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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1876)
Pjc jlikssj jStatlljatest. BBS. A? J. DC.MWAT, Editor Bd Proprietor. OFFICE Cob. Frojct fc Washington Streets TERMS, IU ADVANCE: A Journal for tha People. Devoted to the Interests of Humanity., Independent in Politics and Religion. Hive to all Live Issues, and Thoroughly Radical In Opposing and Exposing the Wrongs of the Masses. One year.. 3 00 Six months 175 1 00 Three months.- Fkek Speech, Fbee Press, Free People. Correspondents writing over assumed signa tures must make known their names to the Editor, or no attention will be given to their communications. ADVERTISEMENTS Inserted on Reasonable Terms. VOLXJME "VI. X0"R.TJC.A3VX, OREGON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1876. NUMBER fZ. Pifty Years Ago; or, the Oabins of the West. "What a beautiful place that would have been for a cabin borne In early times," I said, leaning out of the car riage; "now, if I had been living in those early days, that Is where I would have pitched my tent." "Where ?" said my companion, look ing about. "Just there," I replied, pointing my Anger in the direction of the prettiest knoll, below which the road wound with a graceful curve. "Ob, well, you would have found the place occupied, unless you had come here before the year of our Lord 1613. That is where old Uncle Pranks lirst settled; did I never tell you?" and my companion laughed heartily. I laughed, too, but it was a joyous, glad laugh. I was pleased to know that the pioneers selected beautiful building sites. Uncle Franks! and I never knew where the dear old man built before ! I knew all about him, and Auntie Franks, and Jett, and Ruth, and Jack, and Nancy, and Simon, and Clark, their children; all men and women when I first knew them. They had three children when they came here. They were very poor. Un cle worked for farmer by day's works and carried his wages home at night in a bag on his shoulder. He nearly al ways worked for corn, and at night he pounded it, and it was made into bread or mush. Aunt kept hulled corn on hand the year round. If she had not done so, they would have had nothing to eat except mush and corn bread, but this gave them a little variety. We, with our good wells and springs and tlie unfailing cistern under the roof, can make hulled corn easily; but for five years the feeble mother of this poor family brought all their spring water the distance of half a mile. lain aston ished at this when I take into consid eration the fact of a growing, healthy family eating hulled com nearly every day for years, the one moderate-sized iron pot in which it was cooked, and that she made her excellent hominy the old precise way that our great grand mothers did, without varying one atom; that it be thoroughly washed in clean water nine times. When I said, "Why didn't Uncle Franks dig a well and spare his wife?" the reply was, "He was very poor; they had nothing to work with but their hands; the family was growing all the time, and it was just as much as he could do to clothe and feed them." She had one feather bed that they brought with them from the East. She had long wanted a cow, and at last she made up her mind to part with the bed in exchange for a cow. Any wom an can conceive how loth she would be to give up the only bed; but she said, drying her eyes on her apron, "Wecan't eat the bed, ami we can soon learn to do without it. We are all tired enough at night to sleep on the ground, aud the cow will bring us good milk and but ter, and she will be such a good 'vest ment." Poor Auntie Franks! the bed that her mother gave her was given up and taken away and the cow brought home, and the little ones feasted on the good milk and butter. But one morning, when thsy got up, the cow stood under the maple all drawn up, and her mouth was foamy, aud her cold tongue hung out, aud her breath came as though she were pained. "P'r'haps she's been out among the buckeyes; if she has, she's done for," said uncle, with his hands thrust down into his pockets. The family stood round hergreving. At last the mother said : "What say to sendin' for Gran'ther Jones; it may be that she's a little mite bewitched." "Who'd do it?" was hisanswer; "you know nobody has notbin agin us. We never harmed nobody," and he looked in tier eyes witu a questioning stare. "I don't like the looks of that old creetur as lives on the Watkins place," said auntie, sticking her arms up against her sides. "Now, Qrau'ther Jones would know whether she's a witch or not. He could tell without gittiu1 up ofT his cheer. Lord have mercy on us u sue is : you see, Dan'el, I'll tell you what makes me mistrust. I was out on the hill bevont the Wat- kins place with Jett an' Ruth diggln' some sassafras root the other dav. and we come upon the old creetur ail of a suddent a sett In' on the ground with a little brown paper in her lap, and she was whisperiu' like and doin' tills an' that an' t'other, like a body sortin' out seeds tor a truck patch or garden, and as soon as she seed us she squawked out and hustled the little pa per out, o' sight in uer oosom, anu she was gone down the lull like a streak Now, if that Isn't jubus conduct, I don't know what is," and the wife looked up into her husband's face as though this last argument was conclusive. The cow wouldn't eat anythiug. and so Jett was dispatched for Gran'ther Jones. Now, this old man was very supersti tious. He knaw everything by the aid of his cards and his "mineral ball," and the queer-looking articles that he kent in a sacred Utile receptacle in the safest corner or tue "old chest." TTis prown rhililrpn nnil rrrnurn nrnml children Tooked with holy awe udou "gran'ther's box." They were almost breathless when it was opened and tliev caught a glimpse of its contents, but this latter rarely Happened. In less than an hour the old magician hove in sight. He came in a creaking little wooden wagon drawn by an old sorrel horse whose maue and tail were snarled and matted almost into felt with burdock burrs. Indeed, the tail hung as clubby and substantial as the tail of a musk-rat. Gran'ther was very old and exceedingly corpulent. He could hardly bear to feel the weight of hi clothes about him, and that required iiiuj u uress in a manner somewnat pe- nar. xLis usck ana snouiaers were cov ered by a brier garment, made like ou grandmothers used to make sailors or roundabouts for their boys, only that it was very large anu ut mm like a loose, ugut miss, xxis trousers were some thing gathered on to a band to button round his portly dimensions; when he walked the band was buttoned, when he rode or sat they were worn entirely loose and lay about him like careless drapery, bis shirt generally on the out side, or out and in, just as it happened, .snapeiess nig moccasins and a very wide, low, soft, wool hat. This time the call was urgent, for Mrs. Franks was his granddaughter, a favorite one, too. He drove as fast as circumstances would allow, his long, white hair and bis ex cess of snow-white shirt streaming in the wind. As soon as he was seated and the par ticulars of the occasion made known, the family remembered the first rite of hospitality, which was to bring out a half-gallon jug of Slater's best fourth proof whisky, aud hold it up to the ea ger lips that wet themselves unctuously and smacked and partook again with a relish that was pleasurable to look upon. "Well," he said, in a cracked old voice, looking around, and then the cow was driven up to the door where he could see her. "Turn her head this way," he said. Then he opened his big sacred box, took out a piece of dingy, soft muslin, ou which was inscribed cabalistic charac ters, laid it across his knees and opened a paper in which were two needles with flat heads. One of these he ordered to be stuck in the band of his shirt, back of his neck, and the other in the hem of his left trousers' leg. Then he took out some white-looking gum, wet it with spittle, and rubbed it over the region of his heart. "Watch if the cow rolls up her eyes or makes complaint," he said, as he be gan to make bows, very slowly at first, and then they came faster and faster, until the poor old man looked like a ninny. Suddenly he stopped and wet tlie white gum again and rubbed it on his forehead. Just then the cow lolled her tongue over to the other side of her cold, wet mouth and moaned as if in pain. "Satisfied," he muttered, and signaled to have the curious needles removed. "She's cleSv bewitched, there's no doubt o' that," said he, giving an upward hitch to the band that constituted a part of his trousers. "Have you any idee of any possessed creeter hereabouts; anybody you'd mistrust?" he asked. Then Susan Franks, with staring eyes and twitching hands, related her meet ing on the hillside with the queer cree ter who lived on the Watkins place. "Do you know anything about her? Tell all you know," said he, leaning back. "A man with two pack horses brought her and her hous'old stuff and left im mediately. People don't take to 'er nor she to them," was the reply. "Well, we must find out if she be one possessed," said the poor old man, "an' if she be, we'll know how to manage her. If she be in league with a evil one we'll find it out aud give her her jest de serts," and tlie grim, wise old astrolo ger gave his refractary trousers', band another hitch. Such people believed that witches were sold unto the devil; that they en tered into a compact and that the bar gain was usually in writing and signed in the witch's own blood. One point in witchcraft was the belief in stated meetings or witches and devils by night, called Witches' Sabbaths; that, first annotating her feet and shoulders with a salve made of the fat or murdered anu unoaptized children, the witcli mounted a broomstick, dis til, rake, or the like, and making her exit by tlie chimney, rode through tue ir to the place or rendezvous. If her emon lover came to fetch her, he was represented as sitting on the staff before ml she behind mm. At the least to which they ail assembled there were viands, but no bread nor salt, aud they drank out of ox boots aud horse skulls, but the meal neither satisfied nor nour ished. After eating and drinking, they dauced to music played on a bagpipe with a horse's head tor a bag, and a cat's tail for a chanter. At the conclusion a great goat that bad participated was burned to ashes. and then the ashes were divided among the witches to raise storms with. They returned as they came, aud the husband was kept from being aware of bis wife's absence by a stick laid in tlie bed, which lie mistook lor uer. The power that the devil gave them was exclusively directed to work evil. to raise storms, blast crops, inflict rack ing pain ou an enemy or make bimpine away in sickness. This latter was done, usually, by making an Image of wax and sticking it full of pins or setting it away to melt before the lire. If a witcti attempted to do good, the devil was enraged and chastised her. Taking a small vial out of his little box, Gran'ther Jones, on the point of a penknife, lifted out some of the oily contents, which he rubbed on one side of a stick, mumbled over it, and then laid it down beside mm. Then he took some charcoal, that had been made out of burned bats, and made some marks on a fragment or white paper with it. rolded It up neatly, tied it in a clotb. and laid it down beside the stick. Then he called Dau'el Franks up to him, and tying a snake-skin round Dan'el's hat. told him to go to the house of the strange woman, lay the oiled stick on her doorsill, throw me marked paper down her chimney, aud then hide be hind her bouse with ills hat drawn down over his face aud stay there .fifteen or twenty minutes, and then come back and report what he had seen and heard in due time the man returned. Gran 'ther, who had been sitting leaning on his staff, now rallied, and, looking up, said : "What say 7" "The creeter was a-carryin' on 'maz- ingly," was the reply; "she was cryiir an' moanin' an' maktti' all sorts o noise, e'en a'most like one demented.' 'All right, she's a witch sure least-a ways ail the symptoms p'int that way, We'll manage her, or there's no truth in truth," said the old man, putting the snake-skin back in his box and closing it caretuiiy. Then ne took out or his bosom a little parcel, which be unrolled aud within was a small, compact ball of nair, or hairy calculi such as is occa sionally found inside of the stomachs of old cattle, formed perhaps out of the fine hair that lodges ou the tongue when they are licking themselves, and clings together and becomes secreted in the stomach, and is never removed unless by curious human hands alter the anl mal is dead. Astrologers and fortune-tellers and su perstitious people ascribe supernatural powers to this worthless accumulation, Gran'ther Jones was one of those; he could hardly have existed without this most wonderful of all divinations. While be was performing with thi singular bail, he gave orders that th cow be watched closely. By this tim she was lying down stretched out stiffly. with her eyes rolled up. After awhile gran'ther stopped swing ing the ball and muttering incanta tions, and gave orders that the poor orute oe maue to stand upon her feet. it was attempted, but without a success ful result "Take a shovelful of coals and pour on uer siue, Baia ue, peremptorily. It was done, but the poor thing made no effort to rise, and gave no sign ex cept a prolonged, piteous, quivering cry. "That was the devil's cry," said gran' ther, with a cracked laugh, and then he beckoned to have the "joog" passed and It was held up, aud he drank with the utmost satisfaction. But such details are repulsive, and should be forgotten. Suffice to say, the cow died, and the feather bed was gone, and the poor family were poorer than ever. One day gran'ther was at Dan'el Franks' bouse, and Susie was making hominy, and using paillul after paiiruf of spring water from the fountain half a mile distant, when the old man said to one of the boys : "lio git me a stick ot wucn nazei, and e sure you git it ofPn tho sunrise side ' the bush, an' I'll see if it would be proper for your pa to be diggin' a well ereabouts." Buttoning the band of his nether drapery, and having the other garment all a-flutter in the wind, be broke a forked stick from the witch hazel, and began walking slowly up and down tlie lot in which the cabin stood, holding the stick in a certain position between is two hands. Suddenly it began to turn; lie stopped; it moved slowly round; when in a loud, nose-y voice be cried out: Does my Maker tell roe there is water here?" Then he informed Dan'el that he could strike a good vein of pure, soft water by digging twenty-live feet. But Dan'el bad to earn bread for the family, he had not time to earn water too, and so the well was never dug. But alas for the fate or the woman who was shunned, and despised, and persecuted as a witch ! In those days alms-bouses had not been built in the West. There was need enough for them, but the poor pioneers could not stand the taxes. So when it was known that Goody Leet was sick, aud suffering, aud dying, and all the while declaring herself an innocent and wronged woman, then some ot the neighbors of the better class sought her n her cheerless, dark, lonely cabin, aud found her to be an object of charity aud sympathy. It was hardly to be supposed that any of those poor families could afford to take her into their homes and treat her as one of them without a trifling recom pense, and though it did look very hard and inhuman, and we cannot quite be reconciled to the fact, yet a notice was stuck on the door of the blacksmith's shop, saying that ou the 9th day of Oc tober, laid, Mistress lioouy .beet, au in firm woman, would be sold to the low est bidder for the term of six months. On that day Goody was put into a lit tle wooden wagon aud hauled to the lower riffle, where the blacksmith's shop was located, and she was sold as a pauper by public outcry. This was the iron that entered her soul. A man mounted on a stump, raised his hands, aud his voice, aud his powers of eloquence, said all the flue words he could think of, and all the pretty phrases, aud tlie poor creature was sold to the lowest bidder. A lazy, ignorant old couple made tlie bid, and hauled heron to their cheerless home iu the creaking little wagon, amid tlie solemn silence of the motley assemblage. Uooay was quiet, i1 or days she would sit and lean on her thin talony hand. and she would open a little brown paper that sue carried in her oosom, and cry over it softly and silently. But one day she refused food and drink, and the next day she did the same, and persisted in it calmly yet poBitively day after day. Kind women could not prevail on her to eat, sympathizing men besought her to without avail; and one morning, when theoid couple looked upon theircharge. she lay peaceful and with pitiful coun tenance as one in pleasant slumber. All plainness and homeliness were obliter ated, and a rare beauty, lost and faded for long years, had come back again. lu the suspected little brown paper in ber bosom was a flossy flake of infant's hair, and a coarser slip beside it, of dark brown, was a man's hair, treasured and beloved, both. The tale they might have told could only be guessed. Mary, with long and patient waiting. the poor persecuted pauper, a lady born'. had sought aud found a friendly refuge by starvation. She Thought She Knew. The passengers in the sleeping-coach were ust uoztug ou wuen something howled out: "Ow wow wow !" "Great dragons, there's a young one aboard !" growled a fat man from his berth. "I'll bet a hundred dollars none of us can get a wink of sleep to-night !" wow wow !" whined the child. "There he goes again." growled the fat mau. "I never travel but I run across some one's offspring." "Who's that talking?" called the mother of the child in a loud voice. "Me!" answered the fat man. "Whv didn't you either leave that child at home or stay home yourself !" "Are you talking to me?" demanded the woman. "Yes, ma'am, I am ! I sav it's shame to bring a sick child into a sleep ing-car to disturb twenty or thirty peo pie." "Are you a rather?" she asked. "No, I haint." "Nora mother?" she continued. "No, ma'am." "Well, sir," she said, as she poked her head out between the curtains, "wheu you've been the mother of eleven children, moved forty-eight times, and lived in nine diiierent mates, you'll be gin to think you know your business. '. know mine; and if this baby wants to howl he's going to do it, if I have to come over there and take a ton and a half of conceit out of you." Delaware uounty American. There is no index of character so sure as the voice. There are some tones, brilliant and gushing, which impart a quick and pathetic sensibility; there are others that, deep and yet calm, seem the just interpreters of a serene and exalted intellect. But the rarest and most precious of all voices is that wnicn combines passion and repose auu tuose ricn ana restrained tones ex ercise, perhaps, on the human frame. stronger spell than even the fascination of the eye, or that bewitching influence of the band, which is the privilege of ine mgiier races or Asia. The editor of the Chattanooga Times is tearing his hair because the intelli gent compositor made him announce that "Kev. w. W. Simpson would preach at $10.45." Mrs. Beeton'a Hints on Kitchen Economy. Cleanliness is the most essential in gredient in the art of cooking, a dirty kitchen being a disgrace ootu to mis tress and maid. Be clean in vour person, paying par ticular attention to the hands, which should always be clean. Do not go about slipshod. Provide yourself with good, well-fitting boots. You will find them less latiguing in a warm kitchen than loose, untidy slip pers. Provide voureelf witli at least a dozen good-sized, serviceable cooking-aprons, made with bibs. These win save your cowii8. and keen vou neat and clean. Have them made large enough round so as to nearly meet behind. iSever waste or throw away anytuing that can be turned to account. Iu warm weather, any gravies or soup' that are left from the preceding day should be ust boiled up aud poured into ciean pans. This is particularly necessary where vegetables have been ad-Jed to the preparation, as it then so soon turns sour. In cooler weather, every other day will he ofteu euough to warm up these things. If you have a spare kitchen cupboard, keep your baked pastry in it; it pre serves it crisp, and prevents it from be coming wet aud heavy, which it is lia ble to do In the larder. In cooking, clear as you go; that is to say, do not allow a host ot basins, plates, spoons, and other utensils to ac cumulate on the dressers and table whilst you are engaged in preparing. the din ner. By a little management and lore thought, much coufusiou may be saved in this way. It is as easy to put a thing iu its place when it is done with, as it is to keep continually moving it to find room for fresh requisites. For in stance, after making a pudding, the flour-tub, pasteboard, aud rolling-pin hould be put away, and any basins, poons, etc., taken to the scullery and leatly packed up near the sink, to be washed when the proper time arrives. Neatness, order and method should be observed. Never let your stock of spices, salt, seasonings, herbs, etc., dwindle down so low that, some day in the midst ot pre paring a large dinner, you find yourself minus a very important ingredient, thereby causing much confusion and aunoyance. If you live in the country, have your vegetables gathered from tlie garden at an early hour, so that there is ample time to make your search for caterpil lars, etc. These disagreeable additions need never make their appearance on table in cauliflowers or cabbages, if the egetable in its raw state Is allowed to soak in salt and water for an bourorso. Of course, if the vegetables are not brought iu till the last moment, this precaution cannot be taken. lie very particular in cleansing an vegetables free from grit. Nothing is so unpleasant, and nothing so easily avoided, if but common care be exer cised. When you have done peeling onions, wash tlie knife at once, aud put it away to be cleaned, and do not use it for any thing else until it has been cleaned. Nothing is nastier or more indicative of a sloveuly and untidy cook than to use an oniony knife in the preparation of any dish where the flavor ot the onion is a disagreeable surprise. After you have washed your sauce pans, fish-kettle, etc., stand them before the hre ror a tew minutes, to get thor oughly dry inside, before putting them away. They should then be kept in a dry place, iu order that they may escape the deteriorating inltuence of rust, and thereby be quickly destroyed. Never leave saucepans dirty from oneday's use to be cleaned the next; it is slovenly and untidy. .hmpty soups or gravies into a basin as soon as they are done; never allow them to remain all night in the stock pot. in copper utensils, if the tin has worn of', have it immediately replaced. .rudding-cioths and jelly-bags should have your immediate attention alter be ing used; the former should be well washed, scalded, and hung up to dry. Let them be perfectly aired before being rolded up anu put in the drawer, or they will have a disagreeable smell when next wanted. After washing up your dishes, wash your dish-tubs with a little soap aud water aud soda, and scrub them ofteu. Wring the dishcloth, after washing this also, and wipe the tubs out. Stand them up to dry after this operation Tlie sink-brush and sink must not be neglected. Do not throw anything but water down the sink, as the pipe is lia ble to get choked, thereby causlug ex pense and annoyance. Do uot be afraid of hot water in wash ing updishesanddirty cooking utensils. As these are esseutially greasy, luke warm water cannot possibly have the effect of cleansing them effectually. Do not be chary also or changing aud re newing tue water occasionally, lou will thus save yourself much time and labor In the long run. Ulean your tius with soap and whiten ing, rubbed on with a flannel, wipe them with a clean, dry, soft cloth, and polish with a dry leather and powdered whitening. Mind that neither the cloth nor leather is greasy. uo not scrub the inside or your rrying- pan, as, after tbis operation, any prepa- tion fried is liable to catcli or burn in the pan. If the pan has become black inside, rub it with a hard crust of bread and wash iu hot witer, mixed with a little soda. Punctuality is an indispensable qual ity in a cook; therefore, the kitchen should be provided with a clock. it you have a targe dinner to prepare, much may be got ready the day before and many dishes are a great deal better ror being thus made early. To soups and gravies, this remark is particularly applicable. To all these directions the cook should Cay great attention; nor should they, y any means, be neglected by the mis tress of the household, who ought to re member that cleanliness iu the kitchen gives health and happiness to home, whilst economy will immeasurably as sist in preserving them. A lady at Bedford, who lived near a church, was sitting by a window listen ing to the crickets which were loudly chirping, the music from tho choir re bearsal being faintly audible, when r gentleman dropped in familiarly, who had just passed tbe church, and had the music full iu his mind. "What -a noise they are making to-night!" said he, "Yes," said the lady, "end it is said they do it with their hind legs !" A Grateful Widower. Sir Walter Scott used to be foud of tellin.r tlie following story of his cousin Watly." Watty aforesaid was a mid shipman in the British navy. On a certain occasion he and his messmates had gone on shore at Portsmouth, and had overstayed their leave, besides spending all their money aud running up a bill at the tavern at the point. Their ships made signal for sailing, peremptorily calling all hands on board, but when they would have started the and lady said: "No, gentlemen, you cannot escape without payingyourreckoning." And, to confirm her words, she called a bailiff aud his posse to take charge of them. The midshipmen felt they were In a bad scrape, aud begged to be released. "No, no," said the resolute matron; I must be satisfied in some way. You must be aware, gentlemen, that you will be totally ruined and disgraced if on do not go ou board in time." They groaned bitterly, for they knew that she spoke the-truth. "Well," she continued, "I'll give you all a chance. I am so circumstanced that I cannot well carry on my busi ness as a single woman, and I must contrive somehow to have a husband, or, at all events, I must be able to pro cure a marriage certificate. Now, tbe only terms upon which I will set you free are, that one of you shall consent to marry me. I don't care a snap which it is; but, by all that is holy, one of you I will have for a husband, or else you all go to jail, aud your ship sails without you." The vixen was not to be coaxed or en treated. Tears and prayers were of no avail. After a time the poor middies greed to draw lots. Watty drew the matrimouial slip of doom. No time was to be lost. A marriage license was speedily procured, and they went to the nearest church, where the knot was tied. Tlie bride, on her return to her tavern, gave them a good dinner with plenty of wine, and then sent them off n her wherry. Of her own accord she had proposed to her husband that, as the marriage certificate was her chief prize, he was at liberty to live apart from her forever if he so chose. The ship sailed, and the young gen tlemen religiously adhered to the oath of secrecy they had made previous to drawing lots. A year after, at Jamaica, hie of Jbnglish papers reached the midshipmen's berth, and Watty, who was carelessly looking them over, was attracted by the account of a robbery and murder, and tlie execution of the culprits at Portsmouth. Suddenly leap ing to ins reet, lorgetrul or bis oath in tlie excitement of his ecstasy, he cried out: "Thank heaven I My wife is hanged !" REPRESENTED OR MISREPRESENTED ? Honorable members of the last legisla ture assured the women of Massachu setts that "they are fully represented at the polls by their husbands and other male relatives." The following actual conversation is a practical illustration of such representa tion : Lady to her husband "My dear, wheu does your Republican caucus meet to make nominations? I think I will go with you." Husband "Oh ! no. It would never do; you would not be welcome there; and besides, I represent you." Wile "As you are not willing that I should go, will you speak in favor of having a Woman Suffragist nominated as our representative V" Husband "Why, no. How can I, when I am not iu favor of Woman Suf frage myself?" Wife "If you vote to suit yourself, and directly opposed to my wishes, please uo not say any longer that you represent me." Husband walks away to meditate. Are wives represented by such hus bands v And tlie women who have no hus bands to (misrepresent them, and wiiose power of influencing votes must be still less, how, I should like to be in formed, are they to be represented? Many ladies would attend tbe cau cuses, if they only felt that they were welcome, even it they have not the right to vote there. Exchange. Short Sermons. When all else Is lost, the future remains. Bovee. Jealousy dislikes the world to know it. Byron. Diligence is the mother of good luck, Franklin. Self-trust is the essence of heroism. Emerson. Light aud lust are deadly enemies. Shakspeare. Manners are stronger than law. Al exander Carlisle. True joy is only hope put out of fear. Lord Brooke. A foe to God was never a true friend to man. Young. Many good purposes lie in the church yard. Philip Henry. Who gives a trifle meanly fs meaner than the trifle. Lavater. Human knowledge is tbe parent of doubt. Lord Greuville. Hate no one; bate their vices, not themselves. lirainard. We forgive too little; forget too much Madam iSwetchine. Literature is a great staff, but a sorry crutch. Walter Scott. The less we deserve good fortune, the more we hope lor it. JMoiiere. Genius makes its observations in short hand; talent writes them out at length. Bovee. Of all wild beasts, preserve me from a tyrant; and of all tame, a flatterer. Ben Jonsou. A Boy's Conundrum. A llttlesqulnt eyed Chicago boy pranced up to bis mother oue day last week aud said : "Ma, hain't I been real good ji nee I I've begun goiu' to Sunday School ?" "Yes, my lamb," leplied the mother fondly. "And you trust me now, don't you ma "Yes, darling," she replied again. "Then," spoke up the little iunocent, "What makes you keep the cookies locked up in the pantry tbe same as everY" A blind girl recently sent to the Em perorof Germany an exquisitely worked table cover, wrought by ber own bands, and to show that she expected no re turn, omitted ber address and simply signed herself "A Blind Girl in Hwitz erland." The Emperor caused her to be sought out and sent her a valuable brooch and a letter or thanks. Miss Dimity Seeks Political Information. Miss Dimity knows all about it now. She languished a long time in ignor ance, aud felt her situation keenly, but at last she is wiser and sadder. She always wanted to talk politics and belong to some party; but how could she when she did not even know the difference between a Democrat aud a Republican ? She looked auxiously through all tbe papers to gain some In formation on the subject, but tbe only plain statements she found were that the Democrats are all liars and swind lers, and the Republicans all thieves and scoundrels. Finally she asked her papa about it, and he looked at ber over his spectacles aud said: "A Demo crat, my dear child, Is by the way, you left lumps in tbe heels of my stockings when you darued them last week. Girls now-a-days are good for nothing." Then she asked her big brother, ami he said: "That's easy; ask me a harder ne. A .Democrat supports thegovern- ernmeut as long as the government will support him, and a Republican lets no guilty man escape until he has crammed all of his pockets and tlie crown of his hat." She next asked her sweetheart: but he turned pale, and, falling back on his chair, fanned himself furiously while e gasped: ".hmmehue, my love, I hope you are not getting strong-miuded. I could not think of marrying a w.omau wno kuows more than l than other women." Next she asked a wise and learned man, and he looked pompously at her and said: "Too deep, my dear, too deep; unierence in the platforms; very com plicated subject; could never explain it to a woman. In fact, it's so deep that 'don't exactly under ah, believe vou could understand It." Then she went to an editor. They al ways know everything; it is a pe culiarity of the profession. They can get up a theory aud explanation of or remedy ror anything, iuside of forty five seconds. She asked him, with suf fused eyes, if he would please tell her the difiereuce between a Democrat and Republican. He looked a little startled at first, stuck bis pen into the glue-pot, tumbled a pitcher of ice-water over a pile or exchanges, jerked up his collar, and was "himself again." He said: "A Republican has an ollice and wants to keep it. He thinks rag money good, hard money better, but either kind good enough. He thinks tbe country needs reform. Salaries are too low, and the people too inquisitive. He cannot buy a $2,000 team of horses on a salary of $1,500 a year, but some one must ask impertinent questions. His couutry is dear to him, but he is dearer to bib country. A Democrat has no office, aud wants one. He scorns to ask whether the money is hard or soft; he only gasps, 'How much?' He thinks tbe couutry needs reform. He wants change iu ollice and change in his pockets. He holds his country's honor above price, and sells his own to the highest bidder. He" but Miss Dimity put iter hands over her ears and cried: "Please tell me the name of the other party, to which honest men and patriots belong." Then that editor laughed an inhuman laugh, aud said: "Long ago they took a lantern wheu they wauted to find au honest man. You had better borrow half a dozen head-lights and a garden rake, and go and look for that party. However, if you are a true patriot, you will work for the Republicans, for they all have cottages at Long Branch, and villas in Washington and runs, aud are pretty well supplied with funds: but the Democrats have beeu out a long time, their money is all gone, and their villas are mortgaged. It will be a dreadful strain on the Treasury, and" Miss Dimity did not wait for more. Aud now, wheu any one talks politics in her presence, she listens witu that benign sadness that is born of superior wisdom. 'The Heated Term:.'! A New York editor thus pants and gasps and expostu latcs with the fierce heat : Does anybody expect us to write ed itorials in these hot days, with 96, OS, l'JU, and we don't know how many more degrees in the shade? Whew! As we write, no zephyr fans our brow. no sable attendant waits attentive to our call. 'Apolliuaris, water with ice? No. Guinness or Bass from cool cellar age and freshly tapped? Alas, no. Claret cup, spiced and redolent ? No, Moseller champagne? No. Juleps? Ah, no. cobblers? Jo, not even i straw to excite pleasant recollections, We sit panting, sopping, moppiug, and wouuer u ied. Ou Kile to "r wains, or wonder if we are a phenomenal water- Our youngest will ere long be "paddle his canoe" over our re- or sail his small bit or shingle in tbe puddle that will mark where ouce we stood. How we pine for heaven's floods to wet the sun-scorched earth; for some delightful draught to cool our parched throat; but all in vain I Hark! As we write, a heavenly sound fills the air. The thunders peal and rattle, and tho clouds let loose their floods to our relief." Jennie June's Prayer. Jennie June is getting tired of the fashionable style of dressing now In vogue, and pleads for greater simplicity and plainness in tue make up of ladies' dresses. She is down on pull-backs, flounces, furbelows, aud the like, in a late fashion letter to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, she says : "For heaven's sake, what ever we do let us get rid of this mess of useless rub bish at the back or our skirt; or tbe in elegant, inconvenient, untidy, long, narrow turnoure, and adopt a style which at least does not destroy the fabric before it is worn, and does uot de pend ou a cat's cradle of tapes aud stitches for daily and hourly adjustment This for a daily prayer for those who are not concerned about their dally bread would be timely and apropos "Ob, Lord ! Thou hast fed tbe slave, and giveu the colored man the right In common with his brethren to vote. No other important subject being now be fore Thee, may it please Thee to pay some attention to women; and first of ail try to teach them a little common sense in regard to theirdress; and Thine be the praise for ever and ever, Amen." A prudent mother of wealth and re spectability, residing in Chicago, has brought up uer accomplished and beau tiful daughters to do washing and iron ing. When questioned as to the cause ot this somewhat unusual proceeding, the prudent matron replied : "Oh ! it is always well to be prepared for any con tlngency. Perhaps some of the poor cnnuren may marry an Italian count." Reflections on Great Men. We always think of great men as in tbe act of performing the deeds which give them renown, or else in stately at titudes of repose, grand, gloomy, and majestic. And yet this Is hardly fair, because even the most gorgeous and magnificent of human beings have to bother themselves with the little things of life which engage the attention of smaller people. No doubt Moses snuf fled and got angry when he had a se vere cold in bis head, aud if a fly bit bis leg while be was sittlmr in the desert why should we suppose he did not jump and use violent language and rub the sore place? And Caesar; isn't it tolerably certain that he used to be come furious when he went up stairs to get his slippers in tbe dark and found that Calphurnia had shoved tbetn back under tbe bed so that be had to sweep around for them with the broom-handle? And when Solomon cracked bis crazy bone, is it unreasonable to suppose tnai tie hopped arouuu tue room and looked mad aud felt as if he wauted to cry? Imagine George Washington sitting on the edge of tbe bed putting on a clean shirt, and growling at Mar tha because the buttous were off; or St. Augustine with au apron around his neck having bis hair cut; or Joan of Arc holding her frout hair in her mouth, as women do, while she fixed up her back bair; or Napoleon jump ing out of bed in a frenzy to chase a mosquito around tbe room with a pillow ; or Martin Luther iu his night shirt trying to put the baby to sleep at two o clock in the morning; or Al exander the Great with his hiccoughs; or Thomas Jefferson getting over tbe fence to avoid a dog ; or tbe Duke of Wellington lying in bed with the mumps; or Dauiel Webster abusing his -wife because she hadn't tucked the covers at the foot of tbe bed ; or Benja min I'rauKiin paring tils corn with a razor; or Jonathan Edwards at the din ner table, wanting to sneeze lust as he got his mouth full of hot beef; or Noah standing at his window at night throw ing bricks at a cat. Philadelphia Bul letin. The Grave of Dickens. Grace Greenwood, writing to the New York limes or her visit to the Poets' Corner u Westminster Abbey, savs. with a tender recollection of the great novel ist: 'It is a grand thing, doubtless, to be buried in Westminster Abbev. but It is a dreary sort of isolation in death for a social, kindly man like Dickens. No mend can come to keep him company; no child may be laid at bis side. He loved light and warmth and color: all cheerful sights aud sounds. Change was necessary to his alert spirit, aud he should have been laid in some pleasant, open burial ground lu or near the great city, with the sounds and movements of every-day life about him. That was the lite he loved to paint. He never was at home with lords and ladies. He has gone into magnificent banishment here, where tlie perpetual tramp of strange feet, coming and going, is like the ebb and now or a sea across the granite that shuts him down among unkindred dust, where no faintest influ ence of tlie sun. no intimations of tbe changing seasons can come. But they say his coffin was heaped high with nowers. lUidsummer went down with him into the grave, aud was hid away with him in fragraut darkness there. And on each anniversary of his death there are placed on that cold, gray slab the sweetest and brightest flowers of this festal month crosses of white lilies and roses, 'pansies for thought,' 'rose mary for remembrance,' and always a peculiar offering from some unknown hand a wreath or scarlet geraniums, looking in that shadowy corner like flowery flame, the very expression of passionate love aud sorrow." Reciprocity. No man liveth to himself alone. To live and ignore the e fleets of our owu conduct upou others, and theirs upon us, is impossible, for we are unconsciously moulding the sur roundings and circumstances that will tell for or against us in time. Every act of ours is sure to aftect tbe delicate workiugs of the social machinery, so that, although at the time we may think little of it, a few years will show us that the trivial circumstance has ef fected our whole course in life. Beautiful indeed is the manner in whicli the Ruler of the Universe brines about certain results, and tbe better we understand the system, and the more we investigate tlie way men bring upou themselves the misery which they at tribute to ill-luck, or the success which is, after all, only the reward of perse verence, industry, and a knowledge of mankind, tbe more we are convinced that knowledge is power, aud, whether we are disposed to admit it to ourselves or not, we are governed by very trifling circumstances. He who increases the value of his own property increases the value of his neighbor's property, and in the same manner be who increases bis own standard of morality raises the standard of morality among those who know him best. The gain may besmail at first, and hardly appreciable, but, when the great balance is struck, he will find that be has been credited with this o tiering that be has made toward mak ing the world better. Good Society. In a review of Tick nor's Life and Letters occurs the follow ing passage: "Taking three men as roughly representative, Mr. Garrison, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Emerson were the three most influential men iu Boston of tbe years between 1836 and 1860, and it is not uncharacteristic of what in Amer ica calls itself good society, that it had no part in any of them." Tbe dreadful thing about this statement is that it is literally true, and that no perceptible social improvement has taken place since the latest date quoted. The trouble.is not that the gentlemen men tioned lacked society, or that they were not admired, looked up to, and, to a cer tain extent, followed, but that good so ciety the mass of respectable people who live moral lives, reside iu good bouses, wear good clothes, succeed In business, go to church, educate their children, aud subscribe to all charitable projects have, nevertheless, so little sympathy with radical reforms, such halting appreciation of tbe real bearings of existiug conditions, and such an aversion to intellectual effort which does not promise either profit or honor, that they repel the great minds through whose influence they and their children receive whatever mental elevation they may finally blunder upon. Christian Union. &