Newspaper Page Text
ciibbsexts dream.
There was a group of them sitting
• near the stove, and they were telling the
many strange, ghostly tilings they had
droamed of.
“I had a strange'dream ouee, and I’ll
novor forget it, either,” said a man who
wore a slouch hat and whoso oars curled
out from his head like the “laudsida ”
of a plow. *
“Did you dream that yon was a
spirit of the dead ? ” inquired tho crowd.
“ No; worse than that. I droamed
that I was a tough cucumbor.”
‘ ‘ What ? A oucumber ? ”
“ Yes, a regular Old yollop-tinted
cramp producer, and you can just bet I
made trouble in one family. Dang mo,
but it was a remarkable dream.”
“ Tell us about it,” said tho crowd, in
chorus.
“Well, there was a man living next
door to mo by the name of Watson, who
was a sworn enemy of mine. I used my
political influenoo in working against
him in tho ward, and tho weok after ho
was defeated he poisoned my dog. Ke
venge was in my heart, and ouo night I
dreamed that I was a big cucumbor and
Vas nestling among tho viues iu the
garden, surrounded by a lot of other cu
cumbers, when suddenly I saw Watson
climb over the back fern * W* ismo
♦directly to me, plucked mo from the
vino and deliberately ate me before my
own eyes. I was the maddest cucumber
in America, and after reaching his
stomach I determined to sell my life as
dearly as possible. When Watson re
tired for the night the first tiling I did I
throw him into a spasm, rolled him out
of bed and hauled him over the floor
and marched around in his stomach iu
platoons, regiments and brigades. Then
I twisted him into the shape of a gim
let, curled him up like an apple peel,
and jammed his heels back of his ears
until he howled and swore with pain.
After that I pitched him into the mid
dle of a convulsion, bounced him
against the ceiling, and slammed him
against the walls until two men had to
tie his legs and send for a doctor. His
mother-in-law tried to rub him with
hartshorn, but he cut loose at her with
both feet and the old lady pulverized a
washstand in a far comer. I laughed
like a demon, and drew his knees under
his chin and turned him on his back,
and every time any one came in reach
ing distance I straightened him out with
a snap, and made him drive his loved
ones right through the plastering. Well,
sir, when I woke up and found that it
was all a dream I was tho worst disap
pointed man you ever heard of.”
The crowd gazed at the man with big
ears, reverently confessed that they
hadn’t even begun to learn how to
dream, and then set up the drinks.
JAPANESE POSTAL SERVICE.
In 1871 the European system of post-
RO was Jidnpted, 'U n TVHvnerwV<>Vi .wo
are assured, has won the admiration of
all foreigners. Prior to this there did
not exist any national system of post
age, owing to the feudal disposition jf
the country. If any one would wish to
realize the primitive condition of post
office servioe in 1863 they may turn to a
picture in the “Capital of the Tycoon”
of a postman in native costume—-that is,
with a loin band only, to leave his limbs
free, running along the high road at
speed, and a small box slung by a pole
y ver his shoulders; and, in case of his
falling lame or other accident, he is ac
companied by a double, to take on the
package in his place to the next stage.
Tiie Government used to dispatch such
messengers, and occasionally private
firms. The comparison with what now
exists carries us back many centuries,
though only the work of five years.
There are now mail routes of more than
30,000 miles in active operation, and 691
postoffices, beside 124 receiving agen
cies, 836 stamp agencies and 703 street
letter-boxes. The number of letters
forwarded in 1876 was 30,000,000, being
an increase of 91 per cent, over that of
1874, according to Mr. Mounsey’s “Re
port on the Finance of Japan.” The
postage of an ordinary letter in the
large towns is 1 cent (id.), and 2 cents
(Id.) for tho rest of tho empire. Post
cards are carried for one-half these
charges. And in 1875 a money-order
system was adopted, and within two
years there were 310 postoffices where
orders could bo obtained and cashed.
And this is the country where, ten years
before, the chief thought was how for
eigners could best be expelled or exter
minated, and all tlielr pestilent, innova
tions sent after them !—Contemporary
Review.
PRICES IN “THE OLDEN TIMES.”
In the olden times, when the Govern
ment of England was more paternal than
it is now, the price of provisions was
regulated by act of Parliament. In 1273
a “best lamb” was to be sold for six
pence from Christmas to Lent, and for
fourpence at other times. A hen was to
be bought for threepence half-penny,
and a pullet for a penny three farthings.
In 1302 the value of a bull was seven
shillings and sixpence, and that of a fat
sheep one shilling. Twelve years after
ward we find a great advance, and an
edict was issued to regulate the rising
prices. A “best grass-fed ox” was
fixed at sixteen shillings ; a “grain-fed”
one at twenty-four. A sheep rose to one
shilling and fourpence ; but a hen was
cheaper, being only three half-pence,
and eggs were twenty for a penny. In
1672 tho hen was niaepence, and a penny
would only procure five eggs.
A leading ooulist of Boston is report
ed as saying that he has more patients
from the Law School at Cambridge than
from any other source. It must not be
supposed from this that the young men
%x-e their eyes by excessive applica
tion. The bad ventilation and gas
heated air of the lecture rooms cause j
the trouble.
lie ijticna lists* !|cps,
WILL W. SINGLETON, Editor Proprietor.
VOL, VI.
WTXJFHFD.
BY JOHN IDLKWOOD.
Blue Rkien put on a deeper glow,
While oold winds whisper, soft and low,
And murmur, as they onward go—
With silent tread,
Tho name of one who’s fuir and froa
And dearer than tho world to mo—
Sweet Winifred.
Soft nmonbann: s linger on tho hills, \
And, bluntly, eich valley fills
With silver rays from goldun till*,
But cold and dead ; i
Not liko tho ray of light I love—
A seeming moonbeam from above—
Sweet Winifred.
Bright spring may come and go again.
And summer rule her old domain,
• \ji anttnmi liourd her golden gram,
’Gainst winter dread,
But tills is all a play to mo ;
I live and move alone with thee,
Mv Winifred.
THAT DUEL.
1!Y BMILAX.
rhe small but enterprising city o!
Newcastle could boast of many pretty
girls, but none of them could compare
vith the acknowledged belle, Miggie
Barr. Her Christian name was Maggie,
but her father always called her Miggie,
so gradually the people of our town fell
into the same habit. I could not do
justice to this young lady’s many charms
and points of beauty, so I will let yon,
dear reader, imagine a woman ten times
prettier than any you ever met as a true
portrait of my lieroiue.
Of course, Miggie, being pretty and
the acknowledged belle, had many
beaux ; in fact, all tho eligible young
men in town bowed down and worshiped
at her shrine. Probably if it had not
been for tho romantic notions which had
been inculcated in Miggie’s mind dining
her three years’ sojourn at boarding
school in Philadelphia she would have
accepted one of these many admirers
who were dead in love with her, and
would have settled down into the dreary
hum-drum existence of married life, as
the romancists cliooso to call it, but she
could never think of such a thing. No,
indeed ; ere she died she would have to
be the principal in some romance, or
else her dreams would always remain
fancies, and not delicious realities.
At the time I write about there were
two young men paying attention to Mig
.gie. lv Vi of whom were snuguine of ”pj
mate victory. Who treated then- both
alike, and, though they tried to outrival
each other by the paying of attentions,
neither of them could boast of any ad
vantage over the other.
The first young man whom I write
about bore the name of Sam Wark, and
the other the title of Tom Brady. Mig
gie did not like either of these names, as
they were unlike the titles of the heroes
in the books she bad read ; yet she com
forted herself with the thought that,
perhaps, ere she died, they would indi
vidually engage in some romantic action
that would fit them for a matrimonial
alliance with her. Not that she wanted
them both for husbands, but she de
sired them both to perform romantic
deeds, and the one that came nearest
her ideal she would accept as her hus
band.
Sam Wark was a big, broad-shoul
dered fellow, with a large share of com
mon sense, and very little romance, per
vading his disposition. The fact of the
matter was, Sam had been used to hard
work since childhood, and, consequently,
had no time to think of romance.
Tom Brady was an exquisite in re
gard to dress, always wearing the finest
clothes, but he was no more romantic
than Sam.
The one thing that Tom Brady prided
himself on was his shape. He had a
splendid figure, square shoulders, and a
waist like a woman.
The two young men, before their con
test for tho hand of Miggie, had been
warm friends, but since they bad entered
on this race they had not been such
ardent admirers of each other, but had
centorod nil their admiration on one
divinity, Miggie. As their love affairs
waxed hotter they became dead enemies,
and passed each other on the street
without speaking. Miggie, sly little
puss that she was, helped on this cool
ness, in order, if possible, to have a ro
mance woven for her life. At this time
Miggie was receiving attention from
both of the gentlemen. She would go
to a picnic one day with Sam, and the
next day would go off on an excursion
with Tom. The former would escort
her home from church one Sunday
evening, and the next week the latter
would exercise the same privilege. Peo
ple were puzzled to tell whioh was the
favored suitor, and I doubt if either of
them could settle that vexed question.
All this time Miggie was awaiting some
romantic action on the port of either of
the two suitors that would help her to
decide which she would declare as her
accepted lover.
Time rolled on until one evening Mig
gie determined to force matters to a
head, so she got Tom Brady, who was
pouring honeyed love phrases into h el
ear, talking about his rival, Sam Wark.
Of course Sam was not such a bad fel
low in Tom’s estimation, but, as “ all is
fair in love and war,” the latter spoke
rather roughly about him, thinking
thus to cut him out. Miggie listened j
and said nothing, and Tom thought that j
HU UNA VISTA, MARION COUNTY. GA., SATURDAY. MARCH 19. 1881.
Ilia words had carried the outposts of her
heart-, and so he wont away confident of
ultimate success.
'Tbe next evening Sam Wark called to
see Miggie, and that worthy at once re
peated the stories which his rival, Tom
Brady, had been circulating about him.
Sam was made very angry by tliis, and,
v hen Miggie asked him what ho was go
-11 g to do about it replied that he would
punch his head. At this Miggie got in
b , riant, and asked him what kind of a
any that was to resent an injury. Sam
said that was the best way lie knew of,
'£ she could suggest any way out of
the difficulty he would only be too glad
to follow her advice. Then, in a tragio
tone, Miggie said, “You must fig hat
duel; it is the only way to settle it, and
at tho same time the question about my
hand. To tho victors belong the spoils,
and to the victorious duelist I will award
my hand.”
Sam looked at her for a few moments,
and then blurted out, “ Suppose one of
us gets killed ?”
“What’s the difference?” asked Mig
gie; “this is a question of nerve, and
only death can wipe out the injury.
You have been traduced by Tom Brady,
and you must challenge him, and at
once, too.”
“ All right,” said Sam, fully convinced
that Miggie would at oucc marry Tom
Brady should he refuse to engage in this
duel; “ give me a few points as to the
best way to write out a challenge.”
Then Miggie gave him an idea as to
tho proper way to indite a challenge,
and Sam left her house, filled with blood
thirsty intentions and craving gore. He
chose for a second Tom Wilkins, and
that worthy bore a challenge to Tom
Brady the same evening.
The next evening Tom Brady called
on Miggie and spoke about the chal
lenge, and how he had returned word to
Sam Wark, stating that he had no inten
tion of fighting. When Miggie heard
this she was furious, and upbraided him
for his cowardice. Tom felt cheap, and,
seeing that his refusal to fight had put
Miggie in bad humor, concluded that he
had better retract his decision. As soon
as he had told her this her face was
illumined with smiles, and she told him
Jiow she intended bestowing her h nin),
on the victor.
The next day Tom sent his second, in
the person of Joe Farrell, to tell Sam
Wark that he would fight, and that the
weapons should be pistols, at twenty paces.
The following morning, at daybreak, was
chosen as the time for the meeting, and
at the hour designated the parties met.
Sam Wark was attired in his working
clothes, but Tom Brady was dressed in
the height of fashion. Both were pale,
and seemed loth to engage in the com
bat.
The seconds, thinking that no harm
would result from the duel, measured ofl
the distance in a business-like manner,
while the surgeon handled his instru
ments as if lie were anxious for an op
portunity to use them.
The signal was given, and both shots
rang out on the morning air simul
taneously. ‘When the smoke cleared
away Sam Wark was seen standing erect,
while Tom Brady lay prostrate on the
ground.
“I've killed my friend!” ejaculated
Sam, as he threw his pistol away, and
knelt beside the prostrate figure of Tom.
“Curses be on the woman that tempted
me to do such a deed. lam a murderer
for the sake of Miggie Barr, Tom, dear
Tom, I’ve killed you !”
It was an affecting sight, but the sec
onds had their duty to perform, so they
(bagged Sam away while the surgeon
mado an examination of the wound. The
latter party said not a word for a few
moments, but felt the pulse of Tom, and
then ordered one of the seconds to run
for water.
Poor Sam, given some hope by the com
mand of tho doctor, would fain have
asked if there was any hope of Tom’s
ultimate recovery, but he dared not.
When the second arrived on the scene
with the water, Tom still lay as one of
the dead, but as soon as the water
touched his face he opened his eyes and
looked around.
Sam, poor fellow, buoyed up by anew
hope, looked ns if he would only be too
glad to be the sufferer if he only could.
At last the doctor said :
“Gentlomen, Mr. Brady’s life has
been spared by a singular circumstance.
The bullet, which was aimed directly at
his heart, struck one of the steel stays
in a pair of corsets which he wears, and,
instead of penetrating the skin, it mere
-7 stunned him. It is a narrow escape
from death.”
“Thank God for that!” said Sam.
“ Tom, I am extremely sorry that I was
ever fool enough to enter on such a pro
ject. lam disgusted with Miggie Barr
for suggesting such an affair as this, and
I hereby resign all claim to her hand. ”
“So do I,” said Tom; “she has too
many romantic notions for me.”
Then the contestants shook hands, and
the party started for home.
Of course the newspapers got hold of
the story, and made a good bit of fun
about Tom wearing corsets, but he did
not care, as he knew they had Baved his
life. *
Devoted to the Interests of Marion County and Adjoining Soctions.
Miggie heard the particulars of tho
story from a friend, and she shuddered
l to think of tho tragody that her roman
■ tic notions might nave brought aliout.
Both of tho young men stopped pay
ing attention to Miggie, and in a few
years both of them married girls who
had never been outside of NowonsUo to
imbibe romantic notions. They are
now the warmest friends, and upon their
visits to each other speak of “that duel.”
Miggie is married, too, but not to a
man of a romantic turn of mind. It is
tc none other than Jabez Jenkins, a
farmer, who has amassed hismilli
the sweat of his brow, and who kn>
about us much about romance as he does
about running a steam engine; and .vet
Miggie, with these school-girl ideas
eliminated from her brain, is as happy
as the day is long.— Chicago Ledger,
HOW TO TREAT A WATCH.
Having obtained a really serviceable
article you should, in order to produce
satisfactory results, follow out these
rules : Wind up your watch every day
at the same hour. This is generally done
at the hour we retire to rest, or, per
haps, better still, the hour we rise.
Avoid putting a watch on a marble slab
or near anything excessively cold. The
sudden transition from heat to cold con
tracting the metal may sometimes cause
the mainspring to break. Indeed the cold
coagulates the oil and the wheel-work
and pivots working less freely affect the
regularity of the timekeeper. When we
lay our watch aside we ought to slope it
on a watehcase, so as to keep it in the
same position as it was in the pocket.
Iu laying aside your watch be sure that
it rests on its case, as by suspending it
free the action of the balance may
cause oscillation, which may con
siderably interfere with its going.
If you would keep your watch clean
you must be quite sure that the case
fits firmly, and never put it into any
pocket but one made of leather. Those
pockets which are lined with cloth, cot
ton or calico give, by the constant fric
tion, a certain quantify of fluff, which
enters most watches, even those the
cases of which shut firmly. If the j
watch is not a keyless one, the key -
should be small, in order that we max j
j- ■ i file resi JlPffiUe bf'ule , .
then we can stop in time without fore- !
ing anything. It is also necessary that |
the square of the key should cones- '
pond with that of the watch. If it be
too large, it may, in a short time, cause
the windup square to suffer from undue j
wear and tear, the rectifying of I
which is rather expensive. The j
hands of an ordinary watch !
can be tinned backward without much j
risk. It is, however, always better to
move the hands forward to adjust your
watch to the correct time. A skillful
watchmaker one day thus reasoned with j
a customer who complained of his watch.
“ You complained,” said he, “that your
watch gained a minute a month. Well,
then, you will congratulate yourself
when you have heard me. You arc
aware that in your watch the balance,
which [is the regulator, makes five oscilla
tions every second, which is 432,000
times a day; so that your watch, ex
posed to all the vicissitudes which heat
and cold occasion it, the varying weight
of the air and the shaking to which it is
subjected, has not varied more than a
minute a month, or two seconds a day.
It has only acquired with each vibration
of the balance a variation of the two
hundred and sixteenth thousandth part
of a second. Judge, then, what must
be the extreme perfection of the mech
nuism of this watch.”
A watch cannot go for an indefinite
period without being repaired and
cleaned. At the expiration of a certain
time the oil dries up, dust accumulates,
and wear and tear are inevitable results
to the whole machinery, the functions
becoming irregular and frequently ceas
ing to act altogether. A person possess
ing a watch of good quality, and desir
ous of preserving it as such, should have
it cleaned every two years at least. But
cure should be taken to confide this
cleaning or repairing to careful hands ;
an incapable workman may do great in
jury to a watch, even of the simplest
construction.
FINE WEATHER.
Comparatively few people enjoy fine
weather for its own sake. They take a
practical view of the matter. The
weather is “good” when the housewife
can dry her Monday’s washing ; when
the farmer can secure his hay or plow
out his com; when my lady can go
down town without her waterproof;
when the excursion doesn’t have to be
postponed. But weather that is good
simply to live in, and be happy, is not
much thought of. We are too thorough
ly accustomed to the free gifts of nature
to value them as they should be valued.
AN ARMY CONTRACT.
Mr. Lincoln used to tell a story about
a big Hoosier who came to Washington
during the war and called on a street
Arab for a shine. Looking at the tre
mendous boots before him he called out
to a brother shiner across the street:
“ Come over and help, Jimmy. I’ve got
an army oontraot.”
NEWSPAPERS IN AUSTRIA.
In Austria-Hungary, evory newspaper
appearing more than twice a month has
to deposit caution-money, if politios are
treated or mentioned. For Vienna, and
surroundings, this deposit is fixed at
$9,000; for towns of 60,000 inhabitants,
at $3,000; for towns of 80,000 inhabi
tants, ats2,ooo, and for allother places, at
$1,000; but papers only appearing three
times a weok neod only pay half the
i amount. By an infringement of tho
press laws, the caution-money may be
partly or wholly forfeited, aud all fines
aru midft on the aniOuii'i, h.is
again to be made up to the original
sum, if the papers are to go on. To fa
cilitate Governmental control, the print
er of every paper has to forward copies
of it to the local police, to the public
prosecutor, to the chief of the local gov
ernment, to the Minister of State, to the
Supreme Police Department, beside
supplying the Imperial Court Library
and the local court or national libra
ries. The publication of a paper can
be stopped either by the police, or by
decision of a court of law; but the
transmission of foreign papers by tho
post can only be prohibited by order of
the Minister of State. In 1871, twenty
three fcreign papers were not allowed to
enter tAe empire, and fifty-two Austrian-
Hungarian papers were debarred from
being sent by post. Moreover, the Aus
trian press has to submit to a stamp
duty, abolished in Hungary, but not in
\ the remainder of tho empire, though
I many efforts have been made to obtain
its total abolition; and this adds not
only to the cost of the papers, but
necessarily restricts the number of
readers. It is, therefore, not to be won
dered at if these newspapers cannot live
without seme sort of extraneous sup
port ; and the want of independence of
a considerable part of the continental
press may be traced to the constant in
terference of the authorities, and to a
limited circulation, which renders it im
possible to secure the services of men
indifferent to outside influences, and
satisfied with the fair earnings of an un
fettered pen.
SHUT THE DOOR.
The education of our youth is sadly
neglected in one direction, and that is
U closing and - fastening uoors "“alter
tnem. Careful observation has satisfied
us there is no use in trying to teach
some people that accomplishment. It
appears to be a natural, and probably
an inherited, inability, just as with
some people there is no such tiling as
knowing one tune from another, as with
others it is impossible to acquire facility
and handiness in the use of tools. Mod
em ingenuity has tasked itself to make
up to a suffering world for the
incapacity or negligence of people who
never close a door, by the application of
weights and springs that will automat
ically do what every man, woman and
child ought to do instinctively. But
these appliances themselves shirk their
duties, and they are not susceptible of
universal application.
There ought to be a thorough course
of instruction in our schools in the art
of shutting doors. The first lesson
would inculcate the elemental and Sim
ple duty itself. Boys and girls should
be kept passing a doorway, each one
closing the door for himself and herself,
until not a mother’s son or daughter of
them could leave a door ajar. Then the
finer features of the accomplishment
might be introduced. There are people
who always slam a door ; there are others
who hold it open and close it so slowly
that a whole procession of diseases, in
cluding colds in the head, catarrh, sore
throat, diphtheria, inflammation of the
lungs and the epizootic can march
through, and the mercury of the ther
mometer has time to get down into his
boots.
But without becoming too fastidious,
it is important that every one should be
taught to close the door and fasten it
in some way. The amount of time a
professional man spends, and the dis
tance he travels in his office, in jumping
up and closing the door after people who
neglect that duty, would astonish one
who had never given the matter thought.
Be kind enough to shut the door. —
Rochester Herald.
THOUGHT HE WAS DRUNK ENOUGH.
An old Vermont fanner came home
drunk, and became the victim of an ir
rapressible desire to get still drunker.
So he thought he would bring out his
wagon and drive over to Shelburne Falls
for more whisky. .Tust as he was about
putting the finishing touches on the har
nessing arrangements, he said to him
self : “This horse has got horns ! ” He
brought out his lantern and found that
he had harnessed the cow to the wagon.
He muttered : “ I’m drunk enough now,
unhitched the beast, and went into the
house to sleep it off.— Rutland (F£.)
Herald.
Confession of a future son-in-law to
his future mother-in-law—“lt is well
that I should tell you before marriage
that I am rather hot-tempered and some
times get mad without reason.” Future
mother-in-law-Oh, never mind about
that. I’ll see that you never lack rea
son.”
AMOUNT OF SUBSCRIPTION, $1.26
duration oe line.
The duration of the life of man has
been a subject of discussion for ages in
all civilized lands. Life seems, and is,
indeed, so very short to those who cau
really enjoy it, aud who are anxious to
achieve something, that there is a nat
ural longing in the human family for its
extension. Quacks, charlatans, and ad
venturers have always taken advantage
of this desire and turned it to their
profit. Cassanova, St. Germain and
Cagliostro traded extensively on it, pre
tending to have lived for oentstries, and
to be immortal. The elixir of ):' ■ id
the waters of tho fountain of perpet
ual youth were myths of the Middle
Ages, and appealed to tho credulous
long after. Men of much learning and
rare scientific attainments have had
faith in the potential longevity that has
never been attained. Buffon declares
that every person who does not die
by accident should turn his hundredth
year. Hufeland, the eminent German
physician, contends, in his renowned
“Art of Prolonging Life,” that it may
reach 200 years. So very little is known
of the laws of human being and continu
ation that their possibilities suggest
endless and curious speculation. It is
by no means improbable that in this era
of scientific progress and discovery, cer
tain momentous truths may be arrived
at, which shall be the means of length
ening life. It is altogether reasonable
to suppose, however, that the race lasts
as long now as it has ever done, if it
does not last longer. It is a natural
tendency of the average mind to regard
the past as superior to the present, al
though whatever we know of the Kos
mos teaches us that things do not im
prove backward. The many accounts
we have of extraordinary longevity in
ancient, and even in later days, must be
received with large allowance, for most
of them are plainly falsehoods. Pliny’s
story of men in the reign of Vespasian
who lived to be 135 and 140
must be set down with the
averment about Henry Jenkins
dying in Yorkshire, England,
some two centuries since, at 169, and
of Thomas Parr going to his grave
at 152. They are obviously gross exag
gerations, having little more foundation
in fact rliau Barnum’s advertisements
that Joice Heth was 161, when an au
topsy proved her to be not over 80.
There have been instances of persons
staying on this planet for 110 or 112
years; but they are a very select few,
and have hardly ever been verified. The
utmost limit of ascertained life seems to
be 106 to 108, and very rarely do they
who are credited with such age actually
reach it. Man usually claimed, with his
supreme egotism, to be the longest
lived of animals. But the pike, the
crow, the elephant and certain species
of the eagle are reputed to outlast him.
—Hew York Times.
A GREAT SCENE.
At Sedan the Emperor William sat on
a hill overlooking the battle field with
the American Generals Sheridan and For
syth, when the news of the capitulation
came, and the French bearer ot the flag
of truce was seen riding sadly back. At
dawn the next morning Bismarck, who
hail been drinking champagne and eat
ing sandwiches with officers and myself
until 1, and arguing terms of surrender
the rest of the night, was mounted on
his bay, fresh and clean shaven, riding
toward Sedan, while we followed. A
shabby, low carriage, from which came
the gleam of gold laoe, approached. Bis
marck sprang from his horse, letting it
go, and bowed low. The leaden-colored,
gaunt-eyed, deep lined man with dishev
eled mustache, in the carriage, was Na
poleon 111. Alighting at a weaver’s cot
tage, Napoleon and Bismarck sat down
and talked in an undertone, while we
stood at the garden hedge, the weaver
calmly looked on from his window, and
eager troops and provision 081% streamed
by. Then Bismarck rode back to the
Emperor, anil Napoleon waited alone,
walking back and forth, limping slight
ly, and smoking countless cigarettes.
The proudest monarch in Europe was
cooling his heels at a weaver’s cottage,
waiting attendance on a Prussian. Soon
a troop of cuirassiers formed around the
cottage, Bismarck returned, and Napo
leon was escorted to a ruined house in
Sedan. Von Moltke had dispelled the
obstinacy of the French commander by
showing him the German cannon, and
the capitulation had been signed. The
German monarch came riding down with
head proudly erect to meet the bent and
broken Napoleon, who came forward
with handkerchief at his eyes, while
William’s face worked strangely. In the
shattered house an interview of twenty
minutes was held, then William rode
away among his troops, and Napoleon
spent the night in the bedroom occupied
by William the night before. He passed
the night in reading, and the book sig
nificantly was Bulwer’s “Last of the
Barons.”— Archibald Forbes.
Wht are pianos the noblest of manu
factured articles? Because they an
upright, grand and square.
If you should be asked when a cat is
like a teapot, you might reply, “ When
your teasin’ it.
NO. 28.
A PERILOUS CLIMB.
Judging by the account read before
the Geographical Society in 1834, one of
the most thrilling and perilous feats of
mountain climbing ever performed wn
the ascent of the famous Peter Bottle
in tho Mauritius. The peculiarity of
this peak is that its summit consists of
an almost-spherical mass of rock, con
nected with the mountain below by a
comparatively narrow neck, so that the
sides of it overhang the base by several
feet all round. Wien, therefore, the
climber has reached the neck, he has
not merely to make his way up a per
pendicular rock some thirty-five feet
high, but has actually to dangle out
several feet over the awful void below
—a sheer descent of 1,800 feet.
The mountain is said to have derived
its name from a mnn who once managed
to reach tho top, but fell, and was, of
course, destroyed on his return journey.
This is generally considered an apocry
phal story, however, and, until 1832,
the peak was considered inaccessible,
several attempts made since the island
become a British possession having sig
nally failed. The ascent was eventually
made by throwing a line over the top
and drawing up a ladder. This was
very difficult to accomplish. An effort
nos first made to shoot an iron arrow
with a line appended to it.
To do this Capt. Lloyd tied a rope
round his waist and was lowered over
the face of the precipice, liis comrades
holding on to the line as they stood up
under the “neck.” When he had been
lowered far enough, he pushed himself
out as far as he could from the rock,
and fired. This plan repeatedly failed,
and eventually the rope was got over by
swinging a stone at the end <J it diagon
ally. This once accomplished, it was
comparatively a simple matter to get
the ladder up in such a position as
would enable those who could mustea
the nerve to venture out upon it.
Of course the Union Jack and a bottle
of wine went up ; anil three cheers from
the summit, indicated by the waving of
the flag, were answered by tho frigate
in the adjacent harbor and by tho bat
tery on the island. As though this was
not sufficient, the party wound up the
adventure by hauling up blankets and
sleeping on the neck of the mountain,
one of the company requiring to be tied
to the leg of a companion because he
was a determined sleep-walker.
diamond-cutting in new tore.
Among the curious and interesting in
dustrial facts brought to light during
the census inquiries, not the least is the
fact that the recently-introduced art @f
diamond-cutting has been so admirably
developed here that the diamonds cut in
Amsterdam are now sent to this city for
recutting. Hitherto Amsterdam has mo
nopolized the work of diamond-cutting,
and the aim there has been to remove
in cutting the least possible weight of
the gem. The American plan is to cut
mathematically, according to recognized
laws of light, so as to secure the utmost
brilliancy for the finished stone. The
greater loss in weight, as compared
with the Amsterdam cutting, is thus
more than made good by the superior
brilliancy of the product. From the in
quiries made by Chief Special Census
Agent Charles E. Hilt it appears that
the average increase of value given to
diamonds by the New York cutting is
$5,000 for each person employed for
twelve months; also, that our dealers
are receiving the best Amsterdam-cut
gems from abroad to be recut here and
returned. —Scientific American.
V.IDS TO LONGEVITY.
Some years ago the French Ministry
addressed a circular to all the Prefects,
desiring them to institute inquiries as
to the conditions which appeared pecul
iarly to favor longevity in then - several
districts, and the replies are said to have
almost unanimously indicated as the
leading elements or influences great so
briety, regular labor, and usually in the
open air, daily exercise short of fatigue,
early hours, a comparatively well-to-do
life, calmness of mind in meeting
troubles, moderate intellectual powers,
and a family life. The beneficial influ
ence of marriage on the duration of life
is universally admitted, and remarriage
does not seem to be unfavorable. The
Prefects also indicate heredity as a fre
quent cause, and the influence of cli
mate is likewise admitted; this latter,
however, is separable with difficulty
from other causes which may be operat
ing simultaneously; but, if all things
w r ere otherwise equal, it would seem that
southern are less favorable to longevity
than northern climates.
THE PRESIDENTS TITLE.
Some scientific snobs, addressing Pres
ident Hayes, formally, on a matter of
business, call him “Your Excellency.”
The President of the United States has
no more right to such a designation than
he has to tliat of “Your Majesty.” He
has no title beyond that of his place,
which is strictly official, and which
ceases w hen he leaves office; and he can,
properly, be addressed only as “Mr.
President. ” In the National Convention
that framed the constitution of the
United States, a report was made, on
the 4th of September, 1787, which be
gan thus: “ The executive power of the
United States shall be vested in a single
person. His style shall be, * The Presi
dent of the United States of America,’
And his title shall be ‘His Excellency.’”
But this report was not adopted; and
the constitution, as adopted, reads (Art.
11., Section 1), “The executive power
shall be vested in a President of the
United States.” This is the first sen
tence of the first clause of the section,
and it contains all that can be found in
the constitution on the style of the
President; aud it gives him no title.
When you say that a girl’s hair is
black as a coal, it is just as well to
specify that you do not mean a red-hot
coal