The Democrat., February 19, 1885, Image 1

About The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896

Image provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

                
Mr
WHIM II I JjJ
V.-.
r
THE DEMOCRAT PUBLISHING CO.," PUBLISHERS.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE S2.00 PER YEAR.
SCOTLAND NECK, HALIFAX CO., N. C. THURSDAY FEBfiUARY 19, 1885.
NUMBER 13.
VOLUME I.
,: J'
1 f3?
1
A DREAM OF HOME.
The sun's rays s'ant the path along,
The air i balmy as in June;
Tin robin sings his evening song,
And through the sky the new, gray moon
Moves calmly on, untrammeled, free,
But something whispers unto me
"Not yet!"
The brook sings as it' gently flows,
The frog croaks by the water's rim;
There in content the lily grows,
And there the fishes, darting, swim;
I hear and see the old brown mill,
But, ah! these sad words haunt me still -"Not
yet!"
In clover meadows broad and fair,
In drowsy mood the cows await
The farm-boy's call upon the air,
While, with his pail, beside the gate
Which opens down the grassy lane,
My brother breathes these words of pain
Not yet!"
pled-church, the school-house near,
wood where I have roamed at will,
uaint, old farm-house, to me dear,
youthf ul home my manhood s still
f-these as in days gone by.
J Something whispers (as I sigh)
' "Not vet!"
Ohi Hearts, in Whom there is no May!
Who yearn to hear my footfalls where
The path, so beaten, winds its way
Under old trees so grand and fair:
Dear Hearts, who long for me to com?,
I can ut say I can go home
"Not yet!"
For longer, still, your breasts must know
A sadness free from all disguise,
I Ere I can leave thesa scenes and go
And look into bright loving eyes,
And clasp the hands so warm, and ki
JThe lips I've pressed so oft in bliss- " "
.' "Not yet!" F" V - ?
M ' -
rvrguiien, dui cs sweet ana siroHRu. -
As when one dreamful Autumn day
I said "Good-by!" and passed along
Down the old walk, and ent away,
Not thinking there would coma a day .
When I snould have as now to" say "
"Not yet!" ..
Alas, not yet! Far, far from this!
Still most J wait! All I can do ... ";. ';.
Is just to;waft a long, long kiss
- - . - ..j' . . ... - i- j i -- .
Untbout;6fj-yof7oi'.f
Raven and IJwere atr the same hospi
tal, St.tazaru?r where he held a metrical
and I a surgic
both hard woi
Raven iyokco
appointment. We were
p.dqfUm d.v ancL. night.
very suciessf
rise in a shqiri
'O-NdWrder-atfte
tueQgreat eminence - xo
the profession. . He was immensely pop
ular wnvHrorie. : His gray hair and
bright lu-es,, rfind, healthy, florid
compleiloa combined with a frank,"
open au4-hbrty . manner in speaking,
made hint 'a frend "with everybody, and
inspiredico&dence in all bis patients as
well as his-friends.
Raven :fcanie up to me one day in the
hospital. "I've just received a summons
to Exeter," said he. "The family is
wealthy and influential; it is now just
9 :30, and we will go down together.
Send me word during the afternoon if
you can come or not. . From what I
know of the case I've been called to
attend, I'm sure it's more of a surgical
than a medical one. It will be an excel
lent chance for you, Lawson, and I can
promise you a'good fee to bejrin with.
Therefore, if you can possibly manage it,
meet me at Paddington this evening.
You promised"
Lnless something unforseen should
happen to prevent me, I will be at the
station at 9:30."
Raven wa3 dramatically impressive. I
jthought, as we parted, and I arranged
In v work so aq t.n Tw ahla tn 1roa- mr ap
pointment. I was only just in time to
catch Raven, who hastily opened the
door of the railway carriage.
"Jump in, Jack, jump in." A half
crown to the guard has secured the com
partment for us all the way down, so we
shall have it all to wirselves without
ear of interruption. Time's up; you
aave to run it fine. Fire away. !"
He flung in my bag and the several
rugs, etc.. and he entered. The guard
:ouched his hat and shut the door with
i bang.
. "This door is unlocked," guard,
laid I.
Yes sir side nearest the platform is
llwas unlocked. The other, door is
ocked."
He whistled and ihe train started.
"I can't bear the idea of both doors
being locked," I remarked to Raven. "In
case of accident it would be impossible
or us to escape from thi3 carriage."
"It doesn"t"Cfatter," he said, and then
classed into silence.
TFor about twenty minutes he remained
posite to me, sometimes with his eyes
losed, sometimes with them fixed upn
pe in the most unpleasant manner. All
py endeavors to draw him into conver
sion failed, and after some time I
ave them up and also relapsed into 6i-
pnee.
Suddenly he rosa from his seat and
rew from inside his overcoat a long and
ointed knife, which flashed ominously
P the lamplight.
L T.,1 t . i i-.Lt- -r ...
i,awson, we must ooiu vi us
ie to-night." said he. calmlv and delib
erately, without any excitement of man-
cr. 1 fppl that. t.h timo hoc nm for
both to quit this vale of tears."
Raven," I renlied seeinsr what had han-
lened in as calm a voice as his own. "I
ave long thought that life was becom-
Pg very undesirable; and to leave it in
p ur company, with you, my oldest and
rmest friend, would be the most agree
Me thing that could happen. But vou
fe not married, Tom."
4uc.uk. neaven, no I'M
"Remember, I"" am married: and -had
P given me notice of this wish of yours
-" eutrung i wouia nave made ar
guments and have snoken to mv wif
prepare her. Wo
"No, I have not."
Pli XOm. It IS Vlar.ln.!n r
,ta 01 Ufl tO make nn. f ll. KfA.1' ...
die. I have not made mine, and I should
not like to leave the world with the
chances of my wife and child going to
the workhouse or to be chargeable on
the parish after my death. You would
wish to leave your money to some one in
particular is it not so?"
"Of course I should like to leave my
money, property of course yes! I
never" thought of making my will."
You must also remember, Tom, that
it would never do to die deliberately, in
the way we both wish to die, without
leaving to the world our reason for the
act. You would not wish your name to
be a by-word and be a cause of derision
to any one, I am sure; and I am certain 1
don't wish my own to be so. Therefore
we must draw out our reasons for dy
ing?" "Do you know, Jack, I never thought
of that?"
"Well, then, first put ydur knife down
on the cushion there, and then we will
Bet to work. I've plenty of paper in my
bag and plenty of lead in my pencil, and
we've the whole night before us."
A tremble of my hand, a quiver in my
voice, would have been fatal. I opened
the bag and drew forth the writing
' paper. The knife was on the cushion at
my side.
"Now, Torn, let us first state our rea
sons to the world for wishing td die tdT
night by our own hands. If ycii will
dictate to me your reasons, I will write
them down, and then we will revise and
correct them. After that I will dictate
my own to you and you shall write them.
We shall be able to do our work well and
quickly."
"Quite right, Jack; we ought to give
them our reasons. How odd that I
never thought of that.' Let me see; if I
kill you first I might write them out
afterward."
"Ah, JjojwilTwte out m i ne 2
Doh'l be selfish-; there's a good chap. "
be sufej 'i&$ftr arc; you ready fi
pbegafc dictating Jottg; an& flowery,
sentences Now- and -again I inter-y
fw-ii35ftcfw-vf language to gain time.
41ns xepf him'tftortflfghly occupied, and
iifteestedTwhile the train sped on at ex
UfiesyattQL jli He. had- nearly finished his
lflPgv. rambling dictation, when to my in
expressible dclight-1 felt the - speed of
the train slackening. I knew my chance
of deliverance was near.
"Head over-for yourself what J have
iwri fHn . i sum I it ui ni -
V - T T J 1 - t ..
I sard t biou; ' The .carriage.'
I will make tiny corrections": you
may Tequire. -- - . - ; r
J SM.tJr.n.thff knife andTRarfiad ov-win
Tmvrr thtr-lasa.' ..A-SuiffhtiUnbUnsf
terjHihv risin ir to "Inafiaire better"
WrQff'the' knlfa wSsiiuuy lcffevhand eon-
ceak-d under my coat, "I turned around
to" look at 'my old friend, and' saw him
trying intently to read ray scribble by
the light of the lamp, seemingly uncon--scious
of the stopping of the train. In
another mQment, the. glass, descended, the
knife drooed D0n.r.t3he- tlatforni. mv
T&xAt 'irastttntshforJ'gfi tiiwindow and
carried a lara fan
- pieaj ly stopped jl jumpctt-iy-fltre-cne
door and held the 'handie 'flmly PEflr
Raven was then quite engrossed' with
what I had written for him. I called the
guard, and secretly and quietly the por
ters were assembled over the platform at
the door of the carriage.
"Come, Tom, this is Swindon! Let us
have a cup of coffee!" I called him
through the window.
In that moment the spell was broken.
I saw him look for his knife, then rush
to the window at the opposite side, but
we were too quick and too powerful for
him. The guard, two porters and I
jumped into the carriage, and he was
secured.
My best friend, with a brilliant future
before him and in the ripe portion of his
life was a raving maniac, and has re
mained so insane from that time one
of the many victims to overwork.
I need scarcely add the case which
Raven had represeeted to me as calling
him to Exeter was an entire fabrication,
and was invented by him as a part of the
scheme which, in his madness, he had no
doubt seriously imagined would be fo'
the benefit of us both.
That terrible night can never be ef
faced from my memory, and I can never
sufficiently congratulate myself on hav
ing so fortunately thought of the expe
dient which answered so admirably
"Writing for life."
Mexico's National Drink.
The stranger in Mexico always com
plains of thirst, according to a Philadel
phia Press . correspondent. The rapid
evaporation makes his throat and tongue
very dry. - J As the water is poor and un
healthfui, pulque shops, a substitute for
beer saloons, are frequent. There are
said to be 34,000 licensed pulque shops
in the City of Mexico, beside numerous
bar-rooms where other beverages are sold.
Pulque (pronounced poolkee) is the na
tional drink and is the fermented milk
of the cactus. Eighty thousand gallons
are said to be sold in Mexico every day,
and double that amount on Sundays and
saints' days. It is a sort of combination
of starch and alcohol, looks like well
watered skim milk and tastes like yeast.
It cost put a penny a glass, or two cents
a quart, so that it is within the reach of
the humblest citizen and he drinks vast
quantities of it. Five cents' worth will
make a peon (as all the natives are called)
as happy as a lord, and ten cents' worth
will send him reeling into the arms of a
policeman, who secures him an engage
ment to work for the government for ten
days without compensation. But it
leaves no headache in the morning and
is said to be very healthful. In the
moist climates one might, drink large
quantities without injury, but all the
usual intoxicants are harmful in this lati
tude. " - ' . -.
A Remarkable Death.
Robert Jones, a colored lad, aged
nineteen yoars, living near Edwardsville,
111., and by occupation a woodchopper,
came to his . death recently in a most
singular and remarkable way. Having
arisen at his usual hour and eaten a
hearty breakfast, he started to walk over
to the place where he worked, seemingly
in uerfsct health. About the time he
reached the main road he was suddenly
overtaken by something which ; can
hardly be explained, b'eeding from all
the openings in his body and blood
oozing from every pore of his skin. He
onir uvea a iew minutes, uu urau
before medical aid could be secured.
Wl.at caused this remarkable bleeding at
all his pores is veiled in profound mys-
FOR FEMINIZE READERS.
1 1
Points of Beauty
An old Spanish writer has fixed the
standard of female beauty by an enum
eration of thirty good points. The pos
session of these points is essential. Here
they are:
Three things white the skin, the
hands, the teeth.
Three black the eyes, the eyebrows,
the eyelashes.
Three red the lips, the cheeks, the
nails.
Three long the body, the hair, the
hands.
Three short-the teeth, the ears, the
fe t.
Three broad the chest, the brow, the
space bet ween the eyebrd ws.
Three narrow the mouth, the waist,
the instep.
Three free the fingers, the hair, the
lip.
An Eccentric Kirli
The eccentricities of an unnamed
young lady in New York who made her
debut this winter are causing a vast
amonnt of gossip. At a recent private
ball she was sitting next to Mrs. Herman
Jones at supper, when Danny Fearing
brought that lady an ice. "Oh, I wish
I had an ice," ejaculated the damsel iri
question. "May I not bring you one?"
politely inquired Mr. Fearing. "Oh,
yes; only bring me twice as much as
that. Oh, by the way," she added,
turning to Mrs. Jones, as the surprised
man went off, "you might as well pre
sent that fellow to me ; I don't know
him." When he returned and the intro
duction had taken place, she noticed
that he had a bottle of champagne in his
hand. "Oh, I want some of that!" she
cried. "Let me get you a glass," said
Fearing,', moving .away. "Oh, never
mind that,-! was-brought up on the bot
tle," was the reply. 'Hold your hat in
front of Tlie, 'Land seizing the wine bot
tle she put it to her lips and drained off
a respectable portion of its contett's with
the case anf grace of a southside boat
man. Troy Times.
: A Washington Beauty.
A very pretty .woraan.-who has reap
peared itf . Washington thic year, is. Mrs-.
George Spencer, wife f thc-'ex-Senatofc
Jrom Alabama. Six years ago society
was oxcitewhnbeater7s?ent over
to New; York, -mairied?'Miss Nunez, a
member of a theatre comnanv there and
: brought his bride here. She was a MisV
sissiupian by birth and related to se'vcr'al
generals of the"Confederate and Egyptian
service, and is "still a very beautiful
woman 4of the slender Spanish type. As
she appeared the other day, making some
afternoon calls upon ladies in the same
hotel where she is staying, she was the
striking ; figure of the occasion. She
wore- a long black velvet dress, an im
mense black Rubens hat ' covered with
black plumes, very Ion? black g'oves.
Lleathcrs, which, in its graceful motions,
seconded the wondetful play of her large
dark eyes, under the thin arching brows.
She held a whole company of ladies
spellbound and fascinated, and that is
thc last and most crucial test of any
pretty woman's talents. When she sat
down they formed a semicircle before
her, and she carried them with her by
storm. Except for an occasional ques
tion they let her have it all her own w&yj
and she was as bright, Sparkling and fas
cinating to all those women and be
witched them as completely with her
smiles and her black eyes and clever talk
as if they had been so many susceptible
men. Only the entrance of Mrs. Logan
broke the spell, but as they are two
famous friends they simply joined forces
and the charm was doubled. Globe-Democrat.
The Princess of Wales.
A London letter to the Boston Herald
says: The Princess of Wales is adored
by the English conservatives and radi
cals alike, and it was a lucky day indeed
for the heir apparent when he took the
sweet and high-minded daughtei of the
King of Denmark to wife. Her -popularity
is rivaled only by that of Mr.
Gladstone, and it is even greater than
his, for London is hers,. heart and soul,
as well as the provinces. To look at thi3
pretty and girlish woman no one would
imagine that she was forty years of ae
and the mother of several children, in
cluding two great boys, one of whom
has just attained his majority. Al
though H. R. II. holds herself so well
that, when seated in her carriage or in
the box of a theatre she seems a tall
woman, yet, in reality, she is petite:
The princess dresses her hair rather high
and wears high heels. She is always at
tired to perfection, and usually in white
or black in the evening and in very quiet
colors during the day, but her costume
at night, however simple, is set off by
the most magnificent jewels, so that she
literally "blazes like a jeweled sun." H.
R. H. is somewhat .deaf, although not
seriously so. The- present writer, has
seen her many times in public, and has
always been impressed with the o-race
and delicacy of her type of beauty" and
the unatfected goodness that seems to
surround her like an atmosphere. The
princess is always cheered to the echo
and fairly mobbed by the enthusiastic
public. I have seen her seated in the
royal coach, returning in state from
Buckingham palace to Marlborough
house, preceded by out-riders, a diadem
on her fair brow and gorgeously attired;
again, at a garden party, accompanied
by her little daughters clinging to the
skirts of her gown, as she walked alonv
between the ranks of ladies courtesying
and men with their heads uncovered ;
again, driving in Hyde park late in the
afternoon with the little princesses, or
sailing out to the royal yacht anchored
off the Isle of Wight, the ribbons of her
sailor hat fluttering in the fresh breeze,
her drees a simple blue serge, and still,
again, selling roses for charity at the
fete held in the Horticultural society's
grounds in South Kensington., The
princsss is a familiar bat always isolated
figure in English daily life- The people
recognize in her all those virtues which
her life does so much to reveal, and fol
low her good example in overlooking the
past and putting faith in the future. Cer
tainly, moreover, there is no reason to
complain of the present. ' There are no
scandals in their beautiful chateau.
Fashion Notes.
Long ecru glove are as fashionable as
ever. They are worn with white, black
and colors.
Cloth costumes grow in favor and
lighter clothes are on the counters for
spring wear.
Silver and gilt threads in the braids
worn on cashmere suits make them styl
ish and dressy.
Lace dresses, made of piece and border
lace, over silk, are among the prettiest
and most useful of evening toilets.
Black silk tulle over black China silk
is very pretty for evening wear, with
pae yellow roses at the belt or upon the
bodice.
Fuf-trimmed dresses are worn, but
velvet and plush are nlorfe Used than any
thing fdr cfdth dr cheviot Suits except
braid and machine stitching.
It is not unusual to see fitr Used as a
bonnet trimming. One very pretty capote1
has a high plaited crown of cardinal
velvet, while the brini is df beaver fufi
FarJcy tea aprons of muslin ai d lace
and of Turkish towels embroidered in
tinsel arid color are affected by fnshibn
able New York hostesses at 5 o'clock teas'
dr for afternoons at home.
White kids which have been aban
doned of late years, are again Worn.
The mousquetaire, too, has enjoyed its
season of popularity, atid it is td be re
placed by the close buttoned gleive.
New plaids are as often large as small,
and in fact all checked, barred, plaideq
and block patern goods come in graded
sizes from the smallest to the largest,
and in every imaginable combination of
color.
A band of fur forming a fichu around
the neck, and stopping at the point ol
the bosom' is considered very chic,
worn with cloth suits, when only a
jacket or no wrap is demanded by the'
weather. .. ..
The holokus or Mother Hubbard .slip
is the popular little girl's dress in Europe.
There it takes the name of the sasli
dress; but it is is subject to many varia
tions in the sUperimposition of draperies,
plastrons, and sash belts.
"Railroad Dick."
In one of the large towns on the Penn
sylvania railroad there lived, uutil a year
or two ago, an old negro named " Rail-
Irbad Dick."
Dick's self-appointed task in life w&s
ta-'seede trains in safe." In front of
thef station at this place run eiht or ten
tracks, which cross a busy thoroughfare.
Dick, made it his business to meet each
incoming train, and run before it to
clear the track of any chance impede
ment. Passengers would hold their
breath in terror td see the stooping,
ragged figure, with white hair flying and
arms outstretched,, running in a kind of
dog-trot before the engine, in the possi
ble danger of being crushed to death.
No remonstrance or reproof could com
pel 'old Dick to give up his perilous
task. It had not been a useless one.
Twice he had removed obstructions from
the track which would have wrecked the
trains. Once he had dragged a man,
who had fallen upon the rails, to a place
of safety, and three times he had saved
the lives of children.
"Ole Dick's got his wohk, sah!" he
would say, when told of his danger.
It never left the station. The railway
oniciab made a protege of the old man,
and gave him a comfdrtable room itt
which to sleep back of the engine house,
and a standing order fdr meals at the
restaurateur's. But Dick preferred td
take his bread and bone in his fingersj
to be eaten as he squatted on the floor of
the station.
"Dem paid fellahs takes turns, but
I'se always on guard," he said.
Dick probably grew stiff and feeble
from old aire, and the time came at last
which everybody had looked for. He
was caught by the cow-catcher of an
engine, thrown agaiust the rocks, and
carried to his room dying. He lingered
for a few hours. With each roar and
shriek that announced an incoming
train, he would struggle to fisdi
"De's lots of chillren oh dem tracks!
Lcinme go ! Ole Dick's got his work to
do!"
When told that he must die, he lay
siient for a long time, and said finally:
" 'Pars likede's nobody to take up jes'
my wohk. " But de Lohd'U see to it,"
and so, closing his eyes, his work was
over.
The roughest employees on the road
were better men for having known this
poor, unselfish negro, who, simply and
according to his light, faithfully did the
work which he thought had been
given him to do. Youth's Companion.
The Old Liberty Bell.
The old bell which Philadelphia has
sent to the New Orleans exposition has
had a noteworthy history, apart from the
one great deed which gave itworld-wide
fame. In 1751, the Pennsylvania as
ernbly (a Quaker convocation, under the
rule of the Penns) authorized a commit
tee to buy a bell for the State house. In
the letter sent by this committee to Rob
ert Charles, of London, ordering the
bell, are these words:
"Let it be cast by the best workman
and examined carefully before it is ship
ped, with the following words, . well
shaped in large letters, around it, 'By
order of the Assembly of the Province
of Pennsylvania for the State house in
the city of Philadelphia, 1752.' And
underneath, 'Proclaim liberty through
all the land unto all the inhabitants
thereof.' " .
As Philadelphia and the province gov
erned by Penn was at that time literally
the only spot in the world where abso
lute freedom prevailed there was a singu
lar pertinence and significance in this
inscription.
On thr arrival of the bell it was hung,
and runji to try the sound, but, having
been badly cast, it cracked on the-first
stroke of the clapper. The good Qua
kers then resolved to recast it themselves,
which they accordingly did in 1753. In
1777, when the British threatened Phila
delphia, it was removed to the little Mo
ravian town of Eethlehera for safety.
Even then, the people who were fighting
so hard for their freedom invested with
a kind of sacredness the bell which had
rung out to proclaim liberty, not only to
this land but to all the nations of the
world who should shelter here. It was
broken several years later, and has since
occupied a place in the old State house
at Philadelphia, next to the room in
which the Declaration was signed that
made us a free people. Youths Jompan
ion, .' ..:.;
THE MAILS OF CONGRESSMEN.
Letters Received By Senators and
Representatives at Washington
It requires the services of eleven per
sons to handle the mail of the different
Representatives and Senators at. the capi
fcol, writes a Washington correspondent.
There are four deliveries a day of what
Is known as congressional one) the
(morning delivery, before breakfast, two
ht the capitol during the hours, the wise
polons are in session, and another in the
Cveniflsr, The first and last deliveries
ftre at the private residence of the mem
bers. Twelve wagon loads of letters
and papers comprise the average of the
'House mail for each day. That of the
Senate, of course, is much smaller. In
addition to the regular clerks, drivers
find messengers each chamber employs
a limited number of bdyswhd are known
As riding .pagCSi They are furnished
iponies and a're used to deliver letters
And documents at the dif
ferent departhients and elsewhere"
throughout the city. Each receives d
Salary df $900 per annum. There are
three df thtise ydungstcrs on the House
side. The Senate is mdre extravagant.
With scarcely tine-fifth as rriariy mem
bers, they find it impossible to get along"
with less than four riding pages. This
may be said to be characteristic of the
Senate in every particular. That body
has twice file number df employes rela
tively that tile Hduse hasj and the pay is
irivariablv beltef.
Speaker Carlisle gets the heaviest mail
of any man in public lite, isext to mm,
among the Representatives comes Randall,
with Belford, of Colorado, third, Bel
mont, of New York, fourth, and Judge
Kelley, of Pennsylvania, fifth. Randall's
and Kelley's mails, like that of Colonel
Morrison,- ore mostly - communications
from businessmen and others asking for
information on matters of tariff, finances
and kindfcd subiects.'" ""
Mr. Belford's heavy mall' is explained
by reason of his being the only represen
tative of a young iand rapidly growing
crihitnonweath. i Colorado has probably
more veterans of the late war within her
bordet9 than any State of her size in the
Union. AS most of these people are in
terested in pensions, either to the extent
of asking information as to the best means
of procuring one' or inquiring as to de
lays in their settlement, it will Le seen
that his correspondence must be neces
sarily large. ' t
General Logan receives the heaviest
mail of afly member of the Senate. After
his ndminatidn last summer it increased
bo rapidly that the services df his secre
tary and Mrs. Xogatt were entirely inade
quate to the "task df keeping up the
arrears, On such decasidns it was no
uncommon practice fdr the visitors to
General Logan's rooms, many of wiiom
were employees of the government, to
assist him with his work, via tadies,
chairs, and eyen hat boxes would be
utilized as desks, ahd often half a dozen
sunernumcries wduld be found labor
ing until midnight. It is General Ldgan's
invariable rule td answer every letter setit
to him. His rtiail cdmes principally
from soldiers, and is not confined, by
any means, to his constituents in Illinois,
Not infrequently veterans write to him
from the Middle and New England
States. The bulk of letters from sol
diers of the late war residing in the ex
treme Southern States is addressed to
General Logan. Mrs. Logan overlooks
the Generafs mail. Ltihg familiarity as
his amanuensis enables her td tell directly
which letters she can attend to herself
wilhdut troubling her husband to read.
She is better known to the clerks in the
pension office than the general, and of
late years she has attended to nearly all
of his correspondence. Many of these
letters are insufficiently stamped. The
deficit is paid by the Senator. This item
of expense alone is said to amount to $23
per annum.
Plumb, of Kansas, follows Logan as
the recipient of the next largest mail,
with Allison, of Iowa, and Voorhees, of
Indiana, hot far behind.
Popular men iri Cdngress are deluged
with ietters in the same degree as they,
in private life, receive more attention
than those who are more exclusive.
Voorhees is easily apprdached, and is a
hail-fellow-well-met among the home
spun farmers of theHoosier State. Next
to Voorhees, Jones, of Florida, receives
the largest mail on the Democratic side.
Like Belford, he is proud of it. Jones
was born in Ireland, and worked his
way to his present prominence from a
shoemaker's bench. His correspondence
comes from every section of the country,
in which respect it is similar to General
Logan's, though not so diffuse.
The Democrats are already paying the
penalty of having achieved a national
victory. Since the election the mail of
members of Congress of that party has
doubled and in some cases trebled.
Stories of Senator Evnrls.
The Albany correspondent of the Buf
falo Commercial, gives two stories of
United States Senator-elect Evarts. One
relates to an effort made by him when
secretary of state to induce Mrs. Hayes
to relax her total abstinence notions so
far as to allow wine to be used by the
foreign ministers at a state dinner. Mrs.
Hayes refused the request, adding that
the ministers must be "sociable with
water." "I have never known people to
be sociable with water," replied Mr.
Evarts with a smile, and then he coughed.
"I have never known people to be soci
able with water except in a bath." The
other is old, but so good it will bear repe
tition. It relates to the purchase of a
donkey by Mr. Evarts in Spain for the
amusement of his dozen children at
home. "The first morning he arrived at
our farm in Vermont," said Mr. Evarts,
"he lifted up his voice and sent forth
the most wonderful bray ever heard in
that region. One of my little girls came
toddling out of the house and looked at
him.. Then the creature brayed again.
Oh, what a melancholy brute,' she said;
never mind, papa will be here to-morrow,
and then you won't be so lone
some.' " .
An aesthetic Boston girl has put spee
tacles on her pug dog. ' He also eats
beans and codfish balls on Sundays and
doesn't bark vulgarly like common dogs,
but has a cultured little sniff which is
very becoming and not calculated to dis
turb his glasses. :. ::::-:-:Jt: -.
Society is said to be composed of two
great classes those who have more ap
petite than dinner,.and .those who hYe
nore dinner than appetite' t '
.',.r:.r'y-
POPULAR SCIE?fC&
A TPrriTi 4ltroafifrntnr hna frirc thr
the sugar-beet gradually loses its sugar
when grown a second year, the qiantity
being very small when the seeds are fully
ripened.
AH ruminant hoofed beasts have horns
and cloven feet. If the hoofs are even
the horns are even; if odd, as itt the1
rhinoceros, the horns are odd, that is
single or two placed one behind the
Other. Recent creatures with feathers
alwa3rs have beaks. Pigeons with short
beaks small feet, and those with long
beaks have large feet. The long limbs
of the hound are associated with a long
head.
No two individuals have exactly the
same anatomical structure: and nearly
every one has in him some bony promi
nence, supernumerary muscle, or abnor
mal bi-od vessel which tells the tale oi
his descent. Scarcely one body is per
fectly normal in every part. Some have
as many as thirty or forty variations
in their bories, muscles or arteries. Varia
tions occur more frequently in negro and
Indian subjects than in those of Euro
pean descent.
It is said that earthworms two feet in
iength have been found in the British
isles, and various species as large ot
larger are known to exist in South Amer
ica, Western Africa, Australia and New
Zealand. The largest species known,
however, Inhabits South Africa. Forty
years agd, a specimen was described
which measuted six f-ct two inches in
length; but it seems to have been nearly
forgotten until ihe other day, when 8
gigantic creature of the same species,
nearly five feet lo'rig aud half an inch in
diameter, was sent to the London Zoolog
ical gardens from Cape Colony.
An English scientist claims to have
proved, by investigation and experi
ment, that, in respect to health, the
electric light possesses advantages over
ail other illurainants now in use the
latter, with the single exception of elec
tricity, having a vitiating effect upon
the atmosphere. The various artificial
lights, according to this authority, dif
fer very widely in the important fact
that they are all more or less deficient in
the rays at the violet end of the
spectrum, commonly called the actinic
rays, and which most probably exercise
a very powerful effect on the system
even the light of the electric are, which
is richer in these rays than any other, is
still on the yellow side of sunlight, the
incandescent electric light being next
best in this respect, after which comes
gas and oils. As to gas, it is shown by
these experiments that each gas burner
consumes more oxygen, gives off more
carbonic acid and otherwise unfits more
air for breathing, than does one human
being this excessive heating and ait
vitiation combined being the main cause
of injury to health from prolonged work
ing in artificial4i?ht.
ZunL Curiosities.
Colonel Stevenson, of the bureau of
ethnology, has formed the largest and
most divers collection of objects illustrat
ing the home-life," industries and religi
ous customs of thj Pueblo Indians ever
made. : In. addition to the articles in
this collection (which amount to five
carloads and consist of pottery, woolen
fabrics, weapons and stone implements)
photographs ; and colored sketches were
secured in great number, illustrating the
dances, altar Vscenes, games and burial
customs of the Pueblos, Many curious
cave serines never before visited by
white men were explored, places to which
for centuries the Zunis have been in the
habit of making annual pilgrimages,
with great ceremony, to deposit idols,
plumesticks and the skulls and bones
of sacred animals. A pack-train party
visited, under the guidance of
Zuni priests, a curious salt lake, whence
the supply of salt used by the tribe
is obtainedT and from this point the
travlers rode 150 miles west to a lake,
where, according to the Zunis, the de
parted spirits of the Pueblos are all
transported. To the latter place the
guides could not be induced to go,
though they pointed it out from a dis
tance. . The lake, which is but a few
hundred yards in diameter, is surrounded
by Curious conical hills formed by sedi
ment from innumerable springs. The
springs are now dry, except such as are
beneath the surface of the water, but
some of the caves have open caverns,
into which one can penetrate by covered
way 200 or 300 feet. Colonel Stevenson
says the Zunis, while still a curious peo
ple, unlike any other race in the known
world, have changed considerably since
he first made their acquaintance, a dozen
years ago, by reason of their more fre
quent intercourse with the whites. They
are usually in trouble of some kind,
their unresisting nature rendering them
easy victims. Their cattle, of which
they have had considerable herds, are
are stolen by cowboys.
A Great Edifice.
The new cathedral of Moscow cost
more than $ 1 0, 000, 000. It has been half
a century in constructing, but the won
der is not that the time Is so long, but
that it has been so short. The great ca
thedral of St. Saviour's is erected as a
memorial of the deliverance of Russia
from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812. Less
than three months after the retreat of
the French the Emperor Alexander I. is
sued a decree that the church should be
built, and a few years later the founda
tions were laid. It took twenty years to
erect the building and cover it in, and
the scaffolding was taken down in 1838.
The scaffolding alone cost 50,000. It
has five great gilded copper cupolas, sur
mounted by crosses, the central one of
which stands 340 feet from the ground.
-The whole building is faced with mar
ble and the interior , is pronounced the
most exquisite in its decorations in Eu
rope. There are magnificent paintings,
blegant windows, costly candelabra, and
the floor and walls are inlaid with many
varieties of marble.
There is nothing in the world to equal
the gorgeous splendor of the altar and
its accompaniments, and the cathedral
covers 73,000 square feet, and will ac
commodate comfortably in its central
area for it is in the form of a Greek
cross 10,000 worshipers. The bells
for thh church cost 15,000. The
largest wtighs twenty-six tons, and the
smallest only thirty pounds. GalignanPs
Messenger.
The rich are. able, but not liberal;
th dooi are tree arc us. but lank abilifcfe.
iHE B1VOUAU OF THE STARS,
Oft when I gaze npn that field sublime,
Which starry night unrolls:
Then se3m its high lights, unsubdued y
time,
The tent-lights of great souls,
Tn",t always with base things unsatisfied.
Unmoved by doubt or fear,
in splendid toil throughout those spaces wide
Climb upward year by year.
A countless throng that fills the heavens with
fire,
And glorifies the night,
Ascending paths that, winding ever higher,
End by the throne Alp-white.
rhe great, the noble of the earth are there,
From the heroic past,
The loyal-souled, the upright and the fair,
In ; hat procession vast.
And every morn, from spirits sight with
drawn,
Come watchwords to that host,
Echoed from star to star, as guns at dawn
Along a guarded coast.
And hymns are sung, like pa-an3 loud and
clear
Before triumphal cars,
Half heard within tha world's thick atmos
phere, The awful hymns of stare.
Oh, higher, higher up heaven's wondrous
arch
Each eve theso bands I trace.
While in the shining rank? tljit lower march
New climbers take their place.
Full many a height, there is to climb, I know
In life that hath no end,
But I look up where night's bright beacons
glow,
And deathless souls ascend.
And heart, and mind with newer strength ar
fed,
Until I feel again
That from those altitu les the noble dead
fctul guard the lives of men.
O r. Foster, in Youth's Companion.
PUNGENT PARAGRAPHS.
Running expenses Children.
A club house The police station.
A conscientious milkman never wears
pumps.
An important suit A man's wedding
garments.
A boil in the pot is worth two on the
neck. Sif tings.
AVhen the contractor is fat the mechan
ic's lien. Brooklyn Times.
" Sure to make his mark" The man
who can't write. Brooklyn Tivies.
The married woman's sphere A ball
of darning cotton. New York Journal.
Beau "Why do you prefer a wood
fire?" Belle "'Cause it pops I" Judge.
Some men will never learn anything.
A tramp tried to rob an editor the other
day.
An exchange asks: "Is drowning an
easy death?" We don't know. Never
been drowned. Graphic.
Cranberries are good for dyspepsia,
providing too much turkey is not taken
with them. Chicago Herald.
"An Ohio girl eloped with a China
man old enough to be her father." The
rage for "old china" doesn't seem to
abate. Norri&town Herald.
The jront gate now is lonesome,
No more it bends beneath
The weight of young Augustus,
Whose arms Georgy Ann enwreath.
St. Paul Herald.
It is said that a violin played among
a flock of geese will start them to danc
ing. Everyone who has attended a
dance is aware of this fact. Newman In
dependent. "There are good and bad points about
this coffee," said the boarder, in a judi
cial tone. "Tne good is that there is no
chickory in it; the bad, that there is no
coffee in it !"
The inventor or the hand organ died
one hundred and eight years ago. Mark
Antony was right when he declared
that "the evil men do lives after them."
IjOicell Citizen.
In Canada "Well, wife, 1 suppose we
ought to call on the Mandelbaums, hadn't
we V "es, dear, I suppose so, but they
are horribly common people; just, think,
they only &tolc $36,000.
It is noticeable that when persons
make their first attempt at skating in the
rink, they express satisfaction with the
skates furnished, but soon get "down
on the floor. Morrislown-Herald.
"Well, John, how, is business with
you?" " Bad, very bad." "You haven't
been able to make anything, then?"
"Oh, yes, I have." " What?" "An as
signment." "Oh!" Boston Post.
We are in danger of having too much
culture in this country. An, aesthetic
buff-colored pug recently went mad in
Boston because his mistress dressed him
in a light green blanket. Graphic.
"Do they ever bark?" asked old Mrs.
Simpkins, gazing at a pair of stuffed sea
dogs in the museum. "No, mum," said
Einathan; "leastwise not now, mum;
their bark is on the sea, you know."
THE THERMOMETER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.
In sympathy with the business small,
And with the season's rigors,
My weather I have marked for all,
Down to the lowest figures.
Courier-Journal.
A Western man recently died' while
playing the fife. As no bullet hole was
found In the window, it is supposed that
the assassin crawled up the furnace flue
and hit him with a club. Burlington
Free Press.
A Chicago man who called upon a mu
sical friend the other evening at supper
time was warmly welcomed, as they had
a party, and they .were just going to have
a sonata. He said he thought he smelled
it as he came over.
" Curious how long the old man lasts !"
says somebody, reflectively; "especially
when you consider that for the last ten
years he has had one foot in the grave."
"Yes; but then, you see, every now and
then he changes the foot !"
An Australian naturalist is reported to
have discovered that sponges are en
dowed with a nervous system. All the
"sponges" known to us socially" certain
ly display a great deal of "nerve" in
their own peculiar way. Lowell Citizen.
Only whisper scandal and its echo is
heard by all.
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