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MANY of our most important inten- ions and disooveriee owe their origin *o the most trivial eiffcttmstances The trial of two mbbers before the Court -#c0f'Asskes of the Bmpa-f)renees acci- dentally led to t poit interes • archaeological discovery. The accu_ Rivas, a shoemaker, and Bellier, a tffV'^jitter, by armed attacks on the high- ™%ays and frequent burglaries, had •pread terror around the neighborhood Of Sisteron. The evidence against them was clear; but no traces could be « w©bfcalnt|d of the plunder, until one of the men **ve a clue to the mystery. Una.iiiwf youth, had b$en a shep- pBrasDCfy Hear that place, aid knew the rpegend of the Trou d'Argent; a cavern one of the mountain* with sl&ssso precipitous as to be almost inaoeessir Die, and which no one was ever known 'ib have reached. The Commissary of . ' .jPolice of Sisteron, after extraordinary labor, succeeded in scaling the moun­ tain, and penetrated to the mysterious grotto, where he discovered an enor­ mous quantity of plunder of every de­ scription. AUS way having been once ' Jound, the vast cavern was afterward ' implored by savants; and their research- ep brought to light a number of Roman ' pedals of thejthird century,-flint hatch­ ets, ornamental pottery, and the re­ mains of ruminants of enormous size. Thefce interesting disooveriae, however, obtained no indulgence for the accused •.K* and It is said that one Dante's great poem WM found, after being long mislaid, hidden away be* neata a window-sill.--Chambers" Jour- .f*fe A Race With Deatfc •Hut •. m On of the most remarkable tri] is jus ison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, record has just been made on the ipson Atch- (Inadvertent) pioneers of science, who jrere, sentenced to twenty years' hard ibor. The discovery of gold in Nevada was made by some Mormon immigrants in 1850. Adventurers crossed the Sierras wad set up their sluice-boxes in the O&nyons; but it was gold they were after, and they never suspected the ex­ istence of silver, nor knew it when they saw it. The bluish stuff which was so abundant and which was silver ore, in­ terfered with their operations and gave tjbem the greatest annoyance. Two brothers named Grosch possessed more Intelligence than their fellow-workers, and were the real discoverers of the Comstoek Iodic; but one of them died •from a pickax wound in the foot, and the other was frozen to death in the tiftrantains. Their secret died with them. When, at last, in thi early part el 1859, the surface croppings of the lode were found, they were worked for the gold they contained, and the silver was thrown out as being worthless. Yet this lode since 1860 has yielded a large proportion of all the silver pro­ duced throughout the world. The sil­ ver mines of Potosi were discovered through the trivial circumstance of an Ipdian accidentally pulling up a shrub, to the roots of which were attached feome particles of the precious metal. / During the Thirty Years1 War in Ger­ many, the little village of Coserow in the Island of Usedom, on the Prussian border of the Baltic, was sacked by the eontending armies, the villagers es­ caping to the hills to save their lives.,; Among them was a simple pastor named Schwerdler, and his pretty daughter Mary. When the danger was over, the villagers found themselves without bouses, food, or money. One day, we lire told, Mary went up the Streckel- berg to gather blackberries; but soon 'ifterward she ran back joyous and breathless to her father, with two shin- ; pieces of amber each of very great 3. She told her father that near the jore the wind had blown away the Sand from a vein of amber; that she straightway broke off these pieces with a stick; that there was an ample store the precious substance; and that she • had covered it over to conceal her se- -cret. The amber brought money, food, <cfethingand comfort; out those were , a leg< -that poor Mary was burned for witch­ craft. At the village of Stamen, amber superstitious times, and a legend goes is burned F ige of Stam< was first accidentally found by a rustic •who was fortunate enough to turn some ^ With his pldw. ' -- A cooper in Carniola having one eve­ ning placed a new tub under a drop- Plng spring, in order to try if it would viola water, when he came in the morn­ ing found it so heavy that he could hardly move it. At first, the supersti­ tious notions that are apt to possess tV winds of the ignorant made him sus- wfcet that his tub was bewitched; but at perceiving a shi " ~ ! fffcttom, he went to ,T... £ho>ved it to an apothecary, who im mediately dismissed him with a small -gratuity, and bid him bring some more el the same stuff whenever he could meet with it. This- the poor cooper frequently did, being highly pleased his.g°°d fortune; till at length the affair being made public, several per­ sons formed themselves into a society ,:in order to search farther into the ; quicksilver deposits, thus so unexpect- ' and which were des­ igned to become the richest of their : Jcind in Europe. Curious discoveries ning fluid at the > Laubach, and by plowmen, iBarrymen an<^ °thers, of caves, coins, «rns and other interesting things, would fill volumes. Many valuable nt- t ^Jary relics have been preserved by cu­ rious accidents, often turning up just In time to save them from crumbling to pieces. Not only mineral but literary •measures have been brought to light When excavating mother earth. For instance, in the foundations of an old •ouse, Luther's " Table Talk" was dis­ covered, "lying in a deep, obscure u-Y wraPPed strong linen cloth, which was waxed all over with bees- . , wax, within and without." There it . nad remained hidden since its suppres- rton by Pope Gregory XIII. The poems 2* /ropertius, a Roman poet, lone V,nsuspected in the darkness of a K ^"|e-cellar, from whence they were at i" length unearthed by accident, just in fame to preserve them from destruction gy rats and mildew. Not only from beneath our feet but from above om , Beads may chance reveal the hidimr- V EmZ The 8udden Sailing in of a ceiling, for example, of tome chambers m Lincoln's lnn're- ; »Tealed the secret depository of the •> -< Thurloe State papers. Other literarv ;! treasures have turned up in an equallv Various manner. Milton's essay on f ;;' "Doctrines of Christianity" was dhs- $6vered in a bundle of old dispatches- A monk found the only manuscript of Tacitus accidentally in Westphalia the letters of Lady Manr Montagu were brought to light from the recesses of an <dd trunk; the manuscripts of Dr. Dee from Kansas City to the Rocky Mount- ains. A rich gentleman, named W. S. Dunn, arrived in this* city from the East on Thursday morning, on his way to visit his siek wife at Msnitou Springs, Col. On hjfp arrival here he received a telegram stating that his wife was at the point of deat|i, and that she could not live many hours. The husband, who was a middle-aged man, evidently a merchant , seemed to be much affected by the'news, and at once made inquiries for a special train. He offered a large sum of money for a special engine to run to Pueblo ahead of the regular train, but could not obtain one here. FACTS AND FIGURES,; „,.sv communication helweenpersons far re- He took possession of the telegraph' wires between here and Topeka, the headquarters of the road, and offered *3$0 for a special locomotive to run at special speed across the plains. His offer was accepted, and at tnree o'clock on Thursday afternoon the devoted hus­ band started from Topeka on his break­ neck errand of love and duty. Away went the locomotive and ear, with its solitary but sorrowing passenger, over the prairies of Kaw Valley, down into the Valley of the Neosho at Emporia, then off again over the high divide be tween the Neosho and the Arkansas Valley, which was reached before night had closed in. Then, after taking water, the impatient husband and his tireless iron horse started up the great Arkansas Valley to the base of the Rocky Mountains. He reached Pueblo, Col., about 7:80 o'clock on Friday morning, and then, only waiting for a locomotive oil the Denver & Rio Grande (narrow-gauge) to be got ready, started up to Manitou, a distance of fifty miles. He reached Manitou, at the base of Pike's Peak, in time to see his dying wife, and was well satisfied with the result of his fast trip. The fastest time made on the route was fifty miles per hour; the av­ erage time about thirty-five miles*. It is the fastest time ever made across the 61 ains from the Missouri River to the ocky Mountains.--Kansas OUy (Mo.) Times. Death froa Hydrophobia. jpe was bitten by a vatrrant dog Nov. 25, f.* ASHBEL BUCKLAND, of Chicopee, who as bitten by a vagrai is dead of hydrophobia. His mind was . % . clear until a few moments before his death, when he said to his friends that he 44 would show them how a Christian could die." His only regret at the approach of death, as expressed to his physician, was that "it seemed hard that a strong, well man should have to go for a dog." The hot vapor was tried in this case and discontinued, because the moisture caused convulsions, and the sick man entreated his friends to stop it. The vapor was not let directly upon his person, but came from another room. The noise of boiling-water, the use of the words "water," "drinking," or " dog," caused severe convtSsions. Morphine in large doses injected under the skin proved of n6 value, and, as he could swallow no liquid, medicine in that form was not tried. During Wednesday Mr. Buckland became more quiet, but in the evening his throat and mouth filled with frothy mucus, so as to cause choking and efforts at vom­ iting for relief. From this his strength failed rapidly till death came, appar­ ently from exhaustion, the man being worn out with want of rest, sleep ana almost constant motion. The efforts to clear his throat were followed by great prostration, and convulsive move­ ments also became more frequent dur­ ing the last hours-of life. During the day he was seen by Drs. Carpenter and Blodgett, of Holyoke; Bartlett and Chapman, of Chicopee; Smith, of In­ dian Orchard, and Thompson, of Bel- chertown. These physicians, Without exceptions pronounced the case one of unquestionable hydrophobia, and con­ cur with Di\ Smith in the opinion that the treatment by curara offered the best hope of any remedy. The family, at­ tendants, and all who watched the prog­ ress of the disease are convinced that the effects of this drug were most favorable, keeping the patient more quiet, and relieving the disease of many of its terrors. Dr. Smith Injected the drug under the skin every hour and oftener, giving at each injection from one-fourth to one-third grain, giving during the day upward of seven grains, sufficient, he thinks, to thoroughly test its value. Mr. Buckland expressed fre- luently his belief that the medicine was loing him great good, urging the doc­ tor to use it very freely, without fear, saying; "I can only die; I must die without this; it helps me; I feel that it may effect a cure from the relief it gives to these spasms." This testi­ mony, sustained by all the friends who saw the sick man, enabled the doctor to fully test the drug. It was certainly used with nerve and courage sufficient to prove the full service of the medi­ cine. The doctor thinks his experience in this case teaches him that the cure for hydrophobia is not yet discovered, but that the use of curara has been fol­ lowed by such great relief in this case, that he should certainly recommend its use in another case, if administered by an intelligent physician, who could be on the ground constantly to careful!v watch its effects. The relief in this case was certainly very great, and the remedy was followed by no paralysis or unfavorable symptom traceable to the drug. It requires nerve to inject into a man's blood every hour or so a dose doubly sufficient to cause paralysis and almost instant death in a. well man. The fortitude and restraint manifested by Mr. Buckland astonished all who saw him. The disease caused intense agony to himself and friends, and in his death the world has lost a good and Spu&foan man* ~ Springfield (Maw.) ~After the declaration--" This is, perhaps, not the first mitten you have received, Mr. Brown?" " But perhaps Smith* y?u given, Miss THE French Life-Boat Society sa fifty-five persons in 1877. SWITZERLAND, which has 8,000, inhabitants, has 1,000,000 cows. LAST year Illinois had2,500,000ho, and packed 2,118,845--about one-h of all that *i«r6 packed In the Uni States. THERE are no less than 124 foreif entries in the five great raees of la in England, and among these are fii American horses* INDIA, last year, sent nearly 8,90(1 000 cwt. of wheat to England, one-sixl 2 as much as the United States and on? third as much as Russia. LIVING fifty-four years in one v, lage, and daring that time repairii 18,000 watches, for each of which 1 received pay, is the history of a jewel of Sandy Hill, N. C. . RESIDING near York, Pa., is a farm who has kept a record of the numb of Jramps visiting his premises. Fr* April l, 1877, to Nov. 18, there w 545, oran average of 16 per week. THERE were more miles of railw constructed in Iowa in 1877 than In a of the other States, except Califo and Minnesota, The figures are: Io 186; California, 190; Minnesota, 182. ENGLISH authors produced and h printed last year 8,049 books. Thei were also 2,043 new editions, makir the total ^ book production of Englan 5,095 against 4,888 the preceding yea THE exports of corn in bulk from tl Port of New Orleans, since the first „„ September to Jan. 1, 1878, amounted t^ f.;' 2,075,118 bushels, against 795,362^y remove, bushels for the same time last year. Of flour, the exports foot up 60,479 barrels, against 84,289 last year. THE Suez Canal is doing a profitable and increasing business, as the fallow­ ing figures will show: Vessels pasted iFte <..? t *; - v -t, throuak* . Tolls. 1875 . [?. . . . . . . .R. . . . . . . ,V. . . .MM ®5,777,260 *876 -• .TTMUIH.&W* • • 1 ,457 • • 5 ,994,999 1877 ....... ........... .1,668 6,652,279 IT is announced that the Indian fam­ ine fund collected in England reaches the fine total of £500,000, or $2,500,000. This is the largest collection which has been raised since the patriotic fund for the relief of the widows and orphans of the soldiers and saUors in the Crimean War. IN 1876, seven and a half miles of railroad were built in Tennessee; in 1877, twenty-one and three-quarters miles. Up to date, Tennessee has 1,667 miles of railroad. Five hundred miles are projected, but it is a question of time and money whether they will be put in operation. TROY, N. Y., banks have agreed to itlj, rr V,; h. *! .Ir* '» I*- vcl » .'1 '* ?-*u f*.v .> 'f t ' "Kt I- • * r - x " r > - ' 'fat- f r - i :i/ r t v.' r ^ *" 1 *1- i t f , Ip- > - ,0 _ m -i pay only 5 per cent, on special or other deposits, and will notify all \ special deposits at a higher rate of in­ terest that such deposits must be with­ drawn or the rate of interest reduced to 4 per cent. It is complained that the Government taxes are so onerous that a higher rate cannot possibly be paid. THE Permanent Exhibition at Phila­ delphia has assets amounting to $381 002.41, While its liabilities are $510,- 004.31. Among the latter are $171,577 due the Centennial Board of Finance, but it is expected that it will be settled on payment of $40,000, which will leave the Company all right, as it has got the expenses about down to receipts now. 31 d< Concerning Housekeepers. H^tficRE is an old saying that poets are born, not made, and we believe the same is true of housekeepers. Some women fit into the position perfectly. They assume the directorship of the household so quietly, and rule it so easily that we quite forget the labor in the results, or, perhaps, imagine there is no labor at all. We aU look on ad­ miringly when we get a glimse of such household, or of such a presiding genius, and wonder why we cannot do as well. For we are not all born house­ keepers, and to some of us the post brings care, vexation and weariness of soul and body. But let us console our­ selves if we fail, or correct our pride if we succeed, by remembering that to be a perfect housekeeper demands nearly all the known virtues and qualities. One must be wise, dignified, prudent, firm, methodical, skillful, cheerful and gentle; possessing also tact, courage in emergencies, inventive faculty and teachableness. There! if \that is not enough to make a perfect woman, what more would you have? Yet there are many women among us who are scarce­ ly known outside of their family circle, who have never written a line or paint­ ed a picture, who have never been Di­ rectress of a hospital or manager of a charity, but who are entitled to claim all these just-mentioned attributes for their own. And they go on quietly from day to day, never knowing their worth, content with scant praise or none at all, well satisfied if only they can harmonize their many cares and duties, and thus avoid friction! These are domestic heroines, whose praises should be sung appropriately. Their less gifted sisfcjrs should crown them with garlands, while they sit at their feet and strive to learn something of their ways. And their husbands and children should count themselves espe­ cially blessed that the guiding spirits of their homes are so near perfection. --GhrUtian Intelligencer. The Fntnre of the Telephone. THE possibilities of the telephone awaken in the public mind a degree of interest unsurpassed even in this pro­ lific age of inventions. Only thirty years have passed away since the tele­ graph took its place permanently among the triumphant achievements of the nineteenth century. This marvel­ ous invention placed Shakespeare's suggestion of putting a girdle round the earth in forty minutes among the prophesies. And this wonderful and prophetic flight of imagination, uttered by the great dramatist, has lost much of its importance by becoming an actual fact. But when we reflect that it was merely an expression of a general aspi- ratio# common among the people in Ms day, it is still further divested of its significance. The opinion was widely entertained in Shakespeare's time that it was possible to establish immediate it V. „• fi *9 r.-' \ > k v>Jl * nl IGtoods for 6«vomj iuwray, li not ei' The excessive royalty demanded by the inventors of this use­ ful instrument tends to limit its em­ ployment, and consequently restricts the range of experience ana observa­ tion necessary to its improvent. StiU, it will serve to stimulate the spirit of invention by devising means cf im­ provement. Already this has been manifested in the rapid multiplication of instruments designed to supersede the original one. Tnis spirit of com­ petition wiU doubtless result in the production of cheaper and more per­ fect instruments at no distant day. The main obstacles encountered at present are the feebleness of the sounds given off and their liability to become lost during transmission by contact with disturbing causes. These obsta­ cles are by no means to be regarded as insurmountable. When we consider the enormous improvements which superseded the original telegraphic instruments, there is every reason to be assured that improvements no less im­ portant will be made in the case of the telephone. Scientific publications are r» - * Beligiom, ; UNTO MB » ; f; A MWBKTBB aong than e'«x waa aim* " Ana down thro' ail the aces. List! M it vibmtei frill and fre«, O grieving heart, "Come nnto Me, Owise 'iaion, sweet command, * the weak and w«ury; A friend to find on ei A light to prospect u. A friend who knows our each endeavor taking heed; > call* to every soul oppreet; >me nnto Me. I'll give you real," ! V-' " Come nnto Me." The way's not kmjr. „ _His hands are stretched to m&t thee Pfi 1 "Thee. 3 Now still IhT sobbing, list the* Which everywhere shall greet Hereat His feet your burden lap,, * Why 'neath it b*bd another dayf* J ao loving calls to thee J«u w laden, come to Me?" ttinee "Ob! heavy A sweeter song thnn e'er was sung A By poet, priest, or naeea; A sons which thro' all Heaven has T ,iS . sons whioh thro all Heaven And down through all the ai How can we turn from such a agw. strain, Or longer wait to ease our pain ? Oh' araw ns closer, Lord, that w. ? W find our sweetest rest in Thee. > --Kltanor Kirk, in C'onareaationalUt. 5ass over without more ado. esire to profit, read with'hoi simplicity and faithfulnes: nyg sire the repute of Intttu wiilingly, and hear with |ha words of holy men. Let not the mbL bles of the elders displeam. thee* ' they are not given without Ihomas a-Kempis. Tie Empty Hwtr. * da^ | Buday-School LessoMt FUtST ^UARTKB, 1878. ;• is1 17.--Joaah Repairing the n j ••• 2Cbron^4:4-l& Jr6b« 24.--Ufzinh s Pride Pun- tthed ......... .... .2Chron^6:16-2S. Men, 8.--Ahaz Persist nt Wick- ;vv.-v;- 2Chron.28:19-27. m u s Good Heitm. 2 Chron^9: 1-11. Mcb. 17.--Hezekiah and the M^f'LnanM 2ChronJ2: 9-2L 24. ~ ManHflseh Brought to ^Ke^ntence............ 2 Chron^S: 9-16. •wpwr-flenew of the Lessons for the Quaxtor. A Fruitful Life. THE life and character of the Rev. George MueUer, of England, who is now traveling in the United States, Sresent some interesting phases. It is oubtful if there is another man living who from a small beginning has ac­ complished larger results in a philan­ thropic way, or who has accomplished them in a more ^remarkable manner. A life and character so completely di­ vorced from the selfish considerations which ordinarily govern men, and so unreservedly devoted to the accom­ plishment of a great result, must com­ mand the respect and admiration of all who can appreciate noble qualities. Mr. Mueller was born and spent the early portion of his life in Germany, but came to England in 1829, where he has since lived. He was of good birth and well educated. After an adventur­ ous and vicious career to the age of twenty, his mind took on a serious -- x- -- phase; he changed his course of life, even now largely occupied in giving and when he went to England it was PJ0™1.?.®11®® .improved methods for «with the purpose of becoming a mis­ sionary. He was employed to preach, and soon showed that he possessed the the utilization of this grand invention --N. Y. Graphic. The Effect' of Poisonons Literature on . the Minds of Boys. ON Wednesday last, in New York, a boy of twelve shot another aged eleven, and dangerously wounded him. This makes four cases of boys shooting each other, in New York City alone, since the 1st of January. Other instances of a similar nature have been recorded from Boston and elsewhere. It seems that a new kind of crime is thus forcing itself upon the attention of the authori­ ties. A few years since this kind of infantile tragedy was comparatively un­ known, but now hardly a day passes that the telegraph does not announce from some part of the country a death or dangerous wound inflicted by a play­ mate on a comrade, and, generally, the ages are about the same as given above. The principal cause of this sort of thing is not far to seek. During late years there has sprung up a sort of toad­ stool literature, which poisons the un­ matured intellect of boys even more surely than the genuine toadstool would poison him corporeally. The traffic in this vile trash has grown to such an ex­ tent that a determined crusade should be made against it until it is sup­ pressed. Boys read the stuff, and they want to be pirates or robbers, and live in caves and escape from tyrannical strongholds, vulgarly termed jails, and annihilate minions of the law, alias po­ licemen. They want to prowl and flash fire from their dauntless eyes, and wear a cold, stern, hard demeanor, which is supposed to show a sccret grief within. In other words, they want to make unmitigated fools of themselves, and they succeed. Their natural pro­ pensities are bad enough, without stim­ ulus being given to them by the miser­ able lunacies that make the boys' pub­ lications of to-day unfit for any sane person to read. --Detroit Free Press. A Queer Convention of Crows. PASSENGERS on the 8:35 train bound south Friday morning looked with won­ der upon a flock of about five hundred crows all huddled together on the ice south of Low Point &nd about six hun­ dred feet from the shore. They faced each other about half and half, and were so close together that they jostled against each other in hopping about. About ten feet west of them sat a large bald-headed American eagle perched upon a cake of ice which had been thrown up on the main body of the ice by the action of the wind and tide. It looked as though the eagle had by com­ mon consent been appointed Chairman of the Convention, and that something of an important nature was taking place. So intent was this strange Con­ vention upon the business in hand that neither the roar of the train nor the shriek of the engine's whistle disturbed it in the least. The sun shone full and bright upon the singular spectacle, and the dignity and solemnity of the presid­ ing officer were remarked by all. On no part of the ice surrounding, for a long distance, could be seen a dead car­ cass of any kind, nor was there any open water visible, in which the crows or eagle could fish. It was, perhaps, a Labor Convention, devising ways and means for appeasing immediate hun­ ger. We watched them till the train shot out of sight around a curve, and the Chairman was still on the platform, and the members of the Convention were still huddled together. It is probable they were in " executive ses­ sion" and we shall never know of the cause of the novel gathering.--Fough- keepsie Edgle. elements of usefulness. He preached for several years at Bristol. Events, however, turned his thoughts in a di­ rection which was to furnish his life- work, and this was the establishment of a home for orphans. Here begins the remarkable portion of his career. In 1835 he resolved, in his own lan­ guage, "no longer merely to think about the establishment of an orphan home, but set about it." He was en­ tirely without means or Influential ac­ quaintance, and was a foreigner, with, at that time, but an imperfect knowl­ edge of English. In determining to establish a home for orphans he deter­ mined also, if possible, to make it a practical, visible proof of the efficacy of prayer. To this end he determined never to ask any person for money, but to depend solely on voluntary con­ tributions, only stating and elaborat­ ing his wants in prayer. His financial scheme was novel, but it has been com­ pletely successful. Between January' and May, 1836, he received unsolicited donations of money, clothing, furniture and provisions enough to justify him in beginning his enterprise, and he ac­ cordingly rented a house and estab­ lished his home for orphans. From that small beginning has grown one of the most remarkable institutions in En- land. For forty years Mr. Mueller ias devoted his entire time and ener­ gies to the work of building up the in­ stitution, and few men can point to a greater life achievement. During that period he has erected five large orphan houses, supported 5,199 orphans, edu­ cated in whole or in part more than 50,000 children, helped to support 173 missionaries in foreign lands, circulated many millions of books and tracts, and received and disbursed nearly $4,000,- 000, all without ever once soliciting a contribution from any person. From the commencement of his enterprise Mr. Mueller has adhered inflexibly to this rule, praying for what he wanted, but never asking an individual for any thing. His receipts have come from all portions of the British Empire, those during last year having been more than $200,000. Mr. Mueller has shown him­ self to be a very capable and exact business manager, superintending the erection of large buildings and the carrying out of vast schemes with great ability and the most scrupulous fidelity. To have accomplished what he has done under any circumstances should make a man famous; to have done it in the way he has seems little less than a miracle. The history of his great achievement is a remarkable record of self-devotion and faith. He has been in the United States some four months, and will return to England in June.-- Indianapolis Journal, ; from a waft oiie found in my path an empty nest the wind had cast down from near tree. Something about it--or may be it was a thought of the hopes and loves which clustered around it so short a time before, of the tender live* which budded and blossomed there^ touched me so that I took it tenderly up and walking on, laid it wher« il would be safe from all harm or MdDs* tation. As I did so, my thoughts went out to other nests which are just at empty, or filled with sorrow where one* was joy and gladness. Into these honxe* nests little ones come, and are kind!# nurtured, the little feet guided witfe prayerful care through the years of liii fancy and childhood, through youth, u» to the time when a child must be 4 child no longer, but leaving the old roof-tree must try his strength in brqad* er fields. How eagerly the father and mdthe|f watch the first attempts at flight! Ho^ their love goes out after the child, seek* ing to be always a help and shield fcf him! For a little time all is welllf then strong temptations come, and, (f» the pity of it all! all are yielded to* and the one so proudly watched sinkJ down, down. One by one the font! hopes are given up, little by little faith and courage fail, and, O how sad amf empty the old house becomes! Rocked wildly by the winds of affliction, If/ soon falls by the roadside. Is there nc§ one to gather it up and put it tended# out of sight P No one now to fill 'm anew? Yes, thank God, there is One ready to help when aU earthly hdp fails; One who, with outstretchea hands and loving voice, says, "Come unto. Me and rest, come and I will arive vou strength." & J Though through our sins we faU, we are never so low but His love reaches out to us with saving power. If we turn to Him, He will save us, will give us back the home so desolated here, and, in a better land, wiU help us to fill it with nobler, truer life. But God cannot do all. We must do our part-- must grasp the hand held out to us if we would be saved by it. If we do this, and cling closely to Him, whatever trials come to us, all wiU be weU, for His strength will then be ours, and by its might we shall go steadily onward 4 * 4 u p w a r d . -- T . L . C u y l e r ^ ' Almost a Duel, f "f! « V>'; Of Reading the Holy Scripts res. TRUTH, not eloquence, is to be sought for in Holy Scripture. Each part of the Scripture is to be read with the same ipirit wherewith it was written. We inould rather search after profit in the Scriptures, than after subtle argu­ ments. We ought to read plain and devout books as willingly as those high and profound. Let not the au­ thority of the writer, be a stumbling- block, whether he be of great or small learning; but let the love of pure truth draw thee to read. Inquire not who spoke this or that, but mark what is spoken. Men pass away, but the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever. God speaks to us in sundry ways without re­ spect of persons. Our own curiosity cften hindereth us in reading of the Scriptures, when we win examine and discuss that which we should rather .A GOOD joke on a couple of Easton (Pa.) young men has accidentally leaked out. The other evening, in a bowling saloon in the central portion of that city, they became engaged in an altercation. The quarrel grew heated, and one, who was of a rather romantic turn of mind, handed the other a slip of paper on which was written "Target practice." The intended insult was quickly snapped up by the other, and the necessary arrangements made. Eleven o'clock at night was appointed as the time, and the place selected was a lonely spot along the Delaware, about one mile from the city. And now comes the ludicrous part of the affair. The seconds, who had been selected, se­ cured the services of three others, and disguised two of them in the„uniforms of police officers, and the third as a sur­ geon, with his box of instruments ready for action. Toward the appoint­ ed time the party repaired to the scene of action; fifteen paces were stepped off, and the contestants took their po­ sitions. The referee, with their sec­ onds and surgeon, stood at a short dis­ tance, awaiting the denouement. One!" rang out sharp and clear on the midnight air. The principals trem­ bled, but it was too late now to turn coward. "Two!" in sharp tones again broke the stillness of the night, but the programme suddenly changed. Ac­ cording to the preconcerted plan,' the police officers rushed upon the Scene and arrested the participants. They were marched to town in the custody of the officers, v.'Lcii the latter were (si posedly) bribed for fifty dollars eac and the offenders were released. The occurrence, although a huge practical joke, wiU doubtless teach tne hot­ headed youths a lesson. , A Touching Letter. EVERYONE knows the story of the little girl who, wishing to ask some­ thing of Heaven, wrote a letter to God, which she put into the hands of the Virgin's statue in the parish church. A circumstance nearly analogous has i'ust taken place near Marchiennos, in Belgium. A girl named Blanche was in the service of Monsieur and Mad­ ame C., who were much attached to her on account of her fidelity and piety. Some days ago Madame C. fell ill and died verv suddenly. The day after her death, Blanche, profiting when the corpse, already pre­ pared for the grave, was alone, made _ier way into the chamber of death, lifted the shroud and then retired pre- cii' hose who saw her suspected she might have been trying to pilfer the jewelry of the corpse. Search was made and nothing was found missing, but there was a letter in the dead wom­ an's hand. This being opened, was discovered to be a letter from Blanche to her mother, dead a long time before. It was as follows: MY DEAR AN!> GOOD MOTHER: This is to let you know that M. R. has asked me to marry him; as you are no longer here, I beg you will let me know in a dream, if I ought to marry him, and to give me your consent. In order to communicate with you I profit by the occasion of Mme. C., who is go­ ing to Heaven." This letter, which bore the super­ scription, "To my mother Josephine, who is in Heaven!" is truly a poena of ingenious piety. -^Baltimore BuUetiik ;-- % IT is claimed that 125,000 drii men have signed the pledge in since the 1st of September.