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that very LITTLE the crank AND THE LITTLE ONES. Wbat a Western Editor Has to Say on the Subject. (From the Milwaukee Sun.] The following is going the rounds, written by an editor who thinks he is smart, very likely: “A baby can wear of shoes . twenty-ionr , out a dollar pan- father in busy ad¬ hours. It can keep its vertising in the newspapers for a nurse. It can occupy both sides of tho largest 5 ized bed manufactured simultaneously. its being’s It can make the author of wa sh bills foot up to five dollars a week and not be feeling at all well. It can crowd to suffocation the smoking car of a railroad train with indignant passen¬ gers between two stations. It can cause its father to be insulted by every second class boarding house keeper in the city who ‘never takes children. ’ It can make an old bachelor in the uttered room adjoining use laaguage that, if in the street, would get him in the penitenti¬ ary for two years. It can, in a few min¬ utes, drive a man frantically from his home and cause him to seek the com¬ panionship of a locomotive blowing off It is cowardly to abuse a person who cannot talk hack, and the man who thus abuses the baby, a poor little thing that is not responsible is fit for for coming treason, to earth jump- to aanov fools, or ing a"board bill. A baby never annoyed anv person with a soul, unless there was something the matter with it, for which a grown person was responsible. It is fine a baby can wear out a pair of kid shoes iu twenty-four hours, but if the proprietor of the baby does not like to stand the expense he can buy cheaper shoes that will last a year. It can keep a father busy advertising for nurses, if the father is a fool, but if he dislikes to advertise for nurses he can nurse the baby himself, or be needn’t have any baby. like"to If the kicking father does not pay w r ash bills he can wash the clothes himself. The baby is not to blame because second-class boarding houses do not want children around, and the boarding-houses are not baby to blame either. The father of a should have a home befor&die does a baby, and then he will not be insulted. But the last sentence of the above item is what makes us hot. “A baby can, in a few minutes, drive a man frantically from life home,” etc. No “man” could be driven from home by his baby. A per¬ son who w’ould be driven from home frantically by the crying of his own baby is a cowardly jackass, and a baby ought to be ashamed of such a father. Such a “man” is a thing. A man would stay at home and help seek the cause of the baby’s peevishness, and correct it. The Sun does not believe the writer of the above article ever had a baby, but if he did, he is a no-account sort of a journalistic dude, without a soul. If the man has a baby, what precious read¬ ing tho article will be to him some day when he comes home and is met at the door by his pale-faced, frightened wife, Go who, with tears in her eyes, says, “ for the doctor at once, the baby, I fear, is dying.” The cold chills will creep up his back, and his hair will feel as though it is turning: gray ; as he starts for the doctor, he will feel as though his legs never acted so slowly, and he will pray to God that the life of the abused little one may be spared till he gets back, and he will think of the cruel words he has ■written about babies, and wonder if the doctor will be at home. He is “driven frantically from home ” now, but not to “ seek the companionship of a locomo¬ tive blowing off steam.” He is after the doctor to save the life of the baby that wears out a pair of kid shoes in a day, and he would buy all the kid shoes in the world if baby would live. He gives the doctor a lively race back to the house, and he is not thinking about a five-dollar wash bill. The fattier who writes such stuff about babies, hurries to his home wondering if the little treasure is alive or dead, and the coward dare not go into the room and face the little sufferer. Men may find fault with the trouble of raising babies, and think they are smart, but when they have stood by the bedside of one of their own, and watched its last breathing, and seen the little life go out, and felt that tugging at the heart that can never be described by mortal tongue or pen, and have fol¬ lowed the little one to the grave and heal’d the cold, cruel clay the rattle upon the coffin, and go home to deserted house and see baby’s playthings will every¬ where, through about tears, they baby being never again talk funny a a nuisance. The smart Aleck who wrote thfi above could never have witnessed the baby smile of welcome to papa when he came home, or felt little fat arms around his neck, and looked into little eyes that are heaven’s windows, or seen the hearty laugh that shows sharp little new' teetn coming through the sweet red gums, or had the little one get astraddle of his foot for a ride, or seen the face at the window as he came up the street from a day of toil. Had the writer of the above experienced these pleasures he would have written differ¬ ent, and said, “a baby is a ray of human sunshine, sent to earth to brighten the pathway of people who have souls.’ No, the writer of the above is a man without a heart, whose idea of bliss is ft second class boarding house, where babies are not wanted, and whose death¬ bed will be in a hospital, his attendants charitable people, his mourners will be those who can get a free hack ride to the grave yard, and his monument should be a piece of soapstone engraved, idiot, “Here lies the remnant of a star who, hating babies, hated everything that was good, and he didn’t die a minute too soon, and thanks be to God he didn’t leave any posterity.” In England war taxes per capita amount to $4.45, education to 75 cents; in France the respective amounts are $5.17 and 33 cents; in Prussia $2.83 and 58 cents; in Russia $2.45 and 8 cents; in Italv $1.85 and 16 cents: in Austria $1.60’ and 39 cents; in Switzer¬ land $1.16 and $1. A young man iu Iowa was so impa¬ tient to see his girl that he paid $40 for a locomotive to run him thirty-five miles. When he got there she was sparking his rival, and a big dog had possession of the dorostep. ISRAELITE DIVORCES. A Simple Process in Voarue Amoie the ! Polish Jews ol the Enst Side. Although a “get” or religious divorce 1R Jews, practically inquiry unknown among educated ; shows that the practice is Prevalent among the Polish and Russian Jews on the east side, and at least one rabbi has the reputation of deriving the larger part of bis income from lees for divorces. Rabbi Ash, of the Synagogue Beth Hamedrash Hagodol, said last evening : “A great many such divorces are granted, and sometimes both the man and woman again marrv without se¬ curing a divorce in the courts. It is the rabbies who grant a ‘get’ and the hus¬ band who secures it. The wife canDot secure a divorce, and if she wants one she must induce her husband to apply for one. A divorce cannot be obtained unless both parties consent to it. If the husband wants a divorce and the wife is not willing none can be granted, no matter what complaint he has against her. The rules of procedure are found in the ‘Getten’ in the Talmud. Both parties come before the rabbi. It is Ins duty to inquire the cause of disagree¬ ment, and to try to reconcile husband and wife. ’ ’ U h® succeeds he gets no fee, and so some rabbies grant the ‘get’ without ask m S caUK0 of the trouble. There are present a scribe and two witnesses learned in the law of Moses. Tire di vorce_ rooted being_ to write granted, it. It the is then scribe signed is di- by e witnesses and delivered to the lius , hand, who makes a tear in it and de¬ j^ers it to his wife. She receives it in r joined bands, raises it to her fore , f ead and then returns it to her bus hand. She is then a free woman. The rabbi keeps tho ‘get,’ hut delivers eer inmates to the man and wi man, and wal 'ns them that if they want to marry a S :,ln they must get a divorce in the courts.’ A DIVORCE AND WHAT IT COSTS. Rabbi Ash exhibited a “get.” It is sheet beautifully written iu Hebrew upon a oi paper of foolscap size. Its pur port was as follows: “The--day of the week,---day of the month--, the year 5044 since the world began, according to the count we have kept here in New York, the town which is situated on the sea and on the river by the name Hudson. “I am the man by the name——.the son of--, who am living here street, New- York, the very same town which is by the sea and on the river by name Hudson. Iam willing, of my own free will, with the greatest willingness, to leave you, my wife, by the name --, the daughter of--, who live here in New York, which is bvthe sea and on the river by the name Hudson, And you were my wife from before till now, and now I make you free and drive you away that you shall be free to get married to every one yon like, and no body shall be able to hinder you from this day forever, and this and you are which free to every person, shall paper you shall have from me separate you froin me according to the law of Moses and of Israel.” The woman is called “grosha,” which means “cast aside.” The divorce fee is from 85 up, and is like the marriage fee, proportionate to the gratitude he of the linsband. Rabbi Ash says grants eight or ten a year. One rabbi is sup posed to average one a week. It costs less money and trouble to divorce a sec ond wife than a first. A wife divorced by “gc-t” rarely makes trouble if the bus band remarries unless he greatly in creases in worldly prosperity.— N. Y. Herald. A CITY IN TWO HEMISPHERES. Where Summer ami Winter Have Equal Play at the Same Time. At Quito, the only city in the world on the line of the equator, the sun sets and rises at (5 o’clock the year round. Your clock may break down, your watch get cranky, but the sun never makes a mistake here. When it disappears from sight tor the night it is 6 o’clock and you can set your watch accordingly. In one part of the city it is the summer season and in the other part it is winter. The present dwellers in Quito in architecture have degenerated and fallen far short of that old gigantic race of Indians who, with the Incas of Peru, joined their cities by massive and grandly constructed highways. There still exist vacant remains of colossal buildings on this roadway of palaces and fortresses with walls so finely cut and closely joined together that be¬ tween these massive stone blocks there is not space sufficient to insert the edge of the thinnest paper. In one old royal palace of the Incas gold or silver was used for cement. If the journey is long and difficult to reach this old Spanish town, there is much to compensate, one’s troubles in its interesting structure. It is 10,000 feet above the sea, and contains some 00,000 dwellings. I am almost afraid to say how old is this ancient city, for it dates far back in the dark ages, when the “memory of man goeth not to the contrary.” When you realize that everything of modern invention found here has been brought a six days’ journey, through difficult mountain passes, on mules’ backs, then you un¬ derstand how highly luxuries are appreciated. In this way all the sup¬ plies from the outer world and all their exports are carried. There are in Quito scores of beautiful pianos brought by ships to Guayaquil that have l>een carried on Indians’ backs this long distance of 300 miles, up through mountain passes 10,000 feet above the. sea to their rich owners in the city.— Cor. Rochester Democrat. * Thoughtless people will listen year after year to the stale jokes of the gravedigger, in time, “Hamlet,” knowing and beforehand laugh at them every exactly what the actor will say; but if a poor negro minstrel comes along with jokes not more than half as old as those of Shakespeare these same people will kick.— New Orleans Picayune. College students in Siam are allowed two wives. This is the Siamese method of hazing. Shun every act that can be judged, un¬ worthy of commendation. SAVED AT THE BRINK. A PIECE OF ROMANCE FROM THE FAR WEST. Kexv Amsnrrs his l.ove that lli*'y will both be “Very, very Happy” in the Futiire The Reason tor his Assurance. “Myrtle!” The “Reginald!” lissome girl, a tall, stately beauty, with a form and a glorious coronal of hair (1) that fell iu a golden shower over her Grecian (2) neck, threw herself pas¬ sionately into his arms, and for an in¬ stant if somebody nothing was heard save a sound as out of dry well. was trying to pump water a Regy Four had kissed her. Reginald years Neversink ago Myrtle Redingote and had plighted their troth (3), and now they bad met for the first time since that happy day which, seen through the dim vista of the months that had dragged their slow length so wearily along, seemed like a far-distant star the shining brightly and serene amid horrid blackness of an Egyptian niglit. They had corresponded, of course, but even wi en Love guides the pen salivation and budding passion gives to the of the postage stamp a glamour of romance that makes it seem almost like a kiss, there is ever a wistful yearning—a where-are-our-boys-to-night (4) feeling that nothing save the actual presence of the one for whom this love is felt can drive away (5). And then, when that loved one comes, when, stand¬ ing close pressed in the strenuous grasp of him without whom life would be a starless blank (6), the tender words that have been read over and over again are spoken in rich, manly tones (7), the wo¬ man who has won this precious love is indeed happy. No care can come to her then, and the glad golden sunlight of a pure and holy affection drives away the black wraiths of disappointment and sorrow as the White Stockings fade before any other elu b. “Ah, darling,’’murmured forehead—fair Myrtle, put¬ ting away from her and white as cyclamen leaves in the woods that surrounded Brierton villa — the golden tresses that lie loved so dearly to fondle (8) “it seems such a long, long time since we have met, such a man of hope deferred and .dull, weary longing that the mind grows sad with its very contemplation of tho subject—a dismal epoch that we would fain blot forever from the pages of our lives (9). But that you are with me again, now that I find mvseif once more within the shelter of your strong arms and feel your burning kisses (10) on my lips, all the world seems white with gladness, and the future to hold nothing for me but sweet contentment (11). All is bright and beautiful, and even the bitter sorrows of the past are illuminated by the stars of joy (12).” “Yes, mv precious one,” ruby-red said Regi- lips nald, stooping to kiss the that were uplifted to his (13) and pr.ss ing her still more to his starboard ribs, “We shall both be very happy iu the future—very, very happy. ” “Are you sure of this,” she asks, “per fectly sure ?” “So sure,” he answers her, “that I would stake my whole existence (14) on what I have told you.” Iu the gathering shadow's she looks up into his face, and the yearning with eio quence of his eyes stirs her heart a strange tenderness. It was not such iove as she felt for her father; it was no feeling that had ever touched her heart before. When she stood before him there was something of awe that held fier silent, a conviction that this man was of a subliiner, grander mou d than any who had ever crossed her path. “And why shall we never know sorrow or pain ?” she asks, her pure young face lighted up with a sweet, trustful smile. “Because,” he says in low, mellow tones, “I have concluded net to get mar¬ ried ”—Chicago Tribune. How to Grease a Wagon Wheel. The Coach Makers' Magazine in¬ dorses the statement that few people are aware that they do wagons and car¬ riages more injury by other greasing too plentifully than in any way. A well made wheel will endure constant wear from ten to twenty-five kind years if care is taken to use the right ami proper amount of grease; but if this matter is not attended to, it will be used up in live or six years. Lard should never be used on a wagon, for it will penetrate the hub and work its way out around the tenons of the spokes, thus spoiling the wheel. Tallow is the best lubricator for wooden axletrees, and castor oil for iron hubs, but many of the patent axle greases are also excellent, and have the merit of being cheaper and more convenient to handle. Just grease enough should be applied to the spindle of a wagon to give it a slight the coating. surplus This is better than more, for put on will work out at the ends, and be forced by the shoulder bands and nut washer into the hub around the outside of the boxes. To oil an iron axletree, first wipe the spindle clean, wet with spirits of turpentine, and then apply a few drops of castor oil near the shoulder and end. One tablespoon is sufficient ’for the whole. Nicknames by States. The residents of all States have “nicknames” applied to them by public speakers and others. Most of the names have become historical. The nicknames are as follows: Alabama, lizards; Arkansas, toothpicks; Califor¬ nia. gold-hunters; Colorado, rovers; Connecticut, wooden-nutmegs; Dela¬ ware, blue hen’s chickens; Florida, fly np-the-creeks; Georgia, crackers; Il¬ linois, suckers; Indiana, boosters; Iowa, hawk-eyes; Kansas jayliawkers; Kentucky, corn crackers; Louisiana, creoles; "Maine, foxes: Maryland, craw thumpers; Michigan, wolverines: Min¬ nesota, gophers; Mississippi, tadpoles; Missouri, pukes; Nebraska, bug-eaters; Nevada, sage hens; New Hampshire, granite boys; New Jersey, blues or clam-catchers; New York, Knicker¬ bockers; North Carolina, tar-boilers and tuekoes: Ohio, buckeyes; Oregon, web-feet and hard cases; Pennsylvania, Rhode leatherheads and Pennanites; Island, gun flints; South Carolina, weasels; Tennessee, whelps; Texas, beef-heads; Vermont, Green Mountain l>oys; Virginia, beadles: and Wisconsin, badgers. ffVRRlAGEABLE GIRLS BEWARE. How Titled Kx coin m imitator* ol (he Ameri¬ can llos Treat Their American W ivei. Joseph F. Potter, the American Counsel at Crefeld, Germany, has been making investigations in regard to a matter of great interest to our fair coun¬ try-women, and the result of his labors is to be found in a report full o! informa¬ tion of the most vital interest. He has been inquiring into the results of mar¬ riages between American girls and Ger¬ man nobles, and what he tells ns is most startling. In thirty-three marriages cited there has not only not been a single happy union, but either a divorce or abandon¬ ment has speedily followed this the wedding. He finds the reason for unhappy state of affairs to be that the American wives have in every instance been brutally treated, and in some eases absolute vio¬ lence has been used. The brides were ex¬ pected to perform the the husband, most meuinl offices. In ouc instance, who is an officer of rank in the German army, de¬ manded that his wife perform the service usually expected from a servant of the humblest sort, and one of the things she was ordered to do was to superintend the cleaning of liis boots. This lady was the daughter of a leading railroad mag¬ nate in a Western State, and the story she tells is a most pitiable one. Her hard-headed father took the pre¬ caution at her marriage to settle his daughter’s fortune upon her, and tied it up in such a way that she could not re¬ linquish its control even if she desired had to do so. After given many this humiliating lady, the tasks been boot cleaning was required. Then she re¬ belled. She drew' the line there, and with her American blood at the boiling point she flatly refused. Her warrior husband, who, besides his military rank, has the title of Count, attempted to en¬ force discipline in bis family by using his riding whip upon his recalcitrant bride, and after a serious time of it she evaded the flogging and left the bed and board of the knightly Uhlan for her native land. Her husband could not prevent her departure, but tried to com¬ pel the payment of a certain sum of money by way of salve to the wounds his sensibility received by her abrupt de¬ parture. He did not succeed, for the lady had no property in the Province that could be held, so slie got away with¬ out further loss of time. The Curfew Bell. The curfew is commonly said to_ have been introduced in England by Wi liam, the Conqueror. By that morMoh it was ordained, under severe penalties, that when the curfew bell rang at right o’clock in lire evening all lights and fires should be extinguished. There are those who hold that this was merely the enforcing of an existing and very effect. com moa police regulation prohibition to lights that after The absolute of the ringing of the curfew bell was abol¬ ished bv Hemy I. in the year 1100, but the practice of tolling a bell at a fixed hour in the evening was continued, and this, which is still ex taut in some places, is the survival of the curfew of mediaeval times. At first the common hour was seven o'clock, then it was gradually ad¬ vanced to eight, and in some places to nine o’clock; indeed, in Scotland, The ten o’clock was not an unusual hour. curfew was a regulation most useful in those early days, when it was the cus¬ tom to place the fire in a hole in the middle of the floor under an opening in the roof, to allow the escape of the smoke. When the family extinguished retired for by the night the fire was jovering it up; lienee regulation the term convre- also ,’en, or curfew. The w r as tervieeable in obliging the people to keep in their houses, and thus prevent¬ ing night brawls in the streets. It is believed that there is no historioa authority for tho popular tradition that the severity exhibited by the Conqueror in enforcing obedience to the curfew was more particularly designed to preve it the English from assembling in sec it their to plan schemes of rebellion against Norman lords. Business Rivalry. The rivalry between Chicago and St. Louis is growing in intensity. Recently both cities sent agents down to Chihua¬ hua, Mexico, to work np bnsiness and arrange for an excursion of Mexican merchants to the respective commercial centres of the Great West. The St, Louis man arrived on the ground first and organized his party. The following story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatcfi shows how near he came to being out¬ witted by the cheeky Chicago people : It will be remembered that when John F. Cahill went to Chihuahua to arrange the excursion, he anticipated Chicago parties lake only one week. The city by the was determined to have the visitors at all hazards. A shrewd committee was and appointed to go to Kansas City see what could be done. An elaborate plan was laid. When the train hauling the special car arrived at the Union Depot, a switch engine was to be ready. JuBt as the Chicago and Alton train was about to pull out the switch engine was to back down, hitch on to the car, switch it on to the Chi¬ cago and Alton track, and before the passengers knew what was going on they would be bowling toward Chicago at the rate of forty miles per hour in¬ stead of St. Louis. Some of the Kansas City railroad officials, however, un¬ earthed the plot and thwarted it and our Mexican visitors will learn for the first time how narrow was their escane. Meant on Broadway. “Good-morning, Smith.” “Good-morning Jones, Making money?” “Yes—business never better. Sell $40,000 a day.” “What! T'orty thousand a day!—at a profit ?” “Lord bless you—no. I must keep trade up, you know—don’t you see— and keep up the show so I can keep up my credit and sell my paper. Why, I sold $20,000 this morning at 10 per cent. “But how do you meet your paper?" “Why, sell more, of course — like railroads do.” “But the end must come.” “1 know; but the money-lender will get the little end. Good-by. ” In A Two-Acre Garden. Now that this year’s working season is past, I am thinking over successes and failures, and, while everything is fresh in mind, determining upon my line of action for next season. And, what is of more consequence, I am writing it down in my year book, where I can read it the first thing next spring. Some thiugs I am going to do just as I did this year, with the expectation of a like success. I am going to plant sweet corn in drills four feet apart, and thin the stalks to ten inches apart. This season my corn patch gave me 125 ears to every 100 feet of drill. This yield was at the rate of 13,500 ears to the acre—more than I think possible by the working hill system the The advantages in case of crop are obvious, and the saving of time in planting and plowing is nearly 50 per cent, I shall again plant my early peas on be the ground where my corn is to planted later, putting the rows in the middle of the four-foot spaees of the fu¬ ture cornfield. Peas ask little of the soil, and are gathered and off before the corn needs the space. The vines may be plowed in to help the corn. Another success which I hope to re¬ peat was achieved by planting out late cabbage in the patch of onions grown from sets. The onions were sold, in bunches for the most part, before the cabbages wanted all the soil, and the latter seem to be entirely free from the attacks of insects underground. If the onions secured them this immunity, why not put a few sets in every cabbage hill when the plants are set ? The rows of onions were fifteen inches apart, and the cabbage were set three feet apart in every alternate row. A partial failure of turnips in matur¬ ing good roots seemed due to toe planting. The distance apart was six¬ teen inches, and only the outside rows of the plot gave tine roots. On one sido were the onions, which were smaller in the row next to the turnips than in any other. On the other side of the turnips were carrots, which did very well. I shall, therefore, lry two methods next season : 1, planting the turnips planting in rows twenty inches apart; 2, them twenty-four inches apart with inter¬ mediate rows of carrots. I think the latter plan will give the best return from the area occupied. profitable In all cases I have found it more to use unoccu¬ pied space between rows of growing crops, which require such sxiace to he saved for their use later in the season, in raising some quick-growing crop, like spinach or radishes. Very little more fertilizer is needed, and the cultivation is not increased beyond the necessities of the main crop. Another scheme for increasing returns is that of dropping vegetables quick-growing beans where the have been gathered for use. I plant twice a week until there is no chance of ripening them be¬ fore frost. I then substitute fodder corn and get a considerable stack from my two-acre garden. — Rural New Yorker. Entertaining a Guest “I don’t altogether like this young man Millikin who comes to see you so often. I hear he is nothing but a poor dry-goods clerk,” is what the head of the family said to his daughter one day ai the dining table. “ He is a very nice young gentleman,” replied the daughter, “besides he is something more than a ‘poor dry-goods clerk.’ He gets a large salary and is manager of one of the departments, and expects some day to have an interest in the bnsiness.” “I hope he may,” responded the old man, “but he strikes me as a very flip¬ pant, impertinent young pewon, and in my opinion he should be sat down upon.” “Well, I have invited him to take tea with us this evening,” said the daughter, “and I hope you will treat him politely at least. You will find him a very dif¬ ferent person from what you suppose him to be.” “Oh, I’ll treat him politely enough,” lie said. That evening Mr. Millikin appeared at supper, and made a most favorable impression on the old gentleman. “He is a clever young fellow, after all,” he thought. “I have done him an injus¬ tice.” It was just here that Bobby spoke out. Bobby was a well-meaning little boy, but too talkative. “Papa,” he ventured, “yon know what yon said to-day at dinner about Mr. Millikin; that he was an imperti¬ nent young man and ought to Ire sat down upon-” shouted “Silence, sir!” the father, swallowing a mouthful of hot potato. But the little boy wouldn’t silence. “It’s all right,” he continued, confiden¬ tially, but in a whisper loud enough to be heard out of doors, “he has been sat down upon. Sister sat down on him last night for two houre.” After this the dinner went on more quietly, owing to Bobby’s sudden and very jerky departure.”— Philadelphia Call. Ettiqnette of Balls. A hostess must not use the word ball on her invitation cards, says Harper’s Bazar. She may say : Mss. John Brown requests the pleasure of the company of Mr. and Mrs. Amos 8mith, on Thursday evening, November twenty-second, at nine o’clock. Dancing. R.B.V.P. Or, she may say : Mbs. John Bbown At Home Thursday evening, November twenty-second, at nine o’clock, Cotillon (it ten. K.S.V.P. But she does not indicate fnrther the purpose of her party. In New York, where yonng ladies are brought out by means of a ball at Delmonico’s, the in¬ vitation is frequently worded: Mr. and Mrs. Amos Smith requests the pleasure of your company Thursday evening, November twenty-second, at nine o’clock. Delmonico’s. The card of the young debutante is sometimes (although not always) in¬ closed. If these invitations are sent to new acquaintances or to straDgers in town, the card of the gentleman both is inclosed to gentlemen; that of the gentleman and his wife to ladiee and gentlemen, as it is a first invitation. A Starry Night in California. The following impressive description of a starry night occurs in the December Century, in the concluding chapter of extracts from Robert Louis Stevenson's new book (yet unpublished), “The Sil verado Squatters”: “I have never seen such a nigbi. Tt seemed to throw calumny in the tee th of all the painters that ever dabbled in starlight. The sky itself was of a ruddy, powerful, nameless, changing color, dark and glossy like a serpent’s back. The stars, by innumerable millions, stuck boldly forth like lamps. The milky way was bright, like a moonlit cloud; half heaven seemed milky wav. The greater luminaries shone each more clearly than a winter’s moon; there light was dyed blue in every sort of color, red like fire, like steel, green like the tracks of sunset; and so sharply did each stand fort It in its own luster, that there was no appearance of that fiat, star-spangled arch we know .so well in pictures, tint' all the bottom of heaven was one chaos of contesting luminaries—a hurly-burly and of stars. Against this, the hills rugged tree-tops stood outredly dark. “As we continued to advance, the le ser lights and milky ways first grew pale and then vanished; the countless hosts of heaven dwindled in number by successive millions; those that still shone lmd tempered their exceeding brightness and fallen back into their customary wistful distance; and the sky declined from its first bewildering splendor into the appearance of a common night. still Slowly this change proceeded, and there was no sign of any cause. Then a whiteness like mist was thrown over the spurs of the mountain. Yet awhile and. as we turned a corner, a great leap of silver light and net of forest shadows fell across the road and upon our wander¬ ing wagonful; and swimming low among the trees, we beheld a strange, mis¬ shapen, waning moon half tilted on her back. it ( Where are ye when the moon ap¬ pears ?’ ns the old poet sang, half taunt¬ ing, to the stars, bent upon a courtly purpose. •“As the sunlight round the Him earths mid¬ night ton er of shadow pours. Streaming past the dim, wide portals, Viewless to the eyes of mortals. Till it floods the mum's pale islet on the morn¬ ing's golden shores ’ “So sings Mr. Trowbridge, with a noble inspiration. And so had the sun¬ light flooded (hat pale islet of the moon; and her lit face put out, one after an¬ other, that galaxy of stars. The wonder of the drive was over; but by some nice conjunction of clearness in the air ana fit shadow in the valley where we traveled, we had seen for a little while that brave display of the midnight heavens. It was gone, but it had been; nor shall I ever again behold the stars with the same mind. He who has seen the sea commoved with a g: - eat hurricane thinks of it very differently from him who has seen it only in a calm. The difference lie tween a calm and a hurri¬ cane is not greatly more striking than that between the ordinary face of night and tho splendor in that shone upon had ns in that drive. Two our wagon often seen night in the tropics; but even that bears no comparison, — the nameless color of the sky, incredible the hues projection of the star- the fire, a> d the of stars themselves, starting from their orbits, so that the eye seemed to dis¬ tinguish their positions things in the that hollow had of space, these were we never seen before and shall never see again.” Romance of a Peer. Lord Congl eton, who died recently, says London Life, was a man of marked eccentricity of manner, but his blunt speech and brusqueness of bearing cov¬ ered a warm and kindly tho heart. He was an ardent supporter of sect known as “Plymouth Brethren,” peculiar and it was his devotion to this form of worship that involved him in rather a strange match. While traveling in Persia with a friend he succeeded in converting an Armenian lady, a Madame Lazar, a widow of an Armenian mer¬ chant, to a belief in this particular form of worship. Converting her was, com¬ paratively, a simple bnsinese ; but then arose the question, What, is to be done next ? Propriety forbade that these two guileless gentlemen should travel about accompanied by a handsome widow; while, were she left behind, her heathen relatives would make short work of her, or her Christianity. be For the sake of her soul she must not left, so one of them must marry her ( It was agreed that, after the manner of the Scriptures, lots should be cast to decide who was to become the happy Benedict. The lot fell to Lord Congleton, who at once car¬ ried oat the contract, and lived very happily with the lady until her death. Uncle Eh’s Ruse. Uucle Eh, as we used to «a!4 him, among lots of good qualities liad mie failing. He did love good JiqnoT; but such was the state of credit that no on# would truethim. lie therefore one day resorted to a trick to answer the great desire of his appetite. He took two case-liottles, pnt a quart of water nto one of them, then pnt a bottle -v each pocket, and started for the pnblio house. “I’ll take a quart of your gin,” said Uncle Eh, as he placed the empty bottle on the counter. The gin was put in, and the bottle was replaced in his pocket, when Uncle Eb pulled from his purse what at a distance might seem like a new two-shilling piece. “This is nothing but tin, Uncle Eb,” said the trader. “Eh, now, it’s a two shilling pieee,” said Uncle Eb. “It’s tin,” said the trailer; “I shan't take it.” “It’s all I’ve got.” gin.” ‘‘Very Uncle well; Eb, with¬ you can’t have the out much demurring, pulled from his pocket the quart of water. The trader took it, poured it into chuckling. the gin-barrel, and off went Uncle Eb, Slander. —Judge Fisher of Baltimore having decided that a man is liable in damages for slanderous words uttered by his wife, Mr. Seholer of that city had to pay $105 and eoets because his wife had said uncomplimentary Mache. things of Mrs. Anna The riches which always take to them el ves w ings—-oet-riches. _