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r:Kc-i '.t It fftoittdraUr J. VAN 8LYKE, EDXTOK AKD PVIMMM. - - ILLINOIS " if-.. * ^ /* «y * . ' C : • + * > • IrJ-A f' , > otm jrrrvmLW ̂ '-T: . JC*«f«'. WW. ̂ ̂ Ms W£Qt 2 Ohststxaaa tNe, s- • • .* " Ytt, mo dot ~ Waa* an orangeoni Lots of candy, too Want some new < Want a red pail, g> j Want * rocking-horse Wttb a t*ry long tilt ~ Want a Uttle watch That says "tick! tlg|I* Want a newer dolly, *Oaaae Victoria's rip*;;'" Want BO many thing* . J« •-1* , )• Don't know what " Want a little slater, f -*'« V little brother, too. Won't yon buy *m, Tell me why yon Vbitf to go to btdf No, me don't. ili' A Holiday Story for the Little Afltf. "A story, Uncle John; tell a story!" led a chorus of merry 'voices, as Uu- J6hn looked over his newspaper at e group of young nephews and nieces ered for the yearly frolic in the old-fashioned sitting-room at grandpa's, the night before Christmas. " There was such a general rush for ees and shouldeis, as they spoke, grandma wondered uncle did not b doOT ma" "•*>•«»'>«*he -*>* one, rolled another on the floor, and, R getting Tim, the mischief-maker, tied with his rope, laid down his glasses 4tnd began: "Once upon a time there was a Prince, «nd--w * "No! No, not that kMd!" interrupt- -m a dozen voices; "we want a real Christmas story that don't commence ^once upon a time;' one about little , ||boys and live little girls, not fames." f ! "Why, why," laughed uncle, "yhat it be about, then ?" # " Oh, about a good little girlie, whose m ttncle told nice stories," cooed shy little JSTaiid, with an arm around his neck. .'ir "Not much!" said Bam, the sailor; >i3*give us an old one about' Tom, the Old Tar,' or something." "Nq! no! uncle, don't; Sam reads Jiovels; and,'sides, such stories make Une #fraid in the dark," whispered blue- «yed Nettifs in his ear, while other voices •called each for a favorite story. "It must be quiet, then," said uncle, "and I will tell you a true story. We won't give it a name until I am through, «o all will be satisfied. Every one must be as still as a mouse in a music-box, or 1 cannot talk. ""There was once a good gran'pa and 'ma who had many little grandchil- whom they loved very dearly. . Once every year, at Christmas time, I tfiese little grandchildren, both girls *fcnd boys, came over to gran'pa's to hang their Christmas stockings near the ilace in the chimney corner, like ours over there. Every stocking found An the wonderful chimney corner on Christmas eve was filled full of goodies *|>y old Santa Claus, as he came rushing Along over the snow with his prancing reindeer at midnight, and next morning the owners of the little stockings would "bounce out of bed with screech and «hout, each seeking to be the first to Teach the depth of the wonderfully-filled stocking. As toy after toy was brought to view, or sweet after sweet popped in between rosy lips, merry echoes re­ sounded throughout the old house, fill­ ing gran'pa and gran'ma's hearts with joy and blessings for their dear chil­ dren. [ ' »• • " Well, one Christmas eve when the children were gathered all. at gran'pa's, the snow was blowing outside the large house, over into the streets of the town, and then in through broken pane and •brevice to the houses of uie poor, who were unable, on this cold night, when they were all so happy, to have «ven a fire on the hearth to warm them­ selves by. On this evening, while the storm blew harder and harder without, the good-natured son of gran'ma's, a big fellow with black hair and eye­ -glasses like mine, gathered these chil­ dren around him and told them a story. Not such stories as they had heard be­ fore, but he told them of the many poor little boys and girls in the town over there where the wind was blowing so coldly, who would have no nice Christ­ mas presents, or Christmas dinner even on this blessed day when all should be ihappy. Of poor little sick Johnny with the puny back, suffering so pa­ tiently, uncle spoke, and when he had told of some poor children all alone in a cold house, fire out/ Baby Nellie hun- gry and sobbing for mamma, who was in heaven, while sister drove back her own tears to hush her crying, he looked around on his little listeners, and found one, two, yes three of them with little tears in their eyes like Nellie's, here. * When Ancle had finished his story, the little folks around him felt very sorry fof those poor children in the cold house. ' 111 take half Santa Claus brings me to-night over to sick John­ ny's,' cried one. ' And 111 take something to baby,' said Nellie; and .then it went around, every one promis- 'iSMt- ing to share with some poor child in the town, whom they knew. "The children then kissed uncle and went to bed. That night old Santa tid not fill their stockings quite so full as usual, but the children remembered it was more than many had. and the next Christmas morning was passed by a pleasant ride around town in uncle's sleigh to the homes of poor children, where they made many little lives hap­ pier than they had ever been before over the nice presents they left behind them." As uncle finished his story the little fblks kept quiet for 6 moment. Then Nellie said: "Why, uncle, you' have Just told a story almost like us, only we haven't given any presents and had that ride!" "Yes, my dear children," said he, smilingf "it is like you some, and if you want to divide your presents you shall have the ride." "We will! we will!" was echoed, and merry feet danced about in anticipation of acting out one of Uncle John's real stories. * Next morning, true to promise, the sleigh drove up to the door, and away went a merry load through the town, carrying joy* and gladness to many a humble home and little heart. After all were through, the children voted it the most delightful Christmas they had ever passed. For they had found there was more pleasure in giving than they ever known before.--Judge White, in Chicago Ledger. WOMAN'S PROGRESS* Lucy Stone states that, although women have not securedthe ballot, they have in her time vastly improved their condition. She remembers when a woman was thought competent to teach only the small children in the summer schools, when her pay for such teaching was a dollar a week, and she was expected to board around. Now women are professors in colleges, with good salaries. In her State they vote on all school matter^ Teaching, sew­ ing, and keeping house were the only occupations regarded as suitable for women. Now the census records sev- enty-on^occupations that are open to women. No woman was a public speaker out of the Quaker Church. Now all platforms are free to them. The lyceum offers to the woman lecturer the same open field that it does to man. The pulpit and the bar are both occu­ pied by women. The woman physician did not exist. Now they have a suc­ cessful practice in every large city and many of the smaller towns. There was not a college in the world that admitted women. Now there are not only dis­ tinctively colleges for Women, but a large number that welcome women to all their advantages. It is not many years since a married woman could own nothing that she earned; could not make a will of anything she possessed; could not sue or be sued ; could not carry on business; had no lawful right to her children, and could not even be their guardian; nor had she the right to her own person. Now, in most of the States, all this is changed or very much modified. RULES OF CONDUCT. Never cross the leg or put out one, foot in the street car or places where it will trouble others when passing by. Never fail to tell the truth. If truth­ ful, you get your reward. You will get your punishment if you deceive. Never borrow money and neglect to pay. If you do you will soon be known as a person of no business integrity. Never write to another asking for in­ formation, or favor of any kind, with­ out inclosing 'a postage stamp for the reply. Never fail to say kind and encourag­ ing Words to those whom you meet in distress. Your kindness may lift them out of their despair. Never refuse to receive an apology. You may not receive friendship, but courtesy will require, when an apology is offered, that you accept it. Never examine the cards in the card- basket. While they may be exposed.; in. the drawing-room, you are not ex­ pected to turn them over tin!*** invited to do so. Never, when walking arm-in-arm with a young lady, be continually changing and going to the other side because of change of corners. It shows too much attrition to form. NAUTICAL CATECHISM. Is tht* windb blowing free when it is dead (a)head? Do sailors go aloft at a' ratlin pace? Can you get a bark from a ship's log? Does the-toighfof a rope ever produce hydrophobia ? How many feet are there in a ship yard. Do the bows of a ship grow on the cross trees? Does the sheet anchor of a ship ever comforter? When the watch is set, do they call all hands? Ia( it the sailor's time to play after he has taken his trick at the wheel? Does the dog watch the cat's head ? When a Captain strikes his colors, do they ever hit back? A PHILADKIPHIAN and his wife been fined $25 each for tampering with letters directed to their servant girl. BW&irWG wmowsH y'S'j A Terrifgiwg Spectcmle. - In 1710, died the Prince of Marata, aged above 80 years. The ceremony of his funeral was one of the most revolt­ ing ever known in the annals of Eastern bupcisiiuu^; no lea* than forty-seven of his wives were burned with hw corpse. A deep circular pit was dug in a field without the town; in the middle of it was erected a pile of wood, on the left of which, on a couch richly orna­ mented, lay the body of the deceased Prince in his finest robes. After num­ berless rites were performed by the Brahmins, the pile was set on fire, and immediately the unhappy ladies ap­ peared sparkling with jewels, and adorned with flowers. These victims of this diabolical sacrifice walked several times about the burning pile, the heat whereof was felt at a considerable dis­ tance. The principal lady then, holding the dagger of her late husband, thus ad­ dressed herself to the Prince, his suc­ cessor: ' "Here," said she, "is the dagger the King made nse of to triumph over his enemies; beware, never to employ it to other purposes, never to imbrue it with the blood of your subjects; govern them as a father, as lie has done, and you shall live long and happy as he did. Since he is no more, nothing can keep me longer in the world; all that remains for me is to follow him." With these words she resigned the dagger into the Prince's hands, who took it from her without showing the least sign of grief or compassion. The Princess now appeared agitated. One of her domestics, a Christian woman, had frequently talked with her upon re­ ligion, and, though she never renounced her idols, had made some impression on her mind. Perhaps these now revived. With the most expressive look she ex­ claimed: "Alas! what is the end.pf human hap­ piness? I know that I shall plunge myself headibng into hell." On these words, horror was visible upon every countenance, while, resum­ ing her courage, she boldly turned her face to the burning pile, and, calling upon her gods, flung herself into the midst of the flames. The second lady was the sister of the Prince of the blood, who was present and assisted at the detestable sacrifice. She advanced to her brother, and gave him the jewels wherewith she was adorned. His feelings gave way; he burst into tears, and fell on her neck in the most tender embraces. She, how­ ever, remained unmoved, and with a resolute countenance sometimes viewed the pile and sometimes the assistant. Then loudly exclaiming, "Chiva! Chiva!" the name of one of ner idols, she precipitated herself into the as the former had done. The other ladies soon followed after, some decently composed, and some with the most bewildered, downcast and soi - rowfuL looks. One of them, shocked above th^e rest, ran to a Christian sol­ dier whgtn she beheld among 'the guards, and, hanging about his neck, implored him to save her. The new convert, stunned with surprise, pushed the unfortunate lady from him, and, shrieking aloud, she fell into the fiery trench. The soldier, all shivering with terror, immediately retired, and a de­ lirious fever ended his life on the fol­ lowing night. Though many of the unhappy vic­ tims displayed at first the upmost in­ trepidity, yet no sooner- did they feel the flames than they screamed out in the most dreadful manner, and, strug­ gling over each other, strove to gain the brim of the pit, but in vain; the assist­ ants forced them back with their poles and heaped new fuel upon them. The next day the Brahmins gathered the bones and threw them into the sea. The pit was leveled, a temple erected upon the spot, and the deceased Prince and his wives were reckoned among the deities. ) ,/ From a passage in Diodorus Sicnlus it appears that this horrid custom of the Indian women burning themselves with the bodies of their husbands was intro­ duced with the view of making them the more concerned about preserving them alive. A wife had poisoned her husband, and, to prevent all others from doing the like, it was decreed that, when husbands died, their wives should die with them! This assertion is, how­ ever, directly at variance with thp fact that the sacrmce must be volun i CHINESE CIVILITIES. The Chinese are singulaily aftected in their personal civilities. They even calculate the number of their reverences. These are the most remarkable postures. The men move their hands in an affectionate manner, while they are joined together on the breast, and bow their heads a little. If they respect It person, they raise their hands joined, and then lower them to the earth in bending the body. If two persons meet after a long separation, they both fall on their knees and bend their face to the earth, and this ceremony they repeat two or three times. Surely, we may well claim this ceremony to be ridiculous. It ari®es Substitute artificial ceremonies for nsto% ral actions. Their expressions mean as little as the ceremonies. If a Chinese is asked how he finds hiran^f in he answers, "Very well; thanks to your abundant felicity." If they would tell 6 TBESi tllS.1 lit: YVull jU* »ii11•uiuvjr say, "Prosperity is punted on your face;" or, " Your air announces your happiness." If you render them any service, they say, "My thanks shall be immortal." If you praise them, they answer. " How shall I dare to persuade myself of whatyou say of me? " If you dine with them, they tell you at parting, " We have not treated you with suffi­ cient distinction." -- San Francisco Golden Era. A CHILITS IMAGINATIOM What a tremendous thing a child's imagination is. It goes beyond all the facts in the universe. Do you remem­ ber how easy it was when you were a child to believe anything you were told or anything you read about? In fairies, in gnomes, in invisible caps, and the purse of Fortunatus that had only to be opened to be found full? You expect­ ed to have such a cap and such a purse before you died; although it is hard to believe it now, when you would not de­ sire the invisible cap, if there were such a thing, simply because you scarcely trust you* best friend, and when the purse, with a hole in the bottom, 1MM been in your pocket for years. What a little dreamer you were ? Can you go back to the times when you not seen your first whale and your first elephant? When you believed the whale to be a mile in length and the ele­ phant as tall as a mountain? And can you recall your disappointment when you were first taken to a menagerie? You were miserable. You loathed the deceitful world that had so imposed upon you, or you believed the menag­ erie a humbug, and waited vainly for the whale a mile long and the elephant of your dreams whose head was hiddetf in the clouds. It is the same with children always. Take your little boy to see the giant nine feet in height and the dwarf of twenty-two inches, and his hp will quiv­ er with disappointment. The giant is only a big man; the dwarf is the size of the new baby. He expected Fee-fo- Fum, who could take six men under each arm and stride along at the rate of a mile a step, and a dwarf who could stand upon his own tiny palm--a dwarf of three inches, perhaps. Don't laugh at him. We are all children in some things until we see the reality. The things men hope fbr are big and beauti­ ful, and wonderful in every way before they are seen, as they will never be again when the glamour of fanoy shall be replaced by solid fact. WISTER RULES. Never lean with the back upon any­ thing that is cold. Never begin a journey until the break­ fast has been eaten. Never take warm drinks and then im­ mediately go out in the cold air. Keep the back--especially between the shoulder-blades--well covered; the chest well protected., In sleeping in a cold room, establish the habit of breathing through the nose, and never with the month open. Never go to bed with cold or damp feet; always toast them by a fire ten or fifteen minutes before going to bed. Never omit regular bathing, for, unless the skin is in an active condition, the cold will close the pores, and favor con gestion or other diseases. After exercise of any kind, never ride in an open carriage, nor near the win­ dow of a car for a moment. "It is dan­ gerous to health, and even to life. When hoarse, speak as little as possi ble until it is recovered from, else the voice may be permanently lost, or diffi­ culties of the throat be produced. Merely warm the back by a fire, and never continue keeping the back ex­ posed to heat after it has become oom- fortably warm. To do otherwise is de­ bilitating. When going from a warm atmosphere into a colder one, keep the mouth closed, so that the air may be Warmed by its passage through the nose, ere it reaches the lungs. Never stand still in cold weather, es­ pecially after having taken a slight de­ gree of exercise; and always avoid stand­ ing upon ice or snow, or where the per­ son is exposed to a cold wind. PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING. An extremely cheap and simple way of protecting houses ^om the effects of lightning is reported to have been re­ cently made in France. It consists merely of straw attached to sticks or broom-handles and placed on the roofs of houses in an upright position. The first trials of this simple apparatus were made at Tarbea (Hautes Pyrenees) by some intelligent agriculturists, and the result was so satisfactory that afterward eighteen communes of the Tarbes dis­ trict provided all their houses with these bundles of straw, and there have been no accidents from lightning since in the district. rut *-:iC »-j- B. GRATZ BROWX is reported to have OLLA-PODRLDA. V BUtttoro her class in poet*y, the teacher quoted from the fawrflW lineB of Tennyson: "You must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear." "NoWj" she asked, "why did the little girl want to be called early? * "Doll* know;" replied Tommy Leach, "unless it was because that was her name." THAT animals may sometimes be kept alive for a long time solely on nourish­ ment supplied from their own bodies is evident from the fact that after a great fall of. earth on one occasion, from the cliff at Dover, which buried a whole family, a hog was found alive five months and nine days after it had thus been buried. It weighed about seven score when the accident happened* and had wasted about thirty pounds, but was likely to do well. J.F . PEACE TO THE DEAD. FMM to tka dead, disturb not their Who that would malign a handful of cloy; Though ye spare not the living, never moleat The memory of those who are moldering away. Peace to the dead, pnblish not to the world The facito they were once prone to chsrifthi Into the detigra of otdlvton may their SMM* M hailed, So their faults with their memory perish. PrrrwiMjp, Maw. . • HACTH B. & Cnitsav. • •• OHABMS. Among other oharms against evil may be named that of our ancestors, who, when eating eggs, were careful to break the shells, lest the witches should use them to their advantage. We do the same for a similar reason; it is account­ ed unlucky to leave them whole. They avoided cutting their nails on Friday be­ cause bad luck followed; but then we have improved upon their practice, and lay down their whole theory as follows: Cut your nails on Monday, you out them for news; Cut them on Tuesday, a new pair of shoes; ' Cut them on Wednesday, cut them for health; Cut them on Thursday, cut them for wealth; Cut them on Friday, cut them for woe; Come them on Saturday, a journey you'll go; Cut them on Sunday, you'll cut them for evil, * For all next week you'll be ruled by the devil. • * ' A P H A N T A S M A L I t O X T O . „ ! H Ah! W not gaze at any sky, " •'] ; Though grandly crowned with every ata*, When thy dear face is smiling nigh, And thy sweet lips are near, yet tar; So near, I see their tempttngneaa, u Yet farther than the outpost star. 1 "- t ̂ I almost hear thy beating heart, v ' t' And rhythmic of thy balmy breath,^ Yet wv in thought are worlds apart,' ̂ ' Our life hath teamed the geoed tf jKNKi' Death loves to wreck each happiness; joy is as transient as oar breath. More bitter dregs are in my oup, Because the draught my hands prepared. On Dead-sea apples I must sup; Still my repast thou hast not The potion of my wofulness " - ̂ I never for thy lip* prepared. CHICAGO,'111. WERE ELI Oxjll. I to pray for a taste, says Sir John Herschel, which should stand me instead under every variety of circum­ stances, and be a source of happiness and cheerfulness to me during life, and a shield against its ills, however tilings might go amiss and the world frown upon me, it would be a taste for read ing. Give a man this taste and the means of gratifying it and yott can hardly fail of making him a happy man, unless, indeed, you put into his hands a most perverse selection of books. You place him in contact with the best so ciety in every period of history--with the wisest, the wittiest, the tenderest, thg bravest and the purest characters who have adorned humanity--you make him a citizen of all nations, a contem­ porary of all ages. The world has been think) co corner, is su tion was low throwing a place called Ft some dNtiufei' a lighted tofch. created for him. :fs *$• «TO. r i. Gray shadows wan dipping down, And far In the aaat waa the crown Of night imbedded in purplish haae, While the sea sang its anthem of praise. Pale white stars came out one by one, While the golden west, left by the ana, Died slowly, as if loth to leave Its field of glory. But all grieve In time. No man's lot is free from pain Whate'er the victory, whate'er the gain. Does not sorrow come, despair and woe, Humiliation, pain and death f Lo, The end is then, and we silently rest, If, like the flowers, so supremely bleat f~ To resign and droop and quickly die, We wOuld simply stretch our wings and M Weird waa the song of the surging saa, And theahadows were darker, and the my«(«i ̂ Grew intense, and my awed, still soul Questioned in silence, and the vaat, endleas whole Expanded. Oh! the gift to see in that expanae-- To see the fate of souls, and in advance Of ideas, thoughts, to do better by the living, The humbler man; the thanksgiving To One who rules and governs all; The ever watchful Father who lifta the From the accursed; who frees the pain •= And the film from eyes, and the stain. Silence deep and profound, then the wind^J??^' Played a melody so soft and sweet andfclgp^.' ft And I awoke to realization and to life-- " : One batUe ended, another strife. , fefltWAOMEE, WiS. M. B. - SPOKESHAVINGS* The floors of Lord Wentworth's house, at Wentworth Park, England, are laid with polished oak. , A singular sign over a tailor shop, near Sheffield, England, reads John Wildgoose, Tailor. At the Duke of Devonshire's mansion, Chatsworth House, England, all the fuel used for cooking purposes is wood. The Duke's house is probably the only place in the country where such fuel is used. Farmers talk about low prices for wheat. The late Jacob Strawn, the well-known cattle king, of Illinois, when he lived in Ohio, sold wheat at 26 cents per bushel, and hauled the grain fifteen or twenty miles to market. Thi> fits ifl in 1666.{we operation of the law requiring the slaughter of imported animals imme- :i diately on landing, provided they furnished with a Government bitt o# health. THE opium refuge at Shanghai, or, ganized by foreign medical and mis­ sionary influence, has met with so much welcome from the natives that it is al­ ready self-supporting, and many pa­ tients are there toying to break from the slavery of opium. SINGULAR, isn't it, that when a man gives his wife a dime to buy a box of hairpins or a gum ring for the baby, it looks about seven times as big as when he planks it down on the bar for a little gin and bitters for the stomach's fake? ; A GBEE* priest was fonnd guiltgref a serious crime, and was handed over f by the Turkish authorities to his con­ gregation for punishment. The con­ gregation sentenced him to go naked for twenty years, and he has already served seven. SOMEBODY claims to have discovered that four of the great volcanoes of the world--Vesuvius in Italy, Etna in Sici­ ly, Cotopaxi in Ecuador and Mannaloa in Hawaii--«re now, or recently have been, all in eruption at onoe, which is A< remarkable fact, if it is true. fcwmty. AMONG the Russian mission lately re­ ceived in Cabul was found an outlawed Afghan of note. The Ameer reoog^ nized the culprit; and, in Bpite of die protests of the General in charge of the mission, the delinquent paid the penalty of his rashness with his head. THE English marine magistrate *t the port of Singapore is a judicial pqr* son of muscle. He lately sprung from his-bench and soundly thrashed a sub- magistrate sitting with him; the nest day he dragged a reporter out of oourt > by the collar, and his only virtue, ap parently, is the impartiality with whidi he abuses every shipmaster who oomar before him. CHABI.ES, my dear," said a yotm|f wife to her equally young husband, as she scrutinized the paper last evening, "what is all this about the Afghan diffi­ culty? " "Well, my love, I really don't know, but they seem to be having soske trouble over %.» "Why, Pm so sure jt could fix that all up in a minute. learned to make afjghans when I wastjjji4 little bit** * girL"--Pilteton JVet#. ."V " 4 : tV A,