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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 /