a i , . '
LASTLKTTKR.
Tli bul Una, t barrled aerawl,
And llltla Mora Ilia wordu lo najr,
1'ft bold in Id reproachful thralll
You quarrelled wltb ma jemerday;
To-morrow you'll ba sad. "
Ay. "you'll ba (!," tha worda are torn,
And yet they pierce roy aoul wltb pnlnj
Ay, "you'll be aad," iba word aru tiu-;
iht-j blunt ma wltb prophetic ilralu:
"To-uorruw you'A ba ad."
We quarrelled, and forwbal t a word,
A foollnta ipeecb Ibat JarrJ Ihr er,
And tbuiin wratb our iniin-"ilrt'il;
Then earns her letter: "lAar my doar,
Toruiorrow you'll be tad."
Trw wordal htlf mirth, half roKri't,
The lam ber band ahould ever write
Hd wordal learned louaao, and yt
Fraih wltb new pain to ear and tight:
"To-morrow you'll bo aadl"
JUDGE AND EXECUTIOXKIl.
About tho beginning of November, in
the year 18, in the middle of the day,
a bledge drawn by horses dashed through
a small village in Russia, and stopped in
the courtyard of ono of tho largest
liounos. The horso had evidently run
away, and tho solo occupant of tjio
filodgo was clearly unable to guulo n m
the least.
In less than a minute a great many of
tho villacrorg. who had been attracted
by tho cluttering of tho inhabitants of
tho liotiHO, rousou ny tno appearauco oj
tho sledgo in tho courtyard, surrounded
the young woman. It was evidout sho
was poworlcss to distinguish any ono
around her. Thoro was just a faint sign
of lifo. and that was all; but to tbe urn
jority of tho bystanders sho looked fur
moro uoaa tuan ouvo.
Hho was carried into tho houso and
restoratives wore administered, bho had
hardly recovored her consciousness whon
questions of evory sort ami kind Mere
put to her from all sides. Sho was asked
who sho was, where sho camo from,
wlioro she was going to, who was pur
suing her, aud how tho horso hud run
away, Tho room in which she was
placed was full of villagers, who bad
COUlU 1U w suusjjr mini yuijt uuiuitu tun-
osity.
Among tho most excited of tho ques
tioners was a young serf about twenty
years old, who held in his hands tho
hatchot with which ho had been felling
wood whon tho sledgo dashed through
the quiot village. Tho bounty ond pain
ful grief of tho woman soenied to have
made rather an effect upon this young
serf. Ho was certainly more anxious
than tho rest to hour her story, and was
- vory prominent in his attentions, and
put himself forward in endeavoring to
offer her consolation.
At last tho object of all this excite
ment had so far recovered as to bo ena
bled to yield to tho entreaties of those
who surrounded her, and, in a brokon
voice aud amid vory general siloneo, sho
spoko as follows:
"I bad heard that an old relation of
mino, w ho lives in a neighboring village,
was duligcrously ill, and I determined
to sot out and seo if I could be of any
assistance. Early this morning I hur
nossod our horso to tho littlo sledgo and
set out."
"Alono?" asked tho young serf joint
illy, still swinging tho hatchet in his
Land.
Tho bystanders woll understood tho
moaning of tho question, and tho same
word scorned involuntarily to escape
their lips.
"Alono?"
It may bo as well hero to givo a short
explanation, w hich will account in soiuo
way for tho exclamation.
When the Russian troops which had
conuuorod Finland under the command
of (Ion. Buxoyden wero returning homo
again, thoy woro followed by countless
troops of bears and wolvos, who ragod
and quarreled over tho bodies of those
who, from timo to time, died of cold or
fatigue, and howled for tho scraps of food
left behind by the conquering army. The
province which the army passed through
was infested by theso llerco animals long
after its departure, and they soon bo
camo the terror of tho humble peasantry
who lived in that district. They wero not
content with devouring the various do
mestio dogs and cats that came in their
way, but tlorccly attacked any human
croaturo that crossod their path, it be
camo impossible to travel in safety at any
hour of the day upon even a frequontod
road without a very strong escort. Any
one who neglected these necessary pro
cautions paid the penalty of his careless'
noss by a hideous death. In tho course
of tho preceding winter forty human bo
iugs in this particular district had fallen
a prey either to woIvob or boars.
"Alone I" answorod tho young woman
in a strange, unnat ural voice, half choked
with sobs; "unhappily for mo, I was not
alono I hv, in Heaven s name, did
risk such a journey? lon't compel mo,
I beg of you. to re fat o tho horrors I have
gono through aud all tho miseries of that
awful morning.
"What haB happened to you ? Who
went with you? still asked many of
those who surrounded the woman, and
whoso attention and curiosity wero now
thoroughly roused.
".Miserable woman that I am," an
swered sho, "I took with mo my throe
littlo children, the eldest of whom was
about live years old, tho youngest a little
darling only six mouths aud still at the
breast.
An exclamation of horror ran throucl
tho circle of bystanders, and each ono at
last seemed to guess tho hideous truth.
And then, amid a more awful silence than
Iwfore, the young woman went on with
ber story.
"It was a lovely morning, tho road in
tolerably good order and the old horse
trotted merrily along. My two little
boys played at my foot, and tho little one
aiept in my uosoiu. i was m nigu spirits,
aud happy at Uio tli ought that i was
ablo to get away, and so, crhaps, be of
service to my poor obi relative My
happiness, however, was not of very
long duration. About an hour after our
departure from the village, the thought
struck me how daring and venturesome
it was to travel alono with the littlo ones
through a vast doaert of snow, cut .off
iroin aid and Ur away from humcn habi
tation. Then, for the first time, I be-
nto remember all the dreadful aoci
U that had befallen lonely travelers
in our neighborhood, and almost mado
np my mind to turn bak again. This grew
upon me, and it increased more than
ever when I iwceivod that the track in
the snow had become so narrow that ail
chance of turning bark in safety was cut
off. On I was obliged to go, whether I
would or not. My terror still kept in-1
creasing; but I dared not let the ckil-'
3 1atT annrnhended mV dan
ger. I listened anxiously and magnified
the slightest sound I hoard. The track
got narrower and narrower, and, at last,
m we wore passing a little bunch of fir
trees, I heard distinctly behind pie an
ttf,,l animd. I knew well what ft was.
In an instant I turned around and saw
that wo were pursued by a pack of
hungry wolvos. Now that the dangor
was so imminent my courage seemed to
grow stronger. I madly lashed the
horso and sot off in a wild, excited
gallop. It was too late. Two of the
largest wolvos, with red, glaring eyes
and hideous, open jaws, were already at
the horse's flanks, and raced with him
al finer tlm snow covered trat. On the
horse's lifo deponded my life and that of
mtr nil 1, Iron. II t0 U10II Wa WtTO mi
wt f!nt what it miirht. the horso'i
lifn mlrH bo saved. I thought. A hor
ribln thoiicht flashed across me, and, in
stead of repelling it. I accepted it as an
inHt.ir;ilion from heaven, in com oiooi
T n.i,1n nn mv mind, aud in cold blood
calculated tho awful consequences of my
plan. At this very uistiiut, my secom
hnv n .'l.il.l aliout three vcars old
clung to mo and cried pitcously
Tim linv'n solis foomed to oxcito tho do
moniac animals more than over, and they
crninnil rm the tfallouiiiff horse. Without
Cnnwinrr whirl I was doiner. ond with al
most involuntary an moment, I soizod tho
shrieking child by tho hair.and dropped
him behind tho sledgo. I saw him sink
into tho soft snow; thoro was one wild
cry, and then the wolvos stopped short
whrn the bov had fallen. All this
tinunni 1 in less' than an instant. For
minute I thoupht wo wero savod; but it
wn not so. Tho littlo ono's crios bai
hardly died away in the distance when two
more wolvos appeared at the sido of tho
sledgo. Tho awful sacriflco I had mado
hod been useloss.and we wero in as much
daniror as over. The sauio fiendish though
took possession of. mo, ana again my
mind was mado up. I looked first to tho
little dnrlinir nestlinir closely to my
breast, and then I turned to my oldest
Imv.who was nale with fear and clutched
norvously to the folds of my dress.
" 'Oh, mothor!' ho whispered, 'I will
bo goodl I won't cry; really 1 won t cry i
Oh, mother, don't thro me into tho
snow!' There was a heavy mist before
my eyes, ond I hardly recollect what 1
rli'.l. Will Ood have mercy on me? If
vnn could onlv know what I suffered
then! My littlo daughter nostlod closor
than ovor to my breast. Blio must bo
saved, I thought. Must I say whut
lintmenod? You can guess. My oldest
boy died as his brother bad died before
him.
"Must vou hoar tho rost? I was al
most mad now: tho bowling oi tuo
wolves, tho horso, tho last cries of my
children, tho awful thought oi seeing
mv imbv torn from mv arms, tno ureau
of death alfc mingled into a terrible
niilitiniire. I could not move- hand or
foot; my eyes wero fixed, and still I
clasped 'my babe to my bosom. I
lured not looit noiunu mo, out ut him
heard a torriblo howl in my ear, and
for a second I felt something on my
shoulder. Why did I not faint? Mo
chanically I turned my head. 1 saw a
wolf with open jaws ctiugiiig oy mn
claws to tho buck of tho sjoilgo. lie
made a half Hiirimr at mo, missed his
hold, and fell back into tho snow
Three timos ho mado airesu spring, ami
three times ho missed his hold, lho
fourth time he cot his claws on the
sledgo again, and thoro for a few seo
onds he hung. Ihoro was only ono
banco, to dash him back beforo he could
get firm hold. His claws stuck doep
into mv iincers. and by main forco
tried to wrench them from tho sledgo.
It was a desoerute struiiclo. and I hud
almost succeeded, when my buby fell
from my arms. From that moment to
tho time whon I first heard tho Bound of
human voicos, I can roinember nothing.
Tho reins had long fallen from my
hands; I knew tho horso was galloping
on, but I can recollect no more. I have
no conception whero' wo have becu or
how I got here."
The vounir woman again covered her
face w ith her hands and burst into a pas
sionato Hood of tears. Thero was an
nwful sileneo in tho room, broken evory
now aud then bv tho hysterical sobs of
many of tho women aud girls who stood
round. Tho men trembled, too, and
looked steadily on tho ground, but did
not sneak a w ord. At last a white-haired
woman boimu to sneak some words of
consolation in a low. trembling voice.
Immediately tho young serf, who hud his
hatchet still in his hands, strode toward
tho miserable woman. Ho was deadly
palo and trombled in every limb; tho ex
pression in hiB faco had changod sud
denly. He glared fiercely at tho young
woman and at tho old peasant, who was
still trvinir to console hor.
"lie still, mother!" ho thundered out;
"tho wretched woman deserves nono of
your pity."
And then ho turned to her.
"Unhappy and most miserable woman;
is it possible that you have done all that
vou have rolated? You are a mother,
vou tell us, and yet you have killed your
-. .. . ' . .. .... ..i i
children ono ny ono. ot ono um
you spare, not even tho boy who prayed
to you on his knees, or the buby child
who smiled upon your breast. To save
vour own life vou have sacrificed theirs,
for you had not tho courage to die with
them. Woman! you do not deserve tho
name, ion aro unwortby to live, iro
naro "
There was a wild shriek in tho room,
and the woman fell at his foot. In au in
stant tho peasants guessed the mod pur
pose of the young serf. Two of the
strongest rushed forward to stop his
hand. Thev were two lato. A wild,
awful light glittered in the young man's
eyos; with almost supernatural strengiu
he dashed tho peasants back. The
hatchet whistled through tho air, and in
an instant the unhappy woman was dead
at his feet.
Throo months aftor the terrible scene
related above the young serf was brought
nn before tho highest criminal court and
charged with willful murder.
There was no need to prolong the trial.
The young serf was found guilty of mur
der and coudemod to die.
1ml eventually, bv tho direct com
mand of the Emperor, the sentence of
the eonrt waa reversed, and the young
serf was committed to Urn years' servi
tude in Siberia.
The papers are altogether "too fresh"
with their stone of canine sagacity,
what wa want are a few instances of
ha man sagacity. They would be so re
freshing.
Mother Robin Call a Sew Hate,
A friend of mino has a robin's nest
that be guards with vory grcatcare,
and about which ho tolls a story to
all the old and young people who
call upon him.
"Thoro is a romance," ho says,
as ho shows you tho nest, "about
this, and if you want to henr it, I
will tell it to you."
"It was a good many years ago,
my friend begins, "that this nest was
mado. Thcro camo ono morning
early in April two robins to the big
fir troo in front of my window. One
of them had, us suro as you live, a
club foot, and ho hobbled about upon
it in a very lively manner, and I
know it was this ono Mr. IJobin, I
call him that fixed upon tho precise
place for the nest. For ho whetted his
bill upon a bough a great many
times, und then dancod upon it with
ono foot and tho other, as though
trying its strength, and at last
flew ui) to Mrs. Kobin, who w
be
as
standing on tho limb above looking
at him. My window was open, and
I hoard him peeping tho gentlest
little sonir to her that you can im
nmno. Then she jumped down upon
tho limb, rubbed her bill upon it, and
danced, whilo ho looked at her, and
after sho had dono theso things she
sang tho same littlo melody. After
that tbey flew away with great
speed, und tho next thing that I saw
nt them thev wero woikiuk v.""
miL'ht and mnin. bringing twigs
moss, twino and all sorts of things.
until at last they had tlio nest maue,
How my friend, when ho gots so
far in his story, always stops a mo
mcnt and laughs, though you cannot
sen anvthinir to touch at. But he
looks closely at vou, and just as soon
as be observes thosurpriso that your
eyes show ho says: "I ought to say
right hero that my mother had a vory
choice pioco oi faco, a conur or some
thing of that sort, that was washed
and put out on a littlo bush to dry
on tho very day that Mr. and Mrs,
Kobin decided to build tho nest in
tho fir treo. A great fuss wus mado
that evening becauso tho laco collar
could not bo found, and mother
wanted the police called, so that the
thiof might bo arrested, and the col
lur trot back, ior that collar was
worth, 1 have hoard, a great many
dollars, but tho nolico never found
tho thief.
"Now I will go on with my
- . .a II
story, continues my mono, anu no
generally takes tho nest in his han-Js
at this timo. "Well, aftor this nest
this is tho vory ono I hold in my
hand was built, you never saw i
moro uttontivo lover than this Mr
Kobin. Ho would hop ubout with
his club foot, und seem to put his
eyo right upon an anglo-wonn's cave
every ti mo bo now uown to uio
ground, and you might seo him from
curly morning to sunset flying bticK
and forth with his mouth full ol
irnn.l tliilliru till- fw llollitl. IHlll 1)6
Q W V. w.ll.'. . I
would iced her as sho sat upon mo
nest.
"Ono dav ho seemed specially ex
cited and happy; you could hour him
siniringin the trees moro loudly than
boforo. and I could seo from my win
dow the cause of his joy. Four yel-
ow mouths woro put up to receive
tho dainties ho hud brought, und
then I know tho littlo robins had
eoiuo. Well, old .ur, iioiun was so
excited that he did not boo our cat
stealthily cominir, as ho was piillin
uway at a very long nnirlo-wonn.
Fussy hud him in her inoutii ueioro
ho could irivo a warning cry, and tho
lust 1 saw of Mr. Kobin was tho club
foot that hung out of pusss mouth.
'fly and by Mrs. Kobin seemed to
get hungry, and I heard her uttering
two strange notes that 1 had never
hoard beioro, and which seemed to
mo to sound just us though sho wero
saying,
course,
'L'oino hero to mo here! Ut
that wus not what sho said;
but I have no doubt that tho notes
mctin't iust that, and that every
robin that iniirht linvo heard them
would huvo understood them us
call ior help. But no robin camo. It
ruined all that d;y, and poor Mrs.
Uobin kept up that cry, and her
young ones continually inrnsi ineir
bills ironi beneath nor body anu
opened them. I could not help them,
of course, for little birds would
rather starve than bo fed by any one
but their parents.
"Now I am co in in ir to the
stranirest part of mo story, my
friend always says when bo reaches
this point. "I be next morning was
clear, and 1 happened to bo up early.
Old Mrs. Jiobin hud begun ber plain
tivo call. Suddenly 1 saw a great
many Jiobins not less than twenty,
I should say that had come to
tether from some place, nnd rested
upon tho branches ot a great elm
tree that was only a few yurds away
from tho fir treo. Of all the noises I
ever beard from birus, tuose inai
these robins made wore the strangest
At last thev were quiet, and two of
them flew otl to the fir tree, and cau
tiously made their way to tho nest.
Mrs. itobin looked at them, and sang
little trill. Ouo of the visitors,
with much shaking of his head, sung
something in reply, and then the
other ono did the same thing. Mrs.
tobin repeated her trill, and then
she bopped up to the branch above,
and sang auother note or two, and
tbe smaller of the two robins took
his placo beside her. Then ibeotber
robin flow away to bis companions,
and after singing a little, they all
went off together.
"When I looked back to the nest,
Mrs. Robin Rat there perfectly quiot,
and, not more than a minute after,
the new Mr. Kobin broucht a worm
and he was from that time until the
littlo ones got their feathers and new
off. as kind and attentive to Mrs.
Kobin as had been the coor old
club-footed Mr."
"Now isn't this a Drcttv lovo
storv?" mv friend inquires, and of
course you say it is, and then ask
him whv he lauerbed. and what his
mother's lace collar had to do with
it. and he will answer vou in this
way:
Look in tho nest. Seo what lies
on the bottom, where tho little
robins nestled. I got the ncst after
they flow away togetherand there
in the bottom was my mother's lace
collar, not good to wear any longer,
so I have lot it stay there ever since
Do you suppose young robins ever
had such a costly bed I
The AnU
In tho State of Colombia there is a
lanro ant (Atta ccphalotes") which
causes a irroat deal of injury to plan
tations. It attacks and carries off
indiscriminately all kinds of foliago,
and no sort of vegetation seems to
come amiss to it. The quantity of
foliago carried off by these ants is
immense; in quality it may do oilier,
sweet, punjrent, tender, or tough.
Her Britannic Maiestv's Acting Con
sul at Modellin, United States of
Colombia, was led to mark carefully
tho uses to which tho ants put this
mnss of vegetable matter which they
convey to their nests, and ho ascer
tained that they employ n to muao
hot bods, upon which their eggs are
deposited to bo hatched by tho heat
produced by tho fermentation of the
leaves. Tho ants do not cat theso
portions for food, and tho larva), are
fed upon a carefully selected diet.
Once tho brood is batched, tho ants
clear away the hot bed, carrying out
of their nest all tho decomposed
vegetable matter. This is thrown
out in heapB apart, and in the largo
ant hills theso heaps will contain
bushels and upward. Many efforts
havo been mado to exterminate these
ants, at least in the vicinity of farms
or gardens; but whero tho nests
occur in plantings or in uncultivated
grounds all attempts havo failed.
Consul White, however, believes that
ho has discovered an efficacious rom
edy, and it was shown to him by a
negro. When a plantation or garden
is attacked, all ouo has to do is to
procure a quantity of the debris from
tho hot bods thrown out of an ant
hill cntiroly unconnected with that
from which tho invading ants pro
ceed. Scatter this around tho beds
and on tho ant roads, and tho effect
is marvelous. Tho ants seem
soizod with a panic, they drop thoir
burdens instantly; tho word seems
passed along the roads, and empty
handed tho whole ot tho invading
army hurries off to its own' nest.
They will not return to tho samo
placo for many days, nnd even when
they do avoid all spots in which
traces of this, to them, offensivo mat
ter remains. The smallest quantity
will suffice, and a bushel will defend
acres of ground. Mr. White, in a
letter to the Secretary of the Zoolog
ical Society of London, which is
published in full in this society's
proceedings, declares that he has
seen this plan tried repeatedly, und
it has never failed. Tho biggest
army of ants pioneers, engineers,
director general, and all is utterly
discomfited by this very simple means
of defense Tho plan is not gener
ally known, even in tho Stato ot
Antioquia (whero these ants abound),
and ho thinks that colonists might
profitably bo mado acquainted
with it.
Incidents iu the Passlmi Play.
Lato English papers havo long
accounts of tho recent performances
at Obcrammeri'au. and it is agreed
that tho simple villagers acquitted
themselves alter a manner which do
serves tho highest praise. Every
scrintural detail was carried out to
tho letter, and oven in the Crucifixion
scene ono could not havo told posi
lively with tho aid on a strong glass,
that nails had not been driven
IhroUL'h bunds and feet. When the
thrust of the centurion's spear pro
duced a crimson stain over tho heart
of the Christ, "a distinctly audible
expression of almost terrified sur
prise ran through the vast assem
blage." Tho mien of Pontius Pilato
was bc3ond nil praise. A wood
carver took tbe part, and acted it
better than any other part in the
play was acted. Ho is a man "of
such fine physiquo and lofty bearing
that ho could easily pass tor a noble
IkOinan anywhere, without assuming
tho gorgeous corslet and glittering
diadem of a pro-consul." After the
part of Tilate, the best acted was that
of Judas. "Tbe scowls, the visible
avarice, tho sbouiaer jerKings, too
Btcallbiness, and the suspicious face
of this character wore," says the
Times, "truly admirable, and hishug
Kliiiil for an increase of the bribe
offered hin could scarcely have been
belter dono ever, by Shylock. Sev.
eral famous paintings served as the
originals of certain scenes. That of
tbe Last Supper was an almost per.
feet living copy of Leonardo's great
work. The Christ bearing the cross
was after Paolo Veronese; the De
scent was after Rubens, and the En
tombment alter Raphael.
Business men should pause and think
how great is the power of printer' ink.
A Famous Goose.
An interesting relic is preserved jn a
glass case in the Coldstream Guards or
derly room at Whitehall. It consists of
the head and neck of a goose, around
which is a golden collar with the inscrip
tion: "Jacob-Second Battalion Cold
stream Guards." Beneath it is the words,
"Died on Duty."
In 1838 a rebellion broke out in our
Canadian possessions, and two battalions
of the guards were sent thither to assist
in quelling it, the battalion already men
tioned being one of them. Both corps
occupiod the citodel of Quebec, and in
their turn supplied the guards which
were ordered to be mounted in different
parts of tho town and neighborhood.
Near one of theso guards was a furni
yord whioh had suffered much from the
ravages of foxes animals thut were at
that period a great pest to the colonists,
and as the farm in question had been
suspected of being the moeting place of
the rebels, a chain of sentries was placed
around it. One day the sentry whose
duty it was to watch the entrance to the
farm had his attention attracted by an
unusual noise, and on looking toward
the spot whence it proceedod he beheld
a tine goose fleeing toward him closely
pursued by a fox. His first impulse was
to have a shot at tho latter, but this
would have alarmod tho guard and
brought condign punishment on himself
for civincr a false alarm. Ho was coin-
nolled. therefore, to remain a Bilont spec
tator to the scene, while every stop
brought reynard nearer to his prey, in
the heicrht of its despair tho poor bird
run its head and neck betweou the legs
of the soldier in its frantio endeavor to
reach the refuge which the sentry box
could afford; and at the same moment
the wily fox mado a desperate grab at the
goose, but too late, for ere ho could get a
feather between bis teem tne reauy Day
onet of the sentinel had pasued through
his body. The poor goose, by way of
showing its gratitude to its preserver,
rubbed its head against his legs and made
other peculiar demonstrations of joy,
nor could it ever be prevailed npon to
quit tho post, but walked up and down
day after day with each successive sentry
that was placed there, until the battalion
left Canada, whon the goose was brought
away with it as a regimental pet to Eng
land.
The most remarkable thing in connec
tion with tho Btory is that, tho gooso in
turn actually saved its preserver s lilo
Whether tho former know that tho son
try was the same man or not, must of
course forever remain a problem; but it
so hanuened that ho was on that parucu
lar wost about two months afterward,
when a desperate attempt was mado to
surprise and kill the unwary sentinel. It
was winter timo, and anuougu it was a
bright moonlight night, the moon was
hidden ever and anon by the scudding
clouds which seemed to presago au
approaching storm, in theso mo
ments of darkness a Bharp observer
niieht have noticed the shadows of several
men who, unobserved by the somewhat
drowsy sentinel, wero endeavoring
stealthily to approach tho post whero ho
stood. Suddenly he heard, or thought
he heard, a strange, rustling sound, ond,
bringing his musket to his shoulder, he
shouted loudly: "Nlio goes merer
Not a sound, save tho echo of his own
voice in the distanco and the sighing of
the winter wind among tho branches of
the trees which stood in tlio deserted
farm yard, responded to tho challenge.
Several minutes elapsed, during which
the soldier marched up and down his
lonely beat followed by tho devoted
goose, until, deeming his alarm unwar
ranted, ho again "stood at ease" before
tho sentry-box, This was the enemy's
opportunity, and the rebels were not
lone: in endeavoring to profit by it,
Closer and closer they stolo up to tho
post, the thick buow which lay on tho
ground completely deadening mo sound
of their footsteps. But just as two of
their number, one on each sido of tho
sentry-box, were preparing with uplifted
knife to spring upon the unsuspecting
man, tlio bird made a grand effort, rose
suddenly on its wings, and swept round
the sentry-box with tremendous forco,
flapping its wings right iu the faces of
the would-be assassins. They were
astounded and rushed blindly forward;
but the sontry fully aroused to his dan
ger, bayoneted one and Bhot at the other
as be was running away. -Mean while,
tho other conspirators approached to the
assistance of their colleagues; but tho
bird repeated its tactics and enabled the
seutry to keep them at bay until the
guard whom the firing of his musket
had alarmed came upon the scene and
made them flee for their livea.
When this incident became known
poor old Jacob was the hero of the garri
son; and the olucers subscribed for aud
purchased the golden collar which the
bird afterward wore until the day of his
death.
On the arrival of the regiment in Loa
don, tho bird resumed its old duties
with the sentinels posted at tho barracks
gates; and it was exceedingly amusing to
watch its movements as it walked
proudly up and down with the sentry, or
stood to "attention" beside the box when
the latter was saluting a passing officer
or guard. The feathered hero was well
fed and cared for, and a circular bath
filled with water was always at his dis
posal. Children were its especial favor
ites, as they used to bring tho creature
all kinds of food; but Jacob would never
tolerate any liberties except when, in
military parlance, he was "standing
easy." For many years Jacob seemed to
bear a charmed life; but he was at
length run over by a van. Every effort
which kindness aud skill could suggest
was made to save this extraordinary
bird; but it was of no avail, and he died
like a true English soldier, at the post of
duty after a "sentry-go" of not less than
twelve years. Chainfr' Journal.
James Lynde, a rebel deserter who
afterward enlisted in the Fourth Michi
gan Cavalry, is said by the Detroit Free
jfVtM to have stolen Jeff Davis' horse
and money after the rebel leader's cap
ture. Lynde would never tell what he
found in the saddle-bags, but his fellow
trooper are sure that it must have been
gold, for after the regiment was mustered
out lie disappeared for a time, turning
np six mouths later in Detroit with
thousands of dollar in his possession,
much of which was left after he hod
taken a year trip in Europe.
Birds aing their best song about five
o'clock in tha morning. And men who
dont go to bed u early as that have lot
of fun. 1
Everything But Soap-Bubble.
Lilla walked through the garden u
ing, "I should like to bet princess."' v,,
she had been reading a story about I
princess who dnly had to say "Com,;
and anything she wished for came at
once.
It was a hot summer day, and she ui
down on a mossy bank under an elm trw
thinking over what she should wish fur'
if she had the power of tho princess. All
at once the garden teemed strange to her
and she heard a voice sayin ;
If you take a rose from mc.
You will then a princess be.
Sho looked up and saw a stinfluwei
growing in a green flower-pot which she
hud never seen before ; and on one of the
flowers was porched a tiny fiirv, holding
out a beautiful golden rose, uiul dnit on
to say, "And you can have everything
you wish for except one thin-;. And if
you wish for that you will lose the ruse"
"And what is that?" asked Lilla.
" You must neverask forso!ii-buljblM'
"That I shall not," said Lilla.
"You will be a princess as long an yoo
keep the rose," said the fairy. "(Jooj,
by ; now I must go back to fairyland
So the fairy went to fairyland, and Lilla
went home ; but no one knew her bs
cause she was now a princess, with lone
hair and a golden crown."
"I will go up to the castle," said Lilla
"princesses go to stay there,"
At the castle they were expecting a
princess, so they thought that Lilla must
be the one they were expoetaiij, aud they
gave her a grand room to sleep in. On a
table was a silver box which Lilla thought
would just do to keep her rose in. Sae
would try what her ross could do, so she
thought of a box of toys, and said :
Rose, Rose, bring to me
Everything I wish to see.
And scarcely had she spoken when a
maid came to say that a box had com
for her. And whon it was opened Lilla
saw so many pretty things that she really
thought she would like a Christina
tree. And again she said :
Rose, Rose bring to me
Everything I wish to see.
And in few minutes a Christinas tree
arrived, huug all over with gold and sil
ver drops and colored tapers and bon
bons, and gifts of nil kinds. The people
at the castle had never seen such a beau
tiful Christmas tree, aud they did not
mind it being there in summer instead of
it being ill winter, when Lilla divided the
gifts among them.
Day after day Lilla asked her ro3e for
something new, and every day more
and more beautiful things came, till not
only her own room but tho whole castle
wus full of them, She gave them away
to everv one, for she soon pot tired of
them, livery day she was trying to think
of something sho had not uot, and at last
she began to long for soap-bubbles.
"Such a little thing," she said to herself.
"What nonsense ! I don't believe that it
would do anv harm to ask fur the oap'
bubbles."
Then she held up her rose and said to
herself: "Shall I, or Bhall I not? Yes
no yes no yes soap-bubbles! "
Rose, Rose, bring to me
Everything I wish to see.
She was in the garden, and there were
some clipped holly trees not far off. But
no soap-bubbles came. Lilla grew impa
tient ; she shook the ro.se and said :
Rose, Rose, bring to nn
Everything I wish to see.
Then suddenly the air was filled with
soap-bubbles ; and one bubble, larger
than all tho others, opened aud clused
around t lie golden rose and floated away
with it higher, higher, higher, till Lilli
could no longer see it. She watched, and
watched till only two soup-bubbles were
to be seen ; aud then she sank on her
knees and stretchud out her hands after
them.
But it was too late ; her rose had gone,
and she was no longer a orincess. Her
hair was short as it had ever ueen, anu
her crown had disappeared. It was of na
use for her to return to the castle.ssthe
people would not know her ; so she went
back to her own home, where her father
and mother wero wondering what had
become of her.
As for tlio people in the castle, they
never heard of the princess ug.iin ; and
all the beautiful things she bad Riven
them vanished one night, for the fairies
came by moonlight and carriod them all
awav.
What a pity !" exclaimed Lilla, open
ing her eyes.
Talking Across tlio Country.
It is reallv pleasant to note as you
travel across the republic from Maine to
Colorado how the topic of conversation
changes at State lines just as the expres
sion of faces and styles of clothes gradu
ally uudergo an alteration. Down in
Maine, when 1 got away irom tno
I heard lumber and "the woods" all the
time. The men " were in the wooas or
tho man who talked to you had just come
out of the woods. Then you go to the
coast and everybody fished and yon
lnnmfil of dnrvs nnd hake and haddock
and things you never heard of before.
V hen yon go to Bath you begin w f.
np all manner of ship carpenter's slang.
Then you come nearor Jew lorK snu
commercial travelers fill tho air witn
mercantile argot, and as you hold your
way westward you get into the oil regions
of Pennsylvania, and for a while ISnw
ford and Oil City, Franklin and Titus-
villA tidied hull-wheel and pipe hnrt
and of dry holes and heavy oils and re
finery, and tank and drill ond rigs, ana
walking-beam, and derrick and pump
until yon could tasto oil every tiuieyott
talked. Then you moved along turongtt
Johnstown and Pitbiburg and ue
about blasts and open hearth furnaw
and crucibles and Bessemer process wa
rails, wire and ingot, until you leu w1
behind, and Indiana was talking to yoo
ahnnt strives nnd heads, and hoop P'e.s
and veneers, and hard woods and qui
nine, and bent wood and wagon tinibw
and by and by Illinois got your ear ana
said "'corn," and yon got across the -Mississippi
and out in Nebraska and near
a man sav to a neighbor, " Ben, where
that timber claim of Johnston's ? f
yon heard Ben reply briefly, " la
and you knew you were in a countryo
land, and that eighties and quarter-section
and timber claims and homestew
and pre-emptions were to constitute yoor
conversational pabulum for the next ; t
or three week until you reached Colony
do and began to hear assays and dips to
.j. .i .innnfiities. na
claims and carbonates, and that is w
west a I have been, and I don t wo
what they talk about beyond there--From
Bob Bunletft Letter.
. ... T-vi fvd.
"There ia
no looi uxe an : .
ay the Sew Orlean Picayunei
exF
the young fool who marries turn-
t