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Pretty Speeches.
To be able jeadily, and without pre
meditation, to say the right thing is an
enviable gift still, and may be made a
wonderful instrument of conciliation
and pacification. The worst of it is that
persons possessing the power of repartee
are apt to make a hostile rather than an
amicable use of it; and, indeed, most of
us covet it rather as a whip to sting with
than a feather to tickle. Caustic
speeches are sure to draw, and the most
amiable people, who would not them-
l,n rt f hf>ir trip ml s’ fpplimra nn onv
account, chuckle over them as much, as
..rliers There lure they are continually
chronicled, but pretty speeches lack the
same pungency, and are passed by as in
sipid; yet 1 think there is a fine savor
about one or two that I remember—that
said by George the fourth to the officer
of marines, for example. It may be fa
miliar to you, but will really bear repe
tition. There was an empty bottle on the
table, and the king told the servant to
“take away that marine.” A guest sit
ting next to the king whispered in his
ear that an officer present belonged to
that branch of the service. George the
fourth ascertained his name, and then,
addressing him aloud, asked if he knew
why an empty bottle was called a ma
rine. “No, your majesty,” replied the
officer. "Because,” said the King, “it
has done its duty, and is ready to do it
again.” Which was a neat way of get
ting out of a rather awkward phrase as
one can well imagine. Ladies, however,
are the fair and proper Tecipients of
pretty speeches, and the man who gets
them is a sort of poacher. The Due de
Nivernois made an ingenious one to
Madame du Barri, who was endeavoring
to persuade him to withdraw his opposi
tion to some measure she had set her
heart on. “It is no use, Monsieur le
Due,” she said, “you are only injuring
your influence, for the king has made up
his mind, and I have myself heard him
say that lie will never change.” “Ah,
madame, he was looking at you,” replied
the duke. Could any but a Frenchman
have ever conveyed determined resistance
in so polite a form? There was an inge
nious amount of devotion implied in the
remark of a love-sick millionaire, when
the object of his affections becameecstatic
over the beauty oi the evening star.
“Oh, do not, do not praise it like that!”
he cried, "I cannot get it for you.” It is
no wonder that Tom .Moore was ever
such a general favorite, if he often said
such charming little things as he wrote.
I think the very prettiest, quaintest quip
ever penned is in one of his love-songs.
The loyer can not deny that lie has paid
to others homage before lie saw the pre
sent object of his affections; in fact, he
learned lip-service very early.
“That lesson of sweet and enraptured lore
I have never forgot, I’ll allow:
I have had by rote very often before,
But never by heart until now.”'
Irishmen generally do manage to say
prettier things than others can. They
nave a certain confidence or assurance
which enables them to blurt out what
ever comes uppermost in his mind; that
is why they make bulls. A man who is
always shooting must miss sometimes.
The more cautious Englishman or Scotch
man escapes the blunders, but scores
fewer hits, and does not often marry .an
heiress, I believe.—Ctmeltx Magazine.
Capt. Kidd’s Treasure.
A few months ago a member of the
New York Historical Society read be
fore that association a very interesting
paper in which he took occasion to deny
the assertion that Kidd, the pirate, ever
buried any of his treasure on this conti
nent. There are in the possession of
Squire Gardiner most positive evidences
of the fact that Kidd did bury treasure
on this very island, that the treasure be
came treasure-trove, and that the colo
nial government became possessed of
the same through John Gardiner, son of
the f^rst David of that name, in the year
1699, only a year or two liefore Kidd’s
execution. Some time in that year
Kidd landed on the island and buried a;
cheat containing gems, gold, silver, and i
fine cloths valued at many thousand!
pounds sterling.
He came to.flbrd Gardiner and ad
vised him of th^xnct. As soon as Kidd’s
fleet was t»ut of sight the proprietor
manned a small sloop and sent a truatv
messenger to the seat of the colonial
government with the request that a
commission might be sent to investigate.
The commissioners came and in the
swamp on the northwestern corner of
the island they found the chest. It was 1
opened and an inventory taken. The!
contents were, among other articles of
value, seven hundred and eighty-three
ounces of gold, eight hundred and fifty
ounces of silver, a number of diamonds,
rubies, pearls, and other gems, cloth of
S id, silk, and satin. The original Earl
sllamont’s inventory is here, properly
signed, attested, and indorsed, and I
have no doubt that among the records
kept at Boston will be found a duly cer
tiffed entry of the “find.” One dia
mood which dropped from the package
was found after the departure of the
commissioners and is now in the posses
sion of the family of Gardiner Green,
uf Boston, ami a little square piece of
cloth of gold, a part of that which once
served as the coverlet to a baby’s cradle,
is preserved by Mrs. Gardiner, of Gardi
ner’s island. Another piece is Held by
the Kimball family, of Flatlands. At
one time during the revolution a part
of the British fleet lay in Gardiner’s
bay, between the island and Orient
point, and the officers frequently came
ashore for amusement. The oaken floors
of the old mansion bear witness to the
fact that one of their recreations—per
haps on rainy days when they could not
hunt deer and turkey—was quoits.
From the marks on the planks it is plain
that the disks they used were Spanish
milled dollars.
The Drama in the Olden Time.
About twenty nobles (thirty-five dol
lars) seem to have been the price of a
copyright of a play. The printed play
was sold for sixpence, and the usual pres
ent of a patron for a dedication was ten
dollars. Dramatic poets had free ad
mission to the theaters. Every play had
to be licensed by the master of the revels
previous to it being performed. It was
usual to carry “ table-books” to the the
ater, to note down the passages which
were made matter of censure or applause.
This may account for somejmultilated
copies of Shakspeare’s works, which are
still extant. The custom of “ damning ”
a play on its first performance is at least
as ancient as that great author. No less
than three plays of Ben Johnson suffered
that fate. Before the performance com
menced, and between the acts, the au
dience amused themselves in various
ways, reading, playing at cards, drinking
ale and smoking tobacco. Refreshments
were supplied by attendants, who cried
the commodities with as much noise as
our modern tradesfolk. In 1G33 women
smoked tobacco in the theater as well as
men. Rich spectators were allowed to
sit on the stage. Here the fastidious
critic was usually to be met with; the
wit, ambitious of distinction; and the
gallant, studious to display his person
and fine clothes. Seated, or reclining on
the rushes of the floor, they regaled
themselves with pipes and tobacco, pro
vided l>y their pages. The ease of their
situation, or their impertinence, excited
the disgust of the poorer class in the pit,
who frequently hooted, hissed, and threw
dirt on the stage coxcombs; but the gal
lants displayed their “ high breeding ” by
an utter disregard of their behavior.
The audience, too, often vented their
ill-nature on the players.
Apple Jelly.—1. Prepare the apples
as for drying: crush them in a portable
cider mill, and squeeze out the juice into
a porcelain kettle, boil it rapidly twenty
minutes, then add a pound of the very
best coarse-grain granulated sugar to
every pint of juice. Boil three minutes
longer, and dip into glasses. The pulp
may he stewed and canned. 2. Peel and
quarter the apples, put tnem in a preserv
ing kettle, and for every quart of apples
allow a pint of water. Cook gently until
they are ready to fall apart, then strain
through a jeily-hag or colander, and add
to the liquor its weight of sugar. Boil as
for other jellies. If sweet apples arc used,
the juice of lemonsshould be added to give
ail acid taste, and the peel he employed
to flavor the jelly. The pulp may lx* used
for pies or sauce.
Crusts and bits of bread should be
kept in an iron pot, closely covered in a
fifv oiwii r>]Kwpir?®!) Iurd und snot
in tin vessel* Keep salt, pork fat in
glazed earthen-wars. Keep preserves and
Jellies in glass or china or stone-ware.
Keep salt in a dry place. Keep meat in
a cool, dry plaee. Keep ice in the cellar,
and wrapped in flannel. Keep vinegar
in wood or glass.
Dessert.—Place as many crackers as
may he desired in saucers and cover with
boiling water. When all the water is ab
sorbed cover with thick cream and su
gar; then place a Spoonful of jelly in the
center of each and season with nutmegs.
No nicer desert can he desired.
HOW TO GOVERN OUR OITIES.
The Awful Barden, or Debt they Imvo
Piled lip — Tlic Reeeut Enormous
Increase.
From the Chicago Tribune.
Mr. William M. Grosvenor of St.
Louis has been making a recent investi
gation into the municipal indebtedness
of this country. His search demon
strates that Mr. Blaine has rather under
stated than overstated the libel debts of
of the country in the exhibit which he
made about a year ago. and which at
tracted so much attention at the time.
MV Rlqipr* fl»i* flnwrp rrnfft
municipal indebtedness, near the close
of last year, at $570,000,000, This
showed an enormous increase within four
years, since the census of 1870 seated the
municipal debts (exclusive of state and
country) to be $328,244,520. But later
investigations, covering a period of five
years, show that Mr. Blaine’s estimate
was a low one. A recent number of the
Financial Chronicle gave a list of city
securities, which showed that the bonds
of only thirty-two cities in the country
(exclusive of their floating indebtedness)
amount $525,632,728, or nearly as much
as Mr. Blaine’s estimate of the gross
municipal indebtedness. But the last
annual reports of Massachusetts show
that the cities in that state alone, be
sides those included k in the thirty-two
cities cited above, own $36,914,634. In
Ohio, the reports show that the cities cf
that state, outside of the cities included
in the Financial Chronicle’s statement,
owe $8,909,714. Thus the bonded debt
of the thirty-two cities, and the cities of
only two states among all those not in
cluded in that list, amounts to $571,457,-
076, or a larger sum than Mr. Blaine
estimated for the whole country. A
comparison of the census statement shows
that these cities owed less than two-
thirds of the total municipal indebted
ness of that time. Assuming that this
ratio remains the same, the present
showing would make the aggregate
municipal indebtedness $856,185,614.
This is a higher rate /than even Mr.
Grosvenor is willing to accept. He
therefore makes a propper allowance for
a smaller ratio of increase in the cities
where statements are not made. The in
crease in the thirty-two cities between
1870 and 1875 was 160 per cent. The
increase of the Massachusetts cities not
included in the list of thirty-two is 130
per cent. The increase of the Ohio cities
has been 290 per cent. The average in
crease in the two states has been more
than 160 per cent. It is entirely within
bounds to assume that the increase in
the other cities of the country has been
70 per cent, or less than half of the
average increase in the states of Massa
chusetts and Ohio. Upon this basis, the
aggregate municipal indebtedness of the
country at this time amounts to $758,-
000,000, or nearly $200,000,000 more that
Mr. Blaine estimated.
New York furnished a proof that the
estimated increase of 70 per cent, is en
tirely reasonable. From a statement
furnished recently by governor Tilden, it
uppears that the municipal debts of that
state outside of New York city, Brook
lyn, and Albany, have increased 119 per
cent, in less than two years. It should
be stated, however, that the thirty-two
cities which have a total bonded indebt
edness of $525,632,728 have sinking funds
that amount to $62,443,953. Deducting
this, the net indebtedness in these cities,
and those of New York, Massachusetts,
and Ohio not included in that list, is
$551,684,533. Add to this the debt of
the other cities in the country, upon the
estimated increase of 70 per cent, since
1870, and the net municipal indebtedness
of the country, after deducting resources,
is still $706,672,407.
In an article which we printed a few
weeks ago, we drew a comparison between
the municipal indebtedness of this coun
try and that* of Great Britain. This
comparison may now be extended still
further. The average municipal indebt
edness of twenty English cities smaller
than London is about $30 per capita.
But Luc minor American cities, with
about the same population as these twenty
English cities, owe about $92 per capita.
The contrast is presented in still another
form. The report of the local govern
ment board in Great Britain shotvs that,
deducting the British national debt,
there is" a total local indebtedness of
$360,000,000, or about $11 per capita.
Take the same local indebtedness in this
country, including everything except the
national debt, and we have:
State debts $.182,970,017
Countv debts 180,000,000
Municipal debts 709,000,000
Total $1,331,970,51;
This is a local indebtedness of about
$30 per capita for all the people in this
country, qr about three times as great os
the local indebtedness per capita in Great
Britain. The strain in this country is-
still more notable when we count the in
terest paid. The interest on the local in
debtedness probably averages 7 percent.,
which would make it $93,000,000 annu
ally, while the interest on the British
local indebtedness does not exceed $15,-
000,000 a year; so that, W’hile the interest
on our national indebtedness is more
than $20,000,000 less than Great Britain
! pays on its national debt, the total in-
j tercs-fc we. pay every year on all debts is
from $40,000,000 to $50,090,000 more
than Grea: Britain pays on its total in
debtedness.
The statement of local indebtedness docs
not fully set forth the full measure of
recklessness and extravagance that char
acterize our municipal governments; for,
notwithstanding the startling increase of
local indebtedness, taxation has likewise
increased at a frightful rate. A state
ment of fifteen cities, (New York, Phila
delphia, Boston, Brooklyn, St. Louis,
Chicago, Cincinnati, Jersey C’itv, Louis
ville, Newark, Cleveland, San Erancisco,
Providence, Albany Milwaukee) shows
that the taxable valuation of property
lias increased nearljjM,000,00O,000in the
last five years, and the tax levy in those
cities, which was $64,000,000 in* 1869-70,
was $97,500,000 in 1874-’5. It only re
mains to be stated, that in not one of
those cities was the debt reduced within
the time mentioned, so that the increase
of taxation was devoted, aside from‘the
payment of interest on the bonded debt,
to the payment of current expenses and
local improvements. In 1870, the whole
sum raised by state, county and munici
pal taxes was about $280,000,000, and the
most careful estimate now places the rev
enue exacted from the same sources at
$363,000,000 annually. This is over and
above the increase of debt. Deducting
the state taxes, the country and munici
pal governments raise $295,000,000 a
year, and have added $430,000,000 to
their indebtedness within five years. Ac
cording to this, our local government
really costs, in taxes and increased debt,
$380*000,000 annually, or more than tlie
eutire annual revenue of Great Britain
for all purposes, which is $376,000,000.
Wc commend this exhibit to the earn-
' est consideration of our readers, as pre
senting the most serious problem of pop
ular government.
An Old Trench Relic.
While demolishing an old house at
Montematre, and clearing the site for
the church of the Sacred Heart, the
workmen made an interesting discovery;
they found that the wainscotiug of one
of the rooms was comixised of wood
elegantly carved and gilded. The vari
ous pieces when put together showed
that it was an old royal coach whose
I ianels had been used “to stop a hole to
:ecp the wind away.” There is no know
ing how this relie of the ancient-regime
came to lie used for building ptirjiose;
the probability is that some Brutus or
Aristides of the revolution of ’93 seized
the royal equipage, and contemptuously
used the materials wherewith to con
struct a dwelling. It may have'bcen the
coach into which Louis XVI. told Lord
Star to step; Mdme. de Pompadour may
have ridden in it; it may have served at
the wedding of Marie Antonettc, or
have conveyed Louis XVI. to the scaf
fold. The panels are said to prove that
the coach was very old, but it could not
well have been built before the fifteenth
century; for in 1404 the only suspended
coach which existed belonged to Queen
Isabella; and under Francis I there were
only three, one of which belonged to the
Queen, another to Diana, of Poicters,
and the third to Jean de Laval. Ac
cording to Delaure, there were a great
many coaches in Paris in 1563, and the
parliament petitioned the king to pro
hibit them, as they took up the whole
street and splashed ladies and gentlemen
riding to court. Toward the end of the
reign nl henry IV. Bassompierre Had a
carriage built with doors and windows.
Fruit-Cake.—Two pounds raisins;
one and a half pounds currants; three-
quarters of a pound citron; six ounces
butter; half pound sugar; three eggs;
half pint milk; half gill brandy; small
cup molasses; large tcaspoonfu! of soda;
one and a half pounds flour; spice to
please the taste.
There is no changes to speak of iu the
election returns from Iowa. The Repub
lican majority is about thirty-one thou
sand.