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W. F. SMITH, Publisher. VOLUME VIII. NEWS GLEANINGS. There wete 26 deaths in Pensacola during the month of June. An epidemic in Pulaski county, Ivy., is sweeping off the dogs. The glass factory at Moss Point, Mis sissippi, has commenced operations. The wheat crop of North Carolina is about twice as large as was expected. The Springfield coal pits, of Henrico county, Virginia, love been snlri f or $286,000. Three men recently killed in ten days 300 alligators in the Miaka lakes, Flor ida. Judge McGehee has ten century plants in bloom on his place, thirteen miles from Madison, Florida. Tennessee is fait taking foremost rank as the leading wool growing State of the South. From 3,000 to 4,000 pounds of toma toes are being shipped daily from Chat tanooga to Cincinnati. One man in Tampa, Florida, has five varieties of the Japan persimmon, and also a Chinese prune. Sam Clay, of Bourbon county, Ivy,, has sold from his farm this season 1.5,000 bushels of blue-grass seed. Over $1,000,004 in the Texas state treasury to the general revenue, and the total cash balance edges closely to $1,800,000. In Hernando county, Fia, the carna tion pink, the calla lily, the verbena, honeysuckle and the woodbine bloom all the year. Since the season in Charlotte, North Carolina, $500,000 worth of steam en gines and other improved machinery has been sold. Andrew Fitzpatrick, of St. Augus tine, Fla., recently found on the coast in St. Johns county in one evening seventy dozen turtle eggs. Every dollar of taxes paid by the colored people of Texas, and every dol lar of fines assessed against criminals by the circuit courts of the Btate, goes into the colored school fund. A marble mine has been discovered on the larm of Eph. Erwin, a few miles from Columbia, Tenn. The theory that a negro can net be sun-struck is overthrown. A plantation darkey was a victim at Madison, La. Thirteen new babies have made their appearance on one street iti Warrentoa, Georgia, this year. The republic still goes on. The negro church of Cedar Grove, Bibb county, Ala., was burned recently by white incendiaries. The next night the white church was burned by black incendiaries. An aerolite or meteoric stone fell with a fearful report near Mr. Jack Pearson’s, near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, tearing up the ground with a tremen dous hole. Mr. Pearson is going to dig for it. Over 2,100,0 0 feet of lumber was cut by tbe Bt. Simon's mills, Brunswick, during the m mth of May. The nine forests ot’ Georgia would give out in the course of time with many such mills running. There is an Englishmein living in Pen field, Greene county, Ga., who makes a good support for himself and a help less sister by work; i- £it>trle acre ot land. Of course, he has it very rich, using only a spade in cultivation. As soon as one crop come- oi he plants an other. This shows what energy can ac complish under adverse circumstances. Mr. W. B. Williams caught out of the Cauoochee river two uundred and thirty fishes, nearly all of v hieh were lack. His mode of catching them is very sim pie, but reliable. •He takes a bateau and builds tires to it, conducts it near the batik of the river and strikes the water with a piece of wood, at which the fish be tome frightened and jump out of the water towards the tire when the boat catches them. In many parts of Oglethorpe couniv are vast beds of kaolin, only by our good ladies to whiten their hearths with. Tnis is a very valuable and when purified sells for S4O a ton It is largely used to adulterate sugar candy, tiour, etc., besides supplying other more legitimate needs. It an swers the purpose of fire brick, and will some day bo worth a fortune to lanu owner* lucky enough to have banks of it on their farms. Large quantities of it are shipped from near Augusta to the North ol Europe, Pile (Georgia Übcips. OfTotfd to Industrial Intwst. the Diffusion of Truth, the Establishment of Justice, and the Preservation of a People’s fioTerumeut. EOWLEGGED JOE. In ths dark and gloomy shadow Of a cliff In Colorado Sat Bowlegged Joe, a chieftain of ths Utss; Frown as black m French oil blacking O’er his features (beauty lacking) Somber hung—tbe buck was mad, you bet your boots I For bis painted, howling whoopers Had been scattered by the troopers In a scrimmage on the range sg hour before; And bis heart was filled with sorrow When he thought that, on the morrow, They might come and wax it to his crowd some more. Round him stood his warriors savage— Heroes bold of many a ravage On tlie smokehouse of the settler far below— And their murderous eyeballs glißtenod As they silent stood and listened To the curses of infuriated Joe. Suddenly the chieftain pointed Skinny finger, ugly jointed, At the homes of settlers far out on the plain. “There,” he cried, “the pale face dwelleth, And my nostril murder-r-r smelleth, While thoughts of gory vengeance fire my brain!” With a yell that loud resounded ’Mid the mountain peaks, he bounded To his feet, and danced as ne’er he’d danced before, Wss’t the war-dance he was dancing? O! what meant that fearful prancing ? Would he flood that settler’s peaceful home with gore ? Was the dance preliminary To a swoop down from his eyrie, Or did the aborigine but jest ? Jest ? Ah, no! a thousand swarming Insects were Mb bronze hide warming— He’d been sitting on a yellow-jacket’s nest, —Kit Adams. Progress of Christianity. The Rev. Dr. Dorchester delivered an address in Wesleyan Hall, Boston, on the progress of Christianity, Papal aDd Protestant, in the whole world, since 1500. Until the present century, said the lecturer, there were no trustworthy data of tlie world’s population. Prior to 1830 it was variously estimated from 642,000,000 to 737,000,000. In 1850 it was reckoned at 1,000,000,000. Prof. Sdhem’s estimate makes tlie present population 1,437,000,000. The progress of Christianity from the fourth or fifth century' up to 1500 was confined almost entirely to Europe. The nominal Chris tians in tlie world in the third century numbered 5,000,000 ; up to the eighth century they had increased 30,0(00,000; in the tenth century 50,000,000 ; in the fifteenth century 100,000,000; in the last 300 years the increase lias been 200,000,000, or as much as in the pre vious fifteen centuries. In 1880 there were 410,900,000 nominal Christians. In 1500 there were 80,000,000 Catholics, 20,000,000 Greek Christians, and no Protestants; in 1830,116,000,000 Roman Catholics, 70,000,000 Greek Christians, and 42,01)0,090 Protestants ; in 1880, the respective numbers were 209,200,000, 88,000,000 and 113,700,000, showing an increase of 80 per cent, among the Pa pists, 26 per cent, in the Greek Church, andl76per cent, am eng Protestants. The probable number of nominal Christians in the w’orld in the year 2000 was esti mated by Dr. Dorchester at from 1,200,- 000,000 to 1,950,000,000. The popula tions living under Christian govern ments in 1500 numbered 100,000,000 ; in 1700, 155,000,000; 1830, 388,000,000; 1876, 685,000,000; divided as follows : Papal, 80,000,000 in 1500, 90,000,000 in 1700, 134,000.0(H) in 1830, 181,000,000 in 1876; Greek, 20,000,000 in 1500, 33,- 000,IKK) in 1700, 60,000,000 in 1830, 96,- 0(H),000 in 1876; Protestants, none 1500, 82,000,000 in 1700, 194,000,000 in 1830, 408,000,000 in 1876. Of the 52,000,000 square miles of tlie earth’s surface 32,- 000,000 are under control of Christian governments, and 20,000,000 under Pa gan and Mohammedan. Of the area un der Christian domination, 14,500,000 square miles are ruled by Protestant governments, 9,500,000 by Roman Cath olic, and 8,500,000 by the Greek Church. But France, Italy and Mexico are in a transition state, and the next thirty years will settle the question as to which side 75,000,000 people are to be counted u [Kin. In 1800 the Bible tvas printed in one-fifth the languages of the world ; it is now printed in nine-tenths. Three million Bibles had been printed in 1800; 160,000,000 in from 200 to 250 languages and dialects have since been circulated. In the Sunday-schools in 1830 there Were 2,000,000 ojßo*-rs., ta&c.kars aud scholars ; there are now over 14,000,000. In tlie Protestant foreign missions in 1830 there were 70,289 communicants ; in 1850, 210,957; in 1880, 857,332. Add ing those at missions not reporting, the aggregate would probably be 1,050,000 communicants and 2,500,000 hearers and adherents. Of the 857,332 communi cants, 663,813 were formerly Pagan, and 193,549 Papal, Jewish, or Rationalistic. Amusing Blunders. Blunders on public occasions are often as mortifying as they are amusing. For instance : At a military dinner in Ireland, the following was on the toast-list: “May the man who has lost one eve in the glorious service of his beloved country never see distress with the other.” But the person v whose duty it was to read the toast accidentally omitted the word “ distress, ” which completely changed the sentiment, and caused no end of merriment by the blunder. Another instance may be quoted, if only to show how careful people should be in expressing themselves on public occasions: A church in South London had been erected, when a dinner was given, at the conclusion of which the health of the baUder was proposed, when he rather enigmatically replied that he was “ more fitted for the scaffold than for public speaking.” A healthy city must have a perfect Mvage qritem. INDIAN SPRINGS, GEORGIA. The Pueblo Indians and Their Religious Beliefs. The w'ord Pueblo means villages; and the tribe of Indians that have lived in this region take their name, Pueblo, from the fact that they lived in Pueblos, or villages. The Pueblos have some peculiar ideas of the future. They believe that at death they will be carried away in some mysterious manner to a place beneath a vast underground lake, where melons and peaches and beautiful maidens and horses are in never-ending supply for the good. Tlie Zuni Indians have a tradition that ; they w’ere placed where they are in order to be out of the reach of the deluge, of which they have some account. The tradition relates how the Great Spirit • set them apart as a chosen people, and preserved them while all oflher tribes and nations were drowned. They also believe that all the people of the earth, are descended from the Zuni thus saved irom the deluge. This tradition has its parallel with that given us in the Sacred Scriptures. They also believe that in Pecos (a vil lage) Montezuma was born; that he grew up with extraordinary mental powers; that he traveled a great deal and taught the people many good tilings; that he usually rode on the back of an eagle and always went ahead of those who trav eled with him, and thus was, as was the star to the wise men of the East, a guide to them both day and night, ancl, whenever the eagle stopped tit night, there was planted an Indian Pueblo. The sign where the great capital shouldfbe built W'as the alighting of the eagle u on a large cactus-busli, and there devour ing a rattlesnake. This, tradition has it, w'as on Montezuma’s journey south, and w r as his great and last journey, 'The eagle stopped where the City of Mejaco now stands. The Mexican Government has adopted the alighting of the eagle as the design of the national seal, and thus made memorable the legend. The same design is also stamped on Mexican coin. Montezuma never returned lijom his southern trip, but in some mysteri- , ous manner passed aw r ay to the lan& of the blessed, and since leads his pecple by his spirit. The City of Mexico 'was founded in 1325. —New Mexico Cor. Chicago Tribune. Among the Turks. As to the character of the Turks, it has been said by one of the highest con sular authorities that the pooxor md humbler he is, tlie better he its. As ho gets money and power, he deteriorates. In tlie lowest classes you my and do meet w ith honesty ; in the mi ddle class es, seldom ;in the highest, nerver. The Turk, above all, is a good host. In deed, hospitality is enjoined by the Ko ran. We may well take a lesson from him, too, in politeness, especially in conversation. If you are privileged to have an interview with a Turk, you w ill find him a good listener; he never in terrupts, and never wastes words to make talk. When he has finished, lie asks permission to go, and vanishes. He is not given to the odious, because abused, custom of the “shake-hands.” His salute, the Temenas, is most guaee ful. He makes the motion as if to sweep the ground with his right hand, bringing it to his heart, lips and fore head, thus indicating that all he has on earth is yonrs, as well as showing his friendliness and constant thoughtfulness for your welfare. Listen to a true story illustrating the Turk iu all his dealings, whether com mercially, politically, or as a diplomat ist. A peasant was summoned before the Cadi for stealing a sack of onions. “Now we have theo on the hip, and thou shalt know' what it is tio incur our displeasure. Bismillah! Choose, slave —wilt thou pay 1,000 piasters, receive 100 blows of tlie bastinado, or wilt thou eat the contents of the sack of onions ? Quick; choose ! ” “Gracious Lord, I have no money wherewith to satisfy thee; I fear the bastinado, and will choose rather to eat my onions.” He ate, and was fain to stop, and pre ferred the bastinado. After somo fifty strokes he repents, and thinks he can find somewhere in his house 500 pias ters. But (his money was not enough to release him from his troubles ; he ate more onions, then there was a little more bastinado. Eventually he received eighty strokes, ate nearly all the onions, and paid the penalty of 1,000 piasters in full. A Wicked Man’s Diary of His W ife’s Temper. Monday—A thick fog; no seeing through it. Tuesday—Gloomy and very chilly; unseasonable weather. Wednes day—Frosty; at times sharp. Thurs day—Bitter cold in the morning ; red sunset, with flying clouds, portending hard weather. Friday—Storm in the morning, with peals of thunder; air clear afterward. Saturday—Gleams of sunshine, with partial thaw; frost again at night. Sunday—A light southwester in the morning; calm and pleasant at din ner-time ; hurricane and earthquake at night. Wanted to Find Out. A burly ruffian, who has already served five or six sentences, is brought before the police. Just as they are about to begin the examination, “Sir. President,” says he, “my lawyer is indisposed. I call for a delay of one week.” “But you have been caught in open misdemeanor, your hand in the pocket of the plaintiff. What could your lawyer say for you?” “Precisely, Mr. President; I’m quite curious to know/%- Paris paper. An old lady says it is remarkable the number of people willing to take foreign missions, and she fears the home mis sionary cause will suffer. Cobblers Who Went Beyond Their Last. No one but a shoemaker could havo thought Coleridge serious in his strange saying that the shoemaker’s beucli had produced more eminent men than auy other handicraft. The Shoe and Leath er Repot'ter has, however, compiled a “bill of particulars” in tlae shape of a list of famous cobblers, which seems to act as an effectual estopel ©n all jealous craftsmen. Hans Christian Andersen, who needs no introduction, may head the list, and Hans Sachs, of Nuremberg, who, though he made shoes all his life, yet also made 6,000 poems, plays, farces and rhyming fables, may be put next. Sir Oloudesley Shovel was a shoemaker until he enlisted in the navy, and so w as Sir Christopher Minns, another English Admiral. John Hewson, one of Orom well’s Colonels, and a signer of Charles I. \s death-warrant; Samuel Bradburn, the “Demosthenes of Methodism,” as well as a Bishop; James Lackinton, w hose catalogue of publications reached the total—enormous for that time—of 30,000 volumes, iu 1787—ail these wrere cobblers <it first, if not at the last. Con tinuing the English list, William Gif ford, whose memory is preserved by a complimentary allusion in Byron’s “ En glish Bards and Scotch Reviewers,” and whose body is buried in Westminster Abbey ; George Fox, the arch Quaker; William Carey, a missionary famous a century ago, and who read the proofs of tbfe Bible in twenty-seven Oriental lan guages ; Samuel Drew’, “the Locke of tha nineteenth century,” whose experi ence as an author led him to formulate the sad truth that “ the man who makes shoes is sure of his wagjes, but the man who makes books is never sure of any thing;” Thomas Holcrorft, whose name is not nearly so well known as that of a single one of his plays, “ The Road to Ruin ;” the Bloomfield brothers, whom Byron thus apostrophized : Ye tuneful cobblers, still your notes prolong, Compose at once a slipper and a song; John Pounds, whom school-children cried at being turned away from—all these and lesser lights too numerous to mention were English shoemakers. Coming to our own country, Roger Sherman, one of the “signers,” leads the list in time, but Vice President Hen ry Wilson in rank. Beside these were Congressmen Sheffey andl Noah Worces ter, not the lexicographer, but the founder of the Massachusetts Peace So ciety. And ex-Govs. H. P. Baldwin, of Michigan, and William Claflin, of Mas if they never made shoes, at leas deajit in them largely enough to be named here. Altogether, the list is suffi ciently imposing and convincing to justi fy a verdict in favor of Coleridge’s say ing. How to Dress the Children. The capacity of our ancestors to ac commodate themselves to every climate depended not only on their physiological faculty of adaptation, but also on their skill in protecting themselves by artifi cial means from the inclemency of the higher latitudes. Houses and clothes are a' blessing if they answer this pur pose by a close imitation of nature’s owu plan in. sheltering her children from at mospheric vicissitudes, but in degree as they deviate from that plan their hygi enic disadvantages balance, or even out weigh, the gain in other respects. A s rilow s nest protects her brood from coil and rain without debarring them from the fresh air ; a human domicile, too, should combine comfort with the advantage of perfect ventilation, and our clothes, like the furr. a squirrel or the feather-mantle of a hawk, should keep us warm and dry without interfering with the cutaneous excretions and the free movement of our limbs. Measured by these standards, the win ter dress of an American schoolboy is nearly the best, the summer dress of the average American, French, and German nursling about the worst that could be devised. At an age when the rapid de velopment of the whole orgauism re quires the utmost freedom of movement, our children are kept in the fetters of garments that check the activity of the body in every way; swaddling-clothes, undershirts, overshirts, neck-wrappers, trailing gowns, garnitures, flounces and shawls reduce the helpless homunculus to a bundle of dry goods, unable to move • turn, incapable of relieving or inti mating* its uneasiness in any way save by the use of its squealing apparatus, fnd consequently squealing violently from morning till night. Outdoors, in the baby carriage, “cold draughts” have to be guarded against, and a load of extra wrappers completely counteract the benefit of the fresh air ; faint with nausea and suffocating heat, the little dummy lies motionless on its back, re splendent in its white surplice, a fit candidate for the honors of a life whose every movement of a natural impulse will \>e suppressed as a revival of bar barism, and an insurrection against the statutes of an orthodox community. Hence, in a great degree, the dispropor tionate mortality in all northern coun tries of Christendom among infants under 2 years. In Spanish America, where infantile diseases are as rare as in Hindoostan, babies of all classes and sizes toddle about naked, nearly the year round; and the Indians of the Tamaubpas, between Tampico and Mat am-oras, raise an astonishing number of brown bantlings who are never troubled with clothes till they are big enongh to carry garden-stuff to the city, where the police enforces the apron regulation.— ! Popular Science Monthly for June. Wasn’t it rough on Ella, just as she was telling Frederick, at lunch, how ethereal her appetite was, to hav# the cook bawl out, “Say, will ye have yer pork and beans now, or wait till yer fel [ejr’i gout ?” A Welsh Opinion of Royalltj. It is, we think, to be regretted that the Prince of Wales has declined to allow his name to be used in connection with the National Eisteddfod of Wales. The loyalty of the Welsh people is beyond question, but when they ask a little favor it ought, if possible, to be granted. As there must have been reasons why his Royal Highness declined to have any thing to do with the Eisteddfod it seems a pity they were not stated. We make these remarks because the refusal of the Prince to patronize the Eistoddfod has not only created a sore feeling in the Principality, but it has also exposed him to vulgar abuse, and has given the en emies of the Monarchy tlie opportunity of attacking not merely the Prinoe him self, but also the Queen and the Royal family. Thus, a contributor to a Welsh news paper elegantly declares that the inci dent has “shortened Royality’s life in this country fifty years.” “Already,” he continues “the Welsh press have been heard to grumble, not only loudly but angrily, at this ungra cious conduct of him who some day hopes to be called His Most Gracious Majesty. In the columns of an English daily last week appeared an article which, though not (because of the old absurd veneration for Royalty so long prevail ing) so outspoken as it might have been, may yet be considered the first mutter - ings of a storm which will one day burst as surely as it is now brewing. Men, who, if yon had spoken to them sneer iugly or slightingly of the principle of Royalty a few months back, would have turned away from you in disgust, are now beginning to see through the mists of prejudice, and to question the use of the thing. When not duly the utter uselessness, but the positive*evil, of that which they have to pay so dearly for shall become apparent, then will it and other fooleries and sins be sent packing. Asa beginning in the right direction, allow me to suggest the dropping from all toasts lists of the insane custom of drinking the healths of the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the rest of the Royal family. Welshmen have (although not for the first time) received proof positive that none of them are of auy use to Wales. Even the musical aud literary members of that family—the fiddling Duke of Edinburgh and the studious little Leopold, whom the ir reverent believe to be in training for the Arbishopric of Canterbury—have thought themselves above patronizing Welshmen of like pursuits with themselves.—Lon don Figaro. The Daughter of Ethan Allen. In his reminiscences of Montreal, in the Star, of that city, Mr. J. H. Dor win writes: “I have one more little event to mention, one that is scarcely worth re cording, only that it interested me very much at the time it happened, and re calls the name of a man somewhat re nowned in the Revolutionary War, and connected with an important event in Montreal’s history. On the 10tli of December, 1819, there died at the Hotel Dieu, on Bt. Paul street, a nun known as Sister Allen. Her full name Mas Margaret Allen, and she was the daughter of the faincme Colnnel FtJian A linn wljo it. will be remembered, accompanied Montgomery in his invasion of Canada iu 1775, and attempted, with a small detachment, to surprise Montreal, but was defeated and captured and sent to England in irons. She came from her home in Burlington, Vermont, in 1808, M-hen twenty-four years old, and thus spent eleven years iu the nunnery. I never knew of her presence here until one afternoon I heard on the street that a daughter of the brave but unfortunate old soldier had just died in the Hotel Dieu, and I hurried over to see her. Her l>ody Mas lying in state in the chapel, aud, it being my first visit to a Convent, the solemn stillness of the place, the M T ax lights burning beside the coffin, the nuns kneeling there repeating prayers for the departed soul, and above all the thoughts called up by the name and presence of the dead woman, all made a strong impression upon me. The body lay thus for three days, and Mas visited by a great many people. She was one of the most beautiful women, even iu death, that I ever saM’, and be longed to one of the best families in New England, and why she left the M'orld to become a nun I never kneM\ It was strange, too, that the daughter should seek refuge in the very city which the father had invaded, and where he met with his worst misfortune.” Tillage Tree Planting. Our enthusiastic young minister, with an eye and a heart for what is beautiful and good, devised the plan, and it was executed to the letter. The sturdy far mers, old and young, gathered on an ap pointed afternoon, and planted a goodly number of trees, elms, maples and ever greens, about the church. At the close of the day, the ladies pro vided a sumptuous repast, and the even ing was spent in social enjoyment. Years have passed away, and so have many of those whose hands wrought so worthilv and cheerfully on that autumn day. The youths and maidens of that time are mature men and matrons now. Fifteen years of toil and care have sprink led gray hairs on many a head; bat those trees are growing and increasing in vigor every year—and now', in their youthful prime, cast a grateful shodow over man ard beast. -Connicticut Cour ant. The Fireman's Journal suggests that the netting which trapeze performers use to break their fall in case of accident might furnish a valuable hint to the fire department officials, SUBSCR!PTION--$1.60. NUMBER 48 HUMORS OF THE DAT. “Bear with me for a while,” is what Bruin said when he affectionately em braced the tramp. Will the coming man wear a stove pipe hat? is asked. Not unless he smokes,, replies the Elmira Free Press. He had been telling her stories of him self, and had done a great amount of bragging. When he had finished she kissed him aud murmured, “This is a kiss for a blow.” A Connecticut man has invented a pipe that will light itself. This is an underhanded attempt to force house painters to tind some new way to kill time.— Boston Post. “Now I lay me down to sleep,” said little Toddlepins. Then stopping a min ute, “but I ain’t going to pray for mam ma's sole to keep, ’cause it hurts. ” He is regarded as the Bob Ingeraoll of tliefain ily. Damsel.” The most charming decoration for a plate is a good piece of beefsteak with well cooked po tatoes and just a sufficiency of gravy, it’ll lay over trailing vines or a sunflower any day.— Boston Post “The ripest peach is on the highest tree,” says James Whitcomb Riley. James shows his ignorauce. The ripest peach is in the bottom layer of the bas ket every time, aud it is generally about nine shades too ripe. New York's latest lali-da-dah: “Do you play the piano?” “No; I don’t play the piano, but my sister Hannah, who is in Savannah, she plnys the piano in the most charming maunah.” “Haveaban aun?”—New York Star. The difficulty originated in this way. Said Gallagher to Ragbag—“l heard a story just now that was funny enough to make a jackass laugh. Let me tell it to you.” “Don’t you slur me in any such remark as that,” roared Ragbag, angrily. “How r many of you are there?” asked a voice from an upper window, of a sere nading party. “Four,” was the reply. “Divide that among you,” said a voice, as a bucket of slop fell “like the gentle dew of heaven,” on those beneath. The Norristown Herald is accounta ble for the statement that a New York “ninety-nine cent store” was robbed of eleven gold bracelets, six watches, three diamond pins, fourteen gold brooches aud fifty-four finger rings. The loss is estimated at $2.20. —Oil City Derrick . Said Maguire to Finnegan—“ When you see me acting like a fool, tell me so.” And Finnegan said lie would. Aud in about half an hour he called out—“ M aguire, you’re making a fool of yourself.” And then Maguire got mail and*thumped Finnegan. It always works that way.— Boston Post. Can any one tell us why a woman, emerging from a crowded car, always makes believe she is goiug to get out at one side of the platform, until two or three men have jumped off in the mnd, and then steps off at the other side. She always does it, and we want to know the reason why. — P/tiladeiphia Bulletin. A conundrum —“What is the differ ence betweeu a man going to Plymouth Church and a lover about to propose?” asks the Boston Courier. Don’t know.— Jir.atrui Posf. Then you had better go back to sciiooi. kjh& *• Beecher and the other, to beseech her.— PI triad elphi a Bulletin. There is lots of enterprise in this world. A Chicago saloon-keeper offers prizes to persons w'lio take the greatest number of drinks at his bar in a given time. And it may not be long before enterprising undertakers offer premiums to families in whicl> there are the largest number of deaths during the green ap ple and cucumber season. —Norristown Herald. Tlie Influence of Foe. Poe, like Pope, threw himself into a war with dunces. He hit and thrust at them vigorously; he exposed a score of cheap popularities ; he was merciless to the inexpensive reputations then readily acquired by every tootler on the whistle of Miss Eliza Cook. jSince the time of Poe American literature has wonderfully advanced in the acquisition of force and polish. American novelists, for exam ple, almost give us lessons in careful elaboration" of style, in reticence and in well-calculated effects. American poets are, perhaps, too numerous. That they get a hearing as they do. and appeal to a really-large public, says much for the interest of the people in contemporary verse. In form, in the mere art of versi fying, even the minor American poets of to-day show wonderful versatility and deftness. Commonplace is much less successful than it was of old. In fiction, analysis is almost too careful. We can not but think that this rapid ripening of the American muse (who was a raw, un informed school-girl in the life-time of Poe) is due in part to the influence of that critic. His method is as unlike the method of Mr. Matthew Arnold as pos sible. But he exercised the same kind of influence. Like Mr. Arnold, he in troduced some tinge of French thought and of French literature into the work manship of his countryman. Perhaps he was not a wide reader, and the ele ment of affectation in his nature may be detected in his quotations of obscure Latin authors and in his Oriental allu sions. It is hard to say how much knowledge was implied in these allu sions—how rich the mine was from which Poe dug these sparkling Still, he judged the writers of his coun try with some knowledge of other litera tures. As he was quite ruthless in his criticisms he did good, but at his own cost. —London News. Darkness, solitude and remorse are grim and hateful company.