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."