JATBEK GlUCBEII'S 1X1118.
ST ALPHOJ180 ZAUDKT.
"Prink draught of this, my friend,
and tell me what yon think of it."
The Cure of Graveson bogan carefully,
t lapidary oounta Lia pearla, to poor
int. drop by drop, thimblefuls of
"liquor" of a golden green color, spark
ling and moot delicious. My blood was
all aglow after thia delicious draught,
"This drink waa Father Qaucher'a
elixir, it is the .joy and health of the
whole country, of rrovence," continued
the honest follow triumphantly. "It is
made in the monastery of the Tremon
tres; it is worth all the Chortrouses in
the world. And if you only know how
entertaining the story of this elixir 1st
Listen, J. win tew it to yon.
Accordingly he began in the most aim
pie manner in the dining-room of the
rectory, which waa ao modest, and calm,
ind adornod with the whole history of
the Cross and with curtains stretched out
like surplices to toll me the story,
which was somowhat irreveront and
sceptical, and rather in the Erasmus or
d'Assomy's style.
Twenty years ago, tne ordor or the Tre
moutres, or I should perhaps call them
the White Fathers, for they wore always
termed so amongst ma rroveaeaux, were
in great poverty and m isery. If you had
seen a monastory at that time you would
have been qnito sorry for them. Tho
high wall and the 1'acomo tower wore
falltng to piecos; grass growing all
around the monastery; the pillars split
ting; the stone saints were topsy-turvey
. in their nooks; there was not a window
or a door in decent order. The breezes
from the Ruoze blow as bloakly as in the
Camargue, blowing out tne tapors and
breaking the leads round the windows,
and emptying me suei s or the ho y
water. But what was the saddost sight
tne shells oi the holy
ef all. was to see the spire of the monos
(cry as silent as an abandoned pigoon
bouse, and tho fathers, having no means
of buying a bell, were reduced to ring
their mntins by clanging piocos of wood
fathered from the almond tree.
Poor White Fathers! I ean still see
them, as they appeared at the procession
for the Feto-Dieu, as they passed along
go sadly with their hoods all patohed, all
go pale and thin (for their only food was
pumpkins and watermelons). Bringing
up the rear was tne Jt'rior, all abashed,
with his head down, and appearing quite
ashamed to show his nnguilded crosior
and moth-eaten mitre in white wool to
the sun. The ladies who belonged to the
association were actually crying for
mere pity's sake, and the fat banner
bearers were joking among themselves
and pointing at the poor monks. "Star
lings aTe always thin when they go
about in bands. '
' The fact is, the unfortunate White
Monks, had more than once discussed
among themselves whether it would not
be bettor to. aoparate and each start in a
difficult direction in search of gain. One
cussed in the chapter-house, a message
was brought to the Prior, to ask him to
speak to Brother Gaucher, who was
anxious to be admitted to the council.
Yon must know that this same Brother
Gaucher was the cow-herd of the mouas
tery; that is to say he spent his days
in driving before him, through the
arches of the monastory, two thin cows,
who sought their food in the chinks of
the pavement. He himself had been
brought up by an old woman who was
quite mad, in the oountry of Baux, and
she was known by the name of Aunt Bo
gon; afterward He bad Den picked up
by the White Fathers. The unfortunate
cow-herd had never been able to learn
anything more than to tecite his Pater
Noster (and that he could only recite in
the Provencal tongue), aul look after
the cows, for he was unusually thick-
Headed and as sharp as a woodon bee
tie." It is a true saying that "empty
casks have the best sound
He was a forvent Christian, although
Bomewhat dreamy; he wore a sackcloth
cheerfully, and gave himself the discip
line with a full assurance of its einoacy,
and with considerable severity. When
he mode his appearanoe in the chapter
room, in a Biinple, awkward manner,
bowing to the assembly with one leg be
hind, the Prior, the canons, the treas
urer, all burst out laughing. This
always happened when he appeared with
his good old face, and with his goat-like
beard and foolish eyes; so, being aeons
tomed to this hilarity, Brother Gaucher
was not troubled. "Beverend fathers,"
he began, while he was twisting in his
fingers a rosary made of olive-stones,
"would you believe that by dint of rack
ing my poor head, which is usually very
empty. I think I have discovered a way
out of the difficulties? You all know my
Aunt Begon that honest woman who
cared for me when I was quite a child
(God preserve her soul; the old sinner,
she nsed te sing shocking songs when
shewas drunk.) I must tell you reverend
fathers, that my Aunt Begon was very
learned in mountain herbs, as much so
as any cunning fellow in Corsica. In
order to prove it, she concocted, when
she was (lying, an elixir composed of
five or six kinds of herbs, which we used
to go and pick up together on the
AJpilles. It is a very long time ago, and
I believe with the help of St. Augustine
and with the help of the Priorloould
after a diligent search find this mysteri
ous elixir. We could then bottle it, and
by selling it at a good price our monas
tery would become rich by degrees, like
our brethren of the Trappe anil of the
Grande."
He could not finish his sentence, for
warrior had got up and naa tnrown
himself on his neck. The monks seized
him by the hands; the treasurer, more
enthusiastic even than the others, kissed
with reverence the tattered border of his
robe; then each one returned to his seat
to discuss the matter, and the chapter
decided that Brother Thrasybule waa in
the future to look after the cowb, in or
der that Brother Gaucher might give up
all his time to the concoction of his
famous elixir.
How our good brother succeeded in
finding the recipe belonging to his Aunt
Begon, at what expense of time and trou
ble, hiatory does not tell ns ; only one
thing' was quite certain, and that was
that the White Fathers in afo months
were quite popular again. In all the
conn try of the Comtat and als about
Axlas, there was not a granary or a win
Tanlt which did not include among thsir I
" ta,'.. ' niall brown bottle
with the .i,,t. l enc"' n rather too prodigal w th it. Yes. yes. I
i ttSXJ iSS Thankk.intaCr Je. --Vhwarts, th in'entor
of the el iir 1 . " .t0.th8 Mla of Kunpowder, yon hare been a yictim to
rowni.venU. .And now tellm?
OIIICU Willi I in n.... T1
monk. .iJ. .1 '
SKiW,; thu rrior "K"
mitre; tuo church was ornmni.i
fIHl7 T?1 winJow8; M1 in the finely
sound on Easter moruing.
As to Brother Gaucher he who till
now had been the butt of the monastery
on acoount of hii n
' pun ami v m. run lt mi tit
okes had entirely ceased; he waa now
mown as tne- iteverend Father Gaucher
a man of ranch learning and a great
mind, who lived quite apart, and was no
more to oooupy himsolf with the Turinna
occupations of his domostio calling. lie
lived shut no in hi illotiiinr. -m.
thirty monks were collecting herbs for
mm. ims uistiiiery, which was so pri
vote that not evon the Piw .,i,;t.
ted into it, was an old abandoned, quite
n.o oiwcmiij oi mo canour s room
garuon.
The monks in their simnlmifv ti.1
worked themselves np to consider it
quite a mysterious and formidable place,
and if by accident my adventurous and
curious young monk reached as tj as
the ronace of the door, he would come
down in creat haste, anite frightened at
me signs oi rather uauohor with his
alchomist's beard, stooping over his
ovens. Inhaling the grateful steam, and
slowly stirring it with his wine, he
seemed to reoognize the malicious eve of
l ry . ..
Aunt xxjgon in me small glisten
ing spangles that floated ovor the
emerald mixture; they soemed as
if laughing at him. and to rut
"Cornel take another drop!" Drop added
to drop at last filled the goblet to over-
nowing. I he exhausted monk foil down
in a arm cbftir hi. botl Ue
eri08fI. hi, A.Mij.i. hfti, , 'il .
mombered his sins, by fits and starts re
peatiug in a low tone in a delightful,
penitent way: "Ah! Iam damning my
solfl I am damning myself!" But what
was worst of all was that to be found
written at the bottom of this diabolical
elixir by some foul means all the bod
songs that Aunt Begon used to sing
inree iittie oia women wno liked a
feast, or Bergerette (maitre Andre's
friend), "Does she ever go into the
woods alone?" And always the famous
one relating to the White Fathers, "Pa
tatin, Patutin." Only imagine what a
noise and confusion all this must
have created. His noighbors, in the near
est colls, looked at him with a sly
air. "An! ah! i other Gaucher, you had
some bees in your bonnet last night as
m n ii Ma.n nm, i. - ij i :
to dospair, and to cry, and to fast, and to
use sackcloth and the discipline. Nothing
could succeed against this devil in the
form of the elixir, and every night at the
same hour the same play was enacted;
and an aeroinotor in his hand and sur
rounded with cucurbites made in pink
sandstono, gigantic alembics, crystal
serpentines, it was a strance mixture.
and a bewitching light gleamed forth
through tho window. At even which
the last Angolus was rung, the door of
this mysterious place was discreetly
opened, and the reverend father went to
church to attend evening servioe, you
should have' seen what a reception
was givon him when he crossed
the monastery ! The brothers
formed a line to let him pass; they bade
each othor keep silence. "Chut he has
the secret!" Tho treasurer followed
him, and spoke with bated breath, and
with his hoad down. Amidst all these
adulations the reverend father passed b
sponging his forehead, his brood
brimmed, thrco-eornered hood on the
bock of his head like a halo, and looking
with dohght around him at the great
courts, thickly planted with orange trees,
the blue roofs (where weather cocks
were turning round) ; and in the glisten'
inz cloisters, between whose elegtnt pil
lars tho canonB, newly olad, were defiling
two bv two with restful countenances
"They owe all this to me I" said the
reverend lather to nimseii, ana even tue
very thought of it puffed him up with
pride. You will see how the poor man
was punished for it. Would yon believe
me, one evening during the divine ser
vice he arrived in the chapel in a very
agitated state, very red. and out of
breath, with his hood awry, and he was
so much Bhaken that when he took holy
water he plunged in his arms up to his
very elbows. At first this mishap was
put down to his being late, but when be
began to make exaggerated bows to the
organ loft and the galleries around, in
stead of to the high alter, and to rush
through the church like a madman, and
stroll hither and thither in search of his
place in the stalls, and when once seated
he bowed to right and left, smiling with
an imbecile look in his face, a hum of
astonishment filled the three naves. The
monks were whispering to each other
over their breviuries: "What is the mat
ter with Father Gaucher? What is the
matter with Father Gaucher ?"
The Prior twice, with an impatient
movement, lot his croiser fall in order to
imnmiA silence. It is true that the
Psalms were still being heartily chanted
at the extremity of the choir, but the re
sponds wore not so spirited. Suddenly
in the midst of the Ave Verum, Father
Gaucher falls from his seat, and begins
intoning in a clear voice: "There lived
once upon a time in Paris a White Monk,
Patatin, Patatan.Tarabin.Taraban," &o.
This last oct caused general dismay.
Every one got up. Cries of "Remove
him; hi is possessed with the devil!" The
canons crossed themselves. The Prior's
crosier began to exert itself. But Father
Gaucher did not observe or hear any
thing, and two strong monks were
obliged to drag him out by the nttie
door of the choir. He was meanwhile
kicking like one possessed, ana conunueu
with renewed zeal his song of Patatin
and Tarabin.
Tim next day at dawu the unfortunate
man was on his knees in the Prior's ora
tory, and was performing his penanoe
mid floods of tears! "It was the elixir,
it was the elixir whicn was too mncu ior
me " he kept on repeating while he beat
hia breast. The Prior was quite toucnta
in witnessing such genuine grief.
"Come, come, Father Gaacher, quiet
yourself, all will right itself. After all,
it was not ao yery scandalous aa yon
think it was. It is true there waa that
horrid song which was a little bit ham
hnm. It is only to be hoped that the
novices did not hear it. how tell me ex-
wm by
ion were
my honest friend, is it neoessarv for von
U taste yoursolf this most dreadful
emir?
meter sho
Unfortunately it is, my lord! The
ws me now much alcohol I
put in: but for the Amain'
touoh I would only trust to my own
taste."
Ah very well! but liaton n,l T m
ask von another question. Whan mn
taste this alcohol out of necessity do you
like it? Does it please you?"
"Alas! yes. my lord!" nnswere.1 tlm
nnfortunato man. gettinir vorv r,l "for
the lust two nights especially I found
out a particularly nice tasto in it. I am
quite sure the devil has played me this
trick: I am nuite determined not in na
tne meter again, all the worse if th
liOUenr IS not tasted enonirh. nr tin
ishod np."
iloavens! protect ns from anoh
lution, answered the Prior, sharply.
We must not displease our ciMinmnm.
All that yon can do, now that you have
had a lesson, will be to be more careful.
Let us see, about how many drops does
ii tugs to muKO up your acoount? Fifteen
or twenty
"iwenty. I shonld say."
"The dovil would be very clever to
catcu you with twenty droni. AU.i in
ordor to prevent any future accident, I
will permit you to say your evening
prayers in tne uistuiory, instead of coin
ing to church. And now go in peace, inv
reverond father, and please take care to
count your drops."
Alas, the poor reverend father connted
them in vain; the dovil had him and
would not give him np. Strange noisos
came forth from the distillery. During
the daytime everything was quiet. Tho
futher was always calm: he prepared his
chafing dishes, his alembics, carefully
sorted his herbs they were all horbs
in Provence, rare ones and gray varie
gated onos exhaling strange perfumos.
But that night whon the simples were in
fused, and the cellur was cooling in im
mense brass cauldrons, tne poor man a
martyrdom began. Seventeen eighteen
nineteen twenty! The drops fell into
the pewter goblet. All those twenty
drops tue lather swallowed at one gulp,
without much feeling of de
light. But the twenty-first he longod
after. Oh! to ttste that twenty-first
drop; so in order to escape temptation,
he would kneel quite at the extremity of
uie moratory, and his thoughts were for
some time in his Pater Nostors. There
rose a little perfumed smoke from the
still heated "liqueur," which enveloped
him, and whether he chooso or not.
brought his thoughts boclr to his cal
drons. The "liqueur" was of a beautiful
golden green color. Meanwhile, orders
were pouring into the monastery it was
a great blessing they received them
from Nismes, Aix, Avignon, Marseilles.
Gradually the monastery became a small
manufactory. There were brothers who
packed, brothers who ticketed, others
who wrote, others who managed the
transport bnsiness. In this way they
bscamo very lax in their religious duties
the bells were very rarely rung; but I
assure you the poor country folks were
no losers by the change) Well, one nne
Sunday when the treasurer was reading
the account of the year which was end
ing before the whole assembled chapter,
the hearty canons were listening with
gleaming eyes and smiling lips, when
quite suddenly Fathor Gaucher rushed
in among them crying: "It is all over
now. I will make no more. Give me
bock my oows!"
What is the matter, Father Gaucher?"
asks the Prior, who, however, had his
doubts as to what was the matter! '
What is the matter, my lord ?' The
matter is that I am on the high road to
perdition, an eternity of flames and of
pitch-forks. The fact is that I drink
like a fish."
But I warned you to count the
drops."
"Oh! yes, it was an very well to count
the drops, but now I should have to
count the goblets. Yes, reverend
fathers, I have reached to that depth of
degradation I take my three bottles
nightly. You understand that this can
not last, therefore you must find some
one else to concoct the elixir for you.
Let the everlasting fire consume me if I
meddle with it again.
I can tell you the whole chapter
did not laugh when they heard these
words. "But unfortunate man, you will
be the cause of our ruin, cried the
treasurer, agitating his enormous book.
"Would you prefer that 1 should be
damned?"
At these words the Prior stood up.
"Revorend fathers." he began, extend
ing his beautiful white hand on which
was the pastoral ring, -everytning win
be arranged for the best. It is at night,
is it not, my dear son, that the devil
tempts you?"
les, holy Trior, regmany every
night. As soon as evening closes in, I
find myself perspiring at tho mere
thought of what is going to happen mo,
like Capitou's ass at the thought of the
burden.
"Very well ! calm yourself. We will
recito St. Augustine's prayers for your
benefit, and I will join to them the
plenary indulgence. By these means you
will be auite safe. It is actually giving
you absolution whilo you are in the act
of singing."
'Oh. well, many tiianKS, my iora
Prior," and without further ado x other
Gaucher returned to his distillery as gay
as a lark. Surely from that day forth
every evening at the end of the even
song the officiating monk never missed
saying: ' iiot ns pray ior our poor
Father Gaucher, who sacrifices his eter
nal happiness to the interests of the mo
rwterj." Then when the prayers of the cowled
monk sonnded through the nave like the
blowing of an easterly wind amid snow,
at the other extremity of the monastery
Father Gauoher, behind the blazing
window of his distillery, wm heard sing
ing with all bis might:
-IB nm um uu
Fiutm. ftuiaa," Ma.
Here the good Cure stopped quite
frightened, "ifercy?" cned he; "limy
parishioners were only to hear me.
James T. Field considers Mrs, Brown
ing as the queen of women poeU, and
Robert Browning si one of the greatest,
if aot the greatest, of modern poeta.
Ustintl, Ali-i, .Lit .-. t
Laid to Rest,
ine xuneral of Luoretla Slott look
place Novembor Hth at rhiladolphia
irom nor late residenco, a handsome
stone house standing in tostef ally laid
out and carofully-kept ground, studded
with forest trees, junt west of the old
York rood, a few hundred yards north nf
the city line, in Cheltenham township,
Montgomery county. The funeral was
oonducted according te the custom of the
Society et Friends, and was in all its an-
pointments simple and unostentatious,
in keeping with the character of the no
ble woman who had passed awav. No
set forms were observed. The funeral
may bo best described in the words of
Edward M. Davis. Luorotia Mott'a on-
in law, who, in answer to a question,
said: "No appointments of bdt kind
have been mado. The family meet in
tho house from twolve o'clock until one,
when we start for the grave. All who
conio win be weloome.
The train whioh loft the North l'enn-
sylvania railroad depot, Third and Berks
Btreet, at ii o clock took up quite a num
ber of ladies and gentlemen from this
eity, wuo lound carriages awaiting thorn
at Oak Lano station. A far greater num
ber drove np in their own carriagos and
many hundreds came from the country
round about. At 12 o'olock all the rooms
on the first floor of the house and the
halls and stairways were packed with
peopio. Among the gent lemon present
were Roy. Dr. William H. Furnoss,
Enoch Lewis, Alfred Love, secretary of
the Pennsylvania Peace Society: Edward
X. Steele, Amos i;. Little, William Kotah
Wistar, James A. Wright, George II.
Earle, Richard P. White. Tho body
clothed in white, lay in a room adjoining
the library, iu a plain unpolished coffin,
padded and lined with some whito mate
rial, but without any ornamentation
whatever. There wore no flowers and no
uttered demonstrations of grief, but a
tirofound sadness seemed to pervade the
touse, and for half an hour no sound
was hoard in the densely thronged rooms
save tho mullled tread ovor the thick oar
pots of fresh arrivals and the whispered
directions of a servant pointing the way
to the room where the last look at the
dead might be had.
At half-past twelve o'olock Doborah
Wharton arose from her seat in the par
lor and made a brief but touching
address on the life and character of the
deceased. She begau a quotation from
the bible: "This day a mighty prince
has fallen in Israel." She thon con
trasted the condition in life of Lucretia
Mott and that of a prince, and showod
how she had accomplished more for
humanity than the most powerful
princes, but without noise ana tumult
and the shedding of blood. Dr. Furnoss
paid a beautiful tribute to the dead. He
quoted the beatitudes from the fifth
chapter of Matthew and applied them to
her. "We are aooustomed," ho said, "to
spoak of the dead as having gone to their
reward, but Lucretia Mott had her re
ward here and she shall have it hereafter
a hundredfold." Dr. Furness closed
with a prayer that the example of the
beautiful life ended upon earth might
not be lost upon the living. Rev. Mr.
Ames said that a halo always seemed to
shine around Lucretia Mott. Like the
sun, she seemed to glorify and radiate
everything about her. Mr. Westbrook
told how he saw Lucretia Mott many
years ago, firm, calm and brave, face an
angry mob of infuriated ruffians who
broke up an anti-slavery meeting sue
was addressing, and he roferred to his
last visit to her, two years ago, when he
found her still full of grace and intelli
gence in conversation with her old co
laborer and friend, William Lloyd Gar
rison. Short addresses were also mode
by Alfred Love, David Newport and
others.
Thon loving hands took up the littl
coffin it looked hardly largor than a
child's and bore it to the graveled drive
in front of the house. The procession
moved soon afterwards, E. M. Davis
and family, Edward Hopper and
family, and 1 other relatives oc
cupying tho first carriages, with a
long line of vehicles filled with porsonal
friends following. The route was down
York road to Fairhill, the Friends' cem
etery, at Gorniantown avenue and Cam
bria streets, in this city, which was
reached about three o'clock. Hera sev
eral hundred , people wore already gath
ered to witness the interment. 1 airbill
is a little cemetery, about the size of a
oity square. It is mound shaped, sloping
up from all sides to the centre. It is
filled with trees and shrubbery, and
does not contain a single monument, the
graves being simply marked with little
marble blocks, which do not rise more
than six inches above the ground. In
the highest part of the grounds was the
open grave, oy tue Blue oi tne
husband, James Mott, who was buriod
ten years ago. Above the grave spread
the branches of an aspen tree, and near it
a weeping willow. While thousands
stood about, the coffin was reverently,
solemnly and silently lowered. After a
few shovelfullsof earth had been thrown
upon it, Dr. Henry T. Child made a briof
address, saying he believed Lucretia
Mott had brought joy to more human
hearts than any other woman who ever
lived. To have enjoyed some of her so
ciety and wise counsels was one of the
greatest blessings of his life, and he
could not refrain from paying this last
tribute to his friend who was gone. The
grave was then filled np, the friends
turned away, and slowly the graveyard
was deserted.
A very successful experiment with a
compressed air locomotive was lately
made in Woolwich, England. The en
gine was provided with a reservoir of
100 cubio feet capacity. With air filling
this chamber at 1000 pounds pressure on
starting, a run of sixteen miles was easily
made at a fair rate of speed. So great
are the advantages of the "bottled air"
for street railways, tunnels, etc., that an
early adoption of this class of motors in
many localities is sanguinely expected.
The compression of the air is eflectod by
means of stationary steam engines.
Professor Flumtre asserts, and Car
dinal Newman denies, that after death
there will be a second probation for
those who have failed here. The Car
dinal's argument in support of the idea
of a cleansing by fire in the intermediate
state is, says a good authority, very gen
erally admitted by German Protestant
divinea of the present day.
The Wooa Blvtr lines.
A more interesting sabjeot than our
mines and mineral resources cannot be
presented to the reading and thinking
puuuc, as following la the train oftuese
developments, comes prosperity to all
trades and occupations. A few days ago
wo puonsuea a description of the fa
mous "Saw Tooth" bolt of arold. and to.
day we present a brief description of the
Wood .river country, written by one
who has been there, to the Boise Stotei-
man. He says: Since my return to
Jwne Uty, almost every one I have met
hits asked me the uuestion. '1 tt'mtd
nvor going to be a uood camn?" How
few thore are even in our own TorriLr
who realize the extent of territory etu-
uoa wuuin the region throughout
which rocent discoverios of silver ores
have been made and known by the gon-
rroi name oi tne
WOOD RIVEB COUNTRY.
It would requiro quite a volume to con
tain a minute description of that entire
region, but with your permission I will
give the following glance at the genoral
outlines or that vast exteut of country,
A personal observation of a great por
tion oi the country embraced within its
limit, leads me to bclicvo that thore are
three distinot minerals bolts, (porhaps
four) running through the entire region,
wnicu ior the sake oi convenience l will
oonfino to tho discoveries made within
the last two years; beginning at the
soutnoast oorner. Hero we flnd our
selves on the Blockfoot stage road, in
what is known as the Dead Mas s Flat,
about 35 miles east of tho town of Belle
vue nud on the margin of the lava beds
which lie botwoon Snako river and the
mountains. Turning our faoo to the
northwest we find a mineral belt from
3 to 8 miles in width, extending
tnrongu the mountains in a north
westerly direction and easily traood for a
aistanoo or su miles, with
FINE LODES OF
And carbonato ores locatod and bolna
developed every fow milos for the entire
distance. Ibis belt, at the northorn end,
terminates in the Kinnickinick and Bay
Horse districts of Uppor Salmon river
and contains many of the finest prospects
in the country. From this main mother
belt thore aro branohos on either side
running oil toward Lost river on the
east and Littlo Wood river on the wost,
near each of which streams thore are
some fine locations. West of this belt.
and runuing parallel with it at a distance
of about 20 miles, yeu find auothor belt
which crosses Little Wood river about
ten miles above the stage road, and in
its northorn course it cuts the hoad waters
of the East Fork of Big Wood nvor and
orosses to the East Fork of Salmon
river, some 20 miles east of Galena City
aua extending in the direotion ol
Bonanza City. The Paymaster and some
ten or twelve other lodos on the Lost
Fork of Big Wood rivor aro on this belt,
bosidos a number of very fine locations
on the hoad of the East Fork of Salmon
river. Much of this belt is
TIT VNEXPLOllKD,
Some ten miles west of the last men
tioned bolt we flnd another mineral belt
running parallel with those already men
tioned, though not so well defined.
There are several minos Ieoated on vari
ous portions of it near and a littlo east of
Bollevue, also on tho bead of Indian
Spring creek. The oelobrated North
Star mine, the Truant Boy, the Elk
Horn, and a nunibor of other flno mines
are on this bolt. I do not know that it
has been oxplorod to any considerable
extont north of Ketohem. Travel still
westward six or eight miles and we oome
to the group of mines around Jacob's
City, where wo find a mineral region
several miles wide, extending through
Bullion, Doer creek, Groen Horn, Warm
Spring creek, Galena City, and extend
ing through tho mountains in the direc
tion of Bonanza City. Upon this belt
are situated many of the best developod
and richest mines in all this country.
The Star, the Idahoan, the Bullion, the
O. K. and many othors are on tho
SOUTHERN KND OF THE BELT,
And the White Cloud, tho Gladiator, tho
Eunice and othors are near Galena City
on the northern end. Again travol eight
or ten miles west, and you find still
another belt, which is several miles
wide, running in the same direotion from
the foothills north of the Big Camas
Prairie, through the headwaters of the
Smokies and through the Saw Tooth
district. This belt when thoroughly
prospected may prove to be one of the
richest yet discovered. A number of
very fine lodes of of Galena ore were dis
covered late this fall on the head of the
Smokies, and as we follow it in its north
ern course we flnd the ore changos from
Galons and carbonates to Bulphurots,
bronides and chlorides. The Smiley
mine, the Vienna, the Pilgrim, the Lncky
Boy and many others are on this belt,
the ore of many of which will yield from
$500 to 85000 to the ton. Thus it will be
seen that Wood river
IF ONH "a camp,"
Is quite an extensive one, covering quite
an area of oountry near GO miles square.
In describing these belts your corres
pondent would not be understood as say
ing that thore are continuous lodes of ore
to be seen in all plaoos on the belts, but
that the formation is mineral bearing and
ledges are found ia all of them at inter
vala of a few miles, and in many places
many good locations have been made
within a very short distance of each
other for miles along the belt. Some re
cent discoveries give reason to boliove
that there is still another belt west of
those already discovered and running
from Big Camas Prairie through tho
mountains to the north, and that when
fully developed it will prove to be a
continuation of the great
ATLANTA MINERAL BELT.
Mr. Al. Thompson, while surveying in
this region only a few days since, found
a large vein of gold and silver bearing
quartz similar to that of the Atlanta
mine, and his party claim that there are
many indications of a large mineral belt
running in the direction of that place.
If this proves true it will make an addi
tion of some thirty miles to the width
of our Wood river "camp." As to the
richness sad quantity of the ores it will
suffice to refer to the smelters at Salt
Lake City, which are now receiving hun
dreds of tons of ore and giving returns
of from $100 to $700 per ton. Besdies
there are thousands of tons of lower
grade ore en the dompa and in sight in
the mines which will pay well for reduc
ing whsa smelters are erected within a
reasonable disUaoe of the mines. 1
Plata TTtrta frea General Crook.
Brigadier-General George Crook, than
whom no better Indian fighter can be
found, in his annual report of military
operations of tho Demtrtinont of thn
Platte deals in oemmon sense and plain
unmistakable English. Weruakoa few
extracts from his report in relation to the
murdors rocootlv committed by Indiana
belonging to an agency two hundred
miles south of the southern boundary of
that department. Uesavs: landsrsUnd
from the public prints that the commis
sion treating with the Utes for the cet
sion of the reservation only dotnonded
tho surrondor of tho Indians concerned
in the
MURDER OF AORNT MEEKER
and his employees, and dooided that it
wonld make no demand for the surren
der of those implicated in the assault
upon Major Thornburgh and hia com
mand. This discrimination I csnnot but
regard as unjust and unwih.
The Indians who murderod Agent
Meeker and his employees, mnr-
ored Major Thornburgh and the-
men who full with him. Tho one act waa
no greater crirao than the other. Maior
Thornburgh was on his way to the Uta
Agency, in ooediunco to Agent Mcoker
reiinost, to preserve order and restrain
turbuloncy. He was not thore to niako
war on the Utes, and they know it. The
very evening preceding thoir attack upon
him, a number of their chiefs had en
tered his camp as thoy hod previously
done partaken of his homitAlitr anil
assured him of their friendship.
TBI LAST MBSSAOB
Meeker ever sent to Thornburgh was to
tho effoot that the Indians were friondlv
and wore flying tho U. 8. flag. Yet, in
tho fuce of all this, the vory next morn
ing those Indians, without provocation,
treacherously lay in ambuscado, and at
tacked the troops, with the rosults
already known. To consider such beha
vior an act of war, is to give a new
moaning to the term; it was nothing more
or loss than murdor ; certainly it was as
much murdor as the killing of Mr.
Mooker and those employed under him.
To treat it as anything else, is equivalent .
to asserting that an Indian commits a
crime only when he kills an Agont who
invokos assistance, but not when he way
lays and destroys the men who move to
rendor the assistance asked for. Tho lifo
of an officor and soldier of the
army, is as dear to him and
porhaps as valuable to his country, as
is that of an Agent, or employee of any
other branch of tho Government, and it
will
ill A BAD PRECEDENT
To establish, that the one may be taken
with impuuity, while the other must be
acoountod for by the delivery to justice
of thoso who destroy it. With
the groat improvement in arms in the
hands ot the savages, the perils of con
flicts with them have immensely in
creased sinoe the close of the rebellion,
as our ghastly list of killed and woundod
officers and soldiors will certify, and bo
sidos losses in killed and wounded, we
must take into account the great num
bers of strong men who have become
prematurely old from exposure, priva
tions and trials of the servioe. I don't
believe that any force in the world has
ever been called upon to do so much, in
the ratio of its effective strength, as the
LITTLE HANDFUL OF MEN
On the frontier, we call the Regular
Army. During the operations
against the Utes last fall and winter and
especially in those immediately follow
ing the outbreak, I was obliged to call
upon all the officers on duty at my head
quarters for muoh sovere and oontinuod
labor. To all these demands I reoeived
ohoorful and intelligent rosponsos, for
which my einoorest thanks are due.
The alaerity and enthusiasm
with which the troops of this department
met the severe demands upon them dur
ing the past fall and winter, are entitled
to my grateful rooognition, aud should
be a source of pride to the whole army.
A Spider aud her Brood.
Thoy have in the sub-treasury, at the
custom-house, Baltimore, a spider whioh
is making itself quite a publio oharaoter.
Several months ago it was caught from a
bunoh of bananas that had oome from
tho West Indies, and it is about the sizo
of the palm of a man's hand. It was
captured and put iu a cigar box with a
gluss top, so that its movements oould be
watched. Shortly afterwards anothor
spider of the same spocios was captured
in the same way, and placod in the box.
with the other. They proved to be male
and female the first being ot the latter
gender. About three days after they
had been placod together during which,
time they behaved yery amicably the
female suddonlv killed and ato up Dr.
Tanner, as the male was called, (because
he never ate anything). Whethor Dr.
Tanner proved a lasting antidote to hun
ger, or whether remorse tortured the soul
of the heartless fair one, she
has never eaten anything since,
although six weeks have elapsed.
Prior to that timo she would snag a.
honey bee placed in the box with aston
ishing faeilKy, and flies stood a poor
chance when they came within range of
her enormous antennie.. One morning
about four weeks ago, she was discovered
oarrying around clasped to hor bosom, a
mall white affair, looking like a marsh
mallow drop, but whioh was really made
of finely woven web. This she carried
with her all the tuno, ana wouia ugnt.
like a tiger if anyone tried with a stick
to diKposses her of it. This small sack
sho carried, and was very reticent con
corning it until tho other day as every
one was getting disgusted It swellod
and burst, and about ten thousand tiny
spidorlings swarmed from its interior
and roosted around the maternal back
and Ws. The doings of the mother
and family are now objects ot the great
est interest to almost every one in the
oustom-house, and she will be kept until
she rears them.
Tuk weather prognostications
have recontly been wiong quite as
often as they hare boon right, es
pecially in this part of the oountry.
Can this be attributed to the fact
that thero ia no h?ad to the Signal
Service Bureau since the death ot
General Myer?
On a homeward-bound Charleston oar
a jolly-looking Irishman waa saluted
with the remark: "Tim, yer house waa
blown away." "Deed, thin.it isn't," he
answered, "for I have the kay in my
packet."