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MAYBE.
She leant across the r.tlle
With her merry, golden smile,
And her bonny brown eye glancing
Through the green leaves all the v bile.
And he who loved her so
Watohtd from the path belo*’;
But she tossed her head so daintily,
A nd laughed and bade lilm go.
Maybe! Maybe! We oannot know.
Maybe! Maybe! ’twas better so.
When the winds of March were loud,
And the skies were daik With cloud,
He had won her love forever,
And she trusted all he vowed,
But she wept against his heart;
“Oh, nay darling, w T e must part,
For a barrier lies between u»,
Forever more, sweetheart!”
Mayoe! Maybe! We cannot know.
Maybe! Maybe! ’twas better so.
And the years have passed away
And they are both old and gray,
But the same sweet dream Is In their hearts
Forever and for aye.
Oh, sweet and sad the pain
Of the love that will not wane;
9o sweet because so true ;
So sweet and sad in vain.
Maybe! Maybe! We caunot know ;
Maybe! Maybe! It shall be better so.
—New Orleans Democrat.
The Origin of the jumping Jack.
Come with me to the nark this fair
day, for I wish to show you a certain
carriage and its occupant, and tell you
a, story.
In pleasant weaiher, the scene is
gay and grand, with multitudes hieing
thither for recreation amid country
sights, odors and surroundings. The
ricli and the poor of all ages and
classes, afoot, on horse back and in
carriages, make a living panorama of
the shaded walks and graded drives.
But here comes the “turn-out” for
which we have been waiting; a mag
nificent span of dapple-grays, by far
the most powerful team we have seen ;
a carriage to match, roomy and costly,
hut not gaudj ; a driver not in livery,
as many are, but looking just the man
for iris work ; and such a load as are
making merry within-every one of
them a hunchback! Yes, from the
crooked gentleman on the back seat,
to that little fellow up by the driver,
all are hunchbacks; well dressed,
but with a wistful
are
happy-seeming
look, and, as they roll by, you see in
them the introduction to my little
story.
Something like twenty years ago, a
miseiable brick house, in a back alley,
was the home of Archl »uld Ramsey a
Scotch carpenter. He worked down
town in a shop, making corniees,
mouldings, mantles, and a variety of
the more elaborate parts employed in
finishing houses. Every evening, he
took home pocketfuls, and often hand
fuls also, of bits and ends from the
shop.
These oddly-shaded fragments of
soft, sweet smelling pine, furnished
nusement for poor little Alec, Mr.
amsey’s hunchback boy ; and when
served this purpose, they
a'io'A.v ; "> : u the kitchen
ley
(hers,
.here was a houseful of little Ram-
1, of whom Alec was the oldest,
when he was amu*id,-«^|j|jyp the
thus giving the over-wo
lother time for other duties.
Alec was sixteen years old, and not
[taller than an average boy of ten. He
was ver much deformed, and had lie
lived in an age and country of kings
seeking dwarfs and human oddities,
for “court fools,” or jesters, lie
would lave been a prize to ^»me iron-
handed tyrant. His shoulders were
almos i as high as his head, his arms
hung out, loose and dangling, and the
rest of his body was shrunken and
slender, to a most pitiable degree.
But whoever, with a tender heart,
looked into his great, questioning eyes,
and noted his broad, fa>r foiehead, and
his clean, delicate bauds, would soon
forgot the sad p’nupe in the nobility of
the face.
X need rW linger to speak of his
o which, all unaided, he pushed
along with success; nor of his con
stancy in the Sunday school, where
he was a univtiTsal^uvorite. It is about
his play with the bits of pine from the
shop, I wish to tell you.
Many a droll pile he built on the
kitchen floor; many a funny thing he
whittled out to amuse the little ones ;
many a comical toy he made and gave
away to neighboring children. Often
he said, and oftener thought, “What
can I whittle that will sell?” For only
money seemed likely to bring him
tlxe changed life for which he longed,
ice, when he sold for a few pennies,
queer little pine trinket, his father
looked his silken hair and said;
*‘Ab, me puir bairnie, I dinna ken
It ye may make yoor forta
.our knife.” How that little
encouragement rang in bis ears and
stimulated him to think and whittle,
whittle and think 1
One genial afternoon in May, Alec,
crept out to enjey 'he balmy air, and
by the noise of a crowd of urchins on
a vacant lrt at a little distance, was
drawn in that direction. Here he saw
a colored boy, named Jack, attempt
ing, for the amusement of the party,
all sorts of pranks in imitation of
circus performers. Bareheaded and
clothed in striped red and yellow gar
ments of coarse quality the negro lad
almost seemed made of India rubber.
Alec watched his capers in amaze
ment. Never before had he seen such
antics, or even thought them possible.
It was no wonder that the frail, stiff-
jointed little hunchback dreamed it
all over again, as he did that night.
Next morning his whittling genius
took shape from this event, and before
noon he had produced a rude pine im
age of the negro, head, arms and legs
loosely hung with bits of broom wire,
and the whole curiously arranged, so
that by working a string, it would
jump, nod, turn somersaults, and go
through quite a series of contortions.
With colored pencils, of which he had
some cheap specimens, he blackened
its head, neck, hands and feet, red
dened its lips, whitened its eyes, and
rudely striped, in yellow and red,
the body all in imitation of the little
negro gymnast. Before it was com
pleted his younger brother, who had
been with him the day before, named
it “Jumping Jack.” And in tbe after
noon, when he went to the vacant lot
and exhibited it to the youngsters
there, it was not only universally, but
boisterously hailed by the same name.
When he returned home, he brought,
instead of the jumping-jack, a silver
half dollar, for which he had sold the
boy to an eager, well-dressed lad of his
own age. And not only this but he
had orders from the boys for naif a
dozen more, to be made as soon as
pos-ible.
Oh, what a proud, glad heart beat
within that deformed little body of
Alec’s 1 How his temples throbbed 1
How elastic his step! What flashing
eyes 1 What a skein of wild and hope
ful talk he unwound to his mother!
So much money for his whittling, and
a chaiice for more and more! Castle
sky-hi/h and star-brigh.
But/T have not told you all. That
evening he whittled, and the next
day /he whittled, and before night
hac«dded to his capital three more
shij^ig half-dollars. The next day
he/doubled his money. The demand
fof Jumping-jacks indreased. Boys
cAine to the door, silver in hand, to
get what he had not time to make.
His grave Sootch parents began to
hold serious coun-el over the matter.
If Alec could find such sale for these
pine images in that neighborhood,
why the whole city would require
thousands ; and what would sell to de
lighted children in one city, would
sell everywhere also. If they could
supply the market, a fortune might
readily be made.
Scotch blood, once aroused and dial-
leiiged is sanguine aud venturesome.
But it would be uninteresting to
Jhe details; so the rest of
my story s7nfi^i*brief.
Alec’s Sunday school teacher, who
was a, lawyer, procured for him a pat
ent on Jumping-jacks of every descrip
tion ; a rich old uncle of Alec’s mother
built him a factory, and started him in
business ; and, within a year from the
afternoon when the poor lad wondered
at the pranks of the colored boy,
Jumping-jacks from the Ramsey fac
tory were selling in great numbers all
over America.
Truly Alec did “make a fortoon wi’
his knife.”
To school he went; in abetter house,
all their own, the family moved ;
easier circumstances, better health,
less weariness, and ample meaus for
doing good came to the Ramseys.
But tjfe best point in my story is
tbat^T fine asylum and school for
hi^£hbucks, free to the poor, is one
^Tthe noble enterprises to which Alec
mas been chief contributor.
Those deformed lads in the carriage
yonder are from the “Ramsey Asylum
for hunchbacks.”
That was Alec’s carriage, autL that
“crooked gentlemen on the backseat”
was Alec himself. Every fair after
noon lie is out in this way, taking a
loid of “his boys,” as he calls them,
and thus as often as once a fortnight,
he gives every inmate of the asylum a
turn in the park.—St. Nicholas,
Important Supreme Court
Decisions.
INSURANCE, RENTERS, PRACTICE.
Insurance Law.
There is no better test of purity and
goodness than reluctance to think
evil of one’s neighbor, and absolute
incapacity to believe an evil report
about
The Supreme Court has decided the
case of the Western Assurance Com
pany of Toronto, Canada, vs. David
Ackerman and Betty Ackerman, his
wife, in the right of the wife—error to
the Common Pleas of Lackawanna
county—and affirmed the judgment
of the Court below. This was an ac
tion of debt brought in the right of
Betty Ackerman against the insurance
company to recover upon a policy of
fire insurance for her actual loss of
shoe stock and machinery. The prop
erty destroyed was valued at $10,000
concurrently insured in this aud three
other companies. At the trial, on be
half of Mrs. Ackermau, it was shown
that the goods described in the policies
were in her possession at the time they
were insured, and that they were de
stroyed by fire; that proof of loss had
been made to the insurance company,
aud, upon objection being made by
them, further proof was made to meet
their objections. That the insurance
company declined to adjust the loss.
The defendants contended that it was
an attempt to defraud them ; that the
goods described in the policy had not
betn destroyed ; that the goods were
over-valued ; that Mrs. Ackerman was
not the sole and unconditional owner
of the property, and that she had not
submitted herself to au examination
under oath by the agents of the com
pany, nor furnished them certified
copies of accouuts of proof or loss
vouchers; ancl that, therefore, the ver
dict should be for the defendant. It
was shown in answer to this by Mrs.
Ackerman, that she gave the agents
of the company all the books aud
accounts she had, and referred him to
New York firms for evidence which
she did not possess.
The Court held that as against the
defendant, possession by Mrs. Acker
man was prima facie proof of owner
ship in personal property destroyed,
and left the question of ownership
values and faith to the jury. As to
the clause in the policy which required
the assured to submit to an examina
tion under oath, and the production of
books, accounts and vouchers, or cer
tified copies if lost, the Court charged
that this might be waived, and, if the
company fails to make this objection
at the time of the proof of loss, or to
give Mrs. Ackerman specific notice of
what they repuired of her, then they
had waived that part of the contract.
The jury found for the plaintiff. A
judgment was accordingly entered in
her favor, against the insurance com
pany, for $247.32.
The insurance company by writ of
error removed the case to the Supreme
Court, contending that the Court had
erred in charging the jury upon the
question of possession as prima facie
proof of the ownership as against the
company. That the assured was
bound to strictly follow out the provi
sions of the policy as to submitting to
au examination under oath as to her
property and furnishing proofs of ac
counts, vouchers and the like. And
inasmuch as she had referred the com
pany to parties in New York they
should have been permitted to show
the conversation with such parties,
together with their refusal to give the
proofs required. The Supreme Court,
however, affirmed the decision of the
Court b K)W, and in a per curiam opin
ion, filed, say.
Western Ins, Co. vs. Ackerman.—
Per Cur. Possession of personal prop
erty is prima facie evidence of owner
ship, and ihe policy being in the name
of the wife this, with the possession
was, as against the defendant, prima
facie evidence that she was the owner
It was certainly a fact for the jury,
and fairly submitted to them, whether
the stock of goods insured did in fact
exist. There Wf.s no evidence, as the
learhed Judge rightly held, that Mrs.
Ackermau had refused to submit her
self to examination under oath. The
answer to the plaintiff’s point was un
doubtedly right, as was the ruling of
the learned Judge in the rejection of
the evidence. The agent who inquired
of the persons in New York was the
agent of the company, and there was
nothing in the plaintiffs reference to
them which bound him by their an
swers. So far as the evidence was
rejected it was merely hearsay. Judg
ment affirmed.
^ Law for Renters.
The following law cannot fail to
interest the average tenant. For years
back the old law would not permit the
tenant to remove any improvements
whatsoever placed on a property after
relinquishing it; but the following
liberal decision contains the balanced
justice : As a general rule, whatever a
tenant puts into a dwelling or erect
on the premises for his own comforts
without the intention to permanently
annex it, he may remove at any time
beoref the expiration of bis lease. This
would include such things as cup
boards, shelves, coaibius, and even a
stairway has been held to be without
the rule. All trade fixtures and tem
porary structures, whether frame or
brick, or without regard to their size,
may be taken down and carried off by
the tenant who erected them. Even
a part of the realty if the right to
remove it is reserved. All the land
lord can legitimately demand is to
have his property restored to his pos
session in as good order as it was re
ceived by the tenant, ordinary wear
and tear excepted. Whatever the ten
ant puts in of a movable nature he
may take away, hut his carpenter
work must not injure or permanently
alter the property. All the decisions
concur that these removals must be
made within the term of the lease. It
the teuant waits until his lease has
expired, the land and all that is on it,
except the purely personal property of
the tenant returns to the landlord.—
Penn. Ex.
Gems of Sentiment.
“Show me a land that hr.s moun-*
tains without valleys, and I will show
you a man who has joys without sor
rows.”
A Question of Fraotice.
The Supreme Court has decided
the case of Heffner vs. Merteel, aud
affirmed the judgment of the Com
mon Pleas of Berks county, Pa. Heft'
ner allowed a judgment upon a bond
in favor of Merteel to be entered up
agaiust him, with the understanding
that execution was to be limited to his
real estate. Merteel subsequently Is
sued a writ of li.fa. against Hefi'uer’s
personal property. Heffner then ap
plied to the lower court to open the
judgment, upon the ground that this
execution was contrary to the agree
ment between the parties. This the
Court declined to do, and Heffner re
moved the case to the Supreme Court
assigning this refusul to open the
judgement as error. The Supreme
Court, however, have affirmed the
judgement of the lower Court, and in
a per curiam opinion say that Heffner
mistook his remedy in the Court be
low. There was no ground to open
the judgment. If there was an agree
ment that it should be limited to real
estate the application should have been
to set aside the execution. Judgment
affirmed.
“ The peaches redden on the wall,
Hiding In hollow cells of green,
Where plaited leaves hang thick abont.
And scarce permit them to be seen,
And so, In truth, good deeds should be.
Concealed In sweet humility.”
Ought.
O soul-compelling word, of Conscience born.
Worthy art thou o’er highest lives to reign!
And, If thy whiteness win some earthly
stain,
Yet, weighed to right, thou blddest souls to
scorn
All seeming 111 and loss, and only mourn
The noble purpose which by sin is slain.
Ah ! thou dost deem a whole world poorest
gain
It for its sake one soul should be foresworn.
And much I doubt that In this mortal life
One e'er may rise to heights beyond thy need,
Or fall so low that thou wilt be unheard.
Then not till Grace aud Nature cease their
strire
To blend In souls from earthly conflict freed
Can we thy use forego, O noble word 1
—Grace S. Wei.ls.
For thinking, one; for converse,
two, no more; three for an argument;
for walking, four ; for social pleasure,
five ; for fun, a score.
“ Heaven is not cached by a single bound,
But we build the ladder by whioh we rise
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies,
And wo mount to the summit round by
round.’’
The Blue-bird.
A dreamy haze of sunlight floats
Across the shining fields of snow,
And, rippling through the glory, flow
A few delicious, liquid notes.
A Very Ancient Race.
The Arizona Miller publishes the
following, which will be of interest to
many of our readers :
“We were shown at the office of Dr.
Thilbobo this morning the lower jaw
of a human wTio belonged to a primi
tive race. It was dug out of the
ground on Lynx creek, sixteen feet
below the surface, and is entirely dif
ferent from any relics or remains of
the people who lived in this part of
the hemisphere since the birth of our
Savior. The bone is shaped after that
of a human to a great degree, is some
what wide where it is connected with
the temporal hone, but runs to a more
pointed shape at the end of the chin—
never had more than six teeth, no
grinders, which leads those who have
examined it to the belief that those
who existed here and to whom this
bone belongs, were grass or fruit eat
ers. Skulls have been found in this
vicinity of peculiar shape; however,
there is not the slightest doubt but
they belonged to a primitive race of
whom we have no tradition save the
relics excavated from beneath the sur
face of the earth, often being found
eighty to one hundred feet deep. We
have every evidence that there have
at two distinct and remote pei'iods,
people lived here who were different
in every particular. The ruins of the
most ancient pre-liistoric race, numer
ous am# mostly hidden from view,
being covered by earth, show but little
evidence of the civilization that fol
lowed of the more recent inhabitants.
The buildings of the Aztecs were con
structed with great skill for protection
against the incursions from any
enemy, while the inscriptions upon
rocks show much advancement over
the older inhabitants of the earth. The
canals dug by the inhabitants who
lived here about the year 1,000 show
master skill, aud compare favorably
with those built in the nineteenth
centuiy by survey of the skilled en
gineer.
Books.
It is the first warm day of spring,
When tender breezes wander by;
And, bluer than the soft blue sky,
I see the Blue-bird’s radiant wing.
Thy message, gentle bird, 1 know;
Immortal hope thou brlugest me
Of love and beauty yet to be,
Of summers sure beyond tbe snow.
—Harriet Painr,
“ ‘ Thou shalt not get found out’ is
not one of the commandments, and no
man can be saved by trying to keep
it.”—Leonard Bacon.
Harvest Home in Siam.
Rev. J. Wilson, of Siam, writes to
the Foreicjn Missionary:
“The rice crop this year is a bounti
ful one, and the people are rejoicing
over it. The second king came in
from the country on Sabbath morning.
He had been out on his fields thresh
ing bis rice. Returning he arranged
for the yearly procession that is made
at the close of the harvest. The first
gong had rung for our religious ser
vice just as the procession reached the
lower compound. The noise of bells
on the elephants, and the chanting «>f
the riders, together with the musio
made by the king’s band, made it
necessary for us to delay the ringing
of the second gong until after the pro
cession had passed. I had not sup
posed it was to be so great an affair.
A large number of elephants had
passed before I began to count, but I
counted one hundred and ten as they
passed along one by one. I was told
that there were one hundred and
seventy in all in the procession. One
of the largest wore trappings of the
brightest silver. The howdas con
tained rice. All these were"decorated
with green branches. The procession
was in honor of the guardian spirits
that preside over the rice crop. Those
that could see the procession in its
whole length considered it the most
imposing one that has passed for
yeasr.”
Swiss Emigration.
A good book is your best friend.
You may be agreeably entertained by
it, when you have not a living friend
in whom you may confide. It teaches
you wisdom, and will not betray your
secrets.
Emigration from Switzerland has
become so great in late years that pre
dictions are made that unless it ceases
certain districts will lose the greater
part of their inhabitants, if they do
not become literally depopulated. Re
turns are at baud for Berne which
show that since 1821 the ratio has
steadily increased, and in the past
three years at a greatly accelerated
pace. In 1877 only 380 per&ons left
the canton; in 1878 the number was
477; in 1879 it was 941; in 1880 it was
1,638; and in 1881, 2,881; while for
1882 the number is expected to be
larger still. Nearly all of them sailed
for the United States. Only 180 went
to other countries, and of these 160
went either to South or Central Amer
ica.
Raymann has been studying the
phenomenon of passivity exhibited by
iron when immersed in concentered
nitric acid, and finds that if
the formation of a layer i
quioxide of iron, which is
ubl6 In strohg nitric aoif
this condition may be v'
carbon InJ^^en batt
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