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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (June 14, 1879)
Plena by Moonlight. BKMIHI5CIXCE8 Of TUI BLOODT BTBt'OOU FOR ITS POSSESSION. tTlrnora Correapondenea London Timet. It was, perhaps, a strange, if not bizarre, fancy which led me one starry night, when Luna was at the full, to the snow clad summit of a central height crowned by a Moslem earthwork, from the ram parts of which the eye could take in with a single sweep the whole of the Plevna position. The ghostly canopy of snow aided the celestial light in making visible the whole of that undulating landscape, beneath which lie so many thousands of the brave partisans of the Cross and the Crescent. Leaning against a turf-lined embrasure, I surveyed the death-like scene in unspoken silence ; gradually my thoughts wandered back to the incidents the blood-stained details of which thrilled Enrope with horror at the sacrifices, with admiration for the desperate bravery with which tbey were accompanied. My musings recalled the sultry day in July when Schildner-Schuldner led a brigade of infantry from Karagash to occupy the heights where I was standing ; a force of cavalry, so far in advance of the foot that there was no communication between them, wound through the mazy streets of Plevna ; no enemy was there, and no warn ing whisper was heard of the danger lurk ing unsuspected, but yet so near at hand. The infantry follow at a great distance in the rear; they come on in a dense column, without any of the skirmishors or advance guards that a schoolboy would have sent forward, a blind, stupid reliance on the fact that no word of warning had been sent back from the cavalry in front. Now occurs one of those strange accidents which sometimes happen, and which make men famous, when in simple justice they should receive condemnation. Osman Pasha, too late, as he has always been, to save Nikopol already fallen enters Plevna after the cavalry of the Czar has passed, and before the arrival of the in fantry moving in stupid blindness in an enemy's country in solid column. The Moslem learns the position of affairs, as he is on friendly soil ; he craftily places his men, and Schildner-Schuldner enters the trap. I seem to hear the rattle of muBketry and the groans of the suffering; but it is soon over ; nearly two-thirds of the Muscovites lie dead or wounded, and the Crescent scores the first success at Plevna. Osman Pasha, who lost Nikopol a virgin fortress and a magnificent posi tionthrough tardiness, is lauded to the skies for a skillful occupation of Plevna. Such is human greatness human history. The 30th of July comes next, and I see the hoary-beaued Krudener. with an army of 32,000 men, ordered to attack 50,000 Moslems, well intrenched on the heights where I am dreaming. I almost hear the protest against the mad com mand; but the dotard Nepokoiochitsky and the pert young Prof. Levitzky repeat the order. Schahoffsky, with a mad de sire to win the St. George's Cross, and scarcely inferior in rank to Krudener, commands one wing, the old veteran the other. The dashing young Skobeloff. with his brigade of Kazan Cossacks ana an infantry battalion of 700 men, is away on the extreme left and in the advance. There is practical insubordination on the part of Schahoffsky as he extends his thin line to the environs of Plevna. Skooeleff is there with his 700 men; they have never been under lire before, and when the Turkish shells begin to hail around them they raise a cheer and rush forward without orders. A stern voice rings out "Halt!" the men stop as if by magic. "Right dress!" came next; they correct their alignment with the Moslem shells dropping thick around them. "Present arms 1 " The order is obeyed, and these new troops stand as if on parade, present ing arms to the foe, who is hurling death upon them. A stillness of several min utes. " Don't you look like a lot of d n fools?" cries a derisive voice, as Skobeleff comes to the front. " ies, comes from 100 voices as the men re sponded to their young general, not yet 35, but who has been hit six times in Central Asia. " Will you wait and obey orders in future?" is the stern demand. " We will !" is the reply. Sko beleff entered Plevna with those men, but there was no support behind him and he had to retire. Three hundred and forty of his 700 men had fallen 170 of them killed on the field ; but he brought the remnant away singing a national hymn, and all his wounded the only commander who did, and for which be was compli mented by the Emperor. Schakoffsky's command was nearly annihilated ; Kru dener had failed in assaulting the celebra ted Gravitza redoubt, and when darkness came a broken and half panic-stricken remnant straggled back to the heights of 1'oradim, and some of them ran to the Osma Valley before being collected to gether. Then was Osman Pasha's opportunity, dui ne nuieu to improve it. ms iatai lacit of initiative once more paralyzed his en- '"i. Stillness reigns around these fily-frowning heights until the 31st of .gust, when Osman Pasha, makes an at- 4cic, tne oDjoct or which no one nas ever oeen able to comprehend, upon the Rus sian batteries at Pelisat and Zgalince. Three thousand Moslems paid for this madness ; and Lovuha fell on the 3d of September. On the 4th Osman Pasbas reinforcements arrived (again too late) on the heights near Lovcha. 1 hey would have saved the place had they been there the day before. The 11th of September dawns in a thick mist, the Emperor Alexander's birthday. His loyal army intends making mm a present or Plevna to celebrate the occasion. His Majesty has a special stand erected, from which he is to witness the grand triumph. The history is well known the wretchedly planned attack and still more wretched failure. Skobe leff with twenty battalions, 12,000 men, laKea two redoubts and breaks the lurk ish center. The other attacks fail. Os man Pasha, relieved from pressure, hurls nis legions upon fckobeletr, who, bard pressed, sends for reinforcements re peatedly. He has lost 3000 men in capturing the positions. For twenty lour hours ne holds the lurk ish army at bay. sending all the while lor help, which the jealous gang at head quarters ruruse to order to his assistance, Gravitza falls by a sudden and unex pected assault by a mixed corps of Rus sians and Roumanians : but Dobrovalskv. who so skillfully led the Russian right at Lovitza, is killed in the assault Six des perate attempts are made upon Skobeleff l ii . .1 , utjuro us yieiug to crusning numoers. At last, with only 4000 men left of the 12,000 men be led into battle, he ia forced t of the Moslem works. Osman Pasha then sends his brave legions in five fruit less assaults on Gravitza, and leaves the niihnde dotted witn wasted Massulmen heroes. Then the curtain falls for a time upon the dreadful tragedy of Plevna. The Muscovite lines gradually tighten around me. I seem to hear the mighty pund of pick and spade, and each sun rite sees the men of the Ciosa nearer the trenches of the defender of the Crescent. Cold, pitiless nights of rain, hail and mud succeed each other. The liuea are so near that I can see the caps of the Christians in the moonlight, and the parapets around me are once more lined with the noiseless, fex-crowned figures, whose stiffened fin- ?:erscan scarcely grasp their death-deal-ng rifles. 1 seem to hear a whispered order to withdraw the guns and troops, as the morning sunlight is to witness a decisive sortie beyond the Vid. At daybreak a desperate charge a success a redoubt taken, with its guns. But the triumph is short. The Grand Duke's own regiment of Grenadiers hurls tbe Turkish column out of tbe intrenchments at the point of the bayonet. Osman Pasha is wounded ; the Moslem line is forced back to the Vid: the corns under Skobeleff sweeps down on their left, the Roumanians on the right, Krudener in their rear. A curved sword is passed into the hand of General Ganetzky, of the Grenadier Division, and a brave but ragged army are prisoners of war. I start with a Bbud der, for I am half frozen. The ruins of the iurkish houses of Plevna lying in ragged lines below me recall the fact that tbe battles I have been fighting In the moonlitiht on that bleak, snow-covered height were all ended more than twelve months ago. Excerpts From Exchanges. "Mark Twain" navs taxes on $67,830 in Hartford, Conn. " Get thee behind me. Satan." as tbe actress said when she kicked the train of her dress out of the way. Mr. Arthur Sullivan will arrive In America next October. The opera which he with Mr. Gilbert is preparing for this country is said to treat military affairs in the same spirit as naval affairs are treated in"H. M. S. Pinafore." It is understood that General Sir Pat rick McDougall, who leaves Canada on the 27th instant, goes to England to attend a military council about to be held by the Imperial Government to consider pro posed changes in the British military sys tem. Recently Forepaugh's circus paraded the streets of Anderson, Indiana. Mrs. Terry, wife of a blacksmith, recognized in Fred. Knight, tbe elephant keeper, a long lost brother, supposed to have been dead many years. An affecting meeting took place. A statesman used to say that there were three classes of people whom it was never safo to quarrel with : " First, ministers, for the reason that they could denounce me through the pulpit, and I had none through which to reply. Second, editors, for they had the most powerful engine, from which they could every day hurl wrath and fury upon me, and I had none through which to reply. And finally, with women, for they would have the last word anyhow." Jumping over Magara. Mr IT P Peer, of Teeterville. Ont.. nc- onmnliuhpri the durlnp but Hill V feat of jumping irom tne new suspension Driuge distance of 192 feet. This entirely eclipses the lamous romance oi oam i uicn. rcur dress consisted of merino hose and a full siiif nfti.rlita on inflated rnhher lifa nre- server, funnel shaped and of his own make, which, covered nis nips ana ex tended to tbe armpits. Cotton cloth was Kun.loonI tiohtlv nvnr the nreaprver about the hips and loins, while a broad sponge protected his mourn ana nosirus, anu ins ears were stuffed with the same material, tinincr uliplitlv moistened with spirits. His thighs were confined with an elastic strap, and likewise nis ieet. over his shoulders was a leather brace with a tho fnntnr. in which wag attached a cable composed of 220 feet of No. 24 brass wire in six stranus. iniswascaueu a balance, and was for the purpose of as sisting to retain his position, particularly if the wind should be strong. It was reeled over a cylinder attached to tho guard-rail of the bridge, and which nnarotnd with a hraka handle like that used upon old-time wells so that the man's speed as ne aescenueu wouiu be controlled to a certain extent It no a nnt. fastened, and the final end followed the man into the water. Mr. Peer took his place upon the temporary nlatfr.rm fi-AtTl which hft tt'ftS tO dfOD. TllB n1,.rnr nnnuibtml aimnlv nf tA nlnnllR lasteneu auoui eigmeeu jucucb nit, t . i . . I....... ! - K ing a little nervousness, for this was his nroatoct ii n rlorl o I-inu ha ausnended him Aimr i.MiiiniTM iiiLin KLiuiuiuuiaiiu uiouiav- self between the boards for a moment or two by his hands. The word was given, and he was gone like a flash, while the Hiniiannri anortMOT WHO HHBd Lire D&nK lnnlra1 nn with BiiRiiensfi. fear and treni- Hiinrv 'I'tia inur nppnnna IBILL intervened before he struck created a terrible excite mont hut n hn Massed under the water feet foremost with a great splash, and came up in a lew seconas more anu uegan n u.Mm rhoor ftftpr cheer rent the air. ita waa niflieH nn hv Home boatmen, and wa in no woe condition than if he had jumped into a ciftern of water, in fact, he assisted to pull the boat ashore. Mr. Poor vii hnrn -llllv 14. 1H44. In the COUntV of Halton, township of Nelson, Dominion of Canada, lie stands o ieet t incnea high, is of slender frame, weighs 143 nnnrwlu. and in manner ia rather gentle manlike and unassuming. He has a wife and one child, ine nignesi pom irom which he has overjumped before was 108 feet. He has been a sailor, and his expe rience has been obtained in jumping from vefwela. It is announced that he will try it again on July 4. New lor tt oria. Thn law of benevolence applies to man as man; that is, to man irrespective of an v of tlm temnor&rr relations in which he may stand to us. It makes no matter whether be be of onr junurea or oi an other; it is enough that he is a man; and this entitles him, under the law of God, tsi all tlm tipnefiu of the law of benevo- lence. Nay, in one sense, the fewer the tip tli at hind him to ns. the more glori ous is the act of goodness, because it is nnder these circumstances inai we can cherish the least hope of reward; and the more evident will be the proof of onr disinterestedness. It wouul have been noble in Howard to have visited the nf F.nirland alone, but it was more noble to extend bis inqniries to V. , 1 1 -J 1?lnn.l ranee, ine diuuuu euemj vi ui8uu. it w r.n 1,1 have been crlorions to have died t tno 4ATiflA nf hpnevnlencA ftt 1UIUI11 V v v home, but how much more so was it to die in a remote province oi tne Kussian T?r'm in a. town of which the exist- Jj u w ence would scarcely be remembered but for the fact mat it wiinesaea nis issi deeds of mercy, and guards his sacred remains until the morning oi we resur rection. Tranquillity. ' One day brings another day; one year follows another; let us take the time as it comes. The sources of all pleasure are in the heart; he who seeks them else where outrages the divinity. My pro jects, my desires and my hopes never go beyond my own bosom. Rivers roll rap idly to the sea, and enter them without troubling it; my heart is the same; all events of the great world would not cost me a single care. Truth is my compass and moderation my helm. The clouds arise and the clouds descend in raiu without causing me any inquietude. Vhen they conceal the sun from me by day, I try to look at the stars by night. My clothes are made of common cloth, my food is coarse and the thatch that covers my roof decays every year. But what would it have been to me to have been dressed in silk to-dav, and to hare digested costly dishes ? Grolden roofs do not keep out sleeplsssness and care; and were the country shaken by an earth quake, how easily I can gain my humble door I my patrimony is at the end of two arms, and every doy gives me its harvest Whon it is very not, 1 cool myself in the shade of a tree; and when it is very cool, I warm myself by working. Old ago is coming upon me, but my children are young, and will repay me for what I have done for them. If they observe moder ation, a hundred years will not cost them a sigh. Whatever tempests may arise, tranquillity is a port always open to the innocent heart. Hail.tranqnillity of the soul I bweot harm of life, kings would sell their crowns to buy thee if they knew thy value. Complete thy benefits thou host helped me to live well help me to die well. A Brilliant Victory. The capture of the City of Mexico, in 1847, by the United States troops, was effected by less than seven thousand men. The following brief description is from a speech made Dy Gen. James Shields. " on the loth day or August, 1S47, ten thousand men crossed the mountains and entered the romantic vallev of Mexico. It was an adventurous movement. That army abandoned its communications, its supplies, its very possibility of re-enforcement. That was its condition, and yet isolated as it was, small in numbers, as it was, it fought the battle and gained the victory at Contrcras, Cherubusco, Molino- del Rey, Cbapultepec, and on the 13th day of September 1847, it stood before the ramparts of Mexico ; and how many men stood before those ramparts, all told? Six thousand six hundred men on the 13th day of September, 1847, crossed those ramparts, captured the city, a city con taining two hundred thousand inhabi tants, and defended by thirty thousand disciplined soldiers. Give me any other instance of tho kind in history. Why, sir, the army was hardly sufficient to . i : ai.- . i a i iioiico mo uij mter iiier iitjnureu n. When I, myself, stand here and look back at that, it looks even to me more like fable than reality. I shall never for get tho insignificant appearance we cut when we got into the great plaza of the city of Mexico. HBppily, though they thought we were only the advance guard of some tremendous army. I recollect the old English militaire who was there, and after he looked at the little band ho said : '"Is this the army?' "'Yes,' " ' Well.' said he. 1 all I have to Bay is this, you Americans -are not only the bravest people i ever heard oi, nut tne most audacious people on God's earth, to come here with such an army as that ! ' A Hard Rider. In London there lives a fine-looking young woman whose business is that of a horse-jockey. A boarding-house is her home. Riding horses at races and sales is her occupation. An orphan of respect able parentage, obliged to support her self, the avenues that opened before such a young girl as she, in the crowded elbow ing life of England, were few and unprom isingJShe had an English woman's love of animals and out-door occupations. And she had dauntless, magnificent physical courage. So she drifted into this strange life. She finds employment from one end of England to the other, and always finds plenty of work to do. There is no horse so vicious that she hesitates to mount him. She is sent for to ride horses that men dare not or will not ; horses that have killed their riders more than once, and that will do their best to kill her. But Bhe has a reputation that, for bread's sake, and shelter's sake, she cannot afford to lose, and she never declines to mount a horse because it is dangerous to do so. One night she comes home bruised and weak her horse fell on her to-day. An other, her face flushes with satisfaction as she tells her kind friend, the landlady, that her horse won the race. Often she does not eat a mouthful from her early rivaal-foa HofciA tKn vnaf. nf ilia VinnuA ora up, until her day's work isdone. Success depends upon tier being able to com' round every particle of nervous force she possesses; she can spare none of it for the process of digestion. She is intelligent, modest and womanly, notwithstanding her strange occupation. Preparing for It A cashier of a bank in Cincinnati has read so many accounts in the papers of late, or robbers entering a cashiers bouse at night, gagging and binding the inmates, and obliging the cashier to go and open the banki safe, that be is very nervous on the subject He is satisfied that he will yet have a visit of that kind, do what he may to avoid It, and he thinks the next best thing be can do is to learn to go through tbe ordeal with as much com posore as possible. Accordingly he has been putting them through a rehearsal every night for a week or so pat,greaty to their terror and inconvenience. He acts the part of a bank robber himself. In the dead of night be wakes bis wife, and, Dressing a vinegar cruet asaint her head. demands hsr in low, grufl tones to get np and make no noise, on pain of having her brains instantly blown out with tbe vinegar cruet Then he binds her to tbe bed-post and gags her with the baby's gutta-percha rattle. Tbe children and servants he locks up in convenient closets, and then, stuffing a flat-iron bolder into his own mouth, and pressing a bologna sausage against each temple, he marches himself off to unlock the bank. As the weather is cold now, it is not alto gether comfortable, and the family think they prefer tne risk or robbers. Deacon Pilkins said to himself. M Fal staff asks, what's honor?' as though it was hard to tell. But let my wife sit be hind another woman in church, and she'll tell what's on her in less than two minutes. for the Ladies, ery deen frintrn am In fnvnr t nraa. eat r r" Sleeveless 'ackets of Muck ai,a ara mcety this w-aon. The papiHonbowia the pretty head dress for the house. Surplice nlntinra on the front of dress waists. For dress rmnnpta thn ilnntiAat. cnt. tage shapes, made eutirely of flowers, are shown. As the season advances, black wrniia reassert their hold on favor for dressv garments. For Small nnna thn fiplina or a i,r... ferred, and these Artk fthnu'n in ititfprpnt shapes. Some gremtdinn mnntlpa rA nimlo lint these are more especially for grenadine dresses. The shot or changeable ribbons, some times cajled lace ribbons, are the latest noveuy in millinery. Ihe PouiDadonr stvles ara chosen fm the gay, youthful dresses that will be worn at summer resorts. Next after the fichus coma the mnntlna with sleeves, or with the sides extended to lorm square half sleeves. The glossiest fabrics are used for hand some mantles, such as satin, Sicllienne, moire anu ncu gros grain. The newest grenadine scarf veils are of a tan-rolor or light blue, with a gay Ro man striped border on each selvedge. Long veils to bo crossed behind the head and tied under the chin, are made of black net dotted with gold thread. On some very expensive mantles, col ored beads of amber, old gold, steel and colored red aro used to form very showy passementerie. Small Tuscan braid bonnets trimmed with two curled ostrich tins, or else one of marabout with creamy satin and lace, are considered very dressy. Plain handkerchiefs has a shield done in colored embroidery in one corner, while the edge is merely scalloped with red or blue. Another new fabric is satin de Lvon. which has the smoothness and almost the lustre of satin on one side, while the other side looks like closely woven gros grain. These and the moire, satin and gros grain mantles are made up without lining, and are richly trimmed with three or four rows of scantily pleuted black luce, or else very deep fringe. The glossy w halebone, tape and other crimped fringes are handsome for trim ming woolen wraps ; also tho grass fringes, doubled over from the top, w ith out a heading. Cords with a clasp attached for catch ing up the deini-train of a dress, tliat'it may be short enough for walking, aro now shown in colors to match costumes: price $2. Black cords are $1 50. Jet passementeries and drop ornamonls are used as heading for fringes, also, a standing ruTJe of the lace. Whon warmer wraps are needed, camel a liair is used. and trimmed as richly as silk mantles. New pocket-handkerchiefs of sheer linen Cumbric have Breton Insertion, forming a cross through the middle of the kerchief, then passing around it as a border, with an edge of Breton lace. New mask veils are of Breton lace, and may be either black or white. The not covering the face has tiny dots wrought in it, usually two or three in a group, and the edge is finished with lire ton lace two inches wide. Another fancy is the scarf of India iituoiiiij u uo nvi ii m mo aw VDb fin mvo scarfs formerly were. It is outside the wrap, tied closely around the nock, with a bow in front ; the ends hang down, have pleated Breton lace across them, and are tied with narrow ribbon to give them the appearance of a tassel. Curlons Custom. An English gentleman who has lately traveled in Palestine, recently gave a de scription of the curious scenes that are enacted in the church of the Holy Sepul chre. He said when you first entered the church von would be surprised to see a party or soldiers with their swords by their sides, and their guns stockod with in reach. It seemed a sacrilege in such a holy place, and struck one rather un pleasantly; but ne soon found out the necessity for it. According to tho law of tne country, every seen is aiiowou mi worship there, and as it is considered eauallv sacred both bv Christians and Mohammedans, all wish a time for their mode of worship. The law allows them an hour each. They commence at six in the morning. At that hour, those who have the first privilege, enter, bringing with them whatever is necessary to con' duct their particular religious rites, They go through their prayers and chants, and all is very quiet until a quarter to seven, when those who have the privilege of the the next hour begin to arrive. At first all is decorum, but presently the new comers begin to hiss and mock. As their numbers increase, and they become stronger, they shove and crowd, and as the time lessens, they get more and more bold. A few minutes before seven they proceed to more forcible demonstration. They think if they can clear out these blasphemers a few minutes before the time they have done so much good work for God, while the worshipers, on the other hand, think if they can keep possession for a few minutes after the time, they have done an equally good work. As some of these sects use torches, wax candles, staves, or crooks, in their worship, they proceed to use them as weapons of offense or de fense, and a regular melee ensues. Then come in the soldiers, who separate the combatants by filing in between them, turning ont those whose hour is up, and leaving the place in the possession of the last comers. If blood is shed the church is closed for the day. Buch scenes are occurring all the day long, and the pres ence of soldiers is absolutely necessary. A Wise Elephant. One very warm day, my attention wis drawn to the conduct of an elephant which had been placed in an inclosure in the open air. On the ground was a heap of newly mown grass which the sagacious animal was taking up by tbe trnnkful. and laying carefully on his sun-heated back. He continued the operation until kis back was completely thatched, when be remained quiet, apparently enjoying the result of his ingenuity. After that we need not be surprised that elephants can be taught to dance. How BeTelatloui Come. Those who have had a limited experi ence in receiving revelotions from the Al mighty, will doubtless be interested in Freeman, the Pocasset murderer's de scription of the manner in which the Lord directed him to murder his daugh ter, Edith. Says Freeman : " Well, I liait been feeling badly for two weeks. Mv head was rucked with paiiw. I couldn't sleep. There was nn awful stillness in the house; a stillness that was painful. I studied the scrip tures, and tried to understand why I was so haunted by visions. Every day some now phase of the matter would draw on me. One night I lay awake, thinking of the power of 0xl and the coming of His kingdom. I was told that I must sacri fice a member of my family, oven as Abraham was commanded to sacrifice tho child of his old age, in whom the prom ise of salvation for Israel was to be ful filled. I told my wife about it, and w e discussed the matter. Sho asked which one the Lord demanded, and I said that I did not know. But I said that it would yet come, and that if it should happen to Ie herself, I told her to bo prepared to comply with the desires of the Almighty Ono. Sho was very calm, and I saw that sho, too, had faith in the coming of God's kingdom. Next day my head felt a little better, and I knew that the load was lifting. Each day thereafter I found new light ; some passage in tho Bildo which I could not understand, came to me with all the clearness of established convic tion. At last the day came. The house was surrounded by an awful stillness. Evening arrived, and as the darkness set in I saw a sheet of lightning in the heav ens, such as I had never seen before. It illuminated the whole expanse of the sky, and I knew God was giving me a sign. I went to bed and tried to sleep, but could not. Iu the dead of night tho word came. The victim was selected it was Edith. I told my wife that tho hour had come and that I must give our darling to the Lord. You know the rest. You know how I wont into the room where our littlo ones were sleeping tho Bleep of innocenco; how I sent the oldest child to its mother; how I raised tho knife, expecting to have my knife stayed, as was that of Abraham, and how I pierced tho infant breast of the victim selected by God Himself. I then lay down beside my dead child and slept soundly. Next day my head felt better. The pain had all gone, and I knew that my sacrifice was acceptable to the eyes God. I callod in the friends of God's new kingdom and imparted tho glad tidings to them. They approved my act and gave glory and praise to God. That night I again saw the lightning in the heavens. It was more brilliant than the f 'receding evening. It was a strango ight, and whether others saw it or not I euro not. To mo it was a suro sign that God was pleased, and I understood it at onoo." This revelation may bo all very plain to a discerning person like Mr. Free man, but it seems just a trifle indefinite to tho uverago reader. If Freeman had been wise he would have requested the Lord to put His instructions to him in writing, so thut there could bo no mis take about it. Tho Water Wo Drink. There is very little pure water used; that which comes from the olouds has the best claim to be so regarded, but that is contaminated by impurities in the air as it desonds. Clear water is not nooes sarilv Dure wutor. All water from springs and wolls contain minerals in solution; the latter having but a meagre supply, and outgo is usually more strongly un Sregnated than natural fountains with owing inlets and outlets. Tho purest water is found where solid rocks, as of granite, form the bed over which it runs. But waters of springs and transparent rivers, open when filtered, aro never pure. Waters of average purity, emptiod for domestic, purposes, are said, on au thority of Johnson, to hold in solution from twenty to thirty grains of solid mat ter. The water of the river Jordon con tuins seventy-three grains, and that sup plied by the various companies of the city of London has from nineteen to forty grains. Tho impurities that mako water injurious to health or organic mat ters, such as are abundantly supplied by barnyards, drains and cemeteries, whero the decay of animal and vegetable sub stances is going on. Some families who live on farms, and who fancy they are drinking the best of water, are, in fact, constantly imbibing poison that will ap pear in the droadnd form of diphtheria or typhoid fover. The cliaracter of the im purities is important. It is claimed that a degree of hardness, from the pres ence of lime, improves the water for all domestic purposes, except washing, and water from the chalk districts of Enrope, is preferred to softer water. It is also stated that conscripts from the French armies, who wore reared in hard-water districts, were taller and stronger in bone than those who were reared in places where there was no lime water. Tbe Cooking Mania. Where will it end ? Although our so ciety belles introduce hints of cookery into their accustomed small talk. We were afraid when so many dozens of cookery books began to be published that fashionablo society would eventU' ally get down to the griddle and frying pan, but we did not dare to whisper our fears, and now the palpable fact begins to impress itself upon us tliat it will be necessary, in order to shine in crack so ciety, to coach on cookery to a marvel Ions extent even to beefsteak and onions and Huh a la llwie. We already fancy we hear the babhie or a fashionable par lor. It sounds like this, and the gentle men are trying to edge in the old-time talk : " How do yon do this Knssian fish lovely eve castor oil, one spoon fulNo, I mean eggs, two yolks will you go gill of water theater pepper and salt, yes German at Mrs. tepid water, mix well Smith's steam your udding IU meet you at salt added on't three ounces dry sugar Church to-morrow Miss Dods says so the last concert at garnish with parsley for Heaven's sake listen to me slice your dough." The time mar come when a woman who cannot cook will count for nothing in society, no matter how grace ful and accomplished she may be. With some children a switch on the hand is worth two in the bush. Plck-Ups. A Nevada girl's letter : " Dear Jimmy : It's all up. We ain't going to get married. I'm so sorry but can't Ivou go to Europe and get filed down?" We a ro all of us mado more graceful bv tho inward presence of what fwe believe to be a generous purpose ; our actions move to a hidden music" a melodv that's sweetly pluyed in tune." George Eliot Talmnge says : "God thought so mnch of the Chinaman that He created 300,- 000,000 of them." By the s: me mode of rmitoniiiif e cim Infer that lie thoi'L-ht so littlo nCTidiiiiigu llui. lie on:y cieaml one of him. When u Baltimore craft set sail for Vir ginia the other dav, bhe stuck on the bar, and tho crew lived on frozen turnips for two days. They want to get hold of Dio Lewis, who says there are 17 per cent of nutriment in frozen tuinips. ' "Old Ned" Richardson, of Jackson, Miss., owns nineteen plantations, of which 15,000 acres are In cotton and 3000 in corn and onts. He also runs about 15,000 spindles, and makes 12J per cent on his capital. He has advanced at New Orleans $1,40(1,(100 on the gro ing cotton crop. Swell : "Oh. R thins on. I lam not at all satisfied with these troupers." Shop keeper: "Indeed, sir! Sorry to hear that. We made 'em to measure, too." Swell: "Yaas. But yon see, 1 didn't want them to measure : I wanted them to wear!" There's nothing thut will try a man's patience more than a lumber toothpick. Many a soul that sots out for a better land loses all self-control, and goes to pieces for want of the proper apparatus to extracato a bit of apple core from his moiar interstices. Speaking of dull times.a wicked Mobile says that a few weeks ago a stranger ar rived there and bought a bale of cotton, and a pleasant rumor was at ence started that the cotton-buyers had arrived, but it only proved to be a politician with the ear-ache. -It is conceded that Grant, Hayes, Sher man, Conkling and Blaine will each get a considerable number of votes for President in the Republican National Convention. The other candidates will be Ilartranft, Cameron.: Bristow. Evarta and McCrary. "Ha I ha ! thero Is blood on the moon," he cried, striking an attitude in imitation of the tragedian he had seen at the the ter tho night before. "What, hoi ye black and midnight hag," when his mother suddenly walked into the bed room and spoiled the whole first act with a trunk strap." Father Giovanni, the famous Italian tenor, has become immensely fat, and continues to draw wonderful crowds to the Roman churches whenever he sings. To keep him in the church and from ac cepting tbe offers of operatic managers it is said that he has been given a more than princely salary. "That's a stupid brute of yours, John," said a Scotch minister to his parishioner, tho peat-dealer, who drove his merchan dise from door to door, in a small cart drawn by a donkey ; "I never see you but tho creature Is bMying. " "Ah, sir, " said the peat-dealer, "ye ken hearts warm when frlen's meet A jolly tar, having strayed into a show at a fair, to have a look at the wild beasts, was much struck with the sight of a lion and a tigor in the samo den. "Why, Jack," said he to a mesa-mate, who was chewing a quid in silent amazement, " shouldn't wonder if next year they were to carry a sailor and a marine living peaceably togother ! " " Ay," said his married companion, "or a man and his wife." A man having buried his wife, waited on the grave digger, who had performed the necessary duties, to pay him his fees. Being of a niggardly disposition, he en deavored to get the knight of the spade to abate his charge. The patience of the latter being exhausted, he grasped bis shovel impulsively, and, with an angry look, exclaimed : " Doon wl' another shilling, or up she comes." The threat had the desired etlect A good story 1b told of a colored minis ter of Ballard County who was brought on trial before his church on the charge of stealing bacon. After a number of wit nesses had been examined, the deacons retired, and soon after returned tbe fol lowing verdict : "The Rev. Moses Bledso am ackwitted of de sinuations that he actual did stole the pork, and twos not showod dat somebody else miten't have boon wearin bis clox ; but do broder ia hereby fectionately warned dat in de future he must be more keerful." A little girl surprised a company of vis itors by her knowledged of the Creator's works. At the dinner table she ex claimed : "God made all this big world in just six days. God made me and every body else. He made mamma, too, but lie forgot to put any hair on her head, and papa had to buy It for her." When the mother got through interviewing tbe young miss, after the company dispersed, the little one wished she liad been built like a washboiler. Recently a young man was presented ia a family where there is a marriageable daughter, and as soon as he had taken his leave the friend who had introduced him said to the father : "Well, how would he suit you for a son-in-law?" "Very well, indeed," says the father. 'All right : suppose he comes round to-morrow and proposes?" Father with indignity) " To-morrow 7 Pooh, pooh ; what are you thinking of? That would be inde cent haste. Say the day after to-morrow." A congregation in the north of Scot land had a curious old character as beadle. On one occasion the preceutor sung a well known psalm to a new air, which not one of the congregation could follow. One of the elders hearing it, looked upon it as a great innovation, and taking up his hat, made for the door, where he met John, the beadle, and said to bim, "Oh, John, tbe very deevii him sel' is in the kirk." " Aye' says John, who thought everything was right as long as the minister did not complain ; "ays, an' he'll go out when you go." In the same congregation there were two or three persons who prided themselves up on the quality and quantity of their vocal powers. One of these happened, on one occasion, to be railed upon to lead the singing, lie pitched the tune very low, so that his friends might get full scope for their deep voices. The tune went off splendidly, and while retiring, he was heard to remark to one of his friends, "Gin I went ane or twa notes lower, we wud hae made the very kirk dido." It is vulgar to call a man "bowlegged." Just speak of him as a parenthetical pedestrian.