The north Missourian (Gallatin, Daviess Co., Mo.), 1873-01-23

              Poetry. THEIR THOUGHTS AND THOUGHTS. " BT KEY. JT. W. CHADWICX. OUR Six years hare faded Mnce she went a wit, rtix jeara for her to live in heavenly places, . To learn tbe louk of blessed angel facas; Six years to grow u only angela mar. - - J wonder oft what the ia doing there, Ily the still waters that forever flow; W oat miirhty secrets the has come to know; ' What graces won, divinely sweet and fair. I wonder who of thwe that went befor,-k. And tuoe that followed oo ber saininjr way, She has met there, in Heaven's auroral day. And if they talk their earih-ltfa o'er and o'er. I think this very mornrnff they are met, Sh and one othur only three years rone. In some dear pi are in Heaven, secure said lone, To talk or tningj tney never can iorget. Tor I am mre that naught of their new life. No Rrace or Klory that is there revealed, Tbe fountain of past love has ever sealed. But these will ever be with sweetness rife. I cannot think of them as they are now. Of thenewilifht that shines npon their faces; I cannot imace forth their anel graces; And I am glad, so glad, that it is so. So we will think of them iast as they were. Their voices sweet and all their pleasant ways; And thoughts like these shall help us through me aays. Until we go to meet them where they are. A". Y, Independent. GOOD NIGHT. Goon night, dear child, good night; flefj) in thy little bed, So soft, so 1 ly-wbue, Beneath thy golden head. Uoijd night. Like sunshine on a flower, Tby trefses stray adown The pillow in a shower. And gild thy snowy gown. Good night. Feet, restleM as the rain. Your patter diea away Till morning wke azain. And calls yon ont to play. Good night. Good nit'ht, dear child, good night, iireathed i" tby evening prayer; Tby watch of antfel bright t ome j throii'-n the silent air. Good night. We yield thoe to their csre L'ntil the t-hadowa flee. Content that they should share In our felicity. Good Light. Christian Union. Miscellany. TIIE DOCTOK'S OFFICE-BOY. BT KATE W. HAMILTON. Tne 6hort winter afternoon was drawing to a close, and the light, making its way through the dusty office-windows, began to prow dim. The doctor pushed buck the great book before him on the table and looked over it at the opeu grate beyond, where the fire had died down to a mass of dull-red coals, and an unsightly quantity of ashes was distributed over the hearth. The ofllce chairs, except the two or three in constant use, were undeniably dusty, and the carpet, despite the awkward but vigorous efforts at sweeping that had been expended upon it, was neither bright Bor tidy. The doctor's thoughtful eves scarcely took in these details; his meditations were of something else; but it occurred to him, vaguely that the place wore a dreary, unhomelike air. He was thinking of a pair of brown eyes and a grave, sweet face. Such vision might have made the old room seem bright, but that the ej-es had of late grown so shy of meeting his, and the face bo calm and cold when it chanced to encounter him. He did not wonder at it particularly. "Thirty five years old. and grown dull and plodding from a life of early care and hardship. What should draw her to you. Maxwell Casey?" he questioned, a faint smile at his own folly Hitting over his lips for an instant and losing itself under the heavy mustache. Suddenly a rapid, noisy step sounded upon the stairs, the door was pushed open and closed with a fc'.am, and a fresh, voung voice called out breezily: " Hello, t'nele 3Iax!" "Well, Joe?" responded the 'doctor quietly, unmoved by the invasion. Joe entertained no doubt of his welcome. He tossed his cap, and a few books bound together with a strap, upon the table, drew a chair to the hearth, and elevated a pair of small feet upon the fender. ' "A'n't they muddy, though? Got 'em that way nmnin' 'cross the street to get last tag from Tom Snyder. Did it, too! He couldn't get any from me no, sir! bay, Uno'.e Max, this is not much of a lire!" "My office boy don't half attend to It," said the doctor raising his eyebrows, "IIo!" langhed Joe. "I think you ought to have a boy to look after things while you're studyin' up on old bones and all that. I'll come myself one of these days. Wish I could do it now; 'twould be lots more fun than school is," he added wistfully. The doctor surveyed him from the toes I of his muddy shoes to the top of his curly head no great distance and laughed softly as ho saw the air of conscious ability to fill any office, with which he drew himself up and thrust hi3 hands into his pockets. "What's 'come of my jacket-buttons?" asked Joe, fancying that he read that question in the glance bent upon him. "Why, some of 'em tore off, that's all What does go with 'em. Uncle Max? 'Cause ma's always askin' me and I don't know. B'lieve they just tear themselves otT every time I'm bavin fun and a'n't watchin'. Oh! look here! We're goin to' have a splen did time some of these nights, I tell you!" exclaimed Joe, forgetting his perplexities in a sudden blissful remembrance. "There's a lot of us fellers we're a band and Tom Snyder's got a kettle-drum, and Bill's got a a oh ! a trumpet, that's what it is; and one of the boys says he can get his father's old base-viol. We've got a flag, and some of the fellers has torches real lamps on pole3, you know and some of 'em'll have lighted sticks. "We've had it round in backyards ever so long, and now we re goin to march some night and have a percession, only we haven't any name for us yet. Tom wants it 'Snyder's Cavalry, 'cause he's captain, and he always wants everything named for him. But I'd like something about the torches in it 'Light-Bearers or 'Torchere or something." " 'Tortures would be a very appropriate name," commented the doctor, awakening from his reverie in time to bear the last sentence or two, and recollecting the din that had reached his ears on various evenings of rehearsal. "Would it?" questioned Joe, delightedly. But Uncle Max relapsed into silence and walked away to the window. A gray fog was settling down upon the town, making it dark early, and already lights were beginning to shine out from the shop-windows, here and there along the street. Passers-by hastened their steps, as if anxious to escape from the mistv. depressing atmosphere to the warmth and brightness of home, the doc tcr fancied. A thought of those waiting homes made him glance once more about the room in which he stood. Familiar it was. surelv: it ought to be homelike sine it was all the home he had. His place of business during the day; the lounge in tne small back room served as a oea at nigat. and for his meals there was the restaurant Dear by. What more could a busy bachelor physician ask? He went up to Brother George's occasionally. He was glad to meet George, and liked to see the others well enough, but they always appeared to be living in a hurry: ana the place, witn all its elegance, never seemed to have a cosy, family air, ana so naa uiue attrac tion for him. Joe returned these infrequent visits with comnound interest, and spent a pood deal of time at the office ; partly because he was neither ornamental nor convenient at home, and there was a comfortable feeling of safety in having him with Uncle Max. but chiefly because it was his own sweet will, and he could talk and ask questions thereto his heart's content, even though, as in the present instance, not half of them were heard or answered. Joecertainly did not consider the room either dreary or lonely, but then the doctor had scarcely thought Wo Stand by tlio Interests of tho Workinjnien of.tlie Country. -; f: .... i . . 1 - - , - . - VOL. IX. GALLATIN, MISSOURI, THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1873. ? . NO. 1(5. about it until lately himself. He had not known, either, how much he had been thinking of the quiet, earnest, young music-teacher, and how thoughts of her had brightened every place for him,, until her growing reserve and distant politeness had awakened him to con sciousness. Ana tne naa ianciea ne might annoy her wUh his persistence, perhaps ! No fear of that. He was not so vairfas to think himself irresistible. nor so selfish as to press even his love upon her, if that love could net make her happier, he saia to mmscix. "Burglars !" remarked Joe. "Eh ! what ?" demanded Uncle Max. To be sure, Joe had been talking almost incessantly for the last ten minutes, but he had heard nolnmg or it until mat rather 6tartung word attracted his atten tion. "Iney've broke into a pood many places about town, and carried off lots of things," pursued Joe. "I guess they must be pretty rich by this time ; and they don't care about folks bein about. either: they Just put 'em to sleep. How do you s'pose they do that. Uncle Max ?" 'Oh, I don't know," responded the doctor, carelessly. Relieved that only burglaries in general were under discus sion, and that neither his brother's house nor the bank had been robbed, he was far less interested ia any marauder s boldness than in considering Edith More's shyness and constraint when she bad called with a message that morning. She would never have come to bim, he was sure. only that the unsuspecting old lady who sent her would swallow no other doctor's potions, and Edith was too tender hearted to refuse so slight an act of neighborly kindness. How quick she had been to assure him, when he promised to be in the office on her return, that it was of no con sequence! If only he could leave the powders lor her, tnat wouia answer quite as well. It was almost time for her to come. What if he met her, and spared her a part of the long walk? It was out of her way, he knew so well he had learned the round ol lesson-giving! Joe was still deep in the subject of bur glars. He had explained to his own sat isfaction how, "alter dark, they carry lanterns that'll shine, or not shine, just as they want em to: and they wear stuned shoes that you can't hear no more'n a cat with mittens on. And, anyhow, you can't tell who they are, if you do see 'em, 'cause their faces are covered witn witn oai what is it they put on their faces, Uncle Max?" On their faces?" repeated Uncle Max, pondering another question Should he co or not? Would there be any danger ot his tailing to meet ner? "Yes; what they cover their faces with, you know?" pursued Joe, "Cover their faces with? Why, veils brown veils, generally," added the doctor, a little absently, thinking of a certain brown one that would be fluttering along the street somewhere now. He decided to go. iuch as women wear? queried joe. Why. ves. of course; it's always women that wear them." Is it?" demanded Joe, quite excited by this new item of information. "I didn't know that." "I'm coins out for a little while, said the doctor, drawing on his overcoat and takinc up his gloves. "If you will stay here till I come back, I'll walk up home withyou." "Well," said Joe, contenteaiy. "And if any persons come, try to keep them till I get back; it won't be long." "Isn't any danger of any one comin' here, is there?" asked Joe, looking somewhat startled. Why not?" laughed Uncle Max, no ticing only the words, ""i ou are not very complimentary, Joe. Do you think I'm so poor a doctor that it wouldn't be worth while for any one to stop here?" Outside the door the gray mist seemed to fold about one in a chill, dispiriting sort of way. The doctor felt it, and struggled against it, pressing forward with quick, firm step, but the whole town looked old and sad. He had longed to be away from it lately a restless inclination that he had resisted because of a brave, brief creed he held, that the very life of life is not its joys or its sorrows, but its duties. There was work for him there, those who needed him, and he would not desert his post from any cowardly fear of pain. Some old words from out his boyhood words that a mother's lips had been wont to quote Jong ago came back to him, and the strong man re peated them with a more simple, earnest faith than the boy had ever known. Take care of tho Happiness 01 otners, and God will take care of yours." Joe. left to himself, suddenly discov ered that the office was rather dark. He stirred the coals in the grate, put on fresb fuel, and 60on had a bright, dancing blaze that sent its cheery light into every corner."That's more like!" he soliloquized, perching himself in an arm-chair, and settling his chin meditatively between his hands, quite oblivious to their recent contact with the coal. "Expect this isn't so poor a place, neither. Heard him say ?, . -. . or v ; J mat wnue etuu, over m ma jar, is vu.v of the most valuable medicines he knew of. Cost as much as diamonds mebbe, and he's got a let of it. But if I was go-in' burglarin, I wouldn't steal no such nasty-tastin stuff. Ugh!" A soft rap at the door interrupted him him suddenly. He started to his feet, and, after an instant's hesitation, ventured a rather uncertain "Come in I" He had not heard the light step on the stairs, and that surely was a suspicious circumstance. When the door opened, it re vealed a lady, which was more suspicious still, and she wore a Drown veil mat was the most suspicious thing of all. Joe didn't at all like the appearance of things. Is the doctor in ?" asked the stranger, pleasantly. joe retreated a nine as sne buv&uccu, and responded succinctly : "No'm." "Will he be back soon, do you know ? questioned thp visitor. "uuess so iore long, jjui ne s ureu- fnl strong, and he carries all his money in his pockets," replied Joe, discourag er-. : , .... "Ah i" trie laav iooKea surprised uiu appointed. Joe thought, and he volun teered another dissuasive remark : "I'm awful hard to get to sleep." "Are you sure you are wide-awake ... . . . . , - : now 7 assea me visitor, nau-iauKmiiKt but with a puzzled, scrutiny of his face. "Bet I am." affirmed Joe, promptly. winking hard to convince himself of the truth of his assertion. "I wonder." murmured the lady, "if the doctor didn't leave anything for me. I thought I should find what 1 wanted u he had gone out." Joe's eves opened round and large; he changed his position uneasily, and did not feel at all certain that he might not be getting drowsy in this perilous state or affairs. Tae lady's glance swept the room, and as it rested reflectively on the precious white Jar. Joe grew desperate. "See here, mebbe you might find something real nice in the other room!" he burst forth eaperly. "Doctor leaves lots f things there sometimes." "Does he. so that people can cct them when he is away? Probably he has left what I want there." Her face brighten ed; she paused an instant as if expecting Joe to lead the way, then asked: "Where shall I look?" "Under the on the table in there," answered Joe, painting toward the article mentioned, but following at a respectful distance-until she was fairly within the room. Then he sprang suddenly forward, closed the door and locked it, piled 1 - NOR H VIA two or three chairs against it, and sur mounted them wit a the coal-scuttle. "There now!" he cried excitedly. : "Open the door!" demanded the lady's equally excited voice from within. "Such a joke is very, very rude! What do you mean r "Mean to keep you till Uncle Max comes, 'cause he told me to that's what! You can't put me to sleep now !" said the young Jailer decidedly. "The child must be insane!" exclaimed the bewildered prisoner. But Joe was quite certain of his sanity. and as his alarm gradually subsided into a feeling of security, since his captive had no chance of escape, he became convinced that he had done an exceedingly brilliant thing. "Oh! I know all about you!" he ex claimed courageously. "The doctor told me to keep you till he got back, but I don't s'pose he thought 1 could do it. I will, though ; you can't get out, and you shan't steal nothin' either." "Bteal anything What an idea !" A slight laugh rippled through the lady's voice, wougn me situation was senuusijr annoying. "You have made same strange mistake, little boy. I have a long walk to take, and it is growing dark. .Please open the door," 6he urged coaxingly. But the small sentinel proved a very model of faithfulness in the discharge ol duty. He could not be frightened, persuaded or bribed, and the prisoner finally relinquished all efforts to move him. Bhe attempted to raise a window, but it resist ed her slight strength, and a glance at its height from the ground revealed the use-les&ness of such an undertaking. Bo she stood silently gazing out into the deepen ing dusk and gloom, perplexed, indig nant, and a little anxious, too, as to what all this could mean, and when it might end. In the outer room Joe marched about. seated himself upon the table, and swung his feet to and fro, "monarch of all he surveyed." But notwithstanding his ela tion, the time passed very slowly, and the stillness grew oppressive. "Must be hours and lours," he mut tered as he waited, listening for his uncle s return. He caught the first sound of his step on the stair a slower step than usual, and the doctor's face wore a faint cloud of disappointment from his unsuccessful walk. It passed through swift and varied changes, however, at the discovery of Joe's barricade, and the confused rehearsal of his valiant exploit. "Caught her slick as could be; she didn't get a chance to burglar anything at all, 1 tell you!" began tfe youthful detective boastingly, but paused in open-mouthed dismay at witnessing the speed with which the'ehairs were pushed aside, and the dangerous lady released. "Miss31ore! What must you tmnicr' exclaimed the doctor, apologetically, re gretfully. "That your style of inducing customers to await your return is somewhat peculiar, Dr. Casey," she replied, a dash o nvischief mingling with the annoyance and resentment in her tone. "Joe!" began the doctor sternly. But the blunder was too absurd, and his voice trembled. 'Well." said Joe defensively, "I guess she slipped up-stairs just as softly as could be; and you said they was always women and wore brown veils to hide their faces, an if one of 'em come here nstto let 'em go; so l didn't. II she isn't no burglar Wa t my fault." Even in the midst of the explanations that followed, Dr. Casey found himself thinking how much brighter the old office looked with that graceful, womanly presence in the glow of the firelight. It was the poorest possible opportunity for coldness and stateliness, and Miss More's cheeks flushed and her eyes grew mirth ful as she listened. 1'erhaps, too, tbe doctor's face told more than it ever had expressed before. At least she acquiesced graciously in his opinion that it was entirely too late for her to walk home alone, and they went away together, unceremoniously installing Joe as office-keeper once more. It seemed to bim an unconscionable length of time that he was kept there, though he was by no means so anxious for his uncle's return as he had been before, nor so certain of his admiring ap proval. He raised his head rather doubt fully at his entrance; out tne doctor s eves were marvelously bright, as if he had found long explanations delightful. It's all right, Joe," be said reassuring ly; "it was only a mistake you see; you needn't be troubled. And, Joe, here's fifty cents that you may buy fire-crackers with for the evening the Torments march." "Torchers, corrected Joe. "All right; it's all the same thing," said the doctor placidly. Joe did not ouite understand it, not even when his mother and sister began to visit Miss More, and she became a frequent guest at their house, and the family all dropped into the way of calling her "Edith." But after there had been a quiet wedding one morningfand he had learned to divide his visits between the office and the cosiest, cheeriest little home in the world, where "auntie" was the attraction, he used to say complacently to the doctor: "A'n't we glad we caught her, tncie Max?" Hearth and Home. A Fifty Years Courtship. Wb recently spoke of the marriage of John Griswold Rogers, aged seventy-eight, and Eliza Denison Griswold, aged seventy-nine, at bunfcapogue, aixer tne somewhat prolonged courtship of fifty years, and now the editor of the Winsted any of our readers might think the above story a mere- invention, we wiu say mat we know it to be literally true. The bride has lived all her life In the house next the one in which the editor of this paper was born (and he is no spring chicken), and resided during the hrst - lour momenwus years of his life; and among his earliest recollections is inai oi xne ww-uuog, brass mounted swallow-tail of this Iden tical 'luvyer as it followed its wearer past 'our house' to make tne regular ounaay evpninir visit to this identical maid. Un less we are greatly in error, the father of the Ueratti editor, tne late iev. n. oj. Vaill, being then pastor of the church in East Lyme, 'published this constant couple about the year 1832 or 1833, and the wedding was expected to take place immediately thereafter. And so far as we know, there never was any misunderstanding, or unpleasantness, or miff, or flare up, that can be assigned as the cause of the delay. They have always been considered 'engaged both by themselves and the neighbors; and during a visit to East Lyme, not so very long ago, we were informed tnat mis ancient oeausuit uiaue his everr other Sunday evening calL and had hardlv failed to do so a 6ingle fort night for sixty years! uauuous ana prudent pair! If all followed their example their would not be so much unhappiness resulting from hasty marriages." bjprtng-field (Mom.) llepvblican. A Springfield (Mass.) paper says: The windy beard of olus himself, and all his succedaneous bags of atmosphere, beswept our segment of earth from long ere dawn of yesterday through a bitter twenty-four hours of extreme winterness and physical and spiritual shivenngs. A NkwYohk street-car conductor, who said "ves. madam." to a lady, has been presented with a new overcoat, and they , talk, qi a statue oi ruin. rm 3HSCELLA3JEOLS IT1LMS. A Ghaut for the West The emigrant. CajtadX Journals may be rendered bright by making a bonfire of them. Two horns will last a cow a lifetime. Some men require more than that before breakfast. ' ' The man who can't afford to take a newspaper paid three dollars for another dog. baturday. Dawury Aew. Bctfalo now wants a tunnel under the lake where a gale can't affect its water supply. Rabbits are five cents each in Kansas, with a downward tendency after being cooked. Not a s-cent" is a part of the descrip tion of a new deoderizing agent. Per haps that states its value. Whin a Pbiladelphiaa get3 to laugh ing heartily, his family physician is called, and he is given quinine. - Keutttckt has decided that stealing a dog is wrong very wrong, sir, but that there is no law to convict the thief. Thk New York theater managers hav ing abolished bill-boards, the paste-men talk of calling a meeting to aooush board bills. Prtjdent Connecticut clergymen com plete the marriage ceremony by giving full Instructions how to procure a di vorce. A majn- who has been studying the sub ject of the "velocity or light," says tnat he knows how it is that his gas bill runs up so rapidly. "Pa, what can I do here in the country unless vou get me a riding habit ?" "Get into the habit of walking, my dear." An Englishman, recently traveling in Wisconsin, wrote home that the West was a great agricultural country that every house he saw was a barn. New York brides throw a bouquet at the groom as the coremony concludes. After a week or two she finds the coffee pot a better weapon. TJnder the heading of "Happy Thoughts, the Petersburg ( Va.) Appeal says that more sickness prevails in that city than lor many years pasi. A Lkwistok (Me.) reporter, seeing some boys skating on thin ice, went and got all tneir names and ages, so aa 10 Bave time when they got drowned. A New York damsel who went to one of Tvndall's lectures on "Light " boasts that she was as much enlightened as if she had swallowed a lightning-rod. AnasRTz savs that any full crown man can live ten days by chewing at a pair of boots, and yet tnere are men wuo win growl if they don't have mince pie every meal. An old fellow in Richmond, Va., re joices in living alongside of the Poor House burying ground, never naving nau before so many neighbors who minded their own business. Thb Cincinnati Commercial speaks of a prominent individual who "got" his education in a 'bank' in this town kept by the well-known Mrs. Pharoah." California has raised wheat enoueh to furnish the flour to put a griddle cake ten rods wide around the earth in forty minutes, if any spry cook could be found to boss the job. Thb following item could only origi nate in San Francisco: "Another Cali fornia widow is to claim the sympathy of Pacific Iurvmen on account of five grains of strychnine found in her dead husband's stomach.' A man ia Virginia City has no music in his soul except when asleep. Then he sines "Rock Me to Sleep, Mother." snores an interlude, and starts off again on "Old Dog Tray," or other classic melody. A newspaper thus delicately puts a personal item: inose wno Know nice old Mr. Wilson of this place per sonally will regret to hear that he was assaulted in a brutal manner last week, but was not killed." A totjnq man who thinks he has a prodigious stock of music in his soul, subscribed for a musical monthly a year ago, but he refuses to renew his subscrip tion, because, he says, not a Bingie number contained a duet for the Cymbals. A man down in Delaware, who has been enjoying the chills and fever for months, read in the paper the other day that if a person afflicted thus would crawl down a flight of stairs head-foremost, just as the chill is coming on, U would get disgusted and leave incontinently. me Delaware man tried it, but from the want of practice or something, he came down more rapidly than was necessary much more clearing four steps at a time, and executing a pair of admirable flip-flaps, before reaching the foot of the stairs. He has had his nose half -soled, and a court-plaster map of Boston's burnt district laid out on his left cheek and side of the head and still he has no faith in that ague cure. A paragraph has been going the rounds of the press since the buckwheat cake season was inaugurated, which claims that this delectable butitch-producing article of diet was wholly unknown until some time during the sixteenth century. In a book published in the twelfth century, entitled " Ye Delightes of ye ureaKiast laDie," me iouowing occurs: "Ye corne named Buckwheate, ypon which ye Deere doth much love to fede. ys deemed to iorme cases oi myghtye gudeness. Ye boyled Sape of ye Lynden (maple) Tree dothe much ym- prove mem. xsaae siomanea one eayc that to eat of these doth cause them much cratchynge, but this fayles to stop the eatyngeol tneme." In China, when a contractor engages to build a house, he encloses the premises and sets up cooking apparatus to supply his hired workmen with regular meals at the most economical rate. Having taaen breakfast, they work itill noon, rest one hour, and leave off at 5 p. m., and return to their homes. On leaving, each takes a ticket which admits him next morning. These tickets are daily vouchers of the artisan's presence. Counted up at any time a true account is rendered. A man on the ground throws several bricks to another ten feet above, and he to another still higher. Thus the masons are supplied as they ascend with the wall. Instead of carrying mortar in a hod, it is thrown by a shovelful from one story to another to any required elevation without spilling a particle, bo expert are they by continual practice. A Girt of the Bible A Her Thirteen lean' Waiting. Among the items of news received Vy the China and Japan mail is the announcement that Dr. Hepburn, a well-known American Japanese scholar, re-orntiy received permission to present the Mikado a copy of the Bible in English, with the last edition of the Doctor's Japanese and English dictionary. This Bible Dr. Hepburn took to Japan with him thirteen years ago, and it is one of the costly editions specially prepared by the American Bible Society for presentation to exalted personages. For these thirteen years has Dr. Hepburn been waiting to press his gift upon the ruler of Japan, patiently waiting for an auspicious season. That arriyed in the early part of November, the presentation taking place through the intervention of Minister De Long. The Mikado testified bis appreciation of the gift by acknowledging it in suitable terms in an autograph letter. This satisfactory reception of the book, coupled with another item of news rer.eivp.1 hv tViln mull that thirtv five native Japanese who had been imprisoned for unbracing Christianity have each been pardoned and set free, is a good omen thit,in the projected revision of treaties with Western Powers, there will be introduced large concessions in Cisco ISullctm. . - 'A Timid Bridegroom . Not many days r.go a fashionable uj town rectory was visited by a charming young lady who. with a face suffused with blushes, informed the reverend divine that she contemplated entering into tne holy bonds ot matrimony, and tnat, as her fiancee was somewhat retiring in disposition, aid especially sensitive to any reference to their mutual affection, she had called to arrange the prelimina ries or their marriage. 1 he minister, it is scarcely necessary to say, was some what taken aback, but the confused fair one prestiite''. a license made out in due form, and at once proceeded to a discussion of the all-important step. . The day and hour for the ceremony was fixed, and promptly at the appointed lime tne young coupie arnvea at me clergyman's residence. Rumors of the union of course spread, and at the moment agreed upon probably a dozen or two of the curious had assembled in the taDer-nacle. The candidates for nuptial honors remained in a sitting room of the rectory, which, by the by, is in the immediate vicinity of the church, until the final preparations were made. The minister don ned his surplice, and, repairing to the cnurcn, announced nimseir ready. Several minutes elapsed, but the wedding party did not appear. The audi ence became impatient, and at length even the clergyman felt constrained to repeat his admonition. What was the surprise of ,all when the returning messen cer announced that the bridegroom posi tivelv declined to enter the church. The minister visited him personally, and re buked him for his apparent lacK oi ae cision. but expostulation was useless. The unhappy youth had no objections to the silken bond, and were the fasten ings adjusted in the rectory, it mignt De . - . l- Vv aone insianier, put to appear matuuicu, and betore that crowd of people, was im possible. The minister was equally firm, and stated positively that the ceremony must take place in the temple or not at ail. After many tean on the part of the bride, and earnest protestations from her timid lover, the sorrowing pair departed, and, if rumor is to be credited, they still remain in a state of single blessedness. New Orleans Times. An American Autocrat. It will surprise most of our readers to be informed that we have a king in America, a monarch as absolute as the Czarof Russia, though his name is not found in the Almanack de Gotlia, and his dominions are not larger than some of the German princelings. He exists, and his little realm forms the subject of an interesting article in Ltppincotl Magazine. His name is William Keil. He was a tailor at Bleichrode, Prussian Saxony, but emigrated to the United States about seventeen years ago, and founded a German colony near Portland, Oregon. He set up a so-called communistic rule in his settlement, but as far as he himself is concerned it is thoroughly monocratic. He obtained the land gratis from the Government, cleared off the timber, built a block-house for defense against the Indians, planted orchards and built mills, and so laid the foundations of a prosperous community. He has some knowl edge of medicine, and therefore is physician to his subjects. He solemnizes all the marriages, and thus is tneir priest. Every man who comes to the village to live must put all his money in Kfcil's hands, and is then taken on trial. His probation endures as long as me sover eign chooses. If the candidate is not found satisfactory, he gets back his capital without interest, but with pro rata share of his earnings, which are appraised by Keil. The latter holds the common purse, and buys all kinds of supplies, which are furnished free to the people. He designates everybody's employment, gives new-married couples their houses, and has everything his own way. He has the assistance of a Eoard of Elders, but only as far as he chooses. The colonial lands cover twenty sections, or 12,- 800 acres, and are collectively recorded in Keil's name. Should he die intestate tne is now sixtv vears old) his heirs would get all his property, and his subjects be left out in the cold; but it is likely that he will take some steps to prevent suck a result. At all events, the colony is now prosperous and apparentlj happy under his dominion, and the iron hand of despotism carefully concealed by the velvet glove. Education and Honej-Gcttlng. Ttrtr Tiannln TtrVin Apfrv RfAfipmic Cul ture have one invariable argument which tney use over ana over again, pun,mg ib forward with an assurance which serves at least to show that they think it unan swerable. They find half a dozen men who have strikingly succeeded in business without any education beyond that of the common schools, and half a dozen others who, with the best of education, have failed to make money and immediately their case against the colleges is made out to their satisfaction. Some times they go a little further into the subject, and socratically ask how anybody is to make Greek, and Latin, and physical science, and the higher mathematics and intellectual philosophy pay, and they always assume that such a question answers itself. Now to all this there are just two replies to bo made. First, that even in the matter of money -making, the higher education is of very great value ; and, secondly, that the culture of the colleges, and the after-culture for which it lays a foundation, are worth infinitely more than money. Half-a-dozen cases orhalf-a-hundred cases on one side, and as many on the other, prove just nothing whatever. Success in the matter of getting money is dependent upon many things other than education, as anybody may discover with very little trouble. One man has a keener desire for wealth than another, and will sacrifice more of comfort and convenience for its acquisiticn. Pure accident, in very many cases, forms an important factor in the problem, and there re rich men by the score, in this country, whose wealth has come to them in spite, rather than by reason f their acts. A writer in a Chicago paper, a year or two ago, traced the history of that city'a leading property-holders, and of the whole list there was but one who had deliberately planned his success, while one of them, in a personal interview, stated the fact that he had in former years spent many a sleepless night over his inability to sell for a song the marsh-land on which his hundred buildings now stand. And there are many other conditions to success in money-getting with which education or the lack of it has nothing whatever to do. But the fact is patent enough, that, with other things equal, the man whose intellect has been disciplined makes money more easily and more surely than his neighbor, who is without culture. We all know well enough that .the laboring class, the one most absolutely without education, is the one whose exertions yield the smallest pecuniary returns. '" We know perfectly well that both culture and information the two results of education serve to open many avenues of busi ness to their possessor, which, wanting these, he could never enter. But the second answer is the higher one. Money is not the only good, it is not even the chief good to be sought in life. Its possession, in considerable quantities, is a blessing or a curse, according to the use made of it; and it has no power whatever for good which is not equally a power for evil. As a means, it is exceedingly valuable, but as an end, it is worse than worthless. In the hands of a man or woman who esteems it only for its uses, its value can hardly be overestimated; but to the man or woman to whom it is an end, it is the worst of all possible curses. Wealth, properly used, greatly widen stne spnere or its posses' sor's usefulness. It enables bim to help others in the life struggle; and there is no happiness so pure, so lasting, or so per fect as tnat wnicn is born or benents conferred upon one's fellows. The possessor of wealth may give an education here, a dinner to hungry mouths there; he may furnish worK and wages to willing and needy hands, and the doing of this alone is a worthy life-work. He may endow a scholarsmp in a college or lound a hospital, and thus . extend the worth of his living to coming generations of men and women. All these and many other excellent things one may do with money, but the money itself, undirected by a generous impulse or awortny purpose, can do notning ex cept to make of its possessor a narrow worshiper of self, a lover of lucre for its own sake. Used, it widens and deepens the channel of its owner's life; it ennobles bim, and makes the fact of his living a benefit to his kind; but unused, it dwarfs whatever of good there may be in him, and makes of him something which the world would have been far bet ter without. With anything like true culture, the case is very different. The man who has it cannot, if he would, help using it for the benefit of others. Its influence goes with him wherever he goes ; and so long as he meets and talks with men and women, of whatever station they may be, just so long will his culture communicate itself, in greater or less degree, to others while its influence upon himself cannot possibly be other than an uplifting one. There is no commoner cant in ourutili itarian age and country than this decry ing of liberal education, and certainly there never was a more illogical one. uearlA ana. Home. Practical Joke. A practical joke which has some unpleasant consequences was recently play ed upon Mr. Jacob Knous, ei xlartiord, Conn. Mr. Knous had been tor some weeks stopping in Boston, and while himself and a party of friends were partaking of a Chrifctmas dinner at his hotel, several persons came in who were not acquainted with him, and the question, "Do you know Knous?" asked of each as he entered, came to be a standing joke from its repetition. Knous started for home Thursday, and his friends, thinking to send the ioke along with him, about the time he should have reached home, sent these telegrams: "Do you know Knous?" and "We have found a man who don't know Knous. Mr. Knous was snowed in at Worcester, and his wife, concluding from the telegrams that her husband had met irith a railroad ac cident, and some one was wanted to identify him, at once started for Boston, accompanied by a friend of the family, Mr. Seymour. At Worcester they were obliged to wait, Mrs. Knous suffering the most agonizing suspense, and while they waited the Boston train passed, on which was Mr. Knous alive and happy uncon- sciouse that nis wile was but a lew rods distant. He arrived in Hartford to find his friends in a fearful suspense over his fate, and his wife in Boston to learn lrom the landlord of his hotel the true character of the painful delusion under which she had labored. The family is again united and happier than ever. About Newspapers. Mr. B. W. Williams, manager of the American Lecture Bureau, delivered an interesting lecture last evening upon the newspaper press. Mr. Williams was formerly connected with the Boston press and familiar with all the details oi a daily newspaper office. The lecturer com- mencea witn a s&eicn oi tue msiory ui printing, the youngest of the sisterhood of arts, tracing the progress from picture- writing, which led to hieroglyphics, then to an arbitrary character for a word, un til letters were used in the formation of words, as at the present time. The speaker also gave an interesting history of the progress from manuscript to the printed page until the era of the newspaper. The first series of weekly news papers was puDiisnea in loaa, me nrsi attempt at Parliamentary reporting was made in 1641, the first advertisement was inserted in 1648, and the first paper produced in England was the Englun Mercu- rie, published in London on the 28th. of July, ltioa. ine nrst attempt at newspaper publishing in the Lnited States was in Boston, on the 25th of September, 1690; only one number appears to have been issued. lor tne uoiomai legislature declared its publication contrary to law, and that it contained reflections of a very high nature. The first regular newspaper published in the city was the Boston Netes Letter, the first number of which appeared April 24, 1704. JTour years after the office was destroyed by the great fire in Boston, but the paper appeared the following wees as usual, though it was sometimes fifteen months in arrears in the publication of foreign news. In December, 1719, the publication of the Boston Gazette was commenced, and con tinued for eighty years, expiring with the century, and leaving a revered and honored name. The first number of the New England Courant was published August 17, 1721. Subsequently James Franklin was imprisoned for publishing a paper in which "the Holy Scriptures were profanely abused," and the name of Benjamin Franklin, then only fourteen years of age, took its place at the head of the columns. Eight different weekly papers appeared between the years 1727 and 1771, when the first number of the MansachuseUs fcpy appeared, dated March 7. It is now the oldest paper in the State. The first daily newspaper in the world was the Daily Covrant, of London, published in 1702, and the first daily in America was the Fcnntylvanta Packet or General Advertiert issued from 1784 to 1837. Boston Journal. A yisltor in Philadelphia wonders if the publication of Jokes is prohibited by law in that city. Probably not, and for the earns reason that there is no law against water flowing up hill or people walking on their heads. The other day some wit asked a Philadelphian what was the original pen wiper. He gave it up, of course. Conundrums do not grow in that city. "It was Penn'spocket-handkerchief," replied the wit. "You cannot make me believe that William Penn used to wipe his quill with his handkerchief," retorted the Philadelphian, with considerable feeling.' A law to suppress joking amoDg such a population would he as useless as a statute against dancing in a hospital of cripples. Golden Age. A party of foreign noblemen are coming over to this side next spring to hunt the buffalo, pursue the Colorado potato bug to its lair, and beard the Omaha cock-soach in his den. The Indians growl because so many emigrants to thear West are bald. Youths' Department. USESSED FOR MEETING. BT A. H. rOK. See my pretty Riffled drew! Sea my taenty locket f 'Spct8lm most a lady now, 'Caaoe I got a pocket, Theee down here are my blue shoes. That I walks my feet in ; Course it wouldn't do to wear Coppar-toea to meetln'. See my pictured handkerWt' Sunday daya I has it; I can blow a noise in church, Host liko papa does it. Papa's hitchin' Jack and Gray, And they keep a prancin': Homes don't wttar bnnday clothes. They don't know they're daucin'. -Grandpa used to go with us. Now he's gone to heaven ; Gneas he's at the ansrel church, Vp where God is ltvin'. I don't take no cakes along, Neyer think of eat in': Don't yon want a nice, clean kiss, '.Fore we go to meetin'? Youth" $ Companion. HEADS UP. Only a few days since I sat with a friend looking over a room full ef young girls who were waiting the opening of a lecture from their teacher. How they chattered, and laughed, and fluttered about, in those delightful moments of freedom from restraint, and how bright and charming they were. "There's nothing prettier than a room full of school girls," said my friend, with enthusiasm ; and, surely, no one need ask for a prettier sight. But when the bell struck, and they subsided into quiet, I began to notice them more closely. Nearly half of the whole number had shoulders unnaturally high, and drawn forward so that the chest was narrow and sunken. Scarcely half a dozen had a fine, erect carriage, of the head and shoulders. It was not a new thing to me. I have seen it in many other school-rooms, at church, and everywhere. I wonder if you girls know how to sit and stand straight ? I really think not ; but when they tell you to "straighten up, you are growing toround-shouldered," yoa try your best. You force your shoulders back, raising them a little, and drawing in your elbows, you keep the position for a minute, and can endure it no longer, your chest aches, every muscle of the shoulders is tired. Now, my dears, try another way. Look at Flora, your bosom friend. Do you see that little hinge at the base of her neck as she sits studying? It has no business there; it is only one of the long chain of articulations in her spine, but the bones have been forced apart unnaturally by the way she carries her pretty head, constantly inclined forward. The little cushion of cartilege between the bones, compressed continually on the inner edge, has thickened correspondingly on the outer. It is hard for Flora to hold her head perfectly upright, and it will grow harder every year, unless she sets herself vigorously at work to remedy the evil. And this is the way to do it, for her and for you: Isrxngour heads into a right line icui vie spine. Nevermind your 6houlders; only get your heads right, and the shoulders will drop naturally and easily into proper po sitions. They cannot help themselves; they must doit, and just as long as you keep your heads erect and necks straight, they must stay there. .Now draw a long breath. How good it feels; how it rests you; and how fine, snd womanly, and queenly you look! Depend upon it, you'll be handsome, every mother's daughter of you, if you carry yourselves like that. No more round shoulders nor hollow chests, and hollow chests mean dreadful things; but if you have already done yourselves so serious a mischief as one or two girls I can call to mind, I advise you to try two things. When you sit down at home to read or study for an hour, take a common shawl strap, put the cross piece just under your shoulders, pass the straps under your arms, over your shoul ders, and buckle them snugly. Then to the ends of the straps fasten weights a couple of flat-irons will do nicely hang them over the back of your chair, and go on with your book. Do you think it will tire you? Not a bit of it; it is a positive relief to strained muscles, besides an admirable arrangement for bringing high shoulders into symmetry. The other thing is walking with a heavy book on the top of the head lor a wbue every day a practice which soon teaches one to keep the head in a right line with tne spine, though it may take you some time to equal the perfect poise of a Dutch peasant girl, who can travel miles to market on her swift skates without jarring the basket of eggs, so nicely balanced on her head. Little Corporal. How to Get the Best Places. Thpr urn in snoift-r a oreat manv good places, but the best places are few, and not easily reached. Who shall have the best places? Let any boy - look about liia u)nnl.rnnm unit suilr which of these boys are to have the best places, and he will find it hard to decide. In all the schools there are many thousands oi boys, and some of them will get the best places. Who are they? that is the question. I wish to speak to the boys of one trait which often decides which of two boys, miin nrant th Rmf nlfw.fi- pets it. I refer to accuracy in scholarship and practice. V , . A 1 1 . nn 1 ao noi reier w uubuiumj ntuuiotjr, whirh helnntrs to the all-knowing mind. but to that habit which strives to think the thought and do the act as nearly accurate as possible. Some boys use the word " about" too often. " The area of certain field is "about so much;" or a certain city is ' about on such a line of latitnde:" or " the sum of certain quanti ties is about so much ;" or a certain sen tence in a translation or composiuon is "about thus and so." If they spell a word, or solve a problem, or keep an engage ment, that pestilent little word pushes itself into notice. The second class of boys nnlthroia tiA hallit nt .fwrj ravrv- Thev try to "hit the nail on the head," and do U every lime, n tney aua up a cuiumu v muitirtW or unftll. or make a promise. they aim to do the thing precisely right. let two ooys ei inese two uuui piy for a position as book-keeper, or superin tendent's clerk, or any other office of trust. The one is about rtgbt, tne otner ts right; the one does his work about right, v. nv.a- Arwa hia rilrht: the one mav be about accurate in hia business, the other is accurate, lhe accurate ooy, otner things being equal, will surely get the place, whilst the other one will about not get it. I saw a young man in the office of a Western railway superintendent. He was occupying a position that four hundred boys in that city would have wished to get. It was honorable and "it paid well," besides being in the line of promotion. .... . XT.. 1 1 A ..nt HOW Old ne get it r wui uy naving iiv.ii father, for he was the son of a laborer. The secret was his beautiful accuracy. He began as an errand boy and did nis work accurately. His leisure time he used in perfecting his writing and arithmetic. After a while he learned to tele graph. At each step his employer com- mended nis accuracy, imu rencu v.u nuo did because ne was sure it wa juui. rifrat. And it is thus with every occupation. The accurate boy is the favored one. Those who employ men ao nox wisn to be on the constant lookout, as though iav Ti-iTo Mumpa nr fruiln. Tf a carpenter must stand at his journeyman's elbow to De sure sua wors ia rignt, w h a caaiuv must run over his bookkeeper's columns, he might as well do the work himself as employ another to do it in that way; and it is very certain that the employer will get rid of such an inaccurate workman as Boon as possible. 1 knew such a young man. He had a good chance to do. well; but he was so inaccurate and unreliable that people were afraid to trust him. If he wrote a deed or a mortgage, or a contract, he was sure either to leave out something or put in something to make it imperfect paper. He was a lawyer without business, because he Jacked the noble quality of accuracy. Just across the street from him was another ' young lawyer, who was proverbial for accuracy. He was famous for searching titles; and when he wrote out the history of a title to a piece of property, it was taken for granted as just so. His aim was absolute accuracy in ovMytkini;. .if ha copied a conveyance, or cited a legal authority or made a statement, he aimed to do it exactly. The consequence is, he is having a valuable practice at the bar, and is universally esteemed. "But," says some boy, "when I become a man, that is the way I shall do. I mean to be very accurate." Perhaps so. I could tell better if I knew just how you do your work now. There are several ways of getting a lesson. One is to get it "tolerably well," which does not cost much labor. The other wsy is to get it faultlessly well, which costs a-great deal of labor. A boy can get a general idea of his lesson, "in a jiffy," but to get it with accuracy is very hard, and reauires both time and industry. If you, my boy, to-day are getting your lesson in the slip-shod way, you will grow up a slipshod man ; but it to-day your habit is to fet every lesson with perfect accuracy, will warrant you will do that way when you become a man. How is it? Little A Text for Boys. A man of very pleasing address, but very disbur.est in his practices, once said to an honorable merchant, "whose word is as good as his bond " "I would give fifty thousand dollars for your name." "why so? asted tne otner, in some surprise. "Because I could make a Hundred thousand dollars out of it." The honorable character which was ai the bottom of the good name, he cared nothing for; it was only tbe good reputation, which he could turn to account in a money point ot view wnicn ne coveted.But a good name cannot be bought with silver; it, of all other possessions, must be fairly earned. ' When it is possessed, it is better business capital than a great sum of money. It is a capital any boy or girl may secure. Honesty must be its foundation even in the smallest particulars. When an employer says, "That is a boyl can trust,"hewill always find himself in demand, provided he joins with it industry. "The hand of the diligent maketh rich." It seems hard at first, maybe this ceaseless round of work, while other boys are lounging about store steps or playing on the green. But the reward will come if you are faithful. While loungers are dragging out a miserable lifetime in privation and poverty, the hard-working boy lives at his ease, respected and honored. Remember this if you desire to make your way in the world. There is nothing can serve your purpose like a name for honesty and industry; and you will never acquire either If you arc a lounger about the streets, and a shirk at your business. Everybody suspects a lad who is often seen about saloon doors or tavern steps. It undermines a boy's character for honesty very rapidly to mix with society he finds there ; and such habits tend to anything but industrious ways. "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold." Print that text on your heart and carry it with you in all your walks and ways. It is worth far more than silver and gold to you. Presbyterian.Babies that Live In a Ball. T nr. tViut trn11 nlnrA in livn in ? And AO .new -' v.. j --- - -- " - tho ball no bigger than the one you play lit. .1 nlKv LaUiAd l n oi il A V C t VS lllly ttUU SIX. Ul ClgUb uouito iuoiuvi brother. In fact their mother is not half so big as a little brown mouse, ana iuo babies themselves are tiny bits of mice. T'KCfl nirtr nnrcprtr rtf tlifiro fa ft nirif.llR X iUa ail J U Ul uv,a J wa. wvu - affair, made of narrow grasses woven to- gether into a Deautiiui, eiiujt uau, nuu nunc to the stems of two or three stout grasses or wheat straws. There it hangs all summer, rocsea oy every ureeze, mu wnen men come to cut uow n me wiieai, they find the cunning little ball, and say they have found a harvest-mouse's nest. Funny as it seems, tho mother don't go into the house herself indeed, it isn't big enough it is just stuffed full of babies. 1 don't suppose any place was ever so full of babies, unless it is the tin boxes packed full of little fishes (which we buy, and call sardines), and they are dead before they are packed, and don't mind being crowded. Tho harvest-mouse's ball is made very open; and although you and I couldn t find any door to it, Jiamma Mouse manages to feed and take good care of the little ones inside, while good Mr. Mouse is quite ready to do his own marketing in the grass near by. How she does it not even the wise men have found out yet; for she is very shy, and does not like to bo watched These curious little creatures are no common brown mice. Their coat is reddish brown on the back, and white on the under side. As I said before, when full grown they're not half so largo as a common mouse; so you can imagine how very little the babies in the ball must be. Often those nests, babies and all, are carried into the barn with the harvest, and then the babies grow and thrive as well as in the field, though of course the open air nursery is far more pleasant. Mr. and Mrs. Micromys Minutus that is their names in the big books.you must know-have a very nice way of getting up to the nest, although they have neither stairs nor ladder. They just run up-a strawor grass stem as easily as you run up stairs. Besides the long, finger-like toes which they have on all their four feet, they have a very useful tail, which is as good as a hand to hold on with. When they want to go dows they curl this little tale around a straw, and slide down befote you can wink. Olive Tlwrne, m Hearth and Home. Ten per cent, of Nothing. A Ftjttnt case has been referred to the Secretary of the Treasury from Savannah, Ua., for settlement. It appears that a firm down there have brought cotton ships in with sand ballast, and dumped the sand on the wharf. The Custom House Appraiser came'along and assessed the sand ten per cent ad valorem, whleh amount he demanded of the importer. T&e importer at once appealed to the Secretary of the Treasury. This morning a sealed bag, marked "drop shot," was ushered into the Treasury building. There seemed to be a mystery about it, and thoughts of nitro-glycerine, fulminating powder, and other explosive materials suggested themselves when tbe weight of the bag proved conclusively that its contents weie not shot. The bag was opened with great care, and its contents were at once called saltpeter, dungsalt, and rocksaTt by different lookers on. But on examining a card attached to it, reference was found to a letter in regard to sand ballast, and this crystally, dirty sand was the article referred to as having been assessed ten per cent. duty. Tbe importer represented that the sand is of no valuo whatever, and was only thrown in as ballast. The Secretary, upon this information, felt convinced that tbe duty of ten per cent, would not hurt it, and affirmed the decision of the Collector of the Port of Savannah in the case. Washington Cor. N. Y. Journal of Commerce. It is a notable fact that the giants who travel with shows are universally good-natured fellows The thcorj- )Q accounting for this is doubtless that they rarely lose their temper, because it woujd be so much trouble ; one of them would have to use a ladder to "get on his ear,"