The County paper., January 14, 1881, Image 7

About The County paper. (Oregon, Mo.) 1881-1883

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Missouri; Columbia, MO

                
THE COUNTY PAPER,
Br KAVKITPOET At BOBTNH.
OREGON,
MO
MY RIGHTS.
Ten, God bit mndo tno n womnn,
Anil I nm content to bo
.Just whnt Ho mcnut, not reaching out
For other things slnco Ho
Who know the best nnil love mo most has
offered this to me.
"A womnn, tn llvo in)-llfo out
In quiet, womanly wnj s
lleurftiR tho fnr-oir Imttlo,
Scclnjr iw through n hnao
The crowding, struggling world of men fight
through their busy dnys.
I nm not strong or vnllnnt,
I would not Join tho fight
Or lostlo with crowds In tho highways
To sully mygnrmcnts whltot
But I hnro rights ns u womnn, nnd hero I clnlm
my rights.
"Tho right of it roso to bloom
In Its own sweet, scpnrnto wny,
With none to question the perfumed pink
And nono to utter n nny
If It reaches n root or points n thorn, nsovcu n
roso-trco may.
"Tho right of tho Indy-blrch to grow,
To grow ns tho Lord shall please,
By never n. sturdy oak rebuked,
Denied nor sun nor breeze,
For nil Its pliant slcndcrncss,kln totho strong
er trees.
"Thorlght to n llfo of my own
Not merely n casual lilt
Of somebody else's llfo thing out
That, inking hold or It,
I mny stand ns n cipher doesnftcr a numeral
writ.
"Tho right to gather nnd glenn
What food I need and ran
From tho garnered storo of knowledge
Which man hns heapnd forinnn,
Taking with frco hands freely nnd after an or
dered plan.
"The right I nh, best and sweetest I
To stand nil undlsmnyed
Whenever sorrow or want orsln
Call for n woman's nld,
YTlth nono tocnvll or question, by never a look
gnlnsald
"I do not nsk for n ballot:
Though very llfo wero at stnkc,
I would beg for tho nobler Jutlcu
That men for manhood's sake
must light mid take.
Lucy I.arcom.
CUACKLE'8 MOTHElMJi.LAW.
Tr.ll, loan, bony, fillfl, gaunt anil up
right! such woro a low of tho porsonal
3haroctoristlcs of Mrs. Hittontwoll, who
possessed, moreover, thin lips, a shrill
voloo nnd woro a wig. But, porhaps.
tho most striking fcaturo of her counto
nanco consisted in tho eyes, which were
singularly keen and hawk-liko; so much
eo that tho small children in tho neigh
borhood often wonder whether thoso
plorciug "optics" appeared liko bright
stars in tho darkness of tho night. Un
der her stern and searching glanco
many lllnchcd and quailed a lact in
which sho placed no little prido.
Her ago wrs unknown, and it any un
usually rash and adventurous porson
ventured to mako a conjecture on this
tender point in hov hearing, approxim
ating to tho probable truth, great was
tho danger thoroby incurred, us this os
timablo lady had invariably a summary
though somowhat novel mode of resent
ment in such cases.
Sho had been married, but it is need
less to nfllrm that her husband's epi
taph had been inscribed upon his tomb
stone many years ago, nnd It was a cur
rent story that tho stono mason had
grM.uitously added thereto, though with
out instructions, requlescat m paco,
1 thus exemplifying that tho man of tho
hard chisel had been solicitous for tho
futuro wclfaro of tho deceased, with
whom tradition asserted ho had been
personally acquainted.
Mrs. Hittenwoll had an only child,
strangely unliko herself, being a gentlo,
fair and sweet-featured girl, who had
lived w'th hor irom infancy, and had
been rigidly trained under her own
auspices. 1'horo was no deviating from
tho mother's rules and wishes, for Ma
bol's quiet and obedient disposition was
easily moulded by her parent's iron will.
If porchanco sho over ventured to give
vent to tho slightest murmur ol'com
plaint, sho would bo sharply reminded
that she then strongly resembled her
father, who had been addicted to tho
habit of ilnding fault with what was
good for him.
When Mubol attained tho ago of eigh
teen sho becamo engaged to young Lath
am Cracklo, who tilled u responsible
position as cashier to a largo lirm. Ho
was devoutly attached to Mabol, and
through Mrs. Hittem well, without whoso
counsel in tho matter ho know ho should
not succeed. Havingglven ft satisfactory
account of himself financially and other
wise, tho engagement ensued, and at
tho end of about two months Mrs.
Hlttomwcll becamo Craeklo's mother-in-law.
During tho 1 eriod of courtship, possi
bly from interested motives, Mrs.
Hlttomwcll becamo oxtraorninarily
bland and agreoablo to her daughter's
botrothod, and Latham bogan really to
think sho had been much traduced in
tho various roports reflecting upon hor
amiability. It had been proposed that,
after tho celebration ot tho nuptials, sho
would rcsido with hor daughter and
son-in-law, to which arrangement in an
oril hour tho upsuspecting young man
rondilv consented,
Very soon, however, aftor tho tying of
tno Knot wnicn can oniy uo iooscrcu uy
law or denth, Mrs. Hittonwell relapsed
into her wonted strong-minded and
splenotio state, and tho pair of eyes bo
foro montioncd becamo hawk-liko as
over. Tho young husband, who was
fond ol tranquility ana peace, submit
ted to hor wishes and dictates for tho
sako of ensuring a qulot house, and tho
old lady consequently soon succecdod
as horotoforo in makiug everything as
uncomtortablo ana unpioasant as pos
sible. In tho courso ot timo, however,
Crackle's nerves had becomo chafed
and irritated to such an extent by tho
domineering rule of his mother-in-law,
counlcd witii hor incessant goading re
marks and constant innuendoes that the
proverb ot tho camel, whoso back was
ovontually broken by tho woight of ono
straw too many, began oftou to cross
Ids mind, especially after ho had von
. lured onco or twico on a mild oxpostti'
latlon, to which, nevertheless, Mrs.
Hittonwell turned a totally doat oar.
It thereforo becf'iio imperatively noo-
.it,i..' ..n ,,i l.i i:.. ...
unauiy unit uuuiuug Diupa ouuum uti .yi-
kou toward tho flothronoment ot his
household tvrant
Mild siiErirestionsViuiotrcinonaL'Jnces.
and oven slinrrxirormkos crcby hor
aliko unheeded,- so that Latham deter
mined ono evening to avail hlnisolf of
the very next opportunity that would
t'.'ord lair grounds for an abrupt ro
if est that sho would rolievo tho house
it hor presonco altogether.
no had not long to wait, for at tho
breakfast tablo next morning thoro was
tho usual amount of sarcasm and rancor
if Mrs. Hlttonwoll's observations, and
cracklo tult mat tho tuno naunowcomo
(Vrhlni to assort and maintain his rights,
ju'r'nomlnlously fail In tho attempt.
yiuujou WlltU, lUUlUUl-JU-llUV,
"r .'ouslv oxolalmod Cracklo. aftor
ii
".'for Instance of tho lady's happy
i thui
1ee
of marring tho comforts of otnor
li, "I'll stand this no more! You
bk to your old quarters, tor you
imam hero no longer! There's
no pence wherever your nose Is seen!"
At this personal Illusion to her nasal
organ, Mrs. Hittenwoll fired up di
rectly. "And pray who aro youP" sho sneer
ed, "that you should dare to find fault
with your olders and superiors?"
"Get out of tho houo, you old cata
maran!" shouted Cracklo, now fairly
roused beyond self-control.
"Cat, ehP" returned his mothor-In-law
misunderstanding tho word, and
trembling with passion.
"Yos! Grimalkin, tabby, cat, or any
thing oi80 that's snoppish and aggravat
ing!" vociferated Lathani; "and I'll sco
your traps packed and your mischief
making solf packed off directly I"
Thus saying, ho strodo upstairs to
personally superintend tho getting to
gether ot her goods and chatties, pre
paratory o hor Immcdiato departure
The Iron, so to speak, was red-hot, and
It was noccssary to striks it with firm
ness nnd decision boloro it had timo to
cool. Ho felt tho long anticipated
momont had arrived at last, nnd deter
mined to avail himself of it without
brooking tho sllghcst delay.
"Oh, that I should hnvo ltvod to bo
called tin old cat, by such n little wretch
as you!" exclaimed tho old lady, In hor
shrillest voice, at tho loot of tho stairs,
so that sho might mako herself plainly
nudlhlo. ,
"Yes! nnd if you stay horo ono hour
longor, I'll got somo catnip lrom tho
drug storo nnd mnko you swallow It!"
replied Crackle, in a tone as if ho meant
to carry out his threat.
Now, whether Mrs. Hittonwell sud
denly entertained tho Idea that sho had
at last caught a tartar, it is lniposslblo
to say with any degreo of accuracy; but
certain it was, that though sho was thoro
In propria porsonao, licrtonguo enjoyed
lor tho nonco an unwonted rest.
At length tho packing was at an end:
tho trunks wero hauled down stairs, and
oro n fow minutes moro sho had inglor
iously vacated tho premises.
Withahcarlfcltsighol relief. In which
his wlfo could not resist Joining, Cracklo
proceeded to enjoy tho true comlorts of
homo, which woro never again invaded
by tho ancient fomalo with tho hawk
liko oyos.
It Is almost unnecessary to add that
thereafter both ho and his young wilo
woro happy and contented, nnd ho only
regretted that ho had not assorted his
independence at an earlier date.
Oncer Things in the West.
A Correspondent of tho Ohio Farm
er's Journal gives an ontortnlnlng no
count of his observations at tho West
(somo ot tho elder of us, by tho way,
remombor when Ohio was "tho
West," of tho Now England emigrant),
from which wo cull tho following para
graphs: Tho Fastcrn man who travels for tho
first timo through tho "great West"
;.s many things that strlko him as
"queer." I do not mean funny or ludi
crous, but unoxpectod, dilieront irom
what ho had imagined or supposed.
Ono of tho first queer things is that "tho
West" is u very hard placo to linu. In
Indiana people selling out nnd "go
ing West. " In Illinois, Iowa, and Wis
consin it is tho samo. Ho hears tho cat
tle mon complain that they cannot com
pote with "tho Wost" in tho production
of cheap boot'. You never roach tho
placo where tho pcoplo admit they llvo
"out West." If ono is from Ohio ho is
called an "Eastern man." In Central
andWostorn Kansas, Nobraska, mid in
Dakota tho queer thing is tho cntiro laek
fences and bridges, or any need of thorn.
All tho farms nro "out-doors." Tho now
settlors build their cheap houses, break
tho virgin prairio, ready cleared of
stumps and stones, and begin grain
raising. Herd laws or a herd law son-
tlmont mnkos it unnecessary for tho
grain-raiser to ienco his gram. Tho rule
is to fenco tho stock, and not tho grain.
It isthocattlothatdo thodamngo; there
foro they should bo fenced. This is tho
sensible viow to take, at least in a new
country. And so lor miles tho grain
fields aro"out-oi-dnors," as tho child ox-
pressed II : and this lack of fenses gives
an Eastern man first a fooling of im
mensity, and then of loneliness.
In Colorado ono queer thing is tho
dryness of tho atmosphere Truo, it
was unsuaiiy dry this summer
when I visited it is but always
a dry atmosphere. Squashes and
pumpkins "keep forever" in tho collars
of Denver. Nothing rots it dries up.
Everything dries up. Tho shingles on
tho roofs nil uceni trying to warp into
small wooden stove-pipes or largo mac
ron! rolls. Everything dries up except
tho ponplo, and thoy would oxcont for
tho saloons! Another qucor thing Is that
when it docs rain it makes such n mess
of it. It tears things up. It is liko tho
man who"didn't comb his hair hut once
a month, and then It half killed." Mv
friend said tho Genoral and I started oft'
for an altornoou's drive among tho irrl
agtcd farms aud gardens near Denver.
Wo crossed a long bridge "What's
this brldgo forP" "This Is Chorry
Creek." "Where's tho creek?" "You'd
see, if it happenedtoboonarampngo."
Wo crossed tho l'latto River, too, a low
rods furthor on, now tho merest brook.
At six wo returned from our drive and
as wo orossod tho brldgo over tho Platto
not a dozen yards up tho stroam wo saw
tho river coming madly on, n mighty,
turbid torrent, bearing logs nnd limbs
and rubbish, and piled up three feet
almost porpondiculnrly, rushing down
ward over its dry bod. I had noticed
a shower off southwost, among tho
mountains, a low hours beforo. It
didn't oven sprinklo in Denver, but tho
river announced tho fact that thoro had
been it very "heavy dew" among the
mountains. Tho country is nearly lovol,
slightly rolling, and tho rains on West
ern Kansas nnd Eastern Colorado have
boon very light for conturios, and hnvo
formed no gullies to spoak of.- I do not
remombor seeing a bridge and there is
a good wagon-road all along, bosldo
tho track; yes, a splendid road, for tho
lovol prairio, whon onco trodden with
wholes, becomes almost as hard and
smooth as n concroto pavement in tho
city. It is a great help to tho now
so'.tlers that tbcro aro no tences or
bridges to build, and no roads to mako.
Taxes aro light, and nil tho labor oan
bo put on tho cultivation of crops.
Destroyers of Contagion.
Popular Sclenco Hot lew.
Modern sidbneo has lot in n flood of
light upon tho cause oi many illnesses,
.nd tliA naturo of tho contagliv upon
which tnolr propagation dopends, Not
only has tho cause of dlsoaso boon tracod
to agents oxtornal to tho body, but tho
exact form of thoso disturbing organ
isms has boon pointed out. Thoy con
sist of mlnutu solid partioios, probably
in most or all oasos ot a vogetablo na
ture; thoy aro theroforo non-gaseous,
and in no respoot comport thomselves
liko gaseous bodies.
Tho contagious principle of fovor is a
corkscrew-llko splrillajln other diseases
it appears as a large motionless rod; in
others as a solid body, ragged, and
nearly round. Thoso bodies float in
tho atmosphcro in clouds, and whon
inhalod, or when they como in contact
with abrnuea sunaces, inocoulation oc
curs, and the dlsoaso is of tho typo
peculiar to tho naturo of tho specific
poison. Tho bodies stnrt in tho circula
tion a morbid chemical action, or servo
as a ferment, which disturbs or dovitn
ll7.es tho blood, nnd thus produces most
sorioui illnesses.
Malarial fevers, moaslcs, diphtheria,
scnrlot fover, small-pox, nnd many other
alarming diseases result from blood
poisoning through tho action of theso
curious cxtornal agents. So long as tho
naturo ot tho noxious material was un
known, tho ohomlcal agents, ns disin
fectants, deodorants, antiseptics, etc.,
wero selected to satisfy tho most various
nnd dissimilar theories ns to Its naturo
and properties; but since n better un
derstanding has been reached, a moro
intelligent aud sulcntillo selection ami
use of theso substances can bo made.
It is Important Hint In families whoro
cases ot zymotto diseases provall, accu
rato knowlcdgo should bo possessed ns
to tho methods ot preventing n spread
of tho contagion. Every physician
should bo well Inlormcdon this subject,
hut unfortunately sonn of them nrc
not.
Of courso, tho septic germs, in cases
of small-pox, diphtheria, etc., full upon
tho lloors and walls of rooms, upon tho
bed, and upon tho clothing of attend
ants. Upon theso deposits the usual
solid or liquid disinfectants exposed in
tho room havo llttlo or no effect; noth
lng but thorough cleansing and ventila
tion, with tho uso of gaseous disinfect
ants, will expol them. Tho best method
to disinfect clothing is by tho use of
heat. Experiment has shown that no
form of contagia can withstand a tem
perature of 220 F.; thereforo, cloth
ing placed in a hot box two hours, with
d:y lient abovo that ol boiling water, U
thoroughly disinfected; or it may bo
soaked in boiling water with tho eamo
results.
Vaceino matter mny bo taken as tho
typo of a virulent material, and experi
ments upon this poison provo that
dlslnlcctants. to bo effectual, must bo
used in much largor quantity than has
usually been considered necessary. II
the destroying agent is of an acid na
ture, the virus must boreudored perma
nently nnd strongly acid. Tho end do
sired is to destroy tho inlectlvo power
completely. It is not generally known
thnt carbolic acid, in quantity equal to
two per cent, of tho virus, is iueapablo
of doing this work upon vncclnu virus.
It deprives It of its infeetlvo pow or for
tho timo being, but this returns as soon
as tho carbolic acid has escaped through
exposure to the air.
Chlorine is a gaseous body, nnd is in
ordinary cases nn effective disinfectant.
It is, hor.ovcr, inferior to sulphurous
acid; this Is tho most valuablo agent wo
haves but unfortunately it is not safe in
inexperienced hands. A room in which
a oaso ot infectious discaso has been
E laced can bo thorough; cleansed by
urning'a little sulphur m tho absence
of tho inmates. Tho sulphurous acid
is a gas exceedingly dlsagrccablo aud
irrespirablo, and great caution is neces
sary in its uso.
l'ermunganato of potash Is a truo dis
infectant, 'having oxidizing powers of
high capability, but it must bo used in
much largor quantities than aro usually
employed. Its high eoH is a bar to its
free usu, and it is not clearly soon how
it can over becomo much cheaper.
Chloride of limo, freely mod, is a good
disinfectant; but when it is placed in
vessels in small quantities in siok-rooms,
or sparingly sprinkled in drains, it has
but slight inlluonco us a destroyer of
contagion. Cnrbolato of limo is. a cheap
and good disinfectant, but it must bu
used in largo amounts to bo useful.
Several of tho metallic salts hnvo pow
erful antiseptic properties; for cxamplo,
tho protosulpliato of iron. This salt, in
strong solution, is a valuablo agent, and
is worthy of notice At this point it
should bo stated that carbolic acid and
tho metallic salts, used in small quanti
ties, aro preservative ugents, nnd may
actually prolong tho llfo of contaglum
by preventing its destruction through
natural processes.
There aro numerous patonted "anti
septics" aud "disinfectants," which nro
perfectly worthless so fnr ns' nny in
tlucnco uponscptio germs Is concerned.
It is very important thnt heads ot fami
lies, and especially physicians, should
clearly understand what is required
when solectiog an agent for practical
use Contagious particles of all forms
aro Imbedded in an epithelial or albu
minous covering, and thoy do not yield
thoir vitality roadlly, and never to im
proper agents. Thero aro good deo
dorants which arrest putrofaotlo'n and
fermentation, and yet completely fail to
destroy contagious particles.
Treatment of tho Hair.
How to presorvo tho hair is n subject
which seems to interest almost every
body, If wo may judge from tho frequent
inquiries from every direction which
como to this ofllce Ono wishes to
know what will provont baldness, an
other how to eradicate dandruff, oto.
Now it is a dollcato mattor to recom
mend nny special treatment, but Prof.
Wiis'on,of England, who is doomed high
authority on tho hair, condemns wash
ing it, and advises, instead, thorough
brushing. This promotes circulation,
removes scurf, aud is in all respects, ho
sajiJ, bettor than water. Cutting tho
hair docs not, as Is commoniy thought,
promoto its growth. Most of tho spo
elll'N recommended for baldness, not
oxcdMing pretroleum, aro moro stlmu
lanlsAnd aro seldom or novor porma-ncntlj-rVuccessl'ul.
Somo of thoru givo
riso to' Vmgostlon ot tho scalp. When
a Rtlinu'unt is desirable ammonia is the
host, ljissife. Forfalliogout of the
hair, Di J Wilson proscribes a lotion com
poflwl of water of ammonia, almond
oil, ,2nd chloroform, ono part oaoh, di
luted witlnflvo parts alcohol, or spirits
of rosomrup, tho wholo made fragrant
with a dnullim of oil ot lemon. Dab it
on tho skil alter thorough friction with
tho hair br' sh. It may bo used spar
lngl'j'or hbdudantly, dally orothorwlso.
For a cooling lotion, ono made of two
drachms (J borax and glycerine to
eight ounces of distilled water is effect
ive, allaying dryness, subduing irrita
bility and removing dandiuft'. Iloth
baldnoss and graynoss dopond on tho
dofcctlyo powors of tho scalp skin, and
aro to bo treated alike. What is needed
is moderato stimulation, without nny
Irritation. Tho following Is goods Rub
into tho places dally, or ovon twlco a
day, n liniment of camphor, ammonia,
chloroform and aconlto, equal parts
each. Tho friction should bo vory
gontlo.
"Do vou oretend to havo as trood Judgment
as 1 have" exclaimed an enraged wlfo to her
DUioana. "wen, no," no repueo, eiowiy,
"ear choice of partners for life shows that my
Judgment Is not to be compared to yours."
POPULAR SAYINGS TOOM POPS.
Although the poems of Alrxfthder I'opt are
seldom read at the present diy, people, with
out knowing It, quote him more frequently
than any other author or book, with tho ex
ception, perhaps, of the Itthlc, Shakespeare,
Milton, Btron, Isaac Watts, llenjftintn Frank
lin, and Esop. Tho ollowlns lint of quota
tions will kIvo some tdeu of his popularity In
this regard :
Shoot folly as It flics.
Man never Is, but always to be, blest.
Lo, the poor Indian !
Die of a rose In aromatic pain.
All are but parts of one stupendous whole.
Whatever ts, Is right.
The proper study of mankind Is man.
Grows with his growth and strengthens with
his strength.
Vlco Is a monster of f o frightful mcln, etc.
l'leas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw,
lie can't be wrong whose life Is In tha right.
Order Is heaven's first law.
Honor and shamo from no condition rife;
Act well your part thero all tho honor
lies.
Worth makes the man, the want of It the fel
low. An honest man's tho noblest work of God.
Looks through nature up to nature's God.
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.
Outdo, philosopher and friend.
Just as the twig ts bent tho tree's Inclined.
Mistress of herself, though China fall,
Who shall decide when doctors disagree f
A little learning Is a dangerous thing.
To err Is human, to forglvo divine.
Fools rush In where angels fear to tread.
Damn with faint praise.
Ilreaklng a butterfly upon a wheel.
Tho feast of reason and the flow of lonl.
Welcome the coming, speed tho parting guest
Do goad by stealth and blush to tlnd It fame
And deal damnation around the land.
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to ine.
The mockery of woe.
This Is the Jew,
That Shakespeare drew.
Party Is the madness of many for the gain
a few.
MiACK MUM.
How Diimon nnd Josh wny I.cnthcncd Thoir
Hnlldny.
Iljr rif Mint ltldrrhood.
"Black guml Snssyfras! Maplo!" ex
claimed Undo Joshway, in tones of
mingled anger and contempt, as ho
stood, ax in hnnd, by tho wood-pllo ex
amining a load of wood lleub, had just
thrown irom his wogon. "Maple, black
gumandsassyfrasiRcublnJcems, you'ro
tho blggcs' fool nigger in Loozannn!
Ain't got do sense you was born wid
an dat wan't much! Reck'n l'so gwlno
to gio you fo' bits an' yo' dinnor an'
you eats moro'n a whale, mo' tutors' an'
greens, an' pones o' bread an' pork dan
ten whales! when you hauls stch wood
as dat?"
"I don't sco nothin' wrong wld do
wood, Undo Joshway," said Rcub, curl
ing tho lash of his long whip around his
nrm. "What's matter wid dis wood,
Undo whoa, daii, llallt Joshway?
Whaso you gwlno tor? Whan I wnnts
you to go, you stan' liko you'so moso
dead, an' couldn't tako narry stop; den
when back, Urandy! den whon I
wants tor stop, you moso break yo'
necks lo go on! Outdaciouscst oxens I
over seed! B-n-a-a-aook! I hauls you
samo kino o' wood I hauls for white
folks, an' dcifs satisfied."
"Dcy's satisfied" yes, I reckon 'doy'
Is dat ain't no sign of a duck's nest
dcy boin' satisfied ain't notin'.
Wliito folks ain't got no sonso 'bout
wood. Dair'd my old marstor, wld all
his book larnin' nn' edification, didn't
know'twns bndluckto burn sassyfras
dldn'tknow dat burnln maplo alius bring
cump'ny an' I calls cump'nyto feed
bad luck whou yo' vlttles is 'bout ox-
plrln' ". As tho "oxens" in tho wagon
wero now standing still, Roubin .Teems
seated himself on a log and the Colonel
dropocd down on a stump to talk.
"Bad luck?" said Roubin Jcems. "I
novcr heard toll of burnln' maplo bring
in' cump'ny, nn' I did't know 'twas
bad luck to mako a firo outer sassyfras,
ots I wouldn't orbrung you a stick of
it, sho' I"
"Good lawd, Roubin Jcems!" said
Undo Josh, springing to his feet in
astonishment, "Good lawd you olo
'null' to voto, an' dat ignunt! I don't
know what's gvvin' to como of do up
raisin' gcu'ration ot cullud folks! 'Pears
to mo like doy don't knownufiln.' Mo
here findln' you an' you eatln' moro'n
a abbrleonjor snako an' givin' you fo'
bits fur dis 'ittlo handful of wood, an'
hit all maplo an' blaok gum an' sassy
fras, 'coptin two or thrco sticks of hick'
ry. Mo nn' mino 'ud let our foots get
frost bit wid do cold 'foro wo'd burn a
picco o' sassyfras so you might's well
put it In yo' waggln an' haul it off 'gin;
an' yo' black gum too. You lazy,
triflin' nigger; 'stiddcr cuttln' down
trcos you went to somebody's now clear
lu an' pick up dat olo rubbago! Dunno
what do upralsln' gon'ratlon o' young
niggers is gwlno tor come tori Whon I
was young, boys was somo' count; now
doy ain't worf dair salt. Ketch 7ie
haulln' black gum an' sassyfras when I
yo' ago. Rock'n l'so gwlno to pay you
fur datstuft? Tako itto Mr. Lightnln
ho won't know no bottor but don't
you novcr lotch mono mo' sloli truck!"
"What fur you don' t liko black gum P"
queried Rcub as inuocontly as If ho
didu't know nil about it. "Ia it bad
luck to burn black gum, tooP"
"Luck? I dunno nothin' 'bout do luck
of it, but 1 do know how it burns. Ain't
you novor beared mo toll how mo nn'
Damon fooled olo Mars wunstP"
"No," said Roubin Jeoms, "and who
was Damon?"
Ho had heard tho story a dozon times,
but tho chorry wasn't ono of tho trees
cut down by his "llttlo hatchot." Such
a small and comforlablo consolonco had
Roubin Jooms that not ovon a shadow
of romorso flitted over his pleasant,
shining countonanco as ho spoke Ho
was very willing to lot Uncle Joshway's
old story oomo up again to turn tho ol J
man's attention irom tho "black gum
nn1 sassyfras" recently undor discussion.
"What 'bontyo' olemnrsP an1 who
was Damon r "
"Well ') said Colonel, taking a
big bite at his plu,, ' tobacco and offer
ing Roub a chow in v''kn of reconcllia
tlon. "I coln't nercV 800 asllck '
black gum wood Mont mo30 klll'
mysolflafln' 'coptin' cep.'m',C0Pt
in' whou folks hauls me dat klno er
wood," ho ndded, ns tho memory his
Into nngcr flashed over hlra. "An' vou
ain't novcr beared tell"
"Novcr! Whoa, dair, Brandy!"
"Well, wunst In rob times dat was
whon I was young nn' sorter wile I
menn sorter lively early ono Chris'mns
mornin' mo nn' Damon went up to do
houso to ketch olo marsor an' git our
nignog nn' put him in mino o' dnt satin
wos'eut nn' shiny boots an' high-top
hats an' sto'-bought shirts all starched
up still' ns a bonrd, ho promised us. But,
'stlddur nxln' Chloo ifdowhlto folks
had done had brcckflts olo mars novcr
did like to bo 'sturbod 'fo' brccklus
uanion ho bulges in do room
liko a fool, an' hollers: Chrlsmus gif,
olo mars! Chrlsmus glf, ov'body Glmmo
my presents nowl How long a Chrit
mas yottgwino to glvo us, marsP' Now
I was sorter jubotts I knowed olo mars
had a liver, an' dat makes somo folks
crons fo' breckfus, you know so 1 stood
outsido do do' lis'nin'. Don 1 peeped
in, an' dhir was old mars wid hofaconll
lathered up, an' him n-shavin' or had
been, but whon Damo hollered out nil of
n sudden It mado do razor flip tin' cut
him on do face, not 'mi IT to hurl, but
jus 'null to mako him rantankerous, an'
'stiddcr sayln', 'G'long an' frolic, boys;
d'ninl no wuek doln' dis limo o' year;
you kin tako us much Christmas as you
want' stiddnr sayin' dat, olo mars ho
tunned his huld round juV dis away
an' rolled ills two at nyes Damo jus' dis
away" said Undo Josh Imitating "olo
mars' " movements. "An' den lie seed
mo snioxorin' at Damon an' don ho
say, 'bit out dis houso, you black ras
cals, you! Bust in1 in hero dis timo, o'
day liko wilo Injuns an' makln' mo cut
myhnid moso off! Cla' out, hofo'n you
you, fo' 1 frow dis bootjack at you!
Damo ho sneak oil', but I grab up an'
armful o' fat pluo I seed layin' in
do hall an' went in an' began
biowin' up do firo. Aftor it blazo up I
say, 'How long a Christmas you gwino
to giro us, marser? nil do weokP' 'All
do week, you lazy, fat nlggor? No! You
an' Damon bring in a turn o' wood tin'
as long ns do firo burns you kin kick up
yo' heels nn' havo a hollerday. Dat's
all do long Iso gwino to givo you.
While ono tiro's burnln'! Dat's mighty
short Christmas, marsor; p. firo'd burn
out in a hour.' 'Well, let it burn! I'll
learn you how to como smasln' in any
body's room liko n Injun! Cla' out, an'
git me somo wood, you an' Damon.
Whlloit's burnln' you kin have o' hol
lerday you needn't goto wuek till it
burns to nshos." Olo mnrser knowed
wo wanted to go to a wholo-hog dinner
wliar' doy had a quiltin' an' a weddin,'
fo' miles from our house, an' courso,
wo couldn't moro'n git dair 'lb' a nor'
nary firo'd bo plum out, an' I thought
ho war real mean to do dat way do
onlics' timo I over knowed him to 'fuso
us a good hollerday, but don I novor
axed him 'fo' brcckfusagin. So I went
out to do wood pile mo aud Damo did,
but wo fust saddled do two mules mar
sar had lot us .havo an' pick up n bl
dry oak bauk-log to toto tn do house, but
jus' den I had 'uuthor thought. I
frowed down do oak, whispor to Dame,
den mo an' him run to do boss lot, cut
down a big olo black gum treo an' toted
in do green logs of hit, an' pilod'em up
In mars' big olochlmbloy onodcmolo
fashin firo-places dat took up half do
sldo do room. We jus' piled on log af
tor log, an' olo mars didn't know what
kino cr wood It was oven If ho had
krowed it was black gum ho wouldn't
er had sonso 'nuff to koor ho was a
scholard, olo mars' was, an' didn't know
'boutnuftln' but book foolishness. When
ho seed how smart wo was fotchln' in
do wood so fas, ho smilo an' say: 'AH
right boys. Now you kin go on, an'
frolic till dat wood burns down.' I
know ho'd er liked to told us to tako
longer Chrls'mas, but ho didn't want to
tako back what ho'd fust said. So wo
put off. Damo ho was so tickled 'bout
do black gum firo dat, 'stiddor walkln'
liko n Chrlschun to do gato whoro do
mules was hitch', ho an' me turned
summersets all do way. Well, wo rid
off to do quiltin' an' do big dinnor; don
do nox' day wo wont to n barhycuo, an' j
wo jus' rid 'roun dat wholo blessed
week, goln' to all da frolics fur fifteen
miles 'roun' an' Iiavin' mo
what a timo wo had! Mo'
fnnt T..1W.I
apples an'
nwangls an' wholo hogs barbycued, nn'
white-washed cakes! Wliow! Reub,
it makes my motif water to think er dat
week! 'N'lf you b'llovo mo, whon wo
got back homo Now Year's night nn'
'quiro 'bout olo mars' firo, Chloo sho say
'Joshway, what klno or wood was It you
put on 'lb' you wont 'way? Olo mars'
says ho novor seed sloh wood slnco do
good Lawd mado him. He's been
punchln' do firo, nn' pokln' In light
wood dts blossod week, an' it ain't
burnod down yot. He's burnt up fo'
waggln loads ot fat lightV It an' dat
wood you put on ain't begin to burn yot.
Olo mars' think it jos' happen so, but I
knows bolter; it's somo o' yo' devilment.
What is it, Joshway?' 'Black gum,'
say I. Don Chloo laft till sho moso had
fits; an' to dis day I can't seo black gum
wood 'dout lnflln' mysolf moso to death
thlnkln' 'bout olo mars' an' our hollor
day." A Botton lady recently visited a clalrvoyan
tn ordor to hear something about her husband's
Ufa. The clalrvovant said: "You must bring
me Dome of your husband's hair before 1 can
go Into the land of dreams." "l)ut,' said the
lady, "my husband Is baldheaded." "Btlll,"
said the clairvoyant, "you may pull a MtUe,
from the sides'
HHnllght.
Firm Vemti.
The sun, If you will only open your
house to hlra, is a faithful physician,
who will be pretty constant in attend
ance, nnd who will sond in no bills.
Many years ago glass was somothingof
a luxury, now we can nil havo good
sized windows, nnd plenty of them, nt
moderate cost, and thero Is no excuso
for making mcro loop holes, through
which tho sun can cast but half an oyo,
and from which ono can gain only nar
row glimpses of tho beautiful outer
wrld.
I ftLri sufficiently acqunintod with tho
conorv.ttlvo chnractor of many country
pcoplo to h now thnt expressions of dis
dnln will como from somo qunrtcrs
when I mention bay windows. Never
theless bay windows nro it good thing,
Thoir offect is very much like lotting
heaven Into one's house, nt least ought
to bo liko that, for it is nothing but
absurdity nnd wickedness to darken
such windows with Jshutlcrs or heavy
curtains until only n struggling my of
sunlight can bo seen.
If bay windows nro to expensive, n
very desirable substitute can bo had by
plncing two ordinnry sized windows
sido by sldo with a wido capacious ledgo
at the bottom for scats or for plants. A
room with a window liko tins cannot
fail to bo cheery, and its effect in a situ
plo cottage houso is quito sumptuous.
Thero is llkewiso in its favor tho fact
that It Is less exposed than tho deep bay
window to outer heat nnd cold. In a
kitchen or a child's bedroom, or in nn
nttio wliero tho walls aro low, two half-
windows set sido by sldo and mado to
slide or to open on hinges, admit a
abroad, generous light, and givo an
apartment a pretty nnd pleasing rustic
air. Let tho builder endeavor to havo
all rooms In dully uso, especially bed'
rooms and sitting rooms, well lighted
by tho sun. "To sleep in unsunned
rooms, is tho unrepented sin of half tho
nation," vlgorouly nfllrms a oromincnt
writor. But this should not bo said of
that part ol tho nation living in tho
country lar from thoso towering brick
walls whoso stops tako hold on base
ment kitchens, and In whoso depressing
shadows manyllvcs must necessarily be
spent. In tho country, with a wholo
s!;y to draw from, let thero bo light! If
nny rooms In the house must look sole
lv to tho north for illumination, let
them bo tho parlor nnd tho spare cham
ber. People who como and go can bo
cheerful for a whllo in a north-windowed
apartment, but the constant dwellers
In a house need i's sunniest rooms.
What Sheep-Dogs Can Do.
A trial of sheep-dogs took place re
cently in tho neighborhood of Ulvcrston,
Westmoreland. A circlo of llvo whito
lings marked out tho routo each dog
was to tako, with tlireo sheop starting
from a pen to tho right of tho judges.
Theso sheep had been lent by tho far
mers of tho district, and each trio woro
of thrco distinct kinds ono Harkwicke,
oao .rough sheep and one-half bred
lamb. Nono of thorn had been previ
ously punned togothor, which mado tho
tusk moro difficult, and a fresh thrco
woro usod for each trial, a rolay of
sheep boing hidden away behind ono of
tho mauy groystono walls, which mingled
so well with tho prevailing huo of tho
hillside that it was difficult to distin-
'iilsh them. Tho task laid down for
tho dogs was In ovcry caso tho same
Thoy had to tako tho sheep on tho out
sido of tho Hags and down tho hill to n
,'ap in tho stono wall at tho foot, and
so into another field, whoro was a pen
of hurdles, Into which tho sheep wero
to bo driven, tho nporturo being only
wido cnonch to admit ono sheep nt n
time Tho owners of tho dogs stood by
tho judges nnd directed tho animnls by
word of mouth, ns thoy drove tho flock
round tho flags; but beyond tho gap thoy
woro allowed to como to closor quarters,
nnd on moro than one occasion tho man
was supposed to havo moro to do with
the penning than tho dog. Occasional
ly thoy broko away boforo thoy had
passed round tho hill, and novcr ap
peared at tho gap at all. Somotimcs
ono was penned, and tho rest obstinate-
refused to ontor; ovor and ovor again
thoy woro noarly in, nnd flew off' quito
unexpectedly. A successful penning
was greotod with prolonged cheors, for
tho spectatots woro keenly alivo to the
morlts of tho dogs and tho difficulty of
tho task.
Length of tho Mississippi.
Marl: Twain mourns ovor tho dimin
ished length of the Mississippi in tills
strain: Thereforo, tho Mississippi be
tween Cairo and New Orleans, was 12lfi
mllos 170 yoars ago. It was 1180 after
tho cut-off of 1722. It was 1010 after
tho Amorlcan bend cut-off, somo years
ago. It has lost sixty-seven miles since.
Consequently, Us length Is only 07!1
miles at present.
Now, if I wanted to bo ono of thoso
ponderous scientific people, anil to provo
what had occurred in tho long past by
what had occurred in n jiven timo in tho
recent past, or what will occur in tho far
futuro by what has occurrod in lato
yeors, what an opportunity is here! Geo
logy never had such n chanco, nor such
exact data to arguo from! Nor devel
opment of species, either. Glacial
epochs aro great things, but thoy uro
vacuo vague Flcaso obsorvo.
In tho spaco of 170 yoars tho Lower
Mississippi has shortened itself 242
miles. That is an avorago of tt trltlo
ovor ono mllo and a third per yoar.
Thereforo, any calm porson, who is not
blind or idiotic, can seo in tho Old Ooll
tlo Silurian period, just 1,000,000 yoars
ago next Novombor, tho Fowor Missis
sippi rivor was upwards ot 1,800,000
miles long, nnd atuok out over the Gulf
ot Mexico liko a fishing rod, And by
tho samo token nny porson can seo that
742 yonrs from now tho Mississippi will
bo only a mllo and a quarter long, nnd
Cairo and Now Orleans will havo joined
'J'01"11
nnd t mutual nnntvl rif nlilnrmnn Thorn
fa somothinc fasolnatlnc about science,
Oao gots such wholosalo returns of con-1
Joctnre out oi sneh a trifling Investment
of fact.
The
Egjpuln Feasant's way of Makng
u utter.
rictorUl World.
Fatlmn's cntlte domestic cstabllsmcnt
has no work for a cooper, for all tho
vessels except an Iron pan, aro of coarso
earthen ware Nor docs sho need a
churn, for I saw hor from my window
uso the most singular and primitive
churn In tho world. Sho brought from
somo mysterious corner n skin of last
ycos'fl goat which had been taken from
tho animal as nearly wholo ns possible
To oach of what roprcsontod tho legs of
the animal sho tied tho end of a cord, nnd
then brought tho othor end together In
a knot, nnd suspended tho wholo fo tv
1C tivo feet nbovo tho ground in tho
wall. Sho now proceeded to open tho
skin t tho neck nnd pour into It buf
falo milk or cronm from n largo Jar.
Sho blew tho skin fnll of air, and, tying:
tho neck tightly with n string, sat down
upon tho ground to shako it. For tivo
minutes sho shook it witii both hands
back and forth, tho buffalo cow herself
looking on with most knowing ex
pression nnd ruminating slowly tho
while then tho nlr was let off and a
fresh supply blovrn in from tho lungs of
tho woman. This alternative slinking
and supplying with air was continued
for half nn hour, whon thero wns evi
dently n mass of butter rolling about
within tho bag. Tho buttermilk was
poured off into the cream jnr nnd care
fully preserved, tho bttttur squeezed in
to ti coherent lump, and tho operation
was completed.
.Man's ScIT-Importance.
Mrs. Jameson in more instances;
than one shows hor belief lit self-lmpor-
tnnco being man's prime quality. Hero
is one tiling that breathes n hard spirit:
Personal vanity in a man is sheer, un-
niinglcd egotism nnd tin unfalltig sub
ject of ridicule and contempt with
all women, bo they wiso or foolish."
The Countess ol Blcssington, who wns
almost ns wlso as sho was handsome,
lias loft n few outspoken opinions, of
which one is that "Self possession and
dignity ought to characterize a man of
birth and genius, nnd n poet should
neither bo gay nor flippant." Hero Is
n stingor: "Mon can pity tho wrongs
inflicted by other men on tho gentler
sex, but never thoso which thoy them
selves inflict on women." Though tho
following words would apply equally
well to women, it is wortli remonibcr
ing as showing that lo a delicate-minded
woman tho man who prides himself
on being n bear, growling out unpnl
atablo truths at every breath, is not
considered tho pleasantest of compan
ions: "Yourplain-speakiiig mon," sasy
tho Countess, "aro usually cither of ob-
tuso intellect or of ill-natured disposi
tions, wounding tho feelings of others
for want ol delicacy of mind and sonsi-
bllty, or from intentional malice"
Tho Countess grows concise, nnd in
saying that "A woman's head is always
influenced by her heart, but a man's
heart Is always Influenced by his head,"
utters nn epigram worthy of Popo. In
tho samo epigrammatic mood must
this hnvo been conceived: "Groat mon
direct tho events of thoir times; wlso
men tako advantage of them; woak
mon aro boruo down by thom." Klsc-
whorosho says: "In tho society of per
sons of mediocrity of intellect a clover
man will appear to have less esprit
than thoso around lilm who possess the
least, bccau.so lie is displaced in their
company."
Jnpnnc.se Love of Children.
I never saw peoplo tako so much do-
light in thcirchildren," writes Miss Bird
in her new book on tho Japanese, "car
rying them about or holding their hands
in walking, watching and cntoriug into
their games, supplying them constantly
with toys, taking thom to picnics nnd
festivals, and novor being contonttobo
without them. Both fathers and moth
ers tako a prido in their children. It is
most amusing, about G o'clock ovory
morning, to sco twclvo or fourteen men
sitting on a low wall, each with a child
or two in his arms, fondling and play
ing with It, and showing oft'its physlqua
and intelligence. At night, after tho
houses aro shut up, looking through tho
loug fringe of rope or rattan which con
coal tho sliding door, you seo tho father
bending his ugly, kindly faco ovor n
gentle-looking baby; and tho mothor,
who moro often than not has dropped
the kimono from her shoulders, enfold
ing two children destituto of clothing
In hor arms, Tho children, though for
our ideas too gentlo nnd formal, aro
very prepossessing in looks nnd behav
ior. Thoy nro llttlo men and womon,
rather than children, and their old-fashioned
appearance. Is aided by their
dress, which is tho samo as that of
adults."
STOCK XOTKH.
It is asserted that tho dairy products
of the United States hnvo twice tha
valuo of tho wheat crop.
A recent sale in hnglund ol 100
Hereford bulls for shipment to Buenos
Ayres, shows thnt even there tho im
provement of stock has commenced.
Good, sweet uulk contains ouo-tourtlt
moro sugar than butter; tins sugar
turns to acid, and it this acid is too
much dovolopcd boforo churning tho
coveted aroma is destroyed.
Tho Colorado Farmer says that Col.
llittson who camo to tho Stato in tho
year 1SC0 and engaged in cattlo raising,
wns so successful that at tho timo ot
his death ho was tho ownor of four
largo ranches, thirty thousand head of
cattlo and about tivo hundred head ot
horses.
Tho Elgin, 111., Hoard of Trndo aro
doing a service to westorn dairymen by
nutting ud neutral "lard, deodorircd
ucad'-norso grcaso, and othor nauseous
and dcloterious mixtures, uudor tho
natuo of Wcateru crcamory butter.