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6 THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL. WEDNESDAY. JULY 24. 1889. TOLK AND FIRESIDE LORE. THE SUPERSTITIONS OF THE IRISH. Mr. TVakeman's Interesting Study of the Quaint and Uncanny The Canities and, Death. Coach When the Ded Walk Portents Regarding Bird, Etc. Casitel, Ireland, July 8. SpeciaL-'-The superstition of the peasant folk of any country are not only interesting with thought, feeling and belief, but through them much of the inner history of a people can often be traced. Ireland is pe culiarly rich, in those forgivable vagaries. A profound book might be "written upon them. Such a book would have much cthnotogioal and sociological value. In a tingle article the merest reference to the c, Ciaint thing3 discoverable on this line of stndy among the Irish people can only be made. For in less than a year's contact with the peasantry of Ireland the number of these odd things f-e cured has been astonishing; but an in teresting fact at least to myself has been the gradual change in my own supersti tion regarding Irish superstitions. When I first began setting them down. I confers that they often seemed of a very savage end grewsome character. But I gradually came to know that however grim-visaged the face of the one confiding the weird as sertion of uncanny belief, that secretly the mavts of the peasantry scouted and flouted them all. pave those of a tender and winsome character. Indeed atnong the most unlearned of the peasantry there is an exquisite vein of brightness better than wit and more palpable than humor which, rejecting the essential slavery of superstitious practices, insists on retaining the pleasure of subscribing to the super stitions themselves. Thus the quaint and weird things which rnisht seem unac countable and often repulsive to us, have become, in lieu of book-lore, a folk-and-fresiJe-lore, out of which endless enter tainment is. secured; and underneath much cf this there is a deep and earnest tenderness such p.s all hearts know for many things without apparent reason, that grow into life from ancestry, oft-repeated hemside tale, beloved custom, and that mysterious hallowing which comes upon changeless places and objects to men. The singie superstition of which everv cr.e has heard, and which is almost uni versal in Ireland, is of the banshee. Bcan f"V: is the Irish name for this wonderful creature, ani it literally means "the woman cf the fairy mansions.'' Her crke is to announce a coming death. For s-veral nights she appears, sometimes as a radiant maiden, sometimes as a decrepid ol'J woman with loin flowing hair, and "wails her plaintive lamentations for the approach ing death. If tho de j.)ise is to occur by natural ail ment, the "keening" ot tho banshee is simply measured and pathetic; but if accident, or untoward calamity are to be associated with it, tnn her lamenta t:o: s-are loud and cumorous. But she is easily disturbed and vexed, and if ever irii'Lten-.-G away, -will never return durinsr the same generation. This would be a calamity; for, while the Irish banshee favors no particular class, caste or religion, the cnlv conies to families of long and re Fectablo line. She comes a a friendly spirit to these, not as an inimical one, and to be known as a family deserving and possessing hr pathetic guardianship is regarded 2? honor of a very tender and sacred character. Many truly believe the banshee to be the spirit of some former member of the family. In Munster there is a powerful queen of the banshee. Her na;r e is Ciiodhna or Cleena, and her pow erful spei's are weil known to the peas antry of the south. The coach-a-bower or "death-coach" wems to stand in something the same re lation to the peasantry as the banshee. This is a black hearse with white plumes ct human hair, and is always drawn by the skeletons of departed friends. It passes the house by night; in some instances thrke encircles it; and the creaking of its v.heeis may be plainly heard. This is a certain token ot impending death, and where the family has not the hardihood smcng its neighbors to claim superior pos-sr-sion of a banshee, the "death-coach" will pretty generally be found as its sub stitute. The weird superstitions concerning the rle?i rre manv. Every twehth night the dd "-alk. Thoy sit, too, upon every tile cf ti.e. houio waiting to be freed from pur .. --ry by prayer. The most potent charm inown to those given over body and soul to superstition, is the hand of "an unbap tired bane, taken from the grave in the race of the ?vil one. The hand cf a murderer r-o taken is alo very powerful. The rajgic or charm of these are in the uncacnieet directions. A lighted candle rr "splinter" can never le extinguished in such a hand; and wherever it is placed Et night all near it must sleep the sleep of the dead until it is taken away. Gar ments and ether articles " which have come in contact with the dead are very eöcacious in disease. Candle r.ds used at wake are highly prized for Fcalds aai burns. Over in Connamara to this day a funeral procession on its way to church will halt at some distance away fand cast together a huge pile of stones. This is a trick on the evil one. The latter cn his way after the cijUj stops at the heap and ruaciirjs within it, searching long nd carefully , and poor l'at, the deceased, has been in this way given a little advan tage in the race in the territory of the Heyant." The last one buried in a church-yard is believed to do all manner iif menial service for those having been previously buried. This accounts for the othe,rwie inexplicable bloody lights when two funerals happen to come to the burial place tt the same time. An amica ble adjustment of such diliieultv is to have f-very spadeful of earth turned at the same instant and the bodies simultaneously in terred. The dead are believed to have the bitterest experiences if buried at any iistanee from their homes while living; and this belief is so fixed that the keen jingui-L of the aged in leaving their rieighlfjrbood- is largely accounted for. When abroad at right one never turns at the sound of footsteps liehind. Tor these are often those of the dead hun gering for human companionship, and their glance is fatal. When the dead are te ut back to the earth with messages an nouncing other deaths, they are them selves thus released from purgatory. When a corpse retains animal heat over ling, another member of the family is to die within the year. Ieath omens of a minor character such as the howling of a dog with its head toward the house for a near, and away from the housejfor a dis tant relative, the croaking of ravens, ring ing in the ?rs, March roosters crowing beiore midnight, flies alighting on a sick person, butterf.ies Hying about, and the like, ar counties-". Any three idle strokes of a stick in the ushes, or a spa le or other iarm-tool in the oil, making a figure resembling a coffin, is certain to portend death in one's family. Any child horn on Whitsunday, or the day after, is doomed to an unnatural death, and it is invariably named after some particular saint to ward oil the curse. Every donkey in Ireland is supposed to fill on its knees at midnight of Christmas eve, and bray three times in honor of its encient noble use. If a hare be met on a May morning the milk is likely to be charmed from the cows. The tongue of one who' has licked a lizzard (in Irish, aire Ivkhairor "the pig of the rushes") ever after has the power to extract the sting from scalds and burns. It is very unlucky to meet in the early morning a barking dog or a barefooted woman; and a cat is never taken from one house to another, when removing; but the fishermen of the west coast make good use of the cat. They secure favoring winds by burying it in the sands of the seashore, with ite head opposite the desired direction. Persons who enter into a compact with Satan can raise, wind and storms by calling him up, and these dis turbances cannot be. stiiied save by the d.ath of ;i black cock, a black dog, or an unchristened child. Tho ihlhrxrt are all charms of an evil nature. They are surpassing in number, aud the pihthroji woman, whose exclusive vocation is to exorcise them, exists to this day among tie mountains of the west of Ireland. In sorae parts of the country crickets are re girded as assessing vindictive powers, and all manner of devices are resorted to for their conciliation. But one ot" the oddest of all Irish superstitions is the b -lief that if you chase and catch a butterfly you imprison the wandering soul of your grandmother. f have never seen printed any reference to Irish superstitions, signs and portents regarding birds. In my wanderings among the peasantry I have found that such were simply innumerable. Here are a few out of several hundred scattered through my notebooks: If an osprey be shot along any coast, all the herring and mackerel wiil immediately disappear. If the hen harrier, which only hunts by twilight in precisely the same winged circles above the fallows each evening, is missed from its ai-customed raptorial haunt, some evil spirit is said to be hovering about the locality. When water-ousels appear in the spring-time in unusual numbers in any unfrequented locality, that is a sign of abundance of fresh-water fish, but also a token of the approach of malignant dis ease. On the west coast in early spring the poor fisherman watches early and late for the gannet. He calls at the solan, or swift-Üving goose. If it does not come his heart sinks, for there will be no luck at fishing; but if great numbers wheel about the head-lands of the coast, plenty will smile in his cabin-home that year. Great numbers of jays or missel-thrushes feeding upon the berries of thehawthorne betoken the approach of a very cold win ter, and their grackle-like calls bring fear to the heart if the meal be low and the peat be scant in the little tenant-cabin. The crane is bejieved by the peasantry to have disappeared from Erin during bloodv Cromwell's career of rapine and pillage; it is firmly believed j that its reappearance will harbinger the freedom of Ireland; while '"as I long for sight of tho crane" becomes a tender and pathetic expression indicative of a universal heart-hunger for liberty. If the stacks are not circled each night by the noieles barn owl, a blight will fall on next s ason'x crops; and if the long eared owl, resting upon gate-post or thatch, before eliding into its feeding ground upon the me idows, ntters three prolonged hoots (popularly believed to be a cry to the power of the trinity ), a death w ill soon occur in the famjly occupying that holding; while, if the snowy owl, a wierd and dashing fellow, indeed, be allowed to "descend from his look-out and carry away anothVr bird winged by a shut of sportsman's gun, some ureat id is certain to befall that hunter. When the nest of the thrush or mavis is built unusually high in the thorn-bush, this betokens a great calamity to the neighborhood, for some distressing dis tur! ance i under way among the fairies, who in happy or friendly uiood always see to it that these nests are built near their haunts in the grasses, that they may more readily enjoy the music of the thrush's songs. The crops of sweet-singing blackbirds are supposed to hold the souls of those in purgatory, especially those exposed to pemitionary tires until the judgment day; and whenever the black-biri's notes are particularly rill, these parched and burning sonls arc im ploring for rain w hich never fails of com ing in response to the bird-cries for their relief. The Wicklow mountains are nota bly the haunts of the ring ousel or mount ain stare. Whenever after singing bis tine, deep song he hesitates for a time and then is heard to utter a loud,-shrill 'and prolonged whistle, that nightevery human that has heard it will remain behind barred doors; for that is a true" fairy-call, and the ''wee folk of Wicklow" are sure to congregate in the moonlit mountain hollows and "dance rings round their swate selves" until dawn. Both the robin and the wren compel a superstitious rev erence and love in the Iri-h peasant heart, and there is not a soul in Ireland when asked concerning the cause of it who will not instantly quote the couple , "The robin and the wren Are God's two holy men." It is also a strange superstition in some parts of Ireland that any old graveyard where the robin is not found to sing its re quiem song5, indubitably possesses some mallacht or curse. The wheatear or stone chat, haunting low and rocky reaches of seashore, is called in Irish the "custeen fayclough," or the "cunning old man under the stone." His call of "kleek, kleek," resembles the ringing striking to gether ot small stones, and when heard by coastwise folk is regarded with the utmos't trepidation as calls of the portentious character to the "ould one" himself. The winchat with its hysteric flutteriugs and its cry of "u-teek, u-teek," in its attempts to decoy the intruder from the locality of its nest, is regarded with the same grewsome apprehension. Noth ing can prevent any Irish lad when once. tempted to disturb the nest ot the golden wren from irrevocably becoming a village shaughran or vagrant of the worst de scription. The sedge warbler, known more popularly as the "Irish nightingale," is the object of a most tender superstition. By da' it is a reystering fellow-enough aimot as impish as our American rnock-ing-bird, inits emulative attempts to dem onstrate its ability to out-sing the original songs cf any feathered melodist that ventures near its haunts among the reeds by the murmuring streams. But when it sings at night, and particularly at the exact hour of midnight, its plaintive and tender notes are no lew than the voices of babes that thus return from the spirit-land to 6oothe their poor, heart aching mothers for the great loss of their darlings. The hapless little hedge sparrow lias great trouble in raising any young at all, as its beautiful blueish green eggs when strung above the hob, are in certain localities regarded as a po tent charm against divers witch-spells, especially those which gain an entrance to tho cabin through the wide chimney. On the contrary, the grayioh-w hite and brown-mottled eggs of the wag-tail are never molested, as the grotesque motion of the tail of this tiny attendant of the herds has gained for it the uncanny repu tation and name of devil's bird. When the starling does' not follow the grazing cattle some witch charm has been put upon them. The magpie, as with the ancient Greeks, is the repository of the soul of an evil-minded and gossiping woman, A round tower or castle ruin unfre quented by jackdaws fs certainly haunted. Tho "cur&e of the crows" is quite as ma levolent as the "curse of CromwelL" When a "nrahcen cark" or hen crow is found in the solitudes of mountain glens away from human habitations it a.uredly possesses the wandering soul of on im penitent sinner. If a raven hover near a herd of cattle or eheep, a withering blight has already been set upon the animals, hence the song of the bard Benean regarding the rights of the kings of Cashel fourteen hundred years ago that a certain tributary province should present the king yearly "a thou sand goodly cows, not the cows of ravens." The waxwing, the beautiful Iaccndiirri ani of Tiiny, whose breeding-haunts have never yet been discovered by man, are the torches of the btanfidhc, or banshees. When the cuckoo utters her first note in the spring, if you chance to hear it, you will find under your right foot a white hair; and if you keep this about your per son the first name you thereafter hear will be that of your future husband or wife. Four other birds provide extremely mournful and pathetic superstitions. The linnet pours forth the most melan choly song of all Irish birds, and I have seen honest-hearted peasants affected by - it to tears. On inquiry I found the secret cause to be the be lief that its notes voiced the plaints of some unhappy soul in the spirit-land. The changeless and interminable chant of the yellow bunting is the subject of a very singular superstition. Its notes, begun each afternoon at the precise hour of 3, are regarded as summons to prayer for souls not yet relieved from purgatorial pennance." A variety of finch has notes which resemble what is called the "Bride groom's Song" of unutterable dolor for a lost bride a legend of superstition easily traceable to the German Hartz mountain peasantry, while in the solemn intensity of the bittern's sad and plaintive boom, still a universally received token of spirit warning, can be recognized the origin of the mournful cries of the wailing banshee. Edgar I Wakeman. PETE WAS RESIGNED. The Man Who Awaited ITis Execution at Fort Smith. N. Y. Sund There was only one man waiting execu tion at Fort Smith when I visited the post, and he was only one of the ordinary run of white men In Indian Territory. The hangman rather wanted to show him off, and so we paid a visit to the guard-house. Upon entering it tbe executioner said: "Pete, here is a decent white man come to see you. Do ycur purtiest, now, to en tertain him. You've cot two more days to live, and I hope you'll try to work into decent society as much as possible." "I'm sure" I'm glad to see him." re sponded Pete as he came forward and shook hands. "That's good. A born gentleman couldn't have said them words better. If I could only keep you six w eeks, Pete, you wouldn't know yourself, and you'd do me proud. But I can't. I've got to hang you dav after to-morrow." "Well. I'm readv." "That's good, and just what I expected of you. I've used you white, and I natur ally expee t the same in return. If there's any one thing that rile s me above another it's to have a man go back on me at the last end. Did vou see me hang Cherokee Jack, Pete?" "Yes." "I made a bungle of it because he kicked at the last. Why, sir (turning to me), he held up until the very last hour, deluding me with promises, and then went dead back on me. Think of his refusing to be hung after everything was shipshape and regular." "I'm not going to kick," observed Peter. "Good for you! Some of the boys are betting that "vou will, but I'll give odds that you won't. When a man knows he's got to be hung, what's the use? People have got a mistaken notion about banging. It don't hurt a bit. How are you feelin', Peter?" "Kesigned." "That's right. You hadn't orter killed your old woman, but being you did, and being as you must pull hemp for it, the best way is to feel resigned. You come mighty nigh being a gentleman, Tete, and as I said before, I'm sorry I can't keep vou and watch your mental improvement, S'ou'd improve 50 per cent, in six weeks. Want to ask the gent any questions, Pete?" "N-o, 1 guess not. Will ho be here to see me go?" "He'd like to ever so much, but he can't. He's got to go on to Van Buren." "Can I do anything for you?" I asked. "Xo, thank you." "Well, Pete," we must be going," briskly remarked the executioner. "Would like to stay longer, but time presses. I'll come in to-morrow and cut your hair and re hearse a bit. I made such a poor job last time that I want to do extra fine on you. If you'll stick to what you say I'll do the purtiest job ever seen at this post" "I want everything to go off all right," responded the condemned. "Of course whv shouldn't you? It's for your interest, too. Well, so long, old boy. Keep your grit up and do your best and I'll guarantee a first-class job or quit the business." The Song of the Ontlatr. Lord TtonaM bus ca.'tle, ha rieb aDi fam'. Lrrd Bonald can Vast of his line.i; and name. Wit herds roam at pleasure o'er valley anl hill. Yet he covets the bfart of the maid of the mill. Fifty good knight fpt in Lord Ronald's ha?l. Fifty good chargers t aal taddled to Mali, TVic fl.'t y Btont yeomen are -waiting his will, Yet he longs for the love of the tuaii of the mill. My castle, too, on the mountain-side tand, B it 'twas not buildrd by human hands; I, too, have herds reaming raüey and la, But they are the red deer, -wild and free. I, too, have rascals as stout and as tnj As err r bended the outlawed yew ; As stanch and as brare in the battle, I wen. As Ronald's, thouzh rlad but in plain Lincoln preen. I, too, can boast of an ancient came That was known and feared ere the Norman came, "Twas one that 011 r own mountain minstrels sing. As older than that of tbe robber Who led on his Normans with buckler and brand. To pillage and plunder our fair Saxon land. In th' sc, our haunts, we've never a ne1 Of ambling palfrey or warlike steel. We know every path over mountain and moor, We take from tbe ri h, but we give to the poor. Who 0 blythe and so myrry as we? Our home is under the greenwood tree, Where we hold our court and make our lawj, Tor we own no kinj and we liht for no canse. lord Ronald may boa-t of his wealth and his power, Of as Is and manor, of cattle and towr. All these has he laid at her fair feet, and still IPs suit is refused by tho maid of tho mill. I-or l Ronald may threaten, but let him take Leed, My iw never faiknl me in moment of need. And to-niUt when tbe moon rises over yon hill, I go to keep tryit with the maid of tLe mill. F. N. Sr BATTOX. A Hopeless Case. Fuck. J Lawyer "From your story I'm convinced you are innocent. Now, have vou any wealthy friends?" I'risocer "So." "Relong to any secret society?" "So." "Church?" "No." "Political club?" "No." "God help you!" Always in llloom. (Toledo Sunday Jonrna'.J I see a deal of discussion, nowadays about a national flower for America. krae choose this, some that, a majority, I believe, leanine to the golden rod. Speakinsr from my humble posi tion, and basing: rny judgment on my limited opportunity for oberraiion, I choose the weh flower as distinctively American aud, indigenoui to eyery state in the Union. . ( . .. A Solution of the Question. PortJ Sharei "I'm in a preat quandary what to do with my ton. I must put him to work at some thing, he'i leading such a fast life." 'Putta "Wby not make a telegraph tuesiea-gerofhua?" A HEROIC BOY IN RAGS. HOW HE SAVED THE CHILD'S LIFE. Other Stories For Young People The Flrt Trouser Smell the Difference The Poetry of Children Tommy' School Standing Knotty Problem. "About six years ago," says a corre spondent of tho Philadelphia Prm. "I went with a party from Lancaster on a botanizing trip to Fairview, about three miles above Hohrcrstown. After collect ing the fragrant arbutus and other wild flowers we returned to the station and waited for the train. A ragged, barefooted boy wa.s loafing about the place. Pres ently a freight train camo around the curve with lightning speed, evidently try ing to get out of the way of the passenger train which was soon due. Suddenly with a piercing cry one of the ladieä made a rush for the track. Her little four-year-old girl, left to herself, had sauntered on the track. The engineer, too, saw the child, and quickly reversed his engine, but too late to stop it As soon as the country boy saw the chili's peril he leaped for ward and seized her in his arms almost out of the grinding wheels of the locomo tive. Then he literally threw himself on the cowcatcher. This was his only chance of escape, and grasping a coupling-pin he drew himself up with hi9 burden. Within a hundred yards tbe train came to a halt, and to the amazement of the crowd our hero stepped oft" from his dangerous perch with the little girl in his arms, neither the worse for their terrible ride. A hand some purse was collected for the boy." The First Tronsem. Boston Home Journal. I He bore his new honor with apparent indifference for a whole day, but was very unwilling to take off his beloved trousers at night. When he had yielded to rersuasion, and was snugly tucked in bed, he looked up to say with emphasis: "Mamma, please put away those skirts, and never let me see them acain." Another lad, who was but little over four years old when mamma began to talk about laying aside his skirts, was taken ill within a fortnight of his new dignity. One day he was unusually restless, and the nurse was moving about the bed, ex erting all hr skill to ease his condition. "Foor little baby," she said at Inst, "I do wish I could make you more comfort able." "The child r.iised his eyes to her face, smiled, and whispered in a faint voice: ".She tails me a baby! Just show her my twousers." The l'oetry of Children. (Boton Transcript.) A singularly touching tribute has been paid to the memory of little Bes.sie Cutter by her schoolmates at the Prince school. On the day of Pessie's death the pupils in her class requested that her seat might not he occupioi again during the term, feeling that "no one could fill her place," and unanimously agreed that flowers should be placed upon her desk every day for the remainder of the school year. Yesterday was "visitation day," and Pessie's seat and desk were literally cov ered with flowers. In the middle of the desk stood her photograph, on a bed of pansies her favorite flower with Cath erine Merrnet roses and maidenhair fern completely covering the top, while on the chair was heaped a profusion of white flowers of various kinds imbedded in their glossy, green leaves. Fani ly Loyalty. Minneapolis Tribune. A Stevens-ave. young lady was much pained and shocked as she walked down the street yesterday to see h?r young brother sitting astride the postrate body of another boy and raining down blows upon his struggling victim. "Johnny!" she almost screamed, what are you doing? Come here this minute. Aren't you ashamed of yourself, fighting this way in the street?" The boy reluctantly arose from his van quished antagonist and faced his indig nant sister. Then he explained: "Well, I don't care. He said you wasn't good-lookintr. I don't think you are, either; but it ain't none o' his funeral. So I licked him." Town and Country.- Chicago America. There comes to us a tale illustrating th-, sanguinary disposition of Young America, A prominent official at a political center gave a dinner to some visiting constitu ents. One couple brought their three-year-old boy with them. He was sent up to the nursey to keep the host's young hopeful company. When the country kid appeared in old-fashioned pinafore, the otScia'i's prodigy clapped his hands in glee at the rustic apparition and ex claimed: "Where did you find it; where did it come from ? Let's kill it and 6ee it go to heaven." Smell the Dlfferene. Youth's Companion. Little Floy, six years old, has a flower garden of her own, of which she is won derfully proud. She änd her father arc great rivals on this score Mistress Floy stoutly main taining that her posies are "ever so sweeter than papa's. ' The other morning she gathered a little bunch of her ownsweel-pea blossoms, and then another of her father's, and with one in each hand skipped gaily into the house, calling triumphantly: "Oh, mamma, mamma, just smell the tlifierence!" A Capital. Fun. The Western settler was proud vo say That he had two beaut.fu!, sweet-tempered daugh ters! It c hanced that a savage pa.in? that way, Footsore and thirfy, ak them, for water. The (Most, Iiana, tjo to the ho' use ;-he brought him euongh to lat hira for days. II? wanted to tbauk herauddrew from his clothes An apple, which he pave her. and went on his way. L'iona, she ate all t at apr.le at once Her Mater shrieked wildly: "O para! O mamma!" When the folks ail unit out she sniilin cly said, "An Indiau-apol-is In-hiuna." An Inihsn apple is iu i'ina ) Young Correj-punüeut in N. Y. World. Tomciy'i School "Standing." Yankee F.'.ade. Visitor "Well, Tommy, how are you get ting along at school ?" Tommy aged eight) "First rate. I ain't doing as well as s -me of the other bovs, though. I can stand on my head, but I have to put my feet against the fence. I want to do it without being near the fence at all, and I guess I can after a while." Too Mneh Confusion. : ütlca Observer. Little Girl (vho is traveling with her mother on the 6leep:ng-car) "I guess I won't hae to say my prayers to-night, mamma." Mother "Certainly; whv not, Flos sie?" Little Girl "Why, in all this noise, mamma, God couldn't hear a word I said." With tbe Kids. Irring saw rioe cherries on the tree for the first time. "Mumma," be said, "is that a straw berry tree?" A city child wardering over farmyard with Its father was greatly frightened at tbe light of a jrood-idzed. gobbler. "Why, my boy, you don't racaa to bit that tou ara afraid of a turkey, when you ate one only yesterday?" "Yes, pa, bat this one isn't cooked." Judje. "Now, ray little dear, can you tell me the plural of child?" Younj?tter (frantically rais injr his arm) "Yes, sir; lean. Twins'.' Teacher "Why didn't you nk your father how this sum was done?1' Little Johnnie "'Cause I didn't want to be sent to bed." X "Johnny, are you elder or younger than Jen nie?" "Why. Miss Iteid. we're just the same aee. we're twins; why, we've been twins ever since we was born. Merritt "If you keep on, Johnny, you will soon know as much as your tearher." Little Johnnie "FJ know asnmch now if I had the book before me lika ths d'ies." Harper's Jiazanr. "Mamma," f.iid four-yeor-olJ, reHectively, "did Jod make me?" "Yes. Harvey." an swered mamma. solerIv. "Gol made vou for mamma's little t.oy." "f'luniph:" said Harvey, euer a little. "God did a pretty good job that time, didn't he?" Somervi-le Journal. Little Marirherits, five years old, a little ?irl who often eipr?s.ed her wonderments about the here and the hereafter, said to her mother the other djry, after a Ion? time spent in meditation: "I know what God does with our 6oul after we die; He makes another body and puts the i,oul into that. So all the dead peo ples co into live peoples, and he keeps putting a soul into new bodies till it's all used up 1" Boston Transcript. The Rev. Mr. PerKins beintr. calleJ upon snd elenly to address a buuday-school thought he would get a few original ideas from his young bearerr. "Children," said he, "I want some of you to tell me what I shall talk to vou about to-uirht. What shall I eav?" At first there was no response. "That bright little fellow oyer mere, said he. pointing to a youngster sitting in one of the back seats, "what shall I say to you to-night?" In a little piping voice came the antwer: "Hay amen ana sit down." It was at the last rehearsal for one of those direful enteriainments where young children "speak pieces," to the great delight ot their re spective families and the boredom of everbody else. A lod of four had been put upon a box and had delivered some idiotic rhyiae cr other, an.l it was desired to find out whether the little feilow was frightened or not. To avoid put ting the idea of fear into his head if it was not there already the lady who was managing thines asked him how he felt when he got through. 'T felt all sweaty," was the ingenious reply. Bos'on Courier. "Well, Annie, do you like poinz to school?" asked a visitor of an amiable girl who had never been famous for devotion to her books. "Ye-es," said Annie, hesitatingly, after some, consideration: "I reallv think I like it very weih" "That's jrood. And why do you like it?" "Well, there are so many pleasant things about it," said Annie, with'a smile of remem bered joys. "Walking to the 6chool-house in the morning, you know, and talking with the girls at recess, and coming home at noon and nicht. Oh, yes, I really think I like to go to school !" Youth's Companion. A brierht-eyed youngster who was in Sunday school for the first time in his life listened very attentively wtile the teacher was talking and then he said: "Do Dod hear like he sees?" "Yes, just the same." "Tan he hear me if I whisper?" persisted the child. "Yes. he can hear you even if you whisper." "Do Dod hear me now?" whispered he. "Ye, ray dear, jut as if you had talked out loud." "Tan he hear me now?'' whispered the little fellow aeain, very softly. "Yes, iust the same." lie then moved his lips without making any percepti ble sound and arain inquired: "Did Dod har me then?" "Yes, God heard youthen." No, he didn't needer, taust I didn't say nuffin'," and the little lad chuckled merrily, as thoue'n he enjoyed the teacher's momentary discomfit ure. Kingston Freeman. KNOTTY PROBLEMS. Our readers are invited to furnish ori'tQil enig mas, charades, rid lies, rebuses, ani other "Knotty Problems," addressing all communications relative to tats department to E. R. Chadboarn, Lewiston, Me. No. 3.R19 The Meanest Ttlrd. AnK'Cz the birds that pipe or thrill In grar rale cr woodd hill. There lives cot one upon the wing N poor a fowl, so roaan a thing. As one that live in town. The owls ni-'y hoot, the nibt hawks srrreh. The whip- .oor-wi 1 mav ape our spe-ch, The crow may stream his scornful caw. But none are like this l uman daw. Which thould be hooted down. He dons a g-udy coat and vet. And thinks V imself quite finely drsfd, To show himself from door to door. Where mostly he Is deemed a bor, And greeted with a frowo. Yon cannot oust him out of siht. Fie will pop In, as old friends might, O tell him go and till tbe soil. Or honest countrv c own. Sea. No. 2,820 Marital Amenities. Twocollese cbums were married the same day, snd when they uiet ssain the year that lay between held much of weal which each'would tell the other, but while they chatted gaily on each felt a secret dread becau.e'of his promise lonj; since eiven, which bound him on his hnor to make knovn at their first interview if all were nectar in hi cup o; b!is; if In his ointment jar, by any desdly chance, an in sert small bad strayed; in other words, if half a hundred weeks perchance bad brought to lhrht a fault for whii h a loving consort might with justice feel aggrieved. The time toseraratedrewon apace, and so the topic shunned so Irne at length came uppermost, when each did mode-tiy prou-at bis daily walk was such, that e cn the paraxon of virtue he called wife could Cnd no lark or flaw to accuse him wherewithal, ex cep', "Weil,;' quoth the franker me, "'tis such a bagatelle, tbe merest trifl, scarce a fault at all, at nsoet a failing of the venial sort; I reallv blnh to own ujy spouse h;s shown a time cr two a little warmth, b-'cau when I came h'-me from town I brought n t with me this or that her memorandum railed for. a thus: mr'i j f'ttM nni ttt hruirj hmrs, to-ntpht iy E'uU.r f;.' Now, could you but have seen how charmingly her winter hat became her lovely faro vou would agree, I'm sure, my fnUing to reirhrinb'f furnished small excuse for such a with'rin? bla-w as set her eyes alight, and scorched me throuih and through, to be a moment later quenched in tears, sweet harbingers of g.mtler thoughts, and high self-abnegation, as she ssid: 'Well, then, we'll May at home.' In very s-ioth I will coufess to you), the stress of my environment was S'U'h I seemed pro teiu. to truly be that which her all too speaking eyes had openly declared: a guilty wretch indeed." "Ah. say you so, my friend! The panes you suf fere 1 then m v hi-art has like ise known, and for the seli-ssaie sm.tll uecl-ct, for dir)w.mh?iny. And l- thi wtatr.eas fwould you know what plunis me in deeper yulls of marital repronch), add, without stop or pause, a word that means to dry in tbe sun's ravs; to ripen or prepare by exposure to the sun! This brace of words, ranged' side by side, and rcid as five, reveals the reason that my wife woul I giv aye thousand more of other wives thronhout cur land if frank'y they would answer for what cau they visit on their els?wiso perfect lord the pa n of their dipleaure." IIapp Thoi oht. No. 2,821 Problem, My poser's jay, these lines I p-n. That you msy pen my porker's rroe; our nor s you make," no more, ai.d t inn Try if tie pigs you can confine. Mark this, and "don't yon forget it. In each pen au odd number must be; Now solve this, po-er, nor let it lie counted as a my tery. Lloomingsburg, Ind. C. LsS. No. 2.H2 J Poublo Acrostic 1. Evidence. 2. To sutfie. S. A volley. 4. To scatter. 5. Ultimate result. 6. Systt&i. 7. Ap proarhes. Prituals deep feeling; finals, blosonis; combined, certain plants. I:i.vim .-mitji. No. 2823 An Txnlted Individnal. Oft on me are turned your glances, With your sweetest smiliu? air, I always meet such kind advances With a cold, unmeaning stare. Oft your thoughts toward me w ander. As I hasten ou my way; And I'm sure you often ponder Why I never make delay. Hi.'h my standing has been rated, 'Mong the lofty ones I shine, Hut I o not feel elated At this high estate of mine; For I this eminence obtaiu.-d Hy evil done in days of vore, A history of my sins is gained From Cooks of legendary lore. 'Tis there recorded and muft stand How I, the true path leaving. Bid break Hod's eighth and fourth command, l or which I now am grieving. 1 Twertty-KiTe Fine Prizes. ALL rZZLE-MAKERS AXD THEIR FR1ESPS SIIOCXD CO TO W0BK A'D WIK. In the competition for the second hall of 18-S9 these prises are ottered: 1. I or the lieft lot of three original ' knotty f rob letns" of any kind, fifteen dollars (?13. 2. For the best lot o three original illustrated vuxzles. a large and elegant "Atlas of tbe World," a splendid prite. 3. For the best lot of throe original "forms" of soy kind five dollars 4. For the tst lot of three original anagrams or transpositions, t o dollars S21. 5. For the best lot of three original charades, two dollars iS2i. ft. For the best lot of three original nunierirals, two dollar (:J. 7. For the beet lot cf three original letter enig mas, two dollars (f Z). 8. For the best lot of three original decap ltatlons tvo dollars (S.n. ft. For th best lot of three original curtailments, two dollar (?2V 10. For the beet lot of three original diamonds, two dollars, (Stf. 11. For the best lit of three original squares, two dollars (?J. 12. For the beet lot of three original stars, one dollar f$n. 13. For the best lot of three original double or triple acrostics, one dollar ?1 1. 11. For the lest lot ot three original half-squares, one dollar (51). 13. For the best lot of three original rhomboids, one dollar (Cl 16 to 2 la addition, ten fine, nicely bound books will be awarded as special prizes to competitors whoceworkis considered, for any reason, particu larly de: rviog. Lach sui-ces.;ul competitor will be given tbe bt prize to which ho may Nj found entitled, but will re c ive only one of the twenty-live awards. Those who commence working early will havo time for several trial?, thus increasing their propect of suc CCs. Answers. 2n11 Tor terms inquire within. (Tour terms ink wire with inn.) 2-Sti Sally. Lou. Bet, Carrie. Sue, Eel!-, Nat y, Tlattv, Pen, Florence, Littie, Cressv, Mat, Fan, Ann LiUa. 21 The figure erased was 1 The number thought of by Perkins was 20, and the operation performed was as follows : Cor? 121 Wl 4 Ct ti 03 2 4 5 6 3 The multiplier given by Jones is a multiple of 11. Any ether multiple of 11 would bare answered equally as well, as for instant. 22. 85. 132, etc. In the product obtained by mnltiplyir.g soy number by a multiple of 11, the sum of the odd'digi'ta ithtt is to say, tbe" first, third, fifth, etc.! is equal to the - um of the eveD digit. In the above product, the sum of the odd digit is 2 plus 5 plus 5-1", and that of the even digits is 4 plus 10. Knowinc therefore, that the firt digit was the one erad, Jones found what this was by adding to gether the two even digits il plus 610) and subtract ing from this sura the sum of tbe two od 1 digits, which be knew (5 pins S -f". The remainder (10 8 2i was the required number. The same trirk can be done with sny figure In the product, provided the "mini-reader" knows what position the required number occupies iu the result, so that be can determine which are the odd and bich the een diait. 2MV-Aught, gbäut. 2'15- B RIP RATED BITUMEN BEDEMO NAB BASEDEN O T K D EES TA I NaT l BAL DEALS ü B R F Y I 1 ? T M L D A Y N r M ERA L BERRY D A Y L 2siA-iack. 2-17 S M A 5 MATTS MATURE,? MATER I A L S SATURNALIA N 3 T F I A T T N G SEALING S L I N & 6 A Ct N 2?13 Court-ship. ALCOHOL IN THE W. C. T. U. Jliss Willard Charged With Indulging in Questionable stimulants. Chicago Tribune. Dr. Mary Weeks Burnett, in her written statement to the W. C T. U. in regard to her "supposed retirement" from the National tem perance hospital, says some interesting thin??. After the "verdict" Miss Willard et cl. ap pointed a new committee and a new set of phy sicians "whose fitness for the position of super intendent ot a hospital founded upon the prin ciples of absolute non-alcoholic medication," was 6hown by th? following incident: During the trial I noticed Miss Willard take frm her pocket a little bott.e of medicate.l pills, turn some into her hand and ptit them into bar mouth. Although sitting several feet irom her, tbe smell of eohol which came to me from the medicine and Miss Willard's breath wss stroug enough to brive aroned the appetite of msny a drinking man and have sent him at once to the saloon for a drink. I said: "Why, Miss Willard. that is not tempt-rance m"dicine." "Oh, yes it is," said she. "Mv doctor is a good ieruperaTire doctor and a W. C. T. U. woman." "But," I said, "medicine that smelsso strtngyof alcohol a. that does is nt temperance medicine. You cannot find anything that smells or tats like that in the temperance bopital or iu my othre." "Oh, well," she answered, "Dr. McCrillis is just as good a temperance doctor as anybody nejds to l-e " Was this woman, whose tuedicine makes Mis Willard's breath mell strong with alcohol after each dof-e, to be allowed to superintend our non alcoholic hospital? I felt that I could never connt to such utter inconsistency. The doctor resigned from the Y. C T. U. in order to be free to act. A July Memory. Graceful and tall and branching, Slender and green and free, Tbe oats swing there in the oat field Like the wave of a rhythmic sea; Tbe elms asleep in the shadows In grave green silence dream ; A hobwhite whistles across tbe road. And the distant wheatfiells gleam. Rosy the wayside meadow, riushr-d with a summer glow. Sweet with the spicy fragrance. Where the eweetbrler thickets grow; And over it all is ilenc The silence of shadowy leaves The silence of bappy reverie That the holy quiet weaves. CroshiLg the thorny clusters Close in a nosegay bright, I question which is the fairest To garner the hour's delight; And 1 choose a bud and a blossom Gay promise, fulfillment ewet, Tow-hisperof staying oatficlds With the wild ioe at their feet. Kate M. Caplin&er. A Neat Retort. Boston Transcript. The late Tflesr V. Chandler, who was hard of hearine, was one of the most elective of war time speakers. Every occasion illustrated his eloquence, and one demonstrated the quick ness of bis repartee. At one meetincr he was frequently interrupted by a blackguard in the rear of the ball, who kept frhouting: "Why don't you po yourvel! ?" For a time Mr. Chandler's deafness prevented him from catching the eiact nature of the in terruption of which he bad been for some time conscious. At lat Mr. Chandler canjht the words cf the disturber. Theu, in the mildest accents, which emphasized the force of the words, he said: "Younc man, if my ears were as good as yours, an ! as lonj as yours, I tdioulda't be here to-uijjht:" Itynn's lcnlt.-r Will. Sn Francivo Chronicle. 1 "John Colter, I sive you all this property when I die, for yon and vour wife, for taking care ot me so long, ami Tim Crowley, you hear me say this," is th way James Kyan's last will disposed of a five hundred dollar lot. The be quest, written by one of llyau's friends, was tiled for probate. A Slother' Cnutlon. Terre Haute Express. Mother "Who is that young man you had in the parlor last night? What dvs he do?" Daughter "His name is Mr. Tompkins, tuam iua. He is a druggist." "Oh, a druggist, is he? I knew I snielled paregoric as I entered the room. I was afraid he might be a married man." A Itislug Voting Lawyer, I Duck. Habeas "I just met young Whereas going up to the court-house. He's getting to be quite a lawyer, isn't he? Says he has a very im portant case to-day. Know what it is?" Prosequi "He's the defendant in a breach of promise suit." What She Liked. Puck. "What do you like best?" said Mr. DifTy Dent to his girl, as they stood together at the soda counter. - "Oh, I like ginger ale!" she answered, "aryl champagne. Any thinj? that that that" 8he didn't finish, but she blushed, and Difly popped that night. Only Three. (Washington Star. "Uow many George Washingtons are there here to-day?" asked Clerk Clagett in the police ceurt to-day. "Only three," answered Bailiff Kendig. The were all colored. A Suspicious Position. . . ! ' SL Taul Globe. - Mother--'So that young man has proposed at last?" . Daughter-"Why, no ma." "Bat I saw him on bis knees before you." "Tea, I know. ma. He was Irina mr sliDwr." BOWSER IX THE COUNTRY. HE ENJOYS AIR AND MOSQUITOES. Bis Original Method of Milking Not In dorsed by the Cow A Night of 31lsery The Ketreat Homeward A Di vorce Impending. IVtroit Free Pres. J "Well, what do you think!" exclaimed Mr. Dowser as Le camo hurrying home from the office tbe other afternoon. "Have you gone and got t-onie mora hens or bought another horse?" "Mrs. Bowser, the event of our life is al.nnt to happen." "What is it?" 4'You know Cire? Well, Grejg owns a little farm out here about two miles. There's a pood house cn it, and he pays we can occupy it for the summer. W will have a cow and a horse, pigs, poultry and other gtock, and we'll go out 'here a on tiY on1 rrctf tfif onH V i-a tKö V. ! in the world." t "I don't thin:: much of the idf.-Vlr. Boweer." "Yon don't! You don't want cool breeze?, fresh fresh berries, rich. milk, songs of biro, lowing of the kine and rest from care ! ' "You will be disappointed if you eixifC any euch thinir." "I wi'I, eh? Terhaps I don't knix what the country i. You are alwr-s ready to throw cold water on any of vj plan?. I hhall go, anyhow." That was the beginn in jr. and at the end of three days I yielded, woirin-like. One Monday niorninj we took the trän and started, having engaged a farmer s daughter to take charge of the kitchec, and at the nearest railroal station w were met by a farmer and his lumber wi ?on. The sun poured down its hotted, the dust had covered grnss and bushei, and as we io2?i and jolted along tha farmer queried of Mr. Bowser: "Come out for your health, I suppose?" "We diil. Ah f this country air hss ah ready reireshe i me." "Ha?, eh? Well, there's heaps of it. and I'm thinking you'll get all you want in about a week. I think a city chap is a blamed fool to come out here." "Do you? Why the doctors recom mended it. That boy ought to gain a fiound a day, and I am sure my wife will raco ricrht up with these pastoral scenes before her eyes." "The doctors and pastoral scenes be durned !" grow led the farmer, as he turned to his borees and tho were the last w ords lie uttered until he landed us at the gate. It was a C'jtnfortal de frane house, and I did not observe the surnmnuings until af ter dinner. The barn hac. partly (Allen in, giving it a w ienl ami lonely look ; ro'--st of the fencin? was down, a gust o; wind had laid the smoke house uu its back, and nearly every tree and hu:-h about th house was dead or dyin. "Is this one of the pastoral scenes you referred to?" I asked cf Mr. Bowser. "There you go!"' he snapped. "You can't expect thines to look as nice out here as in Central park. We come for th balmy breezes and the reft." "You spoke ot hunting hens' ecs in the meadow gr;;-?.'' "So w e will come on." He made a dash for a big patch oi bur docks near the back door, got tangled up in the ruins of a Darrel, and when he got up ho Lad a cut on his shin and his nos was bleediiv. lie tried to make light of the affair, but it was hard work. When I asked after the horse and vehi cle in w hich w c were to take our morning jaunts he waiked down to the barnyard aud pointed out a raw-boned old yellow horse, so weak that he could not brush the tiies away, and a one-horse wagon, quaint enough to have taken its place in a mu seum. "You'll have our photographs taken after we all get seated in that rig, won't you?" I aked. "That"s it; just as I expfMrted. Mrs. Bowser, what did you come out here for?"' "Because you obliged me to." "I did, eh! Not by a long shot! Y'ou came to restore your health and to give our child a chance for his life. It will be the makic? of him. No more doctor"! bills for us.1' In the afternoon Mr. Bowser swung his hammock in the orchard. This was some thing he had doted on for a week. He had scarcely dropped into it when three or four caterpillars dropped on to him, and he put in the rest of the afternoon on the hard boards of the eranda. Tbe cow came sauntering up about 5 o'clock, cov ered with flies and mosquitoes, and th girl hinted to Mr. Bowser that he was ex pected to ruiik. "Oh, certainly," he replied. "I wouldn't cjiveacent for farm life unless I could milk a cow or two. I used to sing a bal lad while I was milking." The girl and I watched him as he took the pail and stool and approached the cow. The tow also watched him. Tolks generally sit down cn the right-hand side of the cow to milk. Mr. Bowser took the other side. "What are you trying to do?" I called to him from the gate. "Mrs. Bowser, when I want to learn anything about a cow I'll ask you for th information. I think I know my busi ness." So did the cow. She had been fooled with long enough, and she suddenly planted a hoof n.r.ioU Mr. Bowser with ch vigT that l;e iu;.tV ""Icj nr in a con fused heap. J'.tvf4ii -7f h:pi isto the house, and the g:rl 'A 4 nf V1 ing. Mr. Bowser recotrViSr:onv tl . shock after a w hile, and I Mt it my duty to inquire: "Mr. Bowser, don't you think a week of theso pastoral scones wili be enough for us?" "Xo, fior si.v. weeks!" he growled. "Nothing would do but yon must go into the countrv, and now I'll give vou enough of it." "Why, Mr. Bowser'" You needn't why Mr. Bowser me! You gave me no peace until I agreed to come, and now I ii remain here five straight years!" When the summer sun went down and the stars como out we were nnt as happy as we might have been. Mr. Bowser still held his hand on his stomach, the baby cried because the milk tasted of wild on ions and the girl lot the old oaken bucket in the thirty-foot well while getting a pail of fresh water. I askt-d Mr. Bowser when the kine would legintoIow and the whfp pooorwills to sing, find lie was so mad hfl wouldn't speak. However, if the kine didn't low, the pinchbugs and mosquitoes did. There wasn't a screen at dcor or window, and soon after sundown we were DTsieged. That night seemed never ending. No ono of us three slept a w ink. The room was invaded with every insect known to country life, from a bat to a gnat. When w e got up in the morning the girl didn't know us. We were blotched and bitten until one would have suspected us of suffering with smallpox. Mr. Bowser knew himself, however, and before noon we were back in the city. He tcareely ppoke to me all the way home, but once in the house be burst out with : "Now, old lady, prepare for a settle ment! You've nosed me around all you ever will. This has broken tbe camel's back. Which of ua applies for a divorce TH