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. W l . ' • m mm ip» Uitindcaltr > J. VAN StYKi. ESNl 4 1 i £ ft TVIcHENRY, ILLINOIS. DURING the last two or three year? the moral condition of Boston has de­ graded rapidly. Such is the assertion of the Congregational ist, which speci­ fies that gambling hells, liquor saloons, and other bad resorts have multiplied swiftly, and have carried on their work -of corruption and ruin with shameless and increasing boldness. A SAN Francisco showman is adver­ tising a troupe of educated flies. As the warm weather approaches the fly becomes an object of interest^ and will no doubt command attention when all others of the performing fraternity are taking a holiday. If the fly can be -educated to keep out of the victuals and off bald heads that is about all the public will ask of him. THESE are no snakes in Ireland, but the eel makes up for any deficiency in this TAtrarvl Tfc ia A cnmmnn thing to -catch eels in Ireland ten feet long, and •as big round as a man's thigh. They American house, as now constructed bill in hand, L- is pointed out that tho last time the Manx Legislature had be­ fore it the question of Parliamentary re­ form it dealt with the question of fe­ male suffera^e as well. In 1881 the House of Keys passed a bill which con ferred the same electoral privilege3 on women as on men. But, enlightened as it is in other respects, man still groans under an Upper Chamber; and that body refused to pass the bill in its entirety, and only allowed £4'owner­ ship qualification to give the vote tc women. However, even this ii . aome. thing. CAPTAIN WALTER MORGAN, of the steamship Assyrian Monarch, which runs between London and New York, having married a beautiful Britisher has taken up his abode in London. The Yankee skippers boyhood home was built sometime during the Eighteenth century, and in youth he had an oppor­ tunity to study Colonial architecture: but now he lives in a house three hun­ dred years old. In those far-away days when an Englishman built a house, he did not intend to have it blown down, shaken down or wear out. The pre- viiliag American idea is less substantia? and less creditable. The idea of an SUGGESTIONS OF VALUE. ALL FOR BLAINE. are found only in the deepest water, where they lurk under the rocks. When •one is caught he lashes around like a boa constrictor, and if he gets a man's loot into his mouth he will not let go until his head is cut off. 8. K. BOLTON writes in the New York Independent: "Great numbers of Postoflices in England are managed by women. I said to one in London,' You manage by this as well as a man.* 'We are said to do it better,'she replied, 'be­ cause, people say, we are quicker and more patient.' All through Norway and Sweden women's names are often -on the business signs. They are most efficient in some of the Stockholm banks. In one provincial town a wo­ man is manager of the State Savings Bank." THERE is a story current of a quarter­ master at a frontier reservation post "who alter many fruitless applications for additional food for the Indians at the agency, at last put in a requisition for a Gatling gun. The commanding -officer forwarded the application with this indorsement: "In my opinion the Indians at this agency are starving to death, and I recommend that a Gatling gun be sent to compel them to starve peaceably." The gun was sent, so the story goes, and the Indians are now -starving peaceably. LADY BuRDETT-CotfTTS has succeeded :in making the goat-farm popular in England, and we observe that a Texan has established a goat-herd near a Tex- -as town and proposes to supply the people with goat milk. He may be as successful as the Baroness if he con. tinues himself to milk, but the goat as a butter animal can never be made pop­ ular. The Baroness' goats have not "been bred for butter, as she has an in- •oome which relieves her from any anx­ iety about the common necessaries of life, but the Texas man evidently hopes to make his bread and-butter out of them. IN Ireland it is common for one per­ son to put spells on another, and to in­ fluence those at a great distance ; thus, ~if any of the friends or children .be traveling on Friday, the Irish mother <does not brush or eomb her hair that -day, cr else they would surely wander and lose their way. Some people do siot wash on Friday as a cure for tooth­ ache, and many wear little bits of fold­ ed paper sewn in their clothes as charms against the same aflMction. There are charms and spells for other illtfesses, and half the old women wear blessed rings of brass to preserve them from rheumatism. THERE are now 314 cotton mills in the Southern States, having 1,276,432 spin- •dles and 24,873 looms, while at the time the census was taken in> 1880, the Soujth had only 180 mills, with 713,989 vpindles and 15,222 looms. The largest increase in the number of mills was made in North Carolina, where a gain Of forty-three mills and 110;595 spindles is exhibited, while Georgia made an in­ crease of 169,156 spindles and twenty- two mills. In 1880 the value of the manufactured cotton produced at the South was a little over $21,000,000, whilo in 1883 the value bad risen to be- Ween $35,000,000 and $40,000,000. Dur­ ing three years and a half about $20,- 000,OoO has been invested by new and <ild Southern cotton mills in machinery. ID. CHEVALLER, a native of Switzer­ land, aged 66, when, recently on board a steamboat on tho Lake of Geneva, en­ gaged to indicate to the crowd around him the lapse of a quarter of an hour, or as many minutes or seconds as any one chose to name, and further, to indi­ cate by the voice the moment the hand gassed over the quarter minutes or half (ninutes or any other subdivision stipu­ lated. This he did w ithout mistake in the midst of a diversified conversation. He acquired by imitation and patience » movement which neither thought nor labor nor anything can stop. It is similar to that of a pendulum, which at each motion of going and returning gives him the space of three seconds, so that twenty of them make a minute, these he adds to others continuously. withstanding elemental wear for a hun­ dred years is preposterous, and when three hundred years as the limit ol duration is mentioned, the proposition is treated as the raging of a lunatic. THE Isle of Man, says the St James Gazette, ought to be more correctly styled the Tfile of Woman, f-ince it is Only in the kingdom of Manxmen that - the claims of women are properly recog­ nized. By way of precedent to the Government which has the franchise A NUMBER of young English nobles, including the Earl ot' Mayo and Lord Ronald Gower, have been hunting wild elephants in the Terai, a forest pre­ served for the purpose at the foot of the Himalayas. When the hunters have found a herd \of a hundred or so of wild elephants, 200 coolies are tele­ graphed for to do the "beating." They surround the herd, and, by gradually narrowing the circle and making all sorts of frightful noises, frighten the elephants into a narrow space in the center, where a stockade lias been built and an intrencliment dug, so that they cannot get away. The difficulty is in getting the elephants tied down, as they are very wild and dangerous a4 first. The hunting party have about fifty tame elephants with them, and these play a prominent part in forcibly civilizing ~ their wild brethren. The poor coolies often get killed in this work, and are always reluctant to go. HAPPY is the man these days, says the Springfield Republican, who holds no stocks in railroads, car companies, banks, and other transitory enterprises of this fleeting world. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," said the Savior, looking down serenely from the hill on the humble people of the world around him, and on the earth, the enjoyment of which was their sure possession. Quite likely he uttered those words in the spring time, certainly in some open season when multitudes could follow him and listen to outdoor teaching. There is a wealth of comfort and even of luxury in enjoy­ ing the freshness of spr'ng, its familiar but ever mysterious development and its clothing on of nature. Those who thus "inherit the earth" can afford to be indifferent to anything more than a fair competence, a comfortable liveli­ hood, from the money counters of the world. Many who are far from humble in circumstances are so cumbered with the cares of the world and crusted over with sated appetites that they have a very pitiful share in the inheritance ol the simple pleasures of life. A happy home, in modest circumstances and sen­ sibilities, alive to all the innocent de* lights of life, are more comforting to the hearts of men than any amount oi fortune-chasing amid the vicissitudes of Wall street Newspapers. According to Fosbroke, Plutarch notes country people were very busy in inquiring into tlieir neighbors' at!airs. . he inhabitants of cities thronged the court and other public places, as the Exchange and Quays, to hear the news. The old Gauls were very great news­ mongers; so much so, says Caesar, that they even stopped travelers on this ac­ count, who deceived them, and thus brought error into their counsels. Ro­ man women for deluges, earthquakes, etc., as now, for wonders and private matters. Merchants and purveyors of corn, as now stock jobbers, used to in­ vent false news for interested purposes, it was not uncommon to put the bearers of bad news to death. In the middle ages pilgrims and persons attending fairs were grand sources of conveying intelligence. Blacksmith's shops her­ mitages, etc., were other resorts for this purpose, in common with the mill and market Great families used to pay persons in large cities for letters ot' news. In London, as St. Paul's Church was the great place of advertising, so it was also for news. In Nichols' Pro­ gress, a gentleman says "that his lackey had not walked twenty paces in t'awles, before he heard that sundry friends of his master had taken leave at oourt and were all shipped away." Ser­ vants were sent there on purpose to fetch news. Of the introduction of newspapers by the Gazetla of Venice everybody has read. Herbert calls the 'Siege of Rhodes,' by Caxton, "the an- tientest Gazette in our language;" but to prevent the mischief of false alarms through the Spanish Armando, the first newspaper, styled 'The English Herein a,' then, as afterwards, in the shape of a pamplet, appeared in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. ,A Singular Meeting!. Two gentlemen meet in the depot in Austin and engage in conversation. "I have seen yon somewhere, but I am in the dark as to where it was." "Well, I have a dim re-ollection of having" seen you, too, somewhere." "If one,of yon was in the dark and the other has only a dim recollection, 1 think, perhaps, you must have passed each other in the cars, in a railroad tunnel some years ago," observed a third party who was present.--Texas Siftings. • Oxalic acid will almost always re­ move stains lest by mud which cannot be removed by soap and water. A pretty cover for the table in your bedroom is made by using one of the large lace tidies or pillow covers that may be bought for a very small sum. It will be improved by lining. It costs less than a nice towel, and will keep clean longer as the dust may be shaken from it. -- ii. . , _ f A! . n ._ „ _ ja u pumjr vao *u ui tue cva»rf auu to destroy parasitical growth, a Ger­ man authority says: 'Put some roll brimestone into a pan, set fire to it, elose the doors and windows as tight as possible for two or three hours; repeat this inexpensive operation every three months." Knives with ivory handles which may become loosened or have fallen out en­ tirely can be cemented at home, and with small expense by using this cement: Take four parts of rosin, one part of beeswax and one part of plaster of Paris; fill the hole in the handle with the cement, then heat the steel of the handle and press it firmly| into the cement ARTICLES of a delicate blue that must be washed are often ruined in the pro­ cess ; this may be avoided by adding an ounce of sugar of lead to a pailful of water, and letting the article lie in this iu uGut uuu a half or svGu for two hours; let it dry then, after which it may be washed without injury. This is said to be a perfect remedy for the trouble referred to. To GET the full flavor of dried or evaporated peaches they should first be allowed to soak for at least three hours, then cook them slowly; when they are almost done add the sugar, then set tht-m away and let them get per­ fectly cold. If not used until the second day they will be still better, as tliev will absorb the sugar and be much richer apparently. If for use in pud­ dings treat in this way also, as it will repay you for taking thought. Use the juice in the pudding sauce. NERVOUS children who toss and turn, and cry out that they can not go to sleep, may sometimes be quieted by having their feet rubbed vigorously with a flesh brush. A warm bath will sometimes be effectual, but generally it does not conduce to quiet as much as weaken. See that the room and the bed also lias been thoroughly aired and is properly ventilated. A1J study in tho evening should be forbidden to such a child, and after adjusting the physical appliances which tend to sleep, tell him to picture to himself a little winding brook, off in the deep woods, carrying upon it a leaf or a chip. Or after reading that lovely story of Hans Anderson, tell him to think of Ole Luk- Oie's gay umbrella which he spreads over the heads of good children, and upon which is painted their happy dreams. The Audacious Bismarck. Busch's life of Bismarck contains tho following amusing account of the man­ ner in which the Prince treated tho Australian President at Frankfort who monopo'ized the privilege of smoking. It is from Bismarck himself. I 'asked about the famous cigar incident. " Which one do you mean?" '"That in which your Excellency, finding Rechberg smoking, lit up a cigar too " "You mean Thun. Yes; that was a simple matter enough. He asked me to wait a minute. 1 did w ait some time. When I began to feel bored, however, as he did not offer me a cigar, I took one out of my pocket and asked him for a light, which he gave me with astonishment depicted upon his countenance. Bui there is another storv of the same sort. At the sittings of the Military Commit­ tee, when Rochow represented Prussir. at the Federal Diet, Austria smoked alone. Rochow, who was an inveterate smoker, would have gladly done the same, but did not dare to. When I ar­ rived, seeing no reason to the contrary, I asked the presiding power to oblige me with a light. This re juest was ap­ parently regarded by the chairman and the other gentlemen with amazement nnd displeasure. Obviously, it was an event As matters then stood, only |Austriu and Prussia smoked. Bat the ^others considered it a question of such importance that they reported upon it •to their respective governments. Some­ body must have written to Berlin about Jt, too; for an inquiry reached me from his late Majesty, who was not a smoker, and probably did not find the occur­ rence to his taste. The incident called for serious consideration at the smaller courts, and six months elapsed, during which only the two great powers smoked. Then Schrenkli, the Bavarian, began to vindicate the dignity of his position by smoking. Nostitz, the Saxon, had doubtless a great mind to do as much, but had not received permission from his Minister. When, however, at the next sitting, he saw the Hanoverian, Rothmes, light up, he must have come to some arrangement with Rechberg (Nostitz was under Australian influence, having two sons in the Imperial Army), for he took a cigar out of his case and puffed away vigorously. The onlv ones left were the Wurtemburger and Darin- staedter, neither of whom smoked. But the honor and importance of their States imperatively required that they should smoke, and so the next time the Wurtemberger (Von Reinhardt) also produced a weed--I think I see it now, a long, thin, pale yellow thing, the color of rye straw--and smoked it with sullen determination half through, as a burnt sacrifice for his Suabian fatherland. I he only one who altogether refrained from tobacco was the representative of Hesse-Darmstadt." His Supporters Will the Bast, the West, and the South, And Elect Him Despite the Opposition '"H Bolters, Cartoonists, or Pharisees. Them Will Bolldosing aai Ballet-Box titofiag Be Dangerous an* « ~ -# Unpopular. The E'eratsr. The person that first put an elevator into high structure, so as to save pass­ engers tie labor of walking up many steps of stairs, little dreamed of the important results that have followed the adoption of that expedient. It has practically revolutionized the domestic and business architecture of large cities. In New York there are literally hun- ireds of high buildings accommodating thousands of persons, although the apartment and office buildings are a thing of ye-tfirday. In this city there are scores of dwellings between 140 and 100 fret in he if lit. The lower part of New York has a number of enormous structures filled with offices luxurious- y furnished The occupants of the up­ per floors prefer thtan to those nearer the surface of the earth. The air, they tidnk, is purer, and there are fewer innoyr.nces. while tho elevator is a swift and pleasant means of communi­ cation.-- Demorest's Monthly. The Babies <<o On Forever. , "There is cne thing about babies" -.aid a recent traveler, "'they never •hango. We have girls of the period nen of the world; but the baby is the ame self-possessed, fearless, laughing, voracious little heathen in all ages and .a all ooun ti ies.--Exchange. TATTOO. The warning "tattoo" sounds within The I>en»ocratic camps „ Its notice that mnst cease the din And be put out the lamps. - Each scowls in dread, for well be knows ; What darkness o'er enwraps \ v'~ , Their hungry camp when sound the blew* ' That voice the hateful "taps." They dread the haunting nightmare dreams. Borne of a hopeless quest. That come with shastly, golden dreams Throughout a four years' rest. In which they lie, and toss and fret, ' Dreaming they often see The vaults wide open, but forget The " open sesame. Between "tattoo" and comtnj! Mot all their howling cheers Can drown the round ot warning raps Now echoing in their ears. Though they should jingle all the coin With which for mules they pay, '. And seven times seven with them should join In one harmonious bray. --Indianapolis Journal. GEN. LOGAN'S VISIT TO MB. BLAINE. [Special from Augusta, Me.J Gen. Logan and Senator Hale ar­ rived from Washington this afternoon. Quite' a crowd, among whomPwar veter­ ans were prominent, greeted the party at the depot and cheered Gen. Logan when he alighted. Before he could reach a carriage, Gen. Logan's hand was wrung a dozen times, and the veter­ ans greeted him with shouts of: "You're the man for us." "You'll give us a good administration," etc. Cheers were given again as the party drove away. They went directly to Mr. Blaine's house. There was no formal greeting there, Mr. Blaine received his guests private­ ly, and after a brief rest, Mr. Blaine, Gen. Logan, Senator Hale, and Walker Blaine went off to ride. The beauties of Augusta's outskirts in June were appreciated, and politics apparently was banished for the time. At 8 o'clock in the evening a procession was formed down-town, and a great crowd marched to Mr. Blaine's house. A band played a serenade, and then the crowd called for Gen. Logan. Ex-Gov. Connor came to the pcy^ico, and made a short speech in eulogy of the candidate for Vice President. Then Gen. Logan appeared and was vigorously cheered. He said in response: Ladies, gentlemen,and comrades: I most fully appreciate this kind compliment to­ night. I am truly glad to meet so many citizens of Augusta. I must confess I feel embarrassed in attempting to say anything after listening to what has been said by Gen. Connor. It is true that the soldiers of Maine in the same great contest stood 6ide by side with those from all other parts of the country, and did their duty for the preservation of this great nation. Behind them stood the loyal citizens of this grand Republic, giving them their support and prayers, with their hearts full of hope for their success. And, as liberty first found birth on the Atlantic slope, well may it there have found true hearts for its presevation, not only of this country, but of that liberty which God intended* for all men. Let that which followed as a result of its preserva­ tion not now be lost. This can only be done by keeping t]ke control of the institutions of this country in the hands of those who sought to maintain them. This people believes in the fundamental principles of a republican government. The same rule also applies in their selection of agents for the administra­ tion of the Government. Tho voice of a great majority of the Republicans of this mighty nation has chosen as the standard- bearer of that great party in the coming contest for the Presidency of the United States your fellow-citizen, James G. Bh»in?. [Applause.] And you need have no fear as to the result of the contest. It will be a glorious victory, full and complete. Illinois in 18(50 gave this country its first Republi­ can President. Maine was then associated with Illinois. lit 1884 Maine will give as gallant a President to the republic as has been elected by the people. Citizens of Maine, I feel honored and complimented in being associated on the ticket with a man worthy of the confidence of the people, and in every way capable of filling the high of­ fice of President 'with honor to himself and to the country. [Applause and cheers for Logan.] Blaine In the South. The most inveterate enemies of the Bepublican party are in the South. Whatever is said, therefore, of tho Re­ publican ticket by the Democratic or­ gans of that section is more than ordi­ narily noteworthy, and may supply us with some indications of the character of the forthcoming campaign that will be more reliable than any utterances of Northern Democratic papers. Ex­ cept in the case of a few of the most radical Bourbon organs of the South there is an undisguised admiration of Mr. Blaine's qualities, and iu more than one instance the opinion is ex­ pressed by influential papers that, if they are to be beaten by the Republi­ cans, they would rather be beaten by Blaine than by any other Republican leader. A few selections from the prominent papers of that section will give our readers a general idea of the situation. The two strongest Democratic papers in Georgia are the Augusta Chronicle and Constitutionalist and the Atlanta Constitution. The former says: If the Democrats, reunited and present­ ing unexceptionable candidates, cannot beat Mr. Blaine, they could not defeat any one of the conspicuous Republican leaders. Let us hope that the common enemy has made a mistake, and that due advantage of it will be taken at the next Chicago con­ vention. Mistake or not, we will have trouble enough to elect our men over those just named at Chicago, and that f.ict may as well be stated and relied upon at once. The campa:gn will be red-hot, and if we are to win none but a first-class statesman of incorruptible record mnst be the Demo­ cratic standard-bearer. With Western nu n. for twenty odd years, the Republicans have triumphed. The Atlanta paper lias a still more striking utterance, and one which, read between the lines, makes no conceal­ ment of the admiration which it feels \for Mr. Blaine. It says: \ The nomination of Mr. Blaine is the best it could liave made, and it will require all that the Democrats can do to bring about his defeat. Recognizing the nature and ex­ tent of his popularity within the limitations which we have mentioned, we are free to sav that there is no room in the campaign for any Democratic blunders, and no place in the programme to accommodate the capering and vaporing proclivities of certain Democratic cranks who assume to lead the party, and who have led it time and again from the emergencies of hope to the cer­ tainty of defeat. Should he he elected we believe his ad­ ministration will be a liberal one. He is the ablest and most experienced public man to be found in the Republican party, and if the country is to have another four years of Republicanism, we believe Mr. Blaine will give more general satisfaction than any other Republican. He will at least fly the American flag over the White House and the State House, and there will be some consolation in that. The Houston Post, one of the ablest Democratic papers in Texas, expresses itself in a hardly less striking and sig­ nificant manner, and rings the alarm bells to --am the in thn fAl­ lowing vigorous fashion: The Democratic party must be aware that by nominating Blaine the Republicans have exhibited the finest trump card in their deck. It is of no use to disguise the fact; Blaine is a very strong man, difficult to beat. He has the magnetism of the few select, who stand head and shoulders above their fellow-men; his private record is a pure one--to the best or our knowledge-- and his ability has been tested a hundred times and not been found wanting. The Democracy should not underrate their enemy. No use to make fun of Blaine's book. That book will turn ont to be the most efficient document of the season. The Republican managers will send hundreds of thousands of copies of that book through the South and other Democratic strong­ holds, and seek to convert Democrats by the charm and the eloquence of Blaine's "Twenty Years in Congress." We have read that book. It is written in the style of an approved master, and it will catch the unwary by its fine phrases and its show of iiupTirtirilitT, the sisn of all men who will give the Democrats a hard battle for the Presidency. There is very'little disposition in the South to assail Mr. Itiaine or Mr. Logan with the bitterness it has mani­ fested toward previous Presidential caudidates, and there is no disposition to underrate his strength as a leader, and in more than one quarter there is evidence to show that his election would not be regarded as a calamity. The Republicans of the South are also wonderfully encouraged by the nomina­ tions. The Crusader, a plucky little paper printed at Natchez, Miss., in the very stronghold of Bourbonism, says that if Mr. Blaine is elected ballot-box stuffing will not only be very danger­ ous but very unpopular in the South, and aunounces that when the news of the nominations reached Natchez a crowd of ardent Blaine men went out on the bluff and fired a hundred guns in their honor. The Lynchburg (Va.) News calls the attention of the Demo­ crats to the attempt which will be made by the Republicans to carry Virginia. The Virginia Seaport says: All Republicans can cheerfully unite to secure this result, and thousands and thousands of Democrats will heartily join in the accomplishment of this end. The Richmond Whig rejoices in the prospect exultantly: We are going to have a good time once more, and want you to enjoy it--what used to be called, iu the days of Mr. Monroe, an en of good feeling. Shortly we shall have ratification-meetings all over this grand old Commonwealth, from Accomac's seagirt shore to the mountain recesses of Scott and Lee, where the names of Blaine and Logan will be made fitmiliar as household words to the ears of the hardy mountaineers of the Southwest, as well as to the amphibious dwellers of Chincoteague. Little West Virginia is in a blaze of enthusiasm. Within forty-eight hours of the time the news of the nominations reached there a score of Blaine clubs were organized in various parts of the State, and from half a dozen prominent El aces dispatches were sent to Mr. laine promising him the electoral vote of the State. The Parkersburg Club sent him one in which they say: "Move back the houses and widen the streets, for we must have room. West Vir­ ginia is for you, and don't you forget it." The Wheeling Intelligencer says: "The Mountain State will be wrested from Bourbon dominion and again placed where she rightly belongs--in the ranks of the Republican States." At Glen Easton, in that State, the Republicans formed a great procession and the Democrats fell into line. These are samples of the general feeling among the Democrats of the South. There is no question that they feel an admiration for Mr. Blaine. He, as well as Gen. Logan, is known to tliem, and they cannot help but admire their cour­ age' and brilliant qualities, even though they may not vote for them. It is by no means impossible that they will carry one or more of the Southern States, and it is by no means improba­ ble that by making some of these States debatable ground the line of the Solid South will at last be broken.-- Exchange. Mr. Blaine's Vindication. The connection of Mr. Blaine with the bill renewing the land grant of the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad of Arkansas has been so generally mis­ understood that the honest, rock-bottom facts about it ought to be stated in a few words for the information of the public. Mr. William Walter Phelps covered the giound fully in his letter of April 24, addressed to the editor of the New York Evening Post and printed in the Chicago Tribune of Saturday, April 26. Mr. Phelps' letter, how­ ever, is so long, and goes so much into detail, that busy men who are less in­ terested in getting at the truth of this matter than in forming hasty opinions about it will not read the evidence in full. We desire, therefore, to put the truth in a few words, and refer any­ body who may not be satisfied with a brief analysis of the facts either to Mr. Phelps' letter or to the Congressional Record of 1876, where Mr. Blaine's own statements may be found in full. The charge is: That in the spring of 1869--Mr. Blaine being at that time the Speaker of the House of Representatives--a bill renewing the land grant of the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad, in the State of Arkansas, was before the House, and in his capacity of Speaker he promoted its passage because he had a pecuniary interest in the road. The truth is: 1. That Mr. Blaine at the time of the passage of the bill had no pecuniary in­ terest whatsoever in the railroad or its land grant, and expected to have none. 2. That he had no acquaintance with any persons who did have any pecun­ iary interest in the railroad or its land grant. 3. That he did not "promote" the passage of the bill, and that it did not need his influence, inasmu h as t had already j a-sed the Senate by a unani­ mous vote, and was not objected to by anybody in the House. In fact, it passed the House by a unanimous vote, as soon as it was before that body, on its merits. 1 4. That Mr. Blaine's sole connection with the bill was to rule out an amend­ ment tacking to it the very odious and objectionable land grant of the Terns and Pacific Railroad, a measure which ought not to pass, and which, if it had been fastened to the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad measure, would probably have dragged it down to an unmerited defeat. When this highly offensive amendment was proposed, Mr. Boot, one of the Arkansas members, called the Speaker's attention thereto, and, at Mr. Blaine's suggestion, Mr. John A. Logan, then a member of the House, raised the point of order that the. amendment was not germane, and it was ruled out of order forthwith. The bill then passed by a unanimous vote. Nearly three months after these events Mr. Blaine for the first time obtained an interest in the railroad, purchasing the stock and bonds as any rsfchf*r liRTM1 Treicrht do apH t.hr.n fnr ths first time formed the acquaintance of those who had been instrumental in pushing the enterprise in the State of Arkansas. He bought a block of securi­ ties belonging to the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad, including stock and first and second mortgage bonds, in June, 1869, after the adjournment of Congress, and placed the first-mortgage bonds during the three months follow­ ing with a number of his friends in Massachusetts ana Maine. The entire series of bonds at hi£ disposal was closed out during the months of July, August, and September, of 1869, so the transaction was ended when, in his letter of Oct. 4, 1869, Mr. Blaine wrote to Fisher, and merely in the way of curious reminiscence called attention to the fact of his unsolicited and acciden­ tal services to the road the April pre­ vious, when he was in noway interested in its affairs, and had no reason to sup­ pose thai he ever would be. The truth is, that his attention was first directed to the railroad by its application to Congress for a renewal of its land-grant, and it first seemed to him a favorable investment after its land-grant had been renewed by a unanimous vote of both houses of Congress. Mr. Blaine sold the securities of the road to his friends, with a personal promise that if any loss should ensue he would take back the stock and bonds at the price for which he sold them. Shrinkage did ensue, and the stock and bonds were thrown back upon his hands, and, though he had given no written guarantee of redemption, he paid for them, at a great personal sacri­ fice, out of his own pocket. The New York Evening Post lias since alleged that he unloaded his disastrous invest­ ment upon the Union Pacific Railroad, but it has produced no proof okany such transaction, whereas Mr. Blaine has exhibited the sworn statements of the officers of the railroad that no such transfer was ever made; and his state­ ment has been accepted as conclusive by those who are familiar with the circum­ stances of the case. Indeed, it was tliis part of the controversy that George William Curtis considered in Harper's Weekly when he wrote in May, 1876. that Mr. Blaine's statement was "as thorough a refutation as was ever made." We are convinced that no candid per­ son can investigate without prejudice all the facts connected with Mr. Blaine's record in this case without coming to the firm conclusion that it was in all re­ spects honorable and proper, and cred­ itable to him, both as a private citizen and a public man.--Chicago Tribune. The Boston Bolters. Much amusement was created among Republicans here, says a Washington telegram, by the account of the bolt­ er*' convention at Boston, as it is diag­ nosed by the Massachusetts members of Congress, who say that nearly all of the leaders are Democrats or disap- pinted Republican office-seekers, or extreme free-traders like Prof. Seelye of Amherst, Elliott of Harvard, It. H. Dana, and others. According to this analysis furnished, Codman, the Presi­ dent of the meeting, has been twice de­ feated when a candidate Jor Mayor of Boston. Henry L. Pierce has been twice defeated as a candidate for Con­ gress. Martin Brimnio is a defeated Congressional candidate. Joseph H. Walker, of Worcester, is a defeated legislative candidate. Samuel Hoar, of Concord, was defeated as a candi­ date for the State Senate. David Flint was kicked out of place by Butler, and holds Republicans responsible because they did not stand by him. Col. Tom Higginson is a defeated candidate for the Legislature. Edward Atkinson is a Democrat. Saltonstall was President of the last Democratic State Conven­ tion. These names, it is claimed, are a sample of the whole lot. The Blaine men here assert that the committee of 100 comprises about all the bolters in Massachusetts. They further point to the fact that the Boston Advertiser has become silent in its opposition; that the Buffalo Express has come out positively for Blaine, and so conclude that the situation is in every way en­ couraging. Notes and Opinion. " J--U8T what we want," the young man said, A-^nrl his veteran father answered "Aye." " Ii--og.'in forever, he always led O--n every field where t> lead was to die." G--ivc him for armies a Nation's best word A--nd younn men and old men for body-guard, "N--o surrender," for watcuword; "Success, for reward. --Conventional acrostic. MR. BLAINE has received about 1,000 letters daily since his nomination. His son. Walker Blaine, will soon reach Augusta from Washington, and will take charge of his father's correspond­ ence. He will be assisted by a corps of short-hand writers. NUMEROUS letters have been received by Mr. Blaine advising him to take the platform in doubtful States, but it is generally believed that he will not act on this advice. Gen. Logan, however, will undoubltedly make speeches at various points during the campaign. LITER VTURE is looking up. Queen Victoria is having popular editions of her two books published, and the author of one of the most entertaining and instructive historical works of the age is about to be elected President of the United States.--Chicago Journal. THE Buffalo (N. Y.) Express declares for Blaine and Logan. It supported Cleveland against Folger for Governor in 1882, and Erie County, New York, which gave 3,500 majority for Garfield, gave 7,000 majority for Cleveland. The Express is for Blaine and Logan against all comers. THE really independent voter doesn't follow the adv ce of so-called "inde­ pendent papers" any more than he does the advice of his enemies. He is inde­ pendent because he has learned to think for himself, avd the man who J does much impartial thinking is not in danger of drifting into the Democratic party this year.--J'hilade'phia Press. THE Union army never stacked arms and laid down and squealed because a few cowards deserted, and the Repub­ lican army won't do it now. No Repub­ lican who loves the principles of the party can give a good reason for de­ serting the standard in 18»S4. The man who refuses to abide by the decision of the majority honestly expri ssed should not belong to a church or a social or political organization of any kind.--Ex. ILLINOIS STATE NEWS. --The Illinois Secretary of Mate has is­ sued incorporation papers to a company proposing to build an air-line road from #*: Kankakee to Keithsbnrg, with a branch ty 4 Chicago. ^ * --Chester Jones went to Decatur, sent a draft and a letter to his friends at Clinton, i saying he was going to kill himself, and a \ few days after his remains were found in a pasture in a high state of decomposition. --A Chicago girl named Emma Beaudrau, having broken a matrimonial engagement, / has secured from the Circuit Court an in­ junction restraining her discarded lover from publishing her letters to secure re­ venge. --Mr. Neil Conovan died in Springfield, from the effects of a kick from a horse. He was one of the men who helped man ^ the United States war vessel Kearsarge in ^ the contest with the Confederate privateer S Alabama. M --A large and costly barn of Clark Breds- foard, six or eight miles west of Maroa, was burned the other night, together with the contents, including a number of horses. Supposed to have been the work of an in­ cendiary. --George Howie, a stock-dealer of Cen- tralia, met with an accident while driving : cattle. His horse stopped suddenly aftei ! going at a rapid rate, throwing him forward against the horn of the saddle, which badly ruptured him. He died after several days' intense suffering. --A large dead tree at Woodland Cemetery. Quincy, has been taken down, its removal ' involving much labor and expense. In order that the gravestones and monuments' about the tree should not be injured, it was necessary to put up a large derrick and take it down in sections. --In the Federal Court at Chicago, Justice Harlan sustained the decision of Judge Blodgett, in th-s cases of Flemming and Loring, who were long since sentenced to one year each in the Cook County Jail and fined $500. Loring left the court-room while the decision was being read, but gave himself up the next day, and was sentenced to one year in the Cook County Jail. Flem­ ming is in Dakota, having given bail. --Mr. Poole, Librarian of the Chicago Publio Library, has submitt3d his annual report. Book-borrowers had increased twenty-two per cent, within the year, while " the reference department had increased thirty-nine per cent. The daily average of visitors was 3,660. The number of books in the library at present is 106,009, an in» crease of 12,000 volumes since last year. The cost of maintenance was $54,000. --C. F. Leseure. a member of a whole­ sale and retail hardware firm at Danville, committed suicide at his home by shooting himself through the head. For two or three weeks Mr. ^seure has shown symptoms of softening of the brain. He knew his con­ dition and dreaded insanity, which is hered­ itary in the family. His intimate friends think that his act merely expressed his preference for death rather than the loss of his mind. He leaves a young wife and a child. --Arrangements have been perfected for a competitive military drill to take place at Springfield, July 3 and 4. The companies to compete are Company B, First Regiment* Chicago; Company C, Sixth Regiment, Galesburg; Company H, Eighth Regiment^ Paris; Company C, Fifth Regiment. Spring­ field (the Governor's Guard >; Company D, Fifth Regiment (the Lincoln Guard) { Company B, Fifth Regiment, Taylor- , ville; Company G, Fifth Regin^ent, Virden. The Decatur Guards, the Petersburg Guards, a company from Rock Island, and one from Jacksonville will be present, but will not compete for the prizes. The prizes are as follows: First, $500; second, $300; third, $200. --The report of Postmaster Palmer for the month of May of postoffica business done in Chicago is as follows: Postal notea issued, $3,874.33; domestic money orders^ $31,177.62; Postmaster's deposits, $735,- 565.50; postal notes paid, $70,401.61; do­ mestic money orders paid, $560,890.74; for­ eign money orders paid, $11,739.68; remit­ ted to New York, $228,000. The returns from the sale of postage stamps, postal cards, newspaper and periodical stamps, stamped envelopes, and newspaper wrap­ pers amounted to $157,656.54. Tho num­ ber of carriers employed was 277; delivery trips daily, 782; collection trips daily, 757; registered letters delivered, 33,- 724; mail letters delivered, 4,267,324; mail postal cards delivered, 848,375; local letters delivered, 942,567; local postal cards delivered, 747,482; newspapers, etc., de­ livered, 1,490,467; letters returned to the • office, 12,640; letters collected, 4,960,202; postal cards collected, 1,625,762; newspapers, etc., collected, 1,342,460; totil postage on local matter delivered through the boxes, general delivery, and by carrier, $36,841.24. --A dispatch from Edwardsville is as fol­ lows: "This city was thrown into a state of unusual excitement over a sad tragedy. The circumstances are as follows: Mrs. Helen May Ritter was shot by her husband, Her­ man Hitter, an attorney of this place, in a room of their residence, on Main street. Coroner Dr. C. S. Youree, of Venice, was at once summoned, and held an inquest at the residence. Among the, witnesses ex­ amined were Mr. Ritter. Bena Masse, a servant, Dr. E. W. Flegenbaum, and others. A summary of their testimony is that Mr. Ritter was engaged in pre­ paring to clean a shot gun which had a charge of snipe-shot that had been in the gun for several months. The gun, an improved breech-loader, had become so rusted that he found great difficulty in at­ tempting to separate the barrels from the breech, and in endeavoring to do this the gnu was discharged, the entire contents en­ tering Mrs. Hitter's side about an inch be­ low the he irt. making a wound two or three inches, and ranging downward. Help was at once called, and Dr. FlegJubaum imme­ diately summoned, but the unfortunate lady ' died in about ten minntes after she was shot, without speaking or recognising any one. Mr*. Ritter had been sitting at one window, Mr. Ritter at another, a:id she cau- • tioued him to be careful, and once moved her position to be oat of raag? of the gun, but in wrenching the gun to open it, its po­ sition w is changed so as to point toward her at the fatal instant. The deceased lady was iu her 28th year. h ' 1 f*4 %'fd, -* fj.. 2 : --The grain shipments by lake from eago last week were 1,671,000 bushel*.