Evening Star Newspaper, January 24, 1874, Page 6

Thon dark And mantie | on 's bedt is thine, eled sword | lades ser as thy shoul @ great Dog-star. bright, unknown, Blazes besile thee like a throne. ‘Take heart! thy coat so long and black, Sore-worn, an: fitting round thee siacx, I= broidered by the Northern Lights, ‘Those silver arrows shot by sprit Is powdered by the Milky Way, With awful pearls unknown to-day, Which well make up for Proud Summer, bridegroom-like, may use. Proud Summer with roses’ sheen, And dress of scarlet, blue and green, } Floods us with suc: a sea of light, ‘We mise the faint, far isles of night, Anc thoughtless dance, while he with Beguiles us, or assists to 1 But, like ash pm spiri Dim Winter ith his ha He beckons hings darker grow Save whit The secret he has ge How wonderful! bow passing gran For through his storms there stand Th. ties of the sky, w eet-lamps bung on high— Ne t ean sam their worth, 1 els sang when they bad birth Chant * Journal. How? AfBtery of which the Moral w tbe Ob- vious to our Lady Readers Perhaps ! am a little too hasty, a little too ready to light up at a minate’s notice; but there are some words that seem to me to carry an es- pecial gram of ganpowder in them, and the above is one o” the sort. To have a person, after you've been through along explanation, at his fingers to bis mental ears and.query you hus, or worse still, “How?” is too exasperat- ing for human nature to bear. But that is what John Stringer did to me, bending his bead a little nearer, and speaking in an ab- seut, aggravating manner that tantalized me beyond words. You see John Stringer and | were engaged: ‘we'd been engaged for a long tim od perhay bad got to be a little too matter o’ each other. ‘We were sitting there over the fire, after the ©'d folks had gone to bed,and [ fell to telling him about Sopbia Mill's wedding—her white silk | dress, her bridal cake, and her bridesmaids | frosted all over to match it, and I ended in this wa * But it Con’t make any difference, John, to people that love each other; all thit’so’ no | mmore account than last vear’s snow-drift. They could be married in calico aud homespun, with feet ona tag carpet like this, and love each Other ust as well.” | * How?” said John,absently. He was watch- ing the coals flicker up and die out agsin, and picaing U, astra, chip now and then to throw on the embers—a fasuivn be had when he was thinking Now, 1 course to | | | d the headache all day, and I | more tindery than usual, though I didn't think so then; but when John bent his great, broad shoulders over asif he | hadn't heard @ word I saul, and im fact, had | something better to occupy bis miad, I just | fired up,first, and then the blaze died down into sulke, and when we parted that John and I had our first and last quarrel. My heart did not misgive me that, when I saw John’s great, tall figure going out the door, it was the last time he'd lift the latch for mang @ year, but so it was. You see, | held my head pretty high in those jays, and wouldn't show that I was a bit cut up | about it, so J paired of with Mrs. Plamber's Jesse, a likely, spruce young fellow enough, | but no more to be compared with Jobn than a cockleshell is to a brigantine. | Ob, well, mother sighed, and tried right hard to bring us tegether again, but it wasn’t to be John was a powertul. muscular man, and I used to see him go up the road many atime When I was out in the shed milking, and. peep- ing out at him through the chinks, I thought t# broad should Ts stooped more than ever, and bis fgure was growing more -taiky-like. Such an awkward fellow as john was! I came near rushing out on him once, with my sun-bonuet, and my sleeves rolled up, and flinging my arms round my neck: but John liked te see folk tly, and I mever,did it. Jesse Plumber was the bean o” the village— dapper, neat, and dainty as you please; and ali the girls thought 1 had ¢.me to my senses when J oustered ‘em o’ Jess. And by and by it wag ese that came sparkin’ o° nights. and sat ‘o winter evenings over the embers, and he was so “i pleasant that even mother for set store by n the spring we were married, and I had a string o' pearis and a real silk bridal dress, ard felt kind o° litted like when the gir = crowded round me and hoved I'd I hoped so, too; | wasn’t sure of it. Kemembering toe day that came after, I can't recall one bard word 1 ever heard from Jess. We weren’t near e h to each other to quarrel; we just laid apart like two odd yol- | lume; there wasn't any fire ‘twixt us, nor any- thing twixt us, either love or lai ghing, wheres asdJobn and I had always been bubbling over | one way and another. 1 worked bard, for my silk dress and neckiace | were all I bad of riche=; and I cut up my gown One day to make a cloak for the baby. You see 4 couldn't give up my pride, and was just 23 high-spirited as ever, But our farm didn't prox- per, and Jesse didn’t pro=per; and Mrs. Plumber ame to live with us, to look after things she said; and she got pitying him every now and then for marrying & poor wile, and—oh, weil, what's the use o° talking’ sometimes | couldn't i} | | ip wishing John Stringer’s strong shoulders ere at the wheel, when [ was working myselt | to death morning and night tor nothing. ‘Then, when the baby grew bigger, | took to teaching an A B class, as I used to before [ was married, but what litie | knew had run wild since then, and I couldn't keep the boys | Alab: straight somehow; and the girls didn't care about samplers, for the sewing machine had rid- | den right over everything. Then Jesse fell ill | of the fever, and with all the faming and fret- | ting and nursing of bis mother, and with all my | watching day and night, somehow he slipped oi! | between us. And I found myself a widow. with the ill-fared, wasted farm on my hands, and Mother Plumber drizzling and maumdering aiter Jesse in a way to break my heart. Bat I kept my spirits up yet. and | advertised | half the place for saic at the court-house: for if I could sell it we couid skin through on an acre or two, I thought ‘Well, who do vou seppose came over one sun- By aiternoon as I Was standing in the kitchen’ ho, to be sure, but John Stringer, large as little gray. mayhap, anda little angular, | but Been apd Mrong as ever. Heda use for | that bit o” land, and had bis eye on it loug back. ‘(Always was wanting what wasn't his,” Mother Plumber said. She owed him a gradge for being more fore-handed than Jessie. fr took | adeal of looking atier and lawvering, and sur- | veying, and the Lord knows what, to settle it: and to see John Stringer’s stoopin, shoulders and broad felt hat down just beyon: the rise of the meadow, time and again. Bat | searce ever came near the door, until one day— | 1 can’t tell was—when the settlements were to be made, I just took wt upstairs ant had a good cry; for that bit o' land had m | se-sie's favorite piece, and Mother Plumber had been harrying me all day about it “The ways o’ Providence are so strange!” said Mother Plumber, laying her down wtop 0’ the Bible, and patting on that awfal nt air which 'was wearing me to skin and tone—‘‘past tinding out. Now, if Jesse hed | married Sophia Mills that was, and y But I did not wait to hear any more. As I Say. I just caught up baby. and went off to the garrett. And while ing up the road, ng along I saw John Stri thoughtful-like, right up to our ate, jeer: used to come in courting days_for John never had apy foolish ways about him. I saw Sophia a —< = the chi m, with at ing ribbons and gay ginghams, dis- appeared at the turn of the road. Then I smoothed my hair avd washed my face, and went down. The time of settiement had come, I xuew. +) Ann,” said Jcbn, gravely, ‘the taw- yer will be here presently, but I re-kon an make it all clear inour own minds without his he! And I've settled it—in fact, there are conditions on which I'll take the land— w Trans hoe wieagienen, “You've been enough makin, ur mind,” says I. + don’t throw =e lane es ‘anybody's fect, aud I —, asked any favor of you, leastways, John , there, softly!” savs John, putting be in @ hurry, littie “Do net | not | twice as b: | Maggie, you understand all the story of Lo | clever for this wicked world. | are laying | be channeled and stitched in the sa: | may be made by | twisting the ends well in order to prevent their John, “and right | ‘coald ha’ got ‘em. “That you did me,” said enough you was, teo, if you J always said so, Mary Ann.” Any man with half an eye woul known better,” says I, hotly. “How?” said John. His great, hulking figare lifted itself up, and he looked at me with those sharp brown eyes that used to give me a startin the old time. ‘How’ he repeated ao “Do you mean to say I wax mistaken years ago?” His big, brown hand was all of a tremble as he heid it out t ttle wo- | 4 have | most tired J] guess we've settled it pretty much without the lawyer,” says John, rising, “and that is the condition I had to propose, Mary Ann—to take you and the meadow-!and together.” “ Aad he did.—Hrarth and Home. Leoking at the Othe: ide of Things. Lamb has left us pienty of hints scattered up and down his works for us to put him together and make out a portrait with tolerable com- pleteness. The trath is, he says, he gave bim- self too little concern about what he uttered, and in whore presence he uttered some of the moet random things. It was hit or miss with him, and certainly more often a hit than a miss. He tells us that he was a bundle of prejudices, made up of likings and dislikings. He couldn't like all people alike, and he thought trath was precious—not to be wasted Uponeverybody. In resence of a certain kind of character nothing Maiightea Lamb more than in giving the fullest scope to hisown piquant peculiarities. Nothing be liked better than to catch up some great piece of solemn foolery, or impossible common sense, and whirl it off its feet in merriest maze and maddest dance of contradiction. on're a matter of fact man,” said he; “I'm a matter of lie man; ‘tis odd if we two can’t make fun; and off he went, making some most comical mental ¢ doesn't blunder into his favorite w: es thought ¢ only man whe could have drawn a line in i with Lamb's mental motion was the American Thoreau; only Thoreau would have done it so serio you might pot have seen any likeness. It was characteristic of Lam) that he always looked at the other side of things from childhood upward. When, as a child, walking im a church-yard with his sister Mary, passing over the tombstones and finding so much praise lavished on the departed, Lamb looked up and innocently asked, ‘Where do they bury all the naughty people?” In this way he has a word of humorous compassion for aman who had stolen a sheep, but was taken | peace and his sheep taken too. Thus, as amb puts it, the poor fellow lost his first, last and only hope ofa matton pie. That was the thought which struck Lamb, not that he abet- ted cheep-stealing, but that he always repre- sented the unrepresented. It you take the par- able of the ten virgins, the sympathies of most people run rejoicingly alongside the tive wise ones whose lamps were ready trimmed and who tripped off so happily at the sound of the bride- room’s voice. But Lamb’s sympathies would ave remained with those five poor, foolish ones, trying to wake them out of their stupor and thoughtless dreaming; trying to rub the sleep out of their eyes; trying to get alittle oil for them anvhow; trying to hurry them along like good girls; pleading tor them at the gate that it would be too late after all; stammering out all kinds of excuses for their delay. The world is greatly in need of Lamb's charitable mode of looking at things. Perhaps the culmination of Lamb’s mode of looking at the other side of things, and stating it, occurred in his conversa- tion with the old lady who was dreadiully bor- ing Lamb on the subject. In excuse for her gthy laudation, and perceiving that Lamb getting fidgety, she said,‘‘Is so of him use I know him well—bless him.” “Weil, [ said Lamb, “but d—n bim at a ven- oreign Fun. From Punch, Judy, and Fi CaLinacy axp Weptock.—If single life is bad, then — to reasen that double lite is al. A Nice Kip or Boy To Asx @vT.—Jobnny “What! Only bad om pt cake and an orange! You myst be a muff! Why, I’ve has eight slices and four oranges, and I've got both my pockets full of nuts.”” A Convinmep Bacuetor.—Ethel—“ What's this about, Willie?” Willie (contemptuousiy)—“Oh, it’s only a Adeler’s Observations, A DRINK IN TEE DARK. (From the Philadelphia Saturday Post.) On New Year's night Chabb came hom: late. and when he went up stairs his wife children were in bed asleep. He undressed as softly as he could and then, as he felt thirsty, he thought he would get a drink of water. Fortu nately he saw a gobletful standing on the wash- stand, placed there for him, evidently, by Mrs. Chubb. He seized it and drank the liquid in two or three hage gulps, but just as he was draining the goblet he gagged, dropped the glass to the floor, where it was shivered to atoms, while he ejected something from his mouth. He | was certain that a live animalof some kind had deen in the water, and that he had nearly swal- jowed it. This theory was contirmed when he | saw the object which he spit out go bounding over the floor. He pursued it, kicking a couple | of chairs over while doing so, and at last he put | his foot on it and held it. Of course Mrs. Chabb was wide awake Wy this time and scared nearly to death, and the baby was poacigeage at the top of its lungs. Mrs. Chubb got out of bed and turned up the gas, and said: “Mr. Chabb, what in the name of common sense is the matter?” ‘‘It’s a mouse, Louisa!"’ shouted Chubb in an excited manner. ‘It’s @ mouse in the goblet. I nearly swallered it, but I spit it out, and now I've got my foot on it. Get tick and kill it quick!”? Mrs. Chubb wast first disposed to jump ona chair and scream; for, like all women, she feared a mouse much more than she did a tiger. But at Chubb’s solicitation she got the broom and prepared to demolish the mouse when Chubb lifted his foot. He drew back and she aimed a fearful blow at the object, and missed it. Then, as it did not move, she took a good look at it. Then she threw down the broom, and after casting @ look of scorn at Chubb, she sand Come to bed, you old fool; that’s not a mo “What d'you mear “Why, you simpleton, th dia-rubber bottle-top that I pu the baby’s In- a the goblet to You ought to be asham d of yourself carrying on in this manner at one o'clock in the morning.” Then Chubb turned in. dripk at the pamp. BUSHY’S FLAT-IRON WEDDING. Busby, of Trenton, celebrated his ‘iron wed- ding” One day last week, and he invited one hundred and twenty guests to the wedding. Ot course each person felt compelled to bring & resent of some kind and each one did. When Mr. and Mrs. Smith came, they handed Busby a pair of flat-irons. When Mr. and Mrs. Jones arrived they also had a pair of flat-irons. All hands langhed at the coincidence, And there Was even greater merriment when the Browns arrived with two pairs of flat-irons. But when Mr. and Mrs. Kobinson came in with an- other pair of flat-irons the laughter be- came perfectly convulsive. There was, however, something less amusing about when the Thompsons armved with four fiatirons wrapped in brown paper. And Bus- by’s face actually looked grave when the three Jobnson girls were ushered into the parlor car- Tying a fiatiron apiece. Each one of the sac- ceeding sixty guests brought flatirons, and there was no break in the continuity until old Mr. Curry arrived from Philadelphia, with @ cast-iron cow-bell. Now Busby has no earthly use for a cow-bell, and at any other time he would have treated such a present with scorn. But now he was actually grateful to Mr. Curry, and he was about to embrace him, when the Walsinghams came in with the new kind of double-pointed tlatirons with wooden handles. And all the rest of the uests brought the «ame articles excepting Mr. ugby, and he bad with him a patent stand for ‘holding flatirons. Busby got madder and madder every minate, and by the time the company had all arrived, he was nearly insane with rage; and he went up to bed, leaving his wite to entertain the guests. In the morning they counted up the spoils, and found that they had two hundred and thirteen flat-irons, one stand, and a cow-beil. And new the B asbys have cut the Smiths, and Browns, and Johr- sons, and Thompsons, and the rest entirely, tor thev are inced that there was a pre. certed design to playa trick upon them. fact, however, is, that the hardware store in place bad an overstock of fiat irons, and sold them at an absurdly low tigure, and Bus- by’s guests unanimously went for the cheapest thing they could find, as people always du on occasions. Busby thinks he will not cele- brate bis ‘silver wedding,” keep it sweet! ye Alter this he will A Strange Crime, The Voix of St. Petersburg, aunounces the murder of M. Tehikatchet,a provincial imag- istrate, under most extraordinary circum- stances. In 1866 Tchikatchef, who had been married, but was separated from his wife paid man being photographed—or married—or some- thing of t! Storigs For Sunpay Evenry ‘So now wife, don't you? Maggie—“‘Yes: but I want to know where ali the salt comes from that isn’t made out of ladies.” He Ovenut afraid you're tipsy, Lach: Lachie—“‘Ye neena be ’feerd. Clergyman—“I'm sorry for Lachie—So am I, tir [ got fou far ower soon. The whusky was gran‘!”” Fat Fare anp Forte.— stout Old Laty— “Now I hope the animal——” Cabby—*Divvle a bit, mum, saving yer pres- fnee; but if you'd just be as quick as you can, I'll hould rp the tail o’m at and the baste shan’t catch niver a soight o'ye! Tae First Party.—Hager Gent—'My dear madame, I hope I am not late. 1 do hope I have not kept the party waiting.” Lady —-Oh, deaz no, Mr. Earlybird—yon are first arrival.” —Ob, Lam so glad—so glad. 1 shoald lave been very sorry to have kept the party waiting. * Les AnSENTS ONT Tovsoves Tort.—First Party—"Oh, my teeth are werry bad— "t eat at all one one side.” Second Ditto—AL! Well mine’s werry good grinders. Lor’ blesh yer, you'd 'ardly Delleve it, Lhain't got a decayed tooth in my ’ed ex- two as I had took out not more‘’n a year Clergyman—I'm er quite reet,’ A Goon EXAMPLE.—A Yankee paper asserts that: There are so many thieves in» York that they propose to form a society to reform some oftheir number, and thus prevent their business from being ruined. What a pity that our equally numerous rail- way directors don’t adopt this idea. 8 American newspapers are becoming teo A Georgia pi publishe- a letter which it asserts was written by a correspondent in Heaven. Further down itexplains that Heaven s a railway station in ama. Winter Bridle Bit. ‘That horses sutter much trom having frosted bits ee in their mouths by thoughtless, care- less bands, in winter, wi not be doubted by practical horsemen. A non-metallic bit, that 1s sufficiently strong to be perfectly sate, and not 8@ buiky as to be painful tothe horse, is demand- ed. The following, which we find uncredited, in our exchanges, may possibly meet the want: Now that harness makers and most dealers iz a stock of goods suitable for win- ter use, they should not forget to provide them- selves with an ample supply of winter bits. By these we mean those which are so constracted as to prevent injury or pai from the frosted etal. The ail leather mouth-piece is a popu- jar bit, but many object to it because of the check pieces or rings drawing against the horse’s cheek, owing to the flexibility of the leather; others complain of it on account of its Nability to break it a heavy strain is put upon it after being in use a few months. ‘The first difficulty can be removed by using @ smail, stiff iron miouth-piece covering it with leather, when this isdone the covering should manner as in making round reins; to prevent slipping ou the mouth-piece the ends should be passed through the rings around the eyes. ‘Where the flexible mouth is not objectionable, but increased strength is required, a good bit using the usual check-rings y two annealed wires, @ leather connecting them straightening out, and making the leather mouth tn the usual way, but placing the wires on either side of the center seam; this will make a strong bit, and one that any harness- maker can construct; small leather washers should be placed between the ends of the mouth- piece and check rings. India rubber is also used for coverings to iron mouth-pieces; hollow tubes of soft rubber are slipped over the mouth-pisee before the rings are secured. Th well-known hard rubber, such as is used on barness tings; ie also used aa a covering to mouth~ and is as fect a pro! jury m frost as leather, bersome, and also adapted well, is preterred by many as @ covering.— Rural Home. Two CoLonED_ CENTEMARIANS—One Lives om Rattlesnakes.—We have two centenarians in this county, nee age when ‘“‘the @ visitto a landed proprietor in the district where his duties lay,at Noverjet. There he formed a too intimate acquaintance with Mile D. the sister of his host, which was interrupted by the arrival of Mme T’chikatchef, who sought and obtained a reconciliation with her husband. They returned to St. Petersburg, and six months later Mlle D. was engaged to be married toa gentleman M. N. She requested M. Tchikatchef » Dhonneur” at her wedding, and, despite his repugnauce, obtained his consent by the cynical suggestion that by doing so he would remove all suspicions of their former intimacy. For nearly seven years silence was observed be- tween them as to their former relations, but in July last, M. Tehikatchef, being at Nover- jet, met M. N., who invited him to. visit his wife, to which he consented. Upon making the visit fhe found the husband and wife ig goed and after a brief convers: tion M. N. locked the door, while his wite, a: dressing M. T'chikatchef, said she was about, in his presence and that of her husband, to narrate the circumstances of their former acxuaintance, which Woe errr to do in @ mauner which aon M. Tchikatchef in the light of a seducer. Mme. N. then offered him a pistol and adag- ger, insisting that he should justity her by committing suicide. Lie requested time for re- flection, and by the opportune arrival of a friend he escaped for atime. Conceiving that he was released from secrecy by the violence practiced toward him, he informed his friend of all the facts. and was soon afterward challenged to a duel by the husband of his former mistress. By the advice of his triends he refused, and went abroad for a time, but as soon as he returned to St. Petersburg he was again challengea by M. N. Hie relatives, whom he consulted, recom- mended him to have a full explanation with his tormenters in the presence of a friend, to which he agreed. At the time appeinted he met Mr. N. and his wife, but his friend had not arrived. Upon repeating his refusal to a duel, the hus- band rushed upon him with a dagger, and M. Tchikatchef’s friend entering the room, found him engaged in a deadly struggle, from’ which he released him, whereupon Mme. N. took from her pocket a small revolver and fired twice, but without effect. The wounds inflicted by the busband’s da gger, however, proved to be mor- tal, and Mr. Tchikatchef died shortly afterwar, The husband and wife are now in custody awai ing trial. HiGHWAYMEN IN LovIsiawa.—The robbery on the 8th instant, near Arcadia, La., of the two mail coaches there meeting each other—the one going east from, and tne other weat to Shreveport—being the first event of the kind for many years in this state, naturally excites much surpriseand comment. Five well-mount- ed and well-armed highwaymen, disguised and dressed alike, in open day stopped first one and then the other stage, made the passengers give up their valuables, and then coolly cut open the mail pouches and took everything therein that they considered valuable. ‘he driver of one of the coaches was then compelled to gather them up and and put back in the stage the mutilated bags and remnantsof their contents, after which he was politely paid $10 for services. T'wo of the hi hwaymen have since been arrested. Itis likely this band may be the same men who, about three weeks ago in open day, entered the house of a planter, living near Vicksburg, and robbed him of all his valu- ables, including a large amount of gold, the whereabouts ot which they pointed out with remarkable precision. They were pursued across the river, and lost in the swamps of Louisiana, but not before one of them was mor- tally wound. New Orleans Times. Tre New Burrel —Oleomargarine is what they call it, aud four thousand tons (eight mil- lion pounds) of it has been wriggled down peo- ple’s throats in this country during the last eight months. It isn’t as strong as a orse, Nor as hairy as the average grocery article, bat, nevertheless, it answers ail the Purposes of s too! me lubricator of the staf of life, par- ticularly since few persons can detect ‘antation, stare fell, Rove ber one Peed = undred and which would make eleven years old. Sho Mr. Coville, of Danbury, Undertakes to Soothe the Wrathfui Mr, Phillips with a Song. That isa very beautiful story of the clergy- man who visited an ineane asylum, and was ed by a maniac, but who broke into a song and sung it so clearly and sweetly that the maniac was subdued, and when he stopped from exbaustion, the maniac cried for more, and be sung more, and the maniac gave up. This story made avery strong impression on Mr. Coville, of this village, and the more he thonght of it, the more he was impreased by it. A day or two after reading this beautiful story, Mr. Coville’s boy caught a boy named Phillips bear the foundry and filled his hair with tar. The boy went straight home, of course, with his shocking looking head, and as his home is on the same street as that of Mr. Coville’s, Mr. Phillips hurried there at once. He vociferated into Mr. Coville’s ear the cause of his visit, and requested that Master Coville be passed out and cut up between them. Mr. ville ex- ressed his indignation at the outrage his son fad committed’ and promised to punish him severely for it. But this was not what Mr. Phillips wanted. Instead of comforting him the promise appeared to irritate him. He danced out to the walk, and clutched an imagi- nary boy by the hair and struck an imaginary boy in the face with a ferocity that was dread. ful, and then danced back again, and howled for Master Coville to be brought out. Mr. Co- ville was frightened at his vehemence, and sought by all the powers of persuasive oratory to soothe bim, but he was not to be quelled. At every tresh argument he repeated his singular demonstration, with such intimidating addi- tions as snapping his fingers, and shaking hii fist in the face of his neighbor. Having ex. hausted bis reasoning, and Phillips becoming more inflamed all the while, Mr. Coville was about to beat a retreat for the safety of his own person, when the beantitul story of the clergyman and the maniac suddenly flashed into his mind. Here was sure and unexpected relief. Mr. Phillips had danced down to the walk and was dancing back, with a half dozen imaginary boys in tow whom he was belabor:ng in a most murderous manver, but Mr. Covilie did not mind him. He felt that he had the turbulent mass of passion within his contro! and as he realized bis power a faint smile of triumph and pleasure stoie into his face; then he began tosing. It is vears since Mr. Coville in- duiged in the luxury of vocal music, and his catalogue of pieces is neither large nor varied, but be took up the first one that presented itself, and rolled it out. it was “A Lite on the Ocean Wave,” a very pretty piece, and quite popular when Mr. Co- ville retired trom singing. It is a long time, as we have eaid, since Mr. Coville had occasion to use his voice, and it worked @ trifle awkward and uneven at first, but he remembered that his urpose was a nobie one, and he did not shrink rom criticism. As be advanced along in the song he was pleased but not surprised to see Phillips first stare at him, then drop his hauds at his side, and afterwards draw back and look around asif he were planning an escape. But Mr. Coville did not stop. He gathered strength as he proceeded, an: turning his eyes to heaven, and keeping time with his feet, roared along through the measure with amazing force. He bad got up on the highest note he could find, and was beeen J into @ perfect apopletic howl of melody, when he felt himself caught abrupt- ly by the collar, and the next instant was made aware that he was on his back on the walk, and that a man looking dreadfully like Phillips was pounding his head against the frozen ground, and doing something with his ribs that appeared to be entirely uncalled for. Then he felt himself slide through a planing mill, and opening his eyes saw that Phillips was one, and that Mrs. Coville was trying to get him on his feet. In tbis direction he gave her ail the help possible, and getting up, looked around tor the planing mill, but not seeing it, allowed her to lead him into the house. To all her questions she could get no answer, but oc- casionally, while she was applying the liniment, he would start up with ‘*A life on the ocean— and then suddenly stop, simile faintly, and softly rab his nose. It was several hours before he acted natural again, but aside from conceding that possibly Phillips dicn’t have the right kind of madness, or he himself may not have got hold of the right tune, he shows no disposition to converse on the matter. Sanday afternoon, young Covilie, to be emart, and thinking that his father was asleep in the chair, undertook to start the tune, for the edification of his mother, and the futility of that air for enchaiming an audience was again demonstrated in a most signal 1 niury Ni A Bric-a-Brac Denier. Some years since I was the amused listener to a conversation, let me rather say a lesson, given to two English ladies by an Israelite dealer, if memory tail we not, at Wiesbaden. ‘*Whatis ‘Frankenthal” * said the younger, taking up a cup marked with the © and F interlaced, sur- mounted by acrown. “It is, madam,” said the dealer, ‘the name of the fabric of the Elector of Palatine, more ancient than Sevres; indeed, Sevres copied from Frankenthal; the Germans, to render them only justice, produced admirable specimens of rare ceramic art.’’ ‘Ihe la:lies list- ened ag it the man was speaking Chinese. “Frankenthal,” they had never heard the ie; Sevres an‘ Jresden were aboot the limit of their knowledge as to porcelain. -‘And how do you know one class of china from another?" said the elder. “By the mark, but far more so by the eye and practical experience,” he re. plied. ‘All fine, rare specimens are for the most part’ marked, but even marks trom the same fabrics vary according to the era o! their production and vaiue. Frankenthal, as 1 have shown you, bears the cipher and crown, old Dresden crossed swords, the Marcolini period headed with a star” (and modern, al-o, [ observed to myself). “Viennese is known by @ French horn, Venice a bee-hive, Berlin a scep- tre, Mayence a wheel; A, for Antoinette, sur mounted by a crown, called porc*laine > In Reine. In fact, during the eighteenth century all the States of Europe rivaled one another in the production ofthe most chaste works of art ine pieces of Chelsea were represented by a «mall gold anchor, while Watteau adorned with his inimitable pencil specimens of Dresden. No wonder, therefore, they were, and are, price- less, In those days the art of painting on china was exquisite, as witness some of the works of Sevres, Buen Retiro, and Dresden; and as ele- gant as much of It isin the present day. The past was a reality, the present is a fiction, and first-rate works are daily ming more rare and expensive.” ‘Then what does your shop contain, Meinherr, tor which you ask so much? ? added the lady. thought I knew some- thing of old china; it appears that I know littie or nothing.” “Excuse me, madam; less than nothing; less than 1 knew when first I invested my whole capital, not twenty pounds, in a Sevres vase that | sold for ahundred, and which was the foundation at least of a competence, to & man in my position. You ask me how I gained knowledge of the art? By reading, attendin, sales, watching and marking the opinions o} others; losing to-day by knowing too little, and believing I knew more than my neighbor; gain- ing the next, having found ont my error by practice and care. The eye can only be edu- cated begins the mind. The articles I have for sale are neither the worst and apetegir & not the finest specimens of ceramic art. Some are equal to the past, most superior to the present. Yet, be assured, years of experience, practice, and theory are not sufficient to obtain that per- fect knowledge necessary to detect the good from the bad, and you may die ere you obtain it. Although there are men who have risen from the most humble position in life to far su- perior practical knowledge than those ofa high- er class who fancy they know more. Do you vitit Paris, madam’? Ifo, attend the sales in the Rue Drouot; I fancy they are almost daily inthe season. ifaknown dealer bids a hun- dred francs for a work of art, you may safely bid ten more: though, forsooth, there are some persons who know where to place their par- chases at any price, im these days of Manchester millionaires.’” I contess having felt so interested in the re- marks of this dealer that, having secured a few moderate articles, I subsequently paid him many visits and gained from his know! dige and kindness some valuable information. If mem- ory fails me not, he stated that he formerly kept a small grocer’s shop, but, having become by chance the owner ofan elegant and well- shaped majolica vase—or jar—the ceramic pas- sion touched his heart, and the produce of the sale of his humble shop was soon converted into bric-a-brac.—Londom Society. A Fase Lover 1x lowa.—Mr. Stem is an beranscbed at law, a graduate of the State Uni- re ind resides in to be married to Miss Catherine Huddle- age fos or Towa city, but Keri bar d Mettie Mar- tin, of Monroe, he fell vi in love Lies LECTURE RY PROF. PROCTOR Last night Prof. Proctor delivered the fifth of his series of lectures on astronomy at Assocta- tion hall, the particular subject chosen being “Wonders of the Star Depths. crowded audience. The ball was darkened, as it was necessary to give effect to the lectuce by the exhibition of a number of telescopic views of the stellar system. Prof. Proctor remarked that in looking at the sky on a clear, calm night, when all the starsshone in the immeas- urable heavens, one was impressed with the thought that a solemn caim reigned in those in- finite depths. But how different was the real- ity! Where there seemed to be rest there was && activity, compared with which all the for of life and energy on our earth were utterly in- signiticant. Every one ot those stars that seemed still was traveling through space many miles in every second of time. He reminded them, in his first lecture, of the activity that prevailed in the sun—a tumult and energy compared with which all the forms uproar known to us were but as silence. Every one of the stars was a sun of smaller uproar, and, therefore, they would see how different was the reality from that which the mind presented iteclf to. In lvoking at the heavens we looked not at ascene of perfect tranquility, but ove of stupendous activity. We only knew the distance of about nine or ten stars; indeed, he might say that there was only One star whose distance might be regarded as determined. The problem of the astronomer n determining the distance of the stare was one of stupend lous difficulty. Alpha Centauri the star whose distance had been determined, Was 210,000 times further away than the sin. We had no means of measuring the disc of stars In measuring the light of the star he had named, it had been found to shine with the seventeen thousandth millionth part of the sun's brightness. It shone three times ae bright as the sun would shine if it were placed beside it. ‘The diameter was one and a naif times and the Volume five times more than the sun's, always sing that a square mile of its e out as much light as a square the sun's surface. There was star, of which he might speak as the prince of stars—the glorious Sirias. Of all the objects whose dimensions bad been indicated to us, that star was the king. It sh tour times as brightly as the star Alpha ( tauri, and was five times as faraway, so tha’ having regard to their relative distance, its a tual brightness was a hundred times more. It gave out three hundred times more light than the sun, and its volume exceeds that of the sun two thousand times. Spectroscopic analysis had enabled us to eay that the stars were suns like our own. The iecturer then exhibit Sec- chi’s Types of the Fixed Stars,” and remarked that Father Secehi’s labors were only the be- ginning of the work subse or. Huggins, of England, sisted him. They were not satistied with as- certaining the stars’ spectra, but compared the lines of particular chemical elements, and showed that iron existed in stars one hundred million times further from us than the sun. Of that fact the astronomer was assure as if he had the evidence of it in his own laboratory. He now passed to spectroscopic analysis of the cause of double-colored stars. Among the stars in the heavens some, when examined by tele- scopes, were shown to be double, and the ques- tion which suggestea itself was, W Vas the color inherent in the star's light, or was it produced by the cutting off of @ portion of the starlight by the vaporous envelope? It was a matter of great interest to determine in what way colored stars had various colors given to them. This had been done, and it was proved that they owed their color to the clouds of the envelopes that surrounded them. Nebula, or star cloud- lets, next came to be considered, and after re- ferring to the Great Orion nebula, the picture of which was obtained by Sir Jolin Herschel, with his great telescope, at the Cape of (ood Hope. the lecturer took occasion, incidentally, to refer to the project of Mr. Clarke, the brated optician, to construct a telescope tive feet in aperture, and to meet the cost of which million dollars are wanted. He was only ex- pressing the opinion of English astronomers when he asserted that Mr. Clarke was the great- est of living telescope makers, that gentleman would live to carry out his idea. He then proceeded to say that if time and op. portunity were given to him he would chart the heavens. He would first re, the whole heavens with one telescope, counting the num- ber of stars in one direction, mapping the re- sults down, and indicating where the stars were shown by that Cergir o to be either richly or poorly distributed. e would then do thesame With asmaller telescope and see whether the rich or poor regions shown by one telescope cor- responded with those shown by another. There Was a want of laborers in the wore of the sur- vey ofthe heavens, but he trusted that that want would soon be supplied. We conld not teach to the bounds of the star system in any direction; we should ever find fresh fields of stars brought to view no matter how tar we penctrated; we should find that the star system was in reality illimitable. We could speak of these things, bat it was not given to man to con- ceive them. The astronomer might spread out the figures that indicated these wonders, but he could not conceive them, nor could be make others conceive them. v. ¥. Schl enstttaiol MESA Mal A Big Porphyry Blast, PILOT KNOW SHAKEN TO ITS VERY CENTER. The rapid development of the mining inter- ests of Missouri has induced the enterprising mine prey rietors, in keeping pace with the “march ot improvement,” to employ not only the Diamond drill, but a more powerful explo- sive than powder. The St. Louis Journal of Commerce says: A heen my We announced the presence in the city of Dr. Carl Volney, the efficient repre- sentative of Lake Shore Nitro-glycerine com- pany, of Painesville, Ohio, who had just tinish- ed the work of drivi’ tunnel throngh the hari lithographic limestone 200 feet, at Hannibal, to secure an apy roach to the new bridge. The re- sult was that Dr. Volney was at once engaged to make practical test tor the Pilot Kuoly company, and orders were given by President McClune that the proper arrangements be made at either Pilot Knob or Shepherd mountain, to give a severe test. On Monday two holes that lad previously been drilled in solid iron ore tor powder—say two inches in diameter, and from eight to nine feet deep, were used. The burthen of these were from eight to nine feet, and the iron ore was cleaned of!—probably trom 100 to 150 tons in each case, and the oré broken so small that block-holing or further reciuction, could be dis- nsed with. All who were present were great- iy astonished with the result, and with the power of this great explosive. But the most astonishing result was attained in blasting in the hard porphyry, where a hole had been drilled only two inches in diameter andseven teet deep, with a burthen of about ten feet. The explosion was terrific. It not only broke off all the solid rock infront, and on either side, but to a depth of fifteen feet below the hole, and shattered and loosened the pre’ ously solid rock some six or eight feet back of the hole—thus realy cracking the rock in the rear and on both sides, in an area of probavly thirty fee:, Hunérea: of tons of rock and ore were thus thrown down by each of these explosions prov- ing satisfacto rily that this is the most effective and powerful explosive agent ever used in this region. The Arcadia-house is fully two niles from the location where the test was made. yet Mr. Robinson and several citizens of Ironton — they distincly felt the shock of the ion. The holes used for these tests had been drilled for powder, and were not of proper proportions. Several its were satisfactorily decided: 1. That nitro-glycerine is least twelve times more powerful than powder. 2. That one- half the drilling can be saved ‘by its use. 3. That there is no ore or rock that cannot be moved by it. 4. That it can be handled with safety by those who understand it. THE Worp “Femace.”—The use of this word for woman is one of the most unpleasant and inexcusable of the common perversions of lan- mile of another Miller, who as. gui It is not a Briticism, although it is much more in vogue among British writess and speakers than ‘among our own. With us, | lady is the favorite eupborism for woman. and more ambitious But this is one of perversions which are not justified by ex- ample, however eminent. A cow or a sow, or any ‘brute, 18 a female, just as a woman is; as @ man is no more a male than boar; and There was a | of | i] RAILROADS. | EN cr tt BALTiNCKE AND OHIO RAILROAD. | 25th, IST3, trains leave | ¥ a2 follows, viz: On and after December | WASHINGTON sy! Bai and Way j * Baltimore ‘ay Points... 6 | Cin. ex jetropoliten itaiiroad, reas 2 - 4 Boston, N rk and Exp... > Baltimore and Way Points... s Balto. Fast Exp., without «tops bJ Baltimore and 2 F Fcinte Philadelphia Exp. Without stops. Points... in stopping at all wi * Gaeusensem & ee Sobsssssse 3 SS UU 22 KKRee Keke Bx | | © é é 7 z press tations between Washington aud Baltimore leaves Washington at 1p. m. daily same evenin: FOB PITTSB' AND bg 2 the depot, an For New ¥ 01 =f foll run as now FOR NE Boston can in the day; also, sylvania avenu Passengers purchasing tickets at the Ave can there arrange to have their baggage ir residence, taken to the aud checked iz () e, COL Fo PABLO: FROM BALTIMOR! A.M. FRED ALM. Enst TRC FOR THE VALL TROPOLE AtS194. M. Barrisoub Throngh to Cincinnati at to Cim Pittsburgh at 74 ot At 1 P. M., put no FOR POINT OF By Own, ¥ a A. int of Bocks. to the West can be had at the on Station Ticket Om: Iwertisement of “Through 5 THOS. R. SHABP, Master of Transportation M. EB, General Ticket Agent. GEO. 8. KOONTZ, Gen’l Agt., Washington, [THROUGH LINE BETWEEN WaSHING- TON, PHILADELPHIA & NEW YORK. WASHINGTON, December 25, 1573. Washington and New York are iz: BW YORE we daily. excey ‘and 9-00 PM ON 5S Leave tor New York at phis at 5:30 and x Through tickets to Philadetph' be had at the Station tice at all hours at the Company s Oftice, 458 Peun- 9:00 P. B CABS for Baltimore, at 43 P.M. BVIA . Mi AL sd CRS without UNDAY. 9-00 P- uM and put in the baggage car Bee Baltimore an: olis and the West. THOS. B. SHARP, Master of Trai BALTIMORE & POTOMAO RAILROAD. DeErot corner 61TH aNd BSTREETs NW. After December 7th, 1873, trat&s will ran as follows FOR TRAINS ARRIVE AT WASHINGTON. SALTIM eeeraced: Annapoli Jeane, Ol elegant ad ate Cas ON DAY poy AN PALACE SL. ING CARS ON mee Near TRAINS. . On ber 13, THREE TAINS DAILY (EXCEET SUNDAY) frill be Fan over Pennsylvania, Air Line, teaving at the depot af ‘eb a from and arrivi; Potomac rail eave West Philadelphia at 12:59 p. m. daily except a Pov a at ew York at 4:25 p.m. daily, excep OND EXPRESS, leave Washington o: dail; Nieat Bzrpress, Arrive at Wasi TRsINS LEAVE URE, modation. 11:38 a. m., Fast Line West, daily, ex. Sunday 1:13 x New York 2:20 P Traine leaving Washington nd 8:38 a, m. and 3:50 m. comnect at Odenton with trains for bia avenue, can have their Checked at hotels and res ennai Balt and Nvth 6 ‘ise m,, New ¥. 0-38 | from 240 p.m tion, daily, Sunday | W. O8'p. m:, daily, New 11:08 York press. ¥:38 p. Pacific. EB ress 8 ing Wabhin 3:50 p m., connect at Bowie with trai , Bowie at 10 a. m. arriving st Marlboro’ st 11:10 fag. Marit 40 a. m., and is Rtheir orders at Ticket Office northwest corner of 1th street and Pennsylvavia avenue, n cor ner 6th street and Pesnsyiva- eeartand south: B "1 Pase’r Ag: A AIR LINE PHA. Ww ¥O corner of , except Sunday. iimore at 5:33 p.m. daily, except San 01 le leave New York at 9p. m. i at 6:1 in Mew York with steamery New Haven and Hartford Central and RANCH <2 er ‘AN BRAN except Sunday, arriving at at 4 P.M., and Staunton eariy the FOB ELLICOTT’sS A aud 3:30 and RG via METRI CONNELLSVILL ——- eng at oe 5A.M and g° through without chi = ULLMAN 3 P.M. OPOLITAN BO. e wOUTE a e of cars. OF CARS. 1, St. Louie, M. daily B ANNAPOLIS. gAt 5:30 A. M. and 4:45 P. M., but not on Ban- ay. da AND INTEEMEDI- ATE POINTS 3:90 P. M., but not on Sunday, int of Rocks Arriving st Wash P. M., but not on 8: Express train at §. daily, etopat Po junday, at SOU A.M. and FOR PHILADELPE pt Sunday, at 8 Mt. and Philadel- 3 a.m, re,daily ex. Sunday daily, age called for and Through tickets to, Oineiunatl; Oolees, be tickets ry fae, Eotianapolis, Louisville, 8 is, B TO 5 a poiuts north, northwest . DU! EB. 8. YOUNG, Gent DENNSYLVAN TO AT MORE, aes 5 ke, 4ND ALL POL IN THE W NGLAN NTS IN TRE NEW E D WHROUGH Pir EN WASHINGTON DN ™. WITHOUT CHANGE OF CARS. Lipment ine is yn pee —— Rew and of the mo M.. and 3:30 and SUNDAY TRAINS. Way Poiste—AtS A.M, and 3, and ©:43 A. M.and 12-00, MAIN LINE. nda GINTA VIA ME- CH. ILu 40 POM sand 7:43PM, A.M. di ily. Obicago and 6.004. M chanee of cars. 14 0 M. and New York or depot, Olio railroad advertisement for schedule between Washington, Baltimore, Auuap- rn Express, datiy m. Exp, ®. m., Fast Live West and m. xcept Sunday. my dally, from 03 a Oolum- w Or. mi ent. xcept Suv m. daily,ex- Hadson Biver rail- Hudson Biver te. ALEXanDEI4A & WASHINGTON B&. 4LEXANDRIA & FREDERICKSBURG B.B. Corner or B awn SIXTH STREETS. Local trains leave for follows:—6. 2 BT at si Saas S, ‘1,9. m5 8 Ce pe re re Fm 2 } connect Post OFrice VastiNe Tox Proposals will be rece {this Department watil 3 24, 1 4,40 be decided > S891 From Sykeey winten Leave Sykesvilic da gute s fat an Arrive at Burt arren by 3624 From Towsentown - fiog & forms of pr op&al and also for leer embraced in th December let, 1 vice in Mar ofhices scribed, 1 Prop, Addressed to the Sec 3 PROPOSAL: Use STATES MAIL. @ the Cox kp ¥ the 2 " ATANtoe, an tract Office f Mance ne of this Dey Marce &, rtment util 4, July, 1874, to June 50, 1875, in the State of Virgiuia, at ITED STATES MAIL. POST OFFIOE DEPARTMENT Wastine ten, December 1, iy Prggeeale wit be received at the Oo 1 3 « to be decided by th: carrying the mails of the United States from on the ad bY the achadu: 2b partures aud arrivals herein specified, vic 0—From W: ™ oe miles and back otk ne to Sth of year, Leeve Winchester datiy, except Sum 3. inchester to Capon Sprin six times September 30 Pm, Arrive at Capon Springs by © 30pm. Leave Capon Springs daily, except Sanday, at 4am; Arrive at Winchester by 9 8—From Aldte, by Budiey ¥ Sprin 20 miles and back, twice a week Leave Aldic T ud Briday at A’ eat Manassas ‘Pm Leave Manassas Wednesday and 9390am; Arrive at Aldie by 4pm Proposals invited to begin at Sud! ducing distance 12 miles eek ‘an at Fair Ha air Hay Arrive at Hampete m Wert Po Gie we ad ny at 1 Arrive at 4764—From Btevensville, by Prospect, Kt miles Leave Stevensville W at 2.30 p ni Arrive at New Proxps Leave New Prospect day at 1am Arrive at 81 est Point ensville miles and back , onc Leave Bu reat Arrive at Clem's Bran: Leave Clem's Branch patend Wed Saturdi ad to Fair Haven, i nee lay a bys pm tyTe Carlton « nd tm ednesday cr by 2 ea week, ch by & Friday tide Arrive at Bural Betreat by 7 pm. s765—| yom St Tommany's, by © aw's Store(n. ody Joyceville (a Pepe Manassas, Ham; ( orday at ngs, Te- niles and D baw verte x -iay, and and Fri- re, to New al week Saturday rom Burs! Retreat to Clem’s Branch, 2 2. 0.), 09 Osbbage Farm, 20 niles and Leck. once @ ‘week. 4767— From Pampiin's Dspot to Wal miles and back, three times a w Leave Pamplin _oe Moudey, Wednesda: m Arrive at Waiker's C Leave Walker's Obureb M and Saturday at 12 FY Saturday at 6am; ‘arm by 12m Charch, 6 he 4d pm: 7, Wednesiay, ™; Arrive at Pampiin'’s Depot by 2pm c63s— ner’s Store, am. Arriv From Salt Creek. by Petiar’ Forkeot Buffalo, Forks of Baffato by 11am Leave Forks of Buffaio Tuesday aud Saturday atl pm; Arrive at Salt Creek by 6 p.m. From Oarsonvilje to Bik Oree back, three tithes a week. miles and Leere Garscnvitio Tuesday, Thursday, and at Oa 4770—From Poplar Hitt, ton's week. Eggleston's ‘Saterday at] pm Arrive ‘at Pepiar Hill Stafordert!l« prings by 12 by Spm. to Begtes- prings,14 miles aud Lack, twice # rings Weducsisy and onville, by Hawki.’* Mille and ¥ Millow Spring, to Nickollsvilie, 1: miles and ry Arriy 4 Leave Nickolleville Tuesday and Friday at 2 pm; Arrive at Hansonville by 7pm, twice a week Han-onville Tneaday and Friday at 6 at Nickollevitle by 12 m. 72—From Peerysvilie,( WV: yy mouth of Brad- ww Oreck (0.5 )ard Head of Siate/m. oly to Grundy, 25 miles and bact “C8 Week. ve wv ille Wedne ade: im; Arrive st Grundy Thured: 5 12m; Leave Grundy Thareday lpm, Arrive at Peeryeville Friday by 12 m. 73—Frem Sclphar Springs, by Peerseville (W. Va). to niserscns CW. Va Gs millon ‘and ome & ha ngs Taesday at 6 am; ty Spm; Leave Peerysyille Wednesday at 6 am; rrive at Alderson’s by 6 pm; Leave Alderso al Gam; rrive at Poors y 5 pm, Leave Peeryeville Priday am Arrive at Sulphur Sprines by £ pm. Proposals invited to end at Peeryeville, Aistance $2 miles. O4—Fro Vo.)) and bue Bidders will state dista: of departures aud arrivals. Jeffersonsitle ( n.0.) t reducing “4 Peeryevilie( W, and propose «chedule ors Glade Springs, by Cbilhowle Bpri Win. 0.10 Goosbyuiu. 0.) end backs cace'n wees Bidders v of departures aud a rivals, The contracts ars te be executed and state distance and propose schedule he Department br or before the Ist day of June, Ubss, ctherwise the scceyred blader eit omea? ered’ as baving faile', aud the Postmaster may proceed to contract for the service with F. teapot pio: oon guarantee, and certificate, For 4 . o oe 13 — tone oo 60 She coneitions te wbraced in the, »&c.. 880 adver! \soment September 30, 1570, and "December 1a ini proposals pal pox chs ia Virginia, to Bids shouid be sent in sealed reper. scribed, “Mail Proposals, ¥: p- 4