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About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (May 24, 1890)
THE SINGER'S ALMS. f In the mart of that French town, f LTr ,,, i woman leading a (air ehlM ,nia'n lu of one who, aiklng down ivli'f "I""" ,h? thorou,Ufure, cut;ut the rUll3 " nd mll,', To ire b-lilnd lt e noble soul, jje pan'' hut found bo bad no coin to dol. -wmantlsn oin'ol warned him not to loss nm chn of pearl tp do another good; 1 L ha walled, wrry to refuse -h, ..iced-fur penny, there ml.lo he stood. . j w(tb his hat held a the limb the di De-it, 5 covered M. kind fuce and sang hi. best as hluc above, and all the lane 01 (.awm, ' VM toe stood, in Mll.il Mil, il . .;,. paucd, and listening, paused -uln V0 bear the voice Ifcut thro' and thro' theu thrilled: I think the jruardlan angul helped along That cj for pity woven In a aong. ulnffi-r itood between the bcgirure thore, Before church, and overhead the spire . ihm, penwtnal lunar In the air BJ toward Ueui eu, land of the heart's de- Aslfari an?"!. pol"tln8'uP. had laid: -yonder a crown awalu this alngur'shead." The hat of H stamped brood wan emptied anon into the woman's lap, who drenched with tunm H,r aim upon the hand of help; 'twasnoon, And noon In bcrglad heart drove forth her TSer,pleas,d, passed on and softly . ttm, f " "other replied, bought: W w,n Mo'. John. He shall have Men will not know by whom this deed was ; grandma lo love, not one to fear." wrought." So tho summerond early autumn wore Bat when at nl;:ht he came upon the stase way. d Freddlo was doir to us as If Cheer slter cheer wem up from that wide no had claim of kinship. His rare throne beauty, his precocious intellect and bis 4Bdflowrrj rained on him! nought could as- lovin2 hl,art bud corupIcl(.d the (age,na. The'tlimult of the wcleorae save the wng I 'lof commenced by our pity for bis suf- That Le had sweetly sung, with covered ( fering, weakness and loneliness. Ho face. j called us "lirandma" and "Undo John," Fur the two uw t te and clung to us wlib tho most affection--Henry Abbey, in Jury. aU) caressos FREDDIE'S FORTUNE. The Romance That Grew Out of a Nearly Fatal Accident I was a young doctor, not overbur dened with practice, when I Bat half doiimrln my surgery one stifling August t nnM nil ti'nii pmj and t a hnufrla In UV O"1 " J Bi"? ',''! I?":'.,.. .... ...., , '". was wido awake and find my "profes sional expression" on. Two men came in and ono held In his arms a limp, sonsoless M -ur-. n boy, about throo years old, covered with liiu blood flowing from a gash in his head. I took tho little fellow In my own arms and carried him to tho sofa, whilo tho men brought mo water and Boomed deeply Interested in ill my movements. A broken arm and the deep cut on the head kept mo busy some, time, but at 1. ... lillt.i rcittitif tt'nd mndn tt w-itn. ortablo as possible and was moaning Lith recovering consciousness. witn recovering consciousness. "Have you far to carry him?'' I asked ono of tho men. "We don't own him," was the answer. "Ho was a-runniug across the street and ahorso kicked him over. Jim, hero," indicating his companion, "he picked bim up and I como along to holp find a doctor, 'cause Jim can't read." "Needn't a-shoved that In!" growled Jim, turning red. "Poor littlo chap, bow he grounsr "I will givo him something to quiet him presently," I said, "and will send word to the station house, if bis namo Is not on his clothos." Tho men departed and I lifted my n.npu.n.n...a . my mothers room over tho surgery. my mot nor s room over m surgery. It did not take many minutes to en-, 1st hor sympathies and we undressed the child and put him in her wido bed, . hAn nr. f fl n il omi, a mni-V nivin h la , T K .. . T r ! ciuiuing. xueru was none, aim nuou i saw this I Bpoko frankly: "Mother, there Is just one chanco for the little fellow's life, and that Is perfect quiet Ho will have fever, probably be delirl' ous, and to carry him to a hospital, or even to his own homo, may bo fatal. I will send to tho station house and then-" "You know I will nurse him, John," ruy mother said. "If his mother comes, she must do as sbo Uiinks best, but un til she does como leave hint to me." I wroto a description of the child's long brown curls and brown eyes, of the delicate suit of clothos in which ho was dressed, and sent it to the station house. No call being tnado in three days, I ad vertised him for a week, and still bt was not claimed. It was very strange, for the child's pure, dellcato skin and dainty clothing seemed to mark him as the child of wealth. But whilo he lay unknown, my little patient was struggling bard for life against fever and injuries. lie was de lirious for many days, calling pitifully for "Mamma pretty mammal" begging ber not to go away, and making our hearts ache by often crying: "Oh, Aunt Lucy, don t beat Freddiel Freddie will 1 will bo good!" or, "Urandma, grandma, don't! don't!" In crios of extronie terror. Mother would get so excited with in-1 dignatlon over those cries that I saw . the child bad won a fond place in her warm heart "He has been ill-treated, John, the ; Prettv darlinirl" would sav. "I hoDe v. t . rvuiu nuo nuuiu uu. buvu , h.lW O-l 11 n. A kin. .iriln " ' "J ..... Ill I 1. UI1U UlljJ .!, The second week of hie stay with us wasclosimrand Freddie had retrained ! his reason and was on the road to recov ery, wnen one morning a carriage.", ,v,. a iutr t know dashed up to my door and two ludire i busLand mo h" ''y'-,,,,1 JU ,iii,ij ' thev were not very fond 01 mm, dui 1 ... .... ! Ing silks of the latest evidently mother and K! ATJS ur noro rusuinif SUKS Ol 1110 lasnion and were e daughter. The vo . turul a perfect blondo ana aressea "Dr. Morrill?" inquired tho elder lady. 1 bowed. "We called in answer to an advertise' tnent regarding a child, my grandson Vou will orobablv think it strange wo . " c uoi wen nere oeiore, out o obliged to leave town the day beforo he was lost and l,.ve just returned. Tho nurso who had bim in charge ran away. nd while we supposed him safe at homfc M ha, been lying in a hospital, perhaps. ..11 .... . , e were nearly distracted on our re turn," said the vounsr lady, "when we missed our darling; but an inquiry at i . ,.lhat the wests are the proudest the station house sent us here. The ' j, j eTt.r knew proud of their fam officer also Bhowcd us your advertise- 1 P . mon(.y inij tUeir beauty. Car nent Where is our dear child?" 1 We lt,e only son, Lucy the "Ho h here.". I answered, "under my , only darter XrZXniS. fcother'.care, and, 1 am happy to say. Ho left a it to Tm- doing well.- roll has increased his share of it UMm Aa unmistakable look of disappoint- ' mense wealth. IL j other w 7 "lent crossed the faces of my visitors, 1 desirous of having him mk a rre M the elder one said: "Can we see ; roatrb. and P1' '"Tres. Mm, doctor- be married a little d?k.J IJ' I asked permission to announce their 0f no family In particular, and working wmmg to my mother, and left the for a living. -had ie, .lone, Vben I returned, after 'Orroll." cont.nued tbe l.wyer had me Bt, minutes' absence, I was struck : .ufflelent gol sen U eep up bU 9 bT tbe cbanire in their faces. The j stablishment until b wen 1 inw , younger one was pale as ashes, and tie der one had a set, bard look of de- "rmination, as if nerved by some sua den resolution. I led the wy to mothcrt w. room where Freddie was In .profound lunibcr. Hie younger lady shrank back n the shadow of the bed curtain, but the mother advanced and bent oyer the f Ullll. There was moment of profound si lence; then. In a bard voice, theold lady Buld: "I am sorry to put you to so much trouble. )r. Morrill. This U not the A boav, fall startled us, and I turned vuim no lost ' j to sco tho young stranger senile , thn floor, Her mother spoke qulcklv i 'TllO tlA . , ' - ss on I lue aisanmilntnient Is too much for ; her. We ha. 10 hoped" to flnr my grand ; son." " ! 1 did not reply. Tho delirious rav , Ings of tho child were still ringing in ; my ears as ho pleaded wl.h tho harsh grandmother and aunt. I did not be i Hove the old lady's statement, but, bav- ing no proof to tho contrary, was forced to accept it. Long after my visitors had departed, tho beautiful blondo still trembling and white, mother and I talked of their strange conduct. , "It is evident they want to donv the , child," 1 s;iid. I l'ing blessed with amplo moans, mother and I had quite decided to form I ally adopt pretty Kreddle when be had been a little longer unclaimed in our house. ' Donnis, my coachman, was very fond of Freddie, and careful; so I was not afraid to leavo my little chargo with hiin whtlo I was indoors, and ho was very happy chatting with tho good- ' ' M . JJ L 11 " '') in November, and mother I bad dressed Freddie for the first time in j a jaunty suit of velvet, with a dainty velvet cup over his brown curls, when I ono morning I sent him out with Donnis j until I was ready to start I 1 was making my final preparations for departure when I board a piercing scream under my window and Dennis saying: "l'.y jabers, she's fainted, the crather!" While Freddie cried: "Mamma pretty mamma!" I ran out hastily to see an odd tableau, I Dpnnl" ,was, PP'tlng la bis strong ! ?rm.8.a sk'ml, r "?ure in deep mourning, half lending on the shafts, while Fred' dio clung to her skirts, sobbing: "Mamma mamma." "ltring her in, Dennis," I said. "I'll do that same, sur," was the re ply, as Dennis lifted the little figure like a feather weight, and crossing the pavement came into tho surgery. I shut out tho curioas peoplo who fol lowed, and Freddie clung fast to the black dress, never ceasing his loud cries of: "Oh, mammal It is my mamma; como home to Freddie! Mamma -pretty mamma!" The sound rang through the house, reaching my mother's ears as she sat In her room. Sho camo hurrying down the ,tai and entered the surgtfry just as nnnnUrt,.,site,l hu hrnVn In in rm d 1(cd hia burden u comprehending tho sit tQn s and J . J I 1 situation at removed the inf livsanlni a shower of brown curls round a marblo- white face, still insensible. At that moment tho strangor opened a pair of largo brown eyes, as brown and soft as Freddio's own, and murmured, in a faint voice: "Freddio! Did I Boe my boy?" Thon her eyes foil upon the child and In a moment she was on her knees be fore him, clasping him to he heart, kissing him, sobbing over him till moth er broko out crying, too, and I was obliged to assumo my "professional ex pression" by sheer force of wllL "Como, come," I said, gently. "Fred die has been very ill, andean not bear so much excitement" This quieted the motberln an Instant, and she rose, still holding the child's bind In her own. "It is my boy," she said, looking into my face. "Freddie," I askod, "is this mamma?" "Yes," said tho littlo fellow, decided ly; "of course it is. My own pretty mamma, como from Heavon!" "Como from Jleavcn!" she repeated with i.shy lips and gasping breath. "They told me ho was dead, my boy, my Freddie that be was run over and killed! Tho nurso saw him fall under the horso's feet" "Hut you see he was not killed," mother said, in a gentle tone, "but Is well and strong again." And then, motioning me to keep silent mother told the widow or tne child s injuries anu - 1 t Wl- Winning ways, aim o..r u.-.. "I must tell you first who I am," our litnr said. "I am tho widow 01 ! Carroll West who died of cholera in I . 1 1 4.. .a a.nlri niril Mverpooi o j "When I heard ho was ill I went to him at once, leaving my boy with my had no choice. I found my husband o - wpn ' J h n-t h'eard 'only twice of Freddie- - - onco that he had once that ho been killed in the street I came home only two days ago, and they would tell me nothing of where t.. i.,,rlefl nothlnir but the . ... ' , ,ia,h. 1-1-oh. do not blame me!-l was on u.j the river to end it all, when I met Freddie." ... . .,.,.... . r t, It would bo tedious to ten " , . conVersation that followed autUorizcd ' bv Mrs. West 1 called . ...1. Ir. and there -.iUpon Der uu j--- - 1 . . nt.., ... . ., ,h lawyer, conflden- : . ..ulatloa that uTerol Th.a b. left hi. t, aid child under IU motber-f care, snl before be went made bis will. Xow. aoctor." said the lawyer, speaking very lwly, and with marked emphasis, "tbat will leaves half hH fortune to bia wife, half to bis ofcl'.J, but In case of tho death of the child the half that is liia goes to Mrs. Wrt and ber daughter I'Ucy. If the mother dies all goes to the child, to revert again to the Wou If he dies without direct heirs. We could new.r tell whether the unnatural grandmother and sunt would have risked a legal Investiga tion. Tho recognition between mother nd child was complete, and the cloth ing we had carefully preserved was fully identified Mrs. West did not re turn to her mother-in-law. For some weeks ahe was my mother's guest and my patient, being prostrated with low nervous fever, and then she took the house next to our own. her own claim and Freddie's to Carroll West's proper ty being undisputed. We were warm friends for two years, and Mrs. West, senior, with the beautiful blonde, were occasional visitors at the widow's house; but when tho violot and wbito took tho place of crapo and bombazino, I vonturcd to ask Adelaide 'Vest if a second lover could comfort her for the ono she had lost and mv mother became Freddie's graudtnotherln truth, wbon his "pretty mamma became my wife." Mrs. West Is dead, and Lucy married to a titled Italian, who admired her blonde beauty, but unlike many of bis core: patriots, fin is tho lovely lady fully able to take care of her own interests and guard ber money against too profuse cxendituro. Kvenlng World. HINTS TO HOUSEKEEPERS. How to Keep a rXimlly oa 'Stern Dollar a Month. He was a thin man, so thin that tils clothes did not touch him. particularly around the waist He shuffled into the World office, took a seat and said: "I see tho newspapers are taking con siderable Interest In kitchen economy, and the many letters from housewives describing how they furnish their tables and the cost thereof are read by me with much interest My wife asked mo if I wouldn't call and tell you bow she man ages to supply our table on 'steon dol lars a month." "How many dollars?" asked the re porter. "'Steen dollars," said the man and then proceeded: "In tho first place my wife doesn't keep a girl. She is not strong enough to do (lie additional work that would bo required, and so she gets along without one. We live in tho top flat, and by means of an Improvised apple-picker wo gather a great many Icicles from tho roof for household purposes. Tho chil dren aro quite fond of thorn. We find also that snow pudding makes a vory nice and economical dessert, but we have not had much pudding this winter on ao count of the mild weather." The reporter mado a noto of It "If you uso discretion, and buy when the meat inspector Is not around yoc can get a piece of meat at tho butcher's for five cms that will last for a month. This can be prepared in many ways, and though you keep a dog ho w ill not touch It, therefore all the nutriment contain ed in it goes to the family." The reporter lost nono of theso point "It is a mistaken notion thet only the rich and proud can have fruit and nuts for dessert For tho sake of varlcty.gct an apple with .a green and red side. Look at tho green sldo one day, and for tho next day turn tho other side. When you got tired of fruit and want nuts you will find that a double-jolntrd North Carolina peanut will do very woll for two porsons, to bo eaten, of course, without attracting tlie attoation of the children, as nuts aro' too rich for their blood." Tho reporter was matrimonially in clined himself and was all attention. "Ono day in tho week we have salt mackerel, and if salt mackerel Is solcn tlllcally and economically prepared you will not want any tiling elso for several days but water. When the landlord pays tho water rent this is a point worth knowing." "And these are all facts tbat will in terest house-keepers?" asked the re porter, who didn't know whether there was any thing now In them or not "Oh, decidedly." "And this costs you" "To bo exact," said tho thin man, "It costs mo just 'steen dollars and sloben cents per month," and taking a section of dried apple from bis pocket he looked at It awhile, carefully replaced it an J then withdrew, picking his teeth with a pine sliver. N. Y. World. A Woman Held In tlia Air. When the high wind struck the city It raised the snow about the cupitol to such an extent as to completely hide the big edifice from people puBsino; on the oppo site side of the street. Street car horses were unable to pull the cars nlong for a time, and Hie scene was indeed a wild one. Several people were blown off their feet One woman attempted to cross at Uawk street on Washington avenue. The wind lifted her off her feet, held her In the air an instant, then curried her feet upward, and let her drop on the pavement. There was a curious ex pression alxiut the mouth as she touched tbe ice covered pavement, and It took half a minute for her to realize that the rn ill die of the street was no place for her. Albany Journal. 111 tl llrwled Congrcaamca. There are a great many more men in tbe house with smooth heads than smooth faces. Their hair seems naturally to train down. Home of the baldest heads have the shaggiest faces. More men have loii', flowing beards than usual. Some members, like Hoi man, who retain the old time prejudice agaiiihl a hairy uppvr lip. havetheir faces ahaved clean, except the chin, and there have a reetiectable beard. llolman ha his beard cut to a point after the French style, but without the mustache the effect is lost. Washington Letter. A Parisian lately made n F.asU-r ppg, intended for a wealthy Spanish lady at a cost of $4,000. It Is a most in genius piece of mechanism and is made entirely of pure white enamel. It U provided with doors and elides, the in side being engraved with Eastet gospels. Tbe opening of a door kU a tiny bird singing and a musical apparatus folng. which is capable of playing twelve airs. A recent railway accident in On tario, in which a train rolled down a font embankment, was marked by thla incident: Among the passengers on the train was a convict, la charge of a bailiff. De was chained tho car turned over be hung in mid-air. He managed, after j considerable effort, to free himself, and then went to tbe assistance of bU keep er and helped Via from tbe wreck. SACRIFICE IN UNIFORM. rh Kind at I vol Ion That la Alwara Itra.lr Kir lrM faraile. There Is a k ml of sacrifice that la al ways ready for dress parade; that even amid the rush of the crowd counts its , bead and crosses Itself, alwaysconselou of the contrast between Its ad -d the 1 pursuits of the majority, (if all places 1 where this sacrifice In uniform Is found, ' It Is most unpleasant perhaps, In the ' homo, for there It takes the liberty to j try experiments and to pose, and even . to use tyraany In carrying out its pur j pose. It always works sv-ttetnatlcally, I and has its hoard of maxims that aro ready to be fired Into tho camp of cuo 'at any minute. Hut tho sentence I that il uses oftcnest and mot elT.-ct vo ' ly Is: "I feel It to bo my duty." Tho j do-as-yoii-pleaso brother is always al lenced by this. He may whisjier under his brt ath something that he has not ! tho courage to offer to tho hearing of I any woman, but ho only w histles to con ' eeal his annoyance, while he devoutly : w sties that tho sclf-apHinted ninit.T would take a vacation from her sa'ntll- Iichs. and stop down to the level where humanity appears in citizens' dross, lie encounters aomo pretty worldling, whoso frivolity bas many times brought forth ono of the homo criticisms, and the butterfly, with possibly an Ignoble purpose lurking behind the sweet speech, is so patient with his foibles, and so ready to be helpful without the least fuss, and with nothing of the mar tyr air of sacrifice, that It is quite nat ural for him to regard her through simple contrast as something neces sary to his happiness. Sometimes ho wishes sho were his sister, and it docs really seem a pity that young men In his case, with one por tentous sister, have not another of the opposite kind Just to balance values, and to save them from the m stake of marrying a shallow woman In order to get an agreeable wife. However, sho Is not his sister and hor sweet ways are bis refuge from the injured looks and sharp reproofs of his home, and ho mar ries her, and perhaps finds that tho soft attractLvo maimer that won bim Is not all that ho needs for life's exigences; and then he finds himself creating an ideal a woman who bas the strength of tho ono and tho sweetness of tho other; one who can offer womanly help without imposing a burdensome sense of obligation upon tho receiver. He will probably never have tho opportuni ty toprovo to himself that his ideal may bo realised, bis loyalty to his marriage vows w.ll preclude that, and so ho will join that vast company who aro bearing the burden of a secret disappoint ment Tho true relation between lovo and sacrifice is understood, Victor Hugo of fers his picture of sacrificial woman hood when ho makes ono of his charac ters say, "Sho loved much and suffered much." Wo know that tbo highest and deepest lovo can not bo separated from suffering; wo feel also that thero is no suffering for others that can work noble ends that bas not Its root in lovo, and tho sacrifice that springs from this root exhales the perfume of its purpose, as does the flower, without seeming self consciousness. Harper's Hazar. TURNING NEW LEAVES. When IIoIok It lis Sure to Look Out fur NnakpN. Turning now lea ws la not always at tended with tho happy results wo so often read of. Tho boy who was poking around aftor hickory nuts, unmindful of the sign lieWultu Of The bul i would have been a largo man to-day, with whiskers, hud ho not been am bitious to turn ovex new leaves. Ho turned leaf after leaf, each revealing such hidden treasure that he got excited and let his thoughts wander. lie didn't know for many days what planted him over In the mlddloof the adjoining co n Held. His friends knew it was the "bul." Thero are other Instances. A man traveling in a far country received an important letter from homo. He read two pages and chuckled with un oontrolablo merriment the happiest man on earth. "I'm a father, a proud, happy father. Hooray!" ho shouted Imc fore ho could go on. Hut his chin sank clean Into his neck when he turned over a new leaf and read: "Thero are three of thorn; three bouncing girls, all rosy and doing splendidly." A small boy listened so attentively to bis teacher's remarks on the subiect of turning new leaves that sho compli mented hlra and said "ho hoped he would profit by her suggestions. He went to his Boat and turned .over four new leaves of vulgar fractions, and said to himself: "I'll tako It easy now till the class catch up," but when he under took to explain his rase at class tlmo, It didn't work. The rest of the fellows played shinny that night after school, on the Ice. He didn't Another boy was In the Up-top of a cherry troo, well out toward tho end of a slender limb. Ho was turning leaf aftor leaf In search if fruit pretty well picked before hand. u was about to oomo down, "but first," aid he, "I'll turn over ono more new Ivaf." He reached away out beyond iny former attempt, and with the tip end of bis finger nail managed to turn one more leaf. Nothing but bis grand father's grind-stone prevented bis fall ing to tbo ground. Ho struck that, and felt tbe shock for many a day. These are but a few of the many In stances tbat go.to prove, what bas been often asserted, that tbw best of rules have their exceptions. In turning over new leaves look out for snakes. Detroit Free I'resa. OF GENERAL INTEREST. A citizen of Portland, Mo., Is worth 11,000,000 tbat he bas made In the man-ufactu-e of chewing gum. Tbe highest raliroad bridge In the United States is the Klnsua viaduct on tbe Erie road 335 feet high. An English railway company has set apart a special fund from which to ro ward acta of bravery on tbe part of its employes. Silence for ten days, speaking only in whisper for ten dsys more, then gradual return to tbe ordinary voice, is a recommendation for stammerers. A very ingenious electrical device bas lately been patented by which tho bands of a clock set to a certain hour are made to complete an electric current connected with the kitchen stove so tbat tbe flie is started when the given hour arrives. An Irish land bailiff, wbo bad been boycotted for tea years, and was con stantly guarded by the police while he lived, died a few days ago, and the gsard te.r.g re!ai4 a littlo, aome per sons unknown stole his body and made away with it so effectually tbat it bas not since been found. DISTANCES OF STARS. The llrlflite.t II.Ih Ar Not Alwajra th rrrt lo lh Krlli, As tho observer on a brilliant star-lit night looks upward to the grand con- 1 cave bIkivo him, studded with shining ' orlis, various question ari.i In bis I in I ml, lie wonders if tho brightest I stars are nearer to us than those that I fire lots light and Ksolenco shows any 1 way for finding tho distances of tho stars. 1 Tbe samn questions pur.iled astrono j mors for centuries lu the early history j of tho science. Happily, theso ques I lions aro now solved. The brightest I atars aro not always tho nearest and the ; distance of a small number of stars has ! been approximately measured. This moans that alxnit twenty i'rw aro ' found to have a nieasureable parallax, or to show a displacement when tho ; earth Is In opposite points of ber orbit j Tbe work of measuring stellar paral lax Is tho most dellcato iu the whole range of pi a' .cal astronomy. It was j tried repeatedly from tho day of Tycbo ! Ilrahe down. Even the great Ilerschel : failed to detect the least displacement ' for tho telescopes of the tlmo were not I delicate enough to measure the paral j lax of a (tar. I llessel, however, lo tbe year 1S39, suc ceeded In measuring tho parallax of 01 Cygnl, a double star of tho fifth mag- ' nltudo In the constellation of the Swan. This littlo star, barely vlsiblo to the ! naked eye, Is the earth's nearest neigh 1 bor In tho Northern Hemisphere; but, ' uear as It is, it takes light more than 1 soven years to span the Intervening dls ! lance. If the tiny star were blotted from tbo sky to-day, Its light would oon tinuo to como to us for uioro than seven j years. I Henderson, In 1 :'.'., at the Cape of Hood Hope, determined tho distance of I Alpha Centaur), a double star of the 1 first magnitude in the Southern llomls- phore, ranking next to Sirius and Can opus In brilliancy. This radiant star Is about half tho distanco of 01 Cygnl, and Its light reaches tho earth In about four years. It Is, therefore, as far as Is known, tho nearest star to tho earth. The work of measuring tho distances of tho stars went steadily on, aftor this brilliant commencement and thore aro now about twenty stars whoso distances aro approximately known. Among them are Sirius, tho fourth In tho ordor of nearness, requiring a light-journey of ten years; Aldebaran, requiring four Wen years, and Arcturus, tlilrty-ilvo years. There are perhaps twenty others whoso measured distances aro not considered trustworthy, making forty stars, of which tho parallax bus been detected forty among forty millions! Tho over whelming majority are so remote as not to show tho slightest truco of optical shifting under the scrutiny of the most powerful luslruiiieuts, Youth's Com panion. THE SALEM WITCHCRAFT. A Correction of Common Krrora Concerning- Tills .Matter. In a review of i'rof. Arthur Oilman's "Tho Story of lloston," In tho Now York Tribune, tho following, relating to tho Salem episode, should bo read so widely that tho common errors and stupidities concerning this matter may becomo obsolete: "Execution of heretics by hnnglng was certainly more morclful than burn ing them a'lvo, and tbat was dono all ovor Europo at tho time when the Quakers and tho Sulom witches were being led to tho gallows. "As to tho Salem witchcraft oplsodo, wo may concludo that from some points of view It Is rather creditable than otherwlso to the New England people. Tbo superstition and credulity which produced It can not be laid to tholr charge, Inasmuch as all the world hold the same beliefs about tho supernatural. All tho world, moreover, then held that roasting alivo was tho proper modo of 'eallng with witches, and that tbo judloial methods to bo em ployed In secur ing tholr conviction woro thoso so skill fully systematized by tho Inquisition methods tinder which escape for tho ac cused was Impossible, slncoevory avenuo y which bis or hor lnnocenco might bo demonstrated was cnrefully closed with an Infernal ingenuity. Tho whole pro cedure In Salem was mild by contrast with tho prevailing European practice Tbe exam nations were so conducted as to leavo loopholes of CBCapo to the ac cused; thcepidcmloot fear and suspicion and credulity was very soon over; the peoplo who had boon deluded quickly regained tholr senses; and tho whole number of victims was but nineteen. When wo reflect that In Europe scores of thousands went to tho slnko under tho same accusations, and that tho mad ness endured for centuries thore, wo must consider tbe Salem affair as rather a striking proof of the progress which tbo New World had mado In enlighten ment Tho lloston theocracy was light ly touched by tho witch mania, and quickly and fully recovered. Tbo con ditions amid which thoso mnn lived were not favorablo to tho growth of illu sions. Tho Now England mind was practical, If thoNow England consalonco was uneasy." . MATRIMONIAL NEWS. Queer Kilrarl from n Old Vnvf of tli "Orulleumil'a Magitilim." Marriage notices a contury or two ago wore much more interesting than they aro now. It was not a mere announce ment of the date of the wedding and names of thn contracting parties that thn peoplo looked for. They expected to be Informed as to tho many details wblch are now received for tbe moro In timate friends of the families of the newly-married couplo. Tho Gentle man's Magazine contains a number of thoso notices. Under date of March 13, 1735, It gives this item of matrimonial news: "John Tarry, Ej., of Carmar thenshire, toadaughterof Walter Lloyd, Esq., member for that county; a fortune of b 000 poundBlcrllng." That Is to say, the bride brought with ber a dowry of 110,000. Another notice printed a few yoars earlier goes still further Into de tails. It reads: "Married, the Hor. Mr. Bogcr Wains, of York, about 20 years ol age, to a Lincolnshire lady, upward ol BO.wlth whom he is to have 8,000 pounds sterling In money, SO0 pound sterling per annum and a coaeh-anl-four during life only." Evidently tbe blushing bride of eighty summers was willing to pay a high price for a husband. Probably Kev. Mr. Wain was worth it or he would not bavo allowed himself to be restrict ed to tbe use of a roach-and-four "dur ing life only." Tho same magazine in March, V.i announced the marriage of "The Earl of Antrim of Ireland U Mis H'-Uy IVnnefcatber, a celebrated beauty and toast of tnat kingdom.. It U to tie mnnised that Jim Tennfr feather's beauty was her only fortune, otherwise aoioe mention would bavl been made of It Chicago News. HOSPITABLE PLANTS. fa rnpular Ijinni Thajr May II Raid to Keep llolela. In a recent lssuo of the Hotanlcnl Mugnzlne, Sir Joseph Hooker figure. i''id describes a member of a peculiar ,ass of plant that in popuh r language may be terme d plant that keep hotels. An Italian boiunUt, lleccarl, ha writ ten a complete monograph of them, com prising 'JU pages and giving Al plates, under the title of I'mnir (mynnfriVf. Tho larger number of them liclong to the nat ural Older 'iei'iimr, und are Indeed very closely allied to the partridge berry of our woods .l.fciWi r'l'tm; though no ono would suspect the relationship from a mero glance at tho plant figured by Hooker, which ho names i!;;rmttidt Ilttrari, and is a native of tropical Aus tralia. It 1 an epiphyte, growing on trees as somn orchid do, and, like or chids, develop tho lower part of tho plant Into a sort of pseudo bulb, which has a corrugatisl Hiirface, and is for all the world like a huge osago ornngo ball. Tho littlo nodule covering the surfaco are, however, each crowned by a short spine, and tbo tint of tho pseudo-bulb, or tuber, is a durk-brown, Instead of yel low ish-green, a In the osago o-ange. Thick steins a few Inches long grow from the tup of this tuber, crowned by thick leaves, which at first sight ono might take for leave of our Kalmia, or wood-laurel.' What purpose In tho econ omy of the life of the plant theso bulbs perform Is not manifest; but In the econ omy of nnturo they servo as hotels for tho entertainment of Insects, chiefly ants. These hollow them out Into cham bers and galleries that wou'd doubtless delight tho heart of our eminent forml cologlst, I!nv. Dr.McCook. Aswojudgo from Dr. Hooker's brief remarks, aomo lecies of ants have taken to these plants, and they have become their na tive homes, just as some swallows took to tho chimney on tho advent of civil ized man. The relation between plant and Inscctslias boon hcliovcdot late to bo ono of mutual advantage, and tbo parts, especially the flora ljiarts of plants, bavo byen supposed to bavo become especially modified In order to adapt them espec ially to receive In proper stylo tholr In sect visitors, who In turn for tho visits confer Inestimable favors. Just what advantage follows tho generosity of this plant In keeping open houso for the ants does not appear from tho short chapter of Dr. Hooker; but It seems to re with similar results as In other departments of the floral kingdom. There wo gener ally find thoso plant that have taken on .special adaptations have a hard time In getting along, and aro In ninny cases threatened with extinction, whilo self fertilizers and those which In other ways are Bclf-dcpcndcnt, like purslnno and cblckweed, are tbo best fitted for making tholr way In tho world. This plant Is from the Gulf of Carpentaria, and Dr. Hooker say "Is extremely rare there," so that thu hospitably afforded the ants does not seem to hiivo boon ro olprocatcd by theso creatures at any rate. N. Y. Independent na girlTifeIn india. An Eilntenr lo Ml.rraliU as to It !) jrunil Our Coiiiirelinlon, On the day of her marrlnge, tho East Indian girl is put Into a palunquln, shut up tight nd carried to her husband's house. Hitherto sho hns been tbo spoil ed pet of her mother; now sho Is to bo tho littlo slave of her mother-in-law, upon whom sho is to wait, whoso com mand kIio Is implicitly to oloy, and who teaches ber wlitit she la lo do to pleaso bur husband what dishes bo likes best and bow to cook them. If thn mother-in-law Is kind, sho will lot tho girl go homo occasionally to visit her mother. Of her husband sho sees littlo or nothing. Sh'o Is of no moro ao count to him than a littlo cat or dog would bo. Thero Is seldom or never any lovo between them, and, no matter bow cruelly kho may bo treated, sho can never complain to ber husband of any thing his mother may do, for ho would never take his wife's part Her husband sends to hor dally tbe portion of food that Is to be cooked for bor, himself and tho children. When It Is prepared, she places It on ono large brass rlatter, and It 1 sent to her hus band's room. He eats wbat he wishes, and then tho platter Is sent back with what Is left for her and hor children. They sit together on tbe ground and eat the remainder, having noither knives, forks, nor spoons. Whilo sho Is young, she Is never al lowed to go anywhere. The little girls are married as youngasthrooyoaraof age and, should tho boy to whom suoh child Is married die tho next day, she lscalled a widow, and Is from honcoforth doomed to perpetual widowhood: she can novor marry again. At a widow, she must never wear any Jowclry, nover dross ber hair, nover sleep on a bed nothing but a piece of matting spread on tho bard brick floor, and sometimes, in fact, not even that between her ind the cold bricks; and, no matter how cold tho night might be, she must have no other covering than the thin garment she has worn during tho day. Shu must eat but one moal a day, and tbat of the coarsest kind of food, and once In two weeks sho must fast twenty four hour; then not a hit of food nor a drop of wuter or medicine must pass her Hps, not even if sho wore dying. She must novor sit down nor sneak in the presence of her motber-ln-law, unless commanded to do so, Hor food must be cooked and eaten apart from the other women's. She Is a disgraced and de graded woman. Sho may never even look on at anr of the marrlago cere monies or festivals. It would be an evil omen for ber to do so. She may bavo been a high-caste Orahmlnlo woman, but on ber becoming a widow, any, even tbe lowest servant may order her to do what they do not like to do. No woman in the bouse m ust ever speak ono word of love or pity to her, for It Is supposed tbat If a woman shows the slightest commiseration to a widow she will Immediately become a widow herself N.. Y. Ledircr !lMtlnJ Any War Jones has a son who Is badly stage struck. "Unhappy boy I" exclaimed the lrato parent: "and you actually propose to dishonor my namo on the boards of a thoater ?" "Why, father, I would take an as sumed ono." "Well, sir, how would tbat holp it? Supposing you were to succeed, much credit I should get If no one knew that I was Tur father. Jude. A young married couple have just gone to housekeeping. The other morn ing the neighbors were treated to this hit of colloquial entertainment as tbo two parted at the gate; He "What shall I order for supper, precious?" She "A piece of beefsteak, and oh, dar ling, do tell tbe man to cut it the right way of tbe goods, to it will be tender." Detroit Free Press. EAT A GOOD SUPPER Dial la ll Trna Wmf ot Obtaining Ra freililM; Nlrep. doing to bed with a well-filled Stom ach Is the essential prerequisite of re freshing slumber. The cautions to of ten reiterated In old medical journals against lute suppers wero directed chiefly to Urn bibulous habit of those early times. When at a very Into feast the guests not unseldoin drank themselves under the table, or needed strong assist an ' to rcaeh their couch, the canon u;;ainst hii.1i Indulgences was not un timely. Nature and common sense teicli us that a full stomach Is essential to quiet repii.n. Every man who has found it dittleult to keep awake after a hearty dinner has answered tho problem for himself. Thero aro few animal that can be trained to rest until after they are fed. Man. us be comes Into tho world, pre sents a condition It would be well for him to follow In all hi after-life, Tho MU'otcst minstrel ever sent out of para dise can not sing a new-born child sleep en an empiy storeach. We have know 11 reckless nurses to give the little ones a do-io of paragorio or soothing syrup In place of Its cup ot milk, when it was too much trouble to get the latter, but this is the one alternative. The Utile stomach of the sleeping child, a it becomes gradually f nipty, fold on Itself In plaits; two of these make It restless; three will open its eyes, but by careful soothing theso may be closed again; four plaits and the charm I brok en; tin ro Is no morn sleep In that house hold until that child bas been fed. It seems to us ho straugo that w ith .bis ex ample beforo their eye full-grown men are so slow to learn the lesson. Tho farmer doe It for his pig, who would squeal all night If It were not fed at tho lust moment, and the groom knows that bis horse will paw in hi stall until bo ha had hi meal. Hut when bo wishes to sleep himself he never seem to think ot It To sleep, the fullness of tho blood must leavo tho head; to digest the eaten food the blood must come to tho stomach. Thus sloop and digestion are natural allies; one helps the other. Man, by long practice, will train him self to sleep on an emoty stomach, but It Is more tho sleep ot exhaustion than tho sleep ot refreshment Ho wakes up after scch a troubled sleep feeling ut terly miserable until ho has bad a cup of coffeo or somn other stimulant and he has so Injured tho tono of hi stom ach that ho has littlo appetite for break fast. Whereas, ono who allow himself to sleep after a comforttihlo meal awakes htrengthened, and bis appetite bas been quickened by that preceding Indulgence. Tho dllllciilty In recovery comes from tbo fact that we are such creatures ot our habit It I Impossible to break away from them without persistent effort In tills rasa the man w ho has eaten nothing after six o'clock and retires at ten or eleven takes to bed an empty stomach, upon which tho ucllon of tho gastrlo juices makes him uncomfortable all tbe night If ho proposo to try our experi ment ho will sit down and eat a toler able hearty meal. He is unaccustomed to this at that hour and bas a sense of discomfort with It Ho may try it once or twice, or even longer, and then he gives It up, satisfied that for him It is a failure. Tho true courso Is to begin with just ono or two mouthfuls tho lust thing be fore going to bed. And this should be light food, easily digested. No cake or pastry should bo tolerated. One mouth ful of cold roast beef, cold lamb, cold chicken, and a littlo crust of bread will do to begin with, or what is better' yet, aBpconful or two ot condensed milk, (not tho sweetened that comes In cons) in three times ss much warm water. Into this cut half a pared peach and two or throe littlo squares ot bread, the wholo to he onn-foni'th or one-sixth of what would bo a light lunoh. Increase this very gradually, until at ' the end ot a month or six weeks tho patient may Indulge In a bowl of milk, two pouches, with a half hard roll or a trust othomo made broad. When peaches aro gone tako baked apples with the milk till strawberries como, and cat tho latter until peaches return agal.i. This I tho secret of our health and vitality. Wo often work until after mldnlgbtbut eating the comfortable meal Is the last thing wo do evory night ot the year. This Is not an untiled expe'ment or ono depending on tho testimony of a slnglu witness. American Analyst REDUCED TO FIGURES. Th UntUUe of the Heroine la Last Year's Flrtlon. There 1 an English literary man who at tho end of each year penetrates Into tho public fiction and extracts therefrom very often some exceedingly interest ing figure. Thn results of his researches Into last year's fiction aro entertaining. Of tho heroines portrayed In novels, be llnds lil'J were described as blonde, whilo 11)0 wero brunettes. Of theso SOI morn, 487 woro beautiful, 174 were mar ried to the manot thelrcbolce.while thir ty wero unfortunate enough to be bound In wedlock to tho wrong man. The hero ines ot fiction, this literary statistician claims, aro greatly Improving In health, and do not die as early a in previous years, although consumption 1 still in the leud among fatal maladies to wblch tboy succumb. Eurly marriages, however, are on the Increase, Tho personal charms ot the heroines Included vSO "expressive eyes" andOV:) "sheil-liko ears." Of the eyes, M3 had a dreamy look, K!)0 flashed fire, while the remainder hud no especial at tributes. Eyes of brow n and blue are in tbe ascendant 'J here was found to he a largo Increase in tho number of heroines w ho possessed dimples; 50J were blessed with sisters, -.nd S-tJ had broth ers. In forty-seven cases mothers fig ured as heroines with 113 children be tween them. Of these, Beventy-one children were rescued from watery graves. Eighteen ' the husbands ot theso-marrled heroines were discovered to be bigamists, wh.id seven husbands had note found In i'ielr pockets that exposed "everything " And thus Is tbe rmnnnce of a year r- duccd to figures, Ladles' Home Journal. A youth of sixteen, at Fort Henton, Mont, recently performed a d.fficult feat of capturing a gray wolf with a lariat from his horse. Twice tho ani mal got away by b.ting tho nnose In two. Hut the third time it was caught firmly around tho body and dragged be hind the speedy broncho until it was dead. A new kind of door hingo bas If en Invented for tbe use of those w ho never think of clos.ng doors aftor them. Its peculiarity la that tho door not only shut quickly and no.selessly, but it hit the person who leave tbe door open a fierce blow on the back,