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Columbia §tnlincl. HAULED Hb.ORUIA PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY. Ballard <*» Atltlrroii, rtoFMCTUka. ‘Diere Menu to be no danger of a failure of the diamond supply, »« the South African field* are producing more now than ever before, no leaa than f2,000,- 000 worth having been exported in March alone. A Hungarian conjurer in Faria i* astonishing the native*. He spread* a new*|>a|>er upon any floor and place* a chair upon it. Ilia aaaiatant, a pretty young woman, ait* down upon the chair, and over her he throw* a piece of ailk, which barely cover* her from head to foot. Then he whisk* the ailk away and the chair is empty. The trick ia done in a strong light and in full light of the apcctnt'.ra. What is lightning? The authorities tell u* that “lightning ia the discharge of atmospheric electricity, accompanied by a flash of light. ‘Heat lightning' ia eigliter the reflection of distant flashes on the cloud*, or the frequent and therefore weak and silent discharge of electricity from the cloud* through a moist atmos phere. Lightning cleave* the air with inconceivable rapidity, an leave* a vacuum behind it, into which the surrounding air nishca with great force ami with a loud, crackling sound, which we name thun der. Lightning and thunder take place at the same instant, but wi- aee the for mer la-fore wo hear the latter. This is because the light travel* with greater ve locity than the sound. ” According to the New York Tiinet, “there is no doubt that fanner* do not market their produce with sufficient care and closeness. It is a good nilo in btui to count, measure, and weigh every thing Few farmers, however, know anything about the weightsand measures of what they have to sell. The hundreds of millions of bushels of corn sold in the ear at the rate of 70 pounds to the bush el is thus disposed of nt a loss of 4 1-2 per cent., for It has been established by the Ohio Experiment Station that the cob* of a bushel of corn weigh 11 pounds only and not 14. Moreover, n bushel of potatoes varies from 40 to 00 pound*, and a down egg* weigh from 14 ounces to 30 ounces, and yet the price is the same for botji. Jlow few farmers pos sess scales of any kind, and how many never know the weight of anything they have to dispose of; the acreage of their fields, the quantity of the crop* grown, the comparative value of their cows and other stock, or have any accurate know ledge of those things which business men flixl it necessary to lieoome well ac quainted with.” A New York paje r states that “a reg ular rose craze has started and promise* to continue. Not only for gardens and plate* close to the city, but at the sea side and wherever they will thrive,people are planting roses and accumulating them for in and out of door decoration. The popularity of the rose and its sovereignty a* the most fashionable flower is of com paratively recent origin. Previous to 1870 the fashionable flower of the ball room which invariably gsaeed beauty's iMimpiet was the camellia, and bouquets of tin *e flowers brought |U> to S!U in the winter past, as bouquets of roses do now. The camellia win ulso the favorite flowering plant for decoration. About 1870 the practice of forcing roses Iregan in Boston, where gr< at attention was given to it, and the forcing of roses in the winter, e»]«-oi*lly for bouquet pur |mws, is now more extensively carried on close to Poston than anywhere in thn country. Around this city the great rove-grower* are concentrated at Holm ken and along the Morris and Essex road. The great row-growing state of the I nion is New Jersey, and it is then- that the grow ing of roses, especially in plant* for out of-doors, is earned to the greatest perfection.” The National museum h»s sent its chief taxidermist, Mr. William T. Hornaday, on a hunting tour through the far West, for the purpose of obtaining specimens «f the buffalo before this animal becomes extinct in this country. It is firmly be lieved by many good authorities that there are not now more than from fifty to otic hundred buffaloes in the whole of M ultima, outside of the National park, where then' arc probably fnmi two hun dred to three hundred head. Hunter* lie in wait outside the limits of the Na tional park, waiting for these animal* to cross the line, when they lose no time in do patching them as soon a* possible. A stam|*s!c may occur U any time, which may result in all the buffaloes now In the park leaving; and if nah wen the euse. very lew, if any. would cecapr. There is said to lx- a small held of front eight to twelve buffdoes in scuthw cst< rn Dakota. This region is a vast, level, treeless prairie, utterly desti tute of wood, and it is Mr. Hornaday's opinion that an attempt to find these few would Ire hopeless. Skins of buffalo head arc now valued by taxidermists in Dakota at I’iO each, from which it may Ire assumes! that they have given up ail hope of pro ar: ng more. Journalism i* taking a spurt in Italy. In Naples tii'r 1- a regular newspaper reading erve, and even th* l*ggar* gather *rm .<I •' m- fortunate possessor of a daily I 1 11" ‘»' he rend* aloud in the «tr -> t. Bu th.- jh ->ple soon get tired of any one jmpcr, and c amor for a new one. The con sec • ■-■ i" that almost every day some pip' ■ ' nr >d another take* it* place. On- of the moat certain way* of killings t - v.pap.rin Italy, by the way is to fi lit with new*. What they want i» good Io- al ii- > and blood-curdling sen sation*. The dang rum custom prevalent in Oriental countries of allowing madmen and lunatic* to roam about free, in con- M-qiiein of the superstition that they are sacred and under the *|>ccial protection of the Dignity, ha* just been attended with unfortunate result* at Beyrouth in Syria. A madman residing with hi* pa rent* killed hi* father, while the old man was asleep, completely severing the head from the body. When ssked for an ex planation of hi* conduct, he stated that he propos'd hiding the head in order to *c ■ if hi* father would Ik* able to find it on waking up. In conversation with a New York Mail and Erprete reporter, an authority at Fulton market said: “The superior flavor of Welch or Highland mutton is beyond all doubt dm- to the aromatic plant* which abound on the pasturage of these bills, and on w hich the sheep feed. The hill* in Wale* are thickly covered with wild thyme, while those in the Highlands are full of lady’* mantle and other aromatic herbs which are seldom, if ever, f mnd in other pasture*. This is a hint of nature’s own giving, which the farmer who goes in for sheep raising or dairying cannot afford to dispise in these times of hard competition. The aromatic herb* may be no less nutritious than dove- or rye grass, but they are just ns needful to the formation of a per fect pasturage n* the other varieties of plants. For this reason they should lie grown in all pasturage*. They are easy of cultivation, and will grow in the worst ground, but some are of course better suited to certain kinds of soil ' tlum other*. Parsley, lovagc, cumin, coriander, enrrayway, angelica nnd wild fennel delight in loamy soil*, wild thyme, rock rose, hysop, sago, savory and hore hound in dry, poor soils, and pepper mint in moist soil. All these plants nre obtainable, and all of them are easily propagated from seeds.” , White ElephruU. Oriental poets and historians have compared the fuiru<-*a of the white ele phant to the brilliant purity of the snow; but tilt* Ls *, li.-unso a.t.l «>m«v*W” v ****" Some experts in natural history accept the white elephant as merely an albino, the color of which is described as a pink white, to be aptly compared to the nose of a white horse, while others are in clined to regard the animal alternately as a leper. Sir Emerson Tenncnt inci- . dentally defines the white elephant as one which exhibits tho e flesh-colored blotches which occasionally mottle the skin of this huge pachyderm chiefly about the head and extremeties. Tho front of the trunk, the tips of the ears, the forehead, and occasionally the legs, are thus diversified with stains of a yellowish tint,inclining to pink. “These" rays Sir Emerson, “are not natural, nor are they hereditary, for they arc seldom exhibited by the younger individuals in a herd, but appear to be the result of eruptive affection, the irritation of which ha* induced the animal in it* uneasiness to rub itself against the rough bark of the trees, and thus abrade tho cuticle. This is confirmed by the fact that the sear of the ankle woun 1, occasioned by ropo on the legs < f those which have been captured by noosing, presents pre cisely the same tint when thoroughly healed." Even in an example of the ut most ]« rfection of its quality Sir Emer son Tenncnt “apprehends that the tint of u white elephant is little else than a flesh color, rendered somewhat mon’ conspic uous by the blanching of the skin and the lightness of the colorless hairs with which it is sparsely covered.— London Society. Canary Bird*. Several years ago, when living with my sister in Boston, one of my daily pleasures was to whistle and talk to her canary birds; the birds and I were on terms of the most intimate relationship. We whist.ed in the friendliest, if not the most entertaining, way. After an abs< nee of two years or more from Boston and my |>eta, 1 returned sot a short visit, arriving at her home after “gas light" in tho evening, when the little fellows were asleep on their perches. 1 never for a moment thought of going to wake them up nt that time in the evening, just to see if they remembered their old friend, but 1 had not said more than a half a dozen words, in an ordi nary conversational tone of voice, when “Dicky" pulled his head out from under his wing and began to chirp in a right lively manner, and, before I could re cover from my feeling of gratitude and delight, the little fellow was singing with all his might a song of ingenious pleasure. There was no duplicity in Dicky’* song. It was right from Dicky's heart, and a* honest a* a voice from Heaven. Detroit Fra Preet. Mortal ar Immortal. If thou art base and earthly, then dmpair, Tnou art lait mortal a* the brute that fall*, Bust* wmvr th»tr nest* the lion find* a lair, Man builds hi* bails. Thea- are but covert* from earth * war and storm, Home* where our lesser live* take sbap and breath. But, if no heavenly man ha* grown, what form Clothe* thee at death t And when thy m*l of penalty is o’er, And fire ha* burned the drose, where gold i* none, Shall sejisrate life, but wasted heretofore, Still linger on I Cod fill* all «p*re: whatever doth offend, From Hi* unbounded presence shall be spurned, Or deem'st thou He should garner tare*, whoa* end I* to be burner! 1 If thou wouldst see the Power that round thee sways, In whom all motions, thought, and life are cast. Know that the pure, who travel heavenward ways, See God at last. —Francis Henry Wood. HOW I PROPOSED. We were seated in luxurious arm-chairs before the cheerful open fire in Jack’s snug smoking-room, enjoying hi* excel lent Havana*, when my host broke the silence which had lasted for several min utes with the surprising question, “Did I ever tell you where and how I proposed to my wife?” I nodded a negative reply, well aware as I did so that he knew he had not told me, but had prefaced his tale with an in terrogation according to his usual cus tom. “It’s quite a long story,” said Jack in a warning tone, remembering my aver sion to lengthy yarn* as told by anyone but myself. “Ah! but such a subject,” I answered, settling myself more comfortably in my chair, and drawing the l>ox of Havanas conveniently near. “I shall be delight ed to hear about it, but what will Mrs. Taylor say to your telling me?” I added, knowing how the partner of my lot would feel on the subject. “She has positively forbidden me ev«r to speak of it,” said he, laughing, “and I have obeyed her until now—with one or two exceptions—but its too good to keep. ” My curiosity wa* now fully aroused, and as Jack would tell the story, of course I was obliged to listen; and if you think that in repeating it lam acting unfairly, I’ll stop at once. “It was during my second year at Har vard,” began Jack, knocking the ashes, from his cigar; “how long ago it seems, but, let me see, its only eight years. Yes, it was during my Sophomore year, that I accepted Frank Wilson’s invitation to spend the Easter holidays with him. He was awfully good company, and I knew that I would be sure to put in a jolly week at his place. Besides, there was another very strong inducement. “I was in love at that time with his cousin, Helen Wilson, who I had as certained would be of the party. I believe we used to write to each other. I know I used to spend the greater part of my time composing verses about her, many of which, however, I had not the cour age to send. “When I heard that she was to be at X 1 was delighted. I determined to go to New Y'ork and see if we could not arrange to travel up together. “When I arrived in that city I went directly to her house; but at the door I learned that she had just left for X - having decided to go a day sooner than she had expected. “I inquired how long she had been gone, and the servant said about fifteen minutes. Hoping to overtake her, I rushed up to the Grand Centtal Depot. There was not an instant to lose. Hasti ly buying a ticket, tore frantically after the already slowly moving train, and, owing to my length of limb, succeeded boarding the last car. “Panting, pesspiring, but exultant, I went through each car, in every seat ex pecting to find the object of my haste. "I had gone through all but one when we entered the tunnel, and I was begin ning to fear that after all perhaps she might not have taken this train, when as 1 wa* standing by the door, the ra’ of sunlight which came in through th« occasional openings in the tunnel re vealed her to me seated alone at no grea. distance ahead ot me. “My heart gave a bound, and scarcely realizing what 1 was doing, I rushed up to her, and grasping her hand, said : “ ‘Darling! 1 thought I had missed you.’ “ ‘What do you mean!' she exclaimed, in a tone of mingled indignation and fright. ‘Let go my hand; you haw made a mistake!’ “I obeyed her, thinking that she w;S angry at my mode of address. “‘I beg your pardon,’ I said. 1 should not have spoken to you as I dis, but I was so rejoiced to find you that! did not remember where we are. But s 1 have begun, I may as well finish. Da ting,' moving a little nearer, ‘will ya marry met You must know that I lox? you; 1 have so for ages, ev-ever since n> Freshman year." "But the mention of that astonishiif piece of constancy produced no result in my favor. She turned her back upon me, if possible more completely than she had done before. But I would not give up. “ ‘Can’t you love me a little F I in quired, tenderly, trying to take her hand. But *he snatched it away, and declined either to turn her head in my direction or to answer my question. “As the train was making a tremend ous noi*e, I thought that perhaps she couldn’t understand me, *o I repeated my word* at the top of my lungs. She made some reply, but I didn't catch it. “ ‘Whatdo you say, dear?’ I bawled. “ ’I don't even know you,’ she an swered, in what sounded like a shrill whisper, but the tone was in reality a shriek. “I thought I could not have heard aright, and to convince myself that it was my hearing which was at fault, I planted my glasses more firmly on my nose, and took a closer inspection of her. “‘I tell you I don’t know you,’she repeated, bringing her foot down on mine with much energy, ‘leave me this moment, or I’ll ’ “Here the train emerged from the tun nel, and you can picture my amazement, horror, and mortification, when I tell you that I found that the girl to whom 1 had been screaming out my love was an utter stranger to me. “Dazed and scarlet, I arose from my seat. “ ‘I beg your pardon,’ I said, remov ing my hat, ‘I have taken you for some one else.’ “Not observing how my apology was received, I retreated to the smoking-car, where I remained until we reached X -, too stunned even to think. “When I left the train, in looking about for some sort of conveyance to take me to the Wilsons’ place, I found, to my increased embarrissment, that the girl to whom I had so recently offered myself was standing on the platform, ap parently waiting for someone. “That she saw me I could tell from the expression of not seeing me which she immediately assumed. As she would not looK at me, I had plenty ot opportu nity to observe her, and saw that she really did resemble Helen in many ways, notwithstanding she was both fairer and smaller. “But my object was not to admire h«r, although I assure you my inclination was; so, finding that there was no hope of obtaining a vehicle, I started on foct, fortunately getting a lift over the greatei part of the way. “Arrived at the house, I was wel comed with much cordiality by my host and his family, and introduced to the other guests. "l imagine my teelings when, tn the course of the conversation, I learned that Frank’s sister was expected home from boarding-school that afturnoon by the very train on which I had come. “It was then to her I had been mak ing love, instead of her cousin. My dis position was to turn and nm, but I knew I should have to stay and make the best of it, so I smothered my moti fication, and when a few minutes later tlie carriage arrived bringing Miss Wil son, and I was presented to her, I think that of the two she found the situation the more awkward. “The next day the tardy Helen ar rived, and explained how, returning to the house for something she had forgot ten, she had missed her train and her es cort. “During the entire week T was impa tiently waiting for an opportunity to offer myself to her, but before I could do so I learned that a large diamond ring which she had been wearing for several months was the pledge of en gagement to some other fellow; and, to my surprise, discovered at the same time that the knowledge did not trouble me very much. “I suppose you think that I was halt in love with the sister, but assure you I was not. I considered her too young for me, although now I think her just right for me in every particular, and it wxs not until several yoprs later, w hen f naet her again as a charming young lady, that I realized that I had accidentally proposed to the woman whom of all oth ers I would choose for mj r w ife.”— Anna Zerega in Tid-Bit». k Dark Cloud on Love’s Horizon* “Now, my darling," said lie, “1 would ask you to have some oysters to-night, but since the Rs have disappeared from the months oysters are no good; in fact, the scientists say they are hurtful. Os course you would not ask me to treat you to any thing hurtful.” “Certainly not, dear John, but there is ice cream, you know.” “I'm aware of it, but, they say that arsenic goc* into the manufacture of ice cream." "All the better, dear John. There is nothing better for the complexion than arsenic.” “But, my love " “Never mind, John, I’m willing to risk it ” •'But if vou should die, darling?” "You will take a plate also and we will die together.” Then John was forced to confess that he had only fifteen cents in his pocket and the engagement was at an end. Thus do dark clouds loom up • n young love's horizon. — Sotton Courier. A Theory of Soap. A new theory has been started with regard to the use of soap on the face. Women who for years have been careful of their complexion* would never, under any circumstances, wash the face in soap, a* it was said to roughen and coarsen the skin. Now, this idea is exploded, and a well-known physician in the metro politan profession recommend-s his women patients to use it freely every day, lath ering the skin well. Os course, a fine, oily and pure soap is most desirous. This being secured he states that none but the most beneficial results will be affected 'by his method of improving the skin. He holds—with considerable plausibility —that the pores of the face become as much clogged by grease and dirt as the 1 hands or any other portion of the body. And if soap is considered a necessary pu j rifier in the bath, its n eds must be felt ! equally on the face. By an abundant and regular lathering the facial pores, he ! claims, arc kept open, free from the clog i ging matter that produces unsightly . black heads, acne, pimples, and a pure, healthy, fresh and brighter complexion is the resultant. Not mincing matters, he says that the trouble with most wo men who have sallow, pasty skins is that from year's end to year's end they never have a really clean face. An ar.icle published in Good House keeping says; “Hands kept dirty are never smooth and white. Absolute I cleanliness is necessary. Many people who do not work seldom wash their hands. The day’s accumulation of dirt is allowed to remain on the hands all night. Upon rising the hands are washed in cold water; then the possessor won ders why when she does no work her hands do not look any better. The hands and face should always be washed in warm soap suds before going to bed. White soaps are safest. Highly scented and colored soaps are almost invariably made from rancid and ill-smelling fats. After drying them thoroughly use a few drops of mixed glycerine and camphor, which the druggist can prepare for you. Drop into the palm of your hands and j rub will, and this will be all that will be necessary to show decided improvement.” ; When you rise in the morning do not use soap on your face, but bathe it well in warm water. Do the soap-scrubbing only at bedtime. Brooklyn Eagle. The Curious Young Lobster. The young lobster when first hatched measures about a third of an inch in length and looks like a small shrimp. The eyes arc bright blue, and upon its body appear marks of orange and pink, making them very conspicuous. They are good swimmers during the first stages as their growth, before their claws and other awkward appendages arc dc-rel oped, and indulge in the most extrava gant antics in the water, turning somer saults and going through other acrobatic feats near the surface. Nature does not provide them with any yelk-sac, and the little ones begin feeding voraciously as soon a* hatched, If they are not fur nished with proper food they attack one another with cannibalistic intent. The young lobsters in the aquaria at Woods Holl are fed upon their mothers, who are chopped up fine for the purpose. In nature it is supposed that myriads o’ the little lobsters upon rising to the sur face after leaving the eggs are consumed by predaceous fishes. Dr. Ryder, who is investigating the little lobsters at Woods Holl, writes that he has found among them some- curious monstrosities, sucli as twins with their heads fused, a central cyclopean eye and tails separate. The lobster grows by stages or “molt.” The first molting, as observed at Woods Holl, takes place about five days after leaving the egg.— New York IL raid. From the West Indies. In olden times George Smith was t well-known trader in the village o! Wayne. All storekeepers sold rum at that day, and Smith peddled a lot of it. He drew it from a hogshead, in which a plug took the place of a modern faucet. A piece of leather under the plug shaped the course of the stream. Some of Smith’s customers occasionally bant ered him about watering his rum, but Smith always good-naturedly replied that he never put water enough in it tc hurt ’em. One morning a customer came in very early and asked for a quart of the liquor. It happened that the rum was low in the hogshead. Smith canted it up, drew out the plug and only a few drops came, but a frog jumped through the hole and hopped around as lively as ever. "Gosh!”said Smith, “that's the first West India frog I ever saw.”— Lewiston (Jfe.) Journal. Exciting a Cow. “Ni ver under any circumstances do any thing to excite a cow while milking her ” sagely remarks an agricultural paper. Quite right, quite right—we never do. It never really seemed to be necessary to do anything to excite a cow while we were milking her. When a cow begins to kick with b th feet hard enough to knock the hoop* off a tin pail and then put* her tail up in the air and goes rac ing around the edge of a ten acre field with a cloud of dust following her we don't see how any sane person could think fora moment of shooting off fire works or doing anything e!s.‘ to excite her.—.-.e (Arf.) Bell. CHILDREN'S COLUMN. Do Not Delay. Some little folk* are apt to *ay When asked their task to touch, •Til put it off at least today, It cannot matter much." Time is always on the wing; You cannot stop its flight; Then do at once your little tasks • You'll happier be at night. But little duties still put off, Will end in ‘‘Never done; And “By and by is time enough " Hiufruined many a one. Well Spring. Makina Sunshine. “Oh, dear, it always does rain when I want to go anywhere!” cried little Jennie Moore. “It’s too bad. Now I’ve got to stay indoors, and I know I shall have a wretched day.” “Perhaps so,” said Uncle Jack; “but you need not have a wretched day un less you choose.” “How can I help it? I wanted to go to the Park and play on the grass and pull wild flowers, and now there is not going to be any sunshine at all, and I shall have to stand here and see it rain all day long.” “Well, let’s make a little sunshine ” said Uncle Jack. This made Jennie smile through her tears, showing that Uncle Jack had manufactured a few rays already. So Jennie agreed to be his partner in this new business, and went to work accord ing to these three rules: First, Do not think of what might have been if the day had been better. Second, See how many things there are left to enjoy. And lastly, Do all you can to make other people happy. Jennie began by amusing her little brother, who was crying. By the time she had him riding a cha r and laughing she was laughing too. After that she found many a pleasant amusement, and when bed-time came she kissed her un cle “Good Night,” and was even far more happy than if she had spent the day in playing on the grass [and gather ing wild flowers. But that was not all. She dreamed that night that Un cle Jack had built a great house and put a sign over the door which read: ; SUN-HINE FACTORY. I She made her uncle laugh when she told her .dream; but she never forgot what you must remember; “A cheerful heart makes its own sunshine.” A cheer ful heart is one in which the Saviour dwe’ls. If you follow Him you will not walk in darkness; all days and all du ties will be bright and beautiful.— Morning Star. Tame Indian Monßey*. It is amusing to watch the queer freass and half human ways of apes. The monkey home of a zoological gardca always contains an interested group of spectators. But, if it is interesting to watch their antics in confinement, it certainly is a gratification to see them tamed and allowed their freedom. There is something so well nigh human in their ' actions as to arouse a peculiar sympathy. “My acquaintance,” says a zoological writer in India, “with two apes, Mah moud and Eblis, was made soon after my arrival at the bungalow (native In dian house.) I saw them tied to the veranda rail by iong ropes. “The big one, Mahmoud, is over four feet high and very strong; and the little one, Eblis, is not above 20 inches. “After a time I heard a cry, and saw that Mahmoud had snatched up a stout Malacca can, and dragging Eblis near him, was healing him unmercifully, the cries of the little semi-human creature being most pathetic. “The case being clearly one of mur derous assault, I rushed at the rope which tied Eblis to the veranda and cut it, which so startled the big fellow that he let him go, and Eblis, beaten, I fear ed, to a jelly,jumped upon my shoulder, and flung his arms around my throat with a grip of terror. As I bore Eblis away, Mahmoud threw the cane either at him or me. “I carried him to my easy chair, and he laid down confidingly on my arm, looking up with a bewitching, pathetic face, and murmuring ‘Ouf, ouf.’ “As I write, he sometimes sits on the table watching me attentively, or takes a pen, dips it in the ink, and scribbles on a sheet of paper. Occasionally he turns over the leaves of a book; once he took his master’s official correspondence, envelope by envelope, out of the rack, opened each, took out the letters and held them as if reading, but always “re placed them. Sometimes he gently takes my pen from my hand, puts it aside and lays his dainty hand in mine, and puts one idng arm round my throat, and occasionally his small, antique, pa thetic face rubs softly against mine, and he utters the monosyllable, ‘Ouf, ouf,’ : which is capable of remarkable variation in tone and meaning.”—-TbutA’* Com panion. On His Feet Again. “The doctor said he'd put me on my feet again in two weeks.” “Weil, didn't he do its” “He did, indeed. I had to sell my horse and buggy to foot his bill.” “And you’ve been footing it ever since?” 1 “Precisely.”