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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1885)
DOES DiATH STING? An Anwrr Vmm Vmllnnl Point of Vlrw Dr. 0. I Briird-di-y conclude that the dread of living is quite ax Intense a the Instinct of self-preservation. In deed. It la not improbable, udds the doctor, that numbers would cure loss about living were tn modes oi leitviug the world a theme for happy contain - illation, or an Innovation to the routine I f nl,wl1llnrtl..it wnrr.ul,l ()n i remarkably exempt from the crime of hiuly induction If ho alllrnis that there i no fane or healthy mortal who an- tloipttcs lila extinction with any degree of pleasure. The function of dying ia actually vegetative - we fall to piece like a flower, TIi'h verv fact, that the process la chemical, eon linns u in the conclusion that in mint throe in an liainles aa the inconvcnicnco la noth- ing to the fil ial pilgrim when ho touch) on daylight. A moment's examination of Uiu way we are to die will show marks of goodne-s in our taking off. The decree of sensibility in propor - Honed to the Intcj-ntrof tliet An inflammation heighten it; age doprc- dale It. Any defect in nutri- won uisturiM in comiori oi the ' individual unt I tho carbon o acid generated in the devitaliza tion of the blood become fixed in the cell or is no longer d.Hploccd. Ihe sensory ganglia everywhere part w.th inoir irriiami.ty iy virtuo oi mi poison, and ecasi to conduct cur- renin, inocr.icrn oi oeaui are Doing satisfied, and the proeent ia consuni- . WWl. . . 1. . . maicu wiiii nil euincuon oi aoni- bility prevailing al the ultiraato Ilia- moult. During the progress of this (iiwtoiiiiKin oi uie nerve iorce. inia l I . ... V M creeping on of the numbness of death, the individual la rapidly pas- Ing Into a condition oi repose, and in- stead of torture or pang, a degree of gclf-aatisfuction oft approaching to enlhuMiaam in runlied. The sensation peculiar to the therapeutical operation ol opium, haheeh, ether, etc., are not improbably akin to the mental ao tlvitic of tho dying. Ilarnng the hal luciniilion exHTieiired In the stupor as it gained on the u meet, the inori bund ia familiar with naught that bordors on siillerintr. The carbonio aoid hits poinoned or nar- , coti.od the several ganglia, and rollex proauctions are inuTUicteu. a cou- ' mi mm ale aniilt'in'ii prevails. ' In short. tho not on of pain in fori). (Men the in stant that any atimuloug fail to excite a rcionse. The condit on to this Irri tability Is that the nerve center and the truck be sound. If tin vigor vnnitthos. relic; phenomena are at an end, and suflorinfr. tihviolo'ioallv Nnuakintr. is - ImposMlble liecaino of the arrest of the function of the sympathetic. For tunaU'Jy, for a wholesome study of one's domlso, there are nsuranoov abundant from vivisection, the test) mony of thoso who have been restored to coiioloinei and the afllnnation of tho dying that there Is - no phys cal recoil Irom death, liiirney tried bard to resist the eflort made to resuscitate him from drowning, ho bew tchml was be by bis prolonged slumber. Dr. Solander, tho traveler, was so delighted with the sensation of exclusive cold that be waa tho first to lie down in Urn snow to realize tho ' luxury of such a death. William Hunter was sorry bo was not nhlo to "write how eay and duliglitful it I to die, Infants die as scii'iu lr a thfcy. breathe, and not a few among the mlriinoeii in years tnnit death as n. friend to the r intimi ties. Hanging is naturullv rated. next to (irueilixion, a most 'ilist'O-Jsing procedure, ltut it i reported of tlm-e who have been saved from strnugulik tion that the agony promised to he brief, and was rapidly replaced bv hul lucinatloiis of a fa-o nating v.irietv One would fa'n believe that the kind (iod who suffered us to feel no sigh in coming would take no delight in turn Ing our farewell Into writhing nay, Ho does not quit us at the last. He is our greatest benefactor in allowing us to sleep out of weariness. Death is, as suredly, no tax collector; It law are not Ihe clutches of nn assailant; there Is no "victory to the grave: the ghot speeds away from us as it entered with no rullle. I'he sense of death, a Sluiliioaro has It, is most in appro hension. It is the fear of tho lonely night, not the throes of nature, that makes Ihe leaving painful. SUdiatl and Surgum ltc)nirtrr. PHANTOM SHIPS. Hnmx Odd Ntorlfsi Showing the Hold thu Imagination 1 1 ml tin .Indent Mrlnrt. Wo are not surpr sod that the ane'ent mariners peopled the sea. In their on ai nt mythology, with Imaginary crea tures, or iuvoMtnd the most common things and o 'currenoes with prognostic Influences. Following them with their soa-faring delusions, came the monks of the Middle Ages, pretending to chronicle, with scrupulous accuracy, saintly interpositions nt sea, etc., eto. The sailor were excusable, on account of tbeir Ignorance and credulity, but tho same ajxilogy can not be offered in behalf of the monks. It is not our pur pose, in this article, to enumerate the sgporst tlous, and still less to speak of re curious legends, oniv in so lar as they may bo directly connected with the title ot our art do. lu a very rare book entitled (Hit Imporialia," written by (Servase of Til miry, In 1211,1s a very odd story, re lated with all the soberness of fact. Jn suhsbtneo it I as follows: As tho people were coming out of a church in f.ngiand, on a dark, cloud v day, they saw a cable dangling from tho cloud, and, upon examination found it attached to ship's anchor tail, nil loul Aullivl Ih A liA.tn nf . I which bad caught in a heap of stone. Suddenly the cable became taut, a if an unseen crew wore trying to haul it tip, whilo clamorous orders issued from the clouds overhead. Totlioir surprise sailor came sliding down the cablo, and wai suffocated by the thick almos phore in the presence of tlu gapinc crowd. His shipmate cut the cable and railed away. The anchor which they left bch ndthoin was mado into fastening! and ornament for the door of tho nearest church. Whether they Ktill exist, in snmmemoration of the wonderful ovont, wo are not prepared tJ say. The phantom snip was an object ol flrui bcVef to thd Norman fisbornion. and would bo driven Into port when- I ever the prayers tor the soul of the r lo-d kiDHmi-n had fa'lod to Da eilica- o on, in "i roitui i nit J ant and rre - ent." in an account of whn t follow Mich a mysterious visitation. ..The widows and children and friends of the seamen who were supposed to have . been MrriurnAl wmiM rnuh In IhA nuav. c'riei of recognition would arUe. but 1 no returninir cry would be hoard from the crew. The boll would sound the I. - . . , hour Of. midnlfiTllt. and 107 WOllld steal over the rea, am d wh'ch the ves sol would dlsapiicar. ' Amidst the sobs and cr es of the specta or of the phan tom ship the waning fore oi tne priest would be liimrd: "Pay your debts! Pray for the lost souls In Purga tory! There U a legend of a Ilorr ton Kalkenbee who was compelled to beat about the ocean t il the liar oi .iudjr- ment. on board a ship without a helm or steersman, tilitviiijr at dice for his Uoul with the dev. I. It wax common for seamen who traversed the f!erman Ocean to declare that they had met the 1 phantom shin. Some legend of the kind Murzo-ted to Coleridire his "Rime of the Ano'ent Mariner." There la a spectre ship in It. and dice are thrown lor the bouIs of the crew. "Her lip were red, tier look ware free, llr luck were yellow as gold ; Her akin wan wlill as iiroy, The nlKht-mure l.lle In d'-atli w he, Who thicks man' blood with cold." The v nor lmtc hman waa a name given to one of . thee phantom ships. I w - . . . . . . it acudded bolore the wind under a J heavy pre of aail when other ships wore afra id to ahow an nc h of canvas. She waa generally declared to have been seen in the virinifv of thoCaoeof ... . . '. . luood Hope, and was al av roirarded as the worst of all possible omens. Her crew committed some atrocious crime; the plague broke out among them: no harbor would consent to shelter thorn; the apparition ot the ship still haunts tho sea In which thu crime were per petrated, etc. Tho superstition orig inated with the Dutch, though the Mi- glish sailor put tho most faith in the legend. Sir Walter Scott alluded to the ship as a harbingor of wo: "Or. of that phantom shin whoe lorm 8I100U like a meteor through the itono. m m 9 m full spread an1 orowiled every null Thn diMiion IrUatn hmvei tli gulf. -And well thn doomed citors know The harbinger of wreck and wo.'" It was probably no uncommon occur ronco In early tunes for seafarer to fall In with ships abandoned to tho winds and ware, with, corpses on hoard. Such instances niav have sug gested tho legends. On the other hand thoy may have had their origin n tho looming up, or apparent suspen sion in the air, of soma ship out of sight a phenomenon somotimes wit nessed at sea. and causod by uneminl refraction in the lower strata of tho at mosphere We close our article with a Cornish trad tion of a phantom ship as related by Mr. Hunt: One night a gig's crew was called to go to the westward of St, Ive s Head. No sooner was one boat launched, than several othora put off from the shore. and a stiff chase was maintained, each one being eager to get to the ship, as she had tho appearance of a foreign trader. The- hull was -clearly visible: the was a chooiior-r ggod vessel with a I'ght over her bows. Away they pulled, and the boat which had been first launched stilly kept ahead by d!nt of mechanical power and skill. All the men had thrown oil their jackets to row with more freedom. At lenirth tho clmsman cried out, "Siaud ready to board her: Ihe sailor row.ng the bow-oar. slipped t out of tho row lock and stood on thu forethwart. tak ing bi jacket on hi arm, roalv to spring aimar.t. J ho vessel raino so close to the boat that, they could see thu men, and the bow-oar in in made a grasp at the bulwark. Hi hand found nothing solid, and he fell, be ng caught dv one or m mares, uncx into tne uoai, nstead of Into the water. Then ship and lights disappeared. The next morning the Neptune, of London, Cap tain Hichard (trant, was wrecked at (iw tlilan, and all on board perished. tranic 11. blanjler, tn ivrrent. HANDEL. The t'lrrunil"ifi. Which Led lllm In flf ri niv a iMiMlrlHi Handel was bora at Halle, In Sax ony, rchruury .;ui, hk. I niike most of the great musician, he does not seem to have inherited his talent; Irs father was a barber and surgeon, nor can we discover lu the family any special love for mil o. Handel, however, seem to have been "a born musician; ho turned every thing ho touched into sound. I or some time he astonished and amused his parent and all who heard him; but a bis love lor musio seemed ever to grow within lum, his father, who had destined him for tho law, ban ished every musical instrument fiom the house, and declared that the boy should noar no more ot them. Ihe boy, however, managed to smuggle a flavor, or key-board oi a ciavicnoru, organ, or iai.oforte, into tho house, and hid it tho attic; and n ght after n'ght. whon all in tho house wero asleep, ho practiced on the mutlled keys, teach'ng n'msclf until he could play upon it with much skill. About this t me his fathor decided to visit a relative attached to the house hold of the Duk of Saxony at Wesson- fals. Tho Duke was very devoted to mus o, and Handel, who nad probahlv I . J L . 1 1 I If . I icarneu una lacv, iiupioroii ins iamer to tako him, too; but In vain. Noth ing daunted by the denial, (he persist- Cllt jittlo fellow ran after tho carriage ...... .. . r . until his father discovered hi in .aid took him in. Ho becatuo a great favor ite at Wessenfel. and ono Sunday nf- noon, niter the chor had finished sing ng, the organist lifted the child to the stool nnd told n m to play; and play ho did, with so much expression and delicacy, that thu Duke demanded his name, and sent for his father. He begged the latter to g v.! up the project of making a 1 iwwr of his son, pre d oted a brilliant fu'.uro for him if his musical g.mius were cultivated, aud tent the ch I t away w.th bis pockets lillolwith coin, and tho father con- vert d to tho idea of a musical educa tion for his son Agatha Turn, in St. At do' a. FOREIGN GOSSIP. France is the greatest egg-pro- uucing country in mo worm. Berlin has 410 newspapers and maga.mes. Fortv-fivo are olbcial, 77 K)1. tical, 14Sartst c and scientific. fiO commercial, zu rel:giou. and M) liter ai7 hvery day the uunion postmen walk a distance equal to twice the cr oumierence o( the earth. mere are 4.030 ot them, and they average twelve miles a day each. Gorman colonists In West Africa have m nutely examined tho district of Angra requena for minerals, and find that the ground is rich In copper and lead, whilo traces are also visible of silver and gold. Whon you dino with the Viceroy of India you present yourself In the re ception room In your regulation swal low-tail, but before ton go to dinner you change it for a nice, cool, white linen jacket. Tho King of Saxonv Is badly off for money and orlcrs to sell the Madonna san Msto ' of Raphael for v?fAt,in). When tho people of Dresden objected to the sale, ho explained that he shared with them their reluctance to have the picture leave the city, but was obliged to have money to live on. The latest claimant to the French throne, Antoine Dujal, is a timekeeper in a Marseilles factory at a salary oi -'ft per month, lie says he is the last of the Vsloi line, a defendant from Francis. Duke d'Alcneon fourth son of Henry 1. who s popularly supposed to have died without legitimate off spring. In Paris a telephonic ticket at half a franc Is issued at anv of Post-offices. which ent ties the holder to a Ave min utes' conversation with person at any other of tho city Posi-oilices. or of the Telephonic Company's slat on. J ho Jelcphonic I ompany oiler, at the same rate conversations at any of its eleven stat ons w th persons st any other station, or at the residences of any of its members. , No Knglish peer or peeres can be arrested for debt, need servo on jure, or bo called out in the militia, and they do not swear on oath, but on honor, except whon witnesses in any court. They can . sit in any court in F.ngiand with their hats on, ran wear a sort oi uniform as peers, can carry arms, but not in their pocket, and, if they com mit treason or folony, they must be tried by their peer. The cost of the last Iord Mayor s pagent w:i HilX); S,570 on dinners, $.'),lz7on the procession, $2,10 on do- oorations, iftlOO on mus e, 1,825 on printing, and ?l,b75 on general ex penses. n this sum the new ixmi Mayor contributed HLfsKj and eaoh of the Sheriff f.i.OiKl The figures lead London Truth to remark that there may possibly come a time when Lord Mayors and Sheriffs w.ll be elected for some other reason than that they are prepared to spend money on such tom fooleries. The fate of the crowned heads has been minutely studied by a French statistician, who gives a list of the un fortunate rulers of the world. He reckons that, up to tho present t rap 2, MO Kinperors an I K ng have gov erned 64 nations.- Of the soerorlsrnt 800 wero driven from their thrones. 61 abdicated, 24 committed suicide, lz became insane, 1(H) fell dead in buttle, 123 were made prisoner. 2.i died mar tyrs, 151 were assassinated, and 108 legally condemnod to death and exe cuted. THE UPPER ENGADINE. 4 Noted llrallh Itrsnrt In One of the fcwl Valleys. in the cut of Switzerland.' among the Irghland of the Orisons, lies a long, broad valley, which although out of the truck of the majority of tourists. Is visitod in summer by some thousand of Knglish people in search of healtn or pleasure. This upper Valley of tho Inn, or Kngadino, can also boat of a winter season during which St, Morits the homo alike of persons suffering from pulmonary complaints, nervous disea-es, and other disorders, and of those who crme for the skating and tohoqgannine. So long ago as the winter of ISbVGfl nn entry occurs in tho visitor' hook nt the Kulm Hotel, re cording the advantages which the writer, suffering from disease of the lungs, had experienced from a five months' sojouru t'icio. Similar tosti mony was furnished by persons staying itt St. Morits during the rext two sea sons. Alter this, notwiths,andmg such favorable witnos to its curative capa bilities, nnd tho increasing reputation of Davos as a resort for consumptive patients, no ono remained ntSt. Moritz durinethewintermonlhsunt 1 1876. This was owing partly to the want of local cnterpr so in adve. t sing itt as a health icsort, partly to want ol preparation In the ehanoof stoves and double windows, to enable iud.vldnaU to continue thero during the cold season. Since 1876, however, the number of winter gnests has increased. This w.nter upward of 11)0 pooplo are spending several months there, and Davos, whose climate is similar to that of Kngadino, bids fair in a few years to be ovor-erowded. The:- is no need to wa t till tho passes a e coveied with snow ncime nmking the journey to this upland valley. There aro many reasons why travelers should arrive in autumn. The weather is then not so cold, and newcoin s can get accustomed to the air of the fcngndmo betoro tho seveie weather sets in. ihe autumn, too, possesses icoommondations of its own. Septcm lof is usuaNy a glovons month, and toasts a larger n oportion of cloudless or only pa tinny ciouiicd days than any other month in the ea.'. The woods wh ch in r-ummcr n e misses of sombre green, liecome re splendent w th gorgeous tint of cr.iu- son ana goio, remind ng one. in tu.tnv wavs of the beaut m of the Amercii-- Indian Summer." Tho nioii'ilain? aro LI;70 with color, and the eve wan der up titer sides t' re-ton ihei snow-clad sunim ts. which Maud o it t. clear-cut relet against tho do p--1 u sky. All these man, fold beaut e.s mo ron I in the unrul'tel surfae rf ili mountain lake, lorm it rare co-ub n tion of rich and bnrmon on coior i g I'he snow which f ills at this searn u uuul f ran usually rtmans on lb highest parts of the mountains, but does not long continue in tho valley and the sublimity of the view is thus improved by tho dignity which the white mantle lends to the surrounding hills. I'he summer, however, 1 ke the spring, Is, in the hngadine, a transition period oi very Orel duration. roon the snowfall becomes more heavy, and the "snowing-in" begins. In two or three days several feet may fall, and one morning finds the crround thickly covered with a garment which will re main ior about live months. 1 bo time at which this, which marks the begin ning of winter, takes place, varies con siderably in different years, but it is plettysafe to average its duration from iNovemoer I4tb toMay 1st Tho "snowing-in period Is often supposed to be an extremely objection- aoie and almost intolerable time. Like so many other things, it is not so bad an it m painioa. i0 uouin me iunw Ing of fresh-fallen snow is not pleasant. and the large quantity which often fall tend to make ft still more disagree able; but in a high-lying place, like St. Mor.tz, lor instance, the water qu ckly runs off, and owing to t o extreme dry ness of the air larg.n.u mi ' e of mois ture speedily twai. orate. This transi tion period don not last long. A few dnvs of unsettled weather lead, as rule, to the heavy downfall, and then a spelt ot calm, cloudless days will usually follow. Wheel veh'cles are ia placed by sledgi s. snow gaiters are put on, and visitors, as well as natives. give themselves up to tho pleasure ot ... : 'ri. i i.. iUiMainiiuir. l no lUimxKau jn u small sledge, about forty-two inches long, by fourteen Inches wide, on iron runners. The rider drags it to the top of a steep snow slope, on which the snow has been beaten down so as to become bard, sits astride it with feet slightly projecting in front, and allows himself to sl.de. Soon he s rushing through the air at a tre mendous pace; all bis attention is bent on turning the corners neatly and with the least possible inter ference with the motion of the machine. Fastor and faster ho goe down the steep incline, with a cry of ''Afh'nnrr In nam tnv nna nil 1, course, at the same time he keeps a sharp lookout for dunirers ahead, until he reaches the long p ece on the level which ends his journey. Strange to sav, there are very few aoc dents, al though the speed is cous derable. often amounting to more than twenty-live miles an hour. The mode of guiding a tonnggan is either by pressing lightly th the beels on the side toward which one wishes to go, or by using one of two sticks held in the hands. Ivy press ing both leet the brake is nppl ed and tho mnchine road ly stopped, except when tne upper surlaco ol the track is glazed with ice; - in this case a halt is made by running off the course into tbe soft snow on cither band. As a winter amusement skating, of course, hold a high place. At the be ginning of winter the rinks, of which at st Moritz there are three and one ' each at aamaden, I ontre sino and Maloja. are covered with people, old and young, men. women, nnd children, the majority of whom appear never to have been on skates before. The diflloultios of bal- anc ng on two props, which long ex perience has enabled us to manage without even conscious- enort on ord - nary ground, are very much increase 1 when the surraees in contact aro re duced to two narrow edges of steel; and tho beginner on t fese rinks hits the misfortune of hav ng all hi tumbles on t in hard, unyield ng surface of a sol d mass of ice. Hut theso dilllucltie are speedily overcome, nnd much good skat ing can bo seen on tho rinks. So highly its t'le amusement appreciated that many persons come from England for a short hoi dav of a month or six week about Christmas in order to enjoy it. It sometimes happen that no snow fall w hile the live lake in the Knga dino are freezing over, and, in conse quence, skating on them is possible. Such has been tho case for several weeks this year. Many of the winter visitors, hale and invalid alike, spend tho whole day, from sunrise to sunset, on the r nks. and this for the greater part of the four month during which the water continues frozen. Lunch is partaken of on benches on the ice. and although surrounded by snow, people are warmed, and even scorched, by the tierce heat of the sun, which is not only poured down d rectly on them, but also retlectcd from the surface of the snow and Ice around. It is thus that so manv invalid are here enabled to rega n their strength. The power of the sun's action is shown by tho bronzed appear ance of those who leave the Kngadine in the spr.ng, whose countenances ex cite much attention nnd surprise from the pale-faced inhabitants of the plain. Very often persons skating find it nec essary to hold up umbrellas and para sols to shelter them from the beat of the sun a curious and unwonted sight t'ortnightty ficricw At a recent meeting of the Boston Society for Med cal Observation. Dr Fo.som c.td tho vital statistics of Massachusetts for forty years, as show ing a decrease in number of deaths from consumption in that State. Only about one-sixth of the total doath rate is now caused by tho disease. The doc tor thought phys c ans were too much inclined to give unfavorable prog nostics in such cases, and he advised keeping pntients quietly in one place, rather than sti mug them about in search of a more favorable climate. i'.o-iton Journal. Tho Haroncss de Strove, wife of the ltussian Minister, was addressed in French st a recent Whito House recep tion. As she replied in Knglish, the society hollo with whom she, had been conversing asked: "Whvdoyou not speak French. Madam? I am sure you can. the reply ol the uarouess was a courteous rebuke to the retlection on her Knglish: Ycs. 1 speuk French, but not in the house of tho American l'res'dent Though I speak F'nglish poorly, I speak it here, of course, as well its I can." U'whinptcn Post. A champion ea'.cr s:gnal!zcd his arrival at iioii stcr. i ai., ny eating twentv-seven raw cgjs nt om sitting. Afier his repast ho o.lcrcd to wager that he could cat tm-eo of tho largest cans of oysters in town and seven dozen eggs. Tliose who were present thought ho could, and his oP'er waj refused. 8. m francisco lTir?xkle. RUSSIAN PRISONS. The Horror of the rata BetnfM Political Prisoner. When an accused Nihilist Is sentenced to Siberia, his friends ' congratulate each other and say that their beloved prisoner was born nnder a lucky star.1 And well they may, hard as is tbe fate of exiles to "the land of cold and mis ery, of brutal task-masters, and cruel punishment," when they think of the Central Prison where In 1878 the po litical prisoners enforced a demand to be treated as well as murderers by re fusing to eat anything whatever until their claim was given attention, a reso lution they maintained lor eight nay and nlnhts or. worse still, of the famous fortress of Peter and Paul From "Peter and Paul" three letter written in the prisoners' blood have reached the outside world, and Stepniak has held them in his band. After read ing, one does not wonder that exile and death are eagerly sought in preference to this imprisonment The extracts we make tell but little of the story. There are details of outrage, and of enforced lile in cells reeking with corruption, ai most too horrible to repeat Here is picture of the condemned cells, !'real underground vaults, dark at noonday, and infested with loathsome vermin." "The small windows are on a level with the river, which overflows thorn when the Neva rises. . The thick iron linrta nf tliA frr.Hnor nrwnraA wlt.h llirV shut out most ot tho little light that else might filter through these holes. If the rays of the sun never enter the cells of tbe upper floor, it may easily be imag ined what darkness reigns below. ' Tho walls are moldering, and dirty water continually drops from them. But most terrible are the rats. In the brick floor large holes have been left open for the rats to pass through. I express myself thus intentionally. Nothing would be easier than to block up these holes, and yet the reiterated demands of the prisoners have always been passed by unnoticed, so that the rats enter by scores, try to climb upon the beds and to bite the prisoners, it is in these hideous dungeons that the con demned to death spond their last hours. AVHtkovsky. 1'resniakoQ and Soukanott pusMju vuuir last muia ueio. At me present moment, among others, there is a woman with a little child at her breast This is Jakimova. Night and day she watches over her babe lest he should be devoured by the rats. And here, nnaliy, is a glimpse oi tbe treatment ol the sick, among whom "are horrors that defy description, that only the pen of a Dante could adequate ly portray. 'Oh, if you could see our sick: exclaims tho writer of tbe blood- written letter. 'A year ago they wero young, healthy and robust Wow thev are bowed and decrepit old men, hard ly able to walk, several ot tbem can not rise from their beds. Covered with vermin and eaten up with scurvy, they emit an odor I ke that ol a corpse. 'But is there no doctor?' it may be asked; and 'What is be doing all this time?' Yes, there is a doctor; there are even two doctors. One, however, is past fourscore, and past work. He come to the fortress only occasionally The other is young, and probably kind enough ia intention, but not very reso lute in character, and standing in grout awe of the officers of the iaiL When he visit h:s patients he is invariably ac companied by a bntoo of gensdurmes, lest he' should surreptitiously convey letters to prisoner. Ho enters a celt with a troubled countenance, as if he wero afraid of something; never goes further than tho threshold, much less approaches the sick man s bed, or make any examination of him, feels hi pulso, or looks at his tongue. After asking a few questions he delivers his verdict which is almost always couched in the same words: 'For your illness thero is no cure.' 'No mercy is shown even to the mad,' says another of the letter, 'and you may imagine how many such there are in our Golgotha. They are not sent to any asylum, but shut up in their cells and kept in order with whip and scourge. Often you hear down below you or at some little distance the sound of heartrending shrieks, cries and groans. It is some a retched lunatic who is being flogged Into obedienoo.' " Stepniak. THE WORM WILL TURN. A Granger Who Didn't Care to Act At If 1U Ownrd tba Earth. The other day five or six young men, who couldn't be hired for money to saw a stick of wood in two, were putting in the hardest kind of work on Washing ton avenue with a bat and bnlL While they were at it a farmer drove up with his 'wife nnd looked for a safe place to hitch while doing some trading. The wagon had scarcoly come to a stand still when the flying ball hit one of the horses, and something very near a run away was the result As the animals were being calmed down the ball oame again and hit the wife on the head, knocking her backwards on the straw and renewing the excitement A pe destrian held the horses while the farm er tried to soothe his wife, but before she could bo helped out the whole gang of boys came rushing after the flying ball, and tbe team ran into a ruble and wrecked the wagon twenty dollars worth. I'll tell you what, old man!" ex claimed one of the crowd which quickly assembled, "I d make somebody pay for this!" "Shoo! now, but would youP" "And I'd lick those boys 'if it cost me my farm!" put in a seoond. ""What! Three thousand dollars' wuth o' farm fur licking four or live boys!" said the old man in astonish ment "But aren't you going to do any thing?" "Why, yes. I'll take Sally over to the drug store and rub some specrits o' camphor on her head, and then I'll come back and tell those boys that if they don't bo more kecrful they'll git themselves into trouble. I don't want to bo puttin' on airs and bossin' folks around as if I owned the hull earth, but they must be more kecrful really they must" Detroit Free I'rtss. A town in Buffalo County, D. T., has been named in honor of the first lady resident Slads. Mrs. Slade waa nearly killed in a oveloce there In 1833. Oil. A. SL WIHT. Gen. West bat long been a prominent ctu. ctn of Missiioippl. He wai a brigadier grm. eral in the Confuderat army ; is at pruwata planter at Holly Springs, Ml fa., and fiuajj. dally interested in some large enterprise of that etate. Tbe Political Writer. Boston Transcript '"Yes," said the editor to the new pollUaaj writer, "your article in some regards 1 rrr well written, but there are fatal obJctt to printing; it ai it stands. - Unless yon oa fix it over a little we shall be obliged t re ject it Yes, the premise are all oorrrc and your argument is perfect but then yoei have neglected to say anything about ta .. political cauldron beginning to boll, or ta marshalling of the clans, or the tram; tt the cohorts, or the grand uprising ol tit people in support of our man, or the toUM. cal death of the other fellow. These like matters seem to you, perhaps, of no conse quence, but they are essential, sir, lndtipaa sibly essential to a political article, tar, and without them a political article isn't werta the paper it is written upon,? j 1 From One Point of View. New London Telegram. On the train the other day was a aegro singing troupe, and the prominent "colored gemman" oi the band seated himself in the smoking car. When tbe conductor oaame along he handed him some ticket; sayings "Deee tickets are for the three ladles ia da odder car two colored ladies and one tta- 00101' Ilena that are Getting too tUgta.' Toned. Darlington Hawkey e. An exchange says that a Colorado hen re cently laid an egg surrounded by a band. Things have come to a pretty para If tbe hens aren't going to lay any more eggs an iens music a turalshed lor the oceauaa. a. KUS8KLL A. ALOKH. Gen.' AlaWs record is that of a ucotssflil self -made man left an orphan at the age of eleven. Be worked and etudrd until be waa admitted to the bar at the age ot 23. till health gave way from excessive work and itudy so tbat he was compelled to abandon law and engage in the lumber basinets. He entered the army and rose to tbe rank of major-general Since 1805 he hu become a giant among the lumber dealers of tkls country. How the Fire wu Prevented . Texas Sifting. Little Ike Schanmburg prevented hh father's store from being burned down the other day. Be said to the school teacher "I am not coming to school to-morrow. "Why not Isaac!" "Because we are going to have a fire In our house to-morrow. I beard pa tell ma as last night" W hen Ike went home he told bis father about the conversation with th teacher, and although most of the goods had been moved out of tbe store and the stock was injured fur twice its value, the conflagration has not yet taken place. Little Ike, -however, has not found It anjs too cold. Taking- Care of the Sick. - New York Sua. "Ob, dear," sighed a farmer's wife, - ily, ai she droppod into a chair after a hard day's work, 'If eel just as if I were going to be sick. My head throbs, my back aohas dreadfully, and-" , "By goon," interrupted tbe fanner, Start ing up and seising bis bat "that reminds me. x iorgoc to give la two-year-Ola coit his condition powders to-night an' he's been a wheesin' all day," and he hurried ta his barn. se.i J. h. BFurwsrxa. The father of Mr. Erewv ter ranked high at tbe Philadelphia bar. Young BrowsW graduated at l'rinoeton when 13, was ad mitted to the bar when 23, and bat won for himself en vial le distinction at tbe head of the letral orofession. A sad accident bas marred bis personal apptarance, but at the age of CS years be still retiins th gallantry ani prcii-ne of dreW which has been marked characreriatto of him. " ilia wife is beautiful and high'y ccmp is'iei lady.