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A MYSTERY t'Ml A YELLED. I had been “ doing ” tho continent in a rambling way and lmd stopped for a few days at Venice. Here 1 met my old college chum, Dick f! lover. The latter had become a famous doc tor within the last few years. Having at last married a rich and handsome young widow, he had con cluded to take a short period of relax ation, and hence his presence in this distant clime. Of course he was overjoyed to see me, and having been there long enough to know something of the place, lie volunteered to show me around. “ By George !” 1 exclaimed, sudden ly, as we stopped before the piazza San Marco. “There’s as handsome a pic ture as I ever saw. Innocence permi tted” r A young and most beautiful girl stood before us, engaged in feeding the pigeons. The birds were marvelously tame, and approached her fearlessly, even lighting on her hands. “ Did you ever see a more attractive sight!” I asked my friend, enthusiasti cally, as we passed on. “Hum! I don’t know,” was the rather doubtful reply. “ Rumor lias been busy about that ladv’s name of late.” “ In what way ?” I asked indignantly. “ I never saw a sweeter face in all my life.” “ Well, I’ll tell yon the story as near as I’ve heard it. The woman is Coun tess Ardotti. Her husband, the count, is reputed to be immensely wealthy, while the wife was but a poor peasant girl when he married her. Of course the general belief is that she wedded him for his wealth. This would not amount to much were it not for the fact that she makes no effort to show her dislike for her husband's society. I happened to be present at a large ball given here a few weeks ago. On that occasion the countess flirted shamefully with a young Italian, the son of some nobleman. Her conduct attracted uni versal attention, but she did not seem to heed that in the least. Now you see why I am rather more doubtful of her innocence than you are.” “ Still you may be mistaken by your prejudice against her,” I retorted gaily. We arrived home at about four p. m.. and the doctor's wife met us with a look of horror on her face. “Have you heard the news?” she* gasped. “ Isn’t it perfectly horrible ?" " What news, dear ?” asked the doc tor, in surprise. “You'll have to en lighten us on the subject, I'm afraid.” “ Count Ardotti has been murdered !” The doctor looked grave at this intel ligence, and glanced toward me. As for myself, I was trembling with con flicting emotions. “ Let me hear the particulars ?” I asked, quickly. “ I will tell you all I know,” replied the lady. “ The count was found sit ting in his chair with a poniard driven to the hilt in his heart. lie must have fallen asleep and been attacked in that state.’! •• What time did it occur ?” asked the doctor, briefly. “ About three o’clock they disco ver ered him, and then his body was not quite cold. The countess was imme diately suspected of the crime. She was engaged in feeding the pigeons when the) - arrested her, and there was blood upon her delicate hands.” “ You was rather mistaken in your judgment that time,” said the doctor addressing me. “ I suppose you'll ad mit it now ?” “ Never!” I replied. “It strikes me that there is some deep mystery at the bottom of this, and that the countess is still innocent.” “Your legal instinct is wrong this time, I'm afraid,” said the doctor's wife. “ The poniard with which the deed was done belonged to the countess, and has been already identified.” “ Pooh!” I retorted ; “that is proof positive of her innocence. No one but a fool would have left an article behind that would have convicted them. ’ “ I left the doctor, and proceeded at once to the police officials. I found them in perplexity, some of them be lieving in tbe innocence of the count ess, and the rest firmly believing her to be guilty. I had provided myself with a letter of introduction from the doctor, and was politely received. Stating that I was a lawyer by pro fession, and used to unraveling myste ries, I offered my services in the pres ent case. I was accepted without hes itation, save by one member of the board, who was'most bitter in his hos tility to the countess. This man alluded to showed such an amount of strong dislike to me that 1 resolved to find out the cause. All I could learn, however, was his name, and the fact that he was the father of a half witted girl. I had two interviews with the coun tess, and each of them strengthened my belief in her innocence. I endeavored to find the young noble man whose name had been coupled with hers, but he had left the country. Of course this gave a still darker look to the case, but I did not despair. One night I was proceeding home ward at a late hour, when I heard a stealthy footstep behind me. I turned quickly, and just in time to catch my assailant by the arm. A keen stilletto was iu his hand, and my prompt action had saved my life. Snatching out my revolver. I leveled it at his head, and ordered him to move on, at the same time keeping a firm hold upon his collar. The muzzle of my weapon was a con- VOL. Ill —NO. 11. vincing argument, and he did not dare disobey. I marched him straight tot lie house of my friend. Dr. Glover. As I marched my prisoner into the doctor’s presence, I. for the first time, caught a glimpse of the face beneath the slouch hat. I started back in astonishment. It was no less a person than my strange enemy among the police officials. I knew then that he was able to throw some light upon the mystery. “ See here.” I said, assuming ray fiercest tone ; “ you are fairly cornered now. Confess what you know concern ing the murder of Count Ardotti. and you shall go free, otherwise I shall give you into custody for your attempt upon my life.” The man. frightened by my manner, told all he knew. His insane daughter had been so made by the count’s former attentions. Having betrayed her. he had cast her otf, and she had brooded over her wrongs until she had become dangerously insane. After the count's marriage she had sworn revenge, and became so violent that she required constant watching, tin the day of the count’s murder she had succeeded in eluding the vigilance of her friends. Her father was the first to miss her. and fearing her purpose, had gone straight to the count's entrance, lie had arrived just in time to see his crazy daughter escaping by a back en trance, and shrewdly guessed that the deed had been perpetrated. His wish for revenge upon the new countess for usurping his daughter’s rightful place, and his fear that the crazj T girl might have to pay the pen alty of her act with her life, had led to his silence. Strange to say, the sight of her mur dered lover had brought back the girl's wandering senses, and she was legally liable for the act. The doctor listened in open-mouthed astonishment, while 1 drew up the state ment in legal form, and compelled the man to sign it; then we accompanied him home and had the truth corroborated from the unwilling lips of the daughter. The countess was quickly liberated, and public opinion swung round in her favor. The real murderess was never prosecuted, opinion seeming to be that it was an act of justice. Such is the story, as told me by a lawyer friend on his recent return from abroad. His wife was the former Coun tess Ardotti, and she was, indeed, a most beautiful woman. In Love with His Aunt. Xcir York Sun. William O. Jackson, when ID years of age, in 1864 went to live with Mrs. Anna M. Jackson, his uncle's widow, who is about twenty years his senior. He says that he fell in love with her, and that she promised to marry him. By the death of his father he became possessed of a legacy of about $40,- 000. This money he gave to her. and she invested it in real estate in her own name. After William had lived with his aunt about ten years she began to receive the attentions of Mr. Richard M. Hunt. William objected, and a quarrel followed, and afterward William sued to recover his property. He was in May, 1876, induced, as he says, by a renewed promise of marriage to dis continue his suit and give Mrs. Jack son a full release. She soon afterward married Mr. Hunt, and William insti tuted a suit to set aside his release and get back his property. Mrs. Hunt's defense is that she gave a full considera tion for the release bv the conveyance of a mortgage and some lots in Jersey City to William. The case was on trial yesterday in the Special Term of the Court of Com mon Pleas. Mr. Jackson related his story, giving the history of his quarrels with his aunt, which were begun after Hunt was regular in his visits and had given the defendant a diamond ring. After Jackson had begun his first suit and the Deputy Sheriff had gone to serve an attachment, his aunt enticed him away from the officer, and when he was alone with her she wept and clung to him, and the result was the signing of the discontinuance and release, with an agreement that they should be mar ried within a few months. He told her that he had no money and she gave him the mortgage, he says, for the purpose of purchasing an outfit for her and him self. He received $2,200 for the mort gage and paid the greater part of it for her benefit, principally to lawyers em ployed by her to defend the first suit. Mr. Hunt, who had not made any visits for some time, reappeared the day after the release was given, and was again regular in his attentions. The only ex planation the aunt vouchsafed to give was that she would receive the atten tions of whoever she liked. Jackson told her the house was not big enough to hold two men and went away. Augusta Evening Sentinel: It is fun ny that Dc la Matyr should defeat Han na for Congress, because all the Indiana wags are now shouting “That's "hats the matter with Hanna 1” HARTWELL, UA.. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER (>, 187S. Forty in a Duel. Morrittvvn (Ttnn.) flazettr. Tho famous duel in which forty or more gentlemen were engaged 1828, is still remembered in Natchez. Colonel James Bowie, the famous fighter and inventor of the knife which bears his name, used to spend a grout deal of his time in that city. lie was challenged by a gentleman from Alexandria, La., whose friends to the number of forty or more accompanied him to Natchez to see fair play, knowing that Bowie was a desperate man and had his friends about him. All parties went upon the field. The combatants took their places in the centre, separated from their friends in the rear, or enough not to endanger them with their balls. Behold the battle array thus: Twenty armed Louisianians fifty yards behind their champion and his seconds and surgeon, and opposite them, as far be hind Bowie and his seconds and sur geon, twenty armed Mississippians. Behold the heights of Natchez throng ed with spectators and a steamer in the river rounded to, its deck black with passengers watching with dec)) interest the scene. The plan of the light was to exchange shots twice with pistols and to close with knives, Bowie being armed with his own terrible weapon. At the first tire both parties escaped. At the second the Louisianian was too quick, and took advantage of Bowie, who waited the word. At this Bowie’s sec ond cried “foul play,” and shot the Louisianian dead. The second of the latter instantly killed the slayer of his principal. Bowie drove his knife into this man. The surgeons now crossed blades, while with loud cries came on the two parties’ friends, the light of battle in their eyes. In a moment the whole number was engaged in a fear less conflict. Dirks, pistols and knives were used with fatal effect until one party drove the other from the field. I do not know how' many killed and wounded in all, but it was a dreadful slaughter. Bowie fought like a lion, but fell covered with wounds. For months he lingered at the Mason House before be fully recovered. • Instructions to a Jury. Speaking of the'courts reminds us of a funny instruction said to have been given by a Judge to a jury in—well, we wont say in what State. It runs in this way : “If this jury believes, from the evi dence, that the plaintiff and defendant were a partner in the grocery, and that the plaintiff bought out defendant, and e;ave his note for the interest, and defen dant paid for note by delivering to the plaintiff a cow, which he warranted ‘not breaehy’ and the warranty was broke bv reason of the breachiness of the cow, and the plaintiff drove the cow back and tendered her to the defendant, but the defendant refused to receive her home again, and put a heavy yoke or poke upon her, to prevent her from jumping the fence, and the cow in at tempting to jump the fence, by reason of the aforesaid yoke or poke, broke her neck and died, and if the jury further believes that the defendant's interests in the grocery aforesaid was not worth anything, and the plaintiff's note was worthless, and the said cow good for nothing, either for milk or for beef, or for ‘green hide,' then the jury must find out for themselves how they will de cide the case, for the court, if she un derstands herself, and she thinks she do, don’t know how such a cussed case should be decided.” It Makes AH Wrong. “ Please, father, is it wrong to go pleasuring on the Lord’s day ? My teacher says it, is.” “ Why, child, perhaps it is not ex actly right.” “ Then it is wrong, isn't it, father ?” “O, I don't know that; if it is only once in a while.” “ Father, you know how fond I am of sums ?” “Yes. John, I'm glad you are; I want you to do them well. and be quick and clever at figures ; but why do you talk of sums just now ?” “ Because, father, if there is one lit tle figure put wrong in a sujn, it makes it all wrong,however large the amount is. “ To be sure, child, it does.” “ Then, please, father, don’t you think if God’s day is put wrong now and then, it makes all wrong ?” “ Put wrong, child —how ?” “ I mean, father, put to a wrong use.” “That brings it very close,” said the father, as if speaking to himself; and then added, “ John it is wrong to break God's holy Sabbath. He has forbidden it, and your teacher was quite right.” “ Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” At one of the schools in Cornwell, England, the inspector asked the chil dren if they could quote any text of Scripture which forbade a man having two wives. One of the children eagerly quoted iu reply, the text, “No man can serve two master .” Pungent Paragraphs. I)o as your conscience dictates and you will not go far astray. A Western paper says, “A negro is found dead near the business end of a mule.” The Asheville (N. C-) Pioneer nomi nates Grant for President and General Longstreot for Vice-President in 1880. A Columbus man says he started 30 years ago to make $14,000,000. lie has got the fourteen, hut the cyphers Lot her him. The California grape crop this season is the largest ever gathered, and prepa rations have been made to cure a million pounds of raisins. The loss by the yellow fever, through the destruction of crops by neglect, so i page of trade, and .pii nor causes, is esti mated at 8200,000,000. A farmer was asked if he cleared any thing on his farm last year. He replied that he cleared a ten-rail fence when the sheriff’ got aftei him. An elephant hutted the end out of a car on a Kentucky railroad, fell with his forelegs astride the couplings, broke his tusks, and had a foot cut off. A man named Ramsey was choked to death at Wnrdsvillo, Out., by a grain of wheat. Here is another argument in favor of taking your grain in a liquid state. *• How came you to have such a short nose?” asked a city dandy of a country boy. “So that I would not he poking it into other people’s business," was the reply. Charles G. May, the man who wink ed at Victoria Woodhull a year ago in a passenger ear, died in a New York pool-house the other day. Remorse will fetch a man every lime. The abundant corn crop in the West, will tend to increase the number of hogs raised, and that, in turn, will depress prices. Heavy holders of hog products are a little uneasy at the lookout. A negro boy was driving a mule in Jamaica, when the animal suddenly stop ped and refused to budge. “ Won't go, eh 1” said the boy. “Feel grand, do you? “ I s’pose you forgot your father was a jackass 1” Detroit Free Press : When they go to a barbecue in Georgia it is no one-horse affair—or, rather, one-ox affair. At a recent “roast” at Siiver Creek, in that state, thirty oxen, as many hogs and 84 sheep were cooked. Detroit Erie Press : An infant who will insist on howling and kicking after being tendered the last tooth-brush and only eggjbeater in the house, sadly needs that regular motion of the elbow which Solomon invented and patented. A woman who went to a concert to hear Blind Tom “ play by ear,” writes that she was swindled, and wants us to expose the fraud. Shesays that instead of playing by ear, he played with his fingers, just like any other performer. The Notth Carolinians who live near the sea are at present engaged in har vesting the mullet crop. At one point, “ Mullet Pond Fishery,” 260 barrels were caught one day. At Bogue Inlet the eateli for one day was 160 barrels. Allied time little Willie was saying his usual prayer on his mother’s knee, and when he got as far as, “ If 1 should die before I wake,” hesitated. “ Well, what next?” asked his mother. “Well, I s’pose the next thing would he a fu neral.” A modern writer declares that Amer ican men are gradually decreasing in statue, and that two or three generations hence the women will he taller. He at tributes it to the use of liquor and to bacco stunting the growth of the hoys. It not only shortens the height, but also the length of life. A lady writing from one of the fash ionable watering places declares that “ the low-necked dress is :*n abomina tion into which it is the duty of the press to look.” “We must say in simple justice to ourselves,” says the Louisville Courier-Journal, “ that it is a duty we have seldom lost an opportunity to dis charge.” Janies Miller started from Ohio with his family for the far West, tratStjJbig in an emigrant wagon drawn by twiihorses. In Missouri one of the horses died, and he stole another to replace it. He was arrested, convicted, and sentenced t eight years’ imprisonment. Lately his term expired, and lie resumed his jour ney, his family hnvinglived in the neigh borhood of the prison while waiting for him to be released. SjiringJield Republican ; A pretty lit tle story is told of a Bellows Fall law yer, who is very fond of children. He recently saw a little girl crying over the loss of a pet kitten, and tried to console her by promising to find it. His search was in vain. But a few days ago, while deep in a knotty argument in a case on trial, somebody who had heard of the lawyer’s promise brought in the kitten. The orator stopped short, and the Jus tice reprimanded him. But the lawyer replied: “I can't help it, your Honor. Tub. i Man's lost kitten, and I must WHOLE NO. 11 A. take it to her.” And take it he did, and the Court patiently waited for his re turn. Clarendon Pnss: A prominent phy sician of our town ami a little French man, who is noted for his hospitality as well as for his many peculiarities, par took of a novel dinner at the residence of the latter a few days ago. Part of the dinner, and that wo speak of espe cially, consisted of a rattlesnake which had been killed bv tin' Frenchman. The snake was a large one and contain ed eight rattles and a button. It was dressed in the same manner us we would dress an eel. I lot h of tiie gentlemen pronounced the meat excellent,’and de clare they prefer snake to fish. Chronicle .$• Constihitton'dlist 2(>7i inst.: Augusta has received up to date, since September Ist, fifty-six thousand, five hundred and seventy-five bales <>t cotton against thirty thousand four hun dred amt seventy-three for the same pe riod of last year —an inercasejd’ twenty six thousand and one hundred and two hales. Nearly all of this cotton has been sold as fast as it reached the city. At an average of forty dollars per bale, a little less than nine cents per pound, it lias brought two million, two hundred and sixty three thousand dollars. Recently,•‘‘near Jefferson, a young married couple were in bed with their infant child. During tlie night the young mother felt something strange on her foot, but thought nothing of it. In the morning both parents were-horror stricken at finding their child in the coils of a rattlesnake, with cold, slimy folds, forked tongue and glittering eyes. Without thinking of alarming the rep tile the mother seized the child ami snake in a twinkling and separated them. The little innocent died some days after, supposed from a bite ou the hand. The Beauford (S. C.) Tribune of a recent date says: “A letter from New York to one of our citizens says : “ Who do you suppose came to beg for some money, yesterday, to buy food, and this was the second time he had come? Poor devil! I felt sorry for him in his abject misery, and gave him enough to carry him through the day. The fellow was your ox ( iovernor M uses. Ho .pretends that lie wants to retutu to South Caroli na, but has not the means to return.” Augusta Evening News: And now when a Main street clerk who wears a button-hole boquot and parts his hair in the middle goes to see his sweetheart, he carries a joint of sugar cane with him, anil when lie gets to the house she puts one end of it, in her mouth and he puts the other end in his. Then they chew and chaw, and chaw and chew and chew, until they meet, and—irnd—oh, good ness ! somebody hold me! Why, sugar cane ain’t nowlmr! “One minute in the penitentiary” was the punishment fixed by a Dallas (Texas) jury for the tramp who, having been discharged weak and hungry from the hospital, stole a citizen's breakfast. Rules for Acquiring Wealth. Be honest. If Satan tempts you to defraud your neighbor, it is only that he may rob you of your ill-gotten gain in the end. Be temperate. Liquor has made more paupers than all other vices com bined. Be industrious. Improve each day as if you expected to die on the morrow. Indolence, disease and debt are brothers. Let your word be your bond. Good ' credit is a fortune to begin with. Limit your expenses by necessity and comfort, leaving u good margin for “ balance saved.” Invest your funds carefully and intel ligently. Beware of the brilliant bub bles that are blown up to tempt ingeni ous speculators. How She Saw the Runaway. “Oh, it was a terrible runaway ! You sec an umbrella was carrying a man, and it frightened a buggy, and it started to run of with the horse, they ran over a lamp-post and knocked the sidewalk down, and upset a little baby who was carrying its mother in her arms, and struck some apples, and knocked all the apple-women out of the peanut stand, and then they went down the lightning like a street, and knocked three spokes out of the'torses hind legs, and took the hide off the wheel, and 1 fell out and run a mud-puddle into my head clear up to my shoulders, and the mud got full of my mouth and ears and eyes, and I'll never get over it, and it’s awful, ain't it?” How (jin Houses Burn. Mr. Harry Cutup, writing to the Cov ington Enterprize, says: “Gin houses are being burned by the wholesale. I have had fifty years' ex perience iri the ginning business, and have no doubt that many matches have passed through my giu, but none have been burned. If the brush band is too tight, it draws the cylinder against tne box, and the brush running at high speed heats the brush cylinder very quickly and causes the lint to take fire. Don’t have your brush band too tight.” “ONLY A NIURKII PREACHER.” t>l iii> Didn't Uo Burls,on IIIm Dnty t IIY BAM W. SMAI.I., (Oui Si.) Atlanta C<nuHtutim\. Rev. Ben Black, a colored Methodist minister, at Holly Springs, proved him self a hero during the prevalence of tho scourge. He visited white and black and ministered comfort wherever he went, and at one time was tho only minister present in the village to con sole the sick and assist at the burial of the dead: Ben Black ? Well. 1 reckon I know him— That Holly Springs preacher, you mean? Yas, lie's black as old Natur could grow him ♦Mongst nil the hlnek niggers you’ve seen, lie till born on tbo old plnntasbun An' register’d thar ez er slave, But the Lord in bis wise all-crcashun Put in him a heart diet is brave. lie wn* out tliar dhtin' all evil, An’ try in* ter save his own rnce Frum out of the jaws of tbo devil. By the power o'gospil an grace; lie wuz tliar when the yaller inttieshun Come stalkin’ ’long over the lan’, An' tlie hour of awful ulHicstiun Sliow'd up the true grit of cr man ! Thar wuz then er stampede of the people, Ez well of the po’r an’ the rich, The preacher lost sight of his steeple An' "his duty,” an’ “cross,” an’ all sirli! They tied frum ther kith an’ ther kin, sir, Tiier faith warn’t ez stronger that thread, An’ only u few stayed to win, sir, Thet battle Tnongs* (lyin’ an’ dead ! Old Ben never dickered cr second. Nor falter’d when weary an’ faint. But whatever the stricken 'uti beckon’d He bent to his work like cr saint ! flight, thar at the bed o' the whitest lie took up er merciful stand, Or trod wither step that, wuz lightest When doth wuz the closest at baud. lie talk'd of the Lord and his power Ter save an’ make holy the heart. He told the weak soul not to cower In ther face of Heath's pestilent dart: He spoke the sweet message of heaven Ter them that never lied lieer’d it, An’ put a firm faith in them even Thet know’d of the futur’ an’ feer'd it. I tell ycr thet old black preacher Wuz worth thar his weight in pure gold, Fcr lie fuller’d the path of his Teacher Like them ’Postlemen did of old? I’ve seed ninny parsons in churches A shoutin’ of duty an' death. But they left all their lolks in tho lurches When of danger thar come er first breath. I’ve liccr’d menny fhgh -toned sparkiea (Jo shoutin’ nround about niggers. An’ swearin' the souls of the darkies VVern’t worth enny more'ii er chigger’s, But ef thnr's er man in this party Wither heart in him big as er flea Thet won’t cheer for Old Ben right hearty Why, then- -lie’s got ter lick me ! Per 1 sn v thet the Lord had cr reason Fer paintin' thet old nigger’s hide, An' He meant him to turn up in season With all the wozlisquare oh his side ; An’ when all in the judgment conic even, I'J I pass, you can net on this thing— Thar’ll he one nigger angel in heaven I’ll jine with ter praise an’ ter sing! Cl;c rfal 4V( men. In marrying, men should seek happy women. They make a terrible mistake when they many for beauty, or for tal ent, or fbr style ; the sweetest wives are those who possess the magic secret of being happy under any and every cir cunirtunc. Rich or poor, I igli or law, it makes no difference, the bright little fountain bubbles up just ns musically in our hearts. Nothing ever goes wrong w ith them—no trouble is too serious for them “to make the best of it.” Was ever the stream of calamity so dark and deep, that the sunlight of a happy face falling across its turbid tide would uut w ake an answering gleam ? Why, then, joyous tempered people don't know half the good they do. No matter how cross and crabbed they feel, no matter if your brain is full of meditation on “ afflicting dispensations,” and your stomach with medicines, pills and tonics; just one of these cheery little women talking to you, and we will wager anything she can cure vou. The longer drawn finesabout the mouth will relax—the cloud of set tled gloom will vanish, nobody knows where, and the first thing you know, you will he laughing. Oh, what blessings arc; those happy women ! How often their little hands guide the ponderous machine of life, with almost an invisible touch! How we look forward through the weary day to their fireside smiles! No one knows, no one w ill ever know until the day of judgement reveals, how touch we owe to these helpful, hopeful, uncomplaining happy women. Formation of Character. If you ever watched nn icicle as it formed, you would have noticed how it froze, one drop at a time, until it was a a foot long or more. If the water was clean, the icicle remained clear, and it sparkling brightly in the sun; but if the water was slightly muddy the icicle look ed foul,' and its beauty was spoiled. Just so our characters arc formed. One lit tle thought or feeling at a time adds its influence. If every thought is pure and right, the soul will he bright and lovely, and will sparkle with happiness, but, if their thoughts arc impure and wrong, the mind will be soiled, the character de praved and darkened, and there w ill be final deformity and wretchedness. How important then, that we should he on our guard against every evil impulse and desire. Keokuk Constitution : The last man will have an awfully lonesome time of it. Nobody to borrow money of; nobody to dun him or raise his rent; no gas me ter to make things lively; no boot agents; no life-insurance man, and no oldest inhabitant to declare that it's the most remarkable weather w’e ever have had.