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" J, *' "L - ,v ;•> * = • < i ' ; 4 . " . J - . - , ; • £ . , * - , i s -: T ™ R -- " . . . * * > . . * « , -- " - I « . • J - W « V - • _ • • • * " , * ' « * I " ' V * I W W M W » N > W > » V R W ' P U I . I I N P I . ^ M , I I U I I ?' i ,?'V '}} ^$r V * V ^ '*:•<?- ^ V »*l> •• Y„ «,* - \&ja*'" m' • H#»"8 §laiotlralcr J. TAN RT'YKE, Enmrn A*I> PUBUSHKB. HcHENBY, ILLINOIS. i v' ftr -• !%•:" K •' i h r WEJtrTEIflLES, Marking. " Doe* old Santo Claus come down like the snowflakea in the town? la that why I never hear him When I listen and I listen, In the night, when stars do glisteaf Oh! I wonder, mamma, whether He's as light as any feather, That he ooir.ee so very still t " ' Waits till little folks areOsleepingf Mamma, then he most come peeping? Through the windows; mast be balking Down the chimney; or he never-- Oh! no, never--could discover If we were asleep or waking.| So I think he must be making little visits round to-night. ** Do you think that he would hear If 1 went up very near, Side the chimney there, and told him That my dolly needs a bonnet, With a pretty feather pn it, And a pair of cuunin' mittens, • Just like those the little kittens Lost, and did not get their pie? " Would he sit up in the dark, . On the chimney, just to hark To a little girl a talking? But maybe he'd think me naughty. And be just as proud and haughty, And not even fill my stocking. Oh t< how very dreadful shocking That would be, my mamma, dear! " 80, perhaps, it would be better Just to write a little letter To him. 'bout my dolly's bonnet. On my stocking here I'll pin it* «£ And he'll see it in a minute. ' Now I lay me'--mamma, hear me Say my little prayer. Oh! dear, me I Tea, I'll truly go to sleep." Bvrt, tri New YorB Independent. j. Mamma Graham*• Long Nap, "0h, dear! dear!" sighed Mamma Graham, " what a dreadful noise! I'm glad Christmas doesn't oome any offcen- er!" No wonder the poor mamma said this, for Harry was standing close by the bed, beating his new dram, Charley was just behind him blowing his new yttsd trumpet, and the baby sat up in bed sucking a stick of candy and pounding his mamma over the head with a tin rattle. Alice, the eldest of these little folks, was trying the cry in her new doljy, and was begging the boys just to stop their noise a minute and hear what a beautiful cry it had. Altogether it wasn't a very good time to catch a com­ fortable morning nap, although Mamma Graham was just as tired as she could be. Bridget had left, the day before, leaving her everything to do, and the Christmas dinner to get. Presently papa, who had entirely given up trying to sleep, finished dressing, and said that he would take the children down stairs so that mamma could have a good rest. " I wish I could sleep about fifteen years," said she, as she turned over and tucked the pillow snugly under her head. " Was ever anything more unlucky? She entirely forgot that it was Christmas morning, and that Santa Claus was abroad and as full of mad pranks as a Christmas pudding is full of plums. Papa and the children were away down­ stairs, with the doors all shut between. Nobody was there to hinder, for mamma herself was already in a doze. So what should Santa Claus do but whisk Mam­ ma Graham away through the roof after the manner, of fairies, and, putting her into his fairy sleigh, drive off with her to the famous Sleepy Hollow, in tne White- Cotton Night-Cap country. "11 she wants to sleep fifteen years, let her try it," said he, nodding his long, pointed red-flannel cap in a wicked sort of way. "Those youngsters will look out for themselves, 111 be bound, and I'll make it all right with the father. And she'll have a good nap," he added, winking and rolling up his eyes and slapping his fat sides. * N Bless me! How stiff Mamma Graham did feel when she woke at last in her own bed at home, for Santa Claus had faithfully brought her back at the right time. As if anybody wouldn't feel stiff who had slept fifteen years straight through. But then, she didn't know, of course, what a trick that wicked old Saint Nick had played- on her, and that this wasn't the very same Christmas morning on which she had gone to sleep. So she only said, as she got dowlyoutOf bed and began to dress as fan as possibleVith such stiff hands and "I wonder how longl^have slept. It must be very late. Poor papa must be very tired pf t»kingcare of the children, and hungryrttfoTwMting for his break­ fast." j 1 When she opened the dining-room »• door, there sat papa, reading the morn­ ing paper. The children must have tired him, for he certainly seemed a good deal older as* he looked up and am with a smile,"Well, mamma,have^you had a good nap? " ,*0h, yes, indeed," said mamma, "only you oughtn't to have let me sleep so long. I'm afraid you are all dreadfully tired waiting for breakfast, though I see you have got the table set. Where are the children ? " she asked, as she walked on to the kitchen without waiting ior him to answer. How strange! There was the turkey, all stuffed and. trussed on the kitchen table, the cranberries picked and in the kettle ready to be set on the stove, and the plum pudding all made! The coffee for breakfast was on the stove, while before it stood a tall young lady, in a handsome brown merino dress and pretty white apron, broiling a beef­ steak. Mamma began to feel rather bewil­ dered. Was this fine young lady a new girl whom papa had engaged while she was asleep? Just then the "pew girl" turned around and saw her. Throwing down the knife and fork she had in her liand, she ran to her and threw her arms around her neck. "Why, mamma, darling, is that you? Santa Claus said this was the morning for you to wake up, and I've been get­ ting everything ready. l>o you feel rested?" "Bested? To be sure t do," said mamma, staring at the fine yoiing lady who acted so queerly. "But where ar® the children?" "Here's Harry," said the young lady, as a t$ll young fellow of about 20 en­ tered. (. "Hello 1 if there isn'tinamma," he ex­ claimed, going up and giving hear a good hug. "Charlie, here, say!" he called to som£ one outside. "Here's mamma woke up," and then another great hand­ some fellow, who seemed to be about 18 years old, came up land kissed her rather bashfully. j " What does all this nfean? and where are the children?" asked mamma, put­ ting her hand up to her head and feel­ ing ready flo cry, " Where's my baby?" " Oh, he's out snowballing," said one of the boys, carelessly. " My baby! Good gracious! he'll catch his death of cold," said the distracted mother, rushing to the door, where she ran against another great boy, about 16 years old. " Can yoti remember mamma, Frank ?" asked the young lady. "Mr. Graham, will you tell me what this means? " said the mamma, turning to her husband, who stood in the door behind her. "Who are these young people kissing me, and where are my children? " "Well, Mary, this is Alice, 22 last month; all her flummeries made up; Will Topliff impatient, and both only waiting for you to wake up, and say you're willing." (The young lady in the brown merino blushed dreadfully.) " This is Harry, just 20, in the Junior class, top of his class, too. This one is Charley, and a Sophomore, studying like a beaver; and this is your 16-year- old baby, Frank, almost through the preparatory. Aren't they a fine lot? " But mamma only looked from one to another in hopeless bewilderment. At last she said: " Well, Paul, you'll have to explain all this, for I don't understand a bit of it." "Well, my dear, don't you remember saying, when you went to sleep, that you wished you could sleep fifteen years? Well, old Santa Claus took you at your word, and you have been asleep in the White Cotton Night-cap coun­ try all this time." "Fifteen years! children all grown up; no little girl, no dear little boys, no baby?" repeated poor mamma, sitting down in a chair, and looking round on the young people."' "And 111 never see my little children again; all grown up without me! O pa­ pa, how could you let me sleep so ?" she asked, beginning to ory. POPULAR SCIENCE. "Bekkus weddyT mamma," said a little voice close by\he bed. "Alice an' papa dot it all by they lonesomes, an' they sent me up to see if you was wed- dy." It was little Harry, not an inch taller than when she went to sleep, sucking the last leg of a sugar horse. Mamma dressed as quickly as possi­ ble. "Well, I'm glad I didn't sleep fif­ teen years, after all," she saickto herself, as she took Harry's hand to go down stairs. The door-knobs were all sticky, and there^Jjjjte everything in the world to do, but Hq||rdidn't mind it one bit. It was so much better than waking up to find everything in order, her children all grown up, and not even a baby to be petted. THE statistical returns of Methodism for 1878 show that the number of Methodist communicants in the World is 4,489,877, with 104,175 local and trav­ eling preachers. The Methodist popu­ lation is estimated at 20,000,000. The Methodist Episcopal Church reports I,688,783 members, 12,560 local and II,308 itinerant preachers. The gain of members is about 17,000 for the year. Other branches of the denomination bring up the total in the United States to 3,396.999 members, 26,642 looal and 22,194 itinerant preachers. WHENEVER you have oocasion to rob or kill a man throw something over his head. When thus enveloped, though he may struggle desperately, he will not utter a cry. This interesting and curious fact was known to the Russians in the Caucasus, and they employe^ this means of attack to silence sentinels while endeavoring to surprise the Cir­ cassians. DB. HOXXT Says the total evapora­ tion caused by the rays of the sun on the surface of tieMediterranean 86ft amounts to 52,800|000,000 tonsof water in one summer day. ACCORDING to Dr. Garnier, a milfc diet will cure obesity. To core indi­ gestion chew green leaves when you are out walking--any leaf you choose, ex­ cept those of noxious plants, of course. AN Italian has constructed an appar­ atus which determines the purity of oils by the amount of resistance they offer to the passage of electricity. The ap­ paratus may also reveal the presence of cotton in silk fabrics, for a very small portion of cotton in silk tissues greatly increases the conductivity of the latter. DB. WACHSMUTH, of Berlin, says that if one-third part of the oil of turpentine is added to chloroform the latter can be administered as an anesthetic without the risk usually attending it. The rea­ son assigned is that the stimulating properties of the turpentine intercept in a marked manner the pulmonic paralysis Which is sometimes induced by the chloroform, and which is often the cause of death. IT is stated that newly-ground coffee, sprinkled over game, will keep it sweet and fresh for several days. Clean the game--that is, wipe off the blood, cover the wounded parts with absorbent pa­ per, wrap up the heads, and then sprinkle ground coffee oyer and among the feathers, or fur, as the case may be, pack up carefully, and the game will be preserved fresh and sweet ̂ in the most unfavorable weather. Game sent loose cannot, of oourse, be thus treated, but if packed in boxes or hampers a tea- spoonful of ooffee is enough for a brace of birds, and is1 this proportion for larger game. A lump of charcoal in­ serted in the cavity of a drawn bird is very desirable. To WASH silks, lay the silk smooth on: a clean board, rub soap upon it, and brush it with a rather hard brush. The amount of brushing requisite will de­ pend upon the quantity of grease upon the silk. When it has been sufficiently brushed with the soap to cleanse it from grease and dirt, it' should be well brushed on both sides with clean cold water. A little alum infused in the last water with which the silk is brushed will prevent the colors from spreading. Should there be any patches of grease upon the silk, they should be removed as previously described, or by the ap­ plication of a little camphene Mid alco­ hol. Folding or wringing silk when wet must be scrupulously avoided, as creases made in silk when wet will never disappear, and, in like manner, hot suds must not be used for washing silks, as it will, in most instances, remove the col­ ors. . MOW ffit ASTONISHED THE BULL. A Glen Sutton (Vt.) correspondent relates that while a young man named Pelkie was out hunting, a few days ago, he chanced to espy a fox industriously digging for mice about a decayed stump. Between himself and the mouse-hunter, reclining upon the ground, quietly chewing his cud, was a huge bull. Cau­ tiously advancing, our hero reached the unsuspecting bovine; dropping upon his knees and carefully resting his gun across the animal's back, he pulled the trigger. The aim was true, and sly Reynard fell dead, but wasn't the bull astonished, though? Springing to his feet with a roar, he ran over Pelkie about forty timesf and rushed away snorting with terror. The first thing, our friend saw on opening his eyes wad he bull's tail cleaving the air like a meteor, about a mile away, and the dead fox lying upon the ground hard by. The sight of the latter reassured him and, securing it, he limped homeward, resolved that, though great the tribula­ tion, he would never again use a live bull for a breastwork. JILECTRIC EDISON. A New Tork paper says another im­ portant advance toward the completion of the electric light has just been made in the Menlo Park laboratory. After days of constant work, Mr. Edison has at last succeeded in perfecting a suit able apparatus for measuring the quan­ tity of electricity used. This very ne­ cessary applianoe, which is to the elec­ tric light what the gas-meter is to gas, has hitherto been one of the things in­ completed. Before hitting upon the present devioe Mr. Edison had tried quite a number of others, but all seemed to lack one or another necessary ele­ ment. A few days ago he branched off in a new direction, and soon was grati­ fied at finding that he had alighted up­ on just what he had so long been look­ ing for. Constant experimenting on the new apparatus since then has proved it to be all that the inventor desired, and he has accordingly taken steps to have it patented. IN the old days, when there wore very great numbers of deer to be found in this oountry, and when venison was a more familiar dish than it now is, it was usual to place on the tables of the wealthy only the best portions of the meat. The rest was generally given to the huntsmen, or distributed among the poor, and to it the name of "umbles " was given, and it was through the cus­ tom, which was then common, of making the into a pie, that the term which we know as " humble pie " arose. WINGER NAILS. Hardly any personal peculiarity <i£ more noticeable, or more indicative of character, than the finger nails. There are some who believe that palmistry, or reading the character from the hand, can be reduced to a science, jiist as much as phrenology. If so, it would necessarily be an obscure science to the majority of people, but the signs of character indicated by the finger nwl» may be read by all with a little study. In the first pltce, the shape of the nails is very significant. The slender, tapering nail of a rosy-pink hue, with a shell-like, transparent edge, is always the accompaniment of a refined nature. Broad, stubby nails, of a yellowish- white color, and with opaque, muddy- looking edges, indicate natural coarse­ ness, though they often accompany great good-nature, while the other va­ riety as frequently goes with ft sharp, shrewish temper. The care of the nails is one of the most revealing marks of personal habits, and one of tho most important ot the minor operations of the toilet. Nails may be greatly improved, both in shape and color, by proper attention. The best appliance is a nail-brush used in water softened by the addition of a lit­ tle borax and really-fine toilet soap. In well-brushed and well-cared-for nails the little' curtain-like rim which sur­ rounds them is well pushed or rolled back, displaying generally a delicate lit­ tle crescent at the root. The skin of the finger should never be allowed to grow upon the nail. In paring and trimming the shape given should al­ ways be as long an oval as possible. To out a nail square off gives a finger end a stubby look. The corners should be carefully and closely cut, and the center left rather long, so as to give the long oval shape. In cleaning the nails the knife should never scrape off the inner substance of the nail, as this renders the edge opaque and muddy in appearance, whereas it should be transparent. The nail is sus­ ceptible of a high degree of polish by rubbing with the towel when drying the hands. ' The habit of biting the nails is one against which children should be care­ fully guarded. It is ruinous to the very structure of the nail, and once acquired is one of the most difficult habits to break. This is evident by the fact that some men and women, but more especi­ ally men, have a habit of biting their nails when reading or studying, of which they are perfectly unconscious. Not a few lawyers and clergymen occur to mind whose nails are almost a deformity as a result of this habit. mtr I \ \ SUING FOR HIS OWN ARM. Constable Matthews was on Saturday armed with a writ of replevin, command­ ing him to forthwith replevin the right arm of a man. The action is based upon circumstances substantially as fol­ lows : Some months ago a man resid­ ing in the northern part of this county met with an accident which required the amputation of his right arm. A physician of Vandalia was employed to perform the successful operation. He did it, and took the amputated limb with him to his .office, and it is said re­ tains it. The man whose arm was amputated now claims that the opera­ tion was not skillfully performed, and that he has suffered and will suffer from the malpractice of the physician, and has brought, or is about to bring, action to recover damages for such malpractice on the part of the physician. In order to make a proper showing in the case before the court, it was deemed essen­ tial to have the arm. It being in the possession of the physician at this time, and fearing that before trial he might destroy it, and thus prevent the plain­ tiff from producing it through a sub­ poena duces tecum, the latter has re­ sorted to replevin to secure possession of a part of himself.--Dayton (Ohio) Democrat. GOOD BREEDING. That man who is scrupulously polite and respectful to all women in public but habitually saves coarse manners and vulgar language for his own wife and daughters, is no gentleman. He is only an impostor. The young man who oils his hair, puts sweet odors on his pocket handkerchief and bows with charming elegance to Miss Arabella Spriggins and her lady friends, and goes home to sneer at his mother, and treat her with familiar discourtesy, is apenchbeck imi­ tation only of a gentleman. Genuine good manners and gentle breeding should begin at home. As a rule the men in a community who are the most trusted are the best men at home. When a man opens his front gate only to meet his wife's face at the door radiant with pleasure, and hears the shout from the eager children, " Papa is coming! " it is safe as a rule to lend that man money. He is honest and will repay it if he can. PARTIES have been lately hiring men in Maine to go South and pick cotton. . ILLINOIS ITEMS, --The Springfield Turnverein * is about to erect a fine hall. --The State Teachon^ Association meet at Springfield Dec. 26 and 27. : --The new works at Bock Island for carrying water power to the Arsenal are completed, ' --The Illinois Press Association will hold its winter meeting at Springfield trom Feb. 5 to 8. --The area of this State oontains 75,- 405 square miles, or more tW 35,000,- 000 acres of land. --Eight thousand dollars has been subscribed for the erection of an opera house at Sycamore. --A reunion of the surqiving soldiers of the Black Hawk war of 1832 will be held in Springfield, HI., on the 8th of January next. --The young ladies of Jacksonville have organized a society called "Willing Hearts and Ready Hands " to help the needy poor of that city. --There are 873 policies of the Con­ tinental Life Insurance Company, of New York, held in this State, bearing a face value of $1,808,477. --There was melted, last month, at the Joliet iron and steel mills, 18,822,- 125 pounds of metal--pig iron, spiegel and scrap--which was converted into 6,332 tons of steel rails and 420 tons of other products. ' -A new- election has been ordered by the Governor for Representative from the Fifty-first district, in place of Hon. T. G. Ferris, who died a few days ago. The election will take place on Saturday, Jan. 4. --The fifth annual meeting of the H- linois State Dairymen's Association was held, last week, at Elgin. At the annual election of officers, Dr. Joseph Teft was chosen President, Moses H. Thomp­ son Secretary, R. M. Patrick Treasurer. --A swindler who pretends to repre­ sent the Agricultural Department at Washington has been operating on the farmers in the vicinity of Galena. He gets his meals and makes payment in counterfeit money of the denomination of $2, $5 or $ 10, gets his change and de­ parts. --Mr. Edward R. Elliott, for twenty- five years a well-known banker of Jack­ sonville, was found dead, a few days ago, upon his barn floor. His face was considerably bruised, and it was evi­ dent that he had fallen from the loft above through a trap-door. He was 55 years old. --Three hundred gallons of .castor oil was produced this year in St. Clair county. The oil of Hlinois is said to be equal to that produced in the Levant, in Spain, Provence, Brazil or the West Indies, and it is steadily improving in quality. About twenty bushels of beans to the acre is considered a fair yield. --At the annnal meeting of the State Horticultural Society, held last week at the capital, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Presi­ dent, T. J. Burrill; Vice President, C. N.Dennis; Secretary, O. B. Galusha; Treasurer, S. G. Mickler. It was de­ cided to hold the next meeting in Nor­ mal, Dec. 9,1879. * --Every male inhabitant of Alexander county, not excepted by the fortunate circumstance that he lives within the corporate limits of Cairo, or by the less fortunate circumstance of his being 50 years of age, will be required to perform five days' labor on the public roads of the county during the year 1879, or ren­ der to the Supervisor of his district a just and fair equivalent in money. --The biennial report of the State Treasurer, made to the Governor, gives a statement of the bonded debt of the State Oct. 1,1878. The principal of the bonded debt of the State out­ standing Oct. 1,1876, was $1,478,600.27; principal of debt paid from Oct. 1,1876, to Sept. 30, 1878, inclusive, $676,287.68; bonded bebt of the State Oct. 1,1878, $802,312.59. Since Oct. 1 the Governor has issued a proclamation calling in $249,570.53, which will leave the debt $552,742.06. f ! AddMas to the lumen ot the State of Illi­ nois. OD a call of the President of UM State Board of Agriculture, delegates from more than sixty counties of this State met in convention at the city of Springfield, on the 2d day of January last, to consult upon the agricultural interests of the State. During the convention, questions were pre­ sented of such general importance, and so great interest was manifested, thai it was unanimous­ ly resolved desirable to form a State organiza­ tion, and the undersigned were appointed a committee to present the subject to the county agricultural associations for their consideration and action. The proposed object of such an organization is the promotion of the agricultural interests of the State of Illinois. The State Board of Agriculture and other as­ sociations now existing in nearly every county are productive of incalculable good, but it is believed that a union of theee, through dele­ gates chosen to a State organization, may in­ crease their usefulness by a concentration of opinion and power not otherwise attaiaable. Other occupations very wiselvHMTfe not only local, but their State and national utHons to protect their interests, and why should not ag­ riculture, lying, as it does, at the foundation of all--the sources of the success of all--the life of material prosperity and national power? Unless the husbandman meets with the due reward of his labor, banking ceases to be profit­ able, manufactories are idle, railroads unpro­ ductive, the wheels of ooumeiee move ildMr and all business langaMtea. While there are varied interest*, each de­ manding due consideration, yet I'licois, the fourth in tho Union, m chiofly r»n agri cultural State, and, with regard to* ite great future, still iu ite infancy. To protect, develop and promote this great Inter* Is of pritnaxv importance to every etttam To this end il & of moment that each section and oounty bring '-/v y. 'JJI-J "T* - ?, g »it* J, to its aid the experience of all other*, nrodut ing a combination of the knowledge and judgments of each, a union of the power of all m securing the results of united conclusions. While the most rigid exclusion of subjects and partisan objects is intended, and while an improvement in the mode and results of agriculture Is the primary object, yet, if to secure this additional legislation is essential, it is expected that the influence and power of as­ sociation will, be given to such end Claiming no superiority, we seek equality in proportion to the interests involved m<\ a just regard there­ for. No more, no less. It is expected to elicit views and opinions by local discussions, the results to be transmitted to the State union by the delegates sent there. To secure this it is proposed to publish, seme -' months in advance of annual meetings, various subjects to be considered, as for example: Tne various modes and kinds cf agriculture. The management of county fairs. - J - *."0,; The protection of stock from infeetfooil end ot^r *rom MM* wild animals. . The development of the dairy interest audita V l ' i protection by proper inspection laws. ̂ The subject of draining aud%encing. ̂ i Public roads and the most efficient mode of - ' • J V working them. r ^ 0 Transportation--its defects and just remedies. » *• Taxation--its inequalities, and changes de- manded. \ • Our agricultural schools and the Stato Board V ,,-i| 1 of Agriculture, with suggestions for increased i%4" » *4 usefulness. J ̂ And other kindred subjects, with such leeis- ;* - * j lation as may seem desirable. It is also pro- 1 . V;M posed to appoint standing committees to COD- *'" ' F?',; sider, report upon, and carry into effect the / •' 3#"',' conclusions arrived at « An early expression of tho views of all the . ' *. . % 1 agricultural associations of the State \ipo»tln v" * t « " '1*1 subject of this circular is respectfully requested, ,*«. 41 ,j| addressed to A. H. Reed, Secretary, at Flora, ' •' ^ - Clay county, 111., or to either of the under- Vl**" ; signed committee. Lewis B. Parsons, Chair-, p * man, Flora, Clay county; J. HJPickrell, Harris- town, Mason county; Qeorge W. Davis, Carroll- y; Jo D. K McMasters, Sparta, Jorge W. Davis, Cam ton, Greene county; John Lake, Bockford, Winnebago county; Randolph county. CURRENT ITEMS. 1 A.'***' -- 1 ^ X THE sky, unlike man, is moet oheerful / ; when the bluest. ; CHRISTMAS is near at hand. Lei nsf , not wait until the last hour before we'%f« ;- select something for the dear ones h o m e , a n d h u n t u p s o m e s o r t o f s o u v e n i r ; " for that kind friend who las been so " true amid the sunshine and olouds of > vt life. / FRKNOH papers state that Gambetta I is about to marry a widow with a forW ; | une of $8,000,000. If the right-an­ gled and everlasting truth were told ii? •, t would probably be that- he was about tor - " marry a fortune of $8,000,000 with m - widow.- " k , r<*fr "GIVE me a cure for the toothache^ h * quick.--Sufferer." Place the itching tootbp *1' 4 near the heels of a mule, and then toucht « , J off the mule. One touch of mule sots, . * ; all nature achin, and relieves the patient^ »; .J % \ too immediately sudden to think abont*! ^ • --Keokuk Constitution. r H J THROUGH her Constitutional Oonven-*' < tion, California sends to the President^, A. and Congress a protest against the pro-««;»C posed commercial treaty between France#- and the United States, which, it is sup-i||| posed, would be prejudicial to the agri­ cultural interests of that State. IJORD JUSTICE THESIOEB said Chester Assizes, England, that in opinion too much leniency had beenf extended to crimes of violenoe oom- r pared with those against property. He^V-. r w intends to do his best to reform these^.;; | dreadful outrages; and, as a beginning,'^, he sentenced a wife-beater of the worst* % » JH k i n d t o t w e n t y y e a r s o f p e n a l s e r v i t u d e . ^ ̂ ONE of the most pleasing features^*? about Japanese progress is the attention ̂ 4 ' >v| paid to female education. The Em-^* I „ * press, who is said to be a very able ^ J woman, .pend. both time «.d money m'" ,. fostering everything which looks to- ward the elevation of her countrywomen.^;^ Recently she invited a number of girls^V 1 to the palace to make an exhibition ofj^ " . their needlework. M Miss SAXXIE WARD, of Xeataekyv| was an American belle of wide delebri-#^ ty some thirty years ago, familiar] known as the " Great Western." Sh& married Mr, J. Bigelow Lawrence, of Boston, from whom she was divorced, and afterward Dr. Hunt and Mr. Arm­ strong, both of whom died. The Wash­ ington Post says that she is soon to marry Maj. Downs, of Louisville. MRS. MCBEATH'B son returned to Cleveland after a season of work as a boatman on the lakes, and she was ^ very happy to see him at home again. -.j He told her that he had signed the to- ^ tal-abstinence pledge, and had saved ^ ^ money enough to keep the family com- ^ fortable through the winter. At that ; her joy became so overpowering that *•'- r-- she fell down dead from heart disease. : ^ IN a recent trial in New York, in J||| j!; reference to alleged cruelty to a horse, 'r b y t h e p e r f o r m i n g o f a n o p e r a t i o n , A . 1 / , i Oakey Hall asked a horse dealer who . ̂ ; f was on the witness Btand: * Were you , at the preface or the epilogue of the af- fair, or there throughout?" The wit-^s n, ness looked puzzled. Mr. Hall, ex- ' plained--" At the beginning or at the end?" The witness--"Well, sir,I was near the tail." - V ' * -J* ^ A SPELLING match in Peltonville, 1 Miss., ended in a row. One contestant . ••• | said that p-l-o-u-g-h was alone correct, * i and another as exclusively maintained / ,-f^ p-l-o-w. The schoolmaster ruled that ^ | both were right, but, in the absence of a " * j Dictionary, the prevailing sentiment was that there could not possibly be two cor­ rect ways of spelling the word. A book was. thrown at the schoolmaster's head* and a general fight ensued. ^ f 7 fKV?!: iv< v; rf* #