, or cow camps, are on the river at intervals of thirty and forty miles. Two hundred herders have been employed on the ranch the past summer. At one time this season the "horses numbered six thousand head. A successful raid by red-skins reduced this number about one thousand. Colonel Hunter, the pur chaser of this vast estate, will engage more extensively than Mr. Chisum ia the breeding business, fie ha just bought two hundred saddle horses for use at the February round trip- Den ver Xews. The crops in Nebraska this year have een enormous, and the State has been uliy restored to the prosperity it en joyed before the grasshopper scourge.