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By R. S. HOWARD. VOLUME VI. The Country Life. *j o t what we would, but what we must, Makes up the sum ot living; Unveil 1 9 bot h more and less than j ust In taking and in giving. Swords cleave to hands that sought the plow, And laurels miss the soldier’s brow. Me, whom the city holds, whose teet] Have worn its stony highways, Familiar with its loneliest street— Its ways were never my ways. My cradle was beside the sea, And there, I hope, my grave will be. Old homestead'—in that old gray town, Thy vane is seaward blowing; Thy slip of garden stretches down To where the tide is flowing; Below they lie, their sails all lurled, Th# ships that go about the world. Dearer that little country honse, Inland with pines beside it; Some peach trees, with unlruittul boughs, A well, with weeds to hide it; }io flowers, or only such as rise Seli-sown-poor things!—which all despise. Dear country home! can I forget The least ol thy sweet trifles ? The window- vines that clamber yet, Whose blooms the bee still rifles ? The road side blackberries, growing ripe, And in the w cods the Indian pipe ? Happy the man who tills the field, C ntent with rustic labor; Eaith does to him her fullness yield, Hap what may to his neighbor. Well days, sound nights oh, can there be A life more rational and tree ? Dear country life ol child and man! For both the best, tbe strongest, That with tbe earliest race began, And hast outlived the longest; Their cities perished long ago; Who the first farmers were we know. Perhaps our Babels, too, will fall; If so, no lamentations, For mother earth will shelter al!, And teed the unborn nations! Tee, and the swords that menace now Will then be beaten to the plow. —-R. H. Stoddard. KATE’S ADVENTURE I am Kate. Of course 1 can tell my own adven tures a deal better than any one can tell them for me. That stands to nature I'm not a practictd writer, and I don’t know how to produce what the fashion ab!e authors call “grand pen-effects,’’ but 1 believe I can make you under stand how it was. And that is all that is necessary. _ Leeman had sprained his ankle—thatV my brother—and he could not go to town with the load of russet apples that was already piled into barrels, and stood waiting under the big red shed. “ It’s too bad!” said he. “ Those russet apples are worth a deal at this time of yar—and we shaft miss the market day ” ' Car t y u ask Neighbor Hutton to take ilieiu . y ” said my mother. “Neighbor Hutton is a deal too sharp a practitioner tor me,” said Leeman. h’a a hard thing to say about a neigh bor; but I can’t trust his honesty.” “Mr. Hall?” “ Hall would be! casting it up in my face, lor the next six months, that I had a favor of him,” said Leeman. No, Id rather lose the apples than lose ffly independence. But it is too provok ing that 1 must needs, have slipped on that piece of orange-peel, now, of all times in the world. I have been saving up these apples ail the winter with a special eye to this particular market day.” “ Leeman,” said I, “ I’ll go.” Nonsense!” said Leeman. . “ Lut why not ?” said I. “ Old Pomp 15 as as a kitten, and I know every inch of the way.” Hut there are the Red Swamp woods—that desolate stretch of three mhfc3 never a house on either side °i the way, except the deserted cabin where the old negro hanged himself, ‘Wcnty years ago,” argued my mother. ho carts lor the lied Swamp woods.- said I, valiantly I never was , u :aie. °f J rogs and whip-poor-wills, and not going to begin now. Lil, will i° u go out and help me harness early in the morning, and—” Oil, I wish I was going too! Can’t S°. Kate?” cried Lil, my hoiden younger sister, with her blue eyes Entering with delight at the idea of a &ything unusual. tried I, imperiously. “Of you can’t. Hasn’t Pomp a heavy 11 enough, without your ninety Pounds cl mischief loaded on? Be- M es< - Vou must stay at home and take fr- ' 1 mother and Leeman, and finish e chintz curtains for the big west ' Gruber; lor Colonel Hay may come at a ny time now.” llay was our city boarder— gentleman who had been recom enoed by his..physician to try the u > pine-scented breezes of the ‘ mountains, and whom rector had recommended to the Icy b P r *ng farm. * Were tot rich, although mother * Iceman had managed the farm and well since father’s . a. and the weekly addition to our come would be something worth con -Bl(lering. Ti _ idea of a city boarder was very k ' uit, too, and Icy Spring farm was a Vu - °vely spot, although we seldom “owed ourselves to think of that, j °’ aiter a little, I coaxed mother and t;> consent, and the next morn -1,,* f were up long before day ' k, harnessing old Pomp, and getting ioT \ho day’s journey. y l * ie time the red, level light of the - p un touched old Pomp’s gray THE FOREST NEWS. with radiance, I was driving ir o U g . the Red swamp, where the were a l °” "!,' ich “ 10011 its B!,me Md thn ,l °T Wlth Crimso " besoms, and the thrashes and robins called to w’* n ° t^r With flut -like notes. Well, I managed splendidly. I knew where I was going when I started. I sold the six barrels of russets to the man who kept the Park hotel for four dol ars apiece, and that was more than Lee man himself anticipated. “Be careful you don’t get robbed, now,” said the man, as he watched me put the bills into my little leather port monnaie. said I, With a laugh Why, who should rob meP” “ Oh, I don’t know,” said the land lord. “ There’s always tramps and bur £s*® aiOU nd. They’re a drtfp that dorft belong to any particular season of the year.” As I turned away—l did not notice it at the time, but it came back to me after ward, as things do come back, like a sud den flash across the dark shield ol mem ory —a man who was lounging on the steps looked hard at me. I colored a little, and thought to my self: “ Well, he will know me the next time he sees me,” and then forgot all about it; for I had mother’s black bom bazine to mat°h and Lil’s spring hat to buy, and some dinner china to select, and the doctor’s prescription for Lee man to fill out at the druggist’s, so that it was well on to seven when I turned old Pomp’s head homeward in the su burbs of the town, with a feeling of ela tion which was quite pardonable, when one considers my inexperience in the marketing line, and my exceptionally good success. The sunshine was warm and still on the highroad, and I was rather glad when at last we came to the cool shad ows of the R9d swamp, where the birds were all silent in the noon-heats, and the sweetest of oders came floating up from :he t ingled recesses of fern and cowslip on either side of the solitary, railed-in road. All at once old Pomp gave a sidewise start —his ancient idea of snyiug—and then I saw a man, pale, dusty and tired-looking, silting on a fallen log,just outside the road. I felt sorry for him; I was like mother—who never would let ihe shabbiest or meanest looking vaga bond go pa t our house w ithout a draught of milk, or a pie >3 ot fresh baked pie, or a slice of her famous home made bread-cake—and withouts.oppiug to think, I drew in oid Pomp’s rein. “ s Aie you going toward Lenox cross roads,” said I. “Yes?” “Then jump in; Pm going in that direction, too, and l’l give you a lift.” He thanked me in a silent, drooping sort of way, and seated himself on tLe board at the back of the wagon, toward which I pointed with the handle of my whip. “ You look ill,” said I. “ I am not ill,” he said, with a smoth ered cough. “Only tired with my long walk. I didn’t know it was so far to Lenox.” “ 1 suppose you are going for work?” said I. “Deacon Brierley has a good many hands just now, in Lis tobacco factory.” “No,” said he; “ I am not going to work.” I asked no more questions. I did not like the idea of a man’s shrouding him self in mystery in that sort ot way; and, as I glanced around once more, a sudden revelation came across me, like a blaze of light. It was the same man who had eyad me so keenly on~the k steps of the Park hotel. Then I remembered my mother’s words of caution, Leeman’s reiterated exhortations, the landlord’s friendly words of warning. And, in spite of it all, I had deliber ately thrust my silly head into the jaws of danger. There was only one thing remaining for me to do—to get out of the scrape as well as I could. I cast about in my mind how to do this; and presently, with beating heart, I dropped a little paper parcel oi blue ribbon into the road. “Oh!” 1 cried, checking up Pomp, “I’ve dropped my parcel. Would— would you mind getting out after itP” “ Not in the least,” said the stranger, and he climbed laboriously out of the wagon. He had scarcely set his feet on the ground before I laid the whip on old Pomp with a will, and rattled away over the long straight road at a pace taat seemed positively marvelous to me and Pomp both. So we left our passenger behind, in *he middle of the Red swamp. I could see him standing there, blank and astounded, the sole figure in the long perspective, as I ventured to look back; but I onlv whipped Pomp the harder, and never let him ’bate his pace until we were well out of the Red swamp. •* i’ye out-generaled him,” said I, <o myself, “and I’ve saveu Leeman’s twenty-four dollars. I’m sorry about the blue ribbon; but it was only a yard and a quarter, after all, and I can trim Lii’s hat with something else.” They were delighted at my prowess when I related my adventure at home. Leeman declared I was a capital little market-woman; mother shuddered at the idea of the desperate tramp alone with me in the tangled wilderness of the Red swamp; Lil declared that I was a heroine. “ Wan’t it a good idea for Kate to drop the blue ribbon, and send him after it ?” said she. “Kate was a goose ever to let him get into the wagon ?” said Leeman, knitting his brow. JEFFERSON, GA., FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 1880. “ Kate mustn’t go by herseif such a long distance again,” said mother. And I drank my cup of tea, and rest ed myself, and went out nft-rward to see the new brood ot darling little yel low chicks, which old Speckle had brought off the nest during my absence. I was on my knees in the henhouse, feeding them with scalded meal from the palm of my hand, when I heard mother calling me from the house. “ Kate! Kate* come up at once! Colo nel Hay has arrived,” “Colonel Hay?” I started up, looking with blank dis may at my calico dress and the meal stains on'my hands. However, there was nothing for it but to obey the’ summons; so I went up to the house. A sort of blur seemed to come before my eyes as 1 entered lU e sitting-room, and heard mother saying: “ Colonel Hay, this is my eldest daughter, Kate.” And then the blur cleared away, and I knew the man I had twice before seen that day—the pale, tired traveler, whom I had so recklesely abandoned in the middle of the Red swamp. “ I—l beg your pardon, Colonel Hay!” I cried out, immediately. “ I though* you were a thiel!” The burst of laughter that followed from every inmate of the room effec tually scattered every embrassment. That was my adventure. And Colo nel Hay has long since forgiven me that unkind desertion of him. In fact-this is quite private and confidential, mind— we are to be married soon, and I am going with him to Florida, to try the effect of a Southern climate on his health. That is all. Isn’t it enough? The Composition of Dust. The composition of dust is far more complex than most imagine. Even as we find it in the country, when placed under the microscope or subjected to chemical tests, it is found to consist of various decaying, as well as mineral substances, in a fine state of division. Beside the mechanical irritation of tbe panicles, there is aLo that evil which arises from decay. When we come to add to this the still more complex ma terial furnished in city or household ol factory life, it is easy to see how breath ing may be impeded or the apparatus be made to work under disadvantages vSmoke, for instance, is not merely in jurious by the gases it may contain, but because of the noxious floating particles of which it is often the vehicle. The common Household sweeping is illy en dured by those ot weak lungs; and, in the absence of active outdoor exercise is a relief, is badly borne by many women. As we come to examine into the diseases of the wage classes, or of lactory life, it is found that some of the most serious and chronic impairments to health result from this cause. The constant exposure to the dust enfeebles the air vesicles, and often leads to de posits, which become a serious embar rassment later in life. In the case of millers, evidence of their vocation is often found in their lungs, and many a man can have his occupation determined by the mechanical particles in his lungs long years after he has retired from the trade of his early or middle life. We recently attended the proprietor of a drug mill, who, although he had left his work ten years before, in his sputa bore the marks of his business. It is well worth while, in the interest of health, to pay some attention to the pro tection ot the breathing apparatus where there is necessary exposure to such causes of disease. Dust is too often dirt, and aerial sewerage or any form of aerial foulness get into the system through the lungs as easily as do more palpable substances through the stom ach. The lungs, as well as the stomach, receive and elaborate what is equivalem to food. Their structure is more deli cate than that of the stomach; the access to the blood and to the life more direct. W e must see to it that the solid and particulate matter of air is not taken or deposited to a disturbing extent, and that, if there are unavoidable expos ures, we provide ourselves with methods of protection. ills Honor and Bijah. The morning sun was dancing over the floor in double-shuffles as his honor fell into the station, his face flushed, his hair wet, and his general look one ot goneness. “Bjah, did you ever see such a scorcher?” he faintly inquired, as he fanned himself with his hat. “ This ’ere weather,” replied the old janitor, as he stood his* broom in the corner, “is freezing compared to some that I experienced in Mexico. Why, judge, I’ve seen it so hot in Santa Fe that ink boiled in the inkstand while I was trying to write a letter to my mother. I was sunstruck seven times in one day while driving an ice wagon.” “Mi. Joy.” said his honor, as he rose up and moved to his desk. “I was in hopes your late illness would be taken by you as a solemn warning, and I am grieved to fand you still treading that same old path.” “Wasn’t I ever in Mexico?” demanded the old man, as his face grew red. “We won’t argue the case. I am sorry for you.” A bootblack behind the stove here began to grin. Bijah walked over and seized his hair, and gave him a lift in the world and whispered in his ear: “Boy, I want you to understand that I’ve been in more Mexicoes than you’ve got hairs on you scalp, and any more grins around here will lose you the top of your head!” —Detroit Free Press. FOB THE PEOPLE. A Remarkable Sect. Almost everybody at all interested in irregular theology, of which there has been and still is so much in civilization, says a New York paper, has heard of the Agapemone, or abode of love, a queer conventual establishment,founded tnirty odd years ago, by Henry James Prince, at Chariynch, near Bridgewater, Eng land. The inmates cf the Agapemone belong to a sect sometimes called Lam peter brethren, from the place where Prince was educated, and where, while a student, he formed a revival society. Adherents of the sect, of whom there are many in the southwestern counties of England, are generally known as Princeites or Starkeyites. after a clergy man Samuel Starkey, who co-operated with Prince in inventing this peculiar form of religion. Prince was born At Bath, and studied medicine, but being of an evangelico-mystical turn, soon de cided to be a preacher. At Lampeter, where his reputation for piety and learning was high, he began to talk of himself as inspired, showing the ten dency of his erratic mind. After quit ting college he became curate of Char iynch, and preached so extraordinary sermons as al armed his bishop, where upon he went to Stoke, in Suffolk. The promulgation of his fantastic opinions there created a tumult and led to his dismissal. He and Starkey and other Lampeter brothers withdrew from the church and set up a creed of their own. Their sermons drew crowds, many peo ple, especially farmers, accepting their doctrines and bringing their wealth, as in apostolic times, to Brother Prince and for the benefit of the holy cause. Money rapidly accumulated, and Prince and two of the brethern married three handsome and accomplished sisters, daughters of a rich widow, who had become infatuated with their teachings. Prince purchased a fine property near Chariynch, where the brethern and sis ters have lived in luxury for the last twenty years. Prince pretends (he is alive, or was at last accounts, although seventy-eight yeirs old) that his errand is to redeem the body, while Jesus’ mis sion was to redeem the soul; that Christ had selected him to conclude the day of grice and introduce the day of judg ment. Letters addressed to him as “The Lord ” pass tbrough the post, and many of his followers call him their creator. He has driven about Lon don and through the parks attended constantly by outriders going bare headed because they believe themselves in the presence of the Lord. The in mates of the Agapemone, although mar ried, bear no offspring. They hoidthat the population of the world should not be increased ; that any such increase is a crime against God, because the per fection of the human family is, para doxically enough, to come through its absolute extinction. The sect is re ported to be growing. “The Captain’s Daughter,” In 1859 the Caliiornia clipper ship Grayfeatner went on a voyage up the coast for a cargo ot ice, under the com mand of Captain Worrell. Miss Wor rell, a niece of the captain and daughter of another captain, sailed with him. At one time, while sailing among the South ern islands of the Pacific. Captain Wor rell had been poisoned by some vege table poison, and when he got into cold weather he almost invariably felt the effects of it. The Gray feather had not proceeded far up the coast when Captain Worrell's old trouble overtook him, and he was rendered entirely unfit for work. The first mate gave out, too. Storms arose and everybody gave up the ship. Miss Worrell then took command, and with great dexterity and skill navigated . he ship until she brought it safely maid e the cove at Codiac island. She was the first white woman to make her appear ance in that region, and the few Ameri cans there made much of her. Alter that she Bailed with her uncle and her father to almo3t all quarters of the globe. Then she married Captain Du bois. In 1866 he was lost at sea. Her father, uncle and brother soon followed, until she had no relative save a little daughter, now thirteen years of age What little property was left her has disappeared, and with the loss came failing health. To-day she is entirely penniless. No carpet on the floor, no bed, no furniture, no money. J ler littie daughter and she were trying to fix some work yesterday for a store for which they hoped to realize one dollar. Mrs. Dubois appeared to be exceedingly intelligent and well informed. The dis ease from which she is suffering pre vents her doing any manual labor or working on a sewing machine.— New York Herald. Bayard Taylor’s Rules. These are the rules I have always ac cepted: First, labor. Nothing can be had for nothing; whatever a man achieves he must pay for; and no favor for fortune can absolve him from duty. Secondly, patience and forbearance, which are simply dependent on the slow justice of time. Thirdly, and most im portant, faith. Unless a man believe in something far higher than bimself, something infinitely grander and purer than he can ever become—unless he has an instinct of an order beyond his dreams, of beauty and goodness and justice, besides which his own ideas are dark, he will fail in every loftier for of ambition, and ought to fail. The revenue of the imperial family of Russia is $12,500,000. About $2 500,000 is set aside for charities, schools, etc., under thedirection of the family. Drink for the Sick. In speaking of the arnoying thirst of fever patients, Dr. H. H. Kane in nis “ Sick Room ” says: Thirst is a very prominent and annoying symptom ot fever, and one that requires a little con sideration. Plain water when taken beyond a certain amount is very apt to disorder the stomach and bowels, es pecially in fevers where much fluid and but little solid food is taken. Enough water to quench the thirst would cer tainly be enough in most cases to dis order digestion, or, rather, further dis order it, and so important is the little that remains of this function that we cannot aflord to abuse it. Small pieces of ice held in the mouth and allowed to dissolve sometimes answer the purpose, but not in the majority of cases. Up to a certain point, the action of water taken inlernally, in fevers, is excellent; aside from allaying irritation by quench ing thirst, it flushes the kidneys, carry ing off much of the effete material produced by the high temperature. It has been found that the addition of certain substances to water greatly increases its powers to quench thirst. This is especially the case with acids. One drachm of hydrochloric acid added to a quart cf water will give it sufficient acidity to accomplish the desired pur pose, while at the same time it adds to its pleasantness, and sometimes relieves nausea. The use oi acids in levers is highly commended by some authors, and this is, I think, the best way in which to administer them. The same amount of sulphurous acid may be added to a quart of water when the bowels are loose or there is a tendency that way. In these cases acidulated barley water is'pleasant and nourishing. The same may be said of toast water. In constipation, oatmeal water may be used in the same manner. A few tar marinds added to a glass of water will often assuage thirst and open the bowels gently. Dr. Ringer, speaking on this subject, says: Although, perhaps, not strictly relevant to our present subject, a few remarks may be made here conveniently on the drinks best suited to fever patients. To ’hem, thirst is most important and distressing, often cause ug much restlessness and irritability, these in their turn often increasing the fever. The urgent thirst must therefore be allayed; but il left to themselves to satiate their craving, patients will always drink to excess, which is very liable to disarrange the tomach, impair digestion, produces flatulence and even diarrhea. Theory and experience both show that drinks made lightly bitter and somewhat ac ; d slake thirst most effectually. A weak infusion of cascarilla or orange peel, acidulated slightly with hydrochloric acid, was with Graves, of Dublin, a favorite thirst-allaying drink for fever patients. Raspberry vinegar is a useful drink. Sucking ice is very grateful. Sweet fruits, althought at first agree able and refreshing, must be taken with care and moderation, for they often give rise to a disagreeable taste, and are apt to produce flatulence and diarrhea. Blind Bog’s Buff. Says the Carson (Nev.) Appeal-. The Indian and Chinese boys have dis covered a curious way to utilize dogs in their games. They frequently play ball and make a dog do the fielding. Their last trick is to cover a dog’s head with a gunny sack and make him play the lead ing role in a game of blind man’s buff. The and, g enjoys the sport as much as anybody, and allows the youngsters to tie the sack over his head without pro test. They then scatter with a wild shout, and the dog, singling out one of the crowd, runs him down, following him by the scent alone. In one instance the writer saw the dog pick his way across a plank which bridged a stream, and on one occasion when a boy took to water, the dog lost the scent and de clined to trust himself to the stream. Tne dog will sometimes chase a boy five minutes before catching him. The white boys have tried to utilize a dog in this manner, but seem unable to make the animal see where the fun comes in, ann all efforts to hoodwink dcgs with gunny sacks have been fruitless. Doubtless the reason of this is that dogs have learned to mistrust the advances of the white boys, having in their minds vivid recollections of tin pans appended o their tails. “ Census." The word census had its origin from the office of censor in Rome, one of the duties of which was to estimate (cen sere) the number of citizens and the value of their property, and apportion taxes accordingly. In the middle ages the word was applied principally, if not wholly, to the practical work of taxa tion, but in modern times it has lost this meaning. The enumeration of the peo ple of the United Stab- s provided for in the Constitution is the first modern in stance of an undertaking of the kind. The first United States census was (exclusive then of Ireland) not until 1810. In the United States, the census serves chiefly a political purpose, afford g the basis of representation in the lower house. In Great Britain its ob ujectis entirely statistical and eoonomi cal. The golden oriole devours the potato beetle with relish. A pair of these beautiful birds have taken charge of a potato patch near Rochester, and are keeping it free from beetles. The young orioles that have been raised in the nest in the elm tree near the patch have grown fat on this tender food. TIMELY TOPICS. Mr. Harry Blythe, in his “ Scraps from an Epicure’s Tab'\” as-erts that tea should never be used at the same time with animal food, asthe tannin impedes the assimilation of muscular fiber, al though it is useful a couple of heuts after eating, as then it assists the later processes of digestion. It has always been understood that tropical races enjoyed earlier de velopment and earlier decay than those of more northern latitudes, and the fact has seldom received better illus tration than in the suicide of Geronimo Grenado, a Mexican boy, fifteen years old, living in San Antonio, Texas, be cause poverty and parents prevented his marriage to a young lady of thir teen summers. On the recent sixth anniversary of the abduction of Charley Ross, his father remarked: I have now absolutely no clew. I was not aided in my search by any detective, public or private. Every clew that has proved of service I worked out myself. When the com bined detective talent lound itself at fault, it turned its skill toward proving the father the author of the abduc tion. The results of soundings over the bed of the Atlantic have made clear, it is believed, the existence through the middle of the ocean, extending from north to south, of a sunken ridge, often less than 1 000 fathoms from the sur face, while on either sice the water Ims a depth of from 3,000 to more than 3,450 fathoms; so that the elevation of the ocean’s bottom required to make these depths dry land would bring up be tween them a mountain range from 9,000 to 15 000 feet in height. The higher points ot this sunken ridge now form the islands of the Azores. The steamer Gulnare, which is to con vey the Ho wgate expedition party to the Polar regions, will proceed to Greenland. After landing the permanent colony cn Lady Franklin hay the steamer will re turn to the United States and be loaded with supplies and such other articles as may be needed, and will then sail again for the bay with another land party to take the place of the one now sent out, which will explore the interior of the Arctic country. An abundance of and oes and sleighs have been provided, together with experienced guides, who will be employed in the advance toward the Pole. The census makes striking changes in he table of cities. New York, Phila delphia and Brooklyn retain their places at the head of the list. St. Louis which was iourtli in 1870, has changed places with Chicago, whieu was then fifth. Bo ton is now sixth, having gained a point at the expensed Baltimore. Cin cinnati remains where it was. San Francisco has also gained, New Orleans receding to the tenth place. Washing ton, Cleveland, and Pittsburg have gone ahead of Buffalo, which had the eleventh place in 1870, but which now drops to the fourteenth place. Newark comes next, and is followed by Milwaukee, Detroit, Louisville and Providence. Lead vide, Col., now has a population of from 25,000 to 30,000, and with regu lar streets and substantial buildings. The city government was organized April 14, 1879. Already it has estab lished a fire department, introducing a fire-alarm telegraph, and created a good police force. A system of graded schools has been adopted, affording instruction for about 1,500 pupils; and anew school house, to co3t $30,000, is soon to be built. There are thirty two street lamps lighted by gas, and the principal public and private edifices have the luxury of gaslight. The city, in its work, has gone on the pay-as-you-go principle. The rate of taxation has been t \ o cents on a dollar. Marvels Performed by a Blind Mad. There recently died at Burlington, Conn., one James Goodsell, who, from his birth, during a life of nearly ninety years, has been totally blind. In spit of his misfortune, he wou.d swing an axe with dexterity, and leiled trees; he was an accomplished grain thresher, and would frequently go a.one a dis tance of two miles to thresh for the farm ers, climbing the mows to throw down the grain; he could hoe corn or garden stuffs as well as anybody, having no trouble to distinguish the weeds; he would set 100 bean poles with more ac curacy than most people who can sec; would load hay; and was so good a mechanic that he manufactured yokes and other articles with success. He had an excellent memory, and was in au thority on facts and dates. He could generally tell the time of day or night within a few minutes. One instance is given when he siept over one day and awoke at evening, thinking it was mo ■n ing. For once ne ate supper for break fast, but when informed of his mistake, slept another twelve hours in order to get straight again. He waa familiar with forest trees, and knew just where to go for any timber desired. He could direct men where to find a chestnut, a maple, or an oak, and the children where to go for berries. He was a good mathematician, and could compute ac curately and rapidly. In olden days he was quite mmically inclined, and, like most blind people, he had a genius in that dirt ction. He was at one time leader of the Presbyterian choir. To crown aii, he possessed one of the hip piest dis positions, aad was ever genial and cheerful. To this end his generally excellent health largely contributed, PRICE-3 1.50 PER ANNUM. NUMBER 10. The Rain. My very soul smiles ns l listen to The low, mysterious lmtghier < 1 the rain, Poured musically ov*r heart and brain Till weary care, soaked with it through and through, Sinks, and, with wings wet with it as with dew, My spirit flutters up, with every stain Wasi ed Irom its plumage and as white again As when the old laugh ol the rain was new. Then laugh on, happy rain! laugh louder yet; Laugh out in torrent bursts of watery mirth; Unlock thy lips of purple cloud nd let Thy liquid merriment baptize the earth; And wash the saJ face of he woild, and set The universe to music dr.pping wet. James W. Rtley. ITEMS OF INTEREST. The German army has now a war strength of 2,000 000 of men. There were 40,000 cars builfc in the United State last year, and there will be about 50,000 built this year. The Honorable R. G. Horr quaintly describes operatic singing as that sort of music where “ they squeal and go up and then choke and come down.” The foTty-two designs sent in for an equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel, in Venice, have provoked “ more laugh t< r than anything else.” The Venetians call them “a horse show.” A Denver man has had a horse stolen, and, in a busine-s-like manner, offers three rewards—sso for the thief, SIOO for the horse and thief, and S2OO tor the dead body of the thief. ‘‘What! only live policemen for a town like this?” exclaimed a traveler. “ Oh,”replied the native, calmly, “ they have no difficulty in keeping what little peace we have.”— Boston Transcrijt The New York Baptist city mission havedecided to conduct a tent campaign this summer. A tent capable of seating 2,000 people has been secured and set up at Second avenue and Twentieth street. One of the life convicts in the peni tentiary at Lincoln, Neb., is given the free lorn ot ihe city, and the prison officials think he cannot be driven away from the residence the State has provided for him. A troublesome dispute as to whether the wa ( er ol a thermal spring, discov ered in the St. Gothard tunnel, belonged to the Canton of Uri or to the Confeder ation, lias been peaceably settled by he almost complete disappearance of he water. A farmer who lately died near Springfield, Id , bequeathed SI,OOO each to four churches in that city, the inter est only to be used to pay for an annual sermon in each church, on the goodness, greatness, mercy and unbounded love of Jesus as the redeemer of tue world. Chinese Contrariness. In alettei from Soo-chow, China. Rev. H. C. Du Bose gives some amusing ex amples of Chinese contrariness: “D t-Secn-San, will you let me ask i any member of your family is deadP’ was the question when I came out in a suit of linen last summer. Black with us is mourning, and they have the oppo site color. In foreign lands green and blue, brown and red silks % are lor ladies; here a gentleman may have a red bon net, a black satin jacket, a blue silk robe, green trousers and embroidered slices. Our shoe soles are black, a Chinaman’s white. sTou run your arms in the sleeves and then draw on your coat, our friends first put on the gar ment and then run their arms in. We wear hats in summei and John goes bareheaded; we take off our hats in the house, and he keeps it on as a mark of x'espect. You go to see a friend, and in the corners of his reception hall stand two big black coffins; you shudder, but he looks with a smile upon the big red chaiacter. “ happiness,” stamped upon them. To take this method of being a dutiful son, you think, suits the coun try where the magnetic i eedle points to the Bouth. “ Good-morning, Mr. John Smith,” and you grasp his friend ly hand. While you are speaking, up walks a Celestial friend. “Smith John Mister, nave you eaten rice,” and shakes his own two hands at him. What if men fly kites and boys look on, and boys play with dolls and girls look on? It is all just as you look at it. Ii a man wants to eat his dessert of candy and watermelon seeds nrst, and then rice and greens, why it is only a matter of taste I To locate knowledge in the brain will do for foreigners who have only twenty-six fetters, but they keep these 10,000 char whaeters Coichnfucius made in the ‘ dobee,” or large central portion of the body. For certain m iladies a physician prescribes vermifuge; here the lemale dentist cures toothache by extracting worms from tbe teeth. In America, lightning kills; in China, thunder. You pat a frieud on the shoul der; here it means calling a man a thief. That little girl in Sunday-school with blue eyes and golden curls—it is no use to say vhat you think. This black haired race think her eyes are white and hair uncombed. How merry a dining with the gentlemen and ladies at sepa rate tables in different rooms! Our streets are filled with pack-mules aud drays; in the middle kingdom “ m-n are beasts of burden.” You know you have never seen a city, for a city c mrot be a city without a city wall.