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THB DEAD IBCK. BT JULFRBT> B. 8TKE1IT. It IV'* aloag the margin of the brook * JhtmetHI with bright TOO*, r»d, p««, a«d *l»i Wit h pearly sheen of Jtn smooth bark between Thf deep, daifc rent s and twisting of the grata, Twisting against the «m In equal ringa. <tef end hae melted into naffrou bita 80 soft the rabbit crushes them in prints JsrV'T-"-' The other lies within a dense bouquet gt 'i Of bnshep, while upon its mnMle bulk .•• & pAiilin^ rpiirs its slender shape, and PTtiJjB It* civtcfhiuK arms b'low The flesnre i huk Hk mostly vanished. Here and til-re, In spots, IfcUngs. home of the cricket and the tribe Of insects that t*e flicker'* drum-roll sounds I« knpll to. In the hoi'owe! cave within, Tb<* soovr s:fts h»lf-»»y, and the autumn leaves 8cud phudddti*)g from the wind, tho wolfish wind That follows with 1U bowl in cold, gray hours Which tfll November near. A ahfilicr warm For the lost hunter when the bit^r «:^et StiiiRs the M ick air of night, and the flight trail HA* vanished in the enow, and buuh and tree Losk poliVo one another; n the depths, Kven to hiR prscticod eye, thii has strayed In circles till his limbs can stir no more. And he can only drag within the tree His length, but thc tv can hear, as sleep o'er-creeps, The sharp tick of the sleet th^t pricks no more His flesh; till morning sets the wood* aright, And brings his glnddeiied footsteps out at test To his rengh chopping, and his shanty rude Atthe wood's border. In the summer time The badger driea his thick, gray jacket there, Wet with the sparkle of the sunny shower That glazed the air into a diamond. The touchwood, wakening, lit;' the owl, at night, Lights it* pale cressets all along the cave, A chapel then, tb&t echoes wtUi the choir Of crickets in full song. How lont; this trnnk Has lain dissolving, fancy only tells. The 'young bluck eagle has exchanged his hae For the gray Brinker of the sun's; the y>rout HH pee.i its twir, r< d, cmmpled leafag#turn Into a world of verdure lifted high, . Upon a spotted (-haft that dareci the blast mace the first groan was littered in the fall, , ' Of the proud oak whose specter there is stretched. Oft hrtvo I marie the bulk a noon-tide seat, And vittched the bee. laden with flowery wealth, Darting within, what time some isinglass Of filmy rain phone in the summer blue Like sheen upon the purple of the plnm, " Or th * r"d squirrel, powdered with the drops, Stre aked to its shelter, flashing white In pearl. Soon the old hollow wooden cave will ns»U Into brown ruin, and green waves of fora And moss roll over ite cracked fragments, UK A bower of saplings plnmes the pillared spot, And beetle-blot* of gold and sable shapes Frame a rich chequer all the summer dajr. OHJE FARTHING DAMAGES. CHAPTER L la a darkened chamber, dark with the awful shadow still more than with the lack of material light, four persons were •gathered round a bed, on which lay a man bearing in his face the unmistakable signs of the summons whicii none can refuse to answer. A weeping girl knelt by the bedside, her face bent over the neverless hand which lay upon the covr erlet, and which she held as though by that convulsive clasp she oeuld hold her father still to life. The doctor and nurse stood quietly aside, as having done their part and waiting for the inev­ itable end. A shaded lamp cast a ring of bright white light amid the surround­ ing gloom, and within its gleaming cir­ cle, at a table covered wit h papers and writing materials, sat the dying man's solicitor engaged in the preparation of his will. The instructions were short and simple. Bernard Hope had but one near relative, his daughter Mary, now kneeling by his bedside, and to ner, as was natural, he desired to leave his few possessions. After an interval of silence, broken only by the suppressed sobs of the weeping girl and the monotonous scratching of the attorney's'pen upon the paper, he paused, and inquired in a harsh, unpleasant voice : 44 What names shall I insert as trus­ tees ? You should have two at least." The dying man paused ere he replied with an effort: Geoffroy Howard, Major 111th, now in India. I have no other friend." . j,*t Ixi that case may I venture to offer my humble services, subject to the usual proviso. I suould be delighted to be useful to Miss Hope, and if your friend is abroad there may be difficulties." *' True, Slythorpe, I thank you. Make yourself trustee, then, with Maj. Howard. Legacy--200 pounds for your trouble." " Nay, my dear sir, quite unnecessary. J| teally-- But again the ready pen traveled over < the paper, and a quarter of an hour later Mr. Slythorpe announced that the docu­ ment was ready for execution, and in a low mechanical monotone read over its .provisions. The sick man seemed more than once to lose consciousness during the reading, but at the close he ap­ peared to nerve himself for a supreme ^effort. "Yes, that will do. Give me the ko said, und, with a shaking hand, affixed his signature, and, with eager eyes, watched the doctor and nurse as they added their own as witnesses, after which he sank back exhausted oh his ffllow. " Thank Qod, that's safe!" he «asped. "Maiy, my child, you and <teoffrey---you and Geoffrey! What was I saving? God bless you, my dar­ ling ! God bless " These were the last words Bernard Hope ever spoke. For a little while he lay with half-closed eyes, still breathing, bat past all consciousness of earthly things. The doctor stepped noiselessly to the bedside, and laid a finer on the flattering pulse, now beating with un­ natural quickness, now failing alto­ gether. Another quarter of an hour passed--a quarter of an hour which •eemed an age to the anxious watchers and then the doctor laid down the thin, white hand* and, tenderly touching flie h£ai of the orphaned girl, said : "My dear, the Lord gave, and the Xaord has taken away. Your has " to a better world.',' 1 friend, but had insensibly grown very dear to herself ; and wh^n, six months " before Bernard Hepe's death, he was Mtmmoned with his regiment to India, he left Mary his promised bride, Twioe he had written within the first few weeks of his departure, since which time tiiere had been a terrible silence ; and, infthe same week whioh left Mary fatherless, a second blow fell upon her. Hie 111th had been engaged in a smart skirmish, the number of dead and wounded being considerable. Maj. Geoffrey Howard was reported among the fallen ; and Mary had to mourn at once her lover and her father. The death of Maj. Howard left Mr. Slythorpe sole trustee of Mr. Hope's will. This to Mary was a matter of tho most perfect indifference. Suspecting evil of no one, she was as willing that her little fortune, amounting to some £5,000 or £6,000, should rest in Mr. Sly- thorpe's hands as in those of any other person. But of late the attorney had begun to persecute her with attentions which, under existing circumstances, would have been distasteful from any one, but were doubly so from a person whom she could not help regarding with an instinctive dislike. And in truth Mr. Slythorpe was not precisely the per­ son to win a. fair lady's fancy. Under" sised, high-shouldered, with blinking, lashless eyes, and a general angularity, not to say knobbiness of feature, he might have been expected to rise superior to any weakness as to personal appear­ ance ; but such was by no means the case. In Mr. Samuel Slythorpe's own opinion, Mr. Samuel Slythorpe was a gentleman of considerable personal ad­ vantages, and it was his constant en­ deavor to make the vciy best of them. He was obtrusively, we might almost ,y offensively, clean. His shirt-front, collar, and wristbands were all of intense whiteness and starchiness, giving him the appearance of being, so to speak, all shirtwhile his hands, which were naturally coarse and red, were made still coarser and redder by perpet­ ual washing. He was always profusely scented, and his short, scrubby hair was tortured, by the oombined use of the brush and the pomatum pot, into the semblance of the split almonds where­ with tipsy-cakes are wont to be deco­ rated. His hats and coats were always intensely new, and he perpetually creaked as he moved his patent-leather boots, maintaining a friendly rivalry in this particular with his well-starched shirt-front. In his habitual gorgeous array--indeed, if possible, looking even cleaner and newer than usual--Mr. Sly­ thorpe this morning knocked at Mrs. Murgatroyd's door. That good lady was at the moment engaged in dusting Miss Hope's room, and, catching efight of his approach, exclaimed: " There's that nasty worrying lawyer again, I do declare. Slythorpe, indeed! I'd Slythorpe him!" It would be hopeless to endeavor to express on paper the intensity of mean­ ing Mrs. Murgatroyd threw into her newly-or.ined verb; but it was evident that 44 Slythorping" in her mind in­ cluded all th<i tortures of the middle ages, with a supplement of horsepond and other modern inventions. Mary smiled at the good lady's vehemence. * My dear Mrs. Murgatroyd, you really shouldn't be so severe. Mr. Sly­ thorpe is a little peculiar, but I have no doubt ho means kindly, and you know he is the trustee of poor papa's will." " I know he is, my dear, and I wish he wasn't. I .know he shouldn't be trustee to a tomcat of mine, drat him." " Now really, Mrs. Murgatroyd, you are too bad," said Mary, smiling in spite of herself. 44 I am sure poor Mr. Sly­ thorpe isn't nearly so dreadful as you make out" At this point the conversation was in­ terrupted by the entrance of the gentle­ man in question, and Mrs. Murgatroyd, passing him with a final sniSf of abhor­ rence, quitted the apartment. Mr. Slythorpe, for once in his life, appealed ill at eaee. He was got up with his accustomed care, and the sug­ gestion of scented soap which accompa­ nied him was even stronger than usual; but his usual self-satisfied air was want­ ing. He evidently had something on his mind--some piece of rascality, a physiognomist would have conjectured, which he either bad recently perpetrated or was about to perpetrate. J us hope that t!xe physiognomist would have been wrong. My dear Miss Hope," he began, after the first greetings had been ex­ changed, "Igrieve to be the bearer of very unpleasant intelligence." Mary looked up with quiet indiffer­ ence, scarcely believing that, after all she had gone through, any news, good or bad,* could have for her more than the most passing interest. Slythorpe con­ tinued make any difference between yon and me. My affection ain't of the mercenary sort; in fact, as I got yon into the mess (though with the best of intentions, mind you), it's only fair I should get you out of it" Mary had hidden her face in her hands, but she became aware, from the increased intensity of the all-pervading scented-soap aroma, that Slythorpe was drawing nearer to her, and, in another moment, his arm was around her waist. She drew herself up proudly : 44 Sir, I am willing to believe you mean kindly, but your offer under such circumstances is an insolt. Be good enough to leave me." Slythorpe would have parleyed, but with the air of an outraged queen Mary Hope rang the boll, and, obedient to the summons, Mrs. Murgatroyd appeared. 44 Open the door for Mr. Slythorpe, if you please." 44 You'll be sorry for this, you'll find, Miss Hope," said Slythorpe; but Mary vouchsafed no answer, and the attorney retired discomfited, Mrs. Murgatroyd holding the door for him with an ex­ pression of thorough enjoyment. As poon as it was closed upon him, she bounced back into Mary's room, and flung open the windows. " Let's have a breath of fresh air, for goodness' sake, after that nasty, slimy, scented serpent. I always feel as if the house wanted disin---what d'ye call it f-- with Candy's Sea salt or Tidman's Re­ storer, or some o' them deidolizers, whenever he's been in it. "Why, my dear lamb, whatever is the matter ?" Poor Mary's overwrought nerves had at last given way, and she fell upon the sofa in a fit of violent hysterics. Mrs. Murgatroyd, with motherly instinct, let her emotion have its way, and she soon so far recovered as to be able with many tears to tell the .story of this new misfortune, finally crying herself to sleep on the good old woman's sympa­ thizing bosom. CHAPTER in. , It was two days after the scene re­ corded in our last chapter, and Maxy Hope, with the Times before her, was answering advertisements for a gov­ erness. Mary was not ooe to sit still under the pressure of calamity, however heavy, and, having got over the firat shock of her misfortune, at onoe set about bravely to earn her own liveli­ hood. With this view Bbe was now seek­ ing to procure a situation, either as gov­ erness or companion, entering upon her task with a brave heart, although die well knew the trials to whioh such a po­ sition would probably expose her. She had answered these advertisements, and had folded and sealed her letters, and now, with her open desk before her, was counting her little store of ready money, and calculating how long she could at any rate subsist before she found employ­ ment. In replacing her purse her hand fell upon a portrait, which she took out, and gazed at fondly. 44 Dear old Geof­ frey, if you had lived, how different my future would have bfcfen ! I suppose I ought to say God's will be done, but, O, it's very, very hard !" A few moments she continued gazing through her tears at the portrait, when a sharp knock at tho outer door startled her, and she re­ placed it in the desk. She heard Mrs. Murgatroyd in conversation with some one, and then a quick, well-remembered voice said, "Where? This room?" And in another moment the door was flung open, and Mary Hope wap sobbing in her lost lover's fixms. After the blissful excitement of the first meeting had subsided, a season of mutual explanations followed. Geoffrey Howard bad been dangerously wound­ ed, and had been a prisoner for the greater part of a year in an Indian dun- geoD, where for many weeks bis life had hung on a thread by reason of an attack of malignant fever. His worn and sal­ low features, his skin bronzed to Ori­ ental swarUiiness, and the scar of a deep saber-cut across his cheek, scarce hid­ den by a rather ragged beard, bore elo- rmt witness to the perils he had passed ough. He had landed in England but twelve hours previously, and had lost not a moment in seeking the pres­ ence of his darling and her father, for he was of course igrforant of Bernard Hope's death. Mary, too, had much to tell, and, nestling by Geoffrey's side, her little w hite, Illinois hidden in. the rugged brown hands of her lover, which held them as though they would never again let them go, she told him all she had gone through--the loss of he* father, the history of the will, and, lastly, tho loss of her little fortune. 4 4 I d o n ' t - u n d e r s t a n d i t , " s a i d G e o f ­ frey. "The man has been playing some deep game." "Perhaps he really wished to get me more--what, do you call it ?--interest for my money. I dare say it was meant "lam sure that yon will believe I did i kindly enough, though it has happened CHAPTER II. A year had passed away since Bernard Hope's death, and Mary still remained •n inmate of the house of Mrs. Murgar troyd, the good woman whom we have «een in attendance at her father's List illness, and who, to her occasional occu­ pation as nursa, added the more perma­ nent one of letting lodgings. Mary's tweet face and gentle manner had quite Won the heart ot the good-natured land­ lady, who was unceusing in her endeav­ ors to soothe her grief and minister to tier comfort. Mary fctill showed in face and fvure the tofcebs of tLe fWv trial through which she had passed." Her slight form looked slighter still in her •oft black drapery, and the shadow of an unforgotten sorrow still rested on her delicate feature. Mary Hope had been her father's constant companion, and she sorely missed the happy hours in which his powerful intellect and varied experience bad been unfolded lor her benefit. But she had, too, an­ other trouble--none the less hard to bear that it was one in which she could li&ve few confidants. Maj. Howard, of 4rhom mention has already been made, teas not only her father's most valued it for the best; but misfortunes will happen, you know, even with the ut­ most care and caution. I am sure I thought the investment as safe as the bank ; bnt there's nO trusting anything nowadays." " Wlliit is the misfortune, Mr. Sly­ thorpe, for you haven't yet told me? Nothing very serious, I hope." " Only too serious, my dear Ma--"-- he tried to say " Mary," bnt couldn't get it out, and substituted " Miss Hope* --"nothing less than the loss, I fear, of the whole of your little fortune." so unfortunately. " I don't believe it, darling. If he had really had your interest at heart, he would have regarded safety before all things. I strongly suspect that if all things had gone well you would simply have received your 8 per cent,, and Mr. Slythorpe would have pocketed the dif­ fer* nee." " O Geoffrey, Geoffrey ! I'm afraid you have come home very uncharitable. Besides, what does it mattelr about a lot of stupid money, now I have got yon back again ?--unless, indeed, yon would Mary turned very pale, but gave no hflVe h,kod me better for having the other sign of emotion. " How did it happen ?" she said, with an effort. "Your money was, as you know, in the 3-per-cents, where it produced a miserable £160 a year. In the hope of doing better for you, I sold out, and invested it in a new mining company, the Wheal Marina, which promised to pay a minimum dividend of 10 per cent., and fio would have just trebled your income. And this morning I am grieved to find from the Times that the company is an utter smash. The Di- rect'.-r.s ixu.%u tiolted, and thw stmreinrld- ers will lose every penny of money." " Is all gone ? Nothing left f" " Not a sixpence, and you remain lia­ ble for oails to the amount of about as much more." Poor Mary's fortitude quite gave way. "Oh, dear, what shall I do? I haven't a friend in the world." " No, no, don't say that, Miss Mary," said Slj thorpe, in a gently patronizing manner; " it isn't as bad as that comes to. I haven't disguised my own feelings toward you; and, though you've lost your money, yon know that needn't money There was only one pcssible answer to such an accusation, and Maj. Howard made it--that is to say, he called Mary a little goose, kissed her, and dropped the subject, having taken care, however, to ascertain the address of Mr. Slythorpe and the name of the company in which Mary's money had been lost. On leav­ ing Iter, he took a hansom cab and drove to the office of the liquidator of the company, when, on his stating that he desired to make some inquiries ou behalf 01 one of tlityr shareholdei s, Mr. Sjy- their thorpe, he was inform* d to his astonish­ ment thfct there was not and never had been any shareholder of that name on the books of the company. He next in­ quired whether, perchance, the shares were standing in Mifcs Hope's own name, und again was answered in the negative. Utterly bewildered, he drove to Mr. Hhthorpe's office. Mr. Slythorpe was at home, and he speedily found himself in the attorney's presence. Mr. Sly­ thorpe 'was a little nervous. He was always a little nervous with st rangers till he knew their business ; and Maj. How­ ard's announcement that he hud called on behalf of Miss Mary Hope did not tend to increase his confidence. He was, however, far from suspecting Maj, Howard's identity, b*t jumped to the con illusion that he was a hostile solicitor employed by Miss Hope to call him to account. Maj. Howard's next remark tended to oonfiim that impression. " Yon stated to Miss Hope, I think, a couple of days ago, that the property bequeathed to her by her father's will had been invested in the Wheal Marina Company, which has just come to grief. You are of course aware that an invest­ ment upon such a rotten security was a gross breaah of trust, for whioh you are liable." "Not at all; the power of investment is unlimited. Indeed, shares of com­ panies are specially included." " You are oertain of that ?" " Quite so. I drew the will my­ self." "Very good. The shares stood, I suppose, in your own name." * " Ye-es ; iu my name, of course, as sole trustee." " Then pray how is it, Mr. Slythorpe, that I don t find your name among the list c.f shareholders of the company I" Mr. Slythorpe's countenance felL "Because--because--I may as well make a clean breast of it--to tell you the truth, the money never was in that com­ pany at all. It was a false alarm, sir, a false alarm." " " Then, where on earth is the money, sir ? And what do you mean by a false alarm?" " I'll tell you, if you'll have a little patience. As a brother solicitor, I'm sure you won't press harder on me than you're quite obliged. Miss Hope's money is in the Wheal Mary Ann, one of the most flourishing companies go­ ing, and her shares are worth just dotible what J gave for them." "Then what on earth inducad you--" "IU tell you. Between ourselves, I've taken an uncommon fancy to Miss Hope, and I had made up my mind to make her Mrs. S.; but somehow she didn't take to me quite as kindly afe I could have wished. Now the other morning when I took up the Times, almost the first thing I caught sight of was the srr ash of the Wheal Marina, and the similarity of name gave me quite a turn, for just at the first moment I thought it was the Wheal Mary Ann. And then the thought struck me, ' If it only had been, my lady, you'd have been glad enough to say " Yes " to Sam­ uel Slythorpe.' And then I thought I'd try it. It was merely a little innocent practical joke--a roose d'amour, sir; a mere roose d'amour." And Mr. Sly­ thorpe smiled. " You atrocious scoundrel!" There was a sudden blow, a heavy crash, and Mr. Samuel Slythorpe meas­ ured his length on the floor. The clerk outside, hearing the downfall, popped his head into the room, but, seeing the state of things, discreetly retired again, remarking : "Beg pardon; thought you rang, sir.' Meanwhile, Maj. Howard, having knocked blythorpo down, proceeded to knock him up again; and, with his own dandy cane, which stood by the side of the fireplace, gave him one of the most tremendous thrashings ever recorded in the pages of history. And the clerk in the outer office, who owed Slythorpe many a grudge for acts of petty tyranny, listened at the door, smiling pleasantly at each " swish " of the descending cane, and finally indulged in a war dance ex­ pressive of triumph and exultation, round the office-stool. A fortnight later, Maj. Howard, look­ ing wonderfully better in health and strength, stood before the altar of a quiet city church with a graceful little figure by bis side. And with no pomp or ceremony, no breakfast, no speeches, no wedding guests, with only good Mrs. Murgatroyd for bridesmaid, the two true lovers were made one. And six months afterward, in the Court of Queen's Bench, the great assault case of Sly thorp® vs. Howard was tried. And when the lawyers on both sides had had their say, the presiding Judge said, " Gentlemen of the jury, it is not dis­ puted that a very violent assault was committed on the plaintiff, and he is therefore entitled to your verdict. But in assessing the damage, gentlemen, you will consider the general merits of the case, and give the plaintiff only suoh compensation as you think he fairly de­ serves." And the jury, in awarding one farthing by way of damages, expressed their unanimous regret that there wasn't a smaller coin.--London Society. Americans the Biggest. Statistics have been recently furnished in regard to the size and development of Americans, which are of interest. They serve to dissipate a good many un­ founded notions that have crept into the general mind, and have obtained wide eredenoe. These statistics were com­ piled from those taken in examining men for the army. Toward the close of the war, when the average age of soldiers was the highest, there were examined 10,162 men, of whom 6,359 were native born, 589 Canadians, 454 englishmen, 1,417 Irishmen and 1,343 Germans. The mean height of the Americans was the greatest, 5 feet 7.29 inches; ot the Canadians, 5 feet 7.5 inches; of the En­ glishmen, 5 feet 6.3 inches; of the irishmen, 5 feet 6.5 inches: of the Ger­ mans, 5 feet 5.9 inches. The difference between the Germans, who were the shortest, and the Americans, who were the tallest, was abont two inches. A SAN FRANCISCO young lady received an invitation to attend the theater the other evening just as the Chinaman came for her wash. She hurriedly made out a list of tho washing, and answered the in­ vitation. Then she sent the list to the young man and kept tho answer to his note. There was soon a very much con­ fused young man, a very much mortified yt nag woman, but no theater going for either of them that night. YES, if you would bo polite, yon will have to lift your hat to a lady just the same, though old zero gets under and makes a skating rink of your glary and hair skirtf d pate. COMMON SENSE tells us the way to cure LuDg dwe&peti in by direct application. Thia new principle, Dr. J. H. McLtan'n Coujsh and Lung Healing Globulm, tbey form a liealiug gat* in the mouth, being inhaled it cures Throat and Lung diseases, Coughs, Colds, C^neump- tion, Brouchits, ctc. Trial boxen, by ami, 25 cents. Dr. J. H. McLean, 314 Cneetnut, 8t Lento. WATCHMAKING IN AMERICA. Testimony of the Swlas Commissioner-- American Superior to Foreign Watches. M. Edouard Favre Perret, Swiss Com­ missioner to the Centennial Exhibition, and member of the International Jury on watches, has given the results of his observations on American watchmaking in a public address at Ohau^-de-Fonds, Locle, and Neuchaiel% Being himself a large watch manufacturer, his statements made a profound impression in Switzer­ land, and will be read with the liveliest interest in this country. After sketch­ ing the growth of watchmaking in Bes- ancon, by which the French market for watches was lost to Switzerland, he spoke substantially as follows: For a long time America has been the prin­ cipal market for our watches. To-day wemnat earnestly prepare to struggle with the Ameri­ cans on the fields where hitherto we have been the mastcre, Mr. Dennison, the father of American watchmaking, traveled through the canton of Neuchatel, studying our mode of manufacturing, tveeking to inform himself of everything, and carefully noting the weak points in our industry. After his return to the United Btacee, in 1854, he founded a fac­ tory at Boston--"The Boston Watch Com­ pany," The capital, scarcely $100,000, was subscribed by eapittuistM more than by prac­ tical business men. In the beginning, the com­ pany turned out only the rough skeleton move­ ment and attended to the finishing ; &11 '•the: parte, suoh as trains, balances, jowels, etc., were imported from Switzerland. Little by little, however, the faotoiy extended its opera­ tions and produced other parts. But, as the profits were small, the capitalists abandoned it and it failed in 1856. Another American, Mr. Bobbins, soested a good speculation and bought the factory and tools for $75,000, A new company, "The American Watch Company," was formed, with a capital of $200,000, wliich was increased to $300,000 before the war whioh put on foot a million of soldiers, and, as every one wanted a watch, there was great animation in the watch business. At this juncture, whioh might have been a lucky one for our industry, we failed to comprehend our real interests. Instead of sending good watches to the Americans, the worst trash was sent. The Americans, how­ ever, went, to work on an entirely different plan. The company increased their plant ami turned out a better ordinary watch than the Swiss watch. At the end of several years the Ameri­ can watch enjoyed a good reputation, while ours were discredited everywhere. In 1866, the capital was increased to $750,000, and the operations of the company grew to immense proportions. The Wnitkam Company give em­ ployment to 900 workmen and make about 425 movements per day. They have a^ain in­ creased their capital, till it amounts to $1,500,- 000, beside $800,000 as a reserve fund. This watch factory is a real power ; there is none like it in Europe. We have seen it in all ite details, and we have admired its splendid or­ ganization. Last Mav, on the eve of the Exhibition, we still seemed masters of the aituation. One event, however, dealt us a mortal blow. The Waltham Company announced a reduction of from 40 to 50 per cent, on prices already lower than their rivals, the reduction to date back to Jan. 1, 1876. It is unnecessary to tell you, gentlemen, how very detrimental this was to the Swiss watch. Still another and more im­ portant reason explains the growing prosperity of the Americau Company. Their tools work so regularly that all parts of the watch may be interchanged, by a si&ple order on a postal card, necessitating the forwarding of the adjoining piece. The question has often been asked, can the Americans sufficiently suppl / the demand of their markets ? Yes, they can ; we are driven out of the American market. In 1860 the American companies produced only 15,000 watches. To-day they produce 250,000, which can be easily doubled. We sent to the United States in 1872 360,000 watches. In 1876 we shall barely send them 75,000 watches. The Americans have already begun to send their manufacture to Europe. In England they sell annually from 20,000 to 30, OoO watches. The American watoh commenoes to drive from the English market the Swiss watch and even the English watch. The Americans began by creating a demand for their goods in the Indies and in Australia, and then--thanks to some power­ ful importing houses--they invaded En­ gland. At Moscow and St. Petersburg they have already established important branch offices. Their aim is to drive us first out of their own country, and then to compete with as on our own sciL I sincerely confese that I personally have doubted that competition. But now I have seen--I have felt it--and I am terrified by the danger to which our industry is exposed. Besides, I am not the only one to think BO. The Societe Intercantonale bave sent a delegate to make inquiries, and his ra- port perfectly agrees with mine. Up to this very day we have believed America to be de- pnudent upon Europe. We have been mis­ taken. The Americans will send us their products since we cannot send them our own. Their importation is not confined to watches alone. Already America has commenced to send cotton goods to England, which hitherto monopolized that artiole w the markets of the wotld. Can the Americans maintain their prices? Yes, they can, for if they obtain a good profit on their superior quality goods, tbey can afford to be eatr.lsd with a smaller ***e Irwer grades of watohes. In Amorica, everything is made by machinery ; here we make everything by hand. Iu Switzerland about 40,000 work­ man make, 011 an average, each forty watches per annum. In the United States, the average is about 150 watches. Therefore the machine­ ry produces three and a half to four times more than the workmen. Had tiie Philadelphia Exhibition taken place five years later, we snonld have been totally annihilated without knowing whence nor how we received the terrible blow. We have believed ourselves masters of the (situation, when we really have been on a volcano. And, to-day, we must actually struggle if we do not want to encounter, in all thf markets, that rival manufacture. For a lo •. g time we have hoped that the customs duties, amounting to 25 per cent., might be reduoed. We cannot count upon it. America needs all her resources, and, whether Democrats or Eopublicans be iu power, we cannot hope for a reduction of im­ port duties. W© meet, therefore, make up our mind to kwe the American market. It has been complacently said that the Americans do not make the entire watch, but are dependent upon Switzerland for Beveral parts of the watoh. This is a mistake. The Waltham Company make tiie entire watch from the first Bcrew totheoase and dial. It would even be difficult for them to use our products, so great is the regularity, BO minute the precision with whioh their machines work. They arrive at ttie regulation of the watches --so to pay--without having seen it. When the watch is given to the adjuster, the foreman delivers to him the corresponding hair-spring, and the watch is regulated. [Sensation among the audience.} Here is what I have seen, gen­ tlemen ! I asked from the director of the Vfaltham Company a watch of the fifth grade. A large safe was opened before me; at random I took a watch one of it and fastened it to my chain. The director having asked me to let Irim have the watch for two or throe days, so as to ooserve its motion. I answered, "On the contrary, I persist in wearing it just as it is to obtain an exact idea of your manufacture." At Pari?, I set my watch by a rogulater on tho Boulevard, and on the sixth day I observed that it had varied 32 seconds ! And this watch is of tiie iifin American grade; it cost 75 francs (movement without case). On my arrival at Lt elo I showed the watch to one of our first ad listers, who asked permu-sion to take it do n--that is. to take it to pieces. 1, however, wished first to observe it, and here is the result which I noted: Hanging, daily variation, 1% seconds ; variation in different positions from 4 to 8 seconds; in the heated room the vari­ ation waa very slight. Having thus observed it, I handed the watch over to the adjuster, who toek it down. After a few days he onme to me and said, word for word, '• J am completely overwhelmed; the result it incredible; one would not nnd one such watch among fifty thousand of our manufacture /" This watch, gentlemen, £ repeat to you, I took at hazard-- out of a heap, as we s&v. You understand from this example, that the American watoh may be preferred to the Swiss. I have finished gentlemen, and 1 have told you of things sucfe as I have seen them. It remains for os to profit from this sad experience, and to oar manufacture A TERRIBLE MOMENT. What Mr. Ooorgc A. White Mi and Ashtabula Bridge--The nangf tttto th® Abyn and the Feartal Sensa­ tion Kxperlcneed. Mr. Geo. A. "White, a Boston mo reliant, who was one ©f the saved at tho terri- ble accident at Asb tabula, Ohio, relates experience, as follows; "Mr. Swift and his wife, another gen­ tleman and myself, just before we <?ott > the Ashtabula bridge, had formed i whist party. We had fastened th«4»^'e and all four were quietly discussing tho game when the dread catastrophe oc­ curred. To give our ideas or feeling® would be hard. No pen or words can picture the untcld horrors that were en­ dured by the human beings upon thafr train at this time. 44 We were in section 1, in the tour of the car. I had just looked at my watch. It was 7:35 o'clock when we reached th® bridge. We had hearA a brief and lou3 crunching sound. The first we really began to see of the Accident was when the bell-oord snapped. It made a noise like the report of a pistol. As it came in two it broke one of the lamps, and they went out simultaneously. There was a crashing of breaking wood and glass around. I didn't know that we were going down a terrible abyss of seventy feet. 44 Why, I thought there had bees an­ other collision, and that our coach had been telescoped. I got up, and told the gentleman alongside of me to get up, that we were going to have an accident. We had time to think in the descent He got out into the aisle and I folltmodt. I then, for the first time, began to real­ ize the truth. 1 experienced a fearful sensation, whioh was a commingling of fear and an idea that something heavy was falling and going to crash me. At this time my clothing was being pierced and torn with splinters. < 4 I n g o i n g d o w n t h e r e w a s h a r d l y any sound. The only thing we heard was that heavy breathing which bespeaks a fear of something terrible to oomo. The first sound that greeted my ear was after we struok the ice. The break­ ing of the glass was like rifle-shots, and the train coming down made a ter­ rible roar. Our car fell as it rode-- bodily and straight--which saved oar lives. 44 How did I get ont ? As soon as the car touched bottom I could see nothing; all was dark. I groped my way out through the east end of the car. Be­ hind us was the Buffalo car, standing on end, almost perpendicularly, resting against the abutment of the bridge, one end having taken our platform. 44 How did the wreck look ? Why, at the right of us, facing the west, was a oar whioh lay on its side. The top of it was close on to ours. One car lay just as it was running. I went up over the rpof of the other car to take a look up Mid around. I satf a gentleman and, I think, a lady, following me. On looking into the ear I saw a large num­ ber of people lying together in a mass. The car was crushed at its bottom and sides. 44 The scene within was horrible, heartrending--indescribable. It was enough to unnerve the bravest. There were maimed and bruised men, women, and children, all held down by the cruel timbers. They were in different stages of delirium and excitement. Some were screaming, some were groaning, and others praying. There was hardly any one within who seemed rational. 441 saw the encroachments the fire was making. While on the roof of that car I took a speedy survey of the sitoar tion. I realized the terrible, yawning chasm. I shall never forget tiie honors of that night. 441 kept measurably oool, bat I must have been excited, for I could not realise that I was hurt. I could see the flames ahead. I saw how speedily they would oonsnme the wreck. Some one had quenched the fire in the rear end of our car--the Palatine. I returned to the Palatine, and felt that we had yet some minutes to spare before our turn would come. I made the remark to my friend that there was yet time to save all in our car. Almost every person in the Pal­ atine seemed frantic. All wanted to es­ cape. I did the best I could to help under the circumstances. Nearly ©very one who had been saved walked away, bent on saving self. I went back through a window into the Palatine. I found a gentleman who had an ankle crushed. I couldn't get him to move an inch. I saw we had no time to lose. Seconds were precious. He seemed to be crazed. He said he wouldn't leave un­ less he got his overcoat. I gave him one I happened to lay hold of then, and I pushed him ont into a gentleman's arms. 44 We passed another gentleman out head first to some person who took him from the outside. The next gentleman we took had a leg broken. We just did tt»e best we could--we laid them in the ice and snow. We passed out still an­ other, who. also had a broken leg. They were laid beside the oar. It was quick work. The flames were devouring everything. Above all rose the cries and moans of the wounded and dying. Oh 1 suoh a scene 1 Mr. and Mrs. Swift had been held down by the table at which they had sat. They weie much bruised and shaken. Mrs. Swift showed herself to be a brave little woman, for she was as cool and collected as could be. 44 In our oar we nearly all saved our hand sachels, shawls, hats, and Over­ coats. Swift walked out slick as yon please, with his silk tile, as though he was all prepared and going to a party. I went through the Palatine again, and I am sure no one either injured or dying tvas left in it. All its passengers es­ caped. 4 4 1 t h i n k n o n e o f t h e B u f f a l o - t a r p a s ­ sengers were saved. The coach fell on end, and I never heard a sound from it after the fall, and no one came out. AH was death within, in my estimation. The Buffalo was full of passengers! The parlor car was just ahead of us, and no one came out of it. I think all the passengers it held were killed." LARGS numbers of beavers have made their appearance in Cumberland and adjacent counties in Virginia, and along the tributaries of the Appomattov*