Highland Park Public Library Local Newspapers Site

McHenry Plaindealer (McHenry, IL), 5 Jul 1882, p. 6

The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

J ;-ffv THWTOLPTHl *T R*T*. BOON. _ the tale that WastoMtQBW, £ [ By a battered end shattered wnoItMupp*:;...... To me Mid my me»s!i>at<s silM • When I«m RUileJew yoang '^aSPwas too good ship GyaacotM, 4U> in the China MM, • JJKL :V Vlh tho wind a-iee »nd the capstan io catch the summer breeae. -;v ••5TWM C*])tain Porjrie on the deck, • Co bin mate in tbe mireen hatch, . the boatswain bad, In the for'ard hoH, Waa winding his larboard watoh. « * Oh how doe* our <joo<l clilp bud Bow heads our gallant craftT' *»Ob, the hearts to the E. 8. *. bf*., And the binnacle Jim abaftI' •••Oh, what does the quadrant Indict* ̂ AJHI how does the • extant stand F' «0I>, the Hextaiit'n down to tlie tn HI CG ycM| And the quadrant's lost a band I" •* 4Oh, and if the quadrant has lost akttd, And tbe sextant fa la ao low, (ft our boilies and bones to Davy foM . UTiig night are bound to go!' •••Oh, fly aloft to the garbosrd rtntel And reef the spanker boom; aid a studding gall on the martingale, To give her weather room. "**0 boat»wii!n, down In the Sorted hold, •What water do you And t' -fjhrnr foot and a ha.f by the royal gaft, And rather more behind!' om, co And each be aying pin; <JOU) ,̂ «lir your stamps, ar»d spike I Oi MORE will IN? coming IN I' •ttey stirred their stumps, they sptofl I They eplioed tbe mizz-a brace; Aloft and alow they worked, bat oh! The water gained i •Tbey bored a hole above Q To let the water out; Bit, strange to My, to their The water in did ipost * Then up spoke tbe oook of oar gallant atrip, '>nd be WAS a lubber brave: «|b»T® several WITBX in various porta, . And my life I'd orter save,' *t"her tip spoke tbe Captain «t mulNH ffho dearly loved his prog: •ttv awful to die and it's wono to b# dry, And % move'we piii/es grog.' *0h, then 'twas tbe noble Second Hal* That & led them all with awe; lie Second Mate, as all men hate, And cruel skippers ja ̂ ̂J took the anchor on hfepbaek ad leaped into the mainVi ongfa toam and stray hejNBTO hi! tV? tad Rank and rose again. rough foam and spray, * league awar " e bore; . .The anchor stout he ' ̂ jfo, safe at Int. be made it thai . "And warped the ship ashore. **Taln't much of a job to talk aboat, But a ticklish thing to fea, Atid rathin' to do, if I My it, too, For that Second Mate waa •» I" 8u:h was the tale that was told to me By that, modest and truthful son of tbe < And 1 envy the life of • Second Mate, Theugh Captains curse him and sailors *erhe ain't like some of the swabs I've Mia, A* would go and lie to a poor marine. AMY EVERETT. The weekly conoerts of the Beethoven CJlub were held in the largest hall in the eity, and, M the daily papers were al­ ways saying, " were attended by a large ana brilliant audience." They were Barely classical concerts, and those who and higher goals to seek than fashion or Mere recreation went to listen to the divine strains of the orchestra night «fter night, not always in gorgeous at­ tire, but with intense satisfaction in their faces. You will seldom find in any audience so many intellectual conn- fenances as were to be seen there on (fee happy occasions. • It is true that in some instances " he" Jsnt because " sh§ " went, and then, in ite of her inspiring presence, wished at he had not been so misguided, and Wondered why people would counten­ ance auy music but that of the comic i operas. And sometimes " she" weufc TCcause "he" went, and perhaps did not regret that she had lent her pres­ ence to the occasion, for there were other diversions beside the music. If the grave andante were too prolonged, „ the hall too hushed, she sought the con­ solation of her opera-glass, and found it all that she could desire. She watched bim to see that he did not gaze too often «pon tbe pretty girl in a white Gains­ borough hat, who sat just across the «aisle, looking neither to the right nor to "the left, but straight upward, and with rapt expression, as if she were listen- -Jog to the "choiring* of the young-eyed •cherubim," instead of the circle •#£ foreign-looking gentlemen who performed upon different instruments to '•he skillful play of the conductor's bat- «n. She discovered unexpected faces in note corners of the house, made men­ tal calculations on the toilets of her Neighbors and indulged in a t-ly flirtation With a young gentleman who occasional- If allowed Ms attention to be diverted "from the music to rest upon a pretty lace. And in some instances he or she %ent because there was nowhere else to • £o, and it was quite the thing to attend ' the Beethoven Club coccerts. But not for long did these mistaken souls haunt the scenes of these cl^M^i *81 nento. After one or two evenings oi boredom they disappeared, and like tho poet's springtime eame no more for* ever. Miss Amy Everett, who had just re­ turned from Europe, attended the con­ oerts regularly with her papa, a some­ what drowsy elderly gentleman, with a V «6ver© profile but a generally mild ex­ pression of countenance. Miss Amy waa a pure blonde with deep blue eyes, which were lovely aeen through the mist •of her long curling lashes, a grave and pensive but prettily curved and roey month, a long, grave chin, a serious and oomewhat stately brow, white as milk . and caressed by a ripple of very golden hair. Bat the nose turned playfully up- . wasd, seeming to laugh at the thoaeht- faFeyes, and to dart merry scorn at the I serious and haughty brow. Still the ef- 1 - "'""tect in general was exceedingly piquant and fascinating, and, though at a first tgbuwe you might say a rather peculiar Woking girl, you were pretty sure to look again and say what a very pretty .girl. She. did not onoe glance about her alter taking her neat in the hall, though , bar position in the center of the house was a favorable one for observation, and , the long intery&is of quiet slumber in­ dulged in by papa were conducive to extreme liberty of conscience. Having been several years from home, she had few acquaintances in her native city and Mad little curiosity concerning * the strangers who leveled their glances at . her from time to time. And then she was blessed with that absorbing but un­ critical love of music which is only com­ mon to poetical natures, and at the first note of the orchestra drifted off into a dream which remained unbroken to the _ end, and was only colored by the changes in *he music, now growing intense and vivid, now fading away into the airiest •hadow. *?}*£** ewnlng, though it was not y ®ntil the middle of the season, some- happened to detain her thoughts •m - V* B^ort wxatious moments from the '*!»'• enchantment of sweet sounds." Vv She was, as usual, dressed after a somewhat testhetio fashion. The atvla , * 1 •' Stilted her; the dull, faded hues accorded neeklace encircled her throat, and ore* her hands were drawn well-fitting kid gloves of a dull yellow, whose long wrists wrinkled delightfully after the latest modes. On her way to the hall she had called at the house of a friend, who presented her with a yellow rosebud, and this she carried lightly between her thumb and forefinger. The orchestra was perform­ ing some weird danoe music. There were strains in it which sounded like forests crackling in the wind, like the wild crashing of tempestuous seas. She listened, holding the flower in one hand, her head slightly on one side, with a sort of " to sweet woe do I cling" ex­ pression, and an air of breathless ab­ sorption. A young man who sat at the end of the row of the seats in front turned suddenly, and, regarding her for a mo­ ment, his first glance, which was one of surprise, changed into that of undis­ guised amusement. He had taken in the yellow flower, the limp attitude, the dreamy and melancholy expression of countenance, but he turned away before the girl had time to straighten herself into an attitude of proud defiance, aud to flash him a glance of her blue eyes, which would have at least surprised if it had not melted stone. " She is trying to look intense," he thought. " Fity so pretty a girl should give herself up to sucn absurdities. Dress, attitude and all verging on the setshetic. And what a die-away expres­ sion, though the musio is as inspiring as the north wind." But he was mistaken. She was not trying to look intense. In fact, she was as entirely unconscious of the appear­ ance she was presenting as it is possible for a young woman to be. She knew nothing of the reign ot the fe jthetics. She had just graduated from a convent school in Paris, from which the fashions of the gay world were excluded. She wore the dull, dark tints because they were recommended by her dressmaker, and because she liked them; she carried the flower in her hand because she en­ joyed its perfume. She held her head on one side because it was natural for her to do so. Perhaps it was swayed in that direction by the superior weight of some particular bump, as in the illustra­ tions of the phrenological journals. Then the music, if it was inspiring to the brisk- looking young man who criticised her, filled her with an indefinable melan­ choly, and seemed pathetic even in its most stirring passages. She vaguely remembered having no­ ticed him before, and, her head being crammed with classical studies, she had likened his profile, which was fine and clean-cut, to that of the statue of Apollo. He uttually read a newspaper if he chanced to be in his seat before the per­ formance of the evening commenced, and on one or two occasions was deeply engaged in writing on a sheet of paper which rested upon the cover of a pocket portfolio. But now, for the first time, she saw his full face, which, if she had been in a mood to be critical, would have been disappointing, for it was al­ together too broad to be poetical, though it was not altogether commonplace. There was something imposing about the brow, not perhaps on aocount of its shape, but its expression, which, to the most casual observer, was suggestive of deep thought and. perfect candor, and the eyes, which were very dark and deep might have impressed almost any young woman as Being eloquent, es­ pecially when their gaze was directed toward herself. But Miss Everett saw the flash of amusement in them when in th£ brief­ est of glances they met her own, and, believing that the amusement must be in some way connected with herself, though she was entirely unconscious of anything ridiculous in her appearance, she fairly quivered with indignation, and her enjoyment of the music was spoiled for that evening. She had forgotten that she had discerned in the profile of this impertinent young man a classical beauty, and thought, with scorn, that he must be a very common person, in­ deed. Bnt after this little episode he not in­ frequently turned to steal a glance at her. And these glances she either tried to ignore, assuming such an air of dig­ nity that her consciousness was evident, or returned with such an excess of haughty indifference that the young man's face was expressive of deep sur­ prise, and he seemed impelled to take another glance immediately to be sure that his eyes had not deceived him. Sometimes a flash of amusement ap­ peared in his glance again, but generally it was quiet and respectful enough, and given as if quite by accident, for he had been seized with a fancy to sit sidewise in his seat, so that her face came within the range of his eyes quite naturally. And after a time she found herself fol­ lowing his example in the matter of stolen glances, and was vexed with her­ self that her eyes would be such wan­ derers, and her thoughts would no longer remain within tne spell of the musio. She detested this impertinent neighbor, she was continually saying to herbelf, but, by some Btrange inconsistency she began to think of him a great deal during the intervals which elapsed between the concerts, indulging in various conjectures concerning his position in life, his occupation, his fam­ ily connections. And, what was more surprising still, made her toilet on those particular evenings with a view to his approval. She wondered which colors he most admired as she arranged some fresh pink roses at her corsage, and what style of beauty he preferred as she regarded herself in the mirror at the completion of one of those toilets to which she had hitherto given little or no thought [ beoombtqf oonsdons of bar surroundings, i Bnt he did not direct one more glanoe It was a festival night, the anniversary of the birth of one of the great compos­ ers. The concert hall was appropriately decorated with flowers. The "bronze bead of the eminent departed was encir­ cled by a laurel wreath. A brilliant crowd had assembled, and the warm perfumed atmosphere was filled with sentiment, languor sad ready-made .ro­ mance. Both Asay and the "gentleman in front," as sh© called him in her thoughts, were in their places earlier than usual. Amy, in a picturesque white bonnet, adorned with drooping plumes, and for an opera cloak a quaint and gorgeous mantle which had been sent to her from India by an artist cous­ in. " It was hardly the thing for so young a girl, but perfectly magnificent," was whispered bj feminine lips in the neighborhood, but it was evident that he approved. His eyes brightened a9 they glanoed over it and took in each splendid detail. Then the glance strayed to her head with a sort of pleased eager­ ness. But meeting her eyes he turned away quickly, and, producing a piece of note paper from his pocket, absorbed himself in writing thereon until the con­ ductor waved his baton. Amy's thoughts flew in all sorts of wild directions during the stately aym- phouy, and when the sweet-voiced singer toward h«r for the remainder of the evening, but kept his eyes fixed un­ waveringly upon the mnsioians while they played, and during the intervals between the musio still occupied himself with the mysterious writing, which, by the expression of his face, she judged to be important. When the oonoert was over, and the crowd was preparing to leave the hall, quite by aocident, Amy dropped her muff over the back of the seat by which she was standing, and it rolled to the feet of the young gentleman, who, with gloves and various other things in one and and hat in the other, was about leaving the hall. She colored deeply and stood looking after it, the image of vexation, while her father, quite oblivious of the mishap,was plaving the gallant to some ladies of his aoqu dutance. Tne young gentleman did not at first perceive that she had dropped anything, but, turning suddenly and noticing the direction of her gaze and her disturbed countenance, with a quick •' I beg your pardon," stooped and restored the muff to her. But the proceeding seemed to be attended with some difficulty on hjs part, as his hands were already overbur­ dened, and in his haste he had not thought to disburden them in order to perform the act more gracefully. He smiled slightly and with some embar> raasment as he acknowledged her bow of thanks, while she, for some indefinable reason, colored still more deeply, until the " red, red rose" was not to fee com­ pared to her lovely countenance in depth of bloom. But almost involunta­ rily she returned his smile, and for the space of a half moment or so, which seemed an hour, the two stood gazing , into each other's eyes with the airof Long- separated friends who are verging on a ' recognition. Then, drawing herself np with sudden dignity, Amy turned away, and, looking somewhat amused, 1m fol­ lowed her example and suddenly left the hall On her way home she discovered a bit of folded paper, tucked away in a little crease in the lining of her muff, which, upon investigation, proved to be a note written in a somewhat hasty and scrawly hand. She made haste to read it by the subdued and unromantic beams of the carriage lamp. It was a highly- dramatic and ardent declaration of love, commencing mysteriously, "Unknown beloved one," and signed "George," with a simple familiarity which was cal­ culated to produce surprise, whatever other emotions might be sleeping in the bosom. Her father, with his usual and exceedingly-convenient drowsiness, was oblivions to all things, leaning back upon the cushions, and the girl read the note over and over again, with pale cheeks and loudly-beating heart. Then her eyes caught sight of a familiar name written in a finer and more careful hand in one corner of the sheet, " Robert Walter, 25 street, London, En­ gland." It was the address of her own uncle, her mother's brother. "How delightful!" was her first thought. *' Did he know him?" Then an aucrry flush snooeeded the pallor in her cheeks. How dare he write to her in this strain? and she tore the paper into little bits and threw them energetically from the carriage window, but, watching them whirl away in the wind, she experienced a feeling of regret and a longing to re­ call them. She reached home in a state of un­ usual excitement. The whole world seemed to have been performing strange antics, and, like the old woman in Mother Goose, she said to herself, "This surely can't be I?" She had no young lady confidant with whom to confer upon such an amazing happening, and to be obliged to lock i such a secret in one's bosom was con- I ducive to madness. It9 presence changed the color of every moment, and made the commonplace days over into some­ thing Half sweet, half tragic, and it was the longest week that ever stretched from sea to shore, from workaday to holiday, from pain to pleasure, that stretched between those two recitals of the Beethoven Club. But the fatefnl night came at length, and with many deep resolutions to scornfully ignore it all, if he Bhould dare to gaze upon her, Amy went with her father to the hall, her head adorned with a new hat and new dignity, alsn. It was early when they arrived there, bat he was already in his seat, and, to Amy's consternation, directly he per­ ceived her, he arose, bowing with as much politeness as if he had never dreamed of writing her a love letter, or had ever gazed too frequently in the region where she sat. She involuntarily glanoed toward her father, but, as usual when not dozing, he was conversing with some acquaint­ ances who sat immediately behind, and affoivled her no protection whatever. " Will you permit me to inquire ?" he commenced politely ; but Amy's cheeks became so deathly pale that he paused in dismay, begging to be excused for troubling her. She took courage, lifting her head very high, and the oolor returned to her face in a crimson flood. " It is nothing," he stammered; bnt, quickly recovering his self-possession, he went on with some dignity, "only that thtough my awkwardness last Sat­ urday night I met with quite a serious loss--a scrap of paper, upon which was written the address of a gentleman in London, England. I thought that it might possibly have been left in your muff, as my hands were so full when I stooped to pick it up that I was obliged to hold it by passing one of these laden hands into the inside. It was very awk­ ward ifa me, and I sincerely beg your pardon for troubling you concerning it, but as I cannot recall the address, and know of no way to obtain it at present, I feel as if 1 must do so." Amy dropped her eyes and stood be­ fore him in the deepest oonfusion, utterly unable to speak for the space of half a moment. "What a dunce she had proved herself/' she thought. " So the ardent declaration of love WHS net ad­ dressed to her after all, and how could whioh he has in his possession is said te be perfect, and I most obtain the loan of Uus before I can go on with my work. I suppose he values it very highly, and if he had not been an old college chum of my father's I should hardly dare to ask snob a favor of him." "Indeed! May I inquire the name of your father? I was in the same class myself, and am always anxious to hear concerning all the boys who composed "Thornton, sir, Gilbert Thornton. He died last year while on a visit to New York." The excedingly mild and rather apa­ tite tio countenance of Mr. Sverett bright­ ened into the most beaming cordiality, and he shook the young man warmly by the hand. "Is it possible?" he exclaimed. "He was my great friend, also, and a better fellow never breathed. Did you ever hear him speak of WiH Everett? It pains me to hear of his death. I have lost sight of nearly all my old friencb, having lived abroad some years." Mr. Thornton was fortunate enough to be able to say with truth that he had often heard his father speak of " Will Everett," Then Mr. Everett introduced him to his daughter and invited the young man to visit him the next day, when he would give him the address of his brother-in-law in Home. 4 'And you must remain aad dine with us," said he, "for I have much to say to the son of my dear old friend." Mr. Thornton, with a radiant face, promised to come, saying that the loss of the address, whioh lie had regretted so much, was the happiest accident he had ever met with in his whole life. While Mr. Everett was adjusting his wraps with all the fussiness of a woman, he managed to speak a few words to Amy, who still presented a rather droop­ ing appear anoe. " You could not have believed that I should be so presuming as to address ' that absurd note to you, however much I might have wished to become ac­ quainted. It was addressed by the hero to the heroine of the ancient play on which I am at work, and I was merely altering the original *ext a trifle." She smiled rather guiltily, but was unable to utter a word. After this, " the impertinent young gentleman who sat on the front seat" took her father's ! place as escort to these weekly musical entertainments, a change much relished^ --^ j by all concerned, as Mr. Everett much Ereferred dozing by the library fire to stening to the divinest strains, and | the young people were never quite hap- 1 py unless together. There will be a ! wedding in the spring, and the bride I will probably hold her head on one side, | looking somewhat esthetic, whatever she may wear on this happy day. But I am sure that the groom will not find | fault, nor gaze upon her with any sus- ' picion of sarcasm in his fine eyes.-- ' Boston Courier. v weU with the pink flush on her cheek 1 stepped forward in her festival robes end the pate gold of her hair. To-night ! sang one of the immortal songs of «he wore a poke bonnet of tlie fashiomv- ' the master whose birthday was being green, and a gown of name tint celebrated she started violently. It wai i with severe plaina@asi a sUver t asif sho had been asleep Mid was just she dare suppose it to be so for one in­ stant ? What woul4 he think of her if he knew?" I did find a bit of paper in my muff whioh I could hardly aocount for," she managed to say at length. " I have not --I do not think I have it now, but the address was that of my uncle, Mr. Robert Walter, No. 25 street" " Indeed 1" exclaimed the gentleman, looking wonderfully well pleased as well surprised. it |$ut |ie goos to Rome this week to remain some months. I received a letter from him this morning," said Mr. Ever­ ett, who was always delighted to give information, and had turned to lend his attention to the case. " If you know Depths or Diving. With the diving dress great depths have been attained. Among the in­ stances rolated is that attending the re­ moval of the cargo of the ship Cape Horn that was wrecked on the coast of South America. It is said that a diver named Hooper made seven descents to a depth of 201 feet, and at one time re­ mained forty-two minutes, supposed, says Mr. Siebe, to be the greatest div­ ing feat ever achieved. Mr. Stevenson states that within his knowledge the greatest depth at which the diving dress was used m the open sea was in the Firth of Forth* A royal commission " on the operation of the acts relating to the trawling for herring on the coast of Scotland," resolved to obtain the her­ ring spawn from various portions of tlje exposed parts of the Firth, and this duty was successfully accomplished in depths of from fourteen to sixteen fathoms, from the deck of the Princess Royal cutter, under the command of Mr. Mac- donald. Treudenberg relates that in the repair of a pump in the Seharley Einc mines, in Silesia, two divers went down the pump well to a depth of eighty- five feet, remaining for periods varying from fifteen minutes to two hours. These are instances whioh come to us well authenticated, and must not be placed by the side ot or spoken in the same breath with the stories of the pearl-divers, or other half-mythical tra­ ditions, which are drawn out like a St. Louis census or a sentence of ex Secre­ tary EvartB. All diving work is done under an abnormal pressure, which in­ creases with the depth at which the diver is submerged in water. It is cal­ culated that this pressure, when he is submerged to the depth of thirty-three feet, is twice that of the normal superfi­ cial atmospheric pressure; and the pressure is proportionately increased at greater depths, and ultimately it be­ comes so great that life could not be maintained. Says Mr. Stevenson: "To descend even to the moderate depth of thirty or forty feet, which is about the maximum required for ordinary engin­ eering sea works, demands some prac­ tice and nerve on the part of the diver, but when greater depths have to be ex­ plored, in raising sunken vessels, for ; ©sample, the energy and power of en- 1 duriMice of the diver are much more severely taxed."--Chicago Inter Ocean. Keeping Food for Months. The more people reflect on Prof. Ba­ nff5 s discovery that by heating boracio acid with glycerine a compound was ob­ tained which keeps food perfectly sound and sweet for months, the greater will be their conception of the revolutionary character of boroglyceride. To begin with, the vast refrigerating vaults which have been constructed at Victoria docks, in which 4,300 "muttons" can be stored at one time, will be rendered useless and the demand- for refrigerators will suddenly cease. That, however, is one of the most trifling of the consequences of Prof. Banff's discovery. A sultry day will no longer be able to spoil " the har­ vest of the sea," and London and all tbe inland tjowns will for the first time be able to enjoy a constant supply of cheap fresh fish. The revolution will fall the heaviest on farmers. Mutton is a penny a pound in New South Wales, and beef 3 half-pence a pound in Texas. If Dev­ onshire cream can be delivered in Zan­ zibar as fresh as when it left the English dairy, the one great element which has hitherto favored the British agriculturist in his struggle against foreign competi­ tion will disappear. Rents will fall once more, and the reluctance of the Irish tenant to purchase his holding will be greater than ever. Prof. Bariff may yet figure in history as the revolutionist who administered the coup de grace to the ancient landed system of Great Britain. --Pall Mall Gazette. AGRICULTURAL. ̂ *' AVewBreeAof Swine. A. writer on swine says of the Jersey reds, a comparatively new breed of swine : " The most notable qualities of the Jersey red are healthfulness and do­ cility. It was these traits that induced me to try them, preferring, like others, a hog not so liable to cholera, even if not so handsome as some breeds. They are also very easily cared for in conse­ quence of their remarkable docility--a trait which seems to show that they are descendants of a breed well carecf tor. Their fecundity is also remarkable. Lit­ ters are rarely below ten pigs in number. Practical farmers who have tried them for crossing are much pleased with them for this purpose. One Jersey farmer has raised and slaughtered during the past 16 years 363 hogs about 21 months old, that have aveaged 538 pounds dressed weight. One crop of eighteen killed during the past winter, of about the same age, averaged 728 pounds, and pigs 9 months old weigh 300 to 375 pounds. They fatten at any age and have strong constitutions. They are like the Poland-Ohina, an American breed." Shade for Fowl*. Where fowls have free range of course they can find shade somewhere, but when confined to yards that are destitute of bushes you must provide some shel­ ter from the burning rays of the mid­ summer sun. Of course they can go into their house, but then they don't like to; thev want some shady place out of doors where they can loaf and wal­ low in the dust, and talk over affairs. The proper thing for shade in a poultry yarn is a currant bush. There is noth­ ing better than a big currant bush, ex­ cept a whole row of them. When a hen can wallow in the dust under the cur­ rant. bushes, reach up and pick the green currants, or the ripe ones, she is just as happy as she ever expects to be in this world. So we advise you to set out cur­ rant bushes this fall or next spring; but while you are waiting for the bushes put up a cheap, open shed of almost any old refuse lumber that you may happen to have on hand. About the quickest way to grow shade in a poultry yard is to plant a lot of artichokes; if you put them in thick enough the stalks and leaves will when grown furnish a dense shade. What Fanoy Farmers Have Done. They tested theories while others raised crops for market; they have given a glory to farming it otherwise would not possess. Fancy farmers have changed the wild hog into the Suffolk and Berk­ shire, the wild cattle of Britain into shorthorns, the mountain sheep, with its lean body and hair fleece, into the South­ down and Merino. They brought up the milk of cows from pints to gallons. They have lengthened the sirloin of the bul­ lock, enlarged the ham of the hog, given strength to the shoulder of the ox, ren­ dered finer the wool of the sheep, added fleetness to the horse and made more beautiful every animal that is kept in the service of man. They have improved and hastened the development of all do­ mestic animals until they scarcely re­ semble'the ones from which they sprang. Fancy farmers introduced irrigation and underdrawing; also grinding and cooking for stock. They have brought guano from Peru and nitrate of soda from Chtti. They introduced and domes­ ticated - all the plants we now have of foreign origin. They brought out the theory of the rotation of crops as a natural means of keeping up and increasing the fertility of the soil. They ground up gypsum and bones, and treated the latter with acid to make manures of peculiar value. They first analyzed soil as a means of determining what was wanted to increase its fertility. They introduced the most improved methods of raising and distributing water. Fancy farmers or fancy horti­ culturists have given us all our varieties of fruits, vegetables and flowers. A fancy farmer in Vermont a few years ago originated the Early Rose potato, wliich added millions of dollars to the wealth of the country, and proved a most important accession in every part of the world where introduced. An­ other of these same men originated the Wilson strawberry and another the Concord grape. But it is unnecessary to enumerate ; any one who will take the trouble to investigate a little or reflect, will readily see and will cheer­ fully accord the praise that is justly due to the men who are called "fancy farmers."--San Francisco Chronicle. plnmp in the middle, is grown in Russia. I'he idea of frmale loveliness prevailing in the hpart of the Russian peasant is inseparable from a certain rotundity of ffgure; hence to say that a woman is "as plump as a cucumber" is consid­ ered a tender and graceful compliment. We fear our belles would consider this a very cool compliment DOMESTIC ECOITOXY. F THB Amalgamated Association of Iron ^ and Steel Workers shows that this body anything of my brother-in-law, you are has 80,000 members in the United States, R A D . I EN/1 TVMT *• 5 a AP/*HFRAIAR) F K A A A'N * -- probably aware that he is an antiquarian, wid goes about collecting all sorts of cu­ riosities." " Yes, certainly, I am reconstructing a very old play, of which there are sup­ posed te be only two copies ii existence. Tfe© oae which I have succeeded in ob- and that its actions "govern the affairs of over 700,0(10 people engaged in the various iron industries." | faMasag has lost mmy leave* ; tbe one i THE? have now got the sun's distance from the earth at 93,100,000 miles. It is really half a mile more, but astrono- > mers are net swinish in . their oaloula- Horaeshoeing, Some affirm that there ia no neoessity for shoeing horses under any circum­ stances, but it cannot be avoided in many cases. Horses cannot work on stone pavements, nor on icy roads with­ out being shod. There is no doubt that farm horses are shod more than is neeii - ed. On most farms very little attention is paid to the care of horses' feet. The dry plank floors of most stables are in­ jurious to feet, having a tendency to make them dry and brittle, instead of tough and elastic as they should be, whether they go without shoeing or not. Earth floors are much the best for the feet, and stone or cement are better than plank. There is much difference in horses, some having flat, brittle hoofs,that will break off and keep them tender- footed even while colts in the pasture, and others have tough hoofs that will bear a great amount of wear without shoeing. If those that ^re brittle are kept properly trimmed they will not be so liable to break, and if they are kept moist and do not stand on bard dry floors th^ year round they will often improve. The expense of shoeing and the injury that is liable to be doce to the feet by ig­ norant smiths, render it advisable to do all that is possible to prevent the neoessity for shoeing ; but some attention is need­ ed. If the colt is not shod from the be­ ginning he will get along without shoes much better than if he is shod at first, and afterward made to go without. Farm horses that go on the road but little and are kept at slow work w 11 do without shoeing, but for driving on the road th«re are few horses and few roads that will enable them to go without shoes. A horse shoer should be more than a good mechanic. He should understand the anatomy of the horse's foot and be able to apply his knowledge in the construc­ tion and fitting of shoes t.» each indi­ vidual horse or foot; adapting the shoe to the hoof and to the work the horse has to do, and not try to make every hoof work to the same style of shoe and fast­ ened in the same manner. Every black­ smith now is a horseshoer whether he knows anything about a horse or not, but the time should come speedily when horse owners shall demand for horse­ shoeing men of Bkill in that branch, those who have mastered some of the principles involved and who understand their business.- It is crueltv to the horse and loss to the owner to have shoeing poorly done, and it rests entirely with owners and drivers whether it. ffcaii be so or not.--Detroit Pott. The Russian Cucumber. A recent traveler relates thnt a'pecul* iar kind of cucumber^ very short, and HTH AJTD POIST. , f lattnrs Making Ohiistrti-- pie. THB moon, like MOM men. Is bright* est when it is full. , J:; , AN American President's pay-- 000 a year and bored. • % \ MIKING ̂ projects are out of fafer. People are sick of the hole business.* WK always have our suspicions man who invariably takes his soda from the other side of the fountain. THIS country has over 12,000 bicycles, and you're mighty safe, young man, in taking the daughter of a court-plaster maker for an heiress. IT was Sidney Smith who retorted upon some one who had called him an everyday man: " Well, if I am an every­ day man, yen are a weak one.?' "I GUESS dad wishes he'd die and go to heaven," said a miser's son to his ma­ ternal parent. " Why so? " she asked, upon recovering from the astonishment. " Oh, 'cause heaven's such a cheap place to live in." "FATHER! When a hen sets on "in "" egg three weeks and it don't hatch, is the egg spoiled?" "As an article of diet the egg is thenceforward a failure; but as a species of testimonial it is strikingly aromatic and expressive." "WHAT are your amusements Hii* spring?" asked a country cousin of her city cousin whom she had come up to visit for a few days. "Showingmy house to idle people who pretend they want to buy it," replied the city cousin, sweetly. ^ ! SOME of the new hats and bonnets are as large as parasols ; others no bigger than a saucer, and others still are of medium size. The big ones are intended for the theater; the small ones far wear in the sun. That's the way women al» ways arrange it.--Boston Post. IT is all very well to admire a pretty girl in a seal- skin sacque ; but when one of these charmingly attired and attrac­ tive-looking demoiselles is heard to blurt out, as was heard in a famous taria-cotta establishment the oflier day, " Oh, ma, ain't them terra-firma ornaments just lovely ?" one's faith is shattered. AN Austin father complained bitteiiy of the way his children destroyed their clothing. He said: "When I was a boy 1 only had one suit of clothes, and I had « to take care of it I was only allowed one pair of shoes a year in those days." There was a pause, and then the oldest boy spoke up and said: " I say, dad, you have a much easier time of it now -- you are living with us." -- Texa* Siftinga. THB truth of the following story ia vouched for by a clergyman: A good old ladv, speaking in prayer meeting and giving expression to the joy and confi­ dence she felt, said, " I feel as if I was ready, this minute, to fall into the arms of Beelzebub." "Abraham ! You mean Abraham !" hastily corrected a brother sitting near. " Well, Abraham, then," was the response; "it don't make any difference. They're both good men 1" AN Austin Sunday-sohool teacher waa examining hjs class as to their Biblical knowledge. " Who was it that betrayed his Master?" First boy--"Abraham betrayed his Master." "That's not right. Next!" Second boy--" It waa Judas Iscariot that betrayed his Master." "That was right." A good little boy looked reproach inlly at the teacher and. said: "I am going to tell my ma you aay it was right for Judas to betray hie Master."--Texas Sittings. IN THE IiEGISIiATUBB. Then row up Btntth, of i'ionda, tat beat At tba In baters. And spoke about the mearure (or protecting alliga­ tors ; He showed bow tourists shot at them without regard for reason. And irked to have It made • crime to kill them oat of Benson. Then Brown, he moved amendment by Inserting a brief clause, Compelling alligators not to operate their Jaws; But Smith, lie up and Bald to him, who thought th* subject comical, That nature, when she gave him sense, had been too • eoonomicaL And Brown, responding briefly, wished to si), tn tliin connection, That Smitli, ia guarding reptiles, had an eye to self- protection. Then Smith, he flung a volume of the Menage and Reports, And Biown was laid upon the floor a good deal out of sorts. " WHY, of course you want a tele­ phone put in your house," said the can­ vasser to the business man; "it will be so handy when your wife wants to talk to you. " There," exclaimed the busi­ ness man, picking up a stool, "thatwill do. I listened to you when you urged the point that I could order provisions from the butcher; and I looked with fa­ vor on your representations that it would afford unequaled facilities for ordering - .... , , . , , in the beer; but when you tell me that the mditary expeditions of which have j ^ only rest j „et during the day is go- been most carefully observed by the nat- ^ to ^ busted into through the medi- uralists of our time. They are so fre- n£oi ft galvanized tin pipe, then it ia quent that one may enjoy the eight of you were breathing your atmos- them any fine day during the summer here* into other ears. You may make season. Ruber says that the excursions yOUrseif ieBS adjacent, young man." He of these wairior tribes have only one ob- j^ade. Detroit Free Prew. ject--that of carrying off ' ante, so to speak, in their swaddling-clothes, from the midst of a laborious people, and con­ verting them into slaves who will work for them. When the Amazon takes the field in order to capture slaves, and especially the miner* £hts, of which it generally makes use, it goes about its work in a very orderly way. The excursion al­ ways begins when night is drawing on. When they have issued from their abode, the Amazons array themselves in serried columns, and their army takes its way to the ant's nest whioh it is about to de­ spoil. In vain do the warriors seek to bar the entrance; in spite of all such ef­ forts the others penetrate into the very heart of the plaoe, and pry into all the compartments in order to choose their victims, the larvte and nymphs, this lat­ ter being the name given to the larvae after they have spun their cocoons, whence they are to emerge perfect in­ sects. The workers which oppose these raids are simply thrown down; they are not made prisoners, because they would adapt themselves with difficulty to the yoke ; the assailants want only young individuals which they can mold to their will. When the place is com­ pletely sacked, each conquerer takes a nymph or larvae delicately between ite teeth and prepares to return. Those who can not find nymphs or larvse carry off the mutilated dead bodies of their enemies in order to feed on them. Then the whole army, la 'en with booty, and sometimes stretching out in a line of 150 feet in length, triumphantly regains its city in the same order as at its depart­ ure. A-Jioon as t'ie young ant', torn from their homes, reach the aboue of their spoilers, the slaves already there lavish the most attentive care upon them, they BTICKT FZ.T-PAPBB.--This maybe pre­ pared by applying to stiff paper a th*n layer of the following mixture, previ­ ously melted together and liquefied by a gentle heat: Resin, 100 parts ; turpen­ tine or Burgundy pitch, 50 parts ; rape- seed oil or linseed oil, 65 parts. WELSH RARKBIT.--Stir together in a saucepan over the fire one-quarter of a pound of grated cheese,two table-spoon- fuls of butter, a quarter of a teaspoon- ful each of salt, dry mustard and pepper, with a dust of cayenne, pour these on a a large slice of buttered toast and serve at once. • To CLEAN AND Rirvrva POMSHKDFCTB- NrruBK.--A piano-maker gives the fol­ lowing directions for removing finger­ marks from and restoring luster to high­ ly-polished but much-defaced furniture: Wash off .he finger-marks with a cloth .--or, bettei, a chamois skin--wet with cold watei; then rub the surface with nice Bweet oil, mixed with half its quan­ tity of turpentine. A liberal rubbing with a very small quantity of this mixt­ ure will reward your labor. THE way in which grease is devoured by Americana is {gradually devouring them. In nothing is it considered more indispensible than in the flaky biscuit with which good housekeepers pride themselves on poisoning their guests. To make biscuits whose flaky snowiness cast theirs into shadow, make yoUrs in this way: One pint of flour finely sieved, two teaspoonfulB of baking pow­ der and milk or water sufficient for paste; roll and out rapidly; bake in quick oven. CLEANING HAIR • BRUSHES.--Many handsome hair brushes are spoiled by careless washing. Try the following plan : Comb out the brush ; have ready a basin of warm water which has a ta- ble-spoonful of ammonia in it. With the face downward, dip in the brush, but do not let the water touch the wood or ivory back ; then rub the bristles with a little soap, and wave the brush to and fro through the fluid; when cleansed, dip it into cold water ; afterward shake, rub the frame, and let the bristles dry in the air or in a warm room, but not be­ fore the fire, lest the back should warp or become unglued. BEAN SOUP.--Pick over one pint of dried beans and wash them in cold water ; peel and slice an onion, put in a saucepan and fry it brown, with a table- spoonful of drippings ; ham or bacon- fat preferable. . When brown, put the beans in with the onion, pour on three quarts of cold water, and boil slowly ; every fifteen minutes add one cup of cold water until a quart has been used ; mix one table-spoonful each of flour and but­ ter to smooth paste, and fry some half- inch bits of stale bread with a little but­ ter. As soon as the beans are soft put them through a sieve with a potato masher; put them again in the sauce- {>an with their broth, stir in the paste, et the soup boil once, and serve with the fried brean in it. Remarkable Insects. Throughout the whole insect kingdom it is surprising to find such ardent pas­ sions in fragile little creatures. This is peculiarly so with the ants, which dis­ play more intelligence and system in their wars and predatory excursions than any other members of the insect tribes, and in all their habits, indeed, indicate what more nearly approaches reasoning than can be discovered elsewhere, except, perhaps, in the honey-bee. The slave- making instinct is so strongly developed in certain species that a race of zealous servants becomes actually indispensable to their existence, and, in order to pro­ cure these slaves, they act like shame­ less pirates. It has been for a long time remarked that certain ants carry others in their mouths during their travels, but noone discovered it till Pierre Huber, an enthusiastic Swiss naturalist,, solved the problem. He discovered that these ex­ peditions were regular slave raids carried out in the interests of the ant commun­ ity, and executed by main force. These small filibusters do-not go into the mar- | kets to sell their captives by auction, but, like pleasure-loving tyrants that they are, keep them in rrder to impose all household duties on them. At the head of these daring slave-mak­ ers we must put the red ant, or Amazon, JL T. Stewart's Charity Failure. Mr. Stewart was a very gifted shop­ keeper, whoss rare talent in a single line gave him both fame and wealth. Bnt ne knew as little of charity as he • oared for it; and when he came, at the close of his life, to attempt something in that direction, he blundered with a facility and self-confidenoe with ought to be enduringly instructive. It had been urged upon him that he owed something to the working-girls who had done so much to build up his fortune; and so, tardily and ignorantly, he set about a scheme in their behalf. He built a huge structure, capable of housing a thousand people. Every feature of this structure, in view of the purpose for which it waa designed, was a glaring incongruity-- and then, when he had completed it, he condescended to ask the counsel of ex­ perts as to carrying his scheme into gractical -execution. He was informed y those whose counsel he ought long before to have sought that the vea*y character of his building prohibited it from being useful. He was shown that to assemble 1,000 young women under one roof in a working-woman's house was to necessitate one of two things: either a police so vigilant and m intru­ sive as to be to any decent girl intoler­ able, or else a laxity so provocative of evil as almost to guarantee it. He waa shown that he ought to have built a series of small houses, each with a matron or housekeeper of ite own, each to contain a dozen girls, at most, where the surveillance could have been constant without being obtrusive, and where something like domesticity would have made a home in name a home in , , Af . - - i f®ct But Mr. Stewart believed eupreme- give them food, cleanse them, and warm ly in Mr. Stewart. Successful men gen- their chilled bodies.-- A World of erally believe in themselves. He showed Wonders. I ^ hi5 architecture, which waa -- • j hideous, where it might as easily have A WBITBH in a London paper says that been graceful and pleasing. He showed the number of sailing ships whioh crowd it in his charitable plans, to which he the docks on either side the Thames gave but little thought, and in which he must prove a real surprise to those who chose to be sufficient to himaalf And think it is all s*eam nowadays. "Let so his great wealth lias resulted in no no in-shore dweller flatter himself that service to his fellow-townspeople and In the sailing vessel ia •very nearly extinct. , aoanty honor to his memory. She may have one leg in the grave, but It is a story whioh may profitably be the other seems to ma still to possess an . read by other rion men.--Oentury Maa- astoniahingamounto£ animation." iosfoe. V \ tAa V. -

Powered by / Alimenté par VITA Toolkit
Privacy Policy