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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1878)
gije Ue;a ilottJjtaeai Mil. a. J. BfKlWAt, MKr ax ITeprWer J FriCE-CoK.FaMR WAMuoroxsntMir TEBM8, IX ADVANCE : Oce year.. x monitu .. .17 Tiree months.. ... I ADVKBSiaBME NTS Inserted on Terms HER LOT OB, TV How Mt Intetd. Br In. A. J. DOSIWA.T. ACTHOK or "JUMIH BSXD," "BtW DOD,'i "AMIS Aim imT IB," "IU KAFPT ho a," Hon wotLurs onsi," EVCa WKmt KTC- Entarad,acedlartoAetofOoBVMs.in the year 187S, by Kra. A. i. Daalway, la the office of the UbnriaaorODBcresi at Washington Citr. CHAPTER XII. The toil rial who visits Ban Francisco at the present time, with the glare and glitter of its million illumination greeting him by night, and its countless attractions of architecture, trade, and elegance displayed by day on every band, can form but a very faint idea of the old Mission that first greeted my eyes, when, after rounding the promon tory and entering the Golden Gate in the never-to-be-forgotten sotamn of M9, we beheld a forbidding succession of bUlowy sand bills, covered here and there In the distance with groves of live oak, and occasionally frowning above the water's edge in wind-worn, caetle- ated bluffs, against whose precipitous sides the wild waves beat a mournful reville, with never a fog whistle by day nor a revolving light by night to guard the adventurous mariner from the dan gers that would even yet beset his way but for these modern innovations upon the ocean's ere while unbroken solitude. The discovery of gold in California bad but then become of world-wide in terest, and the influx of immigrants from all parts of the world began but a few days after our arrival. The commodities and comforts of modern civilization were almost wholly unobtainable, and the few articles of necessity which immigrants were able to purchase commanded fabulous prices. r or several aays my nosoaml wan dered about, looking in vain for employ ment. Like everybody else who beheld the nuggets of virgin ore brought in daily by the miners upon whom the fickle god of Fortune smiled, he became badly smitten with the gold fever; and I confess that I was just about as eager for the vicissitudes of a miner's life as he. Thanks to ray good constitution, elastic spirits, and the invigorating in fluence of the California climate, my bealth was again excellent. I was even stronger than when, in my child hood's days, I bad made bay in sight of Botbwiek woods, or digged peat in the edge of the bog overlooked by Botbwiek turrets. In a few days our last doHar was gone, and my husband, realizing the hopeless ness of the situation, gave way to in toxication, and felt himself justified. What would have become of our chil dren If I had done likewise? And yet women are called the weaker vessel. Ah, me ! There's many an anomaly in this world, and woman's imaginary depend ence and incapability are not the least of them. For several days my husband lounged about our boarding-house, incapable, owing to his frequent potations, of doing anything, or even of talking intelligibly. The hotel, so-called, where we had token lodgings, was a canvas tent, or, rather, a aacceMion of tents, with the most primitive possible accommoda tions, and help of every class was as scarce as ooaruers and lodgers were plenty. Oar landlord was a busy, florid, and fussy Herman, with just enough of knowledge of English language and American manners to count currency by (old dust standards, calculate his profits, and make his charges according to the quality of his guests. As we were without money, we were soon without hotel accommodations of any sort, and. slight as our protection from the winds of the bay had been in the tent, we found, when adrift in the open street, that a canvas covering was better for our needs than nothing. I think my bun baud realised some thing of my distress when, with our little all stowed away in a couple of trunks, we sat down together upon a hillock of sand, the wind blowing a gale, and driving the fine, flinty gravel into our faces, while poor disfigured baby Gerald cried wildly with hunger and pain. "I can't see you and the kids suffer, little woman: and it's out of my power to aid you while I stay here. Guess I'll go gold bunting," said my husband, desperately. "And will you take us t" I answered, my heart fairly in my throat. "Are you an idiot, little wife?" The look 01 scoru ne gave me was even more cutti ng than the question. I hung my bead in confusion, and really felt guilty of having said some thing exceedingly foolish. "If I go to the digging;! afoot and empty banded, it will be as much as I ean do to get along alone!" he added, doggedly. I began to weep silently. "None of that!" be exclaimed, an grily. "If I was only alone In the world I'd have no trouble to get a liv ing. You know well enough that I was comfortably situated wheu I married you. I was in favor with Her Majesty, and was a visitor at the homes of lords and duke." "VOIT73in3 -VII. "And I was a young maiden, care free ami without children," I could not help reply log. Perhaps the remark was an Inju dicious one, seel ni; I was wholly In his power; but was he not the aggressor? He looked at me with a furious glare, as a maniac or a wild beast might. I remembered that be was half crazed with drink, and it was no wonder that I was frightened. "I beg your pardon, Gerald," I said, shrinking baok to avoid a blow; and, still fearing the glare of his eye, I gath ered both children in my arms and started toward the Inu from which we had just been ejected. I expected he would follow me, but hedid not. I wandered aimlessly around for an hour, not knowing whither to turn, with baity Ethel in my arms, and leading baby Gerald most of the time by the band. Then I ventured back to the spot wliere our truuks were left, and found a note beside them, couched in bitter language, informing me that I was henceforth to go my own wild way without my husband. I did not think I had ever been wild, or that I deserved to be thus accused. And I now know that I did not deserve sueli treatment. Hut I then Imagined myself guilty of some very grave misdemeanor, I really could not dearly imagine what. For a time I sat as one turned to stone. The very agony of Getbeemene was upon me. Gerald, my husband, had abandooed me; Gerald, my baby, was crying for food, and tiny Ethel was gazing wonderiugly at me with her great frightened eyes, as though she dimly comprehended the fact that there was no place In the wide world for her. I shut ray eyes to hide myself from my children, and lo! and behold! Ilothwlek castle, with its moat and drawbridge, and Lord i Jot h wick and Ethel Graeme pasted before me in a panorama like unto that which I bad sometimes seen before, while overhead there glared upon me, in a fury of ma licious rage, a pair of lustrous eyes. Oh, those eyes .' What could they mean by gazing at me thus? And why did I sometimes free Ilothwlek castle witli my own eyes shut ? I wonder if, there are ministering an gels. I have heard a great deal about them during these later years, so much, indeed, that I have almost lost faith In them. But there were uo Spiritual mouotebaokH in those early days of my life, and I never doubted enough to even raise a question as to the genuineness of my own mental visions until latterly. Then, too, I once implicitly believed that I could hear angels' voices. Some times I doubt the evidence of my own inner senses now, Itecause I have so often been deceived by those who, pro' fessing the same or parallel experiences to mine, have proven themselves char latans and deceivers of the worst order. But all that Is neither here nor there. Let the phenomena I saw and felt and heart 1 come from what source they may, tbey have never failed me in the hours of my sorest need; and though it is now a number of years since I have been bier t od with frequent second sight hal lucinations, if such they he, yet I love to remember the many 1 1. lies when some sudden, unseen aid has come to me, lifting the clouds from my path, awl permitting the rays of heaven's light to illume my path, erewhlle blockaded with the densest gloom. The voice I beard was so still and small and strange, and yet so powerful, that It seemed impossible that It should be inaudible to the physical ear; and yet it was so, the voice that I heard while yet it seemed that I could hear not. And it said suddeuly and authori tatively : "Keep a boarding-house ."' "Pit do U I cried aloud, as I rose lo my feet and started toward the hotel from which we bad been ejected In the morning, still clasping tiny Ethel to my bosom, and leading baby Gerald by the hand. "'Oo'il do 'hat, mamma?" asked baby Gerald, springing forward as though lie, too, felt the inspiration of a new, mysterious Impulse. "Keep a boarding-bouse, dearie. And you shall help mamma, and be her man, and her darling, won't you?" I an swered, not knowing what else to say. "'Es, mamma. An' maybe Got I'll send me another good eye In n'aee of my bad one, an make my back sCong," tbe darling replied. Ah, me! In a little while I paused, panting and flurried, in tbe presence of the landlord, who was busily encaged In welchlm: gold dust in exchange for tlte primitive dinners and more primitive lodgings witli whieli he entertained his guests. " What now" lie asked, pausing for an instant to gaze at me and the little ones, and taming again as quickly to bis uleely-balaneed scales, as though not ex peeti tig a reply. "I want to go into business, Mr. Lillienthal, and I waut you for a part ner," I exelaimed, soareely knowing wbat I said, or why I had the temerity to say it, yet feeling brave from very desperation. "Ah, indeed?" he replied, shaking the gold dust he had weighed from the deerskin purse in his hands into a glass jar on tbe counter. "Yes, Mr. Lillienthal. My husband has abandoned me, and I'm left wholly dependent upon my own exertions for a livelihood, and I want you to take me POTiTIVIfD, Into business with you as a partner." "Any money?" was the laconic query. "Not yet; but I will make money. How much Is your establishment worth?" I replied, looking around me in a business-like way, while baby Ger ald begged softly for bread. "I refused ten thousand dollars for it a while ago, ma'am; but if you want a partnership, and really mean business, I'll sell yon the half for five." "And what ohance will you give me to make payments?" "The best in the concern. You can come right in and take possession, with your two kittens, and get a young squaw to take care of 'em; and you can take cA.gv -jf ljf lwd. .eh rnhftrs and linen closets, and oversee the washing, ami keep a geueral eye on things, and I'll allow you half that's made, your board and the keeping of the kittensde dueted, till I've had my five thousand. After that we'll divide profits, ami share and share alike. But, mind you, that drunken lout of a husband don't get any show here." Of course I fully interpret his words for you, kind reader. They wereepoken to me in a mixed German and English jargon, whieli a less anxious person than myself might have failed to fully comprehend. "My husband has gone to the dig gings, sir, and left me to my fate. You needn't be at all afraid of him." "All right, then. Begin at once. And you'd better see if the dlning room's all right before you go to your own room." "I'll begin my work as soon as I have fed my children," I auswered, cheer fully. And in a little while my work was running along as smoothly a9 though I bail been trained for It through a decade of years. The property, for one-half of which I bad agreed to pay five thousand dollars, consisted of a succession of tents of vari ous sizes and descriptions, containing camp bedsteads and primitive furniture, the ground about them covered with sugar mats from the Sandwich Islands, in lieu of floors, and the walls adorned by tiny mirrors pinned against the can vas. The entire property cost, In New York, not to exceed two hundred dol lars, including dining-room furniture and office register. But California was tlie land of gold, and everything bore inflated prices. Ordinary conversation could be over heard from one end of the hotel to the other, tbe cloth partitions acting rather as a conductor of sound than an obstacle to its transmission. My first half-day's work wa9 done, and I had retired with my little ones to my private apartment, when I over heard the following conversation In the dining-room : "Lillienthal, you're an Idiot." "Maybe so," was the quiet answer. "There was no kind of need of your selling a half Interest to that woman. Why didn't you just keep her as a chambermaid ?" "I wanted to give her value received," answered my benefactor. "So you could, if you'd held on to your property," was the deep-voiced re joinder. And then suddenly I remembered the voice. It was that of Elder Chalmers. "I'm not asking your advice," said Mr. Lillienthal. "Well, friend, it isn't best to give women too much power. I know that little madcap well. She drove as good a husband as ever blest a woman to the lowest depths of Intemperance by her villainy. You'd do well to watch her." "Aud you'd do better to your own af fairs," was the grutl reply. Tbe reader may imagine my feelings. Young, care-burdened, inexperienced, and alone, witli the only man near me to whom I might have reasonably hoped to look for at least a kindly word, boarding and lodging in my own house, anil trying to prejudice my partner against me in the outset. Oh, how I did wish Mr. Motley could see fit to give up his ideas about carry ing the gospel to sin-benighted Indians, while he. might look a little more care fully after my rum-cursed, child-ham pered self. "My new partner will draw custom and double the popularity of my enter prise," said Mr. Lillienthal. "She'll take half the burden off my shoulders, too, and make the guests feel at home. Tho crylugof her babies will be a for tune, of lteelf." "Have it your own way," said the deep-voiced Elder. "But don't forget the innate wickedness of woman. 11 was Eve that caused the fall of mau, you know." What the final effect of .bluer Cbalm s' evil speeoh might he I could not guess; hut my fitful sleep was filled with dread forebodings, and it seemed that day would never come. Morning at last found me suffering with a fearful headache, and I moved from room to room, or, rather, from tent to tent, with my bead bandaged in a wet towel, my temples throbbing, and my pulse feverish. But my duties, though constant, were not hard. My partner had conjectured rightly that the presence of a woman and children in tbe house would double tbecustom, and be fore night we had planned to double the lodging capacity of the house, I to do tbe sewing, and he to furnish tbe ma terial for making tbe canvas rooms. Free Speech", Free Press, Free People. OREGON, JTRIDVY, jVPRXL. 19, 1878. Evidently the pious Elder bad not succeeded In prejudicing tho mind of my new friend against me, and, saving the one day's headache he cost me, I did not feel the evil cflect of his Insidious malice for many monthB to come. And through all that time, while I was at the hotel with my ohlldren, I can proudly say that all men, the Elder ex cepted, treated me with chivalrous courtesy. No one, not even my partner in business, ever approached mo with aught but the most profound and defer ential air of respect; aud It Is a libel upon manhood to say that even a moiety of men are had. We called our hotel tho "Azara House," and we prospered finely. Had my husband remained away for a half dozen years, or had ho been compelled by the law to permit me, even when he was at home, to carry out my plans, I could to-day be the business peer of a Jones, Sharon, or a Lick. To be continued. The Unsympathetic Fair, or, Enthusiasm asd Dullness. Our readers have noticed, of course, a woman of entbusiam joined to a mau of none at all a mere stupidc, as the French say. We saw such a pair a little while ago. They stood before a win dow looking out upon the wintry day. The cheerful fire on the hearth sent Its ruddy glow Into the room. They were man and wife. Said she, with enthu siasm : "Is it not a grand sight ?" "What?" auswered he. "Why, this glorious tlmeof the year!" she sulci. "Pshaw ! I thought you referred to that old gentleman who fell on the side walk just uow. Let's go near the fire; I'm chilly." "Dear " said she. "Well," abruptly returned he, poking the glowing embers vigorously. "Don't you think that winter is mon arch of tho seasons?" she asked. I " "Let the poets," she said, "rave about spring, with her violet-sandalled feet all wet with dew. About summer, in her wheaten garlands hound. Of au tumn, stained with juice of purple grape. . Do tbey half compare with icy crowned winter? But what Is your opinion of this beautiful day ?" "I think" "This day," she continued, "when nature, draped in her snowy mantle, presents a perfect portraiture of chastity. See how the sun sports among the drifts, causing them to scintillate like diamonds ! Is not this the chosen pe riod of the year7" "I thluk that" "Oh!" said she, "it Is superb! No wonder Shakespeare has said, 'Bo thou as pure arstww.' Look how tbe play ful wind circles the downy fleece! Come, dear, to the window." He came reluctantly. "Now, what doyou thinkof thisday?" she said, rapturously. "I think It would be a splendid day to track rabbits!" Both were mute for an hour and a half. Do Tjiey eveu Gkt Mad? She Is a sweet, mild-looking little woman, with dark eyes and nut brown hair, that helps us to get up the good recipes for our household department every week, aud it was like a ray of snnshlno wheu she stepped into our office a few morn ings ago. Our smile, "so child-like and blunt!." faded into a stcRiy gnu. How ever, when rising to greet her, we notioed a peculiar glitter about her eyes. Not heeding our profound bow, she said, in a sharp tone, that there was no mis taking: "Are you the gentleman that tends to having the recipes published t" We took in tbe situation at a cJancc, and, as our senior was absent, we gently insinuated that he waa the man. "Very well, sir, then say to him, that when he learns to make tin cakes by the recipe I gave last week to make tea cakes, I should like lo know it. See here, sir," she said, reaching out (we instinctively dodged), and taking from the desk a copy of last week's Sun, she pointed to the household recipes, and showed us where the typo had made her reoipe for tea cakes read tin cakes. "Stop my paper," she added, "and get some one more familiar with the tin business togetyourbouseholdreclpes lierealter." Fairly bounding with indignation, she made the old door rattle as she went out, and far down the street we could hear her boot heels popping on the pavement like fire-crackers on tbe Fourth of July. Itural Sun. Teachers. We want tho ablest and best men aud women In the community to engage In the vocation of teaching. To reduce thelrcompensatlon will cause many or tuts class to resort to other oc cupations, and will prevent many of them from devoting themselves to the Instruction of our youth. In this way It will cause the degeneracy of our school system and have a most luluri ous effect upon the generation which Is lo taxeourpiaceupontneeartb. Again, tho poorer class the class for which our public school system is mainly adapted have n deep Interest in this matter. It is important for them that the teachers should be of that class who are the most skillful in communicating Knowledge and training to their pupils, as wen as uaoiM ot oruer and diligence. This cutting down of tbe salaries will causo many of the best teachers to open private schools, and thus put them over to tlie richer class, depriving the body of the people of the advantages which tbe law was supposed to have provided for tuem. n imam uuitcn Jiryant. A Danbury man recently went to see a friend In an insane retreat. He stood a moment before a fine-looking man be had seen before at the Institution, and inquired his name. "Julius Ciesar, sir," said the lunatic. "Why, you were Al exander when I was here before, were you not?" "Oh, why yes, but that was by a former wife," said tho crazy man, not at ail disconcerted. "That's all right," remarked the gro cer, reassuringly, as he chased tbe piece of cheese back into the customer's bas ket, whence it was endeavoring to es cape. "Yes," replied tbe customer, du biously, "I know it must be, for mite is right." OUB WASHINGTON LETTER. To the Editor of tue Sew Southwest : The second trial of Cephas Jones, col ored, for outraging tbe person of Miss Smith last fall, is now in progress, and promises another disagreeing jury, though ber identification of him was perfect. Cephas and bis brother bear strong resemblance to each other, and tbe defense put the two In the box ask ing her to identify her assailant. This she did unhesitatingly, though the dis trict attorney himself was deceived and believed she had erred. Her correct ness of judgment and clear straightfor ward testimony Is convincing to the mass, but tho trumped-up evidence, which always appears at a second trial of criminals, will override her state ments M.'ure iue jnrv. One most pain ful feature In our criminal 'system iy pears in this trial, and should be reme died. Why must a young girl, who has suffered the foulest outrage and narrowly escaped death through the in juries received at the time, be subjected to the insults and sneers of a brutal cross examination In tbe presence of a court-room crowded with loafers who roll every taunt and filthy allusion as a sweet morsel under their tongues ? Kus sta arrests every person found near the spot where murder is committed, and tbe world raises Its hands in holy hor ror, and yet Is it worse than our prac tice of compelling a witness to give bail for his appearance in court, a course which has In New York City often in carcerated the victim of robbery for months In prison, while the thief gets oil scot free on straw-leg bail, aud which subjects every witness to the ignominy of testifying In open court? Tbe Interesting question before us now Is, who holds tbe title to Arling ton? The United States has held the property since 1H, buying it then at a direct tax sale, under a bid of about S2S.000. The amount of taxes assessed upon the property was $9S 00, and tbe excess of the bid over this sum was turned into tbe United States Treasury for the former owners. A deed In due form was given the United States by the tax commissioners, and, as the prop erty has been In possession of the gov ernment ever since that date, it would seem its title was sound. But the courts have, in every instance where suits of ejectment have been brought by the original owners of other tracts sold un der the "district tax" sales, ousted the purchasers; the government's title Is thus narrowed down to tbe mere pos sessory one of might, not right. If the citizen cannot retain his purchase, of course the government must hold its by exercise of power alone. Judge Hughes, of tbe United States District Court of Virginia, decides adversely to the government, and if the Supreme Court affirms his decision under the appeal which has been taken, Congress must restore the estate to tbe Custer's heirs, or repurchase. Tho heirs would prefer tbe latter course at least they so express themselves and as there are 30,000 Union soldiers buried in its ceme tery, we presume the government will buy rather than remove the dead. Ar lington Is naturally n grand old estate. We have never seen one that seemed more nearly a home for a king. It con tains 1,100 acres of land of sufficient fer tility to support a family in splendor, while its natural beauty and contiguity to the city will necessarily render it an object of Interest aud attraction as long as Washington is the capital of our na tion. In tho center of the tract is about 100 acres of woods, composed nearly of original oak trees the only grovo left standing in tbe county by our troops during the war and in this Is the cem etery, which is enclosed with a high stone wall. Tho old family mansion stands in the center, and, with its huge pillared portico, which is distinctly seen from the river and city, is of course noted by all visitors. Outside of the cemetery the land lies in commons, or is worked in patches by the freedmen, who still live in tbe score of bouses re maining on tbe site of Mr. Stanton's freedman's village. Of course under tbe skimming, shiftless farming of these improvident ignorant freedmen, tbe land has become impoverished and des olato In its appearance, yet, under proper care, the whole farm would soon be, as it was before the war, one of the grandest rural homes ever seen. If Congress retains It, as It undoubtedly will, then tbe whole tract should be laid out In a great national park. Secretary Thompson rules again that the navy yard employes must work ten hours for a day's labor, at which there Is muoh grumbling, though no strike as yet. Times are too bard here to permit any eenslble man to stop work because of this two hours' exaction, but we an ticipate trouble In the future. Experl ence under the eight and ten hours' la bor regulation in our navy yard here shows conclusively that Its laborers ac compllsh as much in one hour of tbe longer day as of the shorter, thus en tailing two hours' absolute loss in re sults under the eight-hour system. It Is no wonder Secretary Thompson ad he res to his ten-hour rule. The number of cities applying to have mints for coinageof sllverestablished In tbem is rather surprising. Indianapolis has had a delegation before the Senate finance committee urging its peculiar ad vantages for such purpose, and a dozen other cities have done the same thing. NUMBER 31. But It is unlikely that more will be done In that direction than to repair and re store the mint at New Orleans, though great weight is given the claims urged in behalf of Denver. The Sovereigns of Industry have held their national convention here, and af ter adjournment the delegates called on tho President to pay their respects. They also vlsiled Mount Vernon and other places of interest in and around the capital. We have been delighted with tbe proceedings of this convention, as, for a wonder, the delegates Ignored politics and appealed to the intelligence of the people as tbe means of accom plishing their ends, rather than to hur rahing for followers at tbe ballot-box. Tbe unceasing cry for votes by national conventions held here grows wearisome to us. who enjoy the comfort of a good city governnieo without the aid of leg islators sent up by our slums and hells, and it is refreshing to hear such an In tellectual body of meu as these Sover eigns were, discuss reform from another standpoint than that of suffrage. Flans for the new building of the bu reau of engraving and printing are pre pared, and we hope another year will find the structure completed. It bos been evident for years that the Treas ury was unfit for printing purposes, and that tbe bureau should be in a detached building. Tho one proposed will be in the vacant space south of tbe Treasury, and, by the plaus, promises to be of finest architecture, proportions, and ap pearance. It will be large enough to do all tho government money priuting, short of Confederate Inflation times. Feux. Washington, D. C, March 22, 1S7S. Going Timouorr College. Theo dore Farker never received a diploma, though lie pursued the full college course at Harvard. Nor did be ever recite a single line to a professor. His father was poor, and could not afford to pay the college expenses; but Theodore was bound to have a liberal education. One evening besaid : "Father, I have entered Harvard Col lege." "How did you prepare?" asked tbe astonished parent. "I studied by myself evenings, after the day's work was done, aud mornings before work." He was then assisting his father on the farm. "But I cannot pay your expenses in college." "I know that; I mean to stay at home and keep up with my class." And he did more than keen un with the class; part of tbe time he worked for his father at home, aud part of the time he taught school, paying his father eleven dollars a month to hire another hand in his place. He passed tbe ex amination successfully, but was not given a degree because he had been a non-resident, nnd had paid no fees. Subsequently a degree was offered him, on condition of paying the customary fees; but money was scarce, though en ergy and scholarship were ample, and be was obliged to decline it. What a reproach is his examnle to those who, having everything to help them In a college-course, waste time and advantages I Youth's Companion. The Deacon Answered. "Ud in New Hampshire, where I lived when a boy," says Governor oye. "there was an old deacon who was a great deal more pious than liouest. lie was an old hyp ocrite, aud wheu be had done any par ticularly mean thing, ne eased his con science by going out iuto a field along side of which was a stone wall, aud, kneeling beside it, praying tbe Lord to topple itoveron him if be had done any thing offensive to bim or offensive in his sight. Well, we boys fouud it out, and one day when we saw the deacon making for the wall, we got on tbe other side and waited. He knelt down, according to Ids usual custom, and went through his usual formula, elosiug with the petition to have the wall topple over if lie had done anything wrong. We toppled it. Jumping out from under the stones, the old man cried in tones or mingled disgust and alarm, 'Good gra cious! Can't you tell when a man is joking?" A writer In the Canada Utrmer says: "Four years ago my barn was regularly infested by rats; they were so numerous that I had great fears of my whole grain being destroyed by them, after it was boused; but having two acres or wild peppermint that grew in a field of wheat, after the wheat was harvested, the mint was cut and bound with it, and drove tbe rats from my premises. I have not been troubled with oue since, nor am I at present, while my neighbors have any quantity of them. I feel confident that any one who is troubled with these pests could easily get rid of them by gathering a good supply of mint aud placing it around the walls or base or their barns." .life. we talk or human lire as a journey, but how variously is that jour ney periormeu. lucre are those wuo come forth girt and shod aud mantled, to walk on velvet lawns and smooth ter races, where every gale is arrested, and every beam Is tempered. Itiere are others who walk on the Alpine paths of lire, against driving misery, and tnrougti stormy sorrows, over sharp afilictions; walk with bare feet and naked Irea9t. jaded, mangled, and chilled. Sidney omttt. A boy in Sunday school proposed a question to oe answered tne bunday fof owing: -now many letters does the Bible contain?" Tbe answer was three million live hundred and thirty thous and three hundred and thirty-three The superintendent says to James, "Is that right?" "No, sir." was the prompt reply. "Will you please tell us how many there are, then?" "Twenty-slx, oil. x . . .. tu uucieui, tiays tne precept was. uvnow tnyseir." In modern times It has been supplanted by the far more fashionable maxim, "Know thy nelgh- uu ccrjiuiug auout mm. In the long run, says Cbannlng, truth Is aided by nothing so much as opposition. A Journal for tbe Teople. Devoted to the Interests of Humanity, ladependeat In Polities and Religion. Mlve to all TJve Iteaes, and Thoroughly KadlcsllnOpposlnKaodExpoaingthe WroatgS ot tbe Masses. CorrenpoadentawTitlng over assumed s torn most make known their names to ta Editor, or no attention will be glren to I communications. Women at Physicians. Dr. Gaines thinks that women physi cians "lower their character ai ladUa by medical surgical operations." Work ing In blood, aud diseased, f,er, pUtnd flesh, is not very agreeable to the aver age woman, or man either. But how about the women nurses of our hospitals" How about our army hospitals, where women in time or war are and must be employed? Do none of them work in human blood, diseased flesh, and still more disgusting substances ? Are none of them ladies i Wbat about Florence Nightingale and many others from the so-called bigherrauksof society, who have cheerfully devoted themselves to the alleviation of human suffering among the sick and wounded? What about tlie Sisters of Charity both Protestant and Catholic who spend their lives as nurses, aud never hesitate at the most appalling spectacles of hu man misery and suttering. We well re member the scenes we witnessed during tlie late war, when the most wealthy, beautiful, and delicate young ladies and c.:' ones, too did not shrink from menial, and what would, under oil er circumstances, been considered disgu-fc- ing services for our poor boys in gray. We saw on one occasion a beautiful girl of eighteen, wealthy and admired, tlie belle or her native town, go down on her knees aud takeoff the filthiest socks we ever saw from tlie filthier feet of a Confederate soldier, who was lying on a filthy floor and slowly dying, not from wounds, but from pure exhaustion and neglect. She bathed his ley cold feet with her own beautiful bands till some warmth was restored to tbem; she gave him nourishing wine, and fed bim on nice warm soup made with ber own hands, till she saw that he was reviving under her life-giving care; in short, she saved his life, and sent him forth, anew man, to fight again for tbe beautiful Southern laud she loved so well. Was she less ladylike when on her knees, performing so grandly her labor ol love, than when arrayed In her gossamer robes of beauty, she seemed the undis puted queen of the ball-room ? No; her face and form to us seemed glorified; she was at that moment one of dott's blessed angels for there are angels in mortal form. Away with such a stupid reason why women should not enter the medical ranks, as that offered by the un progressive aud uuprogressed Ken tucky doctor. On this subject the editor of the Lou isville Commercial says: "No male doe tors hold that it uusexes and debases women to be nurses; and yet female nurses nurse male patients, and some of them see more horrible and disgusting things, encounter more obscenity in word and deed, than any male doctor does. If any low-minded surgeon in tlie Crimea bad said anything deroga tory of Florence Nightingale aud her companions, or, ou either side of our late civil war, of noble women who went to nurse in army hospitals, his fellow-surgeons would have sent him to Coventry; would have tabooed bim for life, if they hadu't devoted bim to par tial dissection on the spot. We would not care to be tbe man who, in a meet ing of Louisville physicians, should make a sweeping assault on the charac ter of the good women who do the w.r ing in the charitable ami religion in stitutions of this city. If the man es caped alive, or without being crippled for life, he would soon rind that the air of this city had become permanently unwholesome for bim." That editor is not totally depraved, or, rather he is less totally so than some other pe- pv. "Women," says Mrs. Dr. Cuttei :r t'.r and beautifully, "never do barm i y i - tering any sphere. In the eh u reh and in the parlor, in the sick chamber ami in the hospital, they bring Keutleness, refinement, and charity. They have even carried honesty into Washington city, and into the Treasury Department, where they count the money. If they ruled tbe world in some things, the world would be the better for it." W e are well aware that in advocating a scientific medical education for wom en we are in a very decided minority. uui even nere mere is progress, and very rapid progress, too. Lnfortunately, women themselves present perhaps the most formidable barrier to their own advancement,. Educated, as for the most part they have hitherto been, in tbe most superficial and unscientific manner, they are frightened at the new truths and ideas which are crowding in upon them, and still wish to adhere to customs which have held tbem down lo mental slavery and social bondage customs which, blessed be God, are last passing away. Woman is rapidly as serting her mental and social independ ence, anu tauing no mean place both in science and the arts. And the sphere of woman, both in art and science, will be a practical one; for, as science, aud es pecially physical science, has been en gaged in battering down old systems and undermining false foundations, woman, the producer, the repleuisher of tbe ranks of humanity, will,, working iu harmony with man, the positive ele meut iu human nature, give him effect ual aid In building up new and beauti ful structures which shall endure for ever. As, without both tbe positive aud negative forces iu nature nothing can tie perfect, so man needs the aid of gentle fello w-workers to smoothe and beautify, as well as to strengthen all the works of science or art to which be is devoted. "It is not good for man to lie alone." Mrs. Shindler, in Voice of Tntth. The Christian Life, a Unitarian news- paperof Loudon, pleasantly notices the fact that Mrs. Utter and Mrs. Hale have been preaching here durinc the aWnoo of the pastor, and remarks that such instances are not unknown among Eng lish Unitarians. All of which shows that we are on the advance guard on the question of the proper sphere of woman, as well as on other questions involving tbe reformation of nhl hn. Unitarian A dvocate. Saves at the Spigot. "We have to practice rigid economy these hard times, when grain is liable to come down to fifty cents," remarked a man to a crowd on the sidewalk the other day. "I have slopped all my papers; can't, stand It; times are bard. Come in, boys, and take a drink !" Men are frequently like tea the real strength and goodness are not properly drawn out until they have been In hot water. "If there is no hell," asks an Ameri can paragrapher of the period, "how could an Englishman spell 'London?'"