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VOLUME V. A Metrical Medley. * romance of the road, a bipnner rode out on a bi-cycle, Met a lady who stared like an icicle; The wheels went around, He dropped to the ground, This sensitive youth on the bi-cycle. Providence Journal. A UNIVERSAL BIOGRAPHY. At ten, ft child; at twenty, wild; At thirty, strong, if ever; At forty wise; at fl/ty, rich; At sixty, good, or never. Buffalo Courier. TO I.ATE ! TOO LATE ! He told her that he loved her, In tones so soft and mellow; But she said she couldn't marry him, For she’d asked another fellow. A t.ITTLE LIGHT ON TIIF. SUBJECT. They stood all alone and 'twas late, And deep shadow'd were cast, by the gate, When her very bad brother, the scamp, Ulimlied the post and lighted the lamp, And the meeting adjourned without date. SOME WONDERS OF NATURE. I’ve seen the cats kill mountains And beheld a garden walk; Isnt I’ll admit I was surprised When told of the bean stalk.” ENTIRELY SEASONABLE. I’ll winter night fair Isabel; I’ll spring upon my knees and tell Koj.nl is hand summer than she, And that she autumn marry me. Oil City Derrick. A YOUNG OFFICIAL. A hinaoas judge came late to court One day in busy season; Whereat his clerk, in great surprise, Inquired of him the reason. “ A child was born,” his honor said, “ And I’m the happy sire.” “An infant judge 7” Oh, no,” said he, “ As yet he’s but a crier.” A LEAP YEAR PROPOSAL “ It’s a very pleasant parish,” said the Rev. Mr. Racquet, “ and very pleasant people. The elder ladies are steady, consistent workers; the younger, active and enthusiastic. I don’t think, if I had possessed the privilege of selecting for ray.'df, I could have found a more de lightful position.” Mr. R tderic Racquet was twenty-six, with astraight nose, pleasant blue eyes, oid p general talent for being satisfied with everything and everybody. He w is located in his first parish, a pietur tM|ue little knot of houses, overhanging a brisk cataract, which made work for mills and factories, and filled all the ad jacent woods with its noisy melody; and so far lie was one of those excep tions in life, a perfectly satisfied man. “Ah!” said his friend, Mr. Alton,who was a misanthrope. “ The ladies, eh ?” ‘‘Yes,” said Mr. Racquet, quietly; “for, of course, you know that much of the prosperity of a country parish de pfndsupon its female members.” “Yes,” observed Mr. Alton, dryly. “Hu are an unmarried man, I be lieve?” “lam an unmarried man —yes, cer tainly.” And this is—leap-year.” Nonsense!” cried the parson, briskly. I hope you may find it nonsense,” Mr. Alton, pursing up his lips; ' tit I am told that there are a good many single ladies this year who are ' riven desperate by the prospect of ? pinsterhood—” Nonsense!’ again exclaimed Mr. mcquet. “My dear Alton, this is a ' too much of a burlesque. You '“ 1 seriously believe in this—this ab surdity?” •'d'. Alton only shook his head, as he ro ' e iltu l reached lor his hat. I h get my book, Racquet,” said he, • s ■*" t ooked lugubriously around the r ,° o , m .’ an d go out for a stroll in these " 1 U| us pine scented woods. My doc “!l that pine-sap is very healing "! ungs that are consumptively in clined.” " y ery well,” said the Rev. Mr. Rae • with a glance at the scattered |! le,ts ot die half-completed sermon 1.1 ai y on his desk. “ And I will join hu after a little period of time.” ’ took up his pen, dipped it deler -11.1 r y i n the inkstand, and went re utely to writing; but, in spiteol all ' ln( iustry, the words of his icono . ir i e nd rang persistently in his If there should be any foundation Ai ton’s absurd idea!” he pondered, Pen suspended above the par- M’-written sheet. “But, of course, jjj, 10 ‘; m t he; but if such a possibility Y ,‘' Xlst —ana a married man is really a CI member ol society than a single.’ -mi au the while ttle Rosa Apple -7 * eherry checßa nd tangled yellow rt ere dancing, a human will-o’-the- i pfore the horizon of his mind’s eye. . nos young,” he said, to himself, p " PS a trifle inclined to be j "Ut she’s certainly very charm- I f' , since the Appletons have l l f ' an d the mother has opened a . and Lucilla has gone to iin ?’ 1 don't think I could do better llia n to marry ” Appleton, sir, if you please.’ . - was a timid little voice that broke • upon the thread of his reflections, ' u “ 03a herself stood before him, J > . 1( | rin S all over, like a pink carnation, * a basket of late peaches in her hand. u^e > fluttering ribbons in her hat, p ve called on business, sir,” said uo.sa. lf hey. Roderic moved forward a '■ air. 1 a y he seated, Miss Appleton,” said THE FOREST NEWS. l.e, not without some confusion on his own part. If they had been living in the Palace ot l ruth now, and Rosa could have seen into the deeps of his heart! And Miss Appleton sat down, pulling nervousiy at the fingers of her brown thread gloves. “ R’ B '‘bout our Lucilla,” said she. “ Indeed?” said Mr. Racquet. We want to get her well settled in life,” said Rosa, appealingly. “But I thought she was teaching!” cried Mr. Racquet. She doesn’t like teaching,” confessed Rosa; or rather, to be candid with you, the trustees don’t like her. She isn’t very young, you know, and has some odd, formal little ways, and only one eye; and the children make fun of her. and the trustees say she has no diff nity.” “Very unfortunate,” said Mr. Rac quet, bending a transparent pearl paper cutter back and forth, with the sublime indifference which we are apt to display toward the tribulations of others. “If there was anything I could do—” “ On, but there is !” said Rosa. ‘‘Eh ?” ejaculated Reverend Roderic. “She thinks, and mamma thinks—” “Well ?” “That she might come here,” said Rcsa, with her blue eyes fixed full on the young clergyman’s face. Click ! click ! and the two pieces of the severed paper-cutter flew into oppo site corners of the room. “ Here ?” cried Mr. Ra cquet—“ to the parsonage ?” “ Yes,” innocently assented Rosa. “She isn’t pretty to look at, to be sure, but as you yourself said, in your ad dress to the Sunday-school children, last week, beauty is a mere nothing; and you’d find her very useful and ac complished.” “Indeed!” said Mr. Racquet, frigidly. “She has been highly educated,” went on Rosa,gaining confidence as she talked; “but at the same time she would not despise descending to menial duties for the sake of one she loves and knows as she does you. And so, Mr. Racquet, she wants to know if you’ll have her.” A cold perspiration broke out around the Reverend Roderic’s mouth. He drew back his chair with an instinctive movement of self-defense. Leap-year was upon him, in very truth and fact. Alton was right, and he should be coerced into matrimony before he knew it. “ I—l’d rather not ?” said Mr. Rac quet, very decidedly. Rosa looked at him, half-amazed, half-offended. •‘Rather—not?” she repeated. “I don’t think Lucilla expected that de cision. Perhaps she’d better come and see you herself about it —” “No, no! she needn’t do that,” gasped Mr. Racquet. “My decision is irrevocable.” And hurriedly gathering his papers, he caught his pen and feigned great assiduity once more. “I see you are busy,” said Rosa, softly, after an instant or two of hesita tion. “Yes,” said Mr. Racquet, “I am— rather busy.” “Then perhaps I had better bid you good morning,” said Rosa. “ Good morning, Miss Appleton,” said the clergyman, with his eyes glued to the paper. But when Rosa had gone out, carrying her basket of red-cheeked fruit, the young man sprang up, and stood in the middle of the room, smiting his fore head . “What!” lie cried, after the fashion of the soliloquizing heroes of the stage, “ marry that wrinkled, elderly, one eyed—hag! Against my will, just be cause she wants someone to provide for her, and it is leap-year! Not if J know it! And worst and cruellest of all, to think that Rosa herself should come to propose it!” Just then, Rosa’s voice, soft and plain tive, talking to the old housekeeper, in the kitchen below, chimed upon his ear. Involuntarily he listened. “ I know it’s very foolish of me to cry, Mrs. Megson,” faltered Rosa, “ but in deed, indeed I can’t help it! You see, we heard you were going away next week, and Lucilla was so anxious to ob tain the situation of housekeeper. She’s so middled-aged and steady-going, you know, that it would be the very place for her!” “Certainly, certainly, Miss Rosa!” chimed in good-natured Mrs. Megson. “And what objection did the master possibly have to it - ” “ I don’t know,” said Rosa. “ But he was so cold, and stern, and short with me. He didn’t seem a bit like himself. And, oh, Mrs. Megson, please do give me a glass of water, for I feel all in a flutter! I didn’t even have a chance to tell him that Lucilla was willing to come without wages for the first month, for the sake of learning the household wa’ - s, and-” But Roderic Racquet heard no more. Scattering the sermon-sheets right and left, he seized his hat and rushed down the back garden, to a certain shadowed walk, which led out to an angle in the wall, which commanded the highroad by which Rosa Appleton must return toher own home; and when the light tisrure came, moving softly along like a shadow, he stepped out and stood directly in front of her. She started like a frightened fawn. “ Rosa,” he said, “do not be afraid. I —l do not think we quite understood one another just now. Your sister i wanted to take the position which old j Megson is about to vacate, of house ! keeper at the parsonage?” “Yes, sir.” said Rosa, with downcast eyes. JEFFERSON, GA., FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1880. “ But I should prefer another house keeper, Rosa,” boldly spoke out the parson. “ I should prefer you as my Wife, darling—my own heloved life treasure !” “I never thought'of such a thing,” said Rosa, beginning to color up and tremble. “Think of it now, then,” persuaded Mr. Racquet. “ Lucilla and your mother can live with us, if you like; but you must be the little housekeeper! my Rosa.” And, after a singularly short period of deliberation, Rosa Appleton decided to accept the situation. When Mr. Alton came in from his sanitary meditations among the pine groves, Roderic met him with a radiant countenance. “Oldfellow,” said he, “I’m safe! No more ol your leap-year intimidations forme. I’m engaged!” “So she has asked j t ou, eh?” groaned Mr. Alton. “No,” said the parson; “I asked her.” Terrapin. In a letter from Baltimore to the Re public, of Washington, a correspondent tells what he knows about terrapin. The following facts are of general in terest : It is in Lent that terrapin commands its highest prices. They are worth from $25 to $36 a dozen during the sea son. A dozen terrapins consist of twelve diamond-backs, no one of which must be less than a “ count terrapin,” that is, measure seven inches in length on the under shell. The largest kuown do not exceed ten inches in length and eight pounds in weight, and such prizes are extremely rare. The seven-inch terrapin averages four pounds in weight. “Sliders,” the common river turtles of almost all the rivers of the South, grow to a much larger size. They bring from $6 to $9 a dozen. t The two or three men who control the trade in Baltimore say that they sell almost exclusively for private tables. Terrapin are caught all the way from Savannah and Charleston to the Palap sco and Gunpowder rivers—scarce here —but the genuine diamond-back belongs almost exclusively to the upper Chesa peake and its tributaries. The majority of the sliders come to Baltimore from the James river and streams adjoining. An active terrapin catcher sometimes makes SSO a week, but the find varies, and often runs down as low as $5. The reptile is discovered by probing the mud in the shallows with a stick. He is dormant and easily captured. The females are more highly prized, and are known as “cow” terrapin. They generally contain about thirty eggs, some of which you have a right to expect to garnish the dish at $1.25 a plate. 1 am not betraying confidence In stating that many restaurateurs, reck iess of their fair fame, have resort to the eggs of the pigeon made into a paste and rolled into a substitute for the genuine article. Thirty years ago the largest dealer in Baltimore found it difficult to dispose of the terrapin he received at $6 a dozen. The product, he says, is about the same year in and year out. He sells as many now as he did then. The negroes who bring them to market say that they are growing yearly scarcer, and nothing but the high price stimu lates them to keep up the supply by a more extended and persistent search. The commissioners of fisheries of this State, in thir report of 1876, deplore “the much diminished and rapidly dim inishing supply of this most excellent luxury of the Chesapeake bay,” and suggest its increase by cultivation. They add: “There are hundreds of localities admirably situated in our ter rapin producing regions which could be made more productive, acre for acre, than the best surrounding land, by the establishment of terrapin ponds.” “Virtue Is its Own Reward.” Some days ago a tender-hearted stranger of well-to-do exterior, pass ing by the broad stone steps of Warsaw cathedral, perceived a poorly dressed woman crouched at tlieir foot, weeping loudly and wringing her hands in deep tribulation. Touched by her evident distress, he stopped and asked what was the matter. “Kind, gracious sir,” re plied the sobbing woman, “ I am the most unfortunate creature in the world’ I want to get my baby christened, but hey demand two roubles, and I have not a single copeck.” “Is that all?’ observed the pitiful stranger; “take this five-rouble note, go straight to the pope, pay him his christening fee and bring me out the three roubles change,’ With joyful promptitude the recipient of his bounty entered the church, whence she presently emerged with three silver roubles, which she handed over to her benefactor, expressing her heartfelt gratitude for his timely succor, and her surprise at his apparently disinterested kindness. “My good woman,” answered the philanthropist, with a beaming smile, “your astonishment is uncalled for. You see lam one of those people who cannot bear to contemplate the un happiness of their fellow-creatures. I must always see joyous faces around rue. Besides, everybody concerned in this transaction has profited by it. They have got their fee; your child will be christened; your mind n at ease; and I have derived three good silver roubles from a benevolent action and—a bad five-rouble note!” —Geneva ( Switzerland ) Continent. _______ “ There is a multitude of people lying round about us,” exclaims an orator. All right, let them lie; that won’t hurt us. It’s those that go around and tell the truth about us that do the damage, unless we are better than most man kind. —Marathon Independent. FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD Ho*es for the Farm. Rack-feeding of horses is wasteful. The better plan is to feed with chopped hay from a manger, because the food is not then thrown about, and is more eaeily chewed and digested. Oats supply more nourishment and flesh-making material to horses than any other food, but oats alone are not conducive to the best results. Mixed food is best. To cure galls on the shoulders of horses: At morning, noon and night wash the shoulders well with water, and apply thoroughly with a feather six drachms of iodine dissolved in a half pint of alcohol. It is essential that leather should have light. In the care of harness do not in close in a dark closet or room. Of ccurse harness should be oiled three or four times a year, first washing with soap and water. The most satisfactory results with bees may be expected if abundant stores of honey can be found within two miles. They will work more freely upon blossoms at some little distance from the apiary than upon those close by. A cow that has accidentally eaten her fill of meal should be kept in the stable, and not allowed to drink. As soon as discovered she should be given a pound or two of Epsom salts, repeating the dose till a movement of the bowels is obtained. A market gardener living about eight miles from Boston on a piece of land less than two acres realized, in 1879, from the products of his farm $958.91. This is more than is secured from many farms in this country of many acres in extent. To give delicacy of flesh to chickens make their principal food for a week 01- ten days before killing barley meal moist ened with milk. Alternate with In dian meal, scalded with either water or milk. During this process keep the chicks confined in a darkened room. Fasten a short piece of a log-chain, say five or six links, by means of a light strap, to his leg just above the knee (in the stable, of course), and see how quickly that pawing horse will leave off the habit. In most cases a few days will be sufficient to effect a cure. Good things to have handy where there are horses u White lead, for bruises and breaks in the skin, saddle galls, etc.; bathing whisky, with about two ounces of turpentine, two ounces of hartshorn and a little camphor, for sprains, stiff ness, etc. Leaf lard for cuts. Cos il oi 1 applied to a slight sprain is also good. Dr. Ilellriegel experimented with t!i different elements required in plant growth by putting clear sand into boxes, and then appljing fertilizing matter, and found that the quantity of water applied had much to do with the growth of plants. In the sandy soil which lie experimented with the largest yield of rye, wheat, oats and bai-ley was ob tained when the soil held steadily ten or fifteen per cent, of its weight in water. On increasing this proportion the straw in some eases was hea vier, but the grain was reduced in quantity. Youhk Fruit Trees. The subject in reference to young apple trees is specially applicable, and we venture an opinion that, were the early years of these trees better attended to, the troublesome blight would in all probability be not so bad. Thus, in pre ference to so much knife work, young trees of these should be disbudded im mediately they show signs of pushing, and instead,of merely rubbing them off, they should be close pared with a sharp knife, thus preventing the possibility of latex*al buds pushing forth. Providing the stem is tall enough, a limited num ber of buds alone should be allowed to push forth. These, of course, will form the main branches of the tree, and in all cases the terminal bud should be cutoff, so that there may be no central main branch. The laterals, in course of time, will sufficiently fill up the center space. Then, as the lateral main branches ex pand and again put forth other laterals, these should be again disbudded, and care taken that buds having a tendency to produce low branches should be care fully erased, as of a surety if left they will only have to be cut away at a future period. In the way of stakes to young trees, the question is whether the conceived rule is the right one—that is, having stakes seme six feet in height, thus pro truding one or two feet beyond the lead ing lateral branches, and often, as has been observed, causing a very serious chafing. Our opinion is that if the main branches are to start at four feet from the level of the ground the top of the sup porting stake should just be under the branches, thus giving all necessary sup port to the trunk, and at the same time allowing free play to the branches, which scarcely, under no chance or possibility, can receive any support from the stake. The main lateral branches should head out in equal distances —a process that may be easily managed by proper dis budding. Then, if the trees are to be kept dwarfed, the laterals may again be stopped, so that the tree may form wha is termed a fine head. The question whether fruit trees, of whatsoever kind they may be, should be tall standards or dwarfs may be decided in respect as to whether the situation is exposed ot sheltered. We can see no harm,but muc good, in letting trees attain a fair alti tude in sheltered situations. The pro duce will certainly be far more abund- ant when the trees attain to moderate age, while the quality will certainly be equal to that upon such as are too close pruned.—& M., in the Farmer (Eng.) Redoes. Potatoes Roasted Under Meat.— Half boil large potatoes; di*ain the water, put them into an earthem dish or small tin pan, under meat roasting; baste them often with the drippings; turn them, to brown nicely on ail sides; take them up in a separate dish. Old-Fashioned Tapioca Pudding.— Two eggs, one quart milk, one cup tapi oca ; spices ot nutmeg and cinnamon to taste; also sugar and bit of salt, and small teaspoonful of butter, melted. Wash and soak the tapioca m very little water till rather tender; then put it in the milk, and place on back of the stove and soak one hour; then melt butter in dish and pour in the beaten eggs, milk well sweetened, and spice; bake one hour quite slowly. Simple and Delicious Muffins.— One quart flour, one feaspoonful salt, half gill yeast, one pint warmed milk, less two tablespoonfuls; mix at night, and beat until light; in the morning drop the well-risen dough in buttered cups. Chicken Cream Soup.— Boil an old fowl with an onion in four quarts of cold water until there remain but two quarts. Take it out and let it get cold. Cut off the whole of the breast and chop very fine. Mix with the pounded yolks of two hard- boiled eggs, and rub through a colander. Cool, skim and strain the soup into a soup-pot. Season; add the chicken and egg mixture; simmer ten minutes and pour into the tureen. Then add a small cup of boiling milk. DIAPHOTE AND TELOPTICON. Tle Latest Wonders in the World of Invention—Sending Pictures by Tele- Rraph and Forwarding a Whole News paper by the Same Agency. Wonders will never cease. Inventions transmitting thoughts long distances and writing them out by electricity, painting pictures by sunlight, copying and reproducing the human voice, talk ing to people miles away in the tone of a tete-a-tete conversation, are followed by an invention which brings the figures of the persons holding converse at a distance directly into each other’s pres ence. In other terms the telegraph, photograph, phonograph and telephone are followed by the diaphote, by Dr. Licks, of Bethlehem, Pa., and the tole phote-telican, or telopticon (whichever name may be adopted), by Connolly and McTighe, of Pittsburg. The later inventions claim to send the picture of the speaker along with the voice by telephone. It is stated that the Licks diaphote requires a large number of wires, and rather complicated ma chinery to make it work, which may render it impracticable for general use, while the Connolly and McTighe telop ticon requires but one wire, and is in other respects recommended by its sym plicity. It is further reported that these inventions have been tested by experi ments before scientific committees, and are found to work. Dr. H. E. Licks claims that his instrument will send forms and colors by wire as words are sent. The apparatus consists of a receiv ing mirror, the transmitting wires, a common galvanic battery and the re producing speculum. After witnessing some late experiments with the dia phote, one of the investigating profes sors made a few remarks upon the probable scientific and industrial appli cations of the invention. Tie said, in substance, that with the telephone and diaphote it might be possible for friends separated by the Atlantic ocean to hear and see each other at the game time, and to talk as it were face to face. It might be used to enable railroad men to see hundreds o f miles of railroad track at once, and in connection with photo lithography it might be so employed as to print the great English dailies in New York a few hours after their ap pearance in London. Dr. Licks has ap plied for seven patents to secure his in vention, and he seems to have no doubt about its practicability and ultimate perfectibility. The telopticon claims to be able to transmit the physical wave force of light electrically, similar to transmis sion by telephone. It having been de monstrated that electricity is a con dition of solar light, this invention con verts electricity back again into the con dition of light. The inventors believe they will be able to transmit simul taneously, from one point to another, any written or printed document—even the entire side of a newspaper. The re production of the image is explained to be the result of chemical changes which are perfectly well known to all photo graphers. The image of any object is sent in diminished size, and is magnified at the receiving point to the required size. The inventors admit that the telopticon is yet in its infa icy, but they have no doubt whatever of its ultimate perfection. In “ A Strange Story ” Bul wer thought he was writing a fiction when he invested Margrave with the power of casting his image wherever he willed it to go, by a sort of occult magnetic projection. These inventors of the diaphote and telopticon, if their claims are fully substantiated, proclaim the novelist’s visions fulfilled prophe cies and marvelous facts.— St. Louis Re publican. Habits of velvet or satin overdresses of tulle or >f silk covered with lace will be worn. These habits are cut almost precisely like the masculine frock-coat, but have no sleeves whatever, only a row ot narrow white lace gathered around the armhole. TIMELY TOPICS* The salaries of a few of our American railway officials show what a mine rail road management may sometimes prove. H. J- Jewett, president of the Erie rail way, has a salary of $40,000 a year; Tom Scott, president of seven railroads, draws SIOO,OOO salary, $24,000 from the Pennsylvania road alone; J. W. Gar rett, president of the Baltimore and Ohio, has a nominal salary of $4,000 a a year. There are to-day fifteen general managers of railways in the United States'whose salaries range from SIO,OOO to $15,000; nine general superinten dents, with a salary from $7,000 to $lO,- 000 yearly, and a number ot officials in the same rank who receive over SB,OOO. Of one mathematical work written by the venerable and accomplished Pro fessor Peirce, of Harvard, he hinifelf says that there is only one man living, besides himself, who could read it and understand it; and of another work he says that onlv one man besides himself has read it and understood it. A math ematician, the professor says, is not really known while he is alive; he must wait for history to do him justice, and establish his real worth and scientific position. Professor Peirce is said to consider Professor Sylvester, of Johns Hopkins, as a remarkable genius, and perhaps the greatest of contemporary mathematicians. A Boston swindler advertised for “ a lady or gentleman to address circulars evenings at home,” and to the thousands of persons who responded by mail he sent letters saying he would pay seven dollars a thousand for addressing en velopes. He added: “Thereare many who answer advertisements for mere curiosity; to protect ourselves against such a bore, we are obliged to insist upon a deposit of one dollar, which you can claim after the delivery of the first 1,000 circulars.” The pay offered was so liberal that the dollars poured into his postoffice box at the rate of two hun dred a day, but he got none of them, for the postmaster refused to deliver them. The investigation into the terrible Tay bridge disaster disclosed that as to the metal used for the columns, mold ei-8 employed in the work for twenty seven years “never saw worse;” the coke used for melting it was inferior; holes and cracks were patched up with cement; none of the defective columns, “which were numerous,” were broken up, but went into the work, and so on. Not a lew witnesses, such as ex-Provost Robertson, of Dundee, an engineer, tes tified as to the habitual recklessness of the drivers on the bridge. The regu lation speed in crossing it was twenty live miles an hour; Mr. Robertson found that the actual rate averaged from thirty to thirty-five miles, while some times, when trains were behind time, they dashed over the two-mile-long bridge at the rate of forty-two, forty three and even forty-seven miles. So great was the vibration that it pro duced in this old engineer’s mind a sense of fear and discomfort, and some time before the accident he stopped traveling over the bridge from south to north, though he used it in his daily journeys from north to south, the south bound trains running much more slowly. He complained to the station master, who says that “lie did not re port these complaints to any of his superior officials.” Other habitual travelers gave up the bridge on account of the oscillations and took to the feri y. The Black Bean of Dealh. All old Texans, and the student of the history of Texas, are familiar with the ill-starred Mier expedition, which left Texas, in the fall of 1841 for the purpose of invading Mexico. The expedition started out under command of General Somervill, and on the nineteenth of December, when in the vicinity of the Rio Grande, was ordered back. After the return of General Somervill and a portion of the command, some 300 men who were left determined on hostile demonstrations, and elected William S. Fisher as commander. The expedition then advanced on the town of Mier, in Mexico. A detachment arriving there on the 21st and demanding provisions, took the alcade ot the town with thenP’as a hostage, and returned to where the main body was camped to wait the ar rival of the articles demanded. While the Texans- remained in camp, Mier was occupied by General Ampudia. of the Mexican army, with 2,000 men. On the afternoon of the twenty-fifth of De cember, the Texan forces started for the town, and encountered the forces of Ampudia in its vicinity, and a fight ensued, in which the Mexicans were driven through the town, but still fight ing. After several parleys, the repre sentation of the overwhelming num bers opposed to them, and promises of generous terms,tlie Texans were induced to surrender. The prisoners were then started for the city of Mexico,a number being killed en route, and on arriving at Salado, on the twenty-fifth of March, an order was received from Santa Anna, directing that every tenth man be she! Accord ingly, 159 white and seventeen black beans, the number of Texans left, were placed in a box, and each man drew, tlie one3 drawing the black beans taken ou. and shot. In “Trail’s History of Texas ” occurs the follow ing paragraph: “ First Ampudia and then Santa Anna took a fancy to a mere lad by tlie name of Hill, and young Hill’s father and brother were released, and tlie young man sent to the best college in Mexico. He adopted the profession of a mining engineer, and i= still a citizen of Mexico.” NUMBER 47. The Beantv of Age. There’s beauty in a happy child, Within whose merry, laughing eyes A world ot joy and wonder lies, And wayward lancies free and wild. There’s beauty in the bloom ot youth, When hopes o’erflow the heart elate, That courts fair fortune, fears not fate, Rejoicing in its honest truth. • There’s beauty in strong manhood’s might, That marches on through all alarms, That bodily meets a world in arms, And bravely battles for the right. But nobler beauty rests with ape, In the calm face and thoughtful eye Of him whose purpose, broad and high, Proclaims the wisdom of a sage. William Leighton. ITEMS OF INTEREST. Edison gets $25,000 a year and tries to make light of it. Cannibals are not straight-forward people. They are back-biters. —Boston Courier. The mo9t difficult thing to raise on the farm is the hired man who sleeps in the kitchen loft. A London publisher offers an edition of ihe New Testament for two cents, and says he can make money selling it for that price. Dr. George M. Beard, in a lecture be fore a New York medical society, argued that insanity never had been and never would be defined. A poet sends us a spring ode begin ning: “I love to smell the cowslip.” Well, if the cow will stand it, go ahead and smell of her lip. We don’t care.— Boston Post. Ambition is a great thing. It n akes some men millionaires, and it makes some men wrestlers in the hosiery de partment of a country dry goods store. —New York Express. A dressmaker got mad because her lover serenaded her with a ilute. She said she got all the fluting she wanted in her regular business —Cincinnati Sat urday Night. It is claimed that a man never loses anything by politeness, but this lias proved to be a mistake. As an old Philadelphian lifted his hat to a young lady the wind carried away his wig.— Philadelphia Chronicle. “ There are seventeen and a half men to every female in the Territory of Da kota.” “Well,” said Miss Jones, spin ster, when she read the above item, “if girls knew what I know, they’d take that half man rather than none at all.— Derrick. Nebraska has risen from the yield and area of 9,000,000 bushels of wheat and corn and 351,000 acres in 1871. to nearly 82,000,000 bushels and 2,077,090 acres in 1879; and still less than one-tenth of the State is under cultivation. The Rev. Geo. B. Vosburgh, who was tried and acquitted in Jersey City on a charge of attempting to poison his wife, now has charge of a church in the suburbs of Chicago. He writes to a friend that his church is “thoroughly united and prosperous.” PIRATICAL. When the enterprising poet isn’t writing, Isn’t writing, Some melancholy verses about love, About love, It is sate to bet that he will be inditing, lie inditing, A sonnet on the whiteness of the dove, Ol the dove. When the young and tender schoolgiil isn't thinking. Isn’t thinking, Ol the time when she will be allowed to vote, ’Lowed to vote. The chances are that she is coyly blinking, Coyly blinking, At some young man in a zebra overcoat, Overcoat. —Chicago Tribune. Think First. Tlie affixing of the stamp is in the majority of cases the last stage of the letter-writing. It is a kind of sealing, signing and delivering. It would not be a bad moral habit for a man to pause before affixing his postage stamp, and to consider whether judiciously and conscientiously he had not better savp bis money. When once he has dropped his letter into the letter-box, he has committed one of the irrevocable acts of this life. As you prepare to affix your stamp, give one final thought to conscience, whether you might not alter, improve or altogether obliterate that letter. There may be all sorts of wrong and evil connected with letter writing; but to specialize an iastance, you may have been writing an angry letter. It may be a clever, caustic letter, and you feel rather inclined to regard it approvingly, considered as a literary production. But it may be a passionate and unjust letter. It may be unreasonable and untrue. You may be giving unmerited pain by sending it. You may bitteily regret the mo ments when your hand obeyed the im moral behest of your mind. You hav< heard of the physician’s prescription about the cucumber—to peel it care fully, slice it tenderly, gingerly with your vinegar and plenteous with the oil, sprinkle the pepper, brown red, over it —and ohen fling the mesi. out of the window. So when you sit down to your letter, my dear and slightly excited friend, pile up your in vectives, accumulate your adjectives, be caustic and cutting in your phrases; but just befoie you post it give a thought to the ethics of a postage stamp, light your fire with it, and gave your money.