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THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.
■li'iiiiiiUiiiinK of I lit* InroniiiiK *•
mi nisi rail on.
[Bun I\)i>y I'onM', In Atlantic Mouthly.]
President Polk was nearly 50 years of
age when he was inaugurated, and was.
no novice in }>ul)lio life, having served
for fourteen consecutive years in Con
gress and for two years as Governor of
the State of Tennessee. Ho was u
spare man, of unpretending appearance
anil middle stature, witli a rather small
head; a full, angular brow; penetrating,
dark gray eyes, and a firm mouth. His
hair, which he wore long and brushed
behind his ears, was touched with silver
when ho entered the White House, and
gray when he left it. He was a worthy
and well-qualilled member of the fra
ternity of Free Masons, and a believer
in the creed of the Methodists, although,
out of deference to the religious opin
ions of his wife, he attended worship
with her nt the Hev. Mr. Sprole’s Pres
byterian Church. Calm, cold and in
trepid in his moral character, he was ig
norant of the beauty of moral upright
ness in the conduct of public affairs—
ambitious of-power, and successful in
the pursuit of it. He was very method
ical and remarkably industrious, always
finding time to listen to the stories of
those who ctirao to him ns petitioners
for patronage and place. But his ardu
ous labors impaired his health ami short
ened his life. Before his term of office
hod half expired, his friends were pained
to witness his shortened, and enfeobled
step and the air of languor and exhaus
tion which sat upon him.
Mrs. Polk was a strict Presbyterian,
and she shunned what she regarded as
‘‘tlie vanities of the world” whenever it
was possible for her to do so. She did
not possess the queenly grace of Mrs.
Madison, or the warm-liearted hospital
ity of Mrs. Tyler, but she presided over
tho White House with great dignity.
She was of medium height and size, with
very black hair, dark eyes and complex
ion, and formal yet graceful deportment.
At the inauguration of her husband she
wore a black-silk dress, a long black
velvet coat, with a deep cape, trimmed
with fringe and tassels, and a purple
velvet bonnet, trimmed with satin rib
bon. She would not permit dancing nt
tho White House, but she did all in her
power to render the administration of
Mr. Polk popular. One morning a lady
fi mild her reading. ‘‘ I have many books
presented to mo by the writers,” said
she, “and I try to read them all; at
present this is not possible; but this
evening the author of this book dines
with the President, and I could not be
so unkind as to appear wholly ignorant
anil unmindful of his gift.” Atone of
her evening receptions a gentleman re
marked: “Madam, you have a very gen
teel assemblage to-night.” “Sir,” re
pied Mrs. Polk, with perfect good humor,
but very significantly, “I never have
seen it otherwise. ”
John G. Calhoun had expected to re
main in tho Cabinet as Secretary of
State, and lie did not hesitate to say that
he was sacrificed to appease the wrath
of Mr. Van Buren. Accordingly, James
Buchanan became Mr. Polk’s Secretary
of State, and Mr. Calhoun soon returned
to the capital as a Senator from South
Carolina.
A Woman’s Serve.
The readers of the Express will re
member the delivery of Rube Boyce, tho
stage robber, from the Austin Jail by
his wife. Without repeating the story
of the escape, and telling of tho manner
in which it was 'accomplished, going on
t the time that liny. 1 anil ji>s brave
wife reached their home in Kimball
County, another incident, equally as
thrilling as that at Austin, occurred.
Mrs. Boyce had determined to stick to
her husband. She had released him
from the cell where he had been confined
by bars of hardened steel, in the center
of the capital city of the great State of
Texas, and in the face of tho armed
guards. She loved him, no matter what
crime he had committed, ami sooner
than permit him to fall a victim to tho
penalty of the law and be taken forever
from her she would risk her life to re
store him to liberty. She succeeded in
her effort, but then of what avail had
her efforts to release him been could she
not be with him. To remain in tho
country where she had lived was unsafe,
both for her and her linsband, for the
minions of the law would surely learn of
his return, and either recapture him or
take his life, and arrest her for releasing
him. There was but one safe course to
follow, and that was-to leave the country.
So it was arranged between the man and
his wife that they should leave together,
and it is reported that immediately upon
returning to their homo after tho escape
from the Austin Jail, the highwayman
and the brave partner of his bosom
mounted each a horse and rode off to
gether. Mrs. Boyce is said to have
dolled her female attire, drawn on a pair
of trousers, buckled a revolver about her
waist, placed a man’s hat upon her head,
anil that thus disguised followed Rube,
“for better or for worse,” to some region
where he may probably never bo recog
nized nor known. There are few women,
indeed, who have the nerve that Mrs.
Boyce showed, and fewer still who would
manifest the faithfulness she did for tho
man she loved. Her ventures would
servo as the text for a thrilling sensa
tional drama or a novel of absorbing in
terest that would bo read with amaze
ment by thousands all over tho world.
—San Antonio ( Texas' l Express.
A Sad Case.
The Alta Californian tells this story:
“An awful case of the consequencs oi
refusing a young man’s honorable love is
reported on the West Side. A really nice
young man fell in love with a handsome
girl, the only daughter of a handsome
and well-preserved widow of thirty-eight,
and offered her marriage. She ridiculed
him because he was twenty-six, and said
he was old enough to be her father and
so on, and with her taunts goaded him to
such a pitch of frenzy that, he swore he
would bo fearfully revenged. Accord
ingly ho proposed to anil married the
wretched girl's mother. Now, that
wretched girl has to wear stout leather
boots two sizes too large for her and go
to bed at 9 p. in., and eschew the thea
ter, chocolate caromels, ice-cream and in
fact everything else that makes life worth
living for, her stepfather’s nominal ob
ject being that when she grows up she
may be as splendidly matured a woman
as her mother, tho compliment implied
in this inducing the mother to second
him enthusiastically. When a young
man comes round to see that wretched
girl, her stepfather bounces him down
the front steps, throws his hat after him
and tells the wretched gill the young
man is not a fit companion for her, and
that lie is as solicitous for her future as
he would be for that of liis own child,
and altogether, in the kindest manner
possible, he makes that wretched girl
even wish she were dead as many as a
hundred times a day.
Blondes, it seems, have gone out of
fashion, and many ladies will have to
switch oft 1 .
WILL W. SINGLETON, Editor k Proprietor.
VOL. VI.
NEW&PAPIMt QUESTIONS.
Jio editor sat in li* pnnrtuni,
lteKdi'diiiK with mul, earnout eyes
The hutfo pile of “ Questions ” liia reader*
Hud Kent with rtenmutU fi>r roplJeH.
“ Why, tlteso,” Haiti tho weary quiU-drlvor,
“ Would till up a moderate nook.
I’ll publish the whole lot together, *
And let peoplo boo how they look!”
u Who wuh 11 that wrote that sweot ditty
UoKituiinK, 4 1 naw from ——’ Fomcwhero ?”
14 Pray tell me hoiuc certain npeoiflo
For changing tho color of hair l”
“ \S hat in tho name of tho author
Of * No, we’ll never go homo V ”
44 Did ShakHpcaro write 4 Down in aOoalMineT’*
44 Who was tho third Pope of Homo V*
44 1)o North Polar fishes have feathers ? w
44 Wuh Wat Tyler quartered or hung ?*
4 ‘ Where wuh the lirnt man cremated V”
44 Who wan it invented the bung V*
44 Do bull'alo ever oat Hauer kraut?”
** IN here can I get mnno anal. JNiori..* /*'
44 Mhlcli of tho muHOH played abort-atop ?”
44 Did Bonaparte ever have corns ?” "
44 What was the air Nero fiddled?”
44 Do hard-shell damn ever yield pearls ?”
44 How many boilw did poor Job have?”
44 What will euro Hqufntiug in girlH ?”
44 Why are some people rod hooded ?”
44 Why don’t my young man proposo ?”
44 What was tho matter with llunuah ?”
44 Why don’t I turn out my toes?”
44 Did the Prodigal Hon use tobacco? ”
4 ‘ What do you think nils my cat? ”
44 Had Nebuchadnezzar four stomachs? ”
“How Hhall I trim my now hat?”
44 Te1l me whero Moses was buried!”
44 Did Nonli take fleas in tho ark?”
“ What was Eve's middle initial ? ”
44 Why is it that lions do not bark 7”
44 1 like.” said the editor, smiling,
44 1 Hue these good people who seek
For knowledge, and I like to give it.
I’ll answer their questions next wock.
I’d like, too*to get. them together ;
They’d think immortality leaked;
I’d answer their questions, as promised,
Though most folks would call it necks tweaked.”
The Condemned Cuban.
It was a fearful night on tho coast ot
Cuba, for a tornado had swept along the
sea and shore with relentless fury, leav
ing death and destruction in its merciless
path.
And yet, though sheltered by the for
est-elaii point of land jutting out from
tho main, small vessel was getting
ready to leave tho quiet inland waters
and put to sea.
The cause of thus daring death by the
commander of this little vessel was be
cause at the peak the lone star fiag of tho
struggling Cubans fluttered in the breeze
and sentence most severe rested upon all
who served beneath its folds.
The little vessel, once a New York
yacht, had run in to the Cuban coast
after dark, bearing arms, ammunition,
stores, and a few good men and true for
the patriot army of Cespedes in tho
mountains.
Having safely delivered her cargo into
the charge of tho unfortunate Gen.
Ryan,* her American commander deter
mined to put to sea in tho face of the
storm, for he knew that Spanish gun
boats were watching for him, and that
capture meant certain deatli by the gar
rote or rifle.
“Stand ready all to make sail. The
storm will bo more merciful than tho
Spaniards,” ealled out the yacht’s Cap
tain ; and the crow of half a dozen men
and two junior officers sprang to obey,
when to their ears came the deep boom
of a gun.
All paused, for what could it mean ?
Certainly it was not the roar of thun
der, for its mutterings were heard far
away to landward.
Could another Cuban craft bo running
in and the gun come from a Spaniard in
chase ?
No, it was the deep boom of a heavy
gun, and those on tlie yacht looked at
each other in awe as it was repeated, for
they knew that the brazen throat was
pleading piteously for help, and that
100 lives- --perl laps many more—hung on
the answer to that appeal.
“ They are minute guns, and they are
calling for a pilot,” said Enrique Del
monte, a handsome young Cuban, wlio
was second in command of the yacht.
“ Will any go to their aid ?” asked the
American commander.
“ No, they are Cuban pilots, and it
must be a Spanish man-of-war that needs
them.”
“It seems a pity to see them wrecked,
even if they are our enemies. Hark I
llow pleading are those guns 1” answered
tlie American.
“Enemies though they be, they shall
not die, for I will save them !”
“ You, Enrique Belmonte ?”
“ Yes, my Captain ; for, as you know,
my boyhood’s home is near by, and I
know these waters well. Will you put
me on board, for yon are going to sea ?”
said tlie noble young Cuban.
“It is a fearful risk for you to run,
Delmonte; you are already under sen
tence of death, and—”
“ I will die in a good cause. Come,
let us lose no time, from the sound of
those guns the vessel is drifting in rap
idly.”
The American Captain offered no ar
gument further, and the anchor was
raised, the sails, reefed down, were sot.
and the little yacht sped like a huge,
white bird away from its safe nest to
battle with tho wild waters and winds
beyond.
it took the united strength of the
Captain and Enrique Delmonte, who
acted as pilot, to hold the yacht on her
course, for the seas washed over her
decks in torrents, and she staggered
fearfully beneath tho rude shocks of
tlie waves.
At longth the channel was safely
passed through, and the open waters
reached, when, not half a mile away,
came tho vivid red flash of a gun, and
the deep boom rolled across the waters.
“It is a large vessel, and evidently a
steamer, from tlie light rig the gun’s
Hash showed,” said the Captain.
“I know that vessel well, Captain;
for three years of my service in the Span
ish navy was passed on her deck, and I
would rather lose my life than see her
down. ”
Enrique Delmonte spoke with great
earnestness, and the American felt that
lie had some deep cause for wishing to
save the vessel. He knew that liis father
was a Spaniard and his mother a Cuban,
and that ho had been reared in tlie navy
of Spain, which lie had left to serve his
native land.
Shaping their course so as to head the
drifting vessel off, a lantern was shown
to tell of coming succor, and the cheer
that broke from tho crow at sight of it
was heard on board tlie yacht.
“ Delmonte, again 1 must remind you
of the risk you run,” said the Captain.
“I know all, and I will take my
IMIENA VISTA, MARION COUNTY. GAfc SATURDAY, JANUARY ISBI.
chances; as soon ns I hoard tho Alu
mandn yon lmd better stand seaward, so
ns not to bo in this neighborhood at day
light.”
“ And you, Dolmonto ?”
"Oh! I will run the vessel into the
harbor we left, and then go ashore and
hasten on after Ryan, for I can overtake
him, and when you again como to the
island I will join you unless I can do
more good ashore ; but hero we are, and
I will hail.”
In a ringing voice, and in Spanish,
Enrique Delmonte hailed the large ves
sel, which was now plainly seen to boa
large steamer and war vessel, whoso
light sails would not work her off shore.
“Ho, the Alamanda 1 ” __
"Ay, ay, i*ro you J'*p!lot?” cainfflW
answer from the vessel of war.
“ Yes ; I will rim under your lee and
comf) on board.”
“All right, for our machinery has
broken down, we have lost onr anchors,
and are drifting rapidly,” said an officer,
in earnest tones.
“ I know that voice ; it is Capt. Vero
na himself. Now good-by. Captain,
and if harm befall Enrique Delmonte tell
my friends how i died;” and tho young
Cuban grasped tho American’s hand, and
stood ready to seize the ropes ready to
he thrown to him.
Though plunging fearfully tho Ameri
can held the yacht firmly in hand, and
ran close in under the stern of the
steamer, from which ropes were skillful
ly thrown, and adroitly grasped by the
Cuban, who, with a good-by on his lips
to his shipmates, clambered over the
sides of the Spanish vessel, while the
yacht bounded away from the enemy
those on board had so much cause to
dread, and started on her return voyage
to tho IV' _•(’ States.
Upon reaching the deck Enrique Del
monte found himself in the presence of
a score of officers, while a crowd of sea
men stood not far away, gazing upon the
daring pilot that had come out to their
aid; but, with his collar muffling his
face, his hat drawn down over his eyes,
he was not recognized, though he looked
upon more than a dozen men who had
long been his comrades in tho navy of
Spain.
“Are you a Cuban pilot?” asked
Capt. Verona, a haughty, stern-faced
man of 45.
“I am a Cuban, and have como to
keep you off yonder rocks,” was the
quiet reply, while he pointed shoreward
to the lino of breakers.
“Our rig is too light for us to work
off shore, and our machinery is broken
down and anchors gone, so, if you can
not save us, wo are doomed,” said the
Spaniard.
“I know that well, Senor, and I will
take the helm,” was tho reply; and,
going to liis post of duty, he assumed
control, and, so longer struggling to
beat out to sea, the steamer was put be
fore the gale, and went rushing landward
with fearful speed.
C.Jm and firm Enrique Delmonte
stood at the wheel, his eyes watching
every move of the vessel, and penetrat
ing the gloom ahead to catch sight of
some well-known object by which he
could got his course.
And on rushed the Spanish vessel into
the channel, and, though apparently
surrounded by breakers, holding her
course unswervingly, until sbo glided
around the point ot land that formed the
harbor, and was in safety.
• ‘ You can move alongside of yondei
rocks, Senor, for there is depth enough,”
said the Cuban, when tho cheers of the
Spaniards at their rescue died away.
“You are a daring and skillful pilot,
Senor, and you have saved myself and
crew, so name your reward,” said Capt.
Verona.
“The reward I ask, Senor Captain, is
mercy for any poor Cubans that may
fall into your hands,” was the brusque
reply.
“Ha! this rings like the words of a
traitor to Spain ! Are you such, sir ?”
“I am a Cuban patriot, Senor,” was
tlie calm reply.
“Ah, and seem proud of it. By Nep
tune 1 but we have been saved by* a foe ;
your love of gold must bo great indeed
for you to risk your life aboard this
ship.”
' ’ 1 told you, Senor, tho only reward I
ask. I have saved you from wreck, so
will now say farewell.”
' “Hold! Quartermaster, hold that
battle-lantern here that I may catch a
glimpse of this fine fellow’s face.”
The lantern flashed upon the dark,
handsome and fearless countenance and
a dozen voices called his name :
“Enrique Delmonte 1”
“Aye, Enrique Delmonte I am ; once
an Officer aboard this vessel, but now a
Cuban patriot, for I would not fight
against my native land.”
He si ood before them unflinchingly
now, and for a moment there was dead
silence. Then Capt. Verona spoke :
“Enrique Delmonte. your resignation
of your Lieutenant’s commission was
never accepted, but, on tho contrary,
you were tried as a deserter and con
demned to death as such, beside coming
under the sentence of those who call
Jiemselvsis patriots. Under these cir
cumstances, notwithstanding your no
blo deed this night, it is my duty to ar
rest you and place you in irons.”
“ What 1 would you be guilty of a deed
so vile, Senor?” asked the Cuban, indig
nantly.
“My duty, sir, compels me. Senor,
put this man in irons.”
A defiant smile crossed the handsome
face of Enrique Delmonte as the officer
approached and ironed his wrists; but
he made no resistance, and was led
away-between decks and plaeed in a
state-room, a guard being stationed at
his door.
Throwing himself down upon a seat,
he murmured:
“Ah 1 Senor Verona, I know well your
hatred toward me; it is because your
daughter was my promised wife, and
you would rather have me die than see
her one day marry a Cuban who was the
enemy of Spain.”
The door softly opened, and, looking
up, by the dim light from the ward-room
lamp Enrique Delmonte saw a slender
form before him—a maiden with a face
of exquisite beauty.
“Enrique!”
“ Consuelo 1”
It, was all they said, and, springing
Devoted to the Interests of Marion County and Adjoining Sootions
forward, she threw her arms around his
ueck.
“Oli, Enrique, I know all, and how
cruel has been my father’’ she said,
after a while.
“He says lie does his' duty, Con
suelo."
“ Rah 1 ho panders to his hate. I
know you, Enrique, when I saw you
como on hoard, hut I held myself aloof
and I heard all that passed, .Once, four
years ago, when I was a girl of 14, you
sprung into tlie sea and saved my life
when a wave carried me from the deck,
and to-night you have saved it again—
aye, and the lives of 200 m "l, von; ene
mies. Now T slmjl save
HjlhitafiJUuJsri' Viiieen^p^^fisked
™.r I !llhalJ,lTi Hmiirisdl
“ I mean that, though your duty called
you to war against Spain, I never sev
ered our engagement, and, loving you
still, Enrique, I will not see you die,
for already you are condemned, anil tho
gnrrote will end your life. No ! I have
arranged my plan. Come ! ”
“Rut think of your father’s auger
when ho discovers—”
“ What is his anger to your life?
Hero, throw this cloak around yon and
put on this officer’s cap,” and she picked
tip a bundle she had dropped, while,
with a key she held in her hand, she
quickly unlocked tho irons that bound
him.
Ho did as sho told him, and then
drew her to his heart, saying feelingly :
“ Consuelo, will you bo true to me
until peace shall reign between your
land anil mine ?”
“Forever, Enrique 1 I can live only
with you. But come, I sent the guard
off on a message and he will soon re
turn.”
She led him from the state-room, up
tlie companion-way and to the deck.
The wind still howled mournfully
through tho trees and the roar of the
sea was terrific to hear, but tho steamer
was calmly resting upon tlie waters
moored to a large rock, and with heavy
branches overhanging the decks.
Against the poop-deck au officer
shrunk from the blast, and forward was
tho watch on duty; but no one noticed
the tall form of the Cuban, as with a
nod of farewell he sprung over the side
of the ship upon the foliage-clad rocks,
an t disappeared from view—liis life
saved by the woman he loved, aad who
idolized him.
Waiting until her lover had time to
reach the forest, Consuelo Verona en
tered the cabin where hex father sat
writing letters, and, looking u; he said:
“ Why, daughter, 1 thought ou had
retired ’ ”
“No, father, I remained up to prevent
your bringing a stain upon your proud
name,” she answered calmly.
“ What mean you, eliild ? ”
“ Simply, that had Enrique Delmonte
died at your hands, aft<. his noble
conduct to-night in saving his foes, it
would have been a foul blot upon your
honor 1”
“But he is condemned to die, and—”
“ And I set him free.’’
The Spaniard sprang to his feet in a
rage, hissing forth :
“ Girl, how dare you brave mo in this
way ? Ho ! On deck, there 1”
“.Hold, father, he has escaped, for
this is his own land near by, and he
knows it well; and, more, I alone am to
’.•lame, for tho guard over him I ordered
away, aud, as I often carry orders for
you, ho obeyed. In the place of En
rique Delmonte, father, make me your
prisoner.”
Capt. Verona stormed like a madman,
and roused the whole ship ; blit it did
no good, for the Cuban had escaped, and
in safety gained the mountains, where
lie joined the command of Gen. Jordan,
and won distinction as a gallant officer
of cavalry; and through all the weary
struggle in Cuba there were two hearts
longing for peace, for, though one was a
soldier in the patriot ranks and the
other a daughter of Spain, their hearts
were bound together by ties of love which
deatli alone could sever.
•Executed with others of the Virginia's crew.
No Need for a Draft.
Just at present these is no pressing
need for a draft in this country, for
there were 23,767 applications to enter
the regular army last year, when only
5,000 were wanted. Of the 5,000 who
were accepted, 3,441 were born in Amer
ica. New York furnished the most, 727,
and next in order were Pennsylvania 474,
Ohio 307, Maryland 255, Virginia 205,
Indiana 140, and Kentucky 140. No
other State furnished as many as 90.
Connecticut contributed 58. Tiiese fig
ures are as regards nativity, not resi
dence. Massachusetts did not have a
third as many as Tennessee. Of the
1,565 foreign-born enlistments, Ireland
furnished 575, Germany 447, England
185, Canada 155, and no other country
so many as 50. Now York State, it nmy
be mentioned, gave more than any for
eign country, and more than all the
Southern States together. Farmers are
more numerous than any other class in
the new recruits, numbering 1,483,
against 1,405 “laborers,” 564 soldiers,
248 clerks, and so on, including 30 school
teachers, 32 druggists, 13 architects, 4
photographers, who no doubt can
“take” the enemy when he keeps
sufficiently quiet, one stenographer,
and others of classes not suggestive
of regular-army tendencies. Run
away boys show up well among the
rejected, for 2,568 were turned away as
“minors.” Tall men are proved to be
far less plenty than short ones, for,
while 114 were rejected for “over
lieight,” there were 1,477 rejected as
‘ ‘ under-height.” On the other hand fat
men are plentier than lean, for 207 were
rejected for “over-weight” and only
186 for “under-weight.” The chief of
all causes for rejection was intemper
ance, which caused 2,758 to be turned
away from tlie recruiting station.
About 600 applicants were rejected be
cause they were rendered worthless for
service through diseases duo to their
own immorality. It is a rather tough
picture. While about 2,500 were rejects
ed as minors, 1,000 were turned away as
over age; and thirty-two branded de
serters applied for readmission.
The man who sighs : “ How soon we
are forgotten 1” has only to leave a hotel
without paying his bill to find how sadly
mistaken lie is.
Morals ami Mathematics.
It is each year becoming more evident
that the churches all combined cannot
make their schools and labors keep pace
| with tho advance of population; and
that, unless the State shall introduce tho
morals of all humanity as it reaches from
the Nile to tho Oregon, millions of tho
children of this country will never know
by heart a single moral sentence, either
from any human or any divine lips.
Tho modern Gamaliel should tencli
ethics. Ethics is the science of human
duty. Arithmetic tells man how to
count his money, ethics liow lie should
acquire it, whether by honesty or fraud.
1 Geography is a map of the world, ethics
is ftboautiful map of duty. This ethics
is not Ciirimfanlty, it is not even Tffiig*
ion, but it is the sister of religion, be
cause the path of duty is in full harmony
as to quality and direction with the path
of God. And in our times this ethics
has greatly widened out, and has been
flinging out words of praise in directions
whither it once looked with ignorance or
indifference. Ethics now teaches tho
actual beauty of simplicity of dress aud
style, and the dignity of all labor, so
that all .young persons issuing from a
public school-house should go forth fully
persuaded that work in a shop or on a
farm is not only permissible, but is both
a duty and a happiness, A school which
bj-eeds an intellectual vanity, and makes
all the girls and boys of a town or city
long to be poets, or historians, or law
yers, or orators, or statesmen and mil
lionaires is very narrow and false ; but
broad, and just, and true is the public
institution which so sets forth tlie ethics
of labor that all industry at tlie desk, or
in the shop, or behind the plow will
seem like the acceptance of a call from
God aud humanity. It must be reck
oned a misfortune if as soon as a poor lad
or a poor girl is tanglit at public expense
to read and write, the lad must purchase
a cane or hire a buggy for a Saturday af
ternoon, or the girl must aspire to
some sliowy jewelry and must learn the
glitter of the life long before she learns
its import. That our public schools do
to some degree build up an intellectual
vanity more rapidly than they build up
wisdom must be admitted. Such an
evil will continuo until tho councils
which govern courses of instruction
shall conclude that no lessons in arith
metic or geography can ever compare
with the simple lessons in human life.
What tlie State wants is not the vanity
of its multitude, nor is it their poetry
nor their fine clothes, and gay plumage,
and jewelry, but their wise and attract
ive lives ; and if this be the need of tlie
nation, then the school-house should
make every young heart that enters its
doors commit to memory all the pre
cious maxims of duty that lie like pearls
all along the way from Zoroaster to Ben
jamin Franklin. The free schools are
founded upon tho assumption that the
heart of a child is easily molded into a
goodly shape. It is assumed that if
taught to read it will read good books
and will encounter and love those vast
truths which have become imbedded in
the literature of the world. Thus all
our school-buildings are based upon the
assumption that the eyes which pore
over the alphabet and readers in the
heart’s young days will sooner or later
shed tears of appreciation over tlie di
v'ne lesson of labor and duty and char
ity and temperance which will sparkle
before them upon tho open pages of let
ters. To the majority of children the
moral works and possibilities of society
; must be pointed out with care, and
memories at first unwilling must be
loaded by force persuasive and kind
with the undeniable propositions of eth
ics. Au Auerbach and a Carlyle and a
Franklin may easily discern the best
paths through this world, but there are
not enough of these quick souls to make
up a nation, not even a village. The
multitude of youths must be patiently
taught morals, just as they arc taught
the multiplication-table, and must be
aided toward tlie feeling that society de
pends more for its happiness upon the
truths of character and being than it de
pends upon arithmetic.— Prof. David
Swing.
Changes of Life.
Change is the common feature of so
ciety—of all life.
The world is like a magic lantern, or
the shifting scenes of a panorama. Ten
years convert the population of schools
into men and women, tho young into
fathers anil matrons, make and mar for
tunes, and bury the last generation but
one.
Twenty years convert infants into
lovers, fathers and mothers, decide men’s
fortunes and distictions, convert active
men and women into crawling drivelers,
aurl bury all preceding generations.
Thirty years raise an active generation
from nonentity, change fascinating beau
ties into bearable old women, convert
lovers into grandfathers and grand
mothers, and bury the active generation,
or reduce them to decrepitude and imh<-
cility.
Forty years, alas 1 change the face of
all society. Infants are growing old. the
bloom of youth aud beauty lias passed
away, two active generations have been
swept from tho stage of life, names once
cherished are forgotten, unsuspected can
didates for fame have started from the
exhaustleSb womb of nature.
And in fifty years-—mature, ripe fifty
years—a half century—what tremendous
changes occur. How Time writes her
sublime wrinkles everywhere, in rock,
river, forest, cities, hamlets, villages, in
the nature of man and the destinies aud
aspects of all civilized society.
Let us pass on to eighty years—and
w liat do we desire anil see to comfort us
in the world ? Our parents are gone,
our children have passed away from us
into all parts of the world to fight the
grim and desperate battle of life. Our
old friends—where are they? We behold
a world-of which we know nothing and
to which we are unknown. We weep for
the generations long since gone by- -for
lovers, for parents, for children, for
friends in the grave. Wo see everything
turned upside down by the fickle hand of
fortune and the absolute despotism of
time. In a word, wo behold the vanity
of life, and are quite ready to lay down
the poor burden and be gtme.
Thomas Carlyle is 86 years old, and
gets crabbeder and savagor as he grows
older.
AiICUNT OF SUBSCRIPTION, $1.25.
Swnrd-Wenrlng In Japan.
Tn Japan, tlio sword, until a recent
date, lias been considered a badge of the
aristocracy. Tlio etiquette which regu
lated the wearing of the long and short
sword was expressed in a number of min
ute rules. Since the contact of the Jap
| atiese with Europeans and Americans,
these weapons are not so generally worn,
and the rules have fallen into disuse.
But the following-narrative shows what
was their character:
The most trivial breach of these min
ute observances was often the cause of
murderous brawls and dreadful reprisals.
To touch another's weapon, or to come
into collision with the sheath, was a dire
offence, mi to enter a friend's house
rßhout’ W-HA'gsWtwiword outside, waa a
breach of friendship.
Those whose position justified the no
companiment of an attendant invariably
left the sword in his charge at the en
trance, or, if alone, it was usually laid
down at the entrance.
If removed inside it was invariably
done by the host’s servants, and then not
touched by the bare hand, hut with a
silk napkin kept for the purpose.
The sword was placed upon a sword
rack in the place of honor near the guest,
and treated with all the politeness due
to an honored visitor who would resent a
discourtesy.
To exhibit a naked weapon was a gross
insult, unless when a gentleman wished
to show his friends his collection.
To express a wish to see a sword was
not usual, unless when a blade of great
value was in question, when a request to
be shown it would be a compliment the
happy possessor appreciated.
The sword would then be handed with
the hack towards the guest, the edge
turned towards the owner and the hilt to
to the left, the guest wrapping the hilt
either in the little silk napkin always
carried by gentlemen in their pocket
books, or in a sheet of clean paper.
The weapon was drawn from the scab
bard and admired inch by inch, but not
to the full length unless theowner pressed
his guest to do so, when with much apol
ogy, the sword was entirely drawn and
held away from the other persons pres
ent.
After being admired, it would, if appar
ently necessary, be carefully wiped with
a special cloth, sheathed and returned to
the owner as before.
The short sword was retained in the
girdle, but at a long visit both host and
guest laid it aside.
The Schoolmaster in Germany.
The reports of our school inspectors
often reveal a very remarkable state of
things in our schools and among our
teachers, hut, thank Heaven, they show
nothing so bad as the report of an ex
amination of German candidates for the
schoolmaster’s certificate, which we have
just read. Oue candidate, on being
asked what countryman Jesus was, re
plied that he was an Italian. Another,
on being shown a stuffed squirrel and
asked to name it, succeeded in doing so,
but on being further asked wliat sort of
a squirrel it was, guessed that it was a
stuffed one. “Where,” continued the'
examiner, “is this species of squirrel to
be found?" “In the dealer’s window,”
was the reply. “ What is this ?” asked
the professor, showing another candi
date a butterfly. “That is a
butterfly, sir.” “No doubt, but
what kind of butterfly ?” “ Mein Gott!”
was the answer, “-we have so many of
them in our parts that we never pay any |
attention to them. ” “It is now 1 o’clock
here,” remarked the examiner to a can
didate for honors in geography, “what
time is it in London ?” “Well, it must
be quite as late there,” was the reply.
“ How many square miles does the north
pole cover?” was another question, to
which came the answer: “No one
knows. A great number of people have
tried to go there, but not one lias suc
ceeded in the attempt.” “ How do you
teach children the difference between
the right and left bank of a river?”
“I don’t teach them that, because there
is no river in our parts.” Another can
didate was shown a skeleton map and
asked to name a particular mountain,
but he observed the map was a bad one,
as the names were not marked on it like
the one at home, 'which was far superior.
“Why did tins companions of Columbus
refuse to go further ?” was another ques
tion. “Because,” replied the candidate,
“ they hail come to the spot where the
ship would have tipped over, for you
know, sir, the earth is round.” These
examples will suiliee to prove that, if the
schoolmaster is generally abroad in Ger
many, the candidates for that title are
not seldom at sea. — Manchester (Eng.)
Post.
Iron and Bronze.
Prof. Huntington, of Kings College,
London, is not convinced that the belie!
that mankind employed bronze before
iron is well founded. It is true, indeed,
that more bronze than iron implements
have come down to us from prehistoric
times; but the force of that fact is weak
ened considerably by the very important
consideration, frequently disregarded,
that iron oxidizes very rapidly—is soon
reduced to l ist; while bronze, on the
other hand, decays very slowly. At a
very remote period the inhabitants of In
dia were well acquainted with the work
ing of iron, and there is every reason to
believe that the ancient Egyptians could
also manufacture it. Man, in a very
savage state, may have a practical
knowledge of the nature and use of iron,
as lias been proved by the finding ol
iron assegais of native workmanship, in
Zululand. The hard and fast lines us
ually drawn to indicate human progress
first from the stone, then to the bronze,
and lastly to the iron age, need to be IS*
laxed, to say the les.s4,
French Politeness.
Mile. X. waits one morning in vain for
the arrival of her old music teacher. At
last His little daughter makes her appear
ance in his stead, and says, “Mamma
sends mo to say that she hopes you will
i xOuse papa from coming to give his
’esfen this morning, because he is dead.'
s *Mend your ways, my son,” said the
gooaLDeacon Sippleson, “before it is too
Tate/l “Time enough for that, dad,” ex
claimed tlio graceless rascal, lighting a
fresh fcgar; “’tis never too later to mend
vou k&ow. dad. ”
NO. ”0.
FACTS FOR THE CURIOUS.
Durinh tho famines in India, of which
there have been about one every five
years for the past century, a quarter of
a pound of rec per day has been found
sufficient to keep grown persons in fair
condition when not engaged in active lu-
Inir. Laborers require a pound and u
half.
Thesis are only 15,000 real-estate
holders in New York city in a popula
tion of 1,000,000, T4o tenement-house
system is the only resort of the musses,
mid about 600,000 of tho population live
in this manner. Tho entire Filth ave
nue, three miles long, contains u smaller
number than some of the more densely
populated squares.
Twinkmno of stars is generally con
ceded to he duo to moisture in the up
per air. M. Montigliy, in a paper pub
lished in Les Modes, holds that very
prouounoed twinkling of the stars indi
cates either commotion in the upper re
gions of tho atmosphere or a sudden fall
of temperature there, thus denoting tho
conditions of an early appearance of had
weather.
Statistics show that there has been a
gradual and steady increase in the aver
age length of life since tho sixteenth
century. Much of this increased lon
gevity has been due to the improved
conditions of living among all classes ;
and the influence of good living, homo
comforts, etc., is shown at the present
time by the fact that the wealthy aver
age twelve more years of life than tho
poor.
Tin? greatest amount of cold ever
known to he endured by white men
overtook Lieut. Schwatka’s party in
search of information about Sir John
Franklin's party. They were over eleven
months in sleds and journeyed about
3,000 miles. On Jan. 3, 1880, the ther
mometer sunk Iff! degrees below the
freezing point. The highest tempera
ture that day was 60 degrees below
freezing point. For twenty-seven lays
the average temperature was 02 degrees
below the freezing point.
The Norwegian fishermen always car
ry with them on their expeditions a
kind of telescope called a water tele
scope. This is a tube three or four feet
long, with an eye-piece at one end. Tho
other end, which is open, is placed in
the water over the edge of the boat, and
a little practice easily enables the ob
server to distinguish objects at a depth
of from ten to fifteen futlioms. Tlio
fishermen are thus enabled to discover
shoals which would otherwise go un
noticed. They then give the signal,
their comrades surround them with
seines, and they frequently make won
derful hauls in places and under cir
cumstances that would never have been
suspected but for the use of the tele
bcope.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
both died on the Fourth of J uly, 1826.
John Adams died in his 91st year, and
was eight years older than Thomas Jef
ferson ; Thomas Jefferson xvas eight
years older than James Monroe ; James
Monroe was eight years older than John
Quincy Adams. The first five of our
Presidents—all Revolutionary men—
ended their terms of service in the 66th
year of their age. Washington, born
Feb. 22, 1732 ; inaugurated, 1789 ; term
of service expired in the 66th year of
his age. John Adams, bom Oct. 19,
1735 ; inaugurated, 1797; term of service
expired in the 66th year of his age.
Thomas Jefferson, born April 21, 1743;
inaugurated, 1801; term of service ex
pired in the 66th year of his age. James
Madison, born March 4, 1751; inaugu
rated, 1809; term of service expired in
the 66tli year of his age. James Mon
roe, born April 2, 1759; inaugurated,
1817; term of service expired in the 66th
year of his age.
Beer Stalking.
I have had an opportunity recently to
witness this interesting and exciting
sort of hunting. The party of hunters,
say three or tour in number, separate
from each other at about dawn or sun
rise, and, being furnished with a com
pass, they direct you to proceed forward
a certain distance, and then hide in the
fallen tree tops and wait an hour or
more, and then again choose another
spot for operation. At oue time, after
leaving m\' companions, I did not meet
them again in six hours. To be alone
in these wide forests and suddenly come
on a pair of these animals, and witness
the rush they make at first to escape
from your close proximity is somewhat
exciting, and not regarded favorable to
the self-possession and coolness required
to make a good shot.
On two occasions I have seen this, and
have not been able to get in the neces
sary work to secure my game. Am oc
casional wold-turkey flock gives variety
to the sport. But there is a serious
drawback to a perfectly-contented state
of mind in this style of hunting. Now
and then some inexperienced hunter,
seeing in the distance a moving object,
draws a sight on it, and brings down a
man. Four have thus been hit in this
vicinity quite recently. For all this al
most ail the railroad stations show the
success, more or less, of the deer hunt
ers. Letter from Defiance county,
Ohio.
Shakespeare’s Mother.
Both young men belonged to the sa
cred jeunesse doree of Harvard, but
even their brilliant intellects hail suc
cumbed to the power of wine. They
stood upon the step of a Cambridge car,
and talked loudly, wholly unconscious
that Miss X., the young lady upon whom
they were to call the following evening,
sat just inside the car door. Theatrical
topics were the subject of their conver
sation, and one remarked, loftily, that
for his part he never cared for Shakes
peare. “O, dash Shakespeare!” the
other returned; “he’s nobody. I knew
his mother. She was nothing but an
old nigger washwoman down on Joy
street!” On the following evening the
two youths, in faultless attire, were sun
ning themselves in the smiles of Miss X.,
when Shakespeare was casually men
tioned. “I am always smashed on
Shakespeare,” the second youth remark
ed. What was his horror when Miss X.
returned, coldly, “That is very natural;
i believe you are acquainted with his
mother. ” — Boston Courier.
- 1
A curious mode of conducting contra
band trade has just been put in practice
in Switzerland. Tho proprietor of a
watch manufactory at Lugano has a
large and well trained stock of carrier
pigeons which keep journeying continu
ally to Italy and back again. Each
pigeon, on its flight to the south, bears a
small watch attached to its feet. The
owner thus hopes to import daily fifty
watches into Italy without running any
danger of paying any duty. Acting
upon this information the Custom-House
authorities at New York have instructed
all officers of steamships to refuse pas
sengers the liberty of taking pigeons on
board. But “stool pigeons” are not
easily discovered.