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6( R. S. HOWARD. VOLUME VI. A 3;other’s Diary. ill? ,bHl)y on the floor, Vt ; og lor,hefender; . .. t se eni9 to make it sneeze; “on a bender!” the spools upset and gone, Chair? drawn into file, 59 strung across, Jo.ht to make one smile; c i pan . curls smooth, eyes bine, 4 ‘ flow these "harms will dwindle,) f or 1 father think—don’t yon Bfibv “is a swindle!” a tangled, silken floss ' getting in blue eyes; . , nn that would not keep clean, If a baby tries! V blue shoe untied, and one Underneath the table; , a : rs gone nmu, and blocks and toys, fl>U as they are able; jdby in u high clmir, 100, Yelling i° r his dinner, voon in mouth; I think—don’t you— gaby “is a sinner!” S^ht -chairs all set back again, Blocks and spools in order; One blue shoe beneath the mat p e lis ot a marauder; Apum folded on a chair, plaid dress torn and wrinkled, I*o pink feet kicked pretty bare, Little tat knees crinkled; In the crib and conquered, too, By sleep, blessed evangel, >'ow I surely think—don’t you— Bativ “is an angel!” —Baltimore Sun. A little mystery. ■Yes. Will,she is the prettiest little man y< u 1 ver set your eyes on,” said 'ire Red burn to his friend, William forton. “ 1 have been happier since Umarriage than at any other period tjring my past life. In fact, I feel rented with myself and all the world itothe bargain.” “Is she a blonde or brunette?” eked Will. “ I prefer the former style if beauty,”’ lie added. •Another reason why you will like j wife, her hair is of the loveliest jlden shade and she has the bluest of *es.‘ "01 <vurse she’s young? Though it s need less for me to ask such a ques err; for y u surely would not marry ■elderly person, thatjs to sy, one as t as yourself, h r you are on the shady lie of fort v, you know?” "W . WIJ, •.he is only twenty-five, mi a witlo’v.” ■‘Mint, have you married a widow, tove? Oh, have you forgotten the ad deethe chin Weller gave to his son towel? Oh, Dave, that you should ne reached years of discretion to tftken in in that manner! You iif' tied yoursei* to some designing rViim, who will either lead you a av.if or put a few soothing drops in [oorcoffee some fine morning.” Will, if I didn’t know that w remarks were made out ot pure *ort, I rhould it acken those two mis fel-nuik;!’'s. 1 vitikliug eyes of yours air casting aqu s;<*ns upon the charac :;r of my r little wife. If all the ibws were like the one you shall be ttwideed to to-morrow evening, then ■■would be well for all m n to take old tiid s advice, for she is enough to - “i!y man’s head, however unim- Jressible he may be.” The friends parted. At the appointed hour on the follow - teaing Will Norton made his ap fearance at Dave’s house. • being introduced to his friend’s 'l’M* ill exclaimed: -ure Jy 1 have seen you before, Mrs. Ul ‘1 where I can’t recollect at time.” 1 'bushed when he made the remark -unnecessarily, Will thought. s ’r l)ave? wllat was y°ur wife’s I)etore s be married you?” asked ■ when Mrs. Redburn had with ,Wn’,ind them to talk over their w school days •0r... .... Tilton,’ he replied, j,, . liiUst have married again since * 1(1 which was a year ago— "U hei- name was Dale. I’m „^! u s the same person.” lV ’. sure you are mis ‘ s “ e was never married but I: aiii i! U 1 met * ier S^e assure d me. one of those strange resem . ■ ' s now and then met with. Yes, I '/ " u :ue Mistaken for once in f believe every word that fr om her lips.” [•; aS tUe y bad finished this sub ‘ .> a, journed to the parlor, where tuteriained by Mrs. Redburn, J' lU ' was finely cultivated, and :la no il Skillf m Performer upon the W’ 1 '! )Ilversa ti° n and music, both vij. 1 ‘ instrumental, the evening P f!^ ail tly, and Will Norton con- Pow ’ a,s lieu d that Mrs. Redburn’s . • "i fascination were very great, itr es j s , ;h ‘ n lCt - that she was perfectly B . : 4t |* ' k:s own mind he was certain . nad met Mrs. Redburn under of Dale. "ttiK’ n " more was said about tbs re liance. Some found i) w . wce hs passed away and ' wi' lV ° JU3fc as muc h in love with ried v as w b en they were first mar n one evening he took a gen ..Jf 1 home to dine with him. °- f W pa,r d° n what you may think Jog,. ’ s * ° n my part, but what was %?>> le 8 name when you married a informed a that she was o'* , ) J |°re he married her. r t iiton,” he replied, ici j " to me that I met her under It ‘. l l U!, me—Mrs. Waldon—though Jbt mistaken.” THE FOREST NEWS. i l ' ar<Uy k “ ow what to think of hil ™“,TT? Davc timaelf when n s guests had departed. “ Here are two men who think they names She* tW ° different aSßUred me that she had unfoided all her past life to me. It isn t possible she has deceived me in any manner, but still it’s strange she should bear such likeness to two differ nt women. Confound the thing! I really don’t know what to make of it. , ie w * d think that 1 doubt her verac tj, and good-bye to love and happiness when anything that savors of mistrust comes between us,” he thought. 1 at s ttie matter. Dave?” his wife asked, who had entered the room just then. “ Come,” she said, in the most persuasive manner, “tell me what wor ries you?” 1 might as well tell her, ana relieve my mmd,” he thought. “ She will only laugh at me, for it isn’t true.” He really did not know how to break it to her; and for a moment he sat still puzzled and bereft of speech. ‘‘lt concerns you, my darling,” fie said, at last. “ Mr. Norton said that he thought he had known you under a different name from that of Tilton; and Mr. Sands, who was here this evening, says the same. One met you as Mrs. Dale, and the other as Mrs. Waldon. I told them that they were laboring under some strange delusion of sight, as you had only been married once, and had wedded a Mr. Tilton, and that I placed entire faith and confidence in what you had told me.” He raised his eyes to hers as he finished speaking; and on her face, which was flushed, was what looked very much like an expression of shame, and her glance did not meet his, for her eyes were cast down. “Dave,” she said, “ you have heard tne truth. They have met me under the names you mention.” He uttered a startled exclamation; but she rapidly went on: “ Dave, I unfolded to you all ray past life, excepting only the character ol my late husband. “ He was unsuccessful in business dur ing the first year of our marriage, and having no means of supporting himselt and me, and being unable, after several efforts, to obtain a situation, he thought the world was using him roughly, and, being nerved to desperation, cast all principle aside, and took to swindling people as a means of maintenance. “ He went from one place to ancther, changing his name when he removed to a diflerent section of the country to pre vent discovery or recognition. “ I pleaded with him on my knees to try and gain an honest living; told him I would be willing to live in the plainest possible manner; but in vain. “ I only refrained from telling yoi this through fear that it might pain you to know that I had led such a miserable life. “ This is the truth.” He had listened to her in silence; but as she finished he clasped her in his arms and said: “ Forgive me, darling, for my momen tary suspicion. 1 believe all you have told me. The mere thought that you were false maddened me, for I love you as woman was never loved before.” And he proved his assertion; for their after life was one of peace and content ment —of unclouded happiness. Some Things Not Generally Known. Coaches were fiist used in Boston in 1669. The first paper money in New Eng land was issued in 1689. A mint for coining silver was estab lished in Boston in 1652. Bears were very numerous within two miles of Boston in 1725. Horse-racing on Boston Common was complained of in 1769. The first duel in the United States was fought at Plymouth, Mass., in 1621. Captain Kidd, the pirate, was ar rested in Boston and sent to England in 1699. The Egyptians made glass and col ored it beautifully 3,000 years before Christ. For nearly eight hundred years Lon don bridge was the only one over the Thames. The first child in New England was born in Plymouth Colony in 1620, and his name was Peregrine White. The epoch oi Abraham may be fixed by that of Joseph, who went to Egypt 1,730 years before the time of Christ. The original name ot Albany, N. Y., was Beaverdyck. It was founded by the Dutch in 1623. The first armed vessel commissioned by Washington sailed under the pine tree flag, a white flag with a green pine tree upon it. Rome Attractions, When love and affection are banished from home life loses its greatest charm. To constitute a truly happy home,;tliere should be pretty little personal adorn ment on the part of the wife, who thereby shows a desire to please her husband and add to the general attrac tions of nome. A pleasant word on her part, when the overworked man comes home, often eases any raw edge of some trouble on his mind, and draws out a corresponding desire to be both agree able and respectful, which character istics are always recompensed by affec tion ; while roughness and impatience are soon followed by insolence, and when sweet temper gives way to anger and discord the home circle is no longer attractive. A disrespectful manner on the side of the husband or wife leads to disastrous consequences, JEFFERSON, GA., FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1880. TIMELY TOPICS. The employment of foreigners in the Japanese service is an annually decreas ing number. The Japanese government is having its subjects taught in Europe, in order that they may become compe tent to do the work which Europeans are now paid for performing. One by one foreign employees are being super seded by natives in various departments and public works. The Japanese are a self-helpful people, and will not keep foreigners to do what they can accom plish themselves. Japan, therefore, will soon cease to be a field for the ener gies of educated foreigners. Under the United States postal laws, if you spoil a stamped wrapper or envelope you can have it redeemed at its face value at th*' postoffice. When postal-cards were introduced postmas ters were instructed to redeem such as were spoiled before using at t he rate of four cents in stamps for every five cents in face value of the cards. Many postal cards are spoiled in printing, others in direction, while many printed cards are simply unused. These can all be ex changed at the rate mentioned. A stranger appeared at the Louisville post office recently with 1,000 or 1,000 of these postal-cards per day for several days in succession. The cards were re deemed, but there were so many the stamp clerk inquired, to satisfy his curiosity, where the stranger got them. He said he was buying them up at various business houses, paying forty and fifty cento per 100 for the useless cards. A lieutenant of the Imperial Guard artillery recently confessed to a stern Russian father that he knew something about a revolutionary plot. The news so exasperated the old gentleman that he blew out his son’s brains on the spot, and discharged a second barrel of his revolver in his own breast, inflicting upon himself a mortal wound. Upon entering the house the gendai-mes found father and son lying side by side, the former dead and the latter dying. A1 the members of the household were taken into custody, and among them was discovered the notorious socialist Jurkowski, whom the Russian police had long sought tor in vain. He had arrived at the house with the lieutenant under a false name, and had remained there several days as a guest when the catastrophe led to his detection and ar rest. Jews, Mussulmans and Christians now live in harmony in Palestine, and a non- Mussulman seldom suffers in any respect on account of his creed. Even the red fez is not obligatory on non-Mussulman government servants. European cloth ing is now common, both with men and women, and many of the latter may be seen dressed in the latest Paris fashions. The pashas no longer move about in constant state, but may often be seen on foot in the streets with only one or two attendants. European furniture, chairs, sofas and tables are now com mon. Great bells are now allowed to be tolled in the Christian churches; old Christian churches have been restored and new ones built in Jerusalem, Naza reth, Tiberias and elsewhere. So, also, have a number of synagogues, especially in Jerusalem, been built during these twenty-five years. All this progress must not be taken as a sign of any lax ity in religion on the part of the Mo hammedans, who have during this time built many new mosques and otherwise shown themselves as much attached to their religion as ever. Justice, also, is much more impartially administered, and the old barbarous punishments have been abolished. In Jerusalem the san department is in charge of a Ger man physician and building affairs are in the hands of a German architect. Of the kind of “ nobility ” that exists only in name, France, like Poland and Italy, seems to have a supply sufficient to meet the demands, for years to come, of American girls ambitious to support some impecunious count, and to live in titled unhappiness. Here is a sample advertisement from a Paris paper: “An honorable English lady, married to a French nobleman, is well acquainted with three dukes, four marquises and five counts, belonging to the highest French nobility, who are desirous to marry English or American ladies hav ing enough income to keep up a high rank in the St. Germain society of Paris. The titled persons in question are from thirty to sixty years old. They do not require titled ladies, but honorable ones. The same English lady can pro cure the title of a marquis, and the title of a count to gentlemen of fortune, aged from thirty to thirty-two or thirty-five, if they consent to marry the young ladies who, by contract, can give that title to themselves and to their descend ants. The greatest discretion is prom ised and will be observed. Apply, dur ing a fortnight, etc.” Saved by her pet dog is the experience of Miss Priscilla Harrison, of San Fran cisco. She went out for a walk recently, and for eight days was not seen. When found she was far up in a mountain, and the party was attracted by the barking of two dogs that had accompanied her. It is thought that the dogs saved her life by keeping her warm at night—one sleeping on her feet, the other by her side. The editor of one of two rival news papers in a Western village boasted that he had just obtained a font of new type. To which the other retorted: “Why, we procured ours a long time ago ” FOR THE PEOPLE. A Hermit’s Lite. A letter from Dingmrn’s Ferry, Pa. to a New York paper, says: Austin Sheldon, who has occupied a rocky cave in the forests of Lehman township, Pike county, seven miles from that place, for more than thirty years, living without a companion of any kind, has become tired of leading a single life, and recently became enamored of a girl yet in her teens, who resides within a few miles of the hermit’s abode. The hermit has frequently visited the girl’s home, and the last time he was there he asked her parents to consent to their marriage. Of course, they refused, and ordered the hermit to make a hasty de parture, and never trouble them again. Sheldon felt greatly injured, and has since been looking in other directions with a view to matrimony. Sheldon’s life has been a sad and checkered one. .He was born in the village of Bradford, Conn., in 1806, and consequently is seventy-four years old. In his boyhood he learned the black smith’s trade, and arriving at man’s estate he mysteriously left his home, came to Pike county and purchased a few acres of wild, uncultivated, worth less land. Upon this land was a cave, in which, with a.few alterations, the old hermit has since made his abode. Dis appointment in love is said to have been the cause of his leaving his home. His parents were well-to-do farmers, and it was not until a paragraph appeared in a New York paper a few years ago that they knew of Austin’s whereabouts. A brother and sister came here and visited their long-lost brother, and after staying with him in his cave over night, used e very inducement to have him abandon his lonely and rocky habi tation and return with them to the home of his childhood, where he would be well cared for. He refused, stating that he preferred to die as he had lived, a hermit. They left him some clothing and money and returned home. Shel don has frequently received letters from his family since then, entreating him to abandon his wretched abode. A short time ago he partially concluded to do so, but becoming acquainted with the young girl above referred to, he gave up the idea altogether. Sheldon’s dress and appearance has of late years improved, although he is a wretched looking object yet. This cave is only about 12x14 feet, with a slab roof. His furniture con sists of four blocks of wood for chairs, a box used as a table, a fireplace, over which he does his cooking, and an old rickety rocking-chair in which he sleeps. He has about an acre of land cleared, on;which be grows a little corn and garden truck. What he grows and what is given to him by the neighbors keeps him. He is as deaf as an adder, has been so for years, and persons who visit him occasionally, out of curiosity, converse with him by writing upon a slate, which the old hermit keeps for that purpose. He is intelligent, and reads a great deal. The book he most loves is the Bible, which lid has lead through many times, and most of which he has committed to memory. He has had many hairbreadth escapes. A few years ago his cave was sur rounded by the forest tires, and the old man came near being roasted alive. He once fell from the uppermost branches of a huge chestnut tree, breaking several ribs and otherwise crippling him, and he has been fre quently found in his cave in a freezing condition. That he will eventually be found dead there is almost certain. The Dark Side of Leadville. A letter from Denver. Col., to the Utica Herald, says: I must confess that I have been very much disappointed. Denver is a busy town, but outside this place there is not much of Colorado. You may believe as much as you please about Utica people doing well here and set the rest down as all talk—nothirg more. For instance, I met a carpenter here who is well known to you on Genesee street. He was glad to see one from Utica. He received $2.25 per day in Utica; here he gets $2.50 per day. It cost him $4 per week to live in Utica; in Denver $7.50 per week at the lowest, and not as good as you can live in Utica for $3. All whom I have heard of from Utica as doing well, with one ex ception, would gladly be back in Utica if it was not for pride or fear that they could not get their old jobs. I met a young man the other day driving a dirt cart at S2O per month. I remember him inUUtic a proud, nobby young chap, who would hardly recognize a common person. His parents are well to-do, but he is ashamed to go home again. After living here a short time, young fellows do not care to leave, as they frequently get in loese habits. Gambling seems to be the most profit able business, and leads everything else from the newsboy up to the merchant. There are five thousand people in Lead ville “dead broke,” and they are dying by the dozens. The road from here to Leadville is lined with prospectors, gamblers, banco steerers, cut-throats and thieves. Along the way are dead horses, mules and bronchos, and the stench is fearful. Neariy all that have money start back after staying there a day or two, but the majority “go broke” and fly to the drinking and gam bling shops to see if they cannot pickup enough to get away with. Poor devils come here from Leadville on every train and present sorry sights. An experienced physician says when you wake in the morning rise and dress at once. Never lie and “drowse.” There is no refreshment to be derived therefrom. There is a Vigorous tonic in the morning air. OLD FOLKS. Facts and Incidents abont Men and Women who Have Lons' Passed Three Score Years. Mrs. J. H. Gibbins, of Mount Sterling, Ky., is 108. Sallie Gray, a colored woman of Meridian, Miss., is 117. William Baylis, of Plainfield, L. 1., is ninety-five, and his wife ninety-seven. The baby is sixty-six. Mrs. Frankie Williams, ol Mulilen burg county, Ky., is in her 104th year. W. F. Hicks, of Westville, L. 1., is in his ninetieth year, and has not a gray hair in his head. A Waterloo veteran, named Corneliu Woods, died at Halifax recently in his ninety-third year. Admiral Westphall, the oldest com missioned officer in the British navy, died recently, aged ninety-nine. London, Ont., has two centenarians — Christy McLean, aged 108, and Mrs. Diana Calvers, aged 101. For forty years Mrs. Abram Scott, of Hempstead, L. 1., has been called “ Granny Scott.” She is now ninety seven. A body recently found in the canal at Trenton, N. J., proved to be Thomas Coogan, who _was in his ninety-first year. Henry Green and his wife are inmates of tbe Suffolk county (L. 1.,) almshouse. He is 104 years old, and she is ninety four. Mrs. Mary Simms lived in Quebec when the city was besieged by the American troops, and was born there 107 years ago. Near Rutland, Vt., lives Mrs. Moses Lester, who does ail her own house work, although she has lived a hundred years. Uriah Bedell, of East Meadow, L. 1., is ninety-two, and an active veteran of 1812. Thomas Smith, of Freeport, L. 1., is ninety-one and his wife eighty-three. Although Mrs. Sally Wilder, of Pitts field, Ohio, is in her 101st year, she at tended the Sunday-school festival held recently. Reading, Pa., boasts of its centenarian in the person of Mrs. Merritt, who is now 107 years of age. She has been a widow for fifty years. Mrs. John Wellstead, of Far Rock away, is still active, in good health, and attends to her domestic duties daily, al though she is 101 years of age. Mrs. Sarah Macauly died recently in Baltimore at the age of ninety. Sh i was out riding only a few days before. She wasj a member ol the society of Friends. The oldest practicing lawyer in New York State is Argill Gibbs, of Roches ter. He is in li ; s ninety-third year, lie has had six sons, all of whom have been admitted to the bar. Mrs. Catharine Roberts, of North Al fred, Me., is a brilliant member of so ciety and enjoys excellent health. She celebrated her centennial on the ninth of last April. Two hundred and thirty-five of his children and children’s children were at the cemetery at the funeral of Max Paletski, of Warsaw, N. Y., who lived to be 118. “All that I am intellectually and morally,” said the bishop of Man chester, “I owe to my mother”. Mrs. Fras°r has just died of paralysis at the age of ninety years. Nicholas Manet was 101 years old when he died at Meadville, Pa. One hundred and twenty-three chil dren, grandchildren, great-grandchil dren, and great-great-grandchildren belong to a Mr. Shearer, of Planters ville, Ala., who is ninety-six. When Springfield, Mass., had but 4,000 inhabitants, Elijah Blake made it his home. He died there recently in his ninety-sixth year, lie was an ex member of the State legislature. John Marsh, of Wawayanda, N. Y., although ninety years of age, is pos sessed of a robust and vigorous con stitution, and has nearly all his teeth in as sound a state as when he was a young man. Mrs. Sarah Sanford, of Baldwin’s, N. Y., is in her ninetieth year and ofunim paired mental powers. Two of her sons are Methodist preachers, and two of her daughters married Methodist preach ers. Matthew Robinson, of Lafayette, Ind., is 130 years of age. He says he took the first boat through the Lockport, N. Y., locks; that he went to sea at thirty years of age, and followed that vocation fifty years, and for forty-three years ran on the Erie canal. He nevir wore spectacles, never carried a cane, and never was sick. Bologna. 80-logn-ya is a walled city in Italy, yet it invented sausages. Bologna has no hogs, yet the shops reek with the odors of leeks and garlic. Cairo may have forty-nine smells, but how many has Bologna? There are nineteen kinds of cheese (that are good), and each with a smell—oh, what a smell! There are the shops of cooked vegetables where you buy a boiled hot potato for a soldi, or a half-kilo for five of mem, all these smell; then the sausages. It’s a per fect sausage fair, an industrial exposi tion of Bolognas. They are in links, in gut, in bladders (of all sizes), in cakes, in stomachs, in membranes, in nets, in flask-like forms, in clubs, in cudgels, in canes; sausages smoked, dried, leeked, fatted, lean, spiced, plain, mildewed, decayed, greasy, moldy, red, gray, mottled, broken, tottering with age, or plump with youth. FOR THE FAIR SEX. Curious Statistics of Marriage. It is found that young men from fif teen to twenty years of age marry young, women averaging two or three vears older than themselves; but, if they de lay marriage until they are twenty or twenty-five years old. their spouses average a year younger than themselves; and henceforward this difference steadily increases, till in extreme old age, on the bridegroom’s part, it is apt to be enormous. The inclination of oc togenarians to wed misses in their teens is an every-day occurrence, but it is amusing to find, in tbe love-matches of boys, that the statistics bear out the satires of Thackeray and Belzac. Things for Girls to Know. A United States Senator is reported to have said recently that he wouldn’t give a fig for a girl who could not an swer these questions: “How long must a hen set before chickens are hatched ? How long does a turkey set before hatching a brood? How old must chickens be before they are fit to broil? and at what age are young pigs fit to be roasted?” He says he has trained his own daughter on these points, and thinks that no girl’s educa tion is complete until she can am swer these questions. It all means, of course, that we need more practical education and less of the ornamental. Above all a girl should be educated to be a housekeeper before everything else. Fashion Notes. Red grows more and more fashion able. Parasol costumes are tbe last freak of fashion. Red balayeu es are worn by girls and women of the period. Iridescent bead embroideries on jet continue in high lnshion. Red makes better accessory than a component part of a costume. Black parasols are made very dressy w ith iridescent bead embroideries. Embroidery is preferred to lace fo trimming young girls’ white muslin dresses this summer. Calieo and percale suits, with um brellas to match, are pretty, effective and inexpensive novelties. Some silly old women are wearing pretty white muslin parasol hats, such as young girls affect for garden and lawn parties. Large rosettes of white or pale-tinted satin ribbon, with swinging loops join ing one rosette to the other, are set on the back of white or tinted satin belts to form sash draperies. Square bows of gros grain ribbon, made of three loops and one notched end, drape the sides of taffeta silk over skirts. Close-fitting jackets are preferred to thoie which are loose, and are worn with short dresses, instead of the peler ine mantle, which should always be accompanied by a half-long skirt. For inexpensive thin dresses that will last a season only, tne colored seaside zephyr goods is bought for twenty-one cents a yard, and is in double fold, though not wide. It is a soft cotton labric, very much like English barege, and is shown in pale flue, cream, black, rose and drab. D makes pretty dra peries over a silk skirt, and will be used for furbishing anew lesses partly worn. — Bazar. A Specimen Wambling Trick. A singular method of “ fighting the tiger ” is thus related by a writer in the London Truth: l happened, in re sponse to a pressing invitation, to find myself in a law court, when a curious mode of cheating at faro was shown. The game is played thus; Thirteen cards are spread out on the table, that is to say, an entire suit. A pack o f cards is shuffled by the banker, then cut by a player, when the banker proceeds to draw the cards, one after another, from the pack, first removing one. if a player has put a stake upon any one of the cards which lias been laid out upon the table, he win 1 ', provided his equivalent is an odd card in the pack, and he loses if it is an even one. Now, it would seem impossible that a player could cheat the banker. This i3, however, how it is done: In shuffling the banker generally shows the bottom card. When he hands the pack to be cut the player cuts an even number of cards, so that when the cut is put back by the banker the player knows that what was the bottom card ■will be an odd one, and knowing also what that card will be, can stake upon it with a certainty that he wili win. But how does he cut the number of cards that he chooses? By a very simple process. One side of the nail of his thumb is allowed to grow straight, and a little notch is made in it. Provided the length of the nail from the notch to the end be always kept the same, and that he presses the nail against the cards in cutting, he must always take up ex actly the same number of cards. It is estimated that there will be a production of about 2,250,000 tons cf steel rails in Europe in 1880, which would suffice to lay 25,568 miles of track with fifty-six pound rails. Of this pro duction 775,000 tons are credited to England, more than 400,000 to Ger many, 275,000 to France, 250,000 to Austria-Hungary, 150,000 to Belgium and 150,000 to Sweden and Russia. The hen is a revengeful bird, always “ laying” for somebody. PRICE—9 I >SO PER ANNUM. NUMBER 6. Her Sweetheart. My sweetheart'has a red-brown beard, And bonnie eye of blue, Oi no ten men is he aiear’d, To one wee maid he’s true; For I stand lowly by his side, A lily by a yew. He took a bullock by the head, And bore the bullock down; He threw John Plumber’s lump at lead From Gallow’s hill to town, And yet his arm around my waist Is soft as satin gown. You may have brighter eyes than mine, And better oolored hair, Your hands may be more white and fine, Your tightened waist more spare, You charm all other men —I him, I want no charm you bear. Tinsley's Magazine . ITEMS OF INTEREST. The injury done by insects in the United States is estimated at $200,000,- 000. Did you ever observe that when a blackberry is green it is red?— Kokomo Tribune. The Boston Transcrij t thinks the babv is musical because it has arrived at the bandage. Japan has now a large nail factory, and its products are said to be equal to our best. When a man uses his cane to help him walk it becomes a hurricane. — Meriden Recorder. The total value of the tobacco crop of the United States is about $22,000,- 000 —that is what the farmers realize. The emigration of Chinese from San Francisco is now greater than that from China through the Golden Gate. In the South there are 144 blast furnaces, thirty-nine rolling mills and steel works, and forty-eight forges and bioomeries. A young man boasted that he had a well-stored mind, whereupon a young lady murmured: “.What a pity we can’t find out where he stored it!”— Detroit Free Press. The Russian army comprises 908 gen erals, 31,414 officers and 886,425 men. The reserves number 742,144 men, and the Cossack troops 1,972 officers and 51,359 men, with 105,946 men on fur lough. The express business was organized in the United States in 1839 between Boston and New York, and there are now 160 different organizations engaged in it, representing acapitalof over $30,- 000,000. The latest rage among young ladies is to possess an old fashioned spinning wheel for a parlor ornament. The de sire to possess an old-fashicned wash board and tub as a kitchen ornament doesn’t rage much among young ladies. They are about as handsome as the spinning wheel, but they are not fash ionable.— Norristown Herald. Lead Pencils. Probably there is nothing so univer sally familiar in use and also so utterly unknown to the users in its nature and origin as the common lead pencil, the consumption of it in America alone being estimated by the most c ompetent authority at 78,000,000 per year. Its very name, perpetuating the old leaden plummet familiar among the treasures of the boy’s first pocket, is a misnomer and mistake, “black lead” having no more resembla'nde to lead than chalk has to cheese. Most people suppose the lead is melted and poured into the hole in the pencilwood, but it is ground to an almost impalpable powder, mixed to a paste with water, made into a long coil like wire by being forced through a small hole, just as water issues from a syringe, straightened, and cut in iengths and baked like ] ottery. Th hardness is due to an admixture of clay The pencil is made in two halves b machinery at a cheap and rapid rate, and the processes are among the most interesting in American manufactures. The material called graphite or black lead is as marvelous as India rubber, although less protean. It is simply carbon, and is an enigma and a bundle of inconsistencies. Its unlikeness to lead is suggested by saying that its weight is less than one-fourth that of lead, and that while lead fuses at a low temperature, graphite is not friable at any temperature known; on the con trary, no substance known surpasses it in resisting heat. Newly-Painted Rooms. The danger of inhaling the vapor of turpentine has been long known, and its pernicious influence on the health is be yond all doubt, as has been verified in several cases occurring in persons sleep ing in newly-painted rooms, some of which have even proved fatal. Several theories, more or less plausible, have been propounded to explain the reju dicial effects of the inhalation of these vapors; but, whatever be the correct explanation, there is no doubt of the danger of occupying a room recently painted in which turpentine has been employed, before complete dessication has taken place. It was pointed out by the council of hygiene that a sudden death which recently happened in Paris was attributable to this cause, it being shown that it could not be ascribed to the lead which entered into the com position of the paint of the room in which the deceased slept. The lead, being fixed and non-volatile, cannot in these eases be accused of being the offending element.