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The Jesup Sentinel
in the Jesup House, fronting on Cherry
street, two doors from Broad St.
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY.
... BY ...
TANARUS, P. LITTLEFIELD.
Subscription Rates.
(Postage Prepaid,)
One year $2 00
Six months 1 00
Three months 50
Advertising Rates.
Per square, first insertion $1 00
Per square, each subsequent insertion. 75
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vertisers.
TOWN DIRECTORY.
TOWN OFFICERS.
Mayor—H. Whaley.
Connoilmen—Dr. It. F. Leeter, It. A. Eler
bee, M. W. Surency, A. B. Purdorn,G. M. T.
Ware.
Clerk and Treasurer —G. M. T. Ware.
Marshal—Wm. if. Austin.
COrXTY OFFCKRS.
Ordinary—Richard B. Hoppt.
Sheriff—John N. Goodbrcad.
Clerk Superior Court —Benj. O. Middleton
Tax Receiver—J. C. Hitcher.
Tax Collector —W. U. Causey.
County Surveyor—Noah Bennett.
County Treasurer—John Massey.
Coroner—D. ItcDitha.
County Commissioners— J. F. Kins, G.
W. Haines, James Knox, J. G. Rich, Isham
Reddish Regular meetings of the Board
2d Wednesday in January, April, July and
October. Jas'. F. King, Caairman.
COURTS.
Superior Court, Wayne County—Jnq. L.
Harris, Judge ; Simon W. Hitch, Solicitor-
General. Sessions held on second Monday
inMtrch and September.
BMstm, Pierce (fitly Gtorlia
TOWN DIRECTORY.
TOWN OFFICERS.
Mayor—R G. Riggins.
Councilman —D. P. Patteron,J. M. Downs
J. M. Lee, B. D. Brantly.
Clerk of Council—J M. Purdom.
Town Treasurer—B. D. Brantly.
Marshal —E. Z Byrd.
COUNTY OFFICER*.
Ordinary—A. J. Strickland.
Clerk Superior Court—Andrew M. Moore.
Sherifi-E Z. Byrd.
Connty Treasurer—D. P. Patterson.
County Serveyor—J. M. Johnson.
Tax Receiver and Collector—J. M. Pur
doth.
Chairman of Road Commissioners—llßl
District, G. M., Lewis C. Wylly; 12 0 Die
trict, >. M„ George T Moody ; 584 District,
G. M., Charles 8. Yonmanne ; 590 Dietriot,
G. M-. D. B. McKinnon.
Notary Publics and Justices of the Pease'
etc Blaekshear Precinct. 584 district.G.M.,
Notary Public, J. G. S. Patterson; Justice
of the Peme, ft R. James; Ex-offioio Con
stable E. Z Byrd.
Dickson?s Mill Precinct, 1250 District, ©
M , Notary Public,Mathew Sweat; J -sties of
the Peace, Geo, T. Moody ; Constable, W.
F. Dickson.
Patterson Precinct, 1181 District, G. M.,
Nota y Public, Lewis C. Wylly; Jnstice of
the Peace. Lewis Thomas; Constables, H.
Prescott and A. L. Griner.
Schlatterville Precinct 590 District, G. M
Notary Public, D. B. McKinnon; Justice o_
the Peace, R. T. James; Constable, John W
Booth.
Courts—-Superior court, Pierce county
John L. Harris, judge; Simen W. Hitch
Solicitor General. Sessions held first M<m
dry in Moich and fecpicmoer.
£ o ri*oration court, Blackshear, Gfi., session
be*! second Saturday in each Month. Police
court sessions every Monday Morning at 9
o’cloek.
JESUP HOUSE,
Corner Broad and Cherry Streets,
(.Near the Depot,)
T. P- LITTLEFIELD. Proprietor.
Newly renovated and refurnished. Satis
faction guaranteed. Polite waiters will take
your baggage to aud from the house.
BOARD $2.00 per day. Single Meals, 50 its
CURKKN T PARAGRAPHS.
Southern News.
Corpus Christi, Free Press: While
shearing a long-wooied sheep, the other
day, Fred. Frank, encountered two small
moccasin snakes that had ensconced
themselves in the anirn al’s fleece close to
the skin. They had evidently been
making themselves at home for some
time.
Corpus Christi, (Texas,) Press: Tb
flood of water on the prairies in many
piaces has forced the rats and skunks to
abandon their ground lodgings and seek
friendly perches above high water mark.
The prickly pear affords temporary re
spite for the rats, while the skunks along
the line of the railroad have a partiality
for mile posts.
Gen. E. P. Alexander,the newly elect
ed president of the Georgia railroad, is
but forty-three years of age, but has al
ready made his mark in many ways.
He is a native of Wiikes county,Georgia,
and graduated with high honors at West
Point. He was in command of the post
at Puget Sound when the war broke out,
but hastened home and entered the cons
federate service. He succeeded Gen.
Stephen D Lee in command of the bat
talion of artillery that was always in the
front in the Army of the Potomac. By
continued promotion he became chief
of artiiiery of Lee’s army. After the
war he served with great credit as pro
fessor of mathematics in the South Caro
lina university.
Washington Notes.
A bill has passed the house providing
Coi cutting timber ia the mining regions
of the country It provides that timber
mav be cut upon the mining lands of
Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona,
Utah, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, and
other mining districts, without cost, for
mining, agricultural and domestic pur
poses, under such restrictions as may be
adopted by the secretary of the interior,
to protect the undergrowth and timber
from waste-.
What the noiee was.— A character'
istic story ia told at a burlesque writer.
When a favorite domestic drama was
once brought out, a terrible wait occur
red. on the night of its production, after
VOL. 11.
the second act. The orchestra had exs
hausted its repertoire, and still the cur
tain remained down. Presently a harsh
grating sound was painfully audible
from behind—the sound of a saw Strugs
gling in rough wood. “What is the
noise?” impatiently asked a gentleman
of the author. “Well, I can’t say,”
answered he mournfully, “but I suppose
they are cutting out the third aet.”
THE RUSSIANS IN NEW YORK
Popular Sentiment in Regard to European
Affairs.
About three-tburths of the New York
merchants have no idea that England
and Russia will go to war ; these think
that Russia is too clever to risk her
conquests ia Turkey, and two English
commercial clas= too apprehensive not to
be content with the military ardor and
public unity England has already dis
played. The other fourth of our critics
say that Disraeli is subtle and ambitions
of a great war on personal account before
he “passes in his chips,” and that the
British military and aristocratic classes
want fighting to make vacancies and
promotions, and stop agrarianism and
agitation. It is well understood that
the drift of British agitation, as directed
by such differing spirits as Derby Glad
stone and Bright, is toward disestablish
ing the state church. Lord Derby
belongs to what is called the Iconoclastic
Tories, or Lancashire Conservatives.
The English church, as well as
the military, navy and feudality,
not to mention the populace, therefore
favors war. England has no enemy
but the Irish, who are always hostile,
not less in peace than in war. The
United States ia tied up by recent treat
ies, and under the cold serenity of Hayes’
government would undoubtedly suppress
Fenianism and privateering with more
vigor than has ever been shown in fili
bustering periods here. I have heard it
said that, as to privateers, our govern- ■
meat would have more difficulty in the
south than in th 9 north ; yet the south
is almost without naval officers now, the
old supply of 1861 being pretty well dead
or disabled.
New York, however, is full of Russian
officers, American contractors and go-be
tweens. I was introduced to a Russian
naval constructor yesterday, a little fel
low who looked a cross between a German
and an Englishman, with an indescriba
ble suggestiouT); a rat somewhere about
hiu Tartar-tike huni ® JCO tails* Wvvii i—.' ‘
moustache. He spoke a little English,
assured me that everybody in Russia
now, heretofore and forever had loved
the United States, and as to war said:
“We don’t care if we have it; we Rus
sian officers are leady for anything. The
general impression I. have obtained from
these Russians envoys is not favorable to
their intelligence, audacity, arid phy
sique to whip the English. There is a
suggestion of the meagre, unindividual,
passive Asiatic about most of them,
children of unquestionable despotism
with mere iimningof individual manhood.
Yet they tell me that Russia is more
easily made a republicjjthan any state in
Europe; that the czar could order it and
be a Washington with hereditary rights,
having the sincere love of all his people
but the Poles, and politically oppoied by
the nobility more than the people. Be
sides, the Russian priesthood has no
influence, as it has in England and most
continental nations. Between an ab
solute and a free government in Russia
there is neither a secular nor an ecclesi
satical nobility of influence, but there is j
vast ignorance and inexperience. Russia i
is in a terrific, yet golden moment; vie- :
tory, liberty, danger and revolution!
without and within her. Yet she cannot;
be revolutionized and still beat her j
enemies, as France did in 1792. The
France of to-day is less a mililtary power
than the Franci which had not an ally
in Europe, the France of Robespierre.
For the first time since the Tark was
beat&n by Sobieski at Vienna, the Asiatic
hosts are to be called into a European
war; 300,000 British Mohammedans and
a vast levy of Tartars. War, therefore,
between Russia aßd England must con
vulse Asia and lead to emigration from
Asia to America. It is here that the
labor reform party, already organized
among ns, may find fuel; for, under the
joint propulsion of war and famine, the
mild and observant devotees of Asia
must be keeping a wistful eye on Arner
ica. It i3 nearly a century since the
world experienced a revolution, and in
the interval what vast agencies have been
let loose upon it!
The Americans are said to be indulging
in their old speculative habit of running
up the prices of their steamships, in ex
pectation of a Russian market. I hear
that out of 132 steamships owned here
only about 30 are good racers. It is
understood that the Morgan steamships,
which are among the best, can not be
bought. There is a general look of cov
etousness on the Philadelphia line, which
is mmored to be speedy. Of this he
certain: That the Ruseians are here,
ready for mischief, and already being
piloted up and down and kept well
posted (by Americans, and probably the
injuries they design on British commerce
ia tbe most conservative influence to
wa'd restraining the English from a war
tbs' would be otherwise manifestly pop
ular.— [“ Gath.”
JESUP, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 18$.
BtAUTIFUL THINGS
HY KLLKS P. ALLERTON.
Beautiful fp-oes rig those that wear—-
It matters Utile If datk or fair—
Whole-souied honesty printed there-
Beautiful eves are those that show.
Like crystal panes where tieirth-firw glow.
Beautiful thoughts that burn below.
Beautiful lips are those whose vrortis
Leap from the heart like the songs of birds,
Yet whose utterance prudence girds.
Beautiful hands are tho e e that do
Work that ia earnest and brave and true.
Moment by moment the long day through.
Beautiful het arc those thafcpo
On kindl. ministries to ana fro
Down lowliest ways, if God wills it so.
Beautiful shoulders are those that beer
Cease>e!esa burdens of homely oar<*
With patient grace and daily prayer.
Beautiful JKee .ne tboee that bJeae--
Blient rir- rs of happiness,
Who*e hidden fountain but few may guess.
Beautiful twilight at set of sun
Beautiful goal with race well won.
Beautiful rest, with work well dine.
Beautiful graves, where grappa creep;
Wheie b ow ' leaves fall, where driftslie deep
Over worn out hands—ob, beaulifui sleep.
THE HAUNTED HALL.
Such a magnificently grand old place
it was—immense gloomy, pitu esque,
and so strongly flavoring old time days
when fair women wore fashionably the
costume of five hundred yeara ago, and
were courted by lordly knighta in plumes
and swords, and embroidered velvet
short-clothes; when love was true and
ardent as to day—the love of those who
centuries ago lived, and died, and are
forgotten.
It was a glorious place to romance over,
to revel in, to explore, and Jessamine
Grey, when she first stepped across the
modern little bridge so light and elegant,
where had once been a cumbersome great
drawbridge, gave expression to her de
light in enthusiasm that amply repaid
her indulgent father for having given
way to his daughter’s latest whim, the
purchase ol Blue Court Hall, which for
years and years had stood grim, deserted,
picturesque, and the transformation of
portions of it into an elegantly comfort
able gentleman’s country place; a trans
formation which, at a fabulous cost, had
not been permitted to interfere material
ly with the solemn grandeur of the place.
Mr. Grey looked steadfastly at Rdf
Vernon as Jessamine clasped her gloved
hands in irrepressible ecstasy ; and Rolf
Vernon turned his handsome, Isry blue
cjr nailvGisgiy upr-i the girV • f^wnn,
lovely face.
“ Oh, papa ! oh, papa! it is perfect, it
is sublime ! Only see those great, glori
ous lowers rising up beyond those sway
ing, solemn trees; and the windows,
papa, those darling little diamond panes,
set so heavily in lead ! Why, I can
easily imagine 1 am about entering an
old baronial castle! Can’t you, Mr.
Vernon ? ”
Jessamine’s shining black eyes were full
on his face; her delicately flushed cheeks,
her wiud-blown hair, her slender, wil
lowy figure, all appealed to Mr. Vernon,
as they had been in the habit of doing
lately, and his blue eyes took in a sparkle
of something more than admiration as
he answered her:
“ I quite agree with you, Miss Jessie ;
Blue Court Hal! is superb. And, be
sides all the visible attractions, there is
doubtless its legend, which will be in
good keeping with its ancient grandeur
and hoary beauty. And you like tradi
tions?”
He had a remarkably pleasaut voice,
sweetly intoned, aud a quiet, leisurely
way of speakiDg that was well bred
grace personified.
Mr. Gray leaned over the slim iron
sides of the airy little bridge, looking
down into the clear lakelet beneath—the
lakelet that once had been a moat, hut
which art bad transformed into a swift,
charging current, cool and sparkling.
“ There is a legend, of course,although
I must confess I have forgotten it. I
remember bearing the agent for the
Courtland family say that the red room,
an apartment on the second floor, was the
i reputed scene of the tragedy from which
| the tradition of the usual restless ghost
i sprung.”
1 Jessie listened breathlessly.
"A ghost, papa! a real live ghost!
Oh, how splendid! I do hope it is a
lady, a beautiful lady, who died for
love 1 Papa, I am going to consult the
diagram, and select the red room for toy
very own.”
And as she walked on ahead of the two
gentlemen, so fair, so winsoma, so full of
girlish exuberance and grace, Rdf Ver
non wished that all he had to do was to
select her for his “very own.”
•* ir * # -* ■
The summer days at Blue Court hall
sped by as if on enchanted pinions.
Guests by the dozen idled away the
long delicious days, whence sultry neat
seemed to have fled, and where cool
breezes seemed always softly blowing
from the adjacent hi! lk, or off the rip
pling lake, or among the huge spreading
trees.
Life was an idyl there, that blessed
summer time. Happiness,content, gayetv
and innocent revelry ruled the day, and
in her role of hostess, Jessie Grey was
the perfection of giad, unfeigned wel
come.
And Ptoif Vernon was not the only one
I who was enchanted with the fttf. sweet
girl whose laugh was mirth ’idealized,
whose fresh, gay voice was a wee' as the
chime of silver bells.
Rolf Vernon was not the only aspirant
for the heart and hand of Jessie Grey—
aud even the girl herself saw the rivalry
going on between him and s."“.ranee
Gresham--Gresham with his dark Italian
beauty ot ebony hair and eye , - -nd clear
olive skiu that was such a contras! u> the
fair English beauty of the other, with
the bright blue eyes and c!ose-ei]t blonde
hair and heavy golden moustach.
Nor could any ene guess fie girl’s
choice. Not exquisitely partis ’to Roll
until he was in a seventh heaven* 1 hope
ful anticipation, she would • •idealjr
neglect him pointedly, and clirec i her
witching ways at Mr. Gresham.
And so the little flirtation went on ;
the midsummer days came and passed,
and September, the glory of th > year,
brought its golden haze, perfect sunsets,
and deliciously cool nights until a storm
set iu—a storm that came suddenly up
over the sea one night, and surprised
them all with its dun dripping skies and
howling winds one morning when they
arose after a late evening frolic in purest,
clearest moonlight.
Then the order of exercises was sud
denly changed. Carpet dances and
billiards, parlor croquet and amateur
theatricals, tableaux, and eliarudea took
the places of outdoor amusements. And
still the storm held n, day alter day,
until it seemed that blue Bkies would
never shine again, until invention was
exhausted, aud the youug people began
to wonder what in the world they would
do to keep alive.
“Oh, I’ve just thought of something
perfectly glorious. We’ll read the story
of the legend of Blue Court Hall. It’s
written in the funniest little crampy
hand on old yellow parchment, and then
we’ll explore the haunted room, shall
we? I thought that the room I have,
that used to be Lady Sicily’s,-was the
hauuted one, but it seems it isn’t. And,
oh 1 to-night is the anniversary ol Lady
Sicily’s tragic death—the very time old
Magan says we can have our future read
for us by her spirit if we’re brave enough
to go into the haunted room alone.”
Jessie’s delicious hit of information
was received with various expressions of
satisfaction or the contrary ; some relig
iously believed the legend ; some indig
nantly repudiated such e rifli'-- 'us su
ys m.Lo. j. T-nvlrars ■ ad, /
some—Rolf Vernon and Laur.io Gres
ham, were instantly in for the liovel
sport of the thing.
“Of course we’ll pay Lady Sicily a
visit! Is there a man with gallantry so
deficient as to refuse audience to the fair
seer, who doubtless broke hearts
ruthlessly hand reds of years ag.
Mr. Gresham laughed at Rolfs
boyish enthusiasm,
“ Agreed, Mr. Vernon, that we all
inquire our fate at the lovely ghostess’
hand ! But, first for the romance, the
legend of Blue Court Hall.
It was a curious party tint Fathered
round the roaring fire in the immense
hall that night, for with the storm aud
damp had come chilly cold, to listen to
the tragic story of the love and hate of
centuries ago that had ban enacted
within the same walls where they sat.
And this was the way the legend went,
not read from the old yellow parchment,
but related in Mr. Grey’s infenitible way
from memory.
Nearly three centuries before a great,
rich, powerful English family had built
the grand old pile in true baronial style,
and set up their hearthstone with all the
pomp and circumstance that immense
wealth permits and haughty blue Wood
demands.
For more than three generations the
Elfincourts, father and son, ruled the
house; and fortune, peace, plenty, happi
ness, and gayety reigned supreme—un
til, between two brothers, there arose a
lury of jealousy and hate, caused by a
beautiful young cousin whr, coining to
visit the Elfincourts, hail fascinated the
two young men 'With her remarkable
beauty and witchery in grace, until it
seemed to them a matter of life arid
death whw should win Lady Sicily Fair
fax for his bride.
She played with tfeero both; she played
fast and loose with them, now maddening
them by her influence, now leading them
to the heights of hope by her sweet
graciou-ness; and then, in a very reck
lessness of consequences, bethrothed her
self to them both, with injunctions of
strictest secrecy to each to keep their
secret.
For a while her demure sweetness suc
ceeded in completely preventing the
slightest suspicion of her treachery to
either brother, both of whom knew him
sell the favored one ; and so perfectly did
Lady Sicily play her part that both
Lord Itarrel, the eider brother, and
Rupert, the younger, began to repent of
their hot-headed jealous anger, and
actually began to plan how to lonciiiate
the other when the inevitable new- of
the betrothal must be announced.
Of tbe two brothers Rupert was tbe
handsomer; he was tall, well-built, with
the true English blonde curling hair
that matched his fair face; while Lord
Itarrel was darker, graver, and not so
given to the admiration of women and
the love of their society.
Of the two Rupert was the ono more
likely to win a womau’s heart, while
Lord Darrel was heir to the great wealth
of the Elfincourts; of the two Rupert
was the more open, a sunnier disposition,
frauk and noble, less giveu to deceit and
suspicion—and it was this falr-hHired
lover, who, with Lady Sicily’s passionate
kisses on his lips, never doubting her
truth, never dreaming of her depravity
and treachery, voluntarily offered to
leave his love with his brother while he
traveled across the ocean to bring for his
bride elect treasures she told him she
must have.
Ami while he was gone Lady Sicily
was married to Lori! Darrel—her hus
band all unconscious of the treachery to
which he was a party.
There was rewslry, mirth aud music
and Lady Sicily rejoiced in her heart that
she had played her cards so we'l—that
she was to be the mistress of ail the
grandeur aud splendor, of the trusty
servants and retainers of the aristocratic
old family.
Guests thronged the magnificent halls
—guests who had traveled far and would
stay long Flags were flying, pleasure
boats were floating ou the lake, flowers
Weto blooming, everything was fair as
youth, health, happiness, aud sunshine
could make Lady Sicily's wedding-day.
Aud then, when the evening’s gay
entertainment was over, and laughing
bridesmaids had escorted the fair bride
to her chamber and left her alone, then—
the curse of Klfincourt fell, for, having
sseretly and unexpectedly arrived in a
swift vessel, Rupert, the deceived, the
betrayed, had hidden himself in the
bridal-chamber to meet face to face the
tetrified girl. The interview was short;
passionate words, bitter recriminations,
invectives of despairing love and raging
fury passed between them, and then
Rupert, maddened by her beauty that
wa- forever lost to him by her treachery
ana insulting deceit, took her fair young
life, and left her stretched in her own
blood on the floor of her chamber.
And then, insane with rage, lie waited
like a madman—waited uulil Lord Dar
rel came to his bride, to find her warm in
her own life-stream,to be sprung upon by
Rupert and thrust through the heart by
the same rapier that had slaiu Lady
Sicily. Aud then he turned its trusty
edge through his own breast, and the
!three lay there—• ghastly trio--until
the morniug revealed the horrors of the
bridal-chamber.
Directly afterwards tlio castle was
abandoned by the family on whom the
shadow had fallen too horribly for contin
uance there, and lor years and years it
stood silent, grim and deserted, while
superstitious villagers declared that the
spirits of Ixrrd Darrel, and Rupert, and
the beautiful wicked lady haunted the
castle.
lie that as it may, the legend goes on
to say that on every twenty-first, of Bep
tember, the anniversary of Lady Bicily’s
ill-starred wedding and death, she revis
its the bridal chamber, and to all who
are brave enough to seek her alone,when
the turret bell chimes twelve she will
agonizingly entreat them to assist in the
expiation of her sin by following the
advice she offers, which will never lead
them into trouble; that she will point
out their future career, and how to es
cape its ills.
Then she goes hack to her restless
wanderings in the Hpirit, land until an
other year goes by.
* # *
There was the hush of interested silence
on the little company as Mr. Grey
finished; some were softly wiping away
their tears ; all were deeoly interested in
spite of themselves.
Jessie's voice broke the silence at
length:
“Papa, 1 mu going to Lady Sicily’s
room. It is a quarter to twelve, now.
I am going.”
Her cheeks were Hushed, her eyes
bright.
A little chorus of exclamations rose
from the ladies.
“Oh, Jessie, dear, don’t 1”
“Jessie, you must not!”
“Oh! just suppose—"
Mr. Grey laughed.
“ Of course, go child, if you want to. i
I don’t for one moment believe in super- I
natural visitations. I imagine you will j
find the Red Boom as peaceful at twelve
o’clock as at any other time.”
And Jessie went, to wait in the large
room until the turret clock struck mid
night—to wait, brave, half alarmed, for
the rustling of a dress over the floor, of
the Bight of e cloudy form appearing
before her. Waited—until just a* the
bell began to chime loud and clear; until
her nerves began to get a little unstrung
as it neared the last stroke; until, just
as she felt lit" screaming, she heard a
footstep behind the curtain that draped
off thq rear end of the room—a footstep
that made her blood curdle as it came
nearer and nearer.
She dared not lift her eyes. Her limbs
i seemed turned to marble, so powerless
i she felt to move. Hhe could not break
| the awful thrall that held her. And
| then —
“ Jeessie, my darling, my darling' i
' could not let you come here alone. I
followed you to ink you to let ma tell
your fortune—that you will be my love,
my wile!”
And with a gush of blessed tears, a
feeling of exquisite reioase from horrid
fear, a laugh of perfect happiness on her
quivering lips, Jessie nestled in Rolf
Vernon’s arms.
“ Oh, Rolf I Then my fortune is told ;
you are uiy own I ” she cried.
“My fortune is told. You are miue.”
And as be kissed her with all a lover’s
eagerness, neither of them saw a pale,
distorted face that was peering between
the curtains, Laurence Oresham’s anger
pale, jealous-pale countenance.
“ Confound him! There will be
another tragedy, or ” And he pointed
a revolver -tra’ght at the happy lover’
head; and the report sounded tossing
through the room, and a shriek of alarm
came from Jessie’s lips.
But—fate had directed the ball, and
it did not strike its prey; and not until
it was discovered that Luiranco Gresham
had left Blue Court Hull, leaving no
trace behind, was it detected who fired
tire shot..
Bat— Rolf and Jessie were satisfied,
and wasn’t that enough ? "
EXPLOSION IN FLOUR MILLS.
I hs Minnonpolii Calamity- A Warning te Mi Hart.
The Chicago Tribune, commenting
upon the explosion in the Washburn
mill at Minneapolis, which entailed such
a distressing loss of life and property
says :
“ It is evident at the outset that steam
was not the cause, not only because there
were only twenty pounds of steam on
at the time and the boiler-house was
some little distance from the mill, but
also because steam could not have
worked such terrible ruin. The sum®
very good reason conclusively proves it
was not an explosion of the gas used to
illuminate tho mill. Gunpowder even
would have failed to work such a wide
spread disaster. It may bo doubted
whether any other known explosive
force than the gas which actually caused
it, except nltro glycerine could have
accomplished this ruin. Thif dispatches
vaguely intimate that tho explosion was
caused by gases generated in the patent
middlings-purifier process, but investi
gations of similar catastrophes in Europe
show very dearly the cause in this case
Explosions of this find h<- hrppK'isl
in Germany, but the attention of scien
tific men and chemists wsh iiut immedi
ately directed to the subject until the
fearful explosions occurred at the Trades
ton mills, Glasgow, Scotland, in 1872,
and at the City mills, Port Dundas,
Scotland, four years ago. It had been
hitherto deemed im|sssible that explo
sions could ever occur in such a peaceful
establishment as a flourmill, but the two
explosions above noticed enlisted the
I attention of both the English and the
German chemists, ami they jpcl about
investigating them. The substance of
these opinions is to the effect that the
constituents of flour are combustible,
and when diffused through tho air
burn with rapidity and with explosive
force. Dr. Krnitb, an English chemist,
has shown that flour in a fine state
of division gives off a gas, which,
when mixed with nine volumes ol air,
lor ms an explosive mixture which is
liable at any time to be fired by a
spark or flame; and Weibo, a German
chemist, states that flour, in the form of
impalpable powder, quickly ignites and
gives off a highly-explosive hydro-carbon
gas, which, when mixed with air, ex
plodes with terrific force. The experi
ments tried upon aHmail acalc with flour
powder satisfactorily account for the
Minneapolis explosion. The huge mil)
must have been filled with this impalpa
ble dust, which, taking fire from the gas
jets, or it may have been from the eleo
tricity which is rapidly generated and
held by the mill-stones, exploder] with
the terrible results which have already
been chronicled. With such possibilities
of explosion existing in every fiouring-
mill, it certainly behooves milf-owneri
to be on their constant guard. The
recent fearful disaster to the con
fectionery establishment in New York,
which arose from an analagoiis cause,
and the catastrophe at Minneapolis,
are terrible warnings to flouring mill
owners. H> long as these conditions
exist no milt is safe, and it ought to be
their first duty to ascertain from scien
tific men the precautions that will lessen,
it not altogether obviate, the danger to
which they are expend.”
Alligators In Nevada.
It is thought that alligators will do
well in the “ink of the Carson. The
climate is not too cold for them, and on
the wist side of the lake art: exteneivi
tu’e swamps in which they may leed A
Mi-b ssippian, who owns a large ranebe
near the lak", has sent to his native
state to have 3 0 young “ gators ” shipped
to him. H<- will plant th min the lake.
He says he “don’t know as they’ll be ol
any pertikler use, but it 11 be Kinder
home-ike to see the cusses round ; then
they’ll Is: sich a surprise to the Fiutea. ’
He will bring out a pair of the full
grown beasti to lead and educate tne
flock of youngster*.
WAIFS AND WHIMS.
Practice economy and industry and
success is yours.
..No bird is actually on tho wing.
The winga are on the bird.
Following many vocations has
ruined the life of many a man.
.. Have one settle purpose in life, and
if it be honorable it will bring you re*
ward.
.. Politeness is like an air cushion—
there may be nothing solid in it, but it
eases jolts wonderfully.
..An exchange, essaying to compli
ment a “ Live Slock Journal,” observes
that it is edited by a man whose head is
chuck full of live stock.
.. A Sunday-school scholar who, being
told how God punished the Egyptians
by causing the first-born of each house
hold to bo killed, rejoined with, “ Wbat
would God have done if there had been
twins?”
. There was a period of over one
thousand years in tho history of this
world when doors had no keyholes, and
e citicen could be seen feeling all over
the door without exciting the least suspi
cion against his local standing.—[Free
Press.
.. It lias been said that a diamond
might bo laid on an anvil and struck,
with a hammer, and Instead of ipeaking
it would be driven into the solid body
beneath it. This is not true, for tho jewel
is very easily r;rex. t ., .ml the thin layers
ot which it is composed can he divided
with a |>euknife.
.. A Son of Adam.— Smart hoy : “Here
we are, Uncle! But what does ‘oug
na’y pas obleegy de eonsommy mean?’ ”
Uncle: “It means one is not obliged
to take anything he doesn’t like.’ -
Smart boy; “ Ah, well, let us go to some
cafe where one i.i 1 obleegy de consom
my 1’ ” —[Punch.
. The Yosemite valley is a dreary
place in winter, and almost inaccessible
by reason ot lire great depth of snow that
drifts into it. Mr. and Mrs. Snow keep
a hotel there, and live in It the year
round. The two men who were first to
enter the valley this year reached the
hotel with much difficulty, and the
landlord, with his wife and dog, were
overjoyed by the sight of a strange face
alter six months of isolation.
. .Fair specimen of the “ light litera
turo”of the day : “The intense agony you
witnessed, the prophetic words of utter
wretchedm ss, failed fo unite your des
tiny with Ernest’s future; the most
fearful results predicated upon rofusal
failed to influence you ; his heart is now
wretched and can bear any misfortune."
Who can read the foregoingand not have
his or her tender susceptibilities racked
and torn and sufFu-ed with metaphorical
hemorrhage, or any other ruge?
NO. 41.
Prof. Henry’s Religion* Views.
It has been frequently charged that
the Smithsonian Institution, under the
directorship of Professor Joseph Henry,
was the seat of infidelity. A letter has
been found from Professor Henry to Mr.
Patterson, of Philadelphia, Trim wua ;ri
strumenlal in creating the Henry fund,
in which Professor Henry declares bis
belief in a Divine Being. Professor
Henry wrote:
“I. It is ouo of tho truths best estab
lished by experience in my own mind
that 1 have a. thinking, willing principle
within me capable of intellectual ac
tivity and of moral feeling. 2. It is
equally clear to me that you have a
similar spiritual principle within your
self, since, when 1 ask you an intelligent
question, you give me an intellectual
answer. H. When I examine the opera
tionsof nature I find everywhere through
I them evidence of intellectual arrango
mentsof contrivances to reach definite
1 ends, precisely as I find in the operations
l of man, and, hence, I infer that these two
classes of operations are the results of
similar intelligence. Again, tn my own
mind, I find ideasof right and wrong,of
good and evil. These ideas, then, exist
in the universe, and therefore form a
basis of our idea of a moral universe.
Furthermore, the conceptions of good
which are found among our ideas asao
' ciated wijtb evil can he attributed only
jto a being of infinite perfections, like
that which we denominate God. On
the other band wo arc conscious of
having such evil thoughts and t nden
oies that, wo ean not associate ourselves
! with a Div ne Being who is the director
) and the governor of a!), or even call upon
i Him for mercy without the intercession
J of one who may affiliate himself with us.’
Type Netting in Japan.
The ml vantages of alphabetic writing
are nowhere more conspicuously shown
than in a large printing office. The com
posilor stands within easy reach of every
character he may baveneed of, and a boy
can learn the position of each letter in the
case in a few hour*. It is quite another
matter where each word has a distinct
character, as in Girina and Japan. A
correspondent, describing the office of a
Japanese paper, says that a full font ot
I Japanese type com; r: * s fifty thousand
I character*, of which three thousand are
in constant use, and for two thounsand
more there are freon :nt calls The type
is disposed about the composing room on
racks, like those in a reading room, and
the compositors wander up and down the
aisles setting type and taking exercise at
once. With so many cba-act rs it is no
wonder that Japanese proof-readers have
u be men of intelligence and high scholar
i ship.
Ihe impossibility ot telegraphing
single-character words has kept this great
instrument of civilization in foreign
hands, and made it practically useless
lor the natives of China and Japan. To
these the telephone is an especial blessing,
wh'ch they are not slow to appreciate,
i —[Scientific American.