Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 23, 1875, Page 4

PITTSBURG. Recent Heavy Failuros in tho Smoky City. Sliding on Oily Ways into tho Pit of Bankruptey. The Queer Revelations of a Bank+ Suspension. A Mon Without 2 Character. Sneetat Correspondence of The Chisago Tribune, Virrsnuna, Jan. 17.—If cities of larger vize than this cén produce failures of immense mag- nitnde, of single individuals, wo of thia city cau do better. We do not go into the million slugly, but tet 8 fow goinata time, and divide them between an odd corporation lero and thero, au Individual, and a few firms, leaving to balance for tho banks, Ono big capitalist may go into tankruptey in Now York or Chicago, and thos asi that = =ohis = million of | dobts may be partially saved to his creditors through the medium of the act of Congross, which pro- poses to giro all afair chance (aud may ho it doea); but horo wo beat then. We send thom all headlong into bankruptes, with little orno seats, We have hada stagnation in ouriron trade, Insting tor months past ; but, proportionately, it has offected Iesa than it might have dono. ‘This, however, is not so much duo to the care- fatness of tha operatora as to tho continued @xiko of tho puddlers. But of this Ido vot wish to speak. OlAPAILUNES, . Savaral weeks ago, the atreot was startled by a rituor that the Citizens’ Oil Refining Company nd failed, Ito embarrassment, howover, it ‘vas yery coolly stated, was only tomporary. (Of tho facta of this and all tho recont failuros hore, the roadors of Tur Tainunr have been fully informod by tclegraph.) What a fraud this proved on ita face! ‘Lhe Citizons' was an ex- tensive concern ; but, as it was in tho off busi- noss, ft was naturally very apeculative. ‘Tho oil business, for years past, has proved anything but remuuerative, Tor nearly two years mony of the operators havo been howling for a shut- down in the oil regions. But this had no effect. ‘Tho production kept iucreasing, and the prico per barrel docroasing, till it came down to 35 conta. A fow of tho tank-ownora in this vielnity bought oil, or tanked it, on shares for tho future, Tho Citizous’ O11 Rofining Company was of thatclass known aa individual-liability concerus, and consequently stood on a high ground of credit, and coult “fly a big kite," which It did, as its stockholders wore “big” men, and did not let business Isg for tho want of Voing accommodated by freely indorsing paper, and mixing itand shaking it up well with tho Pittsburg & Baltimore Coal, Cono, & fron Com- pany, until the two wore so closely welded to- gether that they became not unlike the Siamera frins,—ong couldn’s sneozo unless the other coughed. ATTERCLAPS. The "Citizons'” suspended payment, and ite notes went to protest, The liabilitics of tho concern will foot up not less than &750,000 when a fair statement ia made; nasots,—vwell, £150,- 000 will very nearly cover them. This would ali bo woll enongh did tho failure atop here, Next come tha Waring Brothers, They aro alio an extensive Orm,—fer greater than the Citizons’, Thoir oil bueiness extends over ‘this continent and Europe, Overs year ago, one of the mom- bors of tho firm withdrew, and, if ia enid, took with him a clear $309,000 profits, fairly earned in tho business, At that timo the other nine gen- tlemen composing: the partnership were also nd- vised to retire, and could have done ao, each a uarter of 9 million ahead, it inwaid; but thoy jeclined, and now thoy aro noarly that much worse off than nutbing. BAD BLOWINGR. After tho Wariugs, came James Bown. To werth undor with liabilitios of $100,000 more than his aascts. Ho wasin tho cutlery business with hiswon, but tho latter aticka to that, aud sooms to come out bout. After Bown camo Jared M. Brush. Hecomes out of the ofl busivess $140,000 on the wroug side of the ledger. Next comos a petition of croditors to have Tack Brothore, and Tack Brothers & Co., two individual and distinct firms, forced into bankruptcy, Thoy are badly shaken, and their pockets bavo reached below bottom not leas than $200,000 togother. Last in this procession of oily financial failures comes A, Lyou,—Andy Lyon, aa he ie familiarly known, Ho needn't care, however; his debts aro only $250,000 or moro abovo his axscts, Such, in briof, is s weok's history of trading in ofl,—the fortunos of a lifetime faded in ono follswoop. Aud how was itdono? By indors- ing for an individual-hability stock ‘concorn. Moral: Don't indoreo; and don't invest your hard-carned cash in individual-lisbility com- panivs; and keop ont of oil, especially when it gocs down—down—down, ANOTHER FINANCIAL, GALLOP, ‘To think that the oil-failures would atop here ig a mistake. Moro are reported, ‘These in- clude the Vesta Pomenenm Cosmos, Holdship & Co., and the American liefining Company. It is notlong ago that they were considered sound, but now thoy too havo doparted this tinancial life, Their path will bo strewn with no more wrocks. 'Ihey sgeregato assets nearly or well on to about $800,000 liabilities, trom $1,000,000 to $1,200,000. ‘Thus the list is com- pleted, with a big balance on tho poouliarly vory small ond of the horn, What a chanco to moralize on rosulta! Ono man told mo, on Monday last, that this was all tho fault of tho Ponnaylyauia Railroad Company which discrimi. anted agaiuat the Pittsburg oil-trade in favor of Ulevelaud, Tho fact is, there has been too much. " kite-flying,” and from that, and that only, have the recent failures atiginated, which Urew with it some ionoceut victims, Now, oil is again going np,—slow, but sure. Lt is at pros- ent wortl 115 at tho well, and 1.95 per barrot for prompt shipment, Taking all things into consideration, tho cleaving away of those wrocks will loaye tho trade iu better condition financially aud morally, ORGINAL BANKING, While talking of failures in the oil business, it might not be inappropriate to alludo to a wpecimon of original banking o# carried on in this city, Your readers have been apprised by tolograph of the failure of the Allogheny ‘rust Company. Whon tts doora closed, your corre wpondout was coolly informed by tho intolligont young man who dealt out the greenbacks to tho ravouous depositors, that tho lisbilities were £125,000, aud oven less, with abnets of $250,000 in notes and real eutate. That would seem rosoate indeed. Now, tho asvota turn out to be $50,000 in real estate and $200,000 in notes, worth, say, anywhere from 12 to 25 conta on the dollar. Nice aesctut Now look at tho liability list. Tho DPresidont and Cauhier was A. W. iteod. Io speculated with the funds of the bank to bis heart's contont, ‘The inutitue tion holds, it is waid, $90,000 of hia paper, unine doraad. Mut, yrauting that it docs not, it cer fainly looka bad for Lim that ho should contens a=ugmiout et cue fall swoop to 800,000, which tir. Mood did this week, Dur, they, Dank Cashiora aro qucer people sometinos, This is another individual-liability — con- vero, whoge stockholders =~ hava not koown what hay beeu guing on for tho past ten years, But “'Chere’s imilfions in them,” and they'll to make good wl the losxea to tho depositors, with interest; and that is a cousola- tion to the latter, ORGANIZING BANKS. The Legislature of this State, in days not long gone by, was very freo lu granting spocinl privic legew aud charters ta bauks, some of wittel) dao £00d, legitimate business, while others me ran on the plan of * Uil-tickie-you-nnd-you-tickle- me" principle, This is oasily done and oxplained. For instance : Grim, Svot & Cu, aro heavy iron- dealers; Diamond, Large & Co, aie cual-opera- tors; whilo Suug, Haven & Co, are imeomo oth er business. They are all well-known sneiness- They get together and conclude they ganizo o bank, they eulist o few triends, who subscribe, say, $30,000, ‘Vhis forms, in tho tain, the capital of tho concern,—tho origina. tors being iacurporators and the olected Dire ors. They offer 7 per cent intercnt to de: tora, who ure gullible enough to bite. ‘his money tha Directory use to speculate on, and sccommotiate ove ancther, Wheu -Diamond waute a pote discousted to gocew to his bank, wa the moncy, and is O. K.; and wo with tho Test, Rot ono of whom perhaps Las more than $500 actunt capitel in the business, but owns a goodly share of the stock. Those often buret, atid slow how loosely bankscg alleira van be managed, CHICAGO DAILY evon in Pittsburg. During the panio a humber of theac institutions evaporated aud ate gono forevor; but thore ere atille fow in existence hore, WITHOUT A CHARACTER. A cnso very interesting to tho newspaper pro- prietors hore bas juat boon decided In our courts —Mailly va. The Pittaburg Gazelle, Mailly kept aa unliconaod house in Weat Elzaboth, thia counts, where liquors wore sold. On the Cth of January, 1873, 8 murder waa committed in his placo, and the Gazetle published an no- count of tho affair, givon bys special corre- apontont, in which Mailly'’s” houso was men- fioned as oo brothel, ‘Ifo was afterwarda arrested, and pload guilty to selling Uquer without a licenso, to minors, and on Sunday, and to keeping a disorderly houao ; for which ho was fined and sont ove year to tho Work-house. He aned the(farette criminally and civilly for calling bis honso brothel, The Grand Jury ignored the bill; and, ia the civil action, a yerdict waa given for the defendant,—it being hold thst n man of Afailly’s caste had no charac- ter to lose, and, consequently, could not be liboled. st ME. D, THE TWO TRAVELERS. ‘Twas evening, anit before my eyes Tore lay a landscape gray and dim: Fielda faintly ween and twilight stars ‘And clonda (hat hid the horlzon’a brim, Tsaw—or wan ft that T dreamed 2— ‘A waking dreamin 2—1 cannot nay 5 For every shape ns real seemed ‘As those that mest my eyo, to-day, Throngh teafices ebruts the cold wine aged; ‘Tho wir was thiek with fallluy sue, And onwarl, through the frozen mint, Anaw a weary traveler go, Driven p'er that landscape bare and bleak, Hofore the whirling gusta of alr, The mow-lakes amoto hia withered cheek, ‘And gathered on his silver balr, Yot on he fared throngh blinding snows, And ninrmuring to himeecif he raid: “The night is peur, the darknes¢ Krome Aud higher rigy the drifta I tread. “Deep, doep each antumn flower they Mio; Fach tuft of green thoy ariel frou at, uk Anut they who journeyed by my nido ‘Avo loat {u the surrounding alght, “ Doved them ; oh, no words can tell ‘The love that'to my friends T bore} ‘We parted with the sad farewell Of those who pact to meet no more, “ And T, who face this bitter wind, Aud o'er these snowy hillocks creep, Must end my journey soon and find ‘A frosty couch, a frozen sleep,” And thus he spoke, a thrill of pain ‘Shot to my hearts I closed my eyes, And when Fopened them agsin Toetartod with » glad surprise, "Ewan evening atiit, and fn tho wosty ‘A flush of glowing crimaon lay, Taw tho mdrrow there, and blest ‘That promise of 4 glorious day, ‘Tho waters, in thetr glasry sleap, Shone with the hues that tinged (he eky, And rug ed clu and barren atoep Gleamed with a brightness from on high, Anvl one wna there whore journey tay Into the slowly gathering niabt ; With atoady step he hela his way V'er shadowy vale and gleamiug height, Tmarked his firm though weary tread, ‘Tho lifted evo and brow serene, And saw tio rbaito of doubt ad ‘Paes o'er that traveler's placil mien, And othern cama, thelr Journey o'or, And bade good-night with words of cheor ; “To-morrow, we suull meet ouce tara; "Tis but the night that parta us here,” # And I," ho raid, “auall sleop ere tong— "These failing gleama will soon be goue— Buail sleep, to rine, refreshed anit atrong, In tho bright day that yet will dawn,” Thoard; I watched him na he went, A lesventug form, until tho tight Of evening trom tte firmament Had perked, and he waa lost to right, —Wiltiam Cuiten'ryant in the Atlantic for February, sed a aaa Moltke at ome. Tho Paris correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph tarnishes tho following ; “The speciat correspondent of the Figaro at Berlin lately Rent us _an acconnt of an actor's dinuor with Prince Bismarck. This morning he relates a visit to M. De Moltko’s house. The groat Marehol was absent at the moment, which sppeara to havo been a lucky chance for some one, kince, if words mean auything—which they frequently do not when French—the correspondent eacapod tho necessity of avenging the great wat in per- son. MM. Do Moltke's residence is the Staff Valaco, a large brick building which roromblea a barrack ora school. The door insecurely guard- od. A stately staircnso leads to the private apartmouta of the Marshal, which consist of a ball-room whore nobody has ever dauced, a sate desconferences or lectura-room, a dining- room, ante-chambor whero vivitors wait, wtady, and bed-room. Tho lecture-ball has no furnitura nave w long tablo, covered with green cloth, and plain chairs round it. ‘The cloth is so groon and ‘unsoiled that it appears to have beon never used. There ig not a paper, pen, or inketand thereon ; no preture hangs on the walls. ut in s cornor aro two chests, containing, donbtlces, papora of importance, Hore M. Do Moltke gives his famous lessons on the military art co twenty or thilty ofticers, who, in their turn, pasa them through the army. In the dining-room a lke coldness, nakedness, sovority,—not the smallest object to ploase the oye, Tho refectory of the Grando Chartcense Monastery scems leas bare. On a large table four placos were Isid for those rolatives of JL. De Moltke who sharo bis exist ence of rotirement and labor. The ants-chamber iv somewhat more life-like, On the right of it tolding-doors give paseage to the Marshal’antudy, ® large apartment lighted by three fine windows looking on tho Konigaplatz. It is loftvand largo enough for the Marsbal to walk up and down, aa ia his habit when thinking. ‘Tbroe tablos thore are, one in cach window. ‘Tho correspondent oxpocted to seo them covered with books and papers, but ho found bimsolf miatakon. On tho table to the left, where M. Do Moltve prefors to uit, stood a fino double chronometer, and all the papers wore a dozen military reports, with enor- mous margins; beside which wore the groat man's spectacles, On tho middle tablo was a single newapapor, the Mililair Woclenblalt, ono of tho few prints he will read, ‘Ile third table was covored with an immetise map, which hung over to tho carpet, A long red penoil lying acrous itshowed thatthe Marshal had boen Iatoly at work thercon. It was a plan of Strasburg, and the now fortifications, with several marks ond notes of the red pencil. The correspondent'a fide wwonld not allow him moro than a glan it called his attention to the papor-weirh! which wore two fragments of cannon, Inscribed with the date and place of their captoro; one from Trance and one from Austria. Threo walls of the study had pictures in fresco of ‘ancient lights and deeds dane long ago.’ ‘The painter has mitrodueed therein the likeness of M, De Moltke under various arma, and in muiscellaneous situa- tious of triumph, Upon the corper of s aniall open book-case lay the romains of the Marshal's breakfast, which never varies—ao glaga of clarot and somo bivenita—side by wide with cigar-boxes, for he is a great smoker, audeven takes enu ‘Tuo bedroom, which leads from. thia apartmont, is ov simple as tho rest. Behind a screen utauda A little iron bedstead tiko that of 8 achool-boy, From one of ite cornera was hanging furred cap, of eccentric form, Beside it, on the floor, aetuall yalise oady packed, and ‘ largo inane cane, On the tablo a portrait of Mme. De Moltke, who dicd iu 1803, at Chrivtmas. Yhoro was another portrait, ropresenting hor at 20 years old or 40, Mme, Do Aloltke's father was a rich Englishman, who married the Marshal's sister as hissecond wife, Tne young English girl foll in Jove with her stepmother's brother beforo meoting him, impressod by bie letters homo. M, Do Mottko waa thou at Constantiuaplo, emdos thoso private apartments, thero is little to seo in the Staff Palace, Just aa the correspondent entered the brary a great number of mapy wero brought in, all carefully packed und gonled, ‘The: Wora destined, no doubt, for the atmy. Hin guido offered to get one of the packeta, but in *pite of hls high position be was refused by tho clei w single copy. 'You canuot fancy, reader, the effect produced on mo by this hall, where the maps of every country in tho world are arrangod in perfect order,and whoro thoy acom impationtty to wait the employment to which ouch of them ia dostinod onoday or another. It appoared to mo that I was ins torture-room, such fa they had in tho Mitdle A, Upon the firet roli f read tha word * France.” It is from thence, I thought, that the pluns were drawn which took our fortresses, and made our aruics capitulate.’ ‘The library is composed of military works alone, writton in evory language under tho aun,” ‘The Man Who Stayed, Fruin the Beanaville (Ind.) Herult, Aman went to a Lainesco ball the other night. A fellow with wido trousers with red leather on the bottom of thom, aud new shoes, came ae aud said: * I'vo just pots pockot tilled with black exes, which I beheve J will begin handing around.” ‘the mau concluded to go up-town. Me prefers up-town sociaty, When he arrived the Loys began to chu lim, “Why didn't you stay?" said one, Just then s mau came along, Both eyes wore wmelicd up as big as boxing- gloves, end both of his arms were in @ sling, © Bova,” raid the man who didn’t stay, * that fellow thore stayed.” ‘Tho crowd accopted tho oxplanution, TRIBUNE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1875.—TWELVE PAGES. THE TERRIBLE NIGHT. “That wae a atranga sound among the raftors! Did you boar ft?” This question was eagerly asked of bis nearest neighbor by ono of 8 little group of travelera who hed gathered round the embers of a pine wood Ore at a waymide inn fn one of the ramotost parts of wild Bohomla. "L hoard nothing,” ropliod thé traveler thus addressod, casting up hts eyes suspiciously, novertholess, to tha hollow roof above thoir heads, black and grim with the emoko of many a winter's day and night. ‘It rae atrango,” said a quiet yoies from tho opposite cornor of the chimnoy, “but not ao strange as sounds that {have heard and sights that I havo seen.” ‘This was enough, and more than enotigh. His follow-travelors yoored round in tue direction of tho speaker, and entreatod him to communicate gomething of what be had scon aud what ho had heard, hoping for tho worst as to its being some- thing vory ghastly and horrible. ‘The speaker, evidently by bia accent a native of some part of Germany, was a middle-agod man, and bore the appearanco of an astist,—Just such a one an might have been eout tu hia early daya by the great mon of his native town or yil- Inge to study artiu Nome, and to return srom thonco—liko how many othera?—doing little more, or perhaps even toss, than bofore ho sought the oracles which now yvouchsafe no an- awer, Ho was a wondorfully atrango, imagina- tive-looking being (though by no means an un- prenossossing one either), with a mild blue oye, an absent smile, aud an odd way of epeaking, os it wero, to persons who were not preseut, and not to those who wera so. “Years ago,” bozan the atrangor, with somo- Uning of as sigh,—" years ago, In tha springtine of my life, but in tha antunin of tho year, | fol- towed the wanderings of the Rhine. “Uve eyon- {ug Tfound mysolf, woary and sore-footed, sit- ting in the sladow of one of those far-famod rolica of a etormy past, whose still powerful out. ling, as it crowns and aces to enuobdto the com- mon vineyard bill, yet arrests the gazo of tho thoughtful traveler, or of one like myself, a pilguimon tha faco of tho earth, in acarch of tho beautiful. “Lins a grand dreamer in those dase, and asTtay gazing musingly up atthoso stern old walls, still keeping faithful watch in spito of time and weather, tho life of its own day soomed. to be restored to the long-silent stronghold. Thoro it waa all before ime: tho steel-clad Knight on his steed of ravon black; tue slendor form of the gentle minstrol, moon-tippod among the falling ebadows; tho way-worn pilgrim whu stopped to ahake the dust from his Lompen san- uslat the castle gate. Iuawthemall. Muuis, too, thoro was,—wild, dating snatchos of warriorsong from tho halls within, and burats of clarion calle tugs from the rampart walls without, and barp- atrings that trenibled on the oar asa roy of light on water. All this Ircemed to sce ‘and hear; but while I yet lugered. spoll-bound ts the spot, a team of oxen, followed by its peas- ant driver, camo hurrying down to drink at the oft- sung tivor; aud the trampling of tho boasts aud the ehouts of the driver oun scared my visions faraway. An auciout-looking man, who sat and smoked his pipe on oneof the draw-bridge walls, came forth from his shadowy corner to have a word with tho passing stranger. “have seldom seon 8 more weird-looking be- ing thon the old man thon before ms, Ifia hair sas white and long; his board was white and long; his pipe was whitest and longest of all; and bo had no sooner wished me ‘Good cvening’ than he showed his anxiety to rid bim- self of my company by wishing mo ‘Good night” ‘The road before me was, ho said, a Jonoly one (no company atl along it but storis), and he recommended me to [ose no time in starting, ao as not to bo overtaken by the night 3 stormy, too, he thought, was browing, butit £ rot off at once 1 might roach the nearest village before it burst. ‘No sleeping hero, you know, nir,' he added, impressively, sceing that 1 atiil lingered; ‘no sloeping here. You wouldn't like it nor I eithor; you'd best ba off, sir.’ Thero wos a something mysteriously :mpor- ative in tho old fellow's tone and gestures x3 ho said this, I neither undorstood nor rolished it, Iwas very young then, and wayward, as ono ia ant to bo In the golden days of one's life, Had the old man prossed mo to stay, or even merely invited me to pass tho night in ‘his skeleton of dwelling-place, I ebould likoly, like a free horao turntug his shoulder to tho stable door, have turned my back on ite moldering walls, aud my face to the open tiolda ; but ho wished mo avay, he churlishly urged my departure from the pro- cincts of hia little kingdom, and therefore I aime ply determined to remain, * Just at this crisis some rain-dropa bogan to fall with e heavy splash on the brosd gray stoncs of the bridge beside which we were standing, “*Hoe l’ I exclaimed to the unwilling host, ‘the etorm bas begun alrendy. Surely thero must bo some one habitable corner in the huge castio there 16 which you could allow me to wait for morning; for it’s vain to think of reaching the nearvet sloaping place before midoight, with a.l thia wind and ralo, and my poor tired foot.’ ‘* *Habitablo corners !’ repeated the old man, with an sir of offended prido, closoly folloned, howevor, by an approach to a facotlous ohncklo, which, ag it tuoked up bis gray mustache, ro- vealod the ringlo tooth loft behind it; ‘habita- ble cornors I' ‘Why, the whole of one of the towers, tha westorn ono, had lately been ro- pairea ond fitted up, and even slept in, fora ume at leant. Only he wonderod, for his part, at my caring to stay in sodull a place; somo persons wouldn't fancy it at all. As for himeolf, ho waa used to it~and an honest mon, They nevor, never troubled him.' "Thad not at first attended to the closing words of this soliloquy; but, aa will sometimes happen, tholemoaning came back upon me 8 mo- ment ster, and I saked my guide, who atill half reluctantly led the way into the interior of tho enatlo, to what spocies of molestation he allud- ed. My query war, however, unheard, or ho didn't caro to anawor it, ass grutiish * Ifein!' followed by acaution to look down at my foat and not up at tha stars, as we passed by tho sunken woll at the cornor of the court, was the only reply it received, and I scarcely liked to try it again. ‘We had by this time entered » wonderfully- fino deuolate old piace, eadly out of keoping wilh its tradilionary and festive name, however,— ‘the knight's foasting-hall," as my conductor ealied it, and where rude arches, still powerful in their extreme old age; and masuiye pillars of unpolished stone, cast rough, rich shadows all around, while half the stars in hoaven peopod in through tho lofty but diumantled raof, “All this grand preface lod to nothing more, howeyor, than a fow narrow and empty passages Huw often have grand prefaces to other things In life dono just the samo! Who won tho firat pupii’s prize at Dussel- dorf,? ‘To which among all those puplis did Deter Cornoliue intrust the finishing of Laza- rus’ winding-shoet that timein Rome? Not to Rothman, not to Wiluelm, not to Franz, but to me! Thore was @ fair boginning—preface, if you will—and to what did it alllead?) To noth. ingatell, orto poor empty Pausazes at bast. We pasued, then, etralght from. the grand ald- fashioned hall to the low-roofed cell, nitched in among the buttreeses, which the guardian callod his own, Hore 4 wable cat, with Wicch-liko oyes, gat ponsivoly besido the hearth; and s gaudy red-and-yollow print of the holy St, Cundegonde, pinned away over the mantel-pieco, gava what wo call the only touch of color to the placo, “It was now beginning to grow dark, and my uawilliug host took down from the shelf a dam- aged miveral-water botilo, with a candlo ond stuok in it, which he fighted at tha embers, ‘Then, turoing to me, *Good sir,’ said ho ‘aa it aeema no other inn will serve your turn this night, I suppose you must try mine:' and he led. the way accordingly to the apartments of the western towor, in which, he ouco more repoated, accommodation was vot the one thing wanted. (‘What wos it then?’ I thought), The rooms of tho western tower had, he said, been rofitted with old family furnitura only two years ago by his master, Baron G—, of Manboim, who was himeolf partial to the piace, and had tried, — had, in fact, spout somo weeks at the castle last vintage tino, with other membors of tha family; but, ha added, nono of tho young ladicd throve there, nor, indecd, my honored mistrous either, ‘The wind blows cold and datap from thorivor of anight. ‘They sald it wos always blowing their candles out as they croaved tha gnilery to their chambers, so one due day thoy all wout back to Nuuheim, “'Thore was something i this one partioular passage of the old retainers discourse which took my faucy—for I wns then still {ancy free, aud neither your charming face, my Margaret, nor that dear smile of yours, had yet taken pot- wousion of my every thought—and I followed my old guide up the creaking staircase. I seomed to seo before me thoae fair young maidens with their wind-blown lights, wreathod together in thoir graceful fear, uytapb-like, as the exquisite croativns of the English attivt Flaxman, ‘ “When wo had'got to the top of the ald utono atairway, Fritz, ax he told ino be way called by friouds and focs alike, fumbled in some hidden corner, aud Laving found a fat key there, ap- Plied it to the lock of w black-paneled door, which opeued to his touct, ay doors are apt to do that are not often asked to take that trouble, slowly aud uowiliiuely, usy, even more than that, as if aome ono bold it back from within. ‘Who's in thea?! anid 1, in a low volce, to Frits, ‘Hein I’ tras tla aolaroply, At Inst, howovor, tho doar yieltat to his pushing. In wo went, ‘aud thera wes no ono there after all. “Stas ® dismal chamber, and a largo ono. It had tapontries and # act of pondorons high- backad benches, and soemed dostined to rerre as antechamnber to the rest. Through it wo passed on iuto anothor, and another afior that, and yet one more,—all dim, chill, and silent an the grave; and inst wo camo to tho farthest ono of all, in which a lmge, unwieldy-looking bod of auliqua form, with aweeping draperies of dark grecn serge, o'ershadowed half the floor. A quivering mountain. anh that grow without, checkered the lozonge-shaped Iattice- panos with the shadow of tts trombling leaves, forever, as it were, pleading tor admittance ; while the chill autumn wind, toying with some loose rubbish in the grim old chimnoy-corner, seomed to stit up ® kind of falso, droary life within the hollow. “This, however, was alt. Thore waa no mys- terions family portrait vith purauing eye upon tho wall; uo stern suit of hollow armor in tho angle of the roont; no desperate, bloody single combat on tho faded arras. “T have seen before and since, in “many a Toman palace or ancient Florentine dwelling. tiduge, chambors of a far more atriking aspect, which brought before one moro vividly the chi acter and traditions of the romantic ag were more fitting ncenes for dark domeatio trag- odion and hidden family history; but never, no, nevor have I behold any human habitation hav lug about it precisely what this ono had, ‘Tho tirat glance at it sont an ice-like chill throngh all Baa rounins ‘The very remombrance of it doss a0 still, *This, then," raid the old retainor, lifting, as ho spoke, a fold of the sombre curtain of tho bed,—‘ this willbe your bed to-night, and {t ia verbaps better, after all, to lie hore than at tho morcy of the thioves aod the winds by the rivor- vide.’ And having arrived at this conclusion, lhe addod, more cheorfully, ‘ Now, then, sir, if you willcoma down stairs ggain with mo, and share my bit of sausago and my fire, you are wol- come to both.’ ““T gladly accepted tho offer, and we returned accordingly to his humble cell, transformed by comparison luto a porfect enuggory. Wo upped togethor by his lutle fragrant pino- wood flre; we drank to the health of the Baron aud his fair daughtora in a flask of Ine own good Rhenish ; but it failed to make my heart morry. My spirits bad boon damped, unae- countably. datuped, by the imjjearsion mada opon me by tho more sight of that dreary sleoping-chamber, and the still moro dreary pros- pect of having to passa night within ita walls; so that whou tho hour cams for me to borrow the mineral-water battio with the candle-end, and to light myself up staira again my hoartsank Within M0. wre = + “Old Fritz, who had accompauicd me as far aa the anto-chamber door, took leave of me there, with many @ ‘gute nacht,’ and left me de- fonsoless on the threshold. “Tam not a coward whore real flesh snd blond aro coucerned, butama very maid for ghosts, and would havo givon worlds to havo called him back. Ldid, indeed, make # faint attompt at some deplorable condesconsion of the kind, and even thought I board a retreating ‘Hoiul’ from the foot of the staircase; but nothing moro came of it, and I turnod to mect my fato, ---- “AI didso something rose up_beforo the door as if to prevons my passing. I thrust my candle down toward it (for it stood tow), and fonnd it waa only 9 doz; still, sannt and unnatu- ral ay ho luoked, at least to my eyes, it was no eemfort to sco him thore and then. The thing struck me as odd, too, for I romemborod having asked old Fritz if bo never kept s dog in this loue placa for protection or for company, and that he answered, ‘Novor!’ 1 now looked hasti~ ly around me for some looae bit of wood or atone orsomething to fling at the unsightly animal, and found it closo at hand; but whilo I stop- ped to pick it up the creature disapared. 4fow it contrived to creop in with mo unacen I knew not, but I saw it again in the room immo- diately preceding the sleeping one, crouching ephinz-like on the red-tiled floor, with its seal’s eyes immoyably fixed on mo. : “YT hurried past, nor turned to look bebind me. Porsons in similar situations eoldom care to do ro, sud [ closed the door of the room firm- ly behind mo as Lentered. Dut I was not atono iu my chamber; I folt sare of that. Some one or sometning was thore beforo me, A low rost- ling aonud 1an stealtbily around tho walls behind the arrus, and then all «as suddeuly still. “+ Fritz had piled some Jogs upon tho hoarth and thoughtfully prepared a firo, and, having stirred up the red embers into go bright n blaze that the anaint old shopherdesses on the screen beside mo danced aud capered quite wildly in the fitful light, 1 drew forward » hugs chair of faded damask, and, taking a favorite volumo from tho pocket of my blouse, endeavored to read, But I could not read for trviug to Haten, aud could not listen for the beating of my hoart. “Surldenty it struck mo that I would try to find refage in sloep—sleop which would fold mo safoly in its wings until the coming of the bieas- ed light of day, sad in s desporate moment IL mado s headiong plunge into the dismal bed, which sawned to receive me, and—and—but why bo ashamed to confers thia, while we openly con- teas so many worse things ?—and Lhid my hoad under tho bed-ciothos, Why sheets and blank- ets should bo deemed imponctrable to the subtle osgouce of supernatural beings I know not, but such is the poputar belief and practice. “Woll, then, I did stecp at last, bat I dreamed aswell. The old hollow voice of Fritz sounded in my ear in spite of all tho covermga drawn over me, and it said, ‘I wasachild at the timo it bappenod, sir, and I'm an honest man, They never troubled me." “I awoke and sat np, and gazed with awe arounl me; bat if over the old guardian bad been at my bedside, he was notthore then. I looked sbuddoringly toward the door; it was closed, just aa i had left it, but an trreaiatible at- traction riveted my stony gaze on the spot, “It was a cold, dim, morning moonlight, struggling with a ntill colder dawn, and the fire had tong vince ceased to burn. ‘The floor of the chambor was anevon; thoro wad # space betweon it and the bottom of the door; and while I kept looking, looking, alwaya looking in that one di- rection, something borrible caine up and placed itself on tho other side of tho open chink. “It was afoot; but sucn s fout! white, shapo- Togs, belonging to no human—not of this world. It ulopped before tho chiuk. ‘Then came its fel- low. They paxsod, ropassed, and stopped. “Oh, how I did long to shout out, to ahriek, to make the placsring again! Bat I could not. I would have held my oyes fost closed against the horriblo sight, but could not konp thom fast. closed, Tho door peomed to hoave on its pungos, and to sway backward aud forward aa if the awful visitor wore coming in, It did como in, something or gomo ono pursuing it, 1 knew not what or who, I felt it at the foot of my bed, It climbed and swung itself up by the curtain, It bad each long, damp, tangled hair, euch mis- erable eyes! It sobbed and clung to me. I swooned bencath the deadly touch, “Whon I recovered my conaciouences T found myself in one of the slecping-rooms of an inn at Audernach. Tho evening sunshine wos coming in gayly through the red check curtains of the window; my walking-etaff and knapuack were carefully deposited on the table by the pedaide; and the good woman of the house, who kindly administered cordials to me, annwered my won- dering glauces by stating that an old peasant man fromaneighboring castle had driven me over tliat morning in hia covered cart, and had recommended me to thecaro of the people of tho qasthaus nn a wick and ovortired traveler whom chance had thrown in bie way the aay bo- fore. + (Tg waa Hana Schoffman, in fact,’ addod 'the woman, ‘though ho didn’t choogo ta name hitn- welf, he is so why and solitary hke; but I remom- ber him when I'mysclf was but a child and bea boy, There was a ead picco of work up at tho old castle place thera where ho lives, A girl was found drowned in tho water of the moat, and thoy do say Lis master did it—tho old Maron of all, father to the present one. ‘Cho poor thmg hhad a dog *ho tried to ssve ber, bnt he soon made an ond of him too—leastways they assy ‘swag he who did{tall, lic waw a bad man,he was, at any rato, and only Jost took himuelf off in timo to avo his trial—here below, that's to say, for he’s sure enough to have it eluewhere in the end. IMowever, to thiu very day no one knows how or whither bo wont, and neither Christian man or woman can live there in poace ever winco, saving Hans, the fuster-brother, who keeps tt for the family, You purely didn't sleep thoro last night, did you, sir?’ ‘+1 did,' anid 1; ‘and may the asintepreservo me from ever again pausing such s terrible night anthe one i spent under the roof of that ao- cnrsed dwelling |’ ** Arsen! said theeld woman.” ‘Hero the artist eouscd, and niore than ono in- erodulous wmilo mingled with the aeznowledy. iments of his auditors fur the ready good nature with which he had cratilled their curtosity, Not- withstanding this lack of taith, there wai @ visi- bie and very genera] ditpoultion among the par- ty to migraloin a body to the sloeping-cham- bers, No one seemed inclined oither to movo on firet or to remain kebind the others, and, iu ‘an inwane attempt to acule the narrow ataircasa five abreast, two of the party rolicd down it, and so did the lantern. Asfor mveelf, I will truthfully confess toa perfect panic, when, ufter mechanically tossing tay doote aa usual from my room iuto the pas wage, I perceived thom a little while later lookin, in at me, as it were, froma the duor. ‘I'he recen! impression left by ue artint's SlraugO narrative, ‘sud above all by his own gincore couvictiou of its trith, made thie right Bo nohtearing tome that Linstinctivaly draw the bodclothes somo- what higher up than usualy but Thad a weary day's journey, and, noon forpotting it all {a aloop, infinitely rolinved in tho morntng to find that I had eacapod « repotition of his “Torrible Night."—English Magasine. ———___+-—___-- FOOD-FISHES IN AMERICA, Prof. Mnird’s Heport on the Deorense of FuudeFishes and Their Propagne tion in the Waters of the United Staton From ths New York World. Tha report of Prof. Bponcor F. Baird, of the Smithsonian Institution, United Atatea Commin- sioner of fish and fisheries, just issued from the Government printing-ofice, at Washington, treats frat of tho dacresse of the food-fichen ; and socoud, of the propagation of food-iishes in tho watora of tho United States, Tho report embraces the roault of the labors of tho Commis- sion and those co-onorating with tt for 1872-3, Hriefly stated, the conclusions reached are that the codfish lias disappeared proportionately with the disappearance of the slowives, ite prin+ cipal food, the shad, and the salmon, which for- moerly ‘lied the channels of the larger rivera flowing into the ses on that coast, struggling np- stream to Heriot their spawn, and frequonting tue waters adjacent to theno rivers throughout a roat part of the year. As tho codfish foods on he fish named, formorly they could be caught in reat numbore wherdver tholt food congrogated, ne lumbering interesta of Maine and tho manofactuting interests of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, , however, lava driven away the slowives, eic., from those rivers by reason of the impassable dame that have boon erected acroes thu streams, ‘I'he result is that ‘| the food of tho codfish having beon ulminiahod almost to extermination, that tlsh has beon com- polled to seek other waters to find subsistence, «aud houce, iar more than to exhaustive fishing with the line, ia due ite disappearance, Efforts have bean mado, itis true, by the Legislature of the New England States to save the ilahories of those Btates by the onactmont of laws requiriug tho constriction of fish-ways through thodame ; but aa these onactments ivtorfore with the lum- boring and manufacturing interests they appear to have been neglocted. There lana have boen passed mainly to enable the salmon to enter the ntroame in order to permit their capture on the way. But Prof. Baird thinke thia result buts poor compensation for the loss of the codfishos, “*Whatovor may be the {mportauco," he saya, of lnioreasiog the sunply of salmon, it is tri- fling compared with tho restoration of our ex- hausted cod-nsberies; and should theso be bronght back to their original condition, wo shall find within a sliors time an inorease of wealth on our shores, the amount of which it would bo dificult to calcalate.” Commerce and ship- building would prosper in oqual proportion, tle ee of the adjacent Htates would bo en- anced, and the country would gain in the num- bers of ita citizeng familiar with tho sea. During 1871 and 1872 the wators of tho groat lInkow woro Bleo investigated. Tho Assistant Commissioner charged with this duty was in- structed to make the white-tish, the most valua- bie food-fish of tho lakes, the principal object of attention, with s view to its rostoratiou. ‘Tho white-tlh waa found to havo decroaeod largely in Lake Michigan, but in Lake Superior tho diminution was muoh less. Seventy-one stations, ombracing nearly the entire number of fisheries, wore visited on Lake Michigan, aud avidonces of its decroage and itecauees wore noted. In thoau- tumu of 1872 nearly a million of whito-lish eggs were obtaiuedand woro placed in shatching-houso at Clarkuton, Mich, Of those s large number waa forwarded iu the winter to Califorola for tho waters of Clear Lake, At tho samo time ar- rangomenta were mado for the batching of sal- mon for tho waters of Michigan and Wisconsin, In 1874 the watera of Lakes Huron and Enis aud. of the Ohio River were visited, Action in rogard to the propagation of faod- fishes in tho wators of the United States wan firsttaken by Congress on Juno 10, 1872, when 815,000 was appropriated, at the suggostion of tho American Fish Culturiats’ Assoviation, which bud hold ita meeting in Albany on Feb. ‘7, for the purpose of evabling the United States to take partin the groat undertaking of introduc- ing or multiplying ubad, salmon, and other yal- uable food-hahew throughout the country, 1n 1872 large numbers of shad egga woro in- troduced into tho Hudson River, Onoida Lake, Lake Champlain, the Genoseo River, atid the Mississippi River, a fow miles above Saint Paul, Minn. At a lator period the Cuyahoga, tho White Hiver, at Indianapolis, and the Platte River wore also supplied with young aad. Dur- ing the year, undor the direction of Mr. Soh Greon, nearly 7,000,000 shad wero released in the watora of tho Stato of Now York, whilo 92,U65,- 000 young tish were turned Into the waters of tho Connocticut, The report seys that whothor aliad can live permanently io fresh water and main- tain those charactoristics of flavor and cizo which give thom stich s prominence, and whether thoy can be extablished in the Miasisaippi Valley, aro probloms not yet solved. Inu tho propagation of Maine salmon at Bucks- ort, on the Vonobscot Kiver, in 1872, about 1,660,000 eggs were secured. These wore after- words distributed to other batching-houses (n differont parts of the country, in ordor thera to be fully, developed. At an outlay of about 82,000, Prot. Baird also imported 750,000 oggs of tho Rhine salmon from Germany, but, owing to variety of causes, only 5,000 of the number rescbod New York in wafety. The others had been prematurely hatchod, of otherwise destroy- ed. The 5,000 wero anccessfully hatched out, and were ultimately introduced into the Muscon- etcong River, & tributary of the Delaware. ‘Tho Susquebanaa River at Harrisburg was stocked with 5,000 or 6,000 young California salmon, the eges having been brought from McCloud Rivor, a stream of the Sicrra Nevada, in that State, and afterwards hatched at the hatching-honse at Bloomsbury, N. J. Clear Lako, Californian, was supplied during the year with 100,000 young white-bait fish, hatched from egee taken’ from the Detroit River. Tho plan proposod by Prof, Baird in 1873 for the propagation of shad was to hatch ont the fish in the rivers of the Atlantic coast, and to tranefer a suitable portion of thom to Wostern watora, boginuing in the Sonth, and conducting oporationy farther and far- ther towards the North as tho ncason ad- vanced, On invoatigation, however, it was found that owing to the scarcity of that dub tn tho sty ers bolow tho Nouso, in Nortn Carolina, not enough spawnuing-suad could be obtained to maka the experimeut worth the cost. In like manner, failure was experienced in the attompt to obtain ogys from the Neuse and the Roanoako ltivors, owing to high water in thoso streams, In tho’ Potomac at Washington, howavor, suc- cosa attonded the experiment, and from tho ung fish thus collected tho headwaters of ho Kanawha Rivor woro supplied. and 8 supply was also furnished for tho Michigan Uommis- sioners. Up to tho end of July several thousand wore placad in the Dolawaro, the Munougaliela, and the Juniata Rivers. Through the ageacy of the New York Cormmissionere, aud ontirely at tho exponse of tho Stateof New York, the United States recoived such spawn as were Toquirod for its purposes, and young shad were transferred from the hatching-station at Castleton-on-the- Hadson to varions pomty in the West. ‘Tho dis- astrous attempt to transfer valuablo food-tishes from tho Atiantio slope to the Pacific slope in the wo-called aquarium-car—which fell in transit from tho treatie-work into the Elkhorn Hiver, of Nebraska, not far from Omaha—will bo ro- membered. By this accident 300,000 fishes, of eevoral species, some of them indigenous to fresh water, were lost in that stroam. Lator, howeyvor, 40,000 fish from the Huduon woro safoly trausferred to the Far Weat, of which 5,000 wera placed in the Jordan River, a tributary of Great Salt Lake, and 35,000 in the Sacramento, which Jatter stream is ia contemplatas to use as nursory for stocking tho Columbia and ¢he more northern rivers, A de- posit was aluo made during the year in the Mattawamkeag, a tribntary § of the Ponobscot liver, tho young fish having Leon supplied by tho Conneoticut Commission- ers from tho hatching-station on the Connectt- cut. Prot, Balrd thiuks i¢ uot improbable that the restoration of shad to tho rivers of Maiue will be dons most easily by tranaforring the spawn from the Connecticut, or from the Merri- mack, should the Commissionors of Masaschu- aetta exhibit the samo tiberality that bas been shown by those of Connecticut. ad been contemplated to carryon hatching operations onthe Happabannock River during the year, andto supply the West—including West Vir- gina, Kentucky, and ‘lennesseo—with ogy; ut the effort waa deferred until the prowent year. The Affenavs, From the Zoston Transcript ‘The Alfonsos who have ocoupied the throne of Bpain, of whom tho young man lately iusalled is the twelfth, havo, ‘ava genoral thing, loft = falr record. ‘They were largely occupied in bat- thug with the Moora, who had overrun Andalusia and the cosats of Spain adjacent to Africa. ‘The firut of the name foll iu battle in the year 1134, having previously fought aud won thirty-nine pitched battles, “From merit or fancy mout of them are remembered by somo houurable title, the drut being appropriately uamed “Tho Bat- tler.” “The Catholic,” The Chaste,” * Th Grout,” “The Maguanimous," "The Good,” “Lhe Wise,” were ticles given to or appropri- ated by others of tho race. ‘The King who seleei » iente XU; was koown aa eet venger,"? ant gly power was exercise fi om 1324 till bis death im 1850, FAMILIAR TALK. DANCING. * Feoling Ande Ita first and most natural exprea- sion in a geature, « pontitra, a pautomimie action. ‘The child who has not yet loarnod to speak, like the auimal who must remain forover dumb, dances, and frolics, and capers, to show Ite foy; or writhes, and twists, and flounces, to declare its ariof and anger. Rude and savage racos, who nevor got boyond tho atage of childhood, ins.inct- ively dovolop the impulse for action into sot rhythmical movements of varlous character, ac- cording to the emotion that governs them; and thus wo have tho origin of dancing. It is cooval with tho history of the bnmau raco, and will con- tinue in practice so long as mankind aro capable of untrammeled and spontancous action,—wo hope it may be through oternity. Thoro ia scarce- ly an individual so staid, so demuro, and sclf- controlled. even mong tha most atrnit- laced sects of the Quakors and Puri- tans, who havo not, at some momont of gay excitation, ylelded to tho sudden passion for cutting a nigeon-wing, aud felt tho bettor for it. Until the freedom, and frankness, and foartons- ness, that epring from innocent, happy, and child-like emotions, have become utterly alion to us, there will recur passages iu overy lifo-timo when the only perfect utterance of the feelings will consist in some lively, fautastic, swaying motions that come under the denomination of dancing. In most of tho ancient nations dancing com- posed a part of their religious ceromouials. Tho Egyptiaus danced in honor of their god Apie, who symbolized the suv, and moved in circlen and ovolutions, indicative of sorrow at sunact and rojoicing at sunrise, Tho whole Greok population mot on certain days at tho market- place, ond joined in hymus of thankegiving and in dances consecrated to their divinities. In the Jewish records, thore is frequent mention of dancos of & sacred character. Mosos and Miriam danced to their song of triumph after tho passage of the Red Sea, and David danced bo- fora the Ark on its rescuo from the Philistinos. ‘The carly Christians interspersed dancing with prayera and thankagivings at their religions mectings. Among savage triboe, at tho prosont day, dancing is ono of the chlof obsarvances on alfoceasions where rollgloua rites are porformed. Wo read in Homer that dancing, s3 well as reading, was customary at entertainmonts ; and, from hls time on, the Greeks mauitoated au ex- trome fondnosa for the pastime, It accorded with tho gonius of this boauty-loying poopie, and afforded thom an amplo opportunity to oxhibit their graces of poison and their cloquont action. Aristotle ranka dancing with poetry, and, carry- ing thie idea into a figure, the art bias been pret- tily deflued a8 '* the poctry of motion.” A Spar. tao law compallod parents to bring their chil- dren, at tha ego of 5 to the public placo, to ba trained in dancing, Thore thoy wore instructed by grown mon, and all togother united In sing- ing ‘as thoy danced, Ihe sedate Romans proferred to Sook upon social dances rather than to perform them, and deemod it derogatory to their dignity to join in tts mazes, oxcept in connection with religion, Profeasional dancurs, who wero generally slaves, wero employed to amuse tho company at ban- quote aud private ontortainmonts, Mossalina ig paid to Lave dolighted in ballets, and to havo displayed = remarksblo talent in composing thom. Tacitus sposka of a magnificent bal- masque given by her in the Imperial gardens, to celebrato her nuptials with Siliua, during the abacnce of het hneband, the Emperor Claudd. it ia still the fashion {n the East to aecure the services of professional dancers on all feative occasions, In Egypt and in India, dancing girls aro & nocersary adjunct to overy cntertsinmont, Iu the formor country, they aro called Almo; and in tho latter, among the natives, Dovadasis, acd, by Europeans, Daradoros. ‘The religioas dances of tho ancients may have givon rie to the Greek drama, bitt thoy eannot be considered the source of the ballot. ‘Tho tirst indication that we hayo of tho modorn ballet is at tho Court of Leo X., in Italy, It wan, in tho baginning, connected with the crude theatrical oxhibitions which took somo Scriptutal or sacred. thome for illustration. Butit soon lost its ro- ligious association, acd bocame n purely secular form of amnsoment. Early in the sixteenth contury {t was especially popular at the Court of Count Aglio, at Turin, and Princesand Princess- ca did not scorn to take partin it. Fron Italy tt spread to other countries, and, in the reign of Henry VIL, was introduced to tho English Court, | Henry himself and his young daughter, tho Princess Mary, found great pleasure in this speciea of pastime; bnt the ataid courtiers and haughty ladios who surrounded them looked on with extreme displeasure whilo the King and tho Princers danced and disported in most unroyal mood before the publio, When the Great Prior of France and the Con- stable Montmorenoy virited Queen Elizaboth, alo entertained them with » ballet, tho subject of which was "The Wiso and Foolish Virgins,” and which was porformed, with elaborate scenic effect, by tho ladies of the Court. Dancing was # favorite arousomont with Francis I; and. tho falr, frail Margaret of Valois acquired a wide ropute for her exquisite grace in its oxecution, Don John of Austria paid a visit to Paris for tho sole purpose of witneusiug hor alll in tho art. Louis X11, was fond of the ballet, and some- times condescended to tread its monsures, Louia X{V. partioularly favored the ballet in his youth, and, at the advanced ago of 61, agpeared on tuo stage in the ballet of Flors, askod balls became tho fashion undor this monarch, aud wero given with grost splendor. After tho death of Louis XIV., tha Regent established tho masked opera-ball, which has since heen s no- table feature in the dissipated life of Paris, In 1739, & masked ball was given by the City of Paris on the celabration of tbe marriage of Mme. Elizabeth with Don Philip, for, which 15,000 in- vitations wero issued, In 1763, Almack, the keeper of a fasbionablo gambling-hoago in London, opened a maruill- cent assembly-room in hia establishment for the convonienco of the lovers of tho dance and of tho Pleasures of gay aoclety, Asorios of balls waa inaugurated, at tho rate of one a week for twalvo weaks, Admission to theao balla was pro- cured by srubscription of 10 guinons; but the patronage was eo great that itaoon became sn oxceodingly difilcnlt matter to obtain tickets, and mony applicants of both soxos, whouo olsims, on account of rank and wealth, to sd- mission into high circles, wore not slight, failed togetentrance to the exclusive rosort. ‘The popularity of Almack’s continued for upward of sovouty years, with brief periods of intermis- sion; but, in 1890, it began ® final decline, and now its proatiga is irretrievably lost. During the last twenty-five years, efforta have from timo to timo beon made to revive the balls, but with indifferent success, ‘The favorite dances at Aimaok's, in 1814, woro country dances aud Scotch reels, ‘The following year, the quadrillo—a dance of French origin— was introduced by the colobrated Lady Jersey. Tha waltz—the German ustional dance, said to bave originatea in Nohemia—became fashionable about the same tims. The polta—an invention of Hungaria—was brought to Western Europe in 1841. The lancers was s favorite dance some. thirty yoara ago; but, from an an unaccountable caprice of faubion, fell into total neglect, to be again revivod, a4 all recollect, within the five or six years past. There isa fashion in dancos ax in all thinge elas, and that which is to-day trip- ped by every light fantastic toe will to-morrow be pronounced pssae, and banished from the se- lect ball-room and parlor, AN ENGLISH PHIVATE LIBRARY. Probably the largest, and certaiuly the moat valuable, private library in the world is at Al- thorp, the manorisl residonce of the Spencors, of Northamptonshire, England. Tt embraces more than 50,000 volumes, which cocupy a guito of rooms opening into each othor on the ground- floor of the mansion. The library was accamu- Istod by the second Earl of Spoacor, who, wien he came Into the inberitanco of Althorp, found there only tho ordinary collection of books mot within every large country-house. It became the ambition of thia nobleman to craate s Lbrary of magnificent proportions, and he spared uo ex- Penge to weoure all the raro and precious volumes that were by soy means attainable, Day by day he added to his collection treasure after treasure in the way of tall copies, nnout copies, and unique copies; and Chartea Lowia was kept busy retouching old bindiuga and decorating the choice tomes of Caxton and Wynkin de Worde in the Porkins Library in June, 1973, bronght £2,690. Tt was tho competition between Lord Npencor and Lord Blandford which sont tho pricg of tho Dveracio ta ho great & herht; but Lord Sponcor subsaquently obtatued tho volume tor the compatatively moderate sum of £018, ‘1hy ook ia in fine condition, and was put by Chatto Lowis into « drees of greon morocco, ornamente) with gold, and stampod with tho arms of the Duko of Roxburghe and of Karl Spencor. Ths tronaures in tho Old Hook-ltoom” aro mor carofully protectod than tho reat of the colleg tion, Asagenoral rule, no book can he taken. from its place nave by tho Librarian. ‘Tho eats: logue of the library fa contained in » Borin of smail volumes arranged in a cabinet. Ench book onterod hero haa ite number, roterring to a large goneral volume, wich gives ite situation in tts ibrary. Few strangers aro admitted to thy prisllogs of parslog through thia “ Paradyscot Bokos,” as Dibdin calla it, which is not open to the publios and favwer etill aro allowed tho ploag. nro of taking in hand the rarost and most pro. cious volumos, ORNAMENTAL FEATHERS. Tho “Translations of Oiticial Austrian No ports on the Universal Exhibi.isn" of 1873 cone tains an interesting account of the manufacture of ornamental feathers, an industry which {n Vienna employs about 210 women and appren. tices, The foathora of the African ostrich ae chiefly used in the manufactura; yot those of tho white horon, bird of Paradiso, and marabou, are also frequently utilized. The puro white oatrich-foathor ranka abovo all others iu valu, Tho procesa through which it passes to fit it for * tho market looks very simplo in the description, | yot doubtless requires tho intelligont touch of trained fingers to accomplish it succosefulls, * The feather is firat cloaned ina gorles of cold soap-batha ; then is washed in warm doap-batha; after which it {a rinsod in cold wator tingod with g faint soto of bluo; pressed, aud swung back and forth in the air until tho barbs have spreal, and the wholo is quite dry. Noxt, tho strone shaft fs cut aay ou tho inner side with o smell sharp knifo, to give the feathers pliancy. Insmay Specinons, tho kame @nd ia accomphehed ty soraping the shaft witha gloss, Aftor thie, thy backs sro made to curl in by drawing thea gently over a blunt knifo, and aro reduced toy uniform sbaps by combing over 8 warm tron. To conceal the aliaft, s few barbs aro mado to twist overit. Finally, the feather ia threadd on o wire, and ite construction is cotnplete, Gray feathors ore usually and black ones nro ale ways colored, which part of tho manufacturo Is done by men. Long feathors aro called “ leat feathers” and ‘ Amazons;” and short feathors, usually tied togothor in’ triplets, aro called “panache.” When foatbers aro not sufficiently heavy, two or threa aro sewed topethor, ‘The barba of ostrich-feathers are much used in nsx. jug fancy feathers, cockades, fringes, and “bordorica,” Marabou feathora are also largely worked into fancy plumes,—tho tips of white j piece feathors, and tiny bita of silk, being ; 0) \ ined into them. Marabow feathers are ob tained from the under sice of tho wing of the adjutant, a bird haatly allied to the stork, anda native of Senegal and India. WOMAN'S POSITION AT TABLE, In Quoen Elizaheth's time, the fashion catas into vogua of placing tho principal jointa and + pieces of ments at the head of the table, abors tho aalt, in o1der that tho chief guosts might re galo their eyes with the promise of good chico befora them, and also bo conyeniontly served to tho choicest cute, ‘Thia custom involved tho ne coasity of carving tho moata after thoy bid . reached the table; thoreforo the ladies were in * vited to sit nt the hond of the board, that thoy { might perform the service which had before been delogatod to the professional carver. Tt was this from no desire to compliment tho fair sox that | woman was, in the boginning, promoted to the mort honorable placa at the table. It was for the eliish convonience of her Jord, and not for | her own dignity, that tho position was accorded to her, and na, in madioval society, she minister- od to her gneats by preparing dishos for their om jJoyment, often bearing them to tho table her self, so she now, in tho capacity of carver, com tinuod in tho rau of 8 servitor. But, with the tact which is nor diatinguishing characteristic, sho hos gradually converted tho carvers atool into a throno of stato, and assumed tho right to preside over tho company through an office |, which originally authorizod her only to heip them to food. sarees Sn FRENCH CHARITIES. 4 the mou: elegant manner known to the “ bibleo- pogistio™ art, ‘Lhe aorics of apartmenta in which the volumes are ranged, all iu rick aud appropriate bindings, is uo loug that, according to Dibdin, who has de- scribed the colleotion at length, “a Shetland pony might be convoniontly kept, in ready caparison, to carry the moro delicato visitor from one ox- tremity to the other.” Quo room of larga di- meuwions is dsyoted to booka printed before 1600. Among these are Aldines of excucding beauty, aud long rows of Oaxtons, Pynsone, and de Wordes. Hero ix tho cetebrated Valdarfor Uoecacio, for which the Marquis of Blandford paid, at the Roxburghe sale, 2a 260;--the largeat guia evor given for # single volume, or for any book oxeept the Mnazariue lible in two volumey which, af te sale of Since 1709, the publio charities of France ba been sustained by yolantary contributions, sucl as legacios, charity-sermone, annual collections from houso to house, ote. Tho only oxcoption to this syutom of raising an income to support tho sick and indigent, is the poor-tax levied upon all places of amusemont. ‘Theso are compelled to pay § por cont of their recelpts into the gem oral fand for the poor. From this source, the sum of 1,000,000 franca is annually roalizod. The ontiro receipts of the * Assiatauce Publique” amount to 15,204,280 per annum. But this sam is inadoquato, and tho City of Daria is obliged ta | make up the yonrly deficit by a subvention of {| upward of 1,000,000 francs. During tho Oom mune, tho publio funda for the roliof of tho Poor narrowly oscaped falling into the hands of the mob; but su ingonious atratazom of ML Guillon, the Recoiver, saved the entiro amount, 0,000 francs, from their rapacity. For thid noble dead tho man was deservedly decorated. Amid tho unparalleled distress which followed the hnmillation of Franco in the late war, tho te sonrces of her clinrities haya not boon lessonod. Tho income from tho places of smusemout, where Frenchmen soek diversion from theif caro and sorrow, haa continued undiminished. and the bonovolenco of largo hoarts has proved 88 gouorous as over, ‘ENGLISH UNIVERSITIES. ‘We Joarn from the late roport of the Univers ties Commiusion, that the University of Oxfont haa sn income of £17,000; tha Collogea aod Hialls, £336,000 ; tho University of Carnbridgs £34,000; the Colleges and Halls, £300,0%. For the yoar 1871, Exeter Colloge, at Cambridgs with an incomo of £14,000, had from 170 to 139 undergraduates ; Morton, with £17,000 a yoar, bad 64 undergraduates ; and Daliol, with £9,000 ayear, had 145, At Cambridgo, Trinity Colloge! with £69,000 a yoar, find 445 undergraduates? King’s, with £84,000, had but8L; and Corpay' with £9,000, had 130. Oxford has 959 fellow ships, with an avorago valuoof £2008 yoary whilo Cambridge haa 340, with an ayorage val0a of £280, Oxford has in all 24 colleqos, ani Cambridge 17, The averayoincome of a head ob o house at Oxford is about £1,600, and s Cambridge about $1,200. Oxford spent wome £26,000 a year on professorsnips, and Cambruige only £17,000. THE SNOW. ‘The beantifnt snow, the beautiful snow f Over {ta borom wo mertily go; Now atars in the heavens are shining bright, Aud moonbeaus sbiue in the glittering light g ‘The Earth in her own virgin garb is drost, And pearls from Hoaven are strewn on hor bresgh Awny, away, over the snow we fly, Tike # sportive cloud through the deep biue aky 3 Away o'er the bilfa and the shrondod fakes, Whore the snow-clouda dance whon the tempest wakes) No spot on Harth's bosom, no stain like care, But boundless purity everywhere, But the snow will woop when the brooze of Sgxing: ‘Tho odora of fur-distant lands shull bring; ‘Twill start at the summons aud soon appeas, On the bosom {t loved, a frozen toar,— Like the waning Hight of some holy dream, ‘What fados wheu the monulug’s frat smile is poem, And thue like the snow will euch beauty fade, And the lustre that woalth and power Lave nisda= ‘The young aud the vid, the sage and the strung, With time irresistibly borne along, — And our love and our Joy, our hojrea and fears, Must puss like the suow ftom thw Earth—an tosrs William Mobonaed, Frown the New Orleans Picayune, Lovera of the orange bave for wevaral yest past noticed tho peculiar discoloration on the rind of the Louisiana oranges, and have doubtless observed that it seems to be gradually ou tho 10 oreaae, ‘This discoloration, it sppeary, is a divet?? which only attacks, however, the outer akin ¢ tho fruit, the inside portion of the oranzo te mainiog 29 pure and gulden as ever. It wae tt! noticed apon tho Havavs orange, abous eit yeara ago, but dealers here reyort that tl? oranges from tho iviand are now rapidly beios froed from the disease. ‘Che Louisiana finit ¥¥ firab attacked with thia poculiar digcolorati™ sbout four years ayo, the discano firat manifes' ing itaslf in Plaquemines Panich, vince whicd time i bas beso gradually worxing up tho rivelr aud over into the Lafourche and ‘Locla diatrict:- Itia probsble thet tho diseaso may romao lt certain portions of or Btate for seyural years come—that is to say, that in those portiow! whera ithae just made ite appearance it vory likely remala for wevcral woasons, i those plantations where tha Ai --- + fat 8p red the fruit this aoa sc~ 5 cae att OOF ty ices from is