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About The Albany register. (Albany, Or.) 1868-18?? | View Entire Issue (Sept. 25, 1874)
"411." "411?" " Tin s mo, sir. i " Lot mo see your arm. all right, sir." right, is it '? - In my humble . it's about ns wrong as wrong "It's AU opinion can be. 411 lo down at the bruised flesh and lire Ken bones he had atlirmed to be " all ric'.t. with a half contemptuous smile, and then, resigning himself to the inevitable, laid quietly watching the white hands of the young doctor as he prepared pplints, bandages, etc., and commenci A the work of setting the bone, now render) d doubly difficult by the bHwHlag of the bruised flesh. The light of the totting s;m stole into the room, illuminating with a sudden glory the bare w.ills and comfortless f-urroundmgs ana turowing into strong relief the two figures which gave life to the picture. The doctor's frank, good humored face, slight, easy figure, and air of careless good breeding could not have been out of place under any cir cumstances ; but the other seemed strangely in unison with, and yet in contradiction to, his surroundings. His jguscular frame might have served as a model for strength and beauty a Hercules in a prison dress ! His hands, roughened and hardened by toil, bad boon ns slender and well-shaped as the doctor's own. His face, bronzed by ex posure to ali weathers, was still high bred "and refined aquiline features, olenr, brave tyes, and, above all, the close cropped hair of a convict. He had that -&air o reserve, totally distinct from rude ..ess, which only well-bred people possess, and which impresses even the most vulgar and obtuse. Though the sensitive mouth betrayed his deScate nervous organisation, noth ing could be more stoical than the com posure with which he borj the torture he wae suffering. "Why on earth, man, don't you say fomethiug, eir cry out t'r exclaimed the doctor,- half Impal iently. " That's not my way, sir." Noticing the gathering "whiteness round "his patient's lips, the doctor has tily poured something :'u a glass, and, bidding him drink it, went quickly on with his work. After a few minutes' si lence, he glanced up suddenly. " What's that ?" pointing to a small blue figure on the brawny wrist. " That ? O ! my crest. I did it whoa I was. a boy," said the man, indiffer ently. - "Your crest?" " Did I say that ?" and a flush crept over h:s face. " I must have been dreaming ; people do dream sometimes, don't they ? ' The doctor did not answer, but, look ed keenly at him, as he turned away his head with a short embarrassed laugh. " What is your name ?" " No. 411." "I don't mean that ; I mean your name " persisted the eh:etor. "Jim Brown." Dr. Harris laughed. " Jim Brown ! Why don't you say, Bill Seroggins ? One name would suit you about as well as the other. " 411 frowned slightly. " Why should I tell you my name ?" "I'm sure I don't know," was the frank answer; "unless because I want you to. The crest on your arm is very like my own. I thought, perhaps, we were related." " And if we were ? You wou'eln't i own me." I " Why not ? I am Dot a bad fellow my-w.vy, ncitlier do 1 tniuk you are. Why shouldn't I own you ?" The man raised himself on his aim, and looked searchingly in the doctor's face. " A convict f ' he said, slowly. "Well," said the dec tor, dryly, "I don't see much society except convicts, at present, and I can't say but what I like them as well as I do those who think themselves a good deal better. I've found out it isn't always the worst that are caught by any means. I'm a 'radical,' you must Know," he added, quaintly, " and very much disapproved of by the family.'' 411 looked out into the qa'herin eiarkness for some minutes, and then j said, quietly : " We'll, sir, if you care to hear a con vict's story, sit down awhile. I've I never told it to any one, and I don't I know why I should tell it to you ; but ; the mood's on me, and I might as wed I j talk as think, may be ; and thf n you've ! guessed my secret partly at least, you 1 know I'm not Jim Brown " and a smile ! flashed across bis face. " How old elo yon. think I am ?" he continued. Ur. Harris JooKea at tne powerml framei of the man at the strong, hard lines in his face. "Between fortv and fiftv, I should say." " Thirty-six, yesterday. I was twenty-four the day I was sentenced ;a pleas ant way of celebrating one's birthday, wasn't it? There was a lot of stuff in the papers abont my ' youth,' and my being so 'hardened.' Did they think I was going tp beg for mercy? not I. I've been out here twelve years now, .and I've escaped twice and been caught again ; but I'll try it once more, some time." "You ought not tell me that," said the doctor smiling, "Why cot? They watch mc all the time any way. Just give me some water, will you? Thanks. Weil, I ought to coujiawe with my same, I suppose. It is Edward Tracy. I was the second son of a Northumberland squire, who had jnst enough money to keep up the place for my brother, and no more. A fine old place it was, and the only thor oughly happy days I can look back to wer' spent there. That was when I was a boy home for the holidays, eager abont cricket and foot-ball, and to whom a gun and the range of the rabbit war ren were perfect happiness: After a while.it was unpleasant enough. My brother a lazy, good-looking - fellow, who knew how to ride and shoot, and only that was the idol of my mother and sisters. All deferred to him except little Mary, my pet, who used to follow me round like a kitten. Poor little - girl ! I wonder if she thinks of me now. Younger sons in a poor family - have a hard time of it. I only wonder more don't go to the bad than do. Brought up as gentlemen they are then thrown on their own resources, to live by their wits, either in some beggarly profe?sion, or as hangers-on where there are any rich relations. They must put up with being snubbed and thrown over, whenever they some in the way njade use of and then cast aside ; at least, such was my experience. I was proud and passionate, and so felt these things more than others, I dare say. I wanted to go into the army, but my father taid he couldn't afford it I ' would be always getting iuto debt,' etc. and so I was appreuticed "to a London barrister- a great, pompous man, whom I cordially detested before a month was out. H tad a wav of aceravatine me whenever e came in contact that used to make ne long for an excuse to pitch him down-Btairs. I believe in presentiments. I knew that man would injure me some day. I saw more trickery and under hand dealing while in that office than I had ever seen in my life before. Mr. Pierson was a man of tact, not talent. He had gained several good case?, which made bis reputation, and he had a way of making people believe that if black was not just white, it was certainjy gray, which proved very useful to him. "1 was about twenty-two when I went into Kent for a few weeks, partly on business for Mr. Pierson, ami partly to visit an uncle of mine. Am I tiring you, sir, with this long story?" " Not at, all, Tracy ; go on." 411 started at the unfamiliar name, which the doctor slightly emphasized. His breath came quickly, and his voice was husky when he spoke again : " Would you think, now, that a man could hear his own name bo seldom, that When it was spoken as you spoke mine, it could make the past come back like the great wave, almost blotting out the present? I haven't heard my name ! for more than ten years." he went on : musingly. "I don't wonder it sounds strange to mc. It was in the summer when I went to Kent ; the time for 1 fall ing in love,' as it i-i called, and, of ! course, I did it. I don't wonder at my- i self, oven now, when I remember ell that has passed. We were thrown very much together. Lney was an orphan, ' living with a rich maiden aunt, whose place abjoined my uncle's. I had al ways a fonehiess for playing the part of ; protector ; and she was a clinging, do- pendent little thing, with long golden j curls and a delicate pink-and-white dai- : sy face. I had never cared for any girl j before, and from the first I loved her i madly. It's the 'old, old story,' and I ! needn't make a fool of myself again by ; telling it to yon.. Before I went back to town, we had exchanged rings, and she had promised to love me through j eternity. A lengthy eternity it proved ! i "Our engagement was to remain a ! secret until I should become a gre.it lawyer, and then I wa3 to claim her. j This was Lucy's idea. I wanted to speak to her aunt, but she beggeel me j not, giving a dozen different reasons for my silence. I believe, even then, she thought it best not to bind herself too j closely ; but, of course, I never suspect- ! ed this, for, with all my faults, I had al ways been perfectly honest and truthful. In the winter, Mr. Pierson told me that ' the business I had been attending to had now to be completed, and that he was ; going down himself. I was, of course, very anxious to go, but he did not give me the chance. Lucy met him at a couple of dinners, and, from what she said, I knew he had been very attentive to her. He was a good looking man, about forty, and could make himself very agreeable when he chore to do so. I wrote to Lucy immediately, telling her what I thought of him. She replied, accusing me of being jealous, and sav ing the was sure I was prejudiced against Mr. Pierson, who had spoken very highly of me, and to whom 1 found she had confided the whole stosy of our engagement. I was very angry, and wrote rather harshlv to ht r, I fancy, for j I remember she told me I 'elid not love I her as I once did.' Thai was our first ! quarrel and was soon made up, anel for a few weeks we corresponded as usual, i Mr. Pierson returnee! to London, but went back again to Kent in a week or j two. He said he was collecting evidence j for an important case. " Sjou I noticed that Lucy's letters ' grew shorter and shorter, and finally ! one came saying that she 'had been thinking over our foolish engagement, and as theie was no j:roFpect of my be ing able to support her, she had come to the conclusiem that for the sake of us both it had better be broktn.' ' I know every word of that cool, heartless letter now. One remembers such things. Very soon after, I heard of her engagement to Mr. Piersem I was a gentlemen, and ho was a snob ; but he had money, and I hadn't." "'What's a gentleman born? Is it .-hillio's an' pence ? ' " quoted the doc tor, softly. "Eh ! what's that? " "Only a quotation from the York- shire Farmer; go on "Well, of course I was furious, but what gootl eliel that do me ? I thought if I only had money, I would find some means of revenge ; bnt money was just what I hadn't got. Abont that time, I met a man calling himself St. John. He was clever and well educated, und seemed to read all my wilel, restless longings at a glance. He led me from bad to worse, till it ended in forgery ; then he turnetl king's evidence, and I was locked tip. I was id ways v ery strong, and finding one of the bars loose, I wrenched it out, aud dropped from my window one dark night, and escaped. Oh my way to the sea, I met this man St. John. I m:ght have got off if I could have let him atone, but I couldn't. , I stopped him; he taunted me with my disgrace ; told me that Mr. Pierson had known of the plan to ruin me. ' The young lady throwing you over was p prime trump in our hand,' he added, j with a leer. I warned him to be silent ; 1 but he. as if blind to his danger, exas- j perated me in every way possible. I j grappled with him, and remembering a j trick I had learn eel tt school, soon threw j him. My hands were on his throat. A i half-minute more, and ldje earth would have been rid of one sordid wretch ; but his cries had been heard by some men in a neighboring field, and I was over powered. This man a ruined game ster, once a gentleman had changed me from an honest, honorable lad, to a felon, and then, disregarding 'the hon or' which is said to exist even 'among thieves,' threw mc over to save himself. I would be content to give five years of my life nay, more, I would be content to add five years to my life coukl it purchase tV.at one half-minute of which I was robbed. " My family elisowned me, anel maele no attempt tven to procure counsel for me. All forsook me except little Mary, from whom I get a tear stained letter inclosing a five-pound note, her quar terly allowance, and teiling me that she would never forget me. My father had forbidden any of them to write to me. or even mention my name; but Mary had disobeyed. ' It can't be wrong to write to you, dear,' she said, ' for vo'u are my own brother, always,' " there was a flaw in the evidence, which my counsel took advantage of, but Mr. Pierson worked against bim privately, collecting evidence for the crown, and I was convicted. Heaven grant that there may not be many poor wretches who leave old England with the feelings with which I left it. If I had had the opportunity, I would have put an end to my miserable existence. I was taken in a cab, strongly guarded, from the jail to the wharf. We passed one of the parks on our way. I had been in orison for some time, and the fresh green grass, tLe . trees, the flowers, had never looked eo beautiful as now, when I knew I was lockiDg on them for the last time. I thought of the hedge rows white with blossoms, in Northum berland ; the Iarka singing overhead ; Mary perhaps in our favorite nook in the orchard, weeping bitter tears as a last good-bye to 'her handsome Tedely,' as she fontlly called me. No wonder my heart swelled when I thought of those who in the sight of God were guilty of my crime. " As we went down the dock, a child passed us with a bunch of cowslip"., dust two years before I had gathered them for Lucy in the green Kentish lanes! The child looked up wistfully, as I passed ; presently she ran after us, and put her cowslip in my hand. That was the drop too much in the cup al ready ; to save my life I could not have kept" back the tears which rolled over my cheeks. I was handcuffed, but one of my guards thrust a handkerchief into mv hand, with a few cheering words gruffly said. That touch of sympathy, i ami the child s gut, saved me irom utter ' dosoair. That was the last I saw of I England. My life here has been the ' same, day after day, except the few nights I spent in the bush, the two S times I got off. They mostly let mo j alone now. I keep by myself, and I've : never tohl a word of this before. I had 1 almost forgottem I wasn't ' Jim Brown,' j until to-day. Bid you hear how I hurt i my arm?" '" One of the men told me you were I helping to raise a heavy stcme, and that ! you let the lever slip in some way, and j so got your arm crushed." j " That's true as far as it goes ; a gang j of us wore working on the road wdiou a : carriage passed. I looked up as I step ; pod out of the way, and who do you ; think I saw ? Lucy and her husband ! She was looking just the same as ever, i only prouder. I was 30 near I could j have touched her tlress. She looked ; calmly at me I was only a convict, j covered with the dust from her carriage , wheels. If she hael recognizee! me, the j color would have faded a little from her pink cheeks, 1 think. I wonder if she remembers the letter I wrote her, before I was transported. I told her some home truths then. She knows who to blame for my wasted worse than wasted life. " Twelve years didn't seem much to me. I looked after the carriage like one stunned. The lever slipped from my hand--you saw my arm. I didn't think of it, until I found I couldn't lift it. Mr. Pierson has got some high ap pointment here, some one said. Of course his wife will be feted an 1 flat tered. I wonder how she would like to be reminded of that summer in Kent. How would she like if I shoulel stop her carriage, and remind her of the time she swore to love mc forever, or how often her bright head has rested on my shoul eler. I can feel the thrill of I er seift lips yet on my cheek. There, that's all. Do you believe in justice? I don't. The cause of evil should bo attacked ; now, it is only the victim. That woman is more guilty to-day than I. She drove me mad and yet she rides by in her carriage, respected and admired ; while I, in my prison dress, can never lie any thing but what I am 411." Overland Monthly. I lie Siamese Twins Outdone. On the nisrht of the 1st of August, Mrs. Mary Hess, wife of David Hess, living at Iettsdam, Miami county, gave birth to twins, who as a natural curi osity excel the far famed Siamese. The children wore both male's, fully devel oped, their combined weight bebig 13; pounds. Each had a separate circula tion, and they were in all respects two dis iuct persons except the union be tween them, which was about as fol lows .- The elistauce from the base of the skull to the point of union was 1 inches on each side. The length of the union was 4 V inches, extending to the umbilicus, there being but one for both. The nipples wore 2V inches apart, and the nipple of the left child was on its back. It was 6 inches from the joint of the right shoulder of the right child to the left shoulder of the left child. The circumference of the union was 18 inches, and the entire length of the children was 19 inches. The bond of union between the two was a bony sub stance. Both children were born dead, but before the interment photographs ef j them were taken, and a picture of them in India ink is on exhibition at the gallery of the Messrs. Tresize, on East Fifth street, in this city. Mr. Hess, the father, is a blacksmith, and large sums of money wery offereel him for the bodies of the children, but he declined them, anel, after the burial, a guard was placed over the grave to prevent them being stolen away. They were after ward secretly removed and buried in another place unknown to any person but the parents. The mother was three days in labor, and was attended byDrp. Sigerfoost and Bobbs. She has been up and well for some time. Dayton (C.) Journal. Drinking in France. A correspondent of the Cincinnati Jlnfjiiirer writes: "During nr.y brief stay in Paris I have seen at least 500,000 people, and in this number only three drunkards, and not a single crusader ! Everybody drinks. Wine is a part of the meals. They put brauely in their coffee instead of milk. The father pours wine for his daughter, the mother for her children. On all the principal streets there are little tables placed on the sidewalk in front of the cafe, where all classes sit aud drink and min gle freely together. But there is no disorder, no disturbance. In France it is not disgraceful for a man to drink, but it is ungenteel for him to get drunk. In America it is a disgrace to drink, and social damnation to get drunk. Here there are no bars or sa loons where the front windows are painted, and there are no screens at the doors ; nobody elrinks on the sly. They drink light wines, drink leisurely, drink until they have enough, and then stop. An American has no time to drink leis urely. He is always in a hurry. He dodges into a saloon, bolts twenty-five cents' worth of poison, works half an hour, and runs in and takes another. Life is a rush with him, and he must have a stimulant, and wine is too light. Another difference : A man of the low est class is considered a gentleman until he proves himself otherwise, and he takes wine at the same table with the rich man without giving offense to the latter. Being treated like a gentleman, he acts like one." Her Twenty-second Husband. Talk not of Utah ! St. Jerome men tions a widow that married her twenty second husband, who in bis turn had been married to twenty wives ! There is an instance recorded at Bordeaux, in 1772, of a gentleman who had been mar ried sixteen times. A woman named Elizabeth Nase, who died in Florence in 1768, had been married to seven hus bands. She was of the ripe age oi 70 when last led to the hymeneal altar, and survived her " beloved." When on her deathbed it is said she recalled the good and bad points of her several husbands, and having weighed the pros and cons, determined that the fifth claimed the highest merit, and ordered her grave to be by his. Pepping the Question. Don't be too sudden about it. Many a girl lias said " no" when she .meant " yes," simply because her lover didn't choose the right time and pop the ques tion gently. Take it dark night for it. Have the blinds closed, the curtain down and the lamp turned most out. Sit near enough to her so that you can hook your little finger into hers. Wait until conversa tion begins to flag, and then quietly remark : " Susie, I want to tell you some thing." She will fidget around a little, reply j yes," and after a pause you can aeld : "Susie, my actions must have shown that is, you must have seen I mean 1 you must be aware that that " Tanse here for awhile, but keep your little finger firmly locked. She may cough and try to turn the subject off by asking you how you liked the circus, but she only docs this to encourage you. i After about ten minutes you can con- I tin no : " I was thinking as I came up the. path to-night that before I w ent aw: y I WOfuld ask you that is, I would broach the subject nearest my I mean I would, know my " Stop again and give her hand a gentle j squeeze. She may give you a yank to feet it away, or she may not, in either case it augnrs well for you. Wait abcut five, minutes, and then go on : " The past year has been a very j happy one to me, but I hope that futuie 1 years' will be "still happier. However, that depends entirely upon you. I am here to-night to know that is to ask ; you I mean I am here to-night to hear from your on 11 lips the one sweet " Wait again. It isn't best to be too rash about such things. Give her ' plenty of time to recover her composure, and then put your hand 011 your heart and continue : "Yes, I thought as I was coming j through the ate to-night how happy I j had been, and I said to myself that if I I only knew you would consent to be my that is, I said if I only knew if I was certain that my heart had not deceived ! me and you were reatly to share -" Hold 0:1 there's no hurryabout it. Give the wine! a chance to sob and moan around the gables. This will make her lonesome and call up all the love in her heart. When she begins to cough and grow restless, you can go on. "Before 1 met you this world was a desert to me. I didn't take any pleas ure in going blackberry ing aud stealing rare-ripe peaches, and it didn't matter whether the sun sheme or not. But, what a change in one short year ! It is for you to say whether my future shall be a prairie of happiuess or a summer fallow of Canada thistles. Speak, dear est Susie, and say and say that that " Give her five minutes more by the clock, and then add : "That you will be that is, that you will I mean that yon will be be mine !" She will heave a sigh, look up at the clock and over the ttove, and then as she slides her head over on your vest pocket, she will whisper : "You are just right 1 will!" .V. luad, in Our Fireside Friend. Carrying Babies. The Asiatic Indian woman carries her baby in a blanket hanging in front, Something below the waist ; the Benga lese woman, with the child astride low down upon the loft hip, and her left arm supporting its bacK. The figure seems quite indifferent as to the diffi culties in this stylo of cariying, which must bo a highly artistic performance if done so cleverly in r ratify. The Egypt : an woman carries hers in a stately manner, the child sitting astride her shoulder, with its hands upon her bead, aud without any cloth ing to speak of. The Brazilian woman carries hers in a somewhat similar manner, also in lull dress, sitting astride her neck. The Chinese baby is carried upright iipcm the back, in a blanket : and the South African in a bag in front, formeel bv a blanket, round the hips of the mother. The Lower Australian woman carries hers by swinging it in a blanket over one shoulder upon her back, while the North Australian woman carries hers bound upon a board, after the style of candy-models in confectionery stores. The Lapland baby is carried in a sledge-shaped cot, made of leather. It seems to have been chucked in feet fore- 1 most, and then a frame tied over the opening for its face, whether to pre vent it from crawling out, or to keep the dogs from kissing it, is more than can be imagined. The most uuiepie style is that of the E-quimaux woman, wdio wears wide, ' high-top boots, anil puts the baby, right end feiremost, down in the outside of one them, and doubtless, according to Dr. Kane's description of her style, cariying her cookiDg and eating uten sils in the other. The North American womau carries her papoose strappeel to a board, and that strapped upon her back by a band over the forehead. Type Work of a Newspaper. The Poughkeeps'e Fugle, in an arti- ! cle on "how mistakes happen in news papers," figures up the number of type used in a paper the size rjf the Fatyle at 600,000, i. e. the actual number of bits of metal arranged or rearranged, every day, in preparing a newspaper of that size for the press. We suppose few persons think of the printing trade as one of the most exact and particular of all tho handicrafts, but it is. In mak ing typo, variationa that might be allowed in the finest machinery woukl render the type useless. It is very rarely that type furnished by two sepa rate foundries can be used together without a great deal of trouble, though they try to make them after the same standard. We read once in a while of a wonderful piece of cabinet work, or mosaic work, containing ten, twenty, or fifty thousand pieces, the maker of whicb has spent months, or even years, of labor in producing it, and people go to see it as a great curiosity ; but the most elaborate and carefully fitted piece of work of this kind ever maele does not compare with that which the printer does, every tlay, for minuteness ott de tail and accuracy of fitting. Tie man who does the first is looked upon as an artist a marvel of skill, and if a hun dred of his pieces are put in wrong side up or turned the wron way, it is not observed in the general effect but if the printer, in fitting ten times as many pieces together in a single day, puts one where another should be, or turns one the wrong way, everybody sees it, and is amazed at " the stupid carelessness of those printers. " Bismarck's wife ias over 60, yet fresh and beautiful, directs her household af fairs, carries at home a bunch of keys in her belt, and is proud of the many embroidered covers and curtains, the work of her own industrious hands. Hot Air and Cool Kooms. Because, when the air of the streets marks 30 or 40 degrees ia the Fahren heit scale a room over-warmeel by a fire can bo cooled by opening the windows ; the average British householder adopts the reaily conclusion that whenever a room feels hot the way to cool it is to let in the external air. Accordingly in these piping times he, and still more often she, opens the sunuy fide of the house, aud l"3ts in air at a temperature carrying from 100 to 120 elegrees or so. Then, because in a very short time the room, naturally enough, becomes much bolter than it was, it is considered that the windows are not openeel wielely cuough, and the supposed error being remedied, a still larger quantity of hot air is let in. Anel so we find ma terfamilias sitting with a very light muslin upon her frame, and a great deal of perspiration upon her upper lip, her face the color of an Orleans plum, and her condition of mind to the last de gree dejected, simply because she per sists in disregarding the most elemen tary principles of natural philosophy. We tell her . that if she will open the windows on the shady siele of the house only, and keep the others closely shut, her dwelling will be at least not hotter than the shady siele of the street, where as by her arrangement it acquires the heat of the sunny s:de. Wo tell her, also, that if her house be large and the inmates few, she may live in a delight ful state of coolness by only opening the windows at night and keeping them closed during the day. Her house will then bo some 10 or 15 degrees lower in temperature than the streets, and con vey very much the refreshing effects of a cool bath upon entering it. We tell her all this, and she is very much in terested. At our next visit we find every window open anel the house full of red-hot air. "It stands to reason," she says triumphantly, " that you can not possibly cord a house without plenty of ventilation. "- Lancet. Reminiscences of the Founder of the " Herald." Strolling into the Town-Clerk's office, the other day, I was shown a receipt given by the late James Gordon Ben nett, founder of the New York Herald. Tho receipt was given in acknowledg ment of having received the sum of .18.70 for two and a half months' teach ing n 1816. Mr. Bennett passed through Steuben when on his way from Halifax to Boston, and, on arriving here, being hard up, he taught the village school. Bennett showed a good deal of theolo gical lore, and held a strong argument wit h the old orthodox deacons of the town. He also evinced great proficiency in teaching. He suddenly left town one i.ight. It was afterward ascertained that he had taken passage on board a vessel for Boston. The next thing heard from Bennett was in tho shape of the Now York Herald, copies of which paper have ever since been taken in this town, more because the people re spected Bennett's friendship than on account of any love they bore toward the paper. Steuben Me.) Cor. of the Boston Gflobc. Water-Proofing Leather. The American Artisan gives the fol lowing recipes for water-proofing leather : Melt together beef tallow four ounces, resin one ounce, and beeswax one ounce, and when neaily cooled solid add as much neat's-foot oil as the above mixture measures. It is to be applied with a soit rag both to the soles and uppers. The leather should be warmed meanwhile before, a fire, and the application well rubbed in. , It re quires two applications to make the leather thoroughly water proof. Anotherway : Dissolve three-quarters of an ounce of paraffine iu a pint of lard-oil. The best epiality of oil should be used. It will be necessary to heat the oil in order to dissolve the paraffine. This solution may be rubbed on boots once a month, and it is saiel to render them perfectly water-tight, and at the same time it does not interfere with tho blacking. If the solution is found to make the leather too stiff, the amount of parafline in proportion to the oil should be reduced. Triumphs Over Orthography. Among the guests at oue of our well known summer resorts is a wealthy bachelor, whose bank account is much better than his orthography. A party of guetts were playing a game where a ball made of a handkerchief ' is thrown from one to the other with the saluta tion of " Here comes a ship laden with" each successive receiver being obliged to name a commodity for cargo beginning with the letters of the alpha bet in turn. When the 'kerchief alighteel at the letter K in tho bachelor's lap, he shouted " Krockery," which excited a smile, anel the game hastily' proceeded when it was fountl that the wordwas really given in good faith and not as a joke. The reguishness of a young lady, however, caused the flying mes senger to alight in his lap a second time at the letter S, whereat the receiver shouted "Sinnamon" so triumphantly that somehow or other there was so much laughing that it was thought best to try another game. A Modern (iiuevra. In Washington, the other day, a lit tle boy, while playing at hide and Boek, hid in a large sole-leather trunk with a spring lock, and unconsciously locked himself in. His playmates upon hear ing him cry, after an unsuccessful at tempt to redease him, gave the alarm. A lady neighbor was the first on the spot, and alter greatexertion succeeded in raising one side of the lid, thus af fording air to the little victim. Addi tional aid soon arrived, the lid was forced open, and the child, who was ex cessively weak, was rescued. Restora tives were at once applied, and the lit tle fellow when last heard from, though still weak, was beyond danger. Not while one human heart beats will ' the tales of woman's devotion to the ob ; jects of her affection cease to be told. ; fn the absence of our poet we will at : tempt to note in sober prose, though with preionnd emotion, an instance of this devotion in the Chicago fire. A woman with heart-strings torn with I agony watched the roof of her house i glowing with prodigious flames. Those i dear to her still remained in the build i ing ; was it any wonder that her eye ' lighted with an almost maniac glare, and her frantic movements showed all I the torture she was enduring ? It was too much too much. .Before the alarmed bystmders could stop her she had rushed desperately into the flaming house, animated by an heroic self-sacrifice. Let us rejoice that it was reward ed ; she emerged unharmed, carrying in her noble arms the innocent creatuie she had saved four cats howling aud clawing like mad. New York Tribune. A Washington grocer introduced a sheriff to a Congressman last week. The grocer was after his back pay. John Kelly's Hide. Yesterday morning a man named John Kelly was taken to the Third Precinct station house in an insensible condition. He was fountl in a freight car by some tramps, who entered the car at Sche nectady, Sunday night, for the purpose of stealing a ride to this city. They heard the groans of an apparently dy ing man, aud at first were alarmed, but on investigation Kelly was discovered. One of the tramps poured some liquor down Kelly's throat, and on the arrival of the train at West Albany they pro cured a couple of sandwiches for him. These he devoured rapidly. He was helped from the car, when it was found that he could not walk, for ho fell to the earth insensible. He was picked up and placed on a car and brought to the station house, as stated, from whence he was carried on a stretcher to St. Peter's Hospital. Un der the care of Dr. Hart, he was speed ily restored to consciousness. On be ing questioned, he related substan tially the following story as to how he came in the position found : My name is Johu Kelly, aud I am now'23 years of age ; three year3 ago I enlisteel in the regular army, and was assigned to the 2d cavalry, from whence I was discharged about four weeks ago ; the regiment was then stationed at Camp Douglas, in Utah ; from there I went to Omaha, aud unfortunately got in with a rough crowd, and it's a pretty rough place. I staid about there drink ing and gambling until all my money, about 300, was gone, then I thought I would try and reach homo in Philadelphia; I started and made my way to Davenport, Iowa, stealing " a ride when I coukl, and walking the rest of the way. I ar rived at Davenport last Wednesday, and could get nothing to elo or to eat ; early Thursday morning I entered the car iu which I was fouud, before it was locked up, having noticed the day be fore that it was bound East ; I secreted myself in the oats, and soon afier the cars started the dust from the oats, ow ing to the motion of the car, soon filled my ears, nose and mouth, so that I could not breathe. While confined in the car, I made two attempts to open the door, but was unable to do so. I became insensible and knew nothing more until last night, when I was aroused by a racket outside the car, anel soon after tfoe door openeel, and three or four fel lows entered. They were making a noise, and I endeavered to tell them to stop, when they eiiscovcred, anil dragged me out of the oats. I had nothing to eat eir drink from Wednesday noon un til this morning, when the fellows who came in the car gave me something. My folks all live in Philadelphia, anel my father is proprietor of the York House, near the Pennsylvania Central depot. Kelly, who appears to be a stout, athletic young man, seemed a while later but little the worse for this terri ble ride of a thousand miles, and will undoubtedly recover, although consid erable care must be taken. But for his opportune discovery by the tramps he woultl have continued on to New York, and in all probability been taken out dead, as he could not have survived many hours longer in the condition iu which be was found. All the food he ate on Wednesday before starting from Davenport was two pears. The walk from Omaha to Davenport was about three hundred miles, making in ali about thirteen hundred miles he lias traveled since he left Omaha three weeks ago. Albany A rgus. The British National Ielt. The blue book recently insued by the British Government contains some in formation concerning tin1 national debt since 1848. On the 1st of April of that year, according to this exhibit, the funded debt, with stock held on account of unclaimed diviilends and capital value of terminable annuities, stood .'839,519, 326. Since then the total has steadily contracted until it now amounts to 783.761,761, being a reduction of 2, 067,600 per annum for twenty-six years. But the whole of this decre-ase is not due to actual payifcent, about XH.HOO, 000 being on account of diminished capital value of terminable annuities. Including the amount paid off on the 1st of April, 1857, the debt has been redeemed to the extent of 81,262.570. Against tuis gross must be set the stock created for purchase of telegraphs, for tifications, and army localiz ition, as well as certain creations of unfunded debt. Altogether these charges amount to 21,026,48!), which, deducted from the gross total, gives 60,236,081 as the real ilecrease of the national debt dur ing the time specified, including the amount paid off in the year ending the 1st of April, 1857. During th9 same term 34,334,523 taxes were remitted in the aggregate each year, except four, showing reductions. Continuous nation al prosperity and development of trade have enabled England to pay off a large amount of debt, while the burden of taxation has been immensely lightene Strength of Metals, Woods, Etc. It is a remarkable provision of nature that iron, which is the most abundant material j ielded by the earth, is also the strongest of all known substances. Made into the best steel, a roel one fourth of an inch in diameter will sus tain 9.000 pounds before breaking : made into soft steel, a rod of the same dimensions will sustain 7,000 pounds ; into iron wire, 5,000 ; wrought iron, 4,000; inferior bar-iron, 2,000; and cast-iron, 1,000 to 3,000. A bar of cop per wire of the same size will sustain U00 pounds ; of silver, H.UiRJ ; goiei, 2,500; tin, 300; cast zinc, 160 ; cast lead, 50; and milled lead, 200. Of wood, a bar of box and locust of equal size will sustain 1,200 pouuds ; of toughest ash, 1,000.; elm, 800; beech, cedar, white-oak, pitch-pine, 600 ; chest nut and maple, 650 ; ana poplar, auu. Wood which will bear a heavy weight for a minute or two will break with two thirds the force acting a long time. A rod of iron is about ten time3 as st ong as hemp-cord. A rope an men in diameter will bear about 2 tons, but in practice it is not safe to subject H to a strain of more than about a ton. JLe- creaso the rope in diameter one-nan, and its strength will decrease three fourths. Thus a rope-half an inch in diameter will sustain one-fourth as much as a rope an inch in diameter. The Ring Finger. Swinburne says in bis " Treatise of Spousals" : " The finger on which tho wedding ring is to be worn is the fourth finger of the left hand, next to the lit tle finger ; because by the rsceived opinion of the learned and experienced in ripping up and anatomizing men's bodies there is a vein of blood, which passeth from the fourth finger into the neait, called vena amorie (Love's vein) ; and so the wearing of the ring on that finger sicnifieth that the love should not be vain or feigned, but as they did give hands each to the other, so likewise they should give hearts also, whereunto that vein extended." The Secrets of the Bowl. A former Brooklyn saloon-keeper, who has been converted by the Quaker ladies, has piinted the receipts he used to keep secret. Ho says bourbon rye. whisky is manufactured from high wines, commonly called fusel oil whisky, made to-day and drank three days after. It also 'contains vinegar, syrup, -oil of bourbon, French coloring, Milestone, and other poisonous chemicals. It costs from 80 cents to $1 a gallon, and retails for $5 to 86 a gallon. Cognac brandy is made from French or Cologne fpirits, burnt sugar, oil of cognac, vinegar, bluestone, Jamaica rum, honey syrup, port wine, French coloring, rum, anel aloes. It costs 2 a gallon, and retails from i$'3 to $10 a gallon. Irish or Scotch whisky is made from Canada Lighwines, or new distilled whisky, one week old, saltpeter, fine salt, essence of oil of Scotch or Irish whisky, fusel oil, syrup, bluestone, St. Croix" mm, some imported Irish or Scotch whisky for flavor. It costs $1.50, and re tails for $G 11 gallon. What sells for the best old Holland gin is made from French spirits, water, oil of juniper, syrup, white wine vine gar, bluestone, New England rum, peach pipes, with tome imported gin for flavor. Oid Tom gin is made from the same ingredient, but double syrup is added to make it sweeter. It costs 1. 25 a gallon, and retails for $5. It is also bottled as a medicine, and sold for tho kidney disease. Jamaica and St. Croix ram is made of elouble refined highwines, French coloring, oil of rum, fusel oil, vinegar, bluestone, burnt sugar, molasses syrup, with some Jamaica, Cuba, or St. iCroix ruin for flavor, alum, aloes, aneljprune juice. Stock ale or porter is diluted with oil of vitriol, strychnine, and aqua fort is to make it keep. New ale is diluted with oil of vitriol and damaged molasses. Lager beer contains a little malt, plenty of water, some inferior hops, rosin, tar, saleratus, soda, with four different chemicals to make it keep after brewing. An ex-liquor dealer said recently that fiuiets sold over two-thirds of the bars in New York and Brooklyn aro com pounded as above. Biotlicrly JjOrc. Mr. Dickson, a colored barber iu one of the largest towns of Massachusetts, was one morning shaving one of his euotemers, a respectable citizen, when a conversation occurred respecting Mr. Dickson's former connection with a colored church in that place. "I believe, yon are connected with the church in Elm street, Mr. Dickson," said the customer. "Nor. at all, sah." " Why, are you not a member of tho African church ? " " Not dis year, sah." " Why did you leave their commun ion, Mr. Dickson, if I may be permitted to ask I " Why, I tell you, sah," said Mr. Dickson, scraping a concave razor on the palm of hia haud, " it is jess like dis. I jined dat church in good fait. I gib ten dollars towarel de stated preach -in'of de gospel do fust year, ancb do people all called me Brudder Dickson. De second year my business not good anel I only gib five dollars. Dat year de church people ealleel me Mr. Dick son. Dis razor hurt you, sah?" " No, sir ; goes tolerable well." " Well, sah, de third year I feel berry poor sicknesa iu -my familj mi I gi noffin for preaohin'. Well, sah, arter elat dey call mo ole nigger Dickson, an' I lef 'em." So saying, Mr. Dickson brushed his customer's hair, and the gentleman elo parjkd, well satisfied with the reason whyTlr. Dickson left his church. Your Chin. A pointed or round chin indicates a congenial love. A person with such a chin will have a beau ideal, and will not be easily satisfied with real men or women. The indented chin indicates a great desire to be loved ; hunger and thirst for affection. When large in woman she may overstep the bounds of etiquette and make love to one that pleases her. A narrow square chin indicates a de sire to love, and is more common among women. The broad sqr are chin indicates vio lent love, or at least devoted attach ment. The broad round chin indicates ar dent love, combined with great stead fastness and permanence of affection. The retreating chin is indicative of the want of attachment, and but little arelor in love. Tho chin, in its length and breadth, indicates self-control, self-will, resolu tion and decision, etc. Carnivorous animals have the upper jaw projecting, while those of a grami nivorous nature have the lower jaw pro jecting. In man with a projecting up per jaw, will be found large destruct iveness anel love of animal food ; when the lower jaw projects, then the love for vegetable food. How to Keep Off Hydrophobia. One good result from the agitation going on in New York about rabies is the settling of the fact that, after the bite of a rabiel dog, there need be no hurry in getting the wound cauterized. Unlike snake poison, which is violently injected into tne blood and proetuces immediate eftVcts, the virus of a mad dog requires a consielerabla period (several weeks often) to incubate be fore it is absorbed into the system. This coincides with the views several years ago expressed by Yonatt, the emi nent English veterinarian, who has so much faith in his opinions that he guides himself by them, -when bitten, which in the course of Li s practice, is not an infrequent occurrence. The correct thing to do, after inter viewing a rabid canine, is to suck the wound, if get-at able, and go, as soon as possible, without hurrying (which is inadvisable, in consequence of the ac celeration of the circulation), to a doc tor, who should wash the wound inerap and water, and then cauterize it thoik oughly, two or three times, with lunar cartitic or caustic potash. Not one cwee of hydrophobia will develop from a hundred bites, if treated in this m in ner. A Tuekish Bed. It is something quite different irom ours. There is no bedstead or mattres but about thirty very thickly padded epailts, covered witli silk or satin, laid one on top of tbe other on the floor till they are about two feet deep. The sheets are invariably of silk, embroidered, and the coverlid is a marvel of gold and silver embroid ery on satin or velvet. The pillows aro of pink, blue, or yellow satin, covered with beautiful lace. From the ceiling hangs a large jeweled and gilded ho-p, and from this rich iaca curtains, which encircle tne bed. -, . Ponrrn " Please, bit, if you'll get of! my corn loner enough, I'll kick you."