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About The new Northwest. (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887 | View Entire Issue (April 26, 1878)
to !ic Hen? $ttl0i$i MS 8. 1. i. R.MW.lT, rMter and Pr?rleter 3 F PICF .T i A W tsBHwaTOKSTaadr S, IN ADVANCE: One year.. $ "1X ! 1 7 m TlrM anooUis... ADVERTISEMENTS bunted am Terms HER LOT OH, KH She I'rotcoted. Br Mas. A. J. OC.VIWAY. Avrmom or "jvbttk eid," km.n imwn,, "Axiav akd unr uot," "m mappt IC KIIIL KUC. EotaMi-aeoaidlBK to Aet arOaacren, to tbe year UC8,t9 Jfra. A J. Donhray, la the office of the Utoattthof Cbacreaa at Washington City. CHAPTER XIII. San Francisco grew inarvelously In size, wealth, and substantial improve ment; yet the call Tax portion of Lite city was by far the greater part, occupy ing, as it dil, the entire water front, save here aud there a wharf, studded at its edges with slimy pile", ami occasion ally a public structure for ihe retention of outlaws, who gathered themselves to gether from every nation under the sou, iuteot alike upon gain and indolence, and caring not as to how they were to compass them. In sis months from the date of the beginning of my partnership with Mr. Lillienthai I was the happy possessor of ten thousand dollars in goki dost, in ad dition to the entire business, the re maining half of which I purchased for a like sum, and my prosperity was at Its highest tide. I had developed from a shy and awk ward, verdauland yet determined coun try maiden into a business woman of tact, skill, and experience. I was not nnbappy, though I sometimes longed for the companionship of my own sex. But I was too busy for reflection, regret, or introspection. Baby Ethel grew rap idly, and developed Into a strong, healthy, and promising child. But Gerald did uot grow. It was h long time before I could brinfr .myfielf to real ise that be was tiWftlieted with curvature of tto.MMtafSbtiL the fact forced itself upon ratiiPiftst, and I be lieve my trouble was even greater over it than when, In after years, after he had Inflicted upon me nnteSd agony through yet greater misfortunes, I com posed hismissbapeu limbs and laid him away in a silent village of the dead in the deep, dark woods of Oregon. But I bad no time for mourning. The demands upon me were so arduous and constant, aud came from so many direc tions, that the weeks and the months sped by as on the wings of the wjud. Spring, summer, fall, and winter are ho rach alike in San Francisco that no extremes of best and cold mark the changes of seasons as in many other parts of the world, and I was astonished when a year had flown, bringing baby Ethel out of long clothes into walking slips, and creating a demand in baby Gerald's mind for boots and trowsers. The boarders idolised the children, yet their influence upou tbem was not always good. They would slyly leach Gerald to swear and smoke, and they in itiated Ethel into all manner of saucy tricks, from which I bad no proper time to shield ber, and from which I wan compelled to break ber, though I often had to wbip her severely in after years to do it. But if the children bad scores of real admirers, I had hundreds of woo Id -be ones. Increased prosperity had enabled me to indulge in the gratification of ex pensive tastes, and my wardrobe was as fine upon state occasions as any lady oould desire. There were many parties and festivals of diflerent degrees of gaiety, to all of which I was as regu larly inviieu as tnougn my preeeuee had been indispensable. And really it was very nearly so, for respectable ladies were scarce, and their company, lo consequence, was in great demand. There wasasmuch travel between the Australian continent aud San Francisco as between that city and other foreign ports, and I was not surprise) to meet. during one of the city's festive seasons. on an occasion shortly after I became sole proprietor of the Acara House, the identical magnates and their titled ladies who had boarded my husband's ship at Melbourne, and by their s,eech and manner so aggravated my then pe culiar disturbance of the nervous system as to throw me into hysterics, which well nigh caused me to be incarcerated in an asylum for the insane. I say I was not surprised, for it was a common occurrence every day to meet somebody from the uttermost parts of the earth; but I was agitated, annoyed, aud angry. I was the acknowledged queen of the ball-room. True, I dauced but seldom, for I was usually tired enough to prefer an easy chair on such occasions, but there was always a bevy of geutlemen near me, to listen or join in conversa tion, in which I was never a laggard in my younger days. Ah, me! My lady Fitzsininiouds, wife of His Grace the Collector of the Port at Mel bourne, waddled up to me, leaning upou the arm of an escort with au eye-glass, and introduced herself. "You surely have not forgotteu me, Mrs. Grey," she said, speaking through her nose, as though suffering from a se vere catarrh. "No, madam," with acceut on the last syllable; "I have cause lo remember you well." "Js the Captain here to-night?" "My husband ?" "Yes; Captain Grey." VOLID1E VII. "No," I answered briefly, perhaps rudely. "May I ask where he ia 7" "Certainly.' She looked inquiringly for further revelations, but I was mute. A gentleman laughed. "Why do you not tell me of your hus band's whereabouts?" my lady FlU slMnionds inquired, reddening. "Because you didn't ask," I replied, well knowing that I was rude. Amlher awkward pause, and then camej her revenge. "Its nothing very particular that I want to know, but I thought I'd just ask Mm if you were still a 111 le ted with file.'" she said, loftily. "I take fits of minding my own baet nees sometime, as every lady does!" I answered, itotiy. "Ob!" she exclaimed, "what an odi ous person, to be xurel" "I hate women !" I said, haughtily, as I rose from my chair aud took the arm of a geutlemau for the next quadrille. "Wouldn't you like some tidings of Mr. Cyrus Suyilenliam ?" asked my lady, as we turned away. I felt my cheeks burn scarlet; but I would not deign to further notice her. "What makes you hate women?" asked my partner for the dance. "Because they're like cats." "Abturd."' was thesenslble rejoinder. "They are," I repeated. "They're pussy-cat-Mi and treacherous with each other in everything." "Was your mother like that?" Ah, the memory that overwhelmed me at the meuliou of that magic word. "My" mother was an exception." "Then so are all mothers." "That may be, but Mrs. Fitssimtnonds isn't a mother." "Why do you reach that conclusion?" "Because she's hard ami disagree able." "You'll pardon me, but I think you got even with her to-night." "I meant to." "But why should you V "Site insulted me, as you could have seen with half an eye had you been hi my place." "Never mind, my dear madam. Women are not so plenty in San Fran cisco that we can afford to see them ex hibit spoiled tempers. Listen; they're tuning up for the quadrille." "I don't eare to dance. Let us go out side. This air oppresses me," I said, as I with difficulty braced myself to keep from fafuting. - "Are you III?" "No; it's only the throng. There; I feel better now. Let us sit on the bal cony." The building in which we were as sembled was a new adobe edifice, situ ated on the hills above the main portion of the city limits, rind eommaiftled a fair view of the Aaarn House, near the water front. The balcony to which ray escort led me was near the platted roof, and the music flouted up from below in a seductive strain, to which the meas ured time of the dancing seemed a fit accompaniment. "Graeious! what a night for a Are. And how your cloth hotel would burn if someltody should set a match to it!" exclaimed my ooinpauion, as he snlfled the wiud that swept the frail-built city with a cruel, steady force. "Oh, don't taUTabout It!" I answered, shivering. "Somehow, there hangs over me a strange and unaccountable spell. I came here to-night hoping to oast it oil, but it pursues me even more than ever. I believe my lady Fitzsim monds inspired It. I want to go home." Hedid not reply, probably because his ear was arrested by the sound of ap proaching voices. "Her behavior is perfectly scandal ous," I beard my evil genius say. But to whom was she addressing her remarks? I knew quite well that I was the "her" to wlMim the "scandalous be havior" alluded. A question In a low tone failed to reach me, and she eon linued : "I've pitied you from the first mo ment of our aequaintanoe, sir; and if you have u particle of reganl for your own honor, you'll secure your children aud take them to England, and leave her to her chosen fate." What could it all mean ? On and on the couple advanced, as if they, too, were seeking toeecape the throng below. "Here's a balcony," said the muting lady; "let us find a seat. This stiff breese takes away my breath." "Oh, I beg pardon," she exclaimed, as she encountered us. "I hope I don't intrude." "Not at all," answered my escort. "wnai a nor' saw i, under my breath; for I would have preferred to encounter a toad. "Mrs. Grey, dn yon recognise your In jured hti-UuHi T It was the voice of my lord and liege, nw railed to recognise iu the moonlight. "0, Gerald!" I exclaimed, Involunta rily, as i advanced to meet him with ouistreieueu arms. io ' toueu me, madam! Tw speak to me! I'm a dishonored and ruined maul" he ejaculated, vehe mently. "Ami who wronged and ruined yow, pray?" I asked, surprised at my own calmness. "Who, Indeed, but your own corrupt and dlssembllDg self? Get your wraps I'OKTLANB, Immediately, and march right home J with me.'" Ah, If I had been as wise then as I now think I am, I might havo man aged differently. But I was afraid of Gerald; and I was yet young, and al most wholly inexperienced iu husband managing. Had I then known what I now know, ami consequently viewed facts as I uow view them, I should have said, "Where is your home, Captain Grey?" And I should have decided that I owed him no allegiance, and would acknowledge none. Had be not left me and my babes to starve? Was he not responsible for the dreadful dlsllguremeut of my baby Ger ald? And was I not justified iu snap ping my bonds? But these thoughts did not occur to me then. I only realized that I was his lawful wife, and assuch must obej him. On our way back to my hotel that night I inwardly prayed to Gad with all the fervency of which my soul was capable to strike my husband dead. I could see no relief or release for me save in his destruction; and if wishes had killed him, I could have donned a wid ow's weeds the next duy and carried out thefareeof pretended sorrow beautifully. But it was not so to be. I have no ticed, through all my later years, that the answer to a prayer depends alto gether upon the nature of the prayer itself. My husband was needy and destitute. Like many auother mau who has left his home to seek his fortune, while his wife, left behind, has been the one to make it, he had failed In every attempt to amass a competence. He was broken down and dispirited, aud iu all the wide world there was nobody over whom his perverted nature might tyrannize save his own family. Oh, that fearful night ! How my woman soul shrank from the dread en counter with the iufurlnted, jealous monster; for he was naught else In half au hour from the time he had met me on the balcony at the ball. My chil dren screamed at sight of him, and Ger ald well nigh fell iuto spasms. But he did kftt become too deeply intoxicated to understand his legal advantage over me. "What's yours is mine, and what's mine is my own.'" he said, exultantly. And he determined at once to make a sale ou the morrow and dispose of his effects, so he could remove me and the ehlldreu from the evil influences of a mighty deadfall like San Francisco. I was as one from whom all hope had fled. I saw the fruits of all my toll dis sipated by a breath. I sow myself le gally deprived of liberty and property without due process of law; ami there was uot In the world redress for me, or the smallest hope of justice. And I was In his power, too, in other and nameless ways, from which I would have gladly given my life to escape. I stole away for a little while to a cur tained corner of the lent where I could be alone, and invoked, as never in my life before, the tender sympathy of the pitying Christ. Aud I think I realized that the Crucified One was my elder brother, who, like me, had drained the deepest cup of affliction, aud yet, "as a sheep before his shearers, was dumb, so he opeued not his mouth." But for the consolation of tlie Christ principle, I must have died that night. Baby Gerald moaned and tossed In his fitful slumbering, aud his worse than baby father snored at last, in the heavy guttural manner of the hopeless inebriate. After a long while my husband rose from his couch and left the room, mut tering. I covered my head with the blankets and quaked in mortal agony. Presidency I heard a noise like the friction of striking matches. I supposed he was-trylng to light his pipe, and cov ered my nostrils to escope the perfume of the smoke. To this day I do not think he meant to set fire to San Francisco. He had nothing to gain aud everything to lose by it; but he was drunk, aud he did it. To be continued. A Boy's Affection fob, his Mother. Next to the love of her husband, noth ing so crowns a woman's life with honor as this second love, the devotion of the son to her. Aud I never yet knew a boy to "turn out" badly who began by falling in love with his ructlier. Any man may fall in love with a fresh-faced girl, and the man who Is gallant to the girl may cruelly neg lect the poor and weary wife. But the big boy who is a lover of bis mother at a middle age is a true knight, who will love his wife as much in the sere-leaf autumn as hedid in the daisied spring. There is nothing so beautifully chival rous as the love of a big boy for his mother. Bcriah Green. Josephine A. Stone, a oolored girl, who graduated from the High School at Newport, Vermont, last summer, took the gold prize for the highest schol arship irave the valedictory, and did the last two years' study in one. She Is the daughter of a cook, ami supports hereelt by her own labor. The .Boston Herald. "A vacuum would be the best place for a fellow to full luto, wouldn't ft, Bill? for then, you know, he wouldn't fall against anything." "Yes he would, though," stoutly answered Bill; "be would fall against his Inclination." Cupid "All right for you, Mlssle. So you ve married old Moneybags, aflerali! ell, you'll want me some day, and then perhaps I'll go back on you." Harper's Bazar. Free Speech, Free Press, Free People. OREGON, FRIDAY, APKIL SSO, 187S. OUE WASHINGTON letteb. To the Editor or the New Northwest: An interesting trial for murder Is in progress in our court. A Mr. Cluxtnn, In a fit of anger, threw a poker at Dr. Horner, his father-in-law, which, strik ing the latter iu the temple, resulted In Immediate death. Claxton was living with Dr. Horner, who often subjected him to most violent and abusive lan guage, aud the assault was the result of passion, iuduced by the words aud ac tions of the Doctor. It Is not likely, in view of tho palliating circumstauces attending this unfortuuate occurrence, that more will be done with Claxton than to find h'.m guilty of manslaughter, with a light sejitencti attaching. Our courts sentenced to the peniten tiary for five years it woman and two men for robblug a Mr. Bishop of his mouey and watch. He came here some three weeks ago from the West, and after filling his stomach with poor whisky, started out to see the sights. Falling iuto the toils of this woman, she took him to her rooms, and then, under some plea, induced him to ac company her to au uufrequeut street, where he was garroted by these three felons and robbed, she assisting iu the pleasant operation, and then departing with them. The police at onee, how ever, arrested all the three, who plead I guilty, thus permitting short work in disposing or them. Washington is situated between the Eastern Branch aud Potomac Itivers. The proruoutory or long neck of laud which runs down to where the two riv ers join is occupied by the government as an arsenal, at which is accumulated immense amounts of army and navy cannons and ordinance stores gener ally, and the grounds cover about fifty acres. It is uow proposed in Congress to sell these arsenal grounds to any highest bidder desiring to purchase them, and abandon Washington City wholly for arsenal purpose. We are at a loss to understand why such n sui cidal course should be pursued, for it is perfectly evident that in this place should always be magazines for supply ing our army aud navy with all the munitions of war. We are uware that Congress, under its specious spasmodic efforts at economy, commits many er rors; but how any sane member could advocate the policy that the government should not retain these beautiful and most valuable arsenal grounds is a mys tery to us, unless we remember the huge steal of a million which was involved in the sale of tho Philadelphia navy yurd and arsenal. That property sold for a million dollars less than its actuul worth, and the taint of the swindle still clings to several high o Ulcers aud mem bers of Congress, and we feel safe in charging that in the proposition to sell our magniflceiit arsenal grounds lies a deliberate attempt to rob the govern ment by a fraudulent sale similar to that at Philadelphia. Somebody Is to reap a rich harvest. There fa no reser vation in the city so attractive for its natural beauty, and bordering, as it does, upou two rivers with deep har borage along its extended fronts, it is extremely valuable for all governmental use, and we, therefore, earnestly hope that all sensible meu in Congress will interpose to prevent its sals. Our temperance people nre hard at work since Murphy departed, holding meetings all over tho District and keep ing things at a white heat generally. To their force of speakers have been added many reformed drunkards, men of considerable talent and ability nat urally, who are able to attract audiences wherever they speak, and, as a conse quence, we cannot perceive any abate ment of interest in our temperance agi tation. A. M. Nye is one of their most effective orators. He is a sou of ex Senator Bill Nye, of Bret Harte fame, and inherits much of the energy aud talent of his father, and his speeches are full of the odd originality, as well as good sense, characterizing the oratory of the deceased statesman. Charles H. Moultou, a real estate agent, about a year ago swindled our people out of nearly $100,000, and ab sconded. He had figured largely here as a business mau, handled considerable sums of money, made some fortuuate speculations, and in various ways suc ceeded In gaining the confidence of peo ple generally. But after collecting all the money he possibly could by all manner of false pretenses, even resorting to forgery, he suddenly disappeared, leaving hundreds of cltizeus iu the lurch. Became backaftera few months absence, but finding that he would be criminally prosecuted, he again disap peared, aud was next heard of iu Lon don, where he was arrested, aud, uuder the extradition laws, returned here. He lies iu our jail awaiting trial. But there is uot the slightest hope that one dollar of the vast sum he stole will ever be re turned. While It is a satisfaction to have such knaves in prison, yet It Is poor reparation for those who have suf fered so much at his hands. Several lost their all by him, and from affluence were reduced to beggary or dependence upon friends for support. John A. Grow Is being tried in New York for attempting to defraud the gov ernment in collecting unclaimed bond interest due certain persons. Grow re cently figured largely here In a forgery case for which he was indicted, but was released on bail from prison. He came here some years ago from Iowa with a reputation badly besmirched through some shortcomings in one of the land offices there, and we can but hope that New York will give him a term of years in Albany. He will get it if he comes back here, but we prefer others should save us the trouble and expense of giv ing him his just deserts. We are not down on carpet-baggers to any great ex tent in Washington City, for uineteeu twenlieths of ourcitizens belong to that class, yet we depreciate the coming iu of men of other States who should have been retained therefor service iu their penitentiaries. Our fishermen are at their nets and are supplying our markets with finest of shad whieh the mild February aud March have started fortbelr spawning beds several weeks earlier than in 1S77. The great decrease iu our shad catching, in contrast with thirty years ago, occa sions much comment, aud should It con tinue, the Potomac will in a few years be destitute of this fine fish. While we have no dams or other artificial obstruc tions of that nature to prevent fish from reaching the Hue spawning beds of the Upper Potomac, yet there Is no eilective law operative upon tho Potomac to pre vent fishermen from spreading their "gill" nets all over it, ami experieuce shows that wherever these nets are placed the entire destruction of fish fol lows. Attempts have been made by the States of Maryland aud Virginia to prevent this most pernicious system of fishing, but so far without beneficial re sults. The general government should interjiose with severe statutury enact ments. But Congress has something else to do. Felix. Washington, D. C, March 20, 1S73. A Little Sermon on Education. Mrs. Victor, who is known as a thoughtful writer, and one who does not venture her opinion without due delib eration ami research, speaks thus of our public school system in a recent letter to the Ahlawl Tiding: We educate too much. Does that sound heterodox? The facts remain, however we theorize about the benefi cial ellects of education. Learning is only useful to us iu two ways asa help to our work in the world, aud as an in tellectual enjoyment. If a man is poor, and has a family of children, who must lie supported either by themselves orso ciety, should we say that such a man should educate his family with a view to their intellectual enjoyment only? Would not a proper sense of personal dignity and honesty dictate to parents who could not give their children for tunes the safe course of giving them a business training In preference to a "high school" education, unless, indeed, they could have both ? Such, however, Is not the course adopted by the heads of families iu these days. Everybody insists on a graded school, anil all the grades, and that every child should go through the whole course, which keeps them study ing closely until they are suy sixteen years of age. Weall know that by that time the diameter aud habits are so far formed that the whole life is more or le-s biased by what has goue before. If a Imy or girl lias never beeu taught any kind of labor before that time, it will be found ditllcult business bringing them to this kind of learning after it. They are educated to be meu and women of leisure, but us they must live iu the world aud cannot labor, they must "live by their wits." It is this living by their wits that has brought about the age of frauds and humbugs. Would it not be belter to educate the hands at the same time we educate the brains, aud then let circumstances and natural abil ity decide whether the individual shall live by handwork or headwork, or both together That is my little sermon to parents and teachers, and is intended as the preventive of the prevailing hood lumlsm of which the public journals every where complain. Co OPERATION OF THE WlFK. No married mau ever prospered iu the world without the co-operation of his wife. If she unites in mutual endeavors, or rewards his labors witli an endearing smile, with what confidence will he re sort to his daily toil, meet difficulty, and encounter danger, if he knows he is uot spending his strength in vain, but that his labor will be rewarded by the sweets of home. Solicitude aud disap pointment enter the history of every mail's life; aud he is ouly half provided fur his voyage who finds but au asso ciate for happy hours, while for his mouths of darkness and distress no sym pathizing partner Is prepared. any centuries ago the mosques of uonsiannnopie wereuiirlslian churches, aud the walls were covered with paint ings eculiar to the Christian faith. The Turks covered these with a coating of plaster. This, for centuries, has been gradually aud Imperceptibly falliug otl in the thinnest possible Hakes or pow der, so' that the ancient paintings are again distinctly seen through the thin glaze left. To-day a colossal head of Christ looks down upou the Mohamme dan worshippers from the walls of St. Sophia, and iu another mosque the Ma donna is in a similar manner displayed. I lie rurKs do not trouble tliem. Personalities are sometimes severe. A gentleman said to a surgeon, "My daughter is very ill; she sometimes falls in a swoou, and continues for hours without understanding." The surgeon replied: "Well, she is not as ill as I feared, for I have actually known oases iu which people were so alllicted that they remained all their lives without understanding." A good bouy geutleuian of one bund red aud seventy pouuds will yield, on cremation, one and a half pounds of first-class ashes. Boston Globe. Fond mother "What would you do without a mother, Tom?" Tom "Do as I liked, ma." The pleasure of doing good is the only one that never wears out. Chinese Maxim. Address to the People of San Jose. Mrs. Sarah L. Knox, of San Jose, a woman who has given liberally of her means, time, and Influence iu aid of the woman's cause, publishes in the Mer cury of the 7th Inst, the following: In Wednesday's Mercury we read an article with the above heading, and as it Is a response to the citizens by the cit izens' committee, and for the purpose of selectfugacitizeus' ticket, but addressed to the people, we feel that we may be permitted to say a few words in behalf of the people who are not recognized as citizens iu this so-called republic, ex cept as tax-payers, and when any of them are so unfortunate as to commit a crime or break a law, in which they have had no part in making, then, aud ouly then, are they citizens. The committee, after speaking of the spirit which characterizes the invita tion, and urging the disregard of party, aud soon, iu n broad and liberal man ner, comes to this conclusion: That it is to the interest of the republic that there exist the most complete equality be tween her citizens, and that any policy by which class distinctions are either created or strengthened is poisonous iu principle aud dangerous iu practice. That is just our opinion; and we would like to ask the committee, us well as the citizens who appointed the committee, if it does uot look very much like class distinction wheii one-half the people, and, as they well know, a large number of the tax-paying citizens, are denied the privilege of even a voice In the so- called republic I say so-called for the reason that, according to Webster, a re public is u state in which the exerciseof the sovereigu power Is lodged in repre sentatives elected by the people. Peo ple, lie says, are a body of persons who compose a community, town, city, or nation, omen certainly compose a part of the community, and we think they are persons, notwithstanding there has been some doubts aud a difference of opiuion on that poiut. When wom en claimed'the right to the ballot uuder the Fourteenth Amendment, which says, "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and or the Stale wnere they reside," the citizens, the people, aud the law-makers said that did not meau women. Then the Fifteenth Amendment says, "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, or by any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." They tell us that don't still mean women; that means the black mau, who was re created and made a fellow-citizen dur ing the late little unpleasantness be tween the North and South. Aud there exists uow the most complete equality between that class of citizens and the other class, who a few years ago ilid all iu their power to prevent them from be coming citizens. Is it ditllcult, think you, gentlemen, for us women to see where class legisla tion and class distinction come in? It is the ballot that has made the black man a fellow-citizen, and uot his free dom. He might have had freedom without the ballot, until the lat oue of his nice was blotted out. Class distinc tions are felt by the subjects in this re public as much as iu any other, and when I say subjects I mean the women who are bound to obey laws in which they have had no voice iu making. And now, gentlemen, as you admit that you are uot iu favor of class distinctions, we ask of you iu sending your representa tives to the constitutional convention, you send those who are also opposed to class distinctions, and who, when they proclaim that all meu are created equal (which In law means women), mean what they say, aud will do all in their power for the sake of justice, truth, and the country, to make this portion of the United States what It has so long pro fessed to be, a republic, by giving wom en in California the ballot, and for once iu the memory of man let this govern ment derive its just powers from the consent of the governed. Then, and uot until then, will class distinctions be abolished. Vakietv. Variety Is a necessity of life. The man that lives upon one kind of food must deteriorate in body ; the student who gives all his thought to oue idea will become croctiety; while the devotee to a single phase of religion will in time be a bigot, which is but another name for a monomaniac. Same ness is the border-lind of insanity. There is many a man living a life of ex cessive toil or of idleness, of so fixed a routiue that be is partially insane. It should be the aim of every man to so arrange his life as to bring into it a good degree of variety, if he would se cure physical, mental, and moral health. Iu this particular, division of labor often works mischief to the individual, how ever advantageous it may be to the community. Imagiue the stupidity that must creep over the mind of a man who spends year after year pointing pins! It may be well to inquire as to whether or not the social and business framework of society is uot doing much to reduce some of its members to a state little better than monomania. Join W. Saxon, in I'opular Science Monthly. A negro minister who married rather sooner after the death of bis wife than some of the sisters thought proper aud becoming, excused himself as follows: "My dear hrederen anil sisters, my grief was greater dau I could bear. I turned ebery way for peace and comfort, but none came. I searched de Scriptures from Giulsee to Rebelatlun, aud found plenty promises to de widifer, but nary oue to de wldderer. So I took it dat de good Lord didn't waste sympathy on a mau when it was iu his power to com fort hisself; aud habiu' a fuss-rate chance to marry in de Lord, I did so, and would do so again. Besides, hred eren, I consider dat poor Patsy was just as ueau as sue wouiu eoer De." If a man does not pay two dollars tax, he must not note, because he does not help pay the expenses of the State, but if a woman pays more thau two dollars tax, she must not vote, because It would recognize a property qualification. Strange Inconsistency! The difference between a fool who has been through collegeaud a fool who has uot is that the latter knows he Is a fool, while the former does not. Cook. The aggregate amount of theSouthern claims, on the basis of hills Introduced in this Congress, is 200,000,000. A Journal for the People. lievotedto the Interests of Humanity. i 'Independent In Polities and Religion. Alive to all Live Issues, and morongui Radical In Opposing and Exposing the Wroni ot the Masses. Correspondents wrttlng over asjuraed siBnu tures must make known their naras to tn Bdltor, or no attention will be given to the' r communications. Our Letters. What is the matter? Oh, it Is th mail again! You didn't get your letter for two days after the proper date of re ceipt, and lastyearyou lostotie? "Uncle Sam uses his children dreadfully; tin post otllce is shamefully managed," and you are "goiug to write to the papers about it ?" Well, write to the papers, if you like. Every one is free to do that. But, on the whole, we are pretty well otl, as to our mail matters. If there are no trai tors in our own households we generally get all the letters tliut are written to us, if they are directed properly. When people forget to direct them at all, or leave out the uame of the city, why. naturally, mere is a little uituculty. Under such circumstances the wisest, postmaster is puzzled, and it is a casn, for the Dead Letter Office. Uncle Sam is a pretty good old uncle, a3 far as letters go. We have very little to complain of; less than your fathers had, and how much less than your great-grandfathers! Have you any of those old, yellow tetters on long sheets of foolscap, without envelope, and often crossed ? For letters cost something then, and people made them as light as possible. Ah ! they were waited for long aud sadly while the old stage coaches plodded along, or the sloop look its time from port to port; and so often this is the postscript: "I waited that I might send this by hatid, as Mr. is goiug your way and kindly favors it." Ah ! you anil I scold about a day's delay iu our letters. A month's delay was common when those yellow, crack ling relics were white, and newly writ ten by bauds long, loug ago turned to dust. You waited two days, did you? Go hack farther, before, for commou folk, there were any letters. Wait with the mother, to whom some passing stranger is to bring word from ber absent sou with the wife, at whose door a maimed soldier pauses to say her soldier sent his love, aud the battle would begin to-morrow ; and that message three mouths old, aud the war raging still, and no more news until some other wanderer brings it. Wait iu fancy for the word of love the tidings of recovery or death days, weeKs, mouths together; aud, coming back to our almost hourly mail, to the promptness aud care with which these little missives of ours fly over the lines uud are carried to doors thousands of miles away, you will feel like laughiug at the annoyance which an occasional failure causes you, aud think that you are fortunate iu living iu an age and country iu which postal arrangements are so nearly perfect. I, for one, dou't like to hear Uncle Sam abused, where he so little deserves IU He has his fail ings, but he Is very good about our let ters, considering all things. Mary Kyle Dallas, in Xew York Ledger. Bob Ingeraoll on Children's Bights. In speaking of children he said that, in his opinion, they have all the rights we have, and one more, the right to be protected. If women have beeu slaves, wbaLsbull I suy of the little children; of tk& little children in the alleys aud sub-cellars; the little children who turn pule when they hear their fathers foot steps; the children of poverty, the chil dren of crime, the children of brutality. wherever you are, my heart goes out to you, one and ail. I tell you that they nave the same rights that we have, and we ought to treat them as though they were human beings; they should be reared by love, by kindness, by tender ness, and not by brutality. When your littlecbild tells a lie. don't rush at him or heras though the wbolesolarsystem was ttoiug into bankruptcy. Be honest witli the child; tell it you have told hundreds of them yourself, and it don't pay. A tyrant win always have liars for chil dren. I thank Mother Nature that she had put ingenuity enough iu the breast of a cbild, when attacked bv a brutal parent, to throw up a little breastwork in the shape of a lie. Suppose a man as much larger than vou are as vou are than a five-year-old child should rush at you with a liberty pole in his baud, and ask you in a voice of thunder, "Who broKe that plate?" there is uot a manor woman of you but what would swear that you never saw the plate, or that it was cracKeu wnen you got H. bo, I say to you, be honest with them, and you will succeed in briuging up children who will be an honor to themselves and to you. When your child commits a wrong, take it in your arms; let it feel your heart beat against its heart; let the child know that you really and tiuly and sincerely love it. Yet some Chris tians, good Christians, wheu a child commits a fault, drive it from the door and say, "Never do you darkeu this house again." Think of that! Aud then these same people will get down ou their knees and ask God to take care of the child they have driven from home. I will never ask God to take care of my children unless I am doing my level best iu the same direction. But I will tell you what I say to my children: "Go where you will, commit what crime you may, fall to what depth of degradation you may, you cau never do anything that will shut my door, my arms, my heart to you. As long as I live, you shall have no more sincere friend." Au old bachelor was rather taken aback a day or two since, as follows: Picking upa hook, he exclaimed, upou seeiug a wood-cut representing a man kneeling at the feet of a woman, "Be fore I would kueel to a womau, I would encircle my neck with a rope and stretch it. Aud then turning to a vouuir womau, he inquired, "Do you think it would be the best thing I could do?" "It would undoubtedly be the best thing for the woman," was the sarcastic repiy. A Fossilized Fish. The fossil re mains of a fish twenty inches long, and uiue inches wide, which was discovered in the Wahsatch Range of the Kocky Mountain?, 11,000 feet above the level of the sea, has been forwarded to oue of the offices of the Union Pacific Bail road, where it may now be seen. It is a remarkably fine specimen. The Germans test the purity of milk by dipping a vell-r-,!isbd knitting needle in the fluid. , tbe milk is pure, some of it will adhere to the -needle, but if water has been added, It willrpot. How to be wise don't Imagine you know everything.