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Despondency. Sometimes there comes within the life, This checkered life of ours, So much of loss and pain and strife, That our sad eyes, with tear drops rife, Look up and see no flowers. ,.&rth*l to you Ha will not ex It Vb very probable' magnify your faults. the least, not not flatter, your virtues, at He will slightly The benefit of th^t is twofold ; it premits you to know tl at you have faults, and are, there fore, not a monster, and it makes them ol such siz H as to be visible and man ageable. Of course, if you have a fault you desire to know it; when you be- ,ime aware that you have a fault you esire to correct it. Your enemy does .you this valuable work which your nd cannot perform. In addition, your enemy keeps wide awake. He does not let you ■p at your post. There are two that ys keep watch, namely, the lover the hater. Your lover watches you may sleep. He keeps off excludes night, adjusts sur- 'ngs, that nothing mty disturb Your hater watches that you irs you up when eeos your facul- when he does you in such cannot tell is mental hing. ong your w who your not, and who e last of these he other two. es to one who is and assails ne will have e in, not be- but because assent than to than to refute, cake up cudgels t. He will deny st on proof, and work. There is iu the world that “take to prove one- *vwis. Your friend the proof, and person, through the assertions of u made to feel jreof by the zeal s. Follow your ou will find your e will have developed they cannot be mistaken, best thing to having a real friends is t) have one my. A sudden sorrow clouds the day, And the tired heart grows faint, For strength aud courage die away, And lips that have been firm to pray, Can only make complaint. And life becomes at such a time An uraitractive thing; There i s no sound of cheery chime, The days move on In dreary rhyme, And bring no heart to sing. If such a time should come to thee— ( \nd somewhere in the years For everyone its pain will b< )— Do not despair, but try to see Some sunshine through the tears. And know that he whom sorrows teach Receives a gift from heaven, His tenderness some hearts may reach, To whom the glad in vain might preach, Aud joy through Him Is given. Oh, then, be thou a con for ter To some more sad than thee : And while thou thus dost minister, Strange bliss In tlilne own heart shall stir, And grief forgotten be. —London Would. The History of a Hand. e Norway Spruce. th, Director of Norwe- i a recent essay on 1, and the Norway elaa) in particular, speculations on the ular evergreen. He th of the physical y this tree, in rend- und it more adapta- diffusion, as well lants, and he re- velopment than fir, Pinus sylvea- rs, it is destined lo rsede. The history n this (Jontineut tseem to sustain ; the Scotch fir is it gets older and is pectations which its value, while at home every- vorite. f Sinus. points brought of Greenwich change in the Dog Star. In sun was re- t the rate of parison of r’s mo- dual w e I have left the most painful part of my history to be related last. Only a few months ago my master became employed at a forge where a large trip-hammer was used to pound out iron. He had never had a great deal of experience in iron work, and I at once begau to fear that seme acci dent might happen. One morning, while working at the hammer, he became careless ; and as the great mass of iron came down and struck a heavy blow at the smaller piece which my master held, I felt a numbness in a portion of my body that, before a great while, was follow ed by acute pain. I was obliged to cease work, when it was discovered that my little finger had been crushed beneath the iron. Desire as my master might to keep that finger attached to me, his wish could not be granted, and I was obliged to suffer the loss of a useful member. Yet I v T as thankful that the accident had been no worse, forleame very near doing my last work upon that day. I still toil on, day after day; and though my work is often dangerous as well as laborious, Jam always looking forward to brighter and happier times. Maryland Manners, Present. Past and A very useful member am I; in fact, one that cannot be easily dispensed with. I have a brother on the left of the body to which I am at tached, who, though very useful ou some occasions, is not to be compared with myself in the amount of work done. My master is a common day-laborer, and, therefore, my work is of the very hardest kind. I sometimes wish that I belonged to a wealthy gentlemen ; then I would have no work to do, and would always be soft and white, in stead of hard and nearly black, as I now am. 1 toil daily (Sundays excepted) from seven o’clock in the morning till six at night, having only one hour inter mission at noon. Often during the day I have nearly given up from ex haustion, and the bones in every part of my body would ache terribly ; but, being urged on by my master, I man fully proceeded. One day, while at work on the side of a hill collecting rocks for a pave ment, a huge one came rolling down, and, before I had time to get out of the way, struck, and crushed me very badly. For several weeks I could hardly move, and the doctor thought it would be best for me to be amputated. But my master struggled hard to keep me attached to him, and finally gained the victory. It was a long time before I was able to do any work, and the hours passed very slowly. When, at last, I was well enough to return to my labor, I felt a joy I could not express ; and though I had often felt that my work was too hard, yet now I was so glad to continue it that I ceased grumbling, and have not complained to this day. But there was a time when I did complain, though it was not about my work, and I think all the boys and girls who read my history will say I had cause to do so. My master is not a bad man, though he is very quick-tempered, and some- iimes get angry when there was no cause for it. One day, at his work, he got into a dispute with the man at his side, and before long both became greatly excited. I kept on at my labor, grasping the shovel very tightly, and much pained at hearing the angry words that were being spoken. Suddenly, and before I could realize what was taking place, I felt the shovel drop from my grasp, and the next instant I was plunged into the face of the man near me. Then I fell down at my owner’s side, wound ed, and sorry for what I had done, while the man that I had struck #was brought some water to bathe his cheek. Thus I had given a blow that, had I had my own way, would never have been struck ; and then it was that I felt like complaining. I wasashamed to think that I was attached toa person who could use me for such a wicked purpose—I, who had always been so faithful, and even willing to perform acts that were right. I continued at my work, though I trembled, and had no heart for what i was doing. It was but a few min utes before I heard my master again talking to the person he had quarrelled with, but this time ly pleasant words were spoken, e shovel 1 held dropped to the nd I was very happy ed by the hand of The Pyramid of Meydoom. A recent letter from the Hon. J. Villiers Stuart, author of “Nile Glean ings,” in The Academy, says: “The other day I visited Meydoom. The pyramid has now been cleared down to the level of the desert, to which it descends in a series of great steps of beautifully fitted masonry of fine white limestone. The joints are eo close that it is often difficult to trace them. j.t is, in fact, more like cabinet maker’s work than mason’s work. It must have been covered up from the remotest times, as it looks quite new toward the base. You may say it was but just finished. It comes next in size to the Pyramids of Ghizeh. The central chamber is tent-shaped—that is to say, the walls incline inward to ward the roof, so as to reduce the span, and better enable it (the roof) to bear the enormous superincumbent weight. There were found in this chamber some pieces of timber, which seem to have heen used to remove some heavy weight, perhaps the sarcophagus. It is, however, possible that, as in the case of the Pyramids of Ghizeh, there may be another chamber in which the sarcophagus still exists. “When I last saw Professor Maspero he seemed to doubt whether this was really beneferoo’s pyramid ; but with in five minutes’ walk of the pyramid I discovered an inscription which con clusively proves that it is indeed the pyramid of that Pharaoh. The in scription occurs on the right baud top corner of the tomb of Nolre-Maat. It reads Seneferoo Mente—i. e., the ‘resting-place,’ ‘abiding-place,’ or ‘cemetery’ of Seneferoo. There is no context, and never has been any. The stone is quite uninjured, and the pur pose of the inscription is to designate the locality in which the tomb is sit uated.” A Few Jokes. Three people can keep a secret when two of them are dead. The flattering taffy-giver should have a sugar-coated tongue. Always forgive your enemies—es pecially those you can’t whip. “People at the mint are working overtime.” And yet we see very lit tle of their work. The world owes us all a living, yet no mau can collect the debt unless he pulls off his coat and takes it from the world’s hide. Transparent leather is now being made in Germany, and it is likely that the pedestrian of the future will be able to see his neighbor’s corn growing. “How bitter are the sweets of life,” remarks Henry Ward Beecher. “How s weet are the bitters of life,” echoes the old toper, as he pours down his morning cocktail. Arkansas has a mule that will stop kicking if the Lord’s prayer is reoited to him. It so amazes him to hi ar an Arkansas man pray that he forgets all about kicking. “I wish I could get a pair of easy boots,” exclaimed J. to his friend B. “All right; but I like boots which pinch my feet well, then I can’t think of my other troubles.” A Brooklyn man advertises a pow-< der to “cure oats and dogs of somnam bulism.” It's a gun. All kinds of food are now so fearfully adulterated that the place where igner- la bliss is at the dinner-table. Previous to fhe American Revolu tion, the aristocratic class in Maryland claimed privileges and was accorded immunities which would not now be tolerated. But, even at the present day, in the midst of the democratic spirit of the age, there is observable in some circles of society a polished hauteur and polite reserve—a sort of “ Noli me [iangere /” manner, which discovers familiarity, and seems to say: “Thus far thou shalt go, but no further.” Men meet down town on equal terms, in business and profes sional life. They buy and sell stocks, make grain contracts, try causes, sell property, etc.; but their acquaintance ends in the counting-room,on ’chance, at the stock-board, in court, or on the wharf. They meet not at the social board, at parties, or in society. Why? Because they are not in thesame “set;” their wives and daughters don’t know one another. In some instances, clerks go in better society than the employers; because the one belong to “old families,” while the other are “new people.” The old prejudice against “traders,” which once existed on the part of the proprietors of the soil, has long since disappeared, and the descendants of the Howards and the Giimors, the Carrolls and the O’Donnells, the Lees and the Wilsons, have Uappily married. The Maryland gentleman of the olden time was a genial.jovial,hearty, hospitable fellow. His house was large, his cellar well stocked, his table abundantly supplied with wild fowl, fish and venison, and he never was so happy as when his house was filled with guests, when wine was flowing, and good cheer abounded. Genuine epicures as the old Marylanders were, it is rather surprising that the deli cious diamond-back terrapin, which has attained a national and interna tional reputation, was unknown as an article of food until the present cen tury. The equally famous canvas- back duck was known aud apprecia ted at a much earlier period. On the sideb'iard of every well appointed house might be found, at all times, de- -canters of brandy, wine, gin, and flasks of cordials. Every morning the guest was served with a julep on awak ing, and every night a “nip” of bran dy and water was brought by the negro servant . The liquors consumed by these lordy Marylanders may be judged by the fact that they were ac customed to order champagne by the cask, maderia by the pipe, and bur gundy by the dozens. The wealthy planters of St. Mary’s, Calvert and other tobacco growing counties, had their town residence at Annapolis, the courtly capital of the province, where they vied in prodigal expenditures wi h the rich lawyers and King’s officers. Gaming was al most universal; a hogshead of tobacco or a negro slave was often staked upon the turn of the dice. Horse-rac ing, fox-hunting and cock-fighting were favorite sports; but they were conducted in a decorous manner. The Ibsembly balls were held, every fort night, at Annapolis; and they were very well attended, General and Mrs. Washington being frequently present and taking taking part in the gayety. These assemblies were very exclusive ; the manners were stately and some what ceremonious, and the dress of both ladies and gentlemen rich and elegant. Annapolis, at that time, was inhabited by a polished and refined people, who lived in splendor. They were wealthy, well-bred, and luxuri ous. The chief reading of these old Marylanders was The Spectator and The Gentleman’s Magazine. Litera- ure was not very much appreciated, and literary men were unknown. The wits of the town indulged in poetical drew to the young city on the Patapsco the wealth, refinement and elegance which had formerly made Annapolis the most luxurious town in America. Baltimore soon became famous for its fast clipper ships, and carried the products of Maryland to the most dis tant lands, and brought back rich silks from the East, wine from France, and pictures from Italy. The homes of some of these merchant princes were adorned by master-pieces of art. All the early American painters were repre sented in these old mansions, and they have come down as heirlooms to their descendants. During the first quarter of the pies- eut century, Baltimore possessed social attractions more erjiyaole, perhaps, than those of the present day. Every body knew everybody else; every gen tleman’s carriage was known; the “cotton cambric” parties, where all extravagance of the toilet were dis pensed with, and which began early and broke up early, were, if we can believe tlie few venerable survivors, more delightful than the splendid parties of the present day, whers all the extravagances of the toilet are in dulged in, and which begin near midnight and end near morning. With the stiff and heavy toilets, the manners have also changtd. The ceremonious formality of the last cen tury has given place to a graceful ease. The stately and solemn minuet passed away with the ruff's and brocades; the lively and dashing racket is bet ter suitable to the light and lovely toilets of the present day. The Subdivision of the Electric Light. In a letter to the Editor of The Lon don Times Mr. W. H. Preece, the well- known English electaician, says: There is a great confusion between the problem of the subdivision of the electric “light” and that of the distri bution of the electric ‘ current.” They are two totally different questions, which are generally mistaken for each other. If a given current, say that equivalent to one-horse power, will give a light, say of 2,000 candles, you cannot by any known means divide that light into 20 lamps of 100 candle power each. The best that has hith erto been done from one-horse power is to obtain eight lamps of 16-candle power each. Ycu can, however, dis tribute the current in any way you please. If one-horse power will give you one lamp of 2,000-candle power, or eigUt lamps of 16 candle power, it is evident tnat two-horsepower will give you two lamps of 2,000-candle power and 16 small lamps ; three-horse power three lamps of 2,000-candle power or 24 small ones, and so on, directly by multiplication and distribution. Mr. Brush has shown how to multiply his lamps, and Mr. Edison has shown how to distribute his currents and multiply his lights; but no one has as yet attempted to solve the que$|jon of the subdivision of the electric light. The largest machine yet made, that of Edison, will maintain 1,200 incandes cent lamps giving 16 candle power each, or a total light of 192,000 candles, with an expenditure of 150-horse power. Such a power applied directly to the production of light ought to give a light of many million candles. How Birds Learn to Sing. A wren buift her nest in a box on a New Jersey farm, The occupants of the farm house saw the mother teach her young to sing. She sat in front of them and sang her whole song very distinctly. One of the young at tempted to imitate her. After pro ceeding through a few notes its voice brike and it lost the tune. The mother immediately recommenced where the young one had failed, and ddresses to favorite actresses and wen ^ ver y distinctly through with the amous beauties. Here is a specimen “Around her, see the Graces play, -lee Venus’s wanton doves, And In her eye’s pellucid ray Bee little laughing loves. Ye gods I ’tls Cy therea’e face.” Annapolis had its social clubs long before clubs were known in Philadel phia and New York. The society of the ancient city was very modish, and foreign fashions were regularly im ported. An English traveler who visited Maryland in the middle of the last century, related his experience in The London Magazine. “All over the colony, an universal hospitality reigns —full tables and open doors, the kind salute and generous welcome.” After the American Revolution, An napolis lost its ancient prestige, and the growing importance of Baltimore as the commercial capital of Maryland remainder. The young bird made a second attempt, commencing where it had ceased before, and continuing the song as long as it was able; and when the note was again lost the mother be gan anew where it had stopped, and completed it. Then the young one re sumed the tune, and finished it. This done, the mother sang over the whole series of notes with great precision, and a second of the young attempted to follow her. The wren pursued the same course with this one as with the first, and so on with the third and fourth. This was repeated day after day and several times a day, uutil each of the birds became a perfect songster. An ambitious man whom you can serve will often aid you to rise, but not higher than his knee; otherwise you might be standing in his light.