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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