Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 7, 1875, Page 11

THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBU NE: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1875.-SIXTEEN PAGES, HW THE LIBRARY. Bontine Business Transacted by th ’ Directors, . Is It Wise to Disseminate “Le. na Rivers” ? Views of a Correspondcnt, MEETING OF THE BOARD, WSCELLANEOUS BUSINESS TRANSACTED. ‘Tho regular fortnightly meeting of the Board’ of Directors of the Public Library was held yes" terday afternoon at the Board Room. There wore present Messrs. Thomas Hoyne, in the chair, Anthony, Mason, Bosenthal, Raster, On* ghan, and Shorey. On motion, the resignation of Miss Dorland was accepted. « Mr. Raster nominated Miss Hrms as the suc- cessor of Miss Dorland. In answer toa question by Mr. Anthony, the Librarian stated that an increase in the number of assistants was absolutely necessary. On motion, Miss Harms was appointed succes sor to Miss Dorland. Mr. Shorey moved that tho ral, which orig-. inafiy partitioned off a space for Jadies in the reading-room, be replaced. Carried. ‘Mr. Pocle explained that the edition of 4,000 nes was now ready, and had cost within a few dollars of $1,000, 3 ‘A discussion eusued as to what price the catalogues should be sold at, and it was finally settled at 30 cents a copy. ‘Kereral bills for heating. book-binding, etc., of small amount were on motion ordered paid. Mr. Raster moved that the tines paid in by pook-borrowers be sct aside periodically for the binding of books, andthat the amount received from the sale of newspapers shall be apphed to the samepurposo. Carried. ‘Mr. Onsban.called attention to the fact that there seemed to be a very great pressure upon the library just now, and made the suggestion that s juvenile dopartment should be formed, on which the young padple could be supplicd with javenile books without incommoding those of qreater age. : "Mr. Poolo said that it was quite neceasary that something ehould be done to rolieve the press~ ure, a8 it was every day increasing. ‘The Committee on Adminietration weré in- strocted to lodk into the matter, end report at ‘the next mecting. ’ ‘The meeting then adjourned. peace niet LIGHT LITERATURE. IS IT WISE? To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune: Cmicaco. Peb. 6.—We make great boasts of being a nation of rosders. From our cradies wo are taught that to read iss cardinal virtue. At evers cost, the model mother provides reading. Tad Nursery takes tho babe from its ABC blocks, St. Nicholas stands waiting for the “boys and girls,” and Oliver Optic professes to furnish mental pabalum for “young and old.” As to books, series'upon serics, “ useful, instructive, aud entertsining,” crowd the juvenile library,— history, Htorature, science, politics,—sli prob- Jems sonal znd more] brought down to the ca- pacity of childhood. The literatiof tne day vio with each other in displaying their ability to adapt their etrle to children. If this were all, the case would be more hopeful, for, though even then, the chances would be egajust the young mind’s surviving the gorgitg process, the quanzity of the food might receive some offzet in its quality. Tho amount of good bread and butter bich children can digest is incredible, and did my one ever fathom their capacity for ripe peaches ? ‘Lepeak of obildren in this connection, because in the visits {have made to our Public Library it has zcamed to me tnatI had come into one of tho public schools where the boys and girls had been left to run at will without restraint of mon- itor, master, and mistress. Butting their heads together in thar eagerness to compare the won- ” derful pictures in each othcr’s books of hobgob- sic eiS ee - Hite lias and monstezs which, as Mr. Agassiz said of the soldiers’ clothes made by the Cambridge girls, bore no likeness ‘to tho figure of anything in heayen above or ‘earth beneath, or in the watera under the earth, these big-e: cheeked, thin-legged specimens of’ boys stum- bled up the stairs regardless of the old-fashioned “manners,” snd rushed to the eutrance with such s happy oblivousnees to the slight obstruc- tion offered by » lady in the doorway as would have demonstrated to Helen Hint bereelf that hére was one spot where sho might cease her Innent that “ boys are not allowed.” ‘But we in Chicago are impartial, and, being s Wile Gut of range of Dr. Clarke, give also a “fair chance to the girls.” And ther are quite ready to take it. I counted s dozen poring over jogues, all except ouo having’ the page open atfiction. “As I was tring to devise a plan to lnre'the very preoccupied young woman assist- an{from'her aimless méanderings among the ;-cases to Within hearing of seuitable library tone. of voice, asbrill speaker at my side ex- claimed: ‘Say. there, have you. got. Lena Riv- eis?" This last name ecemed to strike a famil- iar chord, for the young woman's countenance ightenad. Hastily coming up she informed three anxious inguirers that none of the books, on their lists were in, aud st once drew Lena Rivers from a shelf st band under the coun- tr, The — shrill-voiced 1 clutched’ it with herr bare di aol and tucked it ‘away as a treasure under her soiled snd ecan shal. Poor soul! it is all that will make her Ife tolerable for the next twenty-four hours. Inpot the Public Library her benefactor ?. Thero isanother craving the samo Lethe benediction, “Anything of Mies Braddon’s?” “ All out, more ordered.” Cruel disappointment, ze with a prom- ise of hope. ‘Some good story. Nomatter what, if its only J” From theready response of the aseistant fo the descriptive epithet ‘food,” it vas evident that it awakened none of the théo- Acgical or moral questions and perplexities which #ts mention might sugcest in some quarters, say, for instance, to the editorial and supervisory staff of the Interior, Her mind was so fully en rapport with her book-borrower, that she at once 5uj what the latter know at & glance would de “perfectly splendid.” ‘ Ido not pretend to say that these are speci- men instances of what the Library is doing to benefit the public. ButI put them with state- Wonts made officially of the names of autbora most in domand, andi raise the question whether is the appropriate work of a public library to supply, and, by supplying. create such a do- mand. If your 3-year-old daughter cries for sreetments and pound-cake, are you bound to furnish it for ber? If your 6-year-old boy chimors for a pistol, do you give it to him? If the starving mob would rather have whisky. than hot soup, is tho Public Treasury fo deal it out ? is the ground on which the public take up this matter of providing libraries? I may be ‘Wrong, but it seems to me, if there is any point @ policy init, it is of self-preservation—on the fround of the supposed conserving influence of d-reading. cannot seo why a public brary is not an impertinence and an imposition, ‘utuless it discriminate in favor of s healthy, life- giving literature. We boast of our book-vo- Tacity; connting up the numbers who read, and the number of volumes they read. Let us Kiowwhst they read. Is it the old nureery thyme of ‘A Cow anda Calf, an Ox anda Halt,” and still the perpetual emptiness ? says the sentimentaliet, you surely would Dot take away from that poor girl's wrotched ex- istenos the pitifal comfort of *‘ Lena Rivers!” Ido ‘Sot know that I would. She may be your nursery maid, and want it to amuse herself with while aheis at the dull task of minding your baby in the park, or in that tiresome bacs-parlor, I do not know that I would take it away from her, _ Feu though she sat up half the night readiog, Sud fall asleep uext day over her sewiug-maching; on the same principle that I might not snatch @addenly away all stimulants from the sppetito, depraved by “strong drink,” or deny just one whiff to the south wedded to the weed. I might make a mistake, take what course I would Those things are matters’ of temperament. Bat I would recognize tho craving for tho sensa- tional novel to be, after iis kind, a depravity, as ie unconquerable thirst for intoxicating liquors, and would bo slow to furnish the matenal to fead it. Itis not’ “the novel” or fiction against ‘hich Iam invelghiog. Ite high pisce and mis- Sion I ‘appreciate. Scott, Dickens, Thackerey, Hawthorne, “Intellect,” “Tragedy,” ‘ Laugh- tel,” let'us bave them all. But let us not delude Surselves with the ides that it is for the interest of the public to beg or borrow moncy to supply adeinand for “Good-By Sweetheart,” “Lena Rivers,” and others of the ame ciaes ad nause- sm. “Better read poor novels than notbing,” Temarked a gentleman assistant of the Public Li- in answer to some strictures like the above. Better employed, these Saturday mornings. in bunting up harmless adventures'for themselves With skates or gun in hand, albeit at the risks of and limb whith canse us’ elders distress, And.the Lena Rivers reader would be a happlor a6 well ax a better woman {f ste were compolicd, sheer want of something better to do, to Wash her gown and comb her hair. If appetites for unwholesome stimulants exist, make it diffi- cult to gratify thom. Let the cool, clear water of trath, yes, and tho pure, sparkling wine of sought, yun free; but make poisgn: ‘'fire- Water” scarce. Nobody need snffer pangs un- . bearable for lack of 1t while cheap bookstores and circulating libraries afford such facilities for allaving the cravings of appetite. It seems’ almost presumption to venture a Word like fliisin the face of tho wisdom which controla the Pubhe Library. Yet I cannot doubt it is in accord with the real sentiments of every Director.and advocate thereof, The only ques- tion would bo about: the wiedom of saying it at thia: timo, when moncy is wanted. "To me it seems tho very timo to take tho stand thatmouey 18 to be spent for what is valnable, to help create a better public taste and relish for sound and healthy literature: to Jet it be understood that only the smallest possible: concession is to be made to vitiated and depraved appatite— that everything is done which may be to lond back to Nature, and help enfeebled and morbid minds to recover tone,—in short, to make tho Library eubserve the real interests of the public, Tt is perbaps uot to be expected tliat the Chi- cago Public Library shall at once take rank with those older ones which afford facilities for stuay and referenco. Though’ it: seems as if this ought not to be wholly lost sight of, and that, at Teast, one day of thef sevon orjoné hour of tho twenty-four might be set apart for waiting upon persons who wish to consult the booke, or search for some authority or fact. Of course we do not expect or desire to attain the ideal aimed at by Sir Thomas Bodloy, the fonuder of England’s first public library, of whom Disracli tells us: “ He ‘Was anxious to consecrate the spot.to study it- self. Ho is uneasy at too public an admission, lest idlers should mix among the studente, and, as he plainly tolls, ‘be daily pestering tho room With their gazing, ‘aud babbling, and tramping up and down, disturbing ‘the real ‘stadents!? And bis ideal librariau, even Sir Thomas was obliged to fall short of obtaining, For, the docile Dr. Jathes, paticnt as he wae, and, lik his master ‘ foiled exceedingly with wnting, buying, binding, disposing, and fed with pleasure of sec- ing the’ end,’ rebelled agaidst’ the doctrine of Sir Thomas, that, for a librarian, ‘marriage is too'full of domestical impeachments to afford him time from his private affairs.’ . So the founder of the Bodleian Library, who had set his heart on the celibacy of his librarian, was obliged to console himeelf with the too Jate re- ff that ‘it was opening s gap for disorder ereafter.’” 8. L. B. INTIMIDATION. Testimony Taken by the - Congres- sional Committce in New Orleans, New Onteaxs, Feb, 5,—The Congressional Investigating Committeo met at tho usual hour’ this morning. a ‘Thomas C. Manning, of Rapides, was sworn. He stated that there was no intimidation during the late election. Nogro votes were influenced by fair areument, There is no White League in Rapides Parish. Thé negroes not only control the Iabor question, but demand larger wages than the farmer can afford to pay. Judge Trimble, of the Eleventh Judicial Dis- trict, testified to tho fairness of the clection, There was no intimidation or ostracism. Judgo Keiloy, sworn. Is of Winn Parish, and a member of the Republican party. Previoas to tho election there had been great difficulty about getting Gov. Kellogg to appoint tho Register. The poople were itopatient as lection dsy- approached. Keidheimer did “ti- nally apply for the office some, time after. Itegistrgtion was procecding quietly when another party appeared and wanted to act as Register. Wituess advised the second sppli- cant to'desist, which he did. Wion Parish was in a peaceable condition. A friendly feeling éx- isted between the races. Witness has been clected Judve thres times, and has never been treated except with respect. Joseph L. Clark sworn. Isof St Mary's; from Ohio originally. Always voted the Repub- lican ticket until the last election. At that timo large nombers of settlers from the North, who were equally Reputlicans and Democrats, voiea the People’s Democratic ticket, for the reason that they cid not see how any honest manu in this State could yote the Republican’ ticzet (Mr. Hoar ordered tho reason to: be stricken out-] Property exposed, like cattle or veretables, in that parisb, is always unesfe. Witvess never allows his.cattie to go exposed without a keeper. Forty. murders have been recently committed, mostly by negroes. There was a great deal of Political intim:datjon of Conservative negroes by Republican blacks. One time. witness triod to hold a colored meeting. Colored speak- ers, who wanted to speak on the Conservative side, dared not face ths negro crowd, who Iondly threatened to kill theni in case they mounted the stand. When United States soldiers camo there, they dissemmated the report that the negroes would not be disturbed. It was fre- quently asserted that the negro would be en- Blaved if the white party gor into power. ‘In my own precinct 60 colored votes were cast for the Conzervative ticket, which, owing to & compromise between the whites. and Blacks, would have swept the entire parish, but for the extraordinary efforts put forth by the Kellogg party. There waa no . intimidation " of Republicans, “and “we determined “ that there should ‘be none. The magistrates, Judge Metz. and others, are regarded as very competent mon, and own apart of a sugar plantation, which cost $37,000. Can- not teli the value of such property now. Voted, though a Republicav, agaist his ticket because honest mon on the ticket had their hands tied. THAT POND-LILY HAT. The crimron-flaked clouds drifted along ‘With letwurp pace in the arch above; Below, the wavelets sang.a sweet song, ‘A gong as sweet a8 a song of love.” © Then we passed an isle with shaded nooks, Through cresses and reeds, into's bay, And pulled our post near pome tideless ‘And anchored where the pond-lilies lay, From out the depths of its crystal bed, She plucked the broadest teaf to be found, And piaced it o’er-her own sunny head, . Then under her chin the ends she bound; And in reef, on top of the green, She placed a lily, then, after that, And made a charming crown for a queen, ‘Yn the ehape of a pond-lily hat, ‘nd out on the lake we mofed once mare, ‘The wayeleta sinving their same sweet isy ; Elysian zephyrs danced lightly o'er, ‘And softly temyered the sun’s Warm ray, And then eae laughed with such merry glee, ‘A Jaugh that came from a heart within, ‘Filled, as {ts cadences seemed ta me, ‘With tho noblest life, and void of ain, Pure were the rays of that summer-sun, ‘As it poured o'er earth its golden cheer; But purer yet secmed the light from one Heavenly body revolving bere. .. *Neath that pond-tily hat, there strexmed s light ‘From two liquid eyes; that softly shone, And thrilled mo through wit a wild delight, ‘And gave me a joy till then unknown! Sweet was the ron that the wavelets sing, = ‘As o'er the lake they rippled and played; But eweeter yet the laughter that rang - ‘In silv'ry aotes'from that litle mafd, *Twas music to me, whose subtle spell ‘Through all my senses with rapture stole, Causing my heart with gladness to swell, — With sweetest transports filling my soul! Gazing upon that Ifly-crowned Queen, -Do you wonder, then, as I sat there, Ine world that gicamed with such aaheen, = * Kor once in life I forgot allcare? ‘The preity pond-lily hut that she wore, : ‘Those crimson-tluked clouds, havo passed away ; Those zepliyrs and waves now are no more; Bat—will I ever forget that day? Ob, nymphza-crowned nymph of the wilds! Naiad-Queen crowned Queen of the Seal! Sun-radixnt in your beauty and smilee, ‘And apring-fteah in your latighter‘and gleo— Oat on that ake, had you ne'er s thought, ‘As there in that little sholi-boat you sat, ‘That an earnest, loyal, loving heart Was ensnazed ‘ueatl that pondelly batt | Manufacture of Sazor Blades. ‘The celebrated razor blades producsd by Rodgers, of Sheffield, and which go to all parts of the civilized world, aro forged out ‘of bare of the very best highly carbonated _cagt-ateel tilted to sbout balf an inch in breadth, and of .s thick- ness Butficient forthe back of the razor. The blade is firet molded at the end of tho porterad, and then forged, and the odgo being brought out, the concave surface is formod by working |, the side on the rounded edge of the anvil; it is then cut off and the tang is either drawn out from the same matetlal‘ns ‘the blade, or, if this be of superior quality, a piece of iron is welded to it. are se cack i of excellent quality, so as to undergo the ‘ings necessary ta produce the Quinney part ;.Whilethe back is left thick. Some of the workmen are so expert in forging the blade that they will producejon the anvil an edge 80 sharp and oven, that it can be used for shaving aftor being whetted. “After forging, thé blade is'smithed or beaten on an anvil, to render the metal ns compact as ‘possible. The blade is also slightly ground, or scorched, after the forg- ing, on a coaree, dry grindstone, to bring it to the shape required and remove the black acale orconting. “Ibe blade is’ next drilled-for the joint and stamped. with the name; then hard, ‘ened and tempered, and ground on # whetstone of from 4 to 8 inches in diameter. THE SRIMATS. Their Devotion to the : Doctrine of * Protection of Native In- dustry.’ A Tale of Political Economy. The following is one of Mrs. Millicent Garrett Fawcatt's stories of Political Economy. Mrs. F. ag the wife of tho well-known blind Prof. Faw- cet, of Cambridge, Eng.: : 2 was sponding a week in a country house B short time ago in which there ras also staying an old sailor, Capt, Adam. He told me some wondorful stories of adventures he had had when he was young; and it occurred to me that some of them might teach people a good deal about political ecouomy, if thoy would take the trouble to use their heads alittle, The firat story that he told mo I shall call a free-trade story, be- cause I think it gives avery good example of what people gain by free trade, and shows also bow it is that some people are injured . through the introduction of free trade. Capt. Adam twas once cruising in the Indian Ocean to the west of tho Island of Sumatra. Bis object was to land on a smail island inhabit- ed by the desceridants of some of the first Datch settlers in Sumatra, and to set up a communica- tion between them and Acheon for treding pur- peses, The most remarkablo thing abont the people who inhabited this island was that they had had uo intercourse’ with any other people for 200 years. ‘They were not dependent on any other nation for food, clothing, or machinery, everything that they used they made thom- selves; thoy bad no trade cither with Europe or with the other islands of the archipelago. So fat a8 getting any good from mizing or trading with other people’ was ‘concerned, they might as well haye lived in the moon. Capt. Adam found thé Srimats,"as they wero called, much more civilized than ne had ex- pected. ‘They were mild, gentle, awd: very cour- teous (o strangers ; thoy lived in-houses neatly and carefully built; they were completely and simply dreasod ; thoy spoke in a'kind of patois of Dutch and Malay, in wliich’ Dutch took the cbief part; and they had an organized system of government, wnich the wholo tribe regarded with groat pride and yenoration. ‘This Govorn- ment was véry curious. -It consisted of hind of Council or Parliament, which poseassed absolute power over the life and property of every momber of the tribe.’ ‘Theré was nothing 80 Very Btrango in this; but tho thing that as- tonished Capt. Adam was that no.one bur the hereditary members of this Council were allowed to own the palm trees which yielded the pelm oil; and, ii order to mako their monopoly tho more valuable, the Council had ordained that no Srimat should allow the light of the sun to en- ter hisdwolling. Tiere was not a window to be seen throughout the place. The doors were hung with Leavy double’ matting, through which not achink of light conld pacs, The Srimats would certainly have died of suffocation bad they not been graciously permitted ty their chicfs to take down the matting at night, aud thas lot some fresh air into the darkened cella in which they were condemned to hve. % ‘Tho. object of the Council in maxing this ex- traordinary rule was to secure 2 goo” market for their palm oil, by making 1t neccesary that 1% should be burnt all tbrough tho day. If they bad heard as mnch about freo trade as we have in England, they would havo boen ablo to prove most effectually that to éxcludo the tight of the aun from Srimato dwellings was aimply to protect native industry. Tne Council owned the pam trees; palm oil was made, by their rules about the windows, firet necessary of life. Two- thirds of the Srimats found their constant occu- pation in tending ‘the trees and preparing tho oil. . In return for the oil which they necessarily consumed, the Srimats gave to their chiefs the best of everything that they pi seessed. ‘The oil sometimes, ran short; then what. competition and strifo there was among the different families of the tribe toaee which could give the most costly presents to the chiefs in exchange for tho sacred oil. Capt. Adam soon found ‘that the question of the Gil stood in the'way of his: being’ ablo to effect his object of setting tp s communication for thé exchange of morchanilise and agricul- tural produce” between - ihn Srimats and tho rest: of the world. One of the old chiefs, _ to. . whom he broached the _ subject, pointed ont; with much gravity, that his project wis impracticable. "Two-thirds of our people,” he. said, “are occu- pied in our mbet important jndusiry, the making of palm oil; the other third work hard to provide enough food and raiment for us all. We can only just produce enough to maintain the tribe in decency and comfort; we have no surplus that wo could exchango for the products of other jands.” > é “Your soil must be vory fertilo,” ceplied Capt. Adam, “and your people very industrious and very skillful workmen if one-third of the tribe is able to produce all that is required by the whole Srimat pooutation.” “You, yos; it is trae,” said the old map. “We have much to be thankful for.” And he gazed upwards to tho bad-smelling palm-oil lamp, the emblem to him of all that was sacred. “Thaye been thinking,” said. the Captain, “that you have much ‘more to be thankful for than you know of. Two-thirds of your people apend their lives in manufacturing this oil. Give me lesye to put out all tho lamps, and let my min knock holes in the. wallé of avory house in the place ; and you Will have two-thirds of your people free to turn to. the cultivation of spices, rice, and coffee, which you could send away, and receive in return ‘agricultural inple- ments, English cutlery, calico, and other things which you never will be able to make, but which we in England can make any arantity of.” ‘The old chief frowned, and said yery sternly, ‘Knock’ holes-in the walls of our houses! Allow the aun to flood our market with his light! Our island would beriined; our most impor- tant industry Would bo: destroyedinaday. Wo should haye 400: people who tow work in the palm plantation and in the oil. prosses, reduced to beggary atone blow!” « But consider for one “tdment,” urged Capt, ‘Adam, ‘these. 400 peoplo work hard all their lives to produce a light.very inferior to that which you could all get for nothing-if only you would ave windows.” ” 5 “Tho Government is intrusted to owners of the palm plantations,” ‘said the chief. “Put yourself iti otir place and’ tell’ me if you would throw 400. men out of employment foz the sake of a seutimental proference for the ‘light of the sun over the hght ofthe ‘oil-iampa. Call our people tagetlier, “Describe ‘your scheme of Enoeking holes in. their wall and abandoning the plantations, and ‘they would ‘tear you to pieces, gentle as they are. It is easy for you to come here and advise us to ruin our industry ; if we were so foolish ag.to take your advice wo should have to bear the punishment of our fol! whtle you, when you saw-the misery end desoli tion you had caused, would be able to hoist sail and leave us.” E : Capt, Adam saw that the old man was too an~ gry to listen to him any more, so he went away, firet having ‘obtained’ Jeave'to come back in two or threo days with a sclieme which he said trould prevent all the disasters which tho chief had predicted as sure to follow the abandonment of the palm plantations. > “ Capt. Adam sét to work to get this plan into shape: the main feature of it-was not to aban- don the plantations suddenly, but gradually to transfer the labor they now absorbed to more profitable occupations. In two years he calcu- lated that the whole 400 people now employed in the palm. plantations might be growing spices aud coffescnough to form ao valuable export trade, and that at no time during the, process of transition should any of the laborers be out of eémployment.. ‘They were to be removed from the palm plantations in companies’ of fifty af once ; an eighth ‘of-the: entire “population was at the samo time to ba permitted the privilege of hav- ing windows; and in return for this favor tho non-oil.growers were to provide the ex-o1l grow~ ers with necessary. ft and clothing till tho firet crops of-. coffee. -snd-spices could be sold, wlén the” éx-oil growers would bo quito independent of the help. of their neighbors, Capt. Adam was very pleased with his scheme ; at was clear as deylight, -he- thought, that it would make everybody in the island better off; and that, owing to the great Sertility of the Jaod, the transition from the palm to the coffee plan- tations could be carried out with vory little difi- culty, jee - oe ‘4 time ‘was appointed for him to explain bis plan tothe council of the ckiefs? “Tuey listened to him patiently till ‘he'came to the part_where ho tned to make it clear that in two years the pau planistions might ba entirely abandoned : and then they rose in great wrath, and shouted him down, ‘A comparative calm followed ‘in 2 few minutes, when the old chief. to whom he had first broached the subject, rose and said: “Your acheme would ruin us; the palm planta- tions are our Own property ; you propose to us that they shonld be abandoned, and that wo should submit to rain and degradation. . Leave our ‘calm ‘and peaceful island forever ; it wi evil day that you ever set foot an it.” i : Capt, Adam biased himself vory thuch for-not having found ont that the palm plantations were the private property of the council, for he knew men too well to think they would ever pags laws involving ozs to themselves, Ho tried to say something abont componsation, and about other crops being raised on tbe land where the palm~ tree now stood; but they would listen to noth- ing, and orderod him forthwith to leave the island. This order ho was obliged to obey, but nof before he bad attempted ‘to interest tho general population in his scheme. His success with the people, however, was: not ‘greater than with the chiefs; he tried to put the advantages of sunlight, good tools, plows and scythes, and cheap clothing in as striking a light 28 possible ; ha did his best to show the peoplo that they would have all these good things in ex- change for their unwholesome oil. But they only asw in his plan the destruction of the most importent industry in the island, and they joined heartily with their chiefs in driving him to lus slap, - He left the Srimats full of indignation st their folly, 20d aa far as he knows they aro still living in a pestilential atmosphere, the darkness of aula ia feebly illumined by their ill-emelling oil lamps. . This atory isan illustration of the fact that shen you have once got protection it is impossi- ble to get rid of it without injuring the people who have invested their capital and labor in the protected industry. The case of the Srimats was an extreme one. Tho foreign competition with which tho palm-oil industry was threatenod would have ewept the palm-owners out of the market in one dsy. The sun not only offered a yastly superior article, but he was ready to make a free. gilt of it to all comers, What tradesman could compete against such odds? ‘The oxistence of protection interests a number of people in its maintenanco, although its maintonanco often fatally impoverishes the entire community. Whst protection really does is to take away labor and capital from those em- plormonts whore they would produce the greatest return, ia order to confine thom to industries where they are comparatively unremunerative. ‘The Srimafs would have done the best thing pos- sible with their capital and labor if they had cul- tivated the spices, for which their land was par- ticularly well suited, Thoy threw away the ad~ vantages which Nature had freely bestowed upoo thom, and by ono of the most extraordinary cases of protection in the world -imprisonod their capital and labor in an industry whete it was absolutely unproductive of woalth to them- solves or any oneelse. And thisin a modified degreo ‘is what happens in every case where a native industry is protected against foreign competition. Home-grown beat-root sugar, in France, is protected against the competition of West Indian cano-sugat by a heavy import duty. Ifthe duty wera removed, West Indian sugar wonld undersell tho French sagar. The effect of tho duty is, that all people who live im France pay more dearly for their'sugar than thoy othor- wise would; and that 8 cerinin amount of French capital and isbor is driven into an in- dustry in which it can only be made profit- able by taxing thoso whoGonsume the commadi- ty produced by it. Nature gives mors help to the production of suxar in tho West Indies than in France. Just as the sun was roady to supply the Srimats gratuitously with light, go the suu, tho soil, and tts climate in the West Indios per- form gratuitously a great part of the work of praducing sugar. ‘This froe gift the French sages protit by if they would. But they say: “No; wo won't be under such obligation fo Na- ture ; we will not take from her moro help than abe can give us in our own country.” And 80 they retiso the greator and accept tho smallar rift ; just as tho Srimsts. refused to take their Nght asa free gift from the sun, although thoy could not haye grown their palm-trees without his aid: S FN ea Ee re THE RAILROAD COMMISSION. To the Editor of The Chicaco Tribune: Bupa, Ill., Feb. 3.—Abolish the Railrond Com- mission of this State. It is too hard times to pay cash for experimental smusements, and not get even those. This Stato has been paying $3,500 per annum to each of three mon for nearly two years, not to note a duplicate sum squandered on clork-hire, “and many times that amount for thousands of roams of public printing that havo gone into a multitude of waste-baskets; dnd all that these threo men might play mauagers of the railway interests of tho State. They have done almost lit- erally nothing but increase public taxation to the extent of their wastage. And it occurs to me that, whon so expensive an office has been run two years without mecting the objects of its creation in any rarticular, it is high time for the people, in power behind the Logielature, to rise and demand the extinction of that oflice. What can any man put his finger on os the ac- complishment of these officials, which in any way compensates the State for their cost? Simply nothing. They have not even half-gratified tho sweeping préjudices of some countrymen against railroads. For by somo it was suppoeed they wero created for the great. work “of restoring tho Stato to its primitive wildness, idleness, and poverty, by showing the monopolies whois master and can do the crusbing-out business, And yet they bave “crushed out” only a fow of the weaker lines; and that not so much by what they have done as by the alarm created by their appoint- ment, when capital supposed they wonld do what they were appointed to do,—enforce wickedness were itsrather than theirown. It will take them as many as five years to frighten tue reat of the roads into bankruptcy, and leave the farmer to market his corn and pork as he used to,—by wagon, and a week to a load. ‘This. triumyirato of regulators spent the first six months of its existenco’ in watching a pack of clerks cipher out exsimples” in arithmetical _ progression by the thousand, till the pro-rata fooler became a big thing on paper. ‘The next few months it spent in bluster and belligerent undertakings with a few law-guita on 10-cent quarrels. And the last twelve months it has sat under its crab- apple trees, of toasted its colléctrva shins at the coal-fre it taxed the people to pay for; and has done nothing in the lito of the great business it was brought into the office-world for, but draw its salary with the punctuality office-holdera are famous for, and occasionally dropping a line to the Attorney-Geversl hinting that it was about time’ to begin another law-suit, just for effect, to cut off complaint. Nos s single point in the Jaw has beon settled, ron che paint of peneral dissatisfaction with tl neglect of its op- portunities ‘by: thoss no — chi of it. Why, -the Commissioners ought to Have 600 or 1,000 suits on the court dockets of the State, so that they could crush ont the monopolies witn, the weight of lawyers’ fees, if no other way. The State Government has no other as profit- Sees and oxpensive appendage as this Railroad Commicsion, ‘It has been tried and found want- ing in any good thing, and may be abolished with great proiit to all concerned—excepting the Commissioners. ‘H Huaruzer. pl eae ee Encke’s Comet Seen. Wasmryarox, D..C., Feb...2.—Roar-Admiral Davis, Supetintendent of the United Siates Naval Observatory, has mada a report to the De- partment relative to observations of Encko's comet, in which he esys that since the Ist of January every available opportunity has been used to-look for that object, an. elaborate ephemeris of which, by Von Asten, was furnish- ed tothe Observatory through tue courtesy of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of St: Peters- burg. “As the comet was so for away from both the sun and the earth (182,000,000 miles from us, and 142,000,000 miles from the sun), it was. known.to'be tooSfaint to be seen in the smallor instruments of the’ Observatory, and the 26-inch equatorisl was employed for the search. ‘The comet was first soen by Prof. Hfoldon and Pay~ master Tuttle, United States Navy, on the night of Jan. 26. It was extremely faint, with no nucleus and with no well detined boundary, but seemed to bé from one to two minutes of arc in diameter. ‘All attempts to observe the comet with the micrometer failed on gccount of its ex- treme distance, I¢ will probably be too faint to “observe for some weeks, Yale?s' MlonoreRecgrd. From statistics furnished to the Fale Courant it appears that of ‘the graduates of tho academic department of that college, 146 bave been Mem- bers of Congress, 43 United States Senators, 56 College Presidents, 9 Bishops, 14 Ministers to Foreign Courts, 33 Governors of States (and ono a Governor of Princs Edward Island), 22 Lieutecant-Governors of States and one a Lieu- tenant-Governor of Neva Scotia), 143 Judges (including the present, Chief-Justico of the United States), Chief Justices of State Courts, Judges of Supericr, Supreme, aud United States District Courts, and two Provincial Judges, one in Bermuda nud the other in New Branewick ; 2 Secretarios of War, 2 Secretaries of State, 1 Secretary of the ‘Treasury, 1 Secretary-of the Navy, 1 Attorney-General, 1 Assistant Secrotary of the Treasury, 1 (Jobn C. Calhoun) who held at various times the offices of Member of Con- gress; United Ytates Senator, Secretary of War, Sccretary, of.State, and Vice-Preaident of the United States, Charles Warren Stoddard sees no pleasing pic- trresqueness in the flower-girls of Venice, whom he deseribes:as importunate to the Inst degree. Ho‘ saya that, if. you take -one by the nape of the neck.and ‘dangle her over the canal for 3 few moments, she “merely” selects s new bonquet when she returns to earth and stabs you with it in the buttonhole. the law, thereby proving that woakness and, WOMAN. The.Boarding vs. Housekeep- - ing Question. x ; Items Tinged with Femininity. BOARDING AND HOUSEKEEPING. To the Fator of Phe Chirage Trouner Cucaco, Feb. 5.—After lying awake nists fora week ortwo, worrying over the fate of ‘that unfortunate couple whom “ Witch-Hazel” loft suspended between homes and hash-houses, it was a great relief to read of that happy young couple whom “Chicagoans” told us of: in: San- day's Trmonx. it is considered, and Teally is remarkable, that, inthis “age of progress,” 3 young couple can afford to marry without a for- tane to start with; and, when married, that they can -get comfortable living by their own isbor. It is only once in a while that one meeta with such a-“‘little woman” .as the one do- scribed, andthe young maa who gets hor is to be envied: And here let mo suggest that her couree in getting married, and going to work with her hands 2nd brain tomakea nice com- fortable home, was wiser than it would have ‘been had she got a beo in her bonnet sbout doing men's work, and gone to jostling with men in the struggle for employment. Suppos- ing, instead of marrying this young man, sho had fitted hereclf to do . his’ work, and had succeeded in potting his work away from him, as no donbt she codld have done, leaving him out in the cold, itevould have bean worse for him. Would it have been any better for hor? This is not an unfair supposi- tion, as tong asthere are large cfowds of men vainly sooking employment in every kind of work which men ‘are capable of. Whenever a woman does the work which would otherwise be- given toa man, it has a tendency, at least, to throwsome manout of employment. Now, the woman haa as’ good aright tothe work ag the man, and a little better, ag sho is the “‘ weaker yceasel ;” bat would shé not do better to marry tho. man, and take cara of chim, letting Itm- do tho works? It may boargued that women have not the choice of marrying unloss the men propose; but, if they would show the mon that they could live on their ifcome, they would very scon: find “Sarkis willin’.”” The question is continually ‘agitated of finding employment and cheap liv- ing for workingwomen ; but, if there could only be some way managed to give employment to the mon, they Would tako caroof the women. When alitho young men have an income sufficiont to support a family, thore will be no “ eewing- girls” Teft. But to return to tho subject: Althongh it is admetimes possible for young matried people to get along like the couple alluded to above, yet it must be confessed that those described so graphically by ‘Witch-Eazol” dnd tho most paratisis, in Teal'life. A few years ago, a young jady, woll educated, well brought up, the daught- er of a Senator, marriod a ‘young farmer, snd they went to farming with very little to start with. Tho first year thoy worked a 160-ncre farm on shares, keeping house, suo doing the hoasework. That winter she and ber hasband both taught achoolinneighboriugdietcicte, Thoy hired men to pick the corn, she getting break- fast for them to get to work at about daylight. She would then do tho housework, and. her hus- band would harness. his horse aud take her to her school and go to his own, and go for her at night, when’ she would get supper, etc. Satur- days ‘she would do the washing, ‘baking, and ironing. The next season they took a farm whero their board was furniehed them, sud sho taught school that summer. ‘That falla little scbolar entered her school for a term of twenty- one years, and insisted on boarding in tho family. No one ever heard them com- plain of hard times, although they started at the: time when tho farmors wore on the bighroad to the Poor-House, with corn-cribs bursting and starvation staring thom in tho face. Whatif corn was only 15 cents a bushel ?, ‘Chey owned only baif the crop, which was for- tunate, and were able to holdit forhigher prices, which was morefortupate. Of ccurse they now own farm, and are getting rich. ‘That shows what can be done in the country by energy and work. ButI have never scons young married couple trying to got a living in the city without being reminded of tho warning “ which sn old lady gave toa young msn contemplating marriage. ‘You must remember one thing,” said she; “if you get married, you will either have to board, or elue keep house.” ‘The young man pondered the subject s minute, and replied: “nat is just 2s true as you live.” This man got married, and, being an enterprising man, brought his wife to Chiczgo and wont into buai- ness. . They boarded at first with an old friend, who took them through friendship, at tho baro cost of the board. When they tigured up the cost, 1Pamounted to $18 a week. Tho wife wes smart, ambitious, and economical, and she resolved to go to housekeop- ing and do bor own work, and save money to buy a piano. She tried it, buying furniture, and taking a boarder, and doing her own work ‘until the first lease ran out, when they went to boarding sgain. ‘hoy did not re- Bume housekeeping until their incomé was in- creased. They now manage to keep the wolf from the dodr on about 33,000 a year. Anothor young man got married and came to Chicago, and set out to live -on about $1,000 » year. He reckoned it up: Board at’ 316, which would leave sbout $4 for- fuel, hing, aad incidentals. As to clothes, they’ must get along “without many clothes for awhile; and church-expenses— well, thoy must not spend over $1,100 anyway. They went to boarding, but it “cost like tho mischief.” . They had all the money they need- ed, but wanted to save it to buy a lot. They soon went to housekeeping, doing their own work to save money. Soon the wife had a se- vere sickness, and the husband said that doing their own work was the Pees economy they ever tried. They decided to hiro s girl and save on something else. They were. very economi- cal; -but, when they wanted anything, they generally went and got it: But, adding all. the items .togethor ‘at tho end of tho year, calling 12 and 25 37, the total would amount to over &2,000, in spite of al they could do. Iam not doubting the fact at alf, but would like to sce: the items’ of ‘expenditure of those families who hve so well on s0 little, and lay by something every woek. If any young lady can do that, let her make the fact known, sad I would not be afraid to warrant hor s husband in less than three ‘weeks. My advice to those about to marry is not “don’t.” I say, get mar- ried if you can, tut remember, if you do, you ‘will either have to board, or elue keep house. . Asenico. MISCELLANEOUS FEMININE ITEMS, A Califorpin man pounded his wife, was fined, and she gold her silk dress to pay the fine. Mr. and Mrs, Best wore divorced in Washing- ton last week: They are Better now. Good. Water-proof bonnets are advertised in Lon- don. We.do not imagine they are intended for a very long reign. < ‘Aman in Brooklyn says tho only fault he has to find with his wife is that she does swear so when she is-dronk. ‘A Whitehall, Pa., girl, whose lover refused to buy her a seatskin sack for Christmas, returned good for evil by giving bim the sack, A Clarksvillo man has written a life of the dovil. Tho last three chapters comprise a ten- years’ biography of his mother-in-law. An impassioned swain, under a bad spell, wrote: “Mary, Ilove the well.” She replied that she ‘was glad he didn’t drink liquor. “If you intend to hug me, don’t do it sudden- Jy, because the chair-you-aro sitting on bas a broken leg, and you might get a tumble.” Why is an Irishman wishing to kiss his sweet- heart likoa.traveler ascending Mt. Vesuvius? Because he wants to get to the mouth of the crater. All the axes and buck-saws found in the ruins of Pompéif‘are of light make, as if constructed for women's use. Those old ancients knew their little business. : “FE Gall that horge-oar courting,” salds Lock- port girl the other eveuing toa bashfal youth, who sat stiffly by her side, witn his hand upon the emall of her back. : : A Missouri woman who applied for a situa- tion 2g car-driver, being asked if she could man- age mules, scornfally replied: ‘Of course I can; I’ve bad two husbands.” Tt ia gad to think of tho condition of the man’s soul who says that themore peevish women there are in the world tho sooner shall wo be able to listen unmoved to the filing of a saw. You: may ‘go on inventing washing-machines for the next fifty years, but to the average eye you can’t patent anything equal to the sight ofs lady's dismond rings flashing in and out of the sparkling suds aa she humps a wet towel up and down the washboard. A Maryland men whose wife dropped dead a few days ago, bad the faneral put off one day longer to get the balance of his corn husked_ ‘He said it wouldn’t make any difference to her, 88 she was always good-natured, ‘Mrs. Dale, of Detroit, held a hot buckwheat cake over her husband's countenance for several minntes because he expressed hia disapproval of free-love doctrines, ‘This family must berun On‘an unsectarian basis,” enia Sirs. D. When a Milwaukee lover drives up with a gorgeous turn-out to take his girl fora sleigh- ride, her mother feels tho need of fresh air and goes vith therm, and the lovers, havo, to talk 6 transit of Venus and Col, Forney’s 95,000 check, d In England a Town Clerk affirms that, in bia observation, ‘the majority of husband-end-wife quarrels take their rise in the fault of the wife, who, by her ‘tinfornal tongno,” ageravates her husband to assault her. Thie, of course, has no application to the United States. Asailor’s wife had just recoived intelligence thot her husband had perished at sea. She was visited by s neighbor who sympathized with her on har Joss, and‘expressed a fear that she would be poorly off. ‘’Deed will J,” said tho widow, “‘but-he did all he could for mo—he’s saved me the expense of his buryin'.' _Throo Saginaw girls of the Methodist persna- sion having met together, concluded to pray for the welfare of their lovors, Hut the first one had not got very far along in hor petition when it was discovered that ther were all engaged to the same man, The religions exercises were at onco terminated ‘and an indignation meeting organ- ized, tho result of which was thatzhe gay de- ceiver was obliged to leave town at afew hours? notice in order to cacape the vongeanca of maja relatives. Tho pretty Franch msiden who drived a -four- hora team at Sutter Creok, Cal., is ‘not con- sidered much of a phenomenon by the Oro- gon folks. A Portlend editor recoives her story with this comment: “That French girl is a good girl. That we would not be.so ungallant ag to dispute. But where is our’ Lane Coun! girl that put in 80 acres of wheat, then took the district school ‘and ‘walloped’ ail tho big boys in the precinct into’ decency and sub- jection? Eh? and whon you are talking about girls with pluck, just-bear in mind that Oregon Can produce just about 4,000, now married, to bo Sure, and many of them grandmothers, each of whom whacked an ox tsam from the ‘Blissouri River to the Willamette Vailey; stood guard against savago Indians on tha plaing, acaled taree ranges of mountains, reached tae promis- ed land iu triumph to raises family of thirteen strapping boys and girls, and never Isid eyes upon s store-made bonnet for fifteea years. Don’t mention ycur California girls, please.” A LIVING STATUE. In tho height of the Exhibition season of 1862 there was a great deal of unpleasantness, mys- tery, and suspicion generated in the Industrial Palace by aconstant succession of petty rob- berios, which took plice nearly every night at the beet stalls. Articles of valus were stolon from drawers and boxes; money left. by atall- keepers often went, unless very securely stowed away ; but the depredators’ did not venture on taking any bulky articles, or on breaking open any receptacle which would require great force. Thoy knew their risks, that was evident ; and that the thefts were committed by some person or persons connected “with the Exhibition was also beyond s doubt. Watches bad been set, traps bad peer Isid over and over again, but allin vain. - When too much bad been done in the way of planting watchmen, no robberies took place at all; and when articles had been purposely left, apparently forgotten, but in re- ality fixed by the minutest wires to bells which sounded at the slightest touch, they were left un- touched. The thief, if only one, always stole, too, from places in the shade, so that he ‘could command a view of the more open spaces, whilo be himself was unseen, One morning, as the Sergeant of Police was going his early round before the building was opened for the day, he came upon an exhibitor and his staif of assistants, who were grouped round a box which wae open before them, and at which they were looking, with apparent inter- est. “Good morning, Mr. Baselton,” said the offi- cor; “ta very fine day wo cro likely to have.” * Fihe day, sir! And a very fine night we have had, too. I suppose,” retorted the exhibitor, in a tone far leas plfisant than that in which he had been addressed, “ Here's a pretty affair! Seven pounds’ worth of Scotch pebbles eet in silver brooches, ear-rings, and so forth—the whole of tiem clean gono.” ‘Tho Sergeant, with expressions of rogret, said he would seo tho officer who had been on duty. Mr. Bazeiton professed to have lostall confidence in the {pollee: and asserted that, if Ae were to watch, the thief would certainly be discovered the very first night. “I wish you would try, then,” said the Ssr- geant; “I would obtain permission to watch with you; and if’ yon can suggest anything fresh, I will giadly support you.” ‘Although, whu ho made -this last assertion, ‘Mr: Baselton probably meant nothing ac all, yet, after a little talk with the officer, the desire of finding thé thief, and his belief in his own su- prior acuteness, wero strong enough to make bim volunteer to watca ; and it was agreed that the Sergeant should join him juat as the palace was closing at night, when they would be on the lookout directly, for it was impossible to say at what time of the night the robberies were com- mitted. Strict silence was enjoined on either side, and observed by the Sergeant entirely, and by Mr. Baselton pretty well, ashe only mentioned his plan to Mr. Chatenonx st the French stall just by, and to his neighbors, Mr. Hynks and Mr. Carrables. Mr. Carrables, by the: way, was not there. that morning; so Baselton told Mr. Glis- ser, Mr. Carradles’ foreman, instead, who, in a bacomingly sympathizing tone, wished him suc- cess. ‘The evenifig came, the spies met, and hung about the passages of the vast building until deepest twilight, and until Baselton was pretty nearly tired of being on his fect. “Now,” said’ the Sergeant, unconsciously dropping his voice as he spoke, * we will tate up our quarters.’ If wecan only get thore unper- ceived, I havo arranged what Lthink you will find a pretty good corner.” “All right,” returned the exbibitor, in the same guarded tone; aod they stole noiselessly on, passing, once or twice, a Constable; but the presence of the Sergeant, of course, prevented any questioniag. Some large boxes, left, sppa- rently by accident, atthe angte of a-tall, were, in reality, 80 placed that they formed an almost perfect screen : and, without sny reason to sup- pose that they had been noticed, they slipped in and ent down. nea Presently tho moon rose; and as it climbed higher, and its light grew stronger, the building became visible throughout with » light which was most unearthly and ghostly in its character. ‘This umpressed itself very much upon Baselton. ““T had no idex, Sergeant,” ‘he whispored to the officor, “that the place wes such a strange, cemeteryish-sort of spot asitia: I must own, £ should not like to be.on duty here all night. However, Ihave brought some little ‘rofrosn- ments with me, so let us mako ‘ourselves com- fortable.” In silence, they ate aud drank; and in silence, save for the chiming of the clock, or the occasional tread of a policeman, the hours erept on. The policemen passed within a cotiple of yards of the watchers, repeatedly, but whether they knew of ‘their presence or not, Baselton conld vot judge. The length and weariness of the hours grew at last intolerable to bim, and, seeing that the Sergeant was as cool and wide-awake as when they firet entered their Jair, he whispered, ‘I foel terribly drowsy, Sergeant; I always do about thia time. Five minutes’ nap will mako me a6 fresh as a daisy. Rouse me up if you hear anything before that time.” ‘His companion smiled, and, in the same sub- dued tone, gave the promise. _ Nothing did happen requiring Mr. Baselton’s presence either before or after the expiration of five minutes, although the officer atealthily looked out #. hundred times during the night. ‘At Inst the darkness thinned away, and then, after s short gray twilight, dawn came, and the Sergeant shook Baselton by the shoulder. “Yes, yea; Lam ready,” stammered the ex- hibitor, then opened his eyes very wide indeed. “Why, it’s daylight! I must have slept ——” * Yes, of couree you have,” interrupted the other, “‘butlet us go cut quietly, Idon’s mind our men seeing us, of contse ; but others need know nothing of oar watch.” “T think the legs your men or anybody else know about the way we kept our watch the bet- ter,” said Mr. Baselton, as they left the counter; ‘in fact, I shall regard it as 8 friendly thing if you say nothing sbont it.” 4 ‘The Sergeant smiled, but kept bis own coun- sel; andit maybe hinted that Baselton wasa very liberal fellow, although somewhat hasty. It turned out that‘no pilfering bad taken place that: night, nor did any occur for two-or three nights after, a fact which Mr. Glisser attribated to the influence of Mr. Baselton’s:vigilance. Ho took great interest in the exhibitor’s- plans, and paid him several compliments, which the lattor received with but indifferent graco, having roa- zons that the other know not of for thinking but modestly of this same.vigilance. ~~~ cape ead little wile after the fruitless. , Mr. Baselton was in a very. temper, for he bad gustsined wtrath lose, Hie was fe ing against a ~pillar, sdme aliort distances from ius counter, thoughtfally.. biting the ena of his pencitcase, when « man spoke to him. He looked round at the sonnd,.and saws, Police Constable, whom‘lie very much disliked for his: apathy and unbusiness-like way, standing. close ‘by him.’ He growled out some Ay. civil, ‘words, and turned from the man, but the latter was not to be daunted. g “1 am afraid you bave hada loss, sir,” ssid the man, ‘‘and hope it #6 not very serious; bit, at any rate, I should like -s word or two with you. : “What for 2”, retorted. Basalton.. “I have Tost a gold watch, and asf have uot breathed 9 syllable about it to a-eonl,-I- don’t see how you could know anything of it, unless some of your lively ‘ force’ have——” -. es «You are too severe, Mr. Baselton,” ssid the other, finding be’ stopped ;.-** you are, indeed, sir. Now, sir, Ihave my opinion about thesa robberies, andI tbink.I have. found oat tha order tho thief worka in, and can pretty well guess in what quarter he will next try. I-beliove: ican ¢atch him.” * z elas _ “You!” exclaimed Baselton, with «an empha- sie. which was anything but complimentary to the officer. é Yes, sir,” replied the man firmly; ‘I can. ‘Yon have a good.deal of influence with tic aa thoriiten: aed, if yon Beall aek, I shall bo tskey off regular duty an iled for.epecial is and I can then catch him.” pee Sees “Well, tell me your. plans,” ssid Baselton; “and, in return, I will tell you this: you know there aro £50 offered.on the quiet for the appro- Bendion of the thief. Find him, and I'will make it £100, The Constable smiled, and, lowering his voice, . epoke to the exhibitor in- whispers. When hi haa finished, Baselton slapped his hand on tht counter with @ force that jarred every artivic around, and exclaimed: “You are right. Art you on duty 2” “No, sir,” said tho map. “Phen you saall be.” ‘The application for the Constable's chanre of duty was doubtloss made,. for he disappeared from his accuatomed patrol.” During tho next day or two Baselton became Toquacious on the sabjoct, and, in conversation with Mr. Glisser, who took s very kindly inter+ est.in the matter, owned that he bad changed hia opinion about the manner of the robberies. de was .conyinced, he ‘said, that, if the thief came by night, he would have been caught long be" {ore, but that: everybody was op the wron; ecent, and that the theft wero really commit! ted in tho bustle of closing. for-the:eveuing, and then, no$ being found out till the morning, it was naturally supposed that’ the thief ‘came 1p the night, Mr. Ulisser ‘was: vory much struck by this view, which he commended Inghly. and Sega increased vigilance: about tbe time spoken of. While this was going on there had beer na freshi depredations from the counters, and Con- stable Lowcliffe had been abseut from duty, al- though no one'seemed to bave noticed it.” Wher the visitors. departed at the close of the day, ali the interior of the bnuding became dupressing enough as the light faded away, and there were — no places more spectral in their aspect thian those where clustered most closely the whits statues, Which-were plentifully sprinkled: about. Nymphs, . Vonases, Bacchuses, and < Apoiles, Grecian _hnnters, Sorptural and. mytho logical figures, all looked equally ghost- ly in ‘thelr’ dim’ white, when — the twilight or night had fallen upon them. _80;.ic the gray of the morning, all the statuary-looked mystic and unearthly enongh, as the stony figures looked down from their pedestals; but none looked more sepolchral ‘than. did a tall sheeted figure which occnpied a pedestal allght: ly sosenst oie) from whieh @irection “tha visitor might—by two or three Jarge. groups. This figure might have besn taken in the dis- tance, and in the dim light, for a Jewish priest, ora Druid, or anything of the kind; but, hod _ any one come near enough to’ inspsct, it would have been seen that the long robe was of linen, not stone, ard that the face was less thatof an. ancient hero thana modern one. And, what was rather strange. this particular pedestal was empty all day, and only occupied at vight. Standing at this particular spot; any one could see in every direction fors considerabie distance, and there was scarcely any biding-place.. near: the Draid on his pedestal had no doubt reckoned on these facts having reat weight the marander. Several nighta: had goue by, and ‘no discovery made, yet Ned Loweliffe crept silently to-his selected station, and, assuming his die- guise as tho shrouded siatue, patiently watched all through the darkness; so patiently thst no one not cloae enough to touch him could have imagined that he differed from the effigies around. It was yet comparatively early in his wateh, o= acertain night, ands young moon threw just snfticient light Bere aud there to make avers- thing more undertsin than usual, when. Lua cliffe, finding himself a little cramped from sianding so long in one position, prepared. to one of the guarded shifts he was forced to indulge in during the evening; but, just as he commenced carefully to draw one leg bebind the other, he stopped, rolled his eyes eagerly round, and then remained eo motionless be scarcely breathed. With step almost noiseless—but.not qnite so for such a listener's ears—e..mun glided round tho angle of a-counter close y. and, standing closo by. Lowcliffe, aused, stooped. looked along the floor in ever irectiov, then sat upon an adjacent podeatal and, leaning against the legs of 2 Hercules, lis- tened. It the procesa of perspiration’ were not. rholly a silent one, Lowclitfe would have beon, betrayed, for the cold beads came upon hia fore head, a8 be saw how near he was toa discovery. The man was sitting’on the very next pedestal, 2 block which almost touched his own. Thera he waited quietly for a while, not very Jong, but long enough to assure himself that no patrol was coming that way; then he rose, aod in a | few steps was atthe nearest counter, and had tried a key im tho lock; one or two attempte failed, but at !ast a door opened, and bis head aud shoulders: were Joet to sight ; he reapposred with a small box, which bo-placed on the ground before him, and then tried oneor two keys, Again the lock yielded, the lid was thrown back, auda fow articles wero rapidly tramsferred to tho man’s pocket. Some object; however, geemed unknown to him, and he held it up against the dim. light, en- deavoring to make ont what it was. To his hor- ror, one of the statues ‘sprang from its pedestal toward him. It'was instaptaneous, but tte fash wos enough; the figure all in white moved, leaped upon bim; then, with a fearful yell,which rapg from ond to end of the building, the thief fell in ao fit upon the floor. Alarmed by the acream; two or three officers were specdily'at the spot, snd, turning on their lanterns, were nearly as much astonished m their turn to seo a whits~ sheeted figure standing by the side of a man in convulsions. When their moment surprise had ceased npon their discovering who the sheated fznre waa, they proceeded to unfasten the prostrate man’s scarf and collar, sprinkled bim with water, and fifted him from the ground ; his strugg!es ceased, and 3 few long breaths announced that be was “coming to.” “1 dont’t know him,” said one of the Consta- bles. 5 “ “F do, though!” exclaimed Loweliffe. “Well! of alt the parties asI could have supposed, I never could have supposed him." Why, it’s that blessed Glisser,—from the stall next to old Basel- ton; a fellow that looks as if butter woulds’s melt in his mouth.” ** Whero'am 1?—who are you?” gad the mis- erable culprit. . © Ob, we're particular friends of yours,” re- turned the olficer. : “ But I ssw—lI saw one of those things move,” said the man, looking timidly round with, a dread- ful ‘shudder. Lowetiffe had strij [ off bis white raiment by this time, and so did not shock the wretched Glisser’s efes. : __ Wo will tell you alt about that in the morn- ing,” said the Constable. ** What you have got to do is to coma slong with us.” : It was go—ho had to ‘‘come slong,” and di- rectly the exhibitors and their staff mustered.in the building, the intelligence flew like wild-fre that Mr. Glisser was in custody for breaking into stalls at mgnts. . It was a chock tos large circle of his acqusint- ances and admirers, who could hardly believe it, and when, on his lodgings veing searched, the bulk of alt the articles miampg from the coun- ters was found, the tning seemed moro incredi- plo still. Mr. Baselton was especially astounded, because be had made quite acontdant of tne young man, and h:d the mortification of re- membermg how he himself bad revealed to Mr. Glisser the “various placs for detacting the thief; and that, if it bad not been for Loweliffe insisting on tho rvse of attributing the piltering to‘the afternoon instead’ of tha night, he probably would bave put the young man on his guarfagsinst the scheme which nad prosed successful. Ho recovered bis watch and other articles, paid his £100 cheerfully, and gained 8 reputation with the ** force" for the ex- tremo resdinees with which he put his name down to their subscriptions for deserving ob- jects. : ‘e ‘Mr. Glisser’s proved a very bad case, ac: avas lost to sight Tor some Yeary after the bet the Exhibition of 1862.—Chambers’ Journal,