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It Never Pays. It a«T«r pays to fret and growl When fortune seems our foe; The better bred will look ahead And strike the braver blow. Ytxir lock is work, And those who shrink Should not lament their doom, But yield the play, And clear the way, Tbat better men have room. It never pays to wreck the health In drudging after gain, And he is sold who thinks that gold Is cheapest bought with pain. An humble lot, A cozy cot, Have tempted even kings, For station high, That wealth will buy, Not oft contentment brings. It never pays! A blunt refrain Well worthy of a song, For age and youth must learn the truth That nothing pays that’s wrong. The good and pure Alone are sure To bring prolonged success, While what is right In heaven’s sight Is always sure to bless. THE BASKET SELLER. “WeH, I declare!” said Mrs. Gibson, slowly and emphatically. “What will happen next? There was the eclipse a-Wednesday night, and the earthquake ■hock a week ago, aud Jane Ann Bhorey’s runaway match with Phil Par kinson last night; and I swan to gracious if here don’t come along Emma Ellis, ridin’ on top of a load o' wilier ware, jest for all the world as if she was a roani" “Don’t you want to buy a clothes basket, Mrs. Gibson?” called out Emma Ellis’ dear soprano voice, as the sturdy sorrel pony came to a pause in front of the painted garden fence, where the young quinces were just beginning to assume shape and form among the downy, groen leaves. “A clothes-basket?” repeated Mrs. Gibson. “That’s just exactly what I do want. Got any good, substantial ones, with bars o' wood across the bot tom to strengthen ’em?” By way of answer, Emma Ellis swung down a solid-looking willow receptacle, springing after it herself, and a lively discussion ensued. “Guin' into the peddlin’ business, ah?” said Mrs. Gibson. “Well, 1 thought I’d see how I liked it,” Emma answered, with a cheery, good-liumorcd laugh. “Do you like this basket? I’ve got some capilal easy rockers for the old grandmother here, and a doll s cradle that will exactly sud die babyf and as for work-baskets—’» And she made a triumphant motion of her hand that expressed marvels. “Well, I'd like ’em all,” said good Mrs. Gibson, “but I don’t feel ablo to buy nothin’ but the basket this morn ing. Se'lin’ on commission, eh?” “No—out and out. Let me see; you want two dollars and nineteen cents ohange, do you?” And Miss Ellis opened her flat leather pocketbook aud couuted out the money in true business-like fashion. “Well—1—noverl” repeatod Mrs. Gibson, staring after the cloud of dust that followed the load of willow-ware in its progress down the street. “Why, what is the matter?” said Chares Borden, who had just stopped at the gate to see if he could borrow Farmer Gibson’s mowing machino for the morrow. “It’s Emma Ellis,” said Mrs. Gibson, “driviu’ a load o’ wilier-ware, and sailin' baskets and hampers and things.” * ‘Nonsense 1” cried Borden. “I jest bought this ’ere clothes-basket of her 1” declared Mrs. Gibson. “I tell j* what, Charley Borden, she’s been disappointed in the deostrick school, and the squire ho must have come plumb up agin a snag in tho marble-mantel busi ness, and as sure as you live Emma’s got to earn her own livin’, with all them genteel ways and piano lessons and crayon pictcrs o’ hern. My I what a come-down it is for that family! I don’t see how Emma can be so chirk about it. Where’s that Borden fellow?” she cried, staring about her. ‘ 'Gracious me, if ho ain’t cut across tho medderl I guess most l.kely he’s seen Gibson fhere.” And Mrs. Gibson tied on a green ahccked sun-bonnet and ran down the street to 3Irs. Dalrymple to tell the news. '‘Serves ’em right!” said Mrs. DaL rymp’e. “A fambly o’ rog’lar goin upstarts! I never did take no stock in Emma Ellis.” “Your son Oliver did though,” chuckled Sirs. Gibson, with a meaning “That ain’t neither here nor ther«,” said Mrs. Dalrymple, sharply. “Oliver ain’t goin' to squander on no girl the money that bis father laid up, unless she’s real savin’, bard-workin’ crectur , as will know how to take care of it.” “There she is now!” said Mrs. Gib son. “Stoppin’ here!” “No-o-o!” bawled Mrs. Dalrymple, opening the window a mere crack. “We don’t want nothin’. No, I say!” Emma Ellis smiled to herself as she drove on, stopping next at the Borden farmstead, where, strange as it may ap pear, Borden himself had already ar rived, by means of the short-cut across the Gibson meadows. “Oh, is it you, Mr. Borden?” she asked, carelessly. “Won’t you ask your sister if she requires anything in my way this morning?” i « But, Miss Ellis, what does this mean?” exclaimed the amazed young farmer. “It means—willow-ware,” Emma an swered, composedly. “Has anything happened?” “Things are always happening,” said Emma, reaching across the load for a particularly pretty market basket, “I think she will like this, Mr. Borden. ” “I’ll buy it for her,” said Charley, recklessly. “And a scrap-basket, shaped like a little barrel, don’t you see,” persisted Emma, “for your own room?” It’s cheap —only a dollar.” “I’ll buy that, too,” said Charles Borden. “And this hamper and. this pair of little baskets for Kate’s boys to go blackberrying with, and—” V i Oh, stop, stop, ” merrily cried Em ma. “You musn’t buy all my stock in trade, or I shall have nothing left for anybody else.” “Oh, but I really want that big rock er for the front porch,” persisted Mr. Borden. “That’s a necessity.” “The big rocker, then,” said Emma, half laughing; “but beyond that, abso lutely nothing more.” “But y ou’11 promise me one thing?” “It depends very much upon what it is.” “If you have anything left unsold at the end of your trip, you’ll give me a chance?” said Charlie imploringly. “Wicker goods always come handy, you know.” Emma only laughed and touched up the old horse. “I make no promises,” said she. That day, on the high seat among the baskets and rockers, the wash-tub3 and clothes-horses, to Emma Ellis it was quite a new experience. The chaffering at shady farmhouse doors with busy housewives, the counting of change, the discussion of qualities and tho persist ent standing up against the general dis position to beat down prices and haggle for odd cents, the various views of hu man life which she now obtained for the first time from her aerial peich, the odd sensation of being “in trade,” the consciousness that she was looked upon with pity by some of her friends and scorn by others—it was altogether a strange conglomeration of feelings. Toward the close of the day's work, as she was returning home with her wagon-load considerably depleted, and her purse somcwh.t better furnished than it had been, she chanced to come face to face with handsome Oliver Dal rjmple, trotting along on the Morgan mare, which once had been the pride of the elder Dalrvmple’s heart. She looked him full in the face. He seemed absorbed in the knot on the end of his whip-lash, and never even looked her way. “So!” she said to herself; “sets the wind that way?” Mr. Dalrymple do^s not .seem to approve of this new enter prise of mine. Well, I’m sorry, but 1 can’t help it. Charley Borden, now, views things in an entirely different way.” And sho smiled a little as she saw, leaning anxiously over the gate beyond, the stalwart figure of the young farmer. “Miss Ellis 1” he uttered pleadingly. “I’m sure you can’t want to buy any moro willow-ware,” said Emma, check ing her horse. “There can’t bo room for it in tho house. ” “No; but won't you lot mo put this horse in the atablo, or drive it home for you, while you come into tea? Alice will bo de ighted to see you. And you must be so tiredl” urged he. Emma thought a moment, and as she reflected how refreshing a cup of hot tea would be, Alice Borden put her curly head out of the w.ndow. “Do come, Emmal" sho aleJL SCHLEY COUNTY “We’ll have waffle* and maple syrup and broiled chickens; and I’ve got evar so many things to tell you.” And Emma capitulated. But as Charley Borden helped her down from her high seat, he stood a minute holding both her hauds in his. “Emma,” said he, “I know I’ve no business to speak so abruptly, but I can’t help it. I don’t know why you are doing this thing, but if it is to earn money, let me earn it for you, Emma— give me the right to do it. I’m only a farmer, but I’ve got a nice place here, and I can keep you like a lady. And I love you, Emma! I’ve loved you well and truly this many and many a day. Now I’m not going to tease and bother you about this. Take time to make up your mind. I’ll drive the old horse home, and then I’ll take you back my self in the little buggy when you and Alice have had a good visit. And you can give me my answer when you please, and not before.” Emma broke from him and ran into the house, blushing yet not displeased. Alice met her at the door. “Where is Charley?” said she. “Oh, going to take your load of willow-ware home? Now, Emma, tell me what this really means. Have you lost all your property?” “No.” “Are you going into trade?’* “No.” “You won’t answer me?” “No.” “Then,” laughed Alice Borden, “I’ll ask you no more questions. Hereafter I’m as dum as an oyster. Now come in and help me dish up the chickens and waffles.” It was past eleven that night when Charley Borden brought Emma Ellis homo to the old house, where the squire was nodding over his evening paper. Well,” said he, viewing her over the edge of his spectacles, with a waggish twinkle in his clear blue eyes, “how did the thing work?” “First rate, papa,” said Emma. “I sold twenty dollars’ worth—within a few cents. And Mr. Borien here was one of my best customers.” “Then,’’ said the squire, with a sigh of comic resignation, “I’ve lost my wager. You see, Borden, my girl want ed me to buy this stock of willow-ware with the horse and wagon, to set old Miss Barhydt up in busine s—and I told her no woman would succeed iu such aa enterprise, let alone their being unwill ing to undertake this sort of work. But Emma stuck to it that it could be done, and I was weak enough to wager the whole outfit that it couldn’t. So Emma declared she would prove it practically —and I didn’t think she had pluck enough; but, by jingo, she has! Yes, yes, Emma, you’ve beat me square and fair!” “And Miss Barhydt is to have the outfit of willow-ware!” cr ed E.nma, joyfully, clapping her hands, “and the horse and wagon. On, Mr. Borden, you can’t think what a nice old woman, •he is, nor how anxious she is to earn a livelihood in tho open air like this! And now you know,” with the archest and most bewitching of glances, “how it came to pass that I was peddling willow baskets around tho country. Wouldn’t you have done it, if you had been me?” Young , Dalrymple was in despair when he learned of Charles Borden’s en gagement to the prettiest girl—aye, and the richest girl—in the country. “But who was to suppose,” said he, that she would take such an unaccounta ble whim into her head?” And Sirs. Gibson always declared that she never had a clothes-basket wear like the ono she bought of Squire Ellis’ daughter !—Saturday Nig'it. A Railroad iu the Holy Land. The preliminary suiveys of a railroad to run from Jaffa on the sea coast in Palestine to Jerusalem, and thence to Bethlehem, have just leen completed, and a party of engineers have started from London for the Holy L ind to lay out the route. A company has al ready been formed to build tho roa 1, in which a number of English and Fiench bankers are interested. From all ac counts it is a purely business enterprise without a trace of sentiment of religious fervor. Tho travel in the Holy Land of late years has been increasing steadily, and it is believed if first cbm railway accom modations were furnished the number of tourists who annually visit Jerusalem from all parts o the earth would soon be Uwhk-L CHL0R0F0RMISTS. Facts About a Dangerous Class of Criminals. The Cunning Manner in Which They Rob Their Victims. A correspondent of the St. Louis Globe- Democrat gives the following in teresting description of the methods adopted by a band of criminals known in France as chloroformists: The chloroformists administer with great skill, either with the aid of a sponge or that of a handkerchief, that poisonous, powerful, tenacious and al ways dangerous substance, which, given unskilfully, may prove fatal. They are shrewd, adroit and well posted; they are met with on the railway trains, on the steamboats and at the hotels. Es sentially cosmopolitan, they spend the major part of their existence in travel ing. They talk like guides and are thoroughly acquainted with the water ing places and sea baths where the aris tocracy and wealth gather. The ch.'oroformist is generally an old hand, having frequented the schools of medicine, where he learned the use and efficacy of narcotics. A man of the world, intelligent and good company, his conversation is captivating. He speaks several languages and claims to belong to the nobility. He has an agreeable presence. An cxce lent dancer and somewhat of a musician, young ladies are delighted with him. This is the way he operates on a rail way train: He stations himself -in the depot and watches the purchasers of tickets. Having cho»en as his victim the man with the best filled pocketbook, he buys a ticket and gets into the same compartment. In his traveling bag he carries a reserve of provisions, good wine, extra cigars, playing-cards and everything such as au experienced trav eler would have. He adroitly engages his victim in con versation, speaks of the inconvenience of railway station restaurants, the long wait to be served, and the small time allowed to passen ^ers. In a winning manner he then offers to share his bill of fare with his companion. A friend was going with him to Switzerland, but at the last moment wired h m that he could not go, and that is why he is so amply provided with provisions. If necessary he shows the dispatch. Should the victim refuse to partake, he proceeds with his repast and afterwards offers him cigars, prepared as was his wine. They chat, time flies, and the monotonous noiso of tho train, added to the cigar smoke, plunges the victim into a torpor which ho cannot conquer, and by which ho is finally overcome. The chloroformist then opens his vial and places it for several seconds beneath the sleepers nostrils. At the same time he g entl .Y puts over the mouth a sheet of very fine parchment to prevent tho breathing of the external air. This parchment is called the “stifler;” it is shaped like the lower part of a carnival mask. The man is in a sound sleep^ almost a corpse; the chloroform vapor has done its work. Thea the thief leisurely riflei tho victim s pocketbook, taking care to leave one or more bank notes in it, after which he restores it to the owner’s pocket. He does not ap propriate any of the sleeper’s jewelry. The robbery committed, the thief quits the 'rain at the next station, Two rea- 80ns actuate the chloroformist in not absolutely depriving his victim of money. Having enough left to pay his expenses, the latter is in le-s haste to make his complaint. The second rca ®° n is that, should tho min die under the influence of the chloroform, being in possession of his jewelry and money, his death will be attributed to natural causes, and the authorities will not sus pect that a crime has been committed. The Siamese Twins. Chang and Eng were brought to Bos ton in 1829 by Captain Gabriel Coffin in his brig, tho Sachem. Mr. Hale travel’.e 1 all over Europe and the United States, exhibiting the twins for C p tain Coffins benefit. At last they came of age, and having meanwhile learned enough English to converse freely and enough American to lake care of thern selves, held on to their own receipts, then amounting to about $2,000 a week over the expenses. On this, as is well known, they soon married Sisters in North Carolina and settled down there to enjoy their ease. Effects of Heat. How is it that so far higher a temper, ature of air can be borne by the human body than of water? When the body is exposed to a very high temperature the amount of exhalation from the sudorif erous ducts is immensely increased, and it is on account of the rapid evapora tion which takes place that persons have been able to endure for several minutes a temperature greatly exceeding that of boiling water. The amount of vapor that is lost from the body under these conditions amounts to from two to four pounds an hour. A much greater ele vation of temperature can be tolerated with impunity in dry air than in moist. A familiar instance is that of the Rus sian vapor bath (moist air) and the Turkish bath (dry air). In the former a temperature of 130 degrees Fahren heit is almost unbearable, while in the case of the latter a temperature of 160 degrees to 200 degrees can be born* without danger. A hot-water bath of 110 degrees to 150 degree* would be absolutely unsafe, and would tend to scald, the pores of the skin being nuable to properly fulfill their evapora ting functions in water of this tempera ture. Tiltctt records au instance where a young girl remained in an oven for ten minutes without inconvenience at – temperature of 324.5 degrees. Dr. Blagden found that 211 degrees could be easily borne. Chabert, who exhibited as the “Fire King," is said to have entered ovens at from 400 degrees to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. In such cases as these the body is protected from the radiated heat by clothing; the air is perfectly dry, and the animal heat is kept down by the excessive exhalation from the surface of the skin. Biblical Relics in Damascus. _ Damascus is so fortunate as to possess the tombs of three of Mohamet’s wives and of Fatimah and the tomb of Saladin, which Nicolas of Russia in 1867 found in a bad condition and re stored at a cost of $16,000. But no name is connected with Damascus of equal importance in history with that of Saul of Tarsus, who ou his journey to the city saw T the “brightness above the midday sun,” aud underwent the mirac ulous transformation from the persecu tor to the earnest advocate of the Chris tian faith. The street called “Strait” is thirty feet below the level of tlje present thoroughfare of that name, which is the straightest avenue I saw in any Eastern city.. The hou9B of Ananias, tho house of Judas, the very fountain whore Paul was baptized and the place where he was let down from the wall, in a basket, are shown, but hardly satisfy the critical or roman tic interest of the tourist. The Christ ian population in the city is about 12, 000, most all of which belong* to the Greek communion. The Catholics have some flourishing schools and five build ings. Excellent Protestant schools are conducted by the British Syrian Mission and the Mission of the Irish Presbyter ian church. The Rev. M. P.iillips, of Ireland, and a missionary lor twelve years in Damascus, told me that the Mohametani would bo accessible if the espionage and opposition of the govern ment were withdrawn. As it is there are groups who study the Scripture* in secret.— Mai. and Express. The True Eating Banana. The true eating banana,or “madura," is said to be unknown in northern coun tiios, tho varieties we import being sim ply those which are use l in the laud of their growth for cooking purposed. Many varieties of the m idura are recog n zed, each of which is distinct in flavor; the smaller are the moro deli cious, and the smallest of all, the so called “ladv-linger banana,’ wi.h * skin hardly thicker than paper, is tile most highly prized, Green cooking bananas are peeled and roasted in the ashes and eaten with butter; partially lipe ones are boiled for a few inkntfe 9 with the skin on and eaten with syrup or honey; and ripe ones arc sliced lengthwise aud fried iu olive-oil or but ter. One of fho Six Hundred. Tramp (at tho back door)—“If y° u knew me, madam, you would not hesi tate to extend the open hand of sympa thy. I am one of tho famous Six Uao dred.” Lady of the house (astonished)— “You? You don’t look old enough.” Tramp (with his mouth full of pu‘)— “I am one of the six hundrecl inmates of the workhouse mentioned in the s* periptcadcat’s last report.”