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WIT AND WISDOM. 'Electric girls are great on the spark. Up in arms—The squalling infant at midnight. A tea-tot aller—The tea merchant’s accountant. A wife at home is worth two on a visit to her mother. Flirtations are defined as “attentions without intentions.” A promising young man—one who gets his clothing on credit. A crank is a person who does not al ways agree with you, but has an opin ion of his own. “What are clouds ?” Well, one kind is when you call to see your girl and find that the other fellow is in the parlor with her. There are a good many real miseries in life that we cannot help smiling at, but they are the smiles that make wrinkles but not dimples. It is wonderful how silent a man can be when he knows Ills cause is just, and how boisterous he becomes when he , knows he is in the wrong. Foes sisters named Carr were married at Joliet, recently, and the clergyman who performed the ceremonies is now called a patent Carr coupler. We don’t know why the "God of Mar riage is called Hymen, Julia, unless it is because the groom is generally a very “short” man after his marriage. The foundation of every good gov ernment is the family. The best and most prosperous country is that which has the greatest number of happy fire sides. It is vert true, my son, that “Puss in gloves catches no mice,” but then you must bear in mind that a cat that can afford to wear gloves has no need to catch mice. She can buy fish. During the war a great many Amer icans emigrated to Canada. That was because of the draft. Recently numer ous cashiers have sought British soil. This is because of the overdraft. The private letter always beats the public letter in getting into print. The more ‘ ‘private” it is the more certain it is to be published. A letter the writer wants destroyed should never be marked “private.” Hard on him—Mistress: “I really cannot put up with your voracious ap petite any longer, James. Why, even the beasts of the field know when they’ve had enough, but you never do.” Jdtttw “Please, ’m, you never tried me I ’ One of the neatest things said during the campaign was the remark of the St. Louis Post that “the enthusiasm and enterprise with which general Gordon telegraphed for 81,500,000 would seem to show that the Soudan is an October State. ” There is nothing like "trying,” It is related of Rev. Philips Brooks that he conferred with a distinguished doctor of divinity and asked him what he thought of his trying to preach. “You might try,” was the not very encouraging re ply. He did try. “Why don t yon trade with me?” said a close-fisted tradesman to a publisher, the other day, “Because,” was the characteristic reply, “yon have never ivsked me, sir. I have looked ail through the papers for an invitation in the shape of an advertisement.” A traveler through Arabia writes that when a Bedouin is asked to drink his answer would frequently be: “No, thanks— I drank yesterday.” In this country the answer usually is: “Weil, I've teen at it all the morning, but I guess I can stand another.” — Paid the Damages. A n ick driver, waiting in a street of New York city for his passenger, who bad gone to make a call at a mansion neat by, thought it would be good fen to see if he could bring his vehicle round with a sweep that would wrench off the shaky wheels from a littie cart. Dr. Crosby happened to note the movements of the fellow end surmised what his purpose was. So he w alked slowly, with his “eyes open.” Round swept the carriage with the neatest turn. Then followed the snap of the littlr wheels, the barking of the big dog, the cry of tue child and the laugh of the driver as he drove away, and in a mo ment more picked up his passenger and passed from sight. Dr. Crosby had noted the number of the hack. When the poor woman came out he told her to take the cart to a cer tain shop and have it repaired in the very best style and send the bill to him. He then called at the stable where the hack belonged, told the story to the owners and added that he held them re sponsible for the payment of the bill. They denied that they could be held responsble for the injury done, and said they would have nothing to do with the matter. In the course of time a bill of items, which must have made a complete “one-boss shay” out of the rickety little vehicle and which footed np fourteen dollars, was presente d to the doctor. He paid it promptly, and as promptly r< ’ t it to the hac < < fti :C with a note say in.' that if the money was not in his hands by six o'clock legal proceedings would be begun. At five o'clock a mes senger appeared with the amount. ■ with a business eye. The cowboy’s cure for snoring is unique and effectual if not soothing. On the Utah & Northern last Sunday a 200-pound roan laysnoring on two facing seats. His roar had been heard to the discomfort of a car full all the afternoon. At about I p. ci. a cowboy got on at one of the canyon stations. He heard the foghorn with evident impatience for about half an hour or so, when he stepped up to the sleeper and said: “Say, stranger, stop that ar snort or you’ll get fired.” The cowboy was not large, but he was full of guns and there was business in his eye. The big man said nothing, but lay still, and his sleep, if he slept, was as‘ quiet as the slumber of infancy. -Butte Miner. €lje C&ujetk. VOL XI. SUMMERVILLE, GEORGIA. WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 13, 1885. NO. 52. BALLADE OF CHRISTMAS GHOSTS. Between the moonlight and the fire, In winter evenings long ago, What ghosts I raised at your desire To make your Duping blood run slow ’ How old, how grave, how wise we grow ! What Christmas ghost can make us chill— Save those who troop in mournful row, The ghosts we all can raise at will? The beasts can talk in burn and byre On Christmas-Eve, old legends know, As one by one the years re ire, We men fall silent then, I trow— Such sights has memory to show, Such voices from the distance thrill, Ah me ! they come w.th Cmisimas snow, The ghosts we all can raise at will. Oh, children of the vil'.age choir, Your carols on the midnight t row i Oh, bright across the mist and mire, Ye ruddy hearths of Christmas glow ! Beat back the shades beat down the woe, Renew the strength of moral will; Be welcome, all, to come or go, The ghosts we all can raise at will. Friend, sursnm cor da, soon or slow We part, like guests who’ve joyed their fill; Forget them not, nor mourn them so, The ghosts we all can taise at will. —Andrew Lang, in Harper's Magazine, THE CHRISTMAS LOAF. It was Christmas Evo. The snow was falling fast, and little Jack Layton trudged along the busy thoroughfare of N , vainly calling “Matches ! matches ! Buy matches 1 ’ All day lie had been out, but had only sold two boxes; no one seemed to want any matches ; they all seemed too intent on their own pleasure to care for anybody else; and so it was that little Jack, weary, heartsick and cold, dreaded to go homo “Oh, if I could only sell a few boxes bo’s to get enough to buy bread for to morrow!” he said to himself, “I would bo so glad. Poor mamma and Ettie are waiting for me, but I cau't go home yet. I must have some money I” and with those words Jack stopped before a bril liantly-lighted bakery, from which came an appetizing odor, and looked wistfully through the window at the large brown loaves of bread, wishing, oh, so much! that he hud one to take home. “Move on now!” called a rough voice. “Don’t want any beggars prowling round here !” “Are you hungry, my child?” asked a gentleman who was passing, his atten tion diawn by the rough voice and the longing look in Jack’s eyes. “Yea, sir. Oh, sir, please buy some matches; please sir.” “Wait here,” said the gentleman, step ping into the bakery and reappearing in a minute with one of the very loaves Jack had longed for. “There, eat!” ho said, handing it to him. “And now, how much are your matches ?” “Two cents a box, sir.” “Two cents? Well, I'll take as many boxes as my pockets will hold,” said the gi ntleroan, beginning *o put the boxes bis pock'. Is, c uniiug them as he did so. “There; they hold ten boxes; bntwhy don't you eat, child ? I thought you were hungry 1” “So I am, sir; but I want to take it home so’s mamma and Ettie can have some. I can, can’t I?” “And who is Ettie?” queried the gen tleman. “She’s my little sister, sir 1” “Now let me see,” continued the gen tleman; "ten boxes—that’s twenty cents, isn’t it ?” “ Yes, sir; thank you very much.” “But now fs it that a little chap like you should be obliged to be out in this weather soiling matches? Where is your father ?’’ “He is in heaven, sir.’ “And your mother?” “ She is sick, so I have to sell matches so’s as to buy bread for her and Ettie. She used to take sewing before she got sick. I’m most times home by this time, but to-morrow 'is 'Christmas, you know, and 1 wanted to sell al! my matches if I could, so’s a<= I could get some coal an’ wood for a fire to morrow. It’s so cold where I live, an’ we haven’t had a fire this winter.” The gentleman looked down into the honest blue eyes raised to his, and could but believe the story. “ And where do yon live ?•” he queried. “ We live down st firs in No. C street. It isn’t a very nice house, sir, but when I grow up to be a man, like you, I'm going to work an’ then I’ll get a nice one, and then Ettie and mamma will be so glad,” said Jack, his face teaming in the anticipation of the fu ture. “That’s right, my little man. You’ve the right spirit. Keep a stout heart, my litfte lad, and you’ll never fail. There’s the money for the matche*,” and J ro sing a quarter in Jack’s band, he strode away. Jack now took up his basket and wa: .cd with a light step and a light heart to his home, a turuble-down, rick ety tenement far from the busy thor oughfare. ■ • ,-,-n . ,-<n and a 1 gl< ci idly out: “Ob, Dackie’.-> torn, d home at las, an he’s dot a dreat b : d loaf < f bread 1” The room into which Jack entered was utterly devoid of caipet, w aud an old rusty stove, a baekh-ss chair and a bun dle of straw were the only articles there. On the latter lay a woman. Her thin, pale face, with its refined features gave evidence that she was ill, and that she was unused to the poverty she was now in. A bright smile illuminated her face as Jack, having tossed his cap into the corner, seated himself beside his mother with the loaf of bread in his hand. “Oh, pease div Ettie a piece I Ettie bo hundy 1” said Ettie coming forward with a knife in her hand. Mrs. Layton cut the bread with a smile. “Wait, Ettie, and Jack; we must never be too hungry to thank God for our food,” and laying her transparent hand on Ettie’s and Jack’s, she thanked the Heavenly Father for the bread he had sent. “An’, mamma, I tan hang my statin’, taut I ? Tos it’s Tristmas Eve and San tie Tlause ’ll be tomin 1” asked Ettie, as after eating the frugal meal, she stood ready for bed, a tiny stocking in her hand “Yes, dearie 1 but I am afraid he won’t come this year!” “ Es he will, mamma; he tamed las’ 'ear, an’ he brought ever so many tings. Don’t ’ou fink he’ll turn, Dackie?” “Why, yes, Ettie, I,guess, he will,” answered Jack, wishing from the bot tom of bis heart thet he would. “But I am i.fraid lie won’t find us, Ettie,” said Mrs. Lay ton. “Oh, ’es, mamma, he will, tause I’ll ask Dod to tell him de way.” So saying, E tie clasped her tiny hands and rais ing her eyes to heaven she began: “Pease Dod send Sauutie Tans, and sow him de way; don’t ’et him fordet us. Amen.” And with those words she lay down in perfect faith, believing that God would answer her prayer. “And what has my little boy been doing all day ?” asked Mrs. Layton, lay ing her hand fondly ou Jack’s head. Jack *' >ld his mother all be had seen and done, and then ateut the kind gentleman. But he was interrupted by low rap on the door, and upon open Ing irne saw'CTiat very gentleman stand ing before him ! “I have come to see yon, my little man, and have brought a lady to see you, also; Mrs. Johnson, my wife.” Mrs Layton raised herself ou her el bow, a faint flush on her cheek, as in a low voice she bade the new comers en ter. “Jackie,” she said, “get the lady the chair. It is all I have to offer you,” she | explained. “But you will excuse it, 1 know.’ “Certainly I will. Th nk you, my little lad,” she said, seating herself on the dusty chair regardless of her hand some cloak and dress. But a low cry from the ii. valid caused her to start in su rpriso, for Mrs. Layton had recognized in the handsomely dressed lady before her her old friend and school mate of former years. “Oh, Ruby, don’t you know me? Don’t you re member Ettie Wilscn, your playmate, your schoolmate and friend?” In a moment the lady was on her knees beside her, and clasping her arms around Mrs. Layton she kissed her pale lips again and again “Is it possible that yon are the merry, romping little girl I used to know and play with? The sympathizing friend I bade good-by to so long ago ? Oh, how sadly you have changed ! But how is it you are in this strait ?” Then Mrs. Layton began, with her head pillowed on her friend’s bosom, and told her bow her husband had been lost at eea and how she had been obliged to sew for a living, and then how tier over-strained nerves gave way, and thus if was that Mr. Johnson found them when be came back. “Ob, Frank 1 who would have thought I should have found my old friend here. This is Ettie Wilsun, the playmate I have spoken so much of. Oh, Ettie I what a lovely child ! How old is she ? Is she not pretty, Frank?” she said, as she saw Ettie sleeping quietly beside her mother. “She is four years old.” “Four years old? That is just the age my Ettie would have been had she lived. I named her after you, Ettie,” said Mrs. Johnston, her dark eyes fill ing with tears. “What is her name?” “It is Ettie, too,” said Mrs. Wilson. “Oh, Ettie, what lovely children you have! Would that mine had lived, but it was God’s will that they should not. But, Ettie, I am not going to lose sight of you now. I am going to take you home with me to-morrow, and We will all have a merry Christmas. Oh, lam so glad I have found you again ! Well, we will have to go now; but « hat’s this ?” pointing to Ettie’s little stocking from the mantel shelf. “She hung it up f>r Santa Claus,” said Mrs. Layton. “Frank!” and Mrs. Johnson whis pered a few words to her husband, who went out and returned in a few moments with a doll and some confectionery, and filling the tiny stocking, she bid Sirs. Layton a warm good-night and departed with promises to come ou the morrow. Mrs. Layton, with clasped hands, thanked God for bis goodness, while little Jack, bewildered by the strange doings, fell fast asleep. Ettie was the first to awake in the morning; her joyful scream of delight i awoke the others as she came running to j the bed with her stocking clasped tight in her bauds “Oh! ’ook, mamma! I knew he’d tome ! Now Dod sent him, didn't he, mamma “Yes, dearie, He did I’ Just then the door opened and Mr. Johnson entered with a cheery “Good morning.” Tenderly he gathered Mrs. Layton in his arms and laid heron the cushions of the carriage, and then put ting Ettie end Jack in, they drove off and in a few moments were at their destination. Mrs. Johnson was at the door await mg their" arrival. What a happy day that was! Ettie and J ack enjoyed themselves immensely, and from that time Mrs. Layton improved rapidly and in a short time regained her for mer rtrength. But she never forgot that Christmas Eve, when she anticipated such a dreary Christmas, but which was turned into such a pleasant one ! Capturing n Ghost A young man in woman’s dress frees MYSTIC FROM A TERROR-INSPIRING VISITANT. Three ghosts have been frightening the women and children of the village of Mystic,Conn.,for several weeks. Women and girls were at first pursued almost nightly by a tall, white figure that rose up suddenly from the wayside and seemed to their excited fancy to float swiftly on the wind toward them. They sped down the street closely chased by the apparition and dashed into their homes out of breath and fell on the floor. At length the terror became so general that few women and girls ven tured out of their houses after dark and when they did so hurried along the roads, often turning an affrighted glance over their shoulders lest the three ghosts might steal on them unawares. Ni xt n company of young men wasor ganiz d to lay in wait with loaded shot guns for the ghostly disturbers of the peace, and several parties stayed out all night for a week or more, at different points about the village, lying in the frosted grass behind walls or fences, or in the shadow of unlighted buildings. No spectre appeared in the silent streets and the watchers went home and thawed out in the chimney place with draughts of hot cider. Thereupon a committee of two or three young men arrayed them selves in hoop skirts, dresses and bon nets and after dark minced coquettishly np and down the sidewalks hoping to lure the ghosts into pursuing them. For two nights the ruse was without result, but a few evenings ago one of the ghosts was tempted out. He sprang at one of the m:u aueraders who at first fled, hading tht ghost on, until he sud denly wheeled, *d, throwing his arms around the ghost, held him in a merci less hug. The captive was lugged be fore a Peace Justice, who had him locked up. The ghost was a jack-of-all trades of the village. He was sentenced to thirty days in jail for disturbing the peace. The other ghosts have not been seen since the arrest of the first one. The Territory of Alaska The Territory of Alaska, purchased from Russia in 1807 for 87,200,000, has aH area of 580,107 square miles, or a size equal to all of the United States east of tiie Mississippi River and north of Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. Its extreme breadth from cast to west is 2,200 miles. The Island of Attu, in Alaska, is as far west of San Francisco as the coast of Maine is east of that city. The length of Alaska is 1,400 miles, and the shore line up and down the bays and around the islands is 25,000 miles. In other words, the coast of Alaska, if ex tended in a straight line, would belt the globe. Along the entire length of coast its islands are grouped before the gently curving mainland, and between them run deep channels, with a heavy growth of trees and shrubs covering their banks. There are big islands and little ones, but all have-their thick covering of forests, which in nearly every instance have never been disturbed by man. So thickly indeed do the trees grow, and so rank is the shrubbery, that one can hardly travel inland, and the natives of the country depend entirely upon their cedar canoes when moving from place to place. The canoe, in fact, is to the people of Alaska what the gondola is to Venetians; and like the dwellers by Adriatic, those in the far North know nothing of and care nothing for the horses which in other places are so neces sary. Life in Hayti. In the police courts they (the whites), know their fate beforehand. * * * During my stay, an elderly Frenchman was summoned before a Jiige de, pair for an assault upon a black. The evi dence was so much in favor of the white that even the Haytian magistrate was about to acq lit him, when shouts arose in different parts of the court: “What 1 are you going to take part with the white ?” And the Frenchman was con demned. * * * Two brothers were accused of murdering a Frenchman, their benefactor. The evidence against them appeared overwhelming, and their advocate, a thorough ruffian, was at a loss for argument to sustain the defense. At last he glanced round the crowded court, and then turned to the jury with a broad grin and said: “Apres tout, ce n’est qn’un blane de moiiis.” The sally produced a roar of laughter, and the prisoners were triumphantly acquitted | by the tribunal, but not by public opin- ILL ABOUT TAME COBRAS. The Gentleman Nnined Quain* and the Very Narrow Escape He Had. [From tho Youth’s Companion.] Up in Poona, a delicate gentleman named Quain, passionately fond of nat ural history, was visited one morning by three Hindoo snake-charmers. In the bungalow compound, or garden, they showed off their time-immemorial tricks of making cobras raise themselves half up and sway gracefully to the harsh music of bamboo pipes. It occurred to him that he might train a couple of snakes, and be in a po sition to observe their habits closely. He asked the snake-charmers if the fangs of the cobras were out, and seeing that he contemplated purchasing the snakes, they assured him, by Gunputi, that the fangs were undoubtedly ex tracted. For a few rupees he bought the reptiles and turned them loose in his own bedroom, where he used to watch them crawling along the bamboo mat ting, sniffing with their cold noses against the walls, or twisting them selves up within each other’s coils like a slimy knot. He made a little box for them, lined with cotton-wool, into which they used to creep in the heat of the day, for at night-time they were always peculiarly active, probably because the weather then was comparatively cool. In differ ent parts of the room he laid down plat ters full of milk, aud toward these the cobras crawled whenever they felt in clined for food. It would seem almost as if they knew his voice, for when Quain entered the room aud spoke, they would lift their heads and crawl slowly in liis direction. He even had a pet name for each, but I am not aware that any of them recognized it, for when he called, they would both wriggle quickly to his feet. He often fed them himself when they came to him in this way, and many persons used to call and see Quain's loathsome pets, which were con sidered one of the wonders of the Can tonments. Ladies were frequently invited to call at Quoin’s bungalow, and see what a human being could do by kindness, etc., even with cobras; but they were more interested in the phenomenon in the ab stract than in detail, and preferred to stay away and hear all about it from the officers who called upon them. Most of them agreed that Mr. Quain certain ly had very singular tastes, and that it would be an outrage for any person to marry him. Quain, however, lived through warnings and ridicule, and went on feeding his cobras. Quain had a small imported Scotch terrier, which was a great favorite, as it had a wag of the tail and a merry little bark for everybody that looked respect able and friendly. “Zip” used to go regularly into the cobra-room with his master, and, after he became accustomed to the reptiles, would crouch down, bark at them, and then leap and tumble over their backs. The snakes would only wriggle out of the way, Zip follow ing them and barking at their tails, so that everybody believed and said tbs' the terrier and the snakes were the best of friends. About four months after Quain’s pur chase of the cobras, he entered the room with some bread and milk and called them to him. Both glided noise lessly to his feet and lapped contented!) at the milk. Zip, pretending to bo jealous, jumped forward barking, and leaped with his forepaws upon one of the cobras. It shook itself out, and went on lapping. Zip then went for its head, and jumping and running back, barking all the time, made a playful snap at its head. The cobra ceased lapping the milk, reared its head about a foot from the ground, and with its spectacled, outstretched hood, com menced waving the upper part of its body to and fro. Zip made one more jump forward. Like lightning the cobra struck at the dog, and then wheeled off, hissing, to its lair beneath the couch. In ten min utes afterward, after enduring horrible sufferings, poor Zip lay dead with his master almost crying over his body. Quain then learned for the first time that a cobra can renew its fangs in about three months, that his pets had re newed their fangs, and that he had actually been playing with certain death for several weeks. The occidental death of the dog had in all probability saved his life. The Washington Monument.--The Washington monument has reached a greater height than that of any other structure in the world, being 520 feet 10 inches above the floor of the monument. The next, highest structure is the spire of the Cologne cathedral, which towers 515 feet above the floor of the building. It has teen estimated that it will take only twenty-five working days to com plete the monument, so that there is no doubt of its being finished in time for its dedication on the 22d of next Febru ary “What is you (loin o be, Tommy, wheu you dit a man ?’ “I dun know. What is you doin’ to be ?” '‘Why. I’m •loin’ to be a livery stable man, so I can ride in a horse and buggy every day.” “Oh, I know what I’m doin’ to be! I’s doin’ to be a preacher so I can dit chick • ens to eat all the time, an’ poun* cake, too.” TIIE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOYS. The Opportunities the Boy of To-Dny Hn» Over the Other Boy As to the difference between city and country boys it lies entirely in the train ing. The farmer’s son may have the most intelligence as a child, but natural intelligence must be trained and culti vated or it becomes low cuning instead of wisdom. The country boy has a dis trict school, run in almost any fashion, while the city boy has graded schools conducted on the wisest system. So long as he is kept in the country the farmer's boy has no show at 4 all compared to his friend in town in the matter of education. We look at a man’s personal deport ment before we test his intellectual abili ties. The farmer’s son has no associates outside of his own class. The semi-soli tary life of the farm has few refining in fluences. The work must be done ( whether or no, and farm-workers cannot expect time to cultivate song or music. He is not brought into contact at church socials, parties, lodges, lyceums, etc., with the refined and educated. He grows up in his ways and he remains thus. While the social condition of the American farmer is immeasurably su perior to that of any similar class in any country on earth, it is not what it could be made or what it will bo fifty years hence. And now, my boy, says M. Quad who is Jelling the story, let me say to you that no matter what State you live in or what avocation you intend to pursue, you have advantages which you may not fully comprehend. There are no social barriers to keep you down. An honest, truthful, respectable boy or man can step right to the front without capital. His merits are recognized and rewarded. You have advautages over the boy of twenty, ten, or even five years ago. Every progressive step in the country's history helps the boy as well as the man. Twenty years ago the money of the country was handled by men whose gray hairs were supposed to be proofs of honesty, and the business was in the hands of men past 40. To day the country is giving the boys gold en chances. They are put at the day books and ledgers, at the cash desks, in banks and postofflees, in positions of trust and responsibility everywhere, and the active business is in the hands of men between twenty-five and forty. But for the boys who are taking an active part in business to-day the wheels would move slowly. You have the advantages and opportunities; if you miss them it is your own fault. The, United Stalls Senate. One of the strange customs of the Senate is the annual exchange of cards between Senators. Every Senator is supposed to call during the season upon every one of his colleagues. This cus tom has been abridged into an annual exchange of cards. Upon a.fixed day after the season opens each Senator sends out seventy-five cards to his Sen atorial associates, and if the mails work well the Senator finds next morning upon his desk seventy-live cards from Senatorial associates. This may seem a trifle absurd among dign lied men who see each other every day, but rude and careless would be the Senator who would try to break down the custom. He would very soon feel the result of his neglect in his loss of dinner invitations. As dinners are the chief incidents in the career of a Senator, great care is taken to observe every requirement of etiquette necessary to keep the dinner-ball mov ing. A very rigid system of bookkeeping is employed in connection with dinner giving. Each man invited has a dinner charge against him, and when he comes to give a dinner he must discharge his debts by inviting all who have fed him before he can go outside the circle of his credit! rs for guests. A Senator in talking about the pres ent spirit of harmony and good-fellow ship that prevails in the Senate said : “I was never before associated with men who appear to be so utterly devoid of all spirit of envy or jealousy. There is a great deal of good-natured chaff going on, but there is nothing malicious in the floating badinage of the cham ber.” H ■ cintiuned: “ I suppose it can be accounted for in a measure. Most of the men who reach the Senate have been through so much in getting there. The average Senator has been hunted by bloodhounds, torn by tigers and tramped on by wild elephants in his fme, and all this has a tendency to take everything small out of his disposition.” A Kicker. The Los Angeles Express says: Dr. Sketchley, who has charge of the os trich farm at Anaheim, was plucking one of the things one day. When they pluck them a stocking is kept on the head to blind the bird. While he cannot see he is quiet, but if his blink ers gets uncovered then he “goes for” the plucker. The Doctor moved his arm so as to disturb the stocking aud instant ly he saw what he had done, and went head first out of the pen, not caring for i anv more plumes just then. As he tum bled bead first over the fence the bird— he was a jack one, of course—let fly a kick,which, striking a fence board, made 1 toothpicks of a whole panel length. The I mule’s occupation as a kicker is gone in 1 this country since the ostrich came. NOTES' AND COMMENTS. ’ It has been decided by the British courts that when a person insured has not been seen or heard of for seven years, according to the evidence by re la'.ions or others, the presumption is death, and the company must pay up. The wives now living of ex-Presidents are Mrs. Polk at Nashville, Mrs. John Tyler at Richmond, Mrs. Grant in New York, Mrs. Hayes in Fremont, and Mrs. Garfield in Cleveland. Mrs. Polk, Mrs • Tyler and Mrs. Garfield draw from the Government pensions of 85,000 a year. The elaborate icing that imitates frost and ice on Christmas cards is done by scattering particles of ground glass over gummed cards. These tiny atoms penetrate the lungs of the poor girls employed in the manufacture, and either kill them or render them helpless invalids. It is proposed to extend the ceremonies it the dedication of the Washington Monument over a period of ten days, and to ask Congress for an additional ap propriation of 825,000. The affair will be attended by a large number of peo ple, and will be a festive occasion for Washington. Jerry McAuley, the reformed river pirate, who lately died at his mission post in New York, had one or two downfalls after he began to try and live a better life, and said it was not until he quit to bacco that he could keep his temperance pledge. As long as he smoked there was a continued thirst which sent him to the bottle. The Great Eastern will sail soon from Liverpool with goods to the exhibition nt New Orleans. After discharging her cargo the ship will bo utilized as a sort of floating hotel and excursion barge, where all who desire to pay well tor the privilege can enjoy the novelty of living on the water and going back and forth to the shore for business or pleasure. An English statistician maintains that the daily increase of wealth in the United Slates is upward of 825,000,000 or about 8838,000,000 a year, which is one- third as much as the entire increase in wealth of the whole of the rest of the world. England, whose increase in wealth is next to our own, makes only a profit on all her business of 8300,000,000 a year, or but little over a third of own. The vote of Dakota Territory indi cates that southern Dakota has a popu lation of 245,000, and northern Dakota 175,000. The population of the former section therefore exceeds that in 1880 of either of the States of Colorado, Dela ware, Nevada, or Oregon. There seems to be no reason why the admission of one or both of these sections into the Union will be longer delayed. The anniversary of one of the families whose ancestors were hanged for witch ery has been celebrated in Salem. The houses are still standing where the Judges of that famous time lived, aud on »one of the principal streets is a quaint old gabled structure where one of the supposed witches is supposed to have resided. It is now occupied by a corn doctor, who sells witch-hazel ointment to the credulous. The government printing establish ment at Washington is the largest in the world. The buildings cover eight acres of ground. While Congress is sit ting 400 compositors, etc., are at work to print the speeches, reports, etc. There are seventy-five presses in the establishment, mostly of recent con st ruction. A book oi 1,000 pages can hero be composed, corrected, printed aud bound in forty-eight hours. —e Top Dressing Grass Lands. The fall is the best season for top dressing gross lands and putting them in good shape for the spring. When meadows have been pastured the drop pings should be broken up and spread, and all the unconsumed bunches of herbage should be mowed off level. It might perhaps be resented as too trite and unnecessary an admonition that grass should not be pastured down too closely just now, but it is one of those points upon which “line upon line and precept upon precept” is entirely appli cable. For even knowing the unprofit ableness of feeding the herbage which is hard, innutritive, and indigestible, and the injury of leaving the sod bare and unprotected, farmers as a rule neglect the plainest and simplest wisdom in this respect, aud leave their cattle out on tho meadows until the herbage is worn down to the roots. A common objection made to leaving an aftermath upon meadows so that the rank “fog”or dead grass is an obstacle to mowing the next season. This is wholly a gratuitous alarm, and if one needs a proof he is referred to tho wild growths of the prairies aed meadows, which thrive exceedingly well in spite of it. , — A Pair of Large Shoes. A pair of No. thirty-five shoes have just been sent by a Lynn, Maes., shoe manufacturer to their owner a colored preacher of Charlotte, N. 0. The length from heel to toe is just twenty inches, and the width of ball, including a pro tuberance that may be a corn and may be natural, is a trifle over seven and a half Inches. Some idea of the “tout ensemble” may be gained from the fact that a pasteboard copy of the sole of one of the shoes, which a reporter carried in his overcoat pocket, extended from the lowest depth of the pocket to the arm pit. The copy was taken from a meas urement of the bootless foot of the cler gyman, and those who know pronounce it exact. From the forward end of the sole a piece the size of a dessert-plate could easilv lie cut. Scene on railway pla (form at Heidel berg: Traveler to university student— “ Sir, yon are crowding; keep back, sir.” U. S. (fiercely)—“Don’t you liko it? Allow me to toll yon that I am at your service at any time and place.” Traveler | (benignantly)—“Ah, indeed, that is very kind of you. Just carry this satchel for i me to the hotel.”