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IHE mercury. . M .eoond^lMi mstter at the Sen- Poftoffl<*» April 27, 1880. SM4c( tTiu«. cw»tj, e«. mufflin JERNI6AN & SCARBOROUGH. #1.10 par Year. THE MERCURY. THE MERCURY. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY. A. J. JERNIGAN, Proprietor DEVOTED TO LITERATURE, AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. #1.50 PER ANNUM VOL. I. SANDERSVILI/E, GA., DECEMBER 7, 1880. NO. 36. NOTICE. jgp* AU MmmmakmtiemB intended for this paper aut ba ttatafuM with the hill mo ot tha writer, not neoseaarily lor publi- tetfos, bat mb a (wnitaa of good kith. Wa ara in mo war responsible fat tha views at apkiaaa ot eaarespondsnts. j" W , H. WHITAKER dentist, Sandararillo, Ga. Terms Cash. Offlon at hi. residence on Harris Street. April 3, 1380 B. D. EVANS, Attorney at Law, April 3, 1880. _ Sandoraville, Ga. DR. WM. RAWLINGS, Physician & Surgeon Sandoraville, Ga. Offlco at SamleravlUe Hotel. April 10, 1880, E. A. SULLIVAN, NOTARY PUBLIC, Sanderaville, Ga. Sixirial attention given to oolleotion ol Offloo in the Conrt-Houao. 0. H. ROGERS, Attorney at Law, Sandoraville, Ga. Prompt attention given to all buaineea. Office in northweet room ot Court-House. May ♦, 1880. C. C. BROWN, Attorney at Law, Sanderaville, Ga. Wfll practice In the State and United State) Ofltoe In Coart-Honae. Court. H. N. H0LLIFIELD, Physician & Surgeon, Sandanrville, Ga. Mbs aazl door to Mr*. Bayne's millinery ■lore on Hank Street. DR. J. B. ROBERTS, Physician & Surgeon, Ga. Hay be eoasnlted at hk oMea on Haynen Mraat, in the Maaoaio Lodge haiidiag, irom 9 uto 1 , m, and Irom I to flip aa; during ocher hoora at hk raelikMea, on Ohureh etrcet when not proles* tonally April 1880. Watches, Clocks AND JEWELBY JERNIGAN POSTOFFICE HOURS. 7:00 to 11:30 a. m. 1:30 to 6:00 p. m. K. A. S DIXIT AW, P. II. Subscribe for the MERCURY, Only #1.60 per aaaem. PUBLISHED BY JERNIGAN & SCARBOROUGH. BUY YOUR Dead Lf Area. 4 week i«o—how beautiful! To-dey—how wre they He I glory of the forcRt fled— Like splendor from the sky. I trample on the fulling leaves That yesterday, like gems, Kaahed brightness on my wondering i From countless diadems. "Tiey answer my hcetlless feet \ With crispness In their tone: M Tread lightly for the beauty’a sake Thine eyea iu us have known; We were but shadow’s when we glowed of thy pride; We st^Kjtsharinws of its fall, And Jiftt beforo it glido l” I would the withered leaves were fetf. That I might shun to tread Thoir dying verdure in the dust With which my hopes fall dead; For when, in crimson and in gold, My ripened Joys shall flame, The brief, bright beauty of the lentea Ie tlielra—to sere the same I PRESENCE OF MIND- it poured m though there were going to be a second flood. Biddy asked me, as it was so near the Hudson, whether it wasn’t likely to be a-risin’,and whether in that case “we wouldn’t be drowned?” And I said ‘ Yes.” It was too bad, I know, but it was really some amusement on such a day to frighten the stupid girl. I had my tea alone—and I do hate to have tea alone if any woman in the world hates it—and then I put baby to sleep in her cradle in the sitting-room, and took my knitting, and was as comforta ble as I could be under the cirotun- stoncos, when 1 bethought me of the morning’s papor. I called Biddy to bring it to me, and she came to mo at onoe. “It’s well thought of, missus,” she said, os she laid it in my lap. “It’s yorself will be inthcrcsted wid the raid- There’s accounts of the house- breakin’ in it.” “ Of what?” I ejaculated; and, though I assure you I’m not the least nervous, my heart was in my mouth for a me ment. f “Of the house-breakin’, mum, and how the thaves in the wurreld got into I have always been celebrated for my presence of mind in emergencies. Grandfather used to Hay that he ne-’er Had a girl who wan not afraid of a mouse or a spider, and how mother’s daughter I ^therUksmoro’s house,* that’s^itiated I Mulligan upon me. There was but one door to the room, and the windows were high and barred, for I had contemplated the time when baby should bo largo enough to climb up and lean out. Noiselessly and suddenly I drew that door to and locked it on the outside; then, with the key in my hand, and trembling like an aspen leaf, I stole down stairs and cried to Bridget, “I’ve locked them in ; they shall give my baby back ; come with me 1” and away I went across the garden and down the road to the first house. That was “ Mullignn’s Tavern,” a very low place, indeed, shunned by all re spectable folk; but I knew there wore always men there who were afraid of no body. Tho greatest brntos would not refuse aid to a woman at such a time. As we came near I saw a light in one of the windows, and heard voices and loud laughter. It was no time for cere mony, so I burst the door open and ran in. There were four men playing cards, and old Mrs. Mulligan behind the bar. “ 01 please oxeuse me,” I cried; “but do come right away. There aro house breakers in my house, and they've sto len my baby," “Stholo the baby?” cried old Mrs. over come to be so bravo bo couldn't guess. That wns boforo I married, and, of course, I have not become timid with advancing years. I am Mrs. Jasper Jackman; my has band is, of course, Mr. Jackmnn, and our place is known ns Jackman’s Nook. Nook, indeed 1 If there wns a cornor to tho world, I should fanoy it was put away in that, for it is the moBt out-of- the-way habitation that ever existed. It is, indeed. You can’t see it until you are within fifty feet of it, for tho trees and the nasty rocks. Now, you know I’m not tho least bit nervous, but, having lived with father and mother and the rest all my life, I did not enjoy being shut up all alone like a—a— a—well, a hyena in a menag erie, while Mr. Jackman attended to busi ness in town; and I often thought if houso-bronkers were to make an attack upon' the house, wlint should I do, a poor littlo woman, with no one to call ui>on ? For I count Bridget as a great cipher in every occasion of life that does not involvo soap-suds. I told Jasper that absolutely, if I had known wliataplace Jackman’s Nook was, [ was not suro but tlmt I should have thought twice before refusing old Dr, Muligitawny, whoso palatial residence is on Fifth nvenue, New York city, as, of course, everybody knows, However, aftor yon have once said “ yes” to tho gentleman who “ pops” the question to you, you may say “ no” over after to all other questions, for all he for he’ll have his own way al cares, ways. Mother-in-law Jackman having made Jasper promise that I must livo always at tho Nook was considered unanswera- the samo os this, neighboring nobody, and tuck all they could lay their hands on, to say nothin’ of half murderin’ the ould gentleman. The saints be above us this night—” There it was, sure enough, headed, A bold and outrageous attack upon tho residence of Mr. Dinsmore! ” I read it through, and then I said to my self Jonislm Jnekman, remember your presence of mind. Don't let it fail you fn coses of emergency. Hhoulfl a nouse- breaker take advantage of your solitude, let him find you prepured." It was rs though some invisible wliat’s-his-name hod addressed mo from the chimney. I answered, “ I will 1 ” and you can’t im agine how bold I grow at once. I re hearsed all that I should do in case Biddy camo to me in tho night, saying, Missus, there’s some one in tho cellar!” all I should do if I found anybody in tho wardrobe when I retired, and I bad the satisfaction of feeling that I was prepared. I might woke up to find the spoons gone—I might bo murdered in my bed; but it would bo unawares, and they would inscribe upon my tombstone the words, “ She showed her presence of mind to the last.” I felt quite self- possessed and happy, though I was cer tain—yes, morally certain -that some thing remarkable would happen before morning ; that I should be, os it were, weighed in the balance and not found wanting before the sun arose. I did not feel like retiring early, and sat by the fire till the clock struck 11. Then, just os the last stroke died away, Biddy came down from her bedroom like a red-flan nel ghost, with eyes and mouth wide opon, and something of importance ovi- Spectacles, Spectacles, FROM JERNIGAN. “None Pennine without our Trade Mark. On hand and for sale, teles. Nose Gl tc. bio ; and, after all, what could wo do ? dently on her mind. I put baby down No one would hire or buy tho place, and i n her cradle and aroso, drawing myself wo had it on our hands. Of course we up to my full height, and feeling that I lived there. I always know that doing was the only one to be depended upon so would bo tho cause of my showing the i n this awful emergency, presence of mind for winch I am cele “Bridget,” said I, “how many are brated in my own family—if nowhere they ? Is it one or more ?” else. And so it came to pass, One stormy night in November, in the year 1863—it was the 4th, I think, for 1 Mum ?” said Bridget. “ The thieves. I mean.” said L “Oh, it isn’t thaves, mum,’ said Music, Music. GO TO JERNIGAN U0LINS, ACC0RDE0NS, BOWS, STRINGS, baby was just 1 year old on the 1st, and Biddy. “ It’s only that tliafe of a wind there was some of the cake I had made that’s took the roof clane off the chick- for his “bresseil ittlo birflty birfday ” on-house, and there’s the wee bits iv still left in the pantry, and a cake of ducks a-stharvin to death wid cowld.” that size certainly never would last “And in this dreadful rain, too,” longer than that in our house. It was Ba j d I. ho most unpleasant day I over remem- ‘* It’s clared off fine,” said Biddy, bor to have lived through. The ground <• ftlld the moon’s up.” was soaked. The have branches looked “We must go out and put them in like so many skeletons, and the sky was the wood-house,” said I. And so say- the color Bridget’s tin pans were when I j ng) j tucked baby up in her blankets, first got down stairs this time last year. aud> ^-rapping a shawl over my head, In the~civy it~wo"uld have been some W ent out into tho night air. It had fun to sit in the window and watch the grown very cold, but it was clear, as “ O, do come I” I implored. “Go, Pat,” said the old woman; never mind tho gnme. It's Missus Jackman ; more betoken she’s the next neighbor to us. Take ycr pistols, an’ away wid ye, boys. An’, missus, just take a drop of screechin’ hot whisky to kapo the life in 3 e.” Of course I refused the latter offer, but in a moment tho men were on their feet, and I felt like blessing them—those half-savage creatures who had become my protectors. I don’t know how wo got to the honso, or up-stairs. I remember nn awful tu mult, a smell of gunpowder, oaths and shouts. Then there wns silence—then a loudriaugh. It’s thruo, boys I" said old Mulli gnn’s voioe. “I know Misther Jackmnn, an’ it’s himself. It's a great misthaki that’s all.” A singular mistake to enter a man's house, and endeavor to shoot him in his own bed I” said n voice I knew to be my husband’s ; and at that I rushed into tho room. He was there, and so was baby, for be held her in his arms ; and there, also wns Mulligan and his friends and their pistols, and half the furniture was broken and the stove upset But oh for tho house-breakers, they—I began to see the truth. Mr. Mulligan wan back ing out. I’ll lave Mrs. Jackman to explain,” ho said. “An’ I’m proud I didn’t kill ye, though it’s onto' friendship I’d have done it; for if your own wife took ye for a house-breaker how would I. know bettor ? The top o’ the night till ye, an I'll lave the lady to explain.” All! I did really wish that the ground would open and swallow me. You see, my husband had come home while we were hunting up tho chickens, and, find ing baby wide awake, hod taken her up to bed, and gone to sleep. And the robber under the bed was his muddy boots, with, of course, no feet in them ; and well there were none, for they were riddled with bullet boles. Mr. Mulli gan had fired at thorn, fortunately. When I thought of the awful dangei Jasper and the baby had been : n, I went into strong hysterics at once, and fright ened Jasper so that he was glad to for give me when I came to myself. It was a terrible mistake, and migiit have end ed seriously, of course ; but I will say, now and always, that it was Jasper’s fault, and that if I10 hod been a house breaker we might all have been thank ful for my great presence of mind. Reading. Many a lad toiling on the farm, or at the mechanic’s bench, or perchance at the forecostlo, lias dreans of what he might be and do if he were only edu cated. Tho most part only dream, be cause they do not ni ake an effort to ad vance themselves. It is not because the ma jority have not talent enough to acquire an education, but because they have not sufficient energy to develop their re sources. Now every boy and girl has raoro chances to obtain an education than children formerly had; and there is not a boy or girl in our enlightened country who cannot devote one hour out of tho twenty-four to reading useful, in structive books. Many of our famous authors, statesmen, and culturod men ol soience labored under untold disadvan tages in their youth, but they persevered and left behind “ footprints in the sands of time" worthy to be followed after by every succeeding generation. Robert Bloomflold, the honored British poet, whom great men revero and honor, was only a poor shoemaker’s apprentice; and It did not seem very probable while ho pegged away ot his trade that ho would ever be the honored associate of tho learned and great. Bnt by employing every spare moment in gleaning in tho Holds of knowledge he rose to cultured emiuenco. Elilm Burritt, familiarly called the learned blacksmith, was a poor man and worked unceasingly at his trade to obtain a living, and to savo monoy to buy his beloved books. Yet while working from dawn till dark be found time to master fifty languages and to perfect himself in the sciences. Thero aro many other instances to show what perseverance and energy will do. So by improving the talent that God has givon you may make for yourself a name that will not die when you die, but live on and on a monumont to your unceasing industry. It is far better to read one page at teAfUfely and understanding^ than to skim a whole volume, nnd only hull grasp its meaning. It is the saying of a scholar of human nature, “Beware ol tho man of one book." Ho who reads n little, thoroughly, would be so skilled that it would bo difficult to contradict him. Have a system about your reading. If possible, lay aside an hour, two bourn, or as much time os you can, for reading. Have the hours at a certain time, anr- allow nothing to interfere with them Give yotir undivided attention to tin- subject boforo you, and in the course 01 one year you will bo surprised at the amount of information you will have gained, and tho highor thoughts and foelings which fill your mind. And do not rood everything. Lord Bacon says • “Some books are to bo tasted; others are to bo swallowed; and some few to be chewed and digested.” That is, somu are to be skimmed ; some are to be read, but not ouriously ; while others should bo so read that if the book were lost tho best purts, if not all, could be reproduced by the reader. But whatever elso yon neglect, do not forget the littlo book 11 white paper, a note-book in which yon can jot down each happy thought nnd pnssing fancy. Many of our best author* took notes, that is, wrote their thought! iu disjointed sentences ns they occurroo to them, from which they nfterwnrd formed most elaborate and beautiful productions. Now, who will form the resolution of reading nn hour every day and carry it out faithfully to the end ol tho yenr? Be assured you will find yourself amply repaid. Remember that the more slowly and thoughtfully you read, the more you will retain of it.— Oil a Itccd McChristie. Porcelain Mnnnfttctnre. In 1772 the first porcolain factory wai EDUCATIONAL HUMOR. Couldn't Knoel. Many ludicrous circumstances lent V*- folksTgo past, 'looking like so many I Biddy had" said, and we paddled round I nety to the court life of George III an/1 drowned rats but at tho Nook (I should i n the mud catching the poor little gave vivacity to the conversation in the think it was a nook) there was nothing chickens. We hail them nil at last ex- home circle. Thus, when a mayor and to bo seen absolutely nothing. cept one. and we hoard its little voice- aldermen were admitted to the honor of 101,0 , ... t u./ I , a presentation to the queen, mid the I had not a book which I had not swce< swe e, swee- somewhere and, of m rtJO r advanced to kiss her hand. “You rend, and the note-paper was out, for cour8ei could not bo so heartless as to mugt knce]j air> » flaid C ol. Gwynne. Jasper hod forgotten to bring me some f ors ako it. And at last there it was, ,.j Cftn , t) gir « s . lid t)l0 nla y or> “y ou from tho city, and I had finished all my tangled up in sorno dead vines, and as musi; i JCnd the knee; you must kneel,” ing, cold as a lump of ico. By the time we i ns ; s tcd the colonel. But, instead of spent my time ns best I could ; but g av0 jt to its mother, who was very glad complying with the colonel’s directions, , j <jj d wish that tho regiment which ^ see jt ) the clock struck 12. Baby the mayor seized tho queen’s band and alone three-quarters of sewing. how; Rosin boxes, etc. ine Needles, Mach OIL and SHUTTLES * or all kinds ol Machines, for sale. I will so oidor parts ol Machines that get broke, and new pieces aro wanted. A. J. JERNIGAN. -A WOffDEItFUL HALVE. doctor in Scotland made , . ^ UiUiVID U v \J hj J 011 . 0 , addjea bng salve, and thought —^Apeument a little with s R flrst cnt off his dog’s tail, and ap- . et Bu ® e of Lhe solve to the stump. A w tail grow out immediately. He en applied some to the tail which lie was encamped about half a mile away 1 had been was near enough for me to watch them | llouri drill--if they do drill in such weather. “ Muzzer’s darling I sound asleepy I’d thought them too near before on ac- „ j Bftid( m r went to the cradle. 0 . _ 1 . _ T 1, n <TA nniirnu, fl I * carried it to his lips with much more of loyal heartiness than of courtly refine ment. The worst of it was that all the aldermen followed suit, supposing their const of Bridget, whom I have caught a Merciful powers, shall I ever forget that tltlne- As tile score of times talking to men in bluo jackets at the gate, and wished them oil to the scat of war, or anywhere else, over and over again; but that afternoon what a relief they would have been I was tlio moro lonely that Jasper had said that morning, “ My dear, if itrauis os it does now to-night, I sha’n’t come howliDg in t b e dining-room, rushed up home, but will stop at your father s. And how could I blame lnm m suen Sure enough) there was a light in my weather? Yet it was dreadfully lone- bedjoom> ^ j peep ed in. The mo- some. If you are sociable with yom j did B0 j fe i t 1 was powerless, , „ „ , 1 mayor was retiring, the colonel mdig- moment? Baby was not there! J ° , . m . ., a , , „ nantly interfered. “You ought to have In a moment tho truth flashed on my ^..j eou]d not do it> „ Bftid the mind. House-breakers lac en ere 0 mayor. “Everybody else can kneel,” dwelling in out absence, and b o en my ( j ec j are( j t j ie colonel, supposing no doubt treasure. Perhaps they were in tho t | (jlt j iere was ft French republican on house yet, or some of them. I felt the E ng )i s b so ;i. “Yes, sir,” returned the strength of a tigress, and, leaving Biddy ma y 0r ; “but I have a wooden leg!” interest. It it should prwo tortM, Jasper would come home. rained ho wouldn’t. Every now and then there would be a cutoff - pretense of clearing off, and I began^to did not’i, and 11 no "’ do 3 Brew out. He hope for a pleasant 8WnB ’ . ^tjma not know which do» wu a false nretonse, oJid at Maiuk Mascal took a wulk in Now Orleans witli a rival of the man whom she was soon to marry, in ordor to toll some, ai jeu — - | m UU ,, * — » . him that ho must cease his attentions, servants they always presumo upon , ro bber who had stolen my baby jj cr affianced husband saw them to- and I do so love to talk. was there, and the terribly muddy boots | ge t] lev> an c|, refusing to hear her expla^ .Of course I watched the cloudy w ^ | ^ nnother wero B ticking from under the b ed; and, oh, horrors ! another had got in to it, and had hidden, as he imagined, under the quilts. nation, peremptorily broke his engage ment. She therefore desired to die, and tried to throw herself before a locomo tive, but she slipped on some wet grass On my presence of mind depended I aud only lost a leg. Her lover is now the recovery of my child and my own I convinced of her loyalty, and will marry life. In ft moment the plan flashed | Joitn- T. Raymond, tho actor, says ol his experience in London : “The pco pie I met were most delightful. They received us cordially, nnd treuted ua splendidly—as individuals — but they couldn't stand our play, ‘The Gilded Age.’ The fact is, they couldn’t under stand it. Of course the character of Col. Sellers was plain enough, nnd they laughed at it. The Colonel’s spe ulations took enormously, but nil the localisms of tho play fell flat. When the stove fell down in tho third act, it all went for notliing. The audience didn’t see anything funny in that. On tho other hand tho trial scene, which wo consider rather ordinary, was one of tho few redeeming features of the play in the eyes of tho Londoners. They were almost willing to regard that much of it as a success.” established at Limoges by Messrs. Mos sier, Fourneyra & Grellct, under the pro tection of the wise and liberal Intendant Turgot. Tt is the decoration of the por- celnin that gives it its value as well ns its charm. Its manufacture is comparative ly easy and simple. The kaolin, a dry, whitish-yellow clay, Is first taken in lumps from the quarry nnd carried to one or tho other of the numerous mills lining tho Vienne, where it is ground fine and reduced to a liquid pnstoclosely resembling bread-dough. In this shape it is carried in sacks to the factory, where, having been again worked over to secure fineness and plinbillty, It Is ready for the moldcr’s or tho turner’s hands. Nothing can exceed the deftness and skill with which, under the magic touch of tho experienced work man, shapeless lumps of this prepnrod clay are fashioned into cups, dishes, vases nnd every conceivable form of the most delicate pottery. It is ro quickly done, too! Ono handy operative can make two hundred cups a day. Onee molded into shape, tho piece of pottery is dipped into liquid enamel which gives It hardness and brilliancy. It receives too the stamp of tho manufacturer. It is then placed in wlmt is palled a gazette to bo put into an oven to bake. The gazette is composed of a pair of deep earthen saucers fitting tightly together nnd form ing a circular box, varying in dimen sions according to the sizes of tho objects to be baked. Tho greater purt of those ’n uso are little larger than an ordinary soup-plate. In this gazette the piece of porceinin is hermetically sealed up, nnd then it goes into the oven with thou sands of other gnzottes, until the great circular furnace, twenty feet in diameter and two stories high, is packed full from sido to side and from bottom to top. Then the doors nro closed, the fires arc lit, nnd for a period varying from thirty four to fifty hours tho baking process goos on at a temperature of 3200°. Even alter the fires aro extinguished the heat in the furnaco remains intense, and twelve hours moro must elapse before it subsides sufficiently to permit tho work men to enter, roniovo nnd open the gazettes, take out the porcelains, which aro now hard and brilliant, and send them to tho artists for decoration. There aro in all some seventy of these ovens in Limoges, with an average capacity of six thousand pieces. As most of them are kept going night and day, tho reader can form some idea of the amount daily man ulootured. But thus far wo have only followed the process through its homlier stages The decorative work, yet to come, is the most delicate ns it is the most interesting But not every piece of porcelain that comes out of the oven reaches the deco rator’s hands. Of every hundred pieces baked, an average of twenty-five are thrown out as inferior, and the remain ing seventy-five are divided or sorted out into four grades, known os second choice, choice, elite and special, in the average proportion of thirty, twenty-five, fifteen and five to each class respectively. The special is employed only for very rich decorations; elite Is recommended for best selection; the choice is for ordinary usage; and the second choice is of such fair quality as to be pronounced less im perfect than the best porcelain sent from China and Japan, and specially recom mended ns the most economical pottery. The price of decoration vnries according o the selection of porcelain to which it is applied. Thus, for instance, tho low er grades of artists are employed upon the second-choice porcelain, while the host painters and decorators work upon the elite; the special is Ally given .to artists of the most exceptional merit The various artists, painters, and decora tors, are paid salaries which, according to the French standnrd, are considered munificent, though they sound small enough to American ears. Much of the decorating, such as flowers, birds, vines, etc., is done by laying the paper design* upon the porcelain and painting ovet them. The gilding is more laborious, and enormous quantities of pure gold- leaf are used. The gold, once laid on, can only become permamently part, and parcel of the porcelain by being subjected to an additional six hours’ baking at 1 teniDcrature of 800° Reaumur Once, a teacher was explaining to a little girl the meaning of the word cuti cle. “What is that all over my face and hands ?” • ‘ Freckles,” answered the little obemb. A small child, being asked by a Sun day-school teacher, “What did tha Israelites do after they crossed the Red sea?” answered, “I don’t know, ma’am, hut I guess they dried themselves.” A minister, in one of his visits, met n boy, and asked him wliat o’clock it was. About 12, sir,” was the reply. “Well,” remarked the minister, “I thought it more.” “It’s never any more it just begins at here,” said the hoy ; 1 again,” Three little boys, on a Sabbath day, wore stopped*on the street by an elderly gentlemen who, perceiving that they had bats and bolls with them, asked ono of the number tliis question : “Boy, con you toll me where oil naughty hoys go to who play hall on Sunday?" “Over hack of Johnson’s dam," tho youngster replied. “Sam,” said a young mother, “do you know what tho difference is between the lnxly nnd the soul ? Tho soul, my child, is what you love with ; the hotly carries you about. This is your body (touching the Boy’s shoulders nnd arms), hut there is something deeper in. You can feel it now. Wlint is it?" “Oh, yes, I know,” said he, with a flash of ,iu* tolligenoe in his eye, “that is my flan nel shirt.” — Barnes’ Educational Monthly. Gen. Grant’s first and lost and only Presidential vote was for James Bu chanan, and, according to a Washing ton correspondent, these are the circum stances under wliicli it was cast: “ He was living in St. Louis, and had been out of the city during the day. He reached the suburbs about sundown, and stopped near a voting precinct on business. Ho was asked if he had voted, and replied that he had not, and neither could he, owing to the distance that he was from his home and the lateness of the day. The judges at the polling place, being sure that he had not voted aud could ot reach the place where he was entitled to vote in time, permitted him to vote there, knowing that he would cast a Democratic ticket. That is Gen. Grant’s personal statement oi his flrst Presidential vote,” Gravestones at Auction. The proprietor of a marble yard oppo site Woodlawn cemetery, Brooklyn, business being slack, made up hi mind to sell by auction his stock of head stones, footstones, monuments etc., and rotiic from active business. “It is a somewhat unusual thing,” said the man, “as folks don’t throw on their things and drop around to buy a monument as they would a dishpan <jr potato masher. Still, as there are over six thousand dol lars’ worth of monuments, why, the thing may go after all.” But, after ad vertising in the city papers and industri ously canvassing the adjoining towns,. there was no one at the sale but tbe auc tioneer, the owner and a reporter. “Well, gentlemen,” the auctioneer be gan, “wliat am I offered for this fine— er —suppose wo wait awliileP” So they waited, and about two hours later a country carryall drovo up, and a lady alighted, and began to examine the monuments. Soon after a prominent citv publisher arrived, and the group of five persons stood around for a few mo ments, and then went their several ways The owner sadly remarked! “The thing won’t go.” Memphis, in providing tor ine drain- ago of its houses, adopted an entirely new system. The sewers are not mora than six inches in diameter, until they have extended such a distance that tha drainage they are likely lo receive will moro than fill one-half the pipe. They ore then increased in size slowly, but always with the view of keeping them os small as possible, while largo enough to do their work. They are used only for house drainage. Storm water and soil drainage are otherwise disposed of. The house drains are uniformly four inches in diameter, not trapped, and, starting clear above the roofs of tho houses, ore carried down to the culverts. Fresh-air inlets aro provided in the streets, so that the honso drains and sewers have a constant current of oil passing through them. Recently complaints linvo been mods to the Fvouch authorities that oleomar garine butter lms been substituted for the genuine article in tho nsylnms of Paris. Tho Paris Academy of Medicine bus made a vigorous investigation, un der nn . order from tho Government. The roport of the committee is against tho use of margarine in tho asylums, nnd is also adverse to its general use as a substitute for butter. Tho margarine an originally prepared is no longer an object of commerce, being too dear. That which is actually in nso is an in dustrial product open to various frauds. Vegetable oils are especially introduced, nnd if it is easy to decide by chemical analysis whether a given product con sists of butter or miirgm iue, it is very difficult to affirm whether this margarine is pure or mixed with oils, and vegetable oils ure known to bo moro difficult of di gestion than animal fats. It was found to be a miserable conglomerate of pea nut oil, diluted milk, and beef. Jay Gould has no eyebrows,'anil n correspondent of the St. Louis Jlcpub- lican professes to tell why. Ho had his all staked on Union Pacific, and the Btock had been worked up from 9 to about 66. The lower court had decided in his favor in a vital lawsuit, and it was with feverish anxiety that the result of the appeal was awaited. The rumor got about in Wall street that the decision of the court above would be adverse to Gould, and, in spite of the private as surances that it would be against the Government, the adverse rumors so un strung Gould that it waa hard for him to keep on his feet. A private telegraph wire was hired, with one terminus in Mr. Gould’s office and the other iu the room adjoining the Supreme Court chamber in Washington. The operators sent all the decisions as they were read. Groat nervousness was caused by the long, tedious opinions telegraphed in which Gould b&d no interest. Tliis was kept up for hours. Gould was almost prostrated. At length the operator an nounced that tiie reading of tho opinion in the Union Pacific railway case had been commenced. The first of the opinion began to come over the wire, and it wns a mere history of tho case. ‘Oh, shut him off,” cried Mr. Gould, ‘ and ask him whether the decision of the lower court is affirmed.” The an swer was awaited with breathless anx iety. Gould sank in his chair, as pale as a dead man, and those about him were much concerned for fear that if the decision was adverse he would be killed by it. The operator at length gave the news that the decision of the lower court had been affirmed. Mr. Gould was prostrated, though the decision gave him millions. He was carried to his home in Fifth avenue, and a long sick ness followed. All his hair camo out, including his eyebrows, and those na ture never restored.