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About Grant County news. (Canyon City, Or.) 1879-1908 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 1880)
BY KJ.AIE." On'y Fonin faded bloPvms. On which ray tears 'uJ Uwn; Only a lock of .softot li:r. Waving, mid lui?by brown. Only a heart that is bre:klnif, Yt-a. bniiIsliiK, day by day, All for an olu, -vriet lesson, Taught In a man's sweet way. Only a heart, rebellious, MlrugKliny against God's will; 0, why should you longer murmur? Peace! Peace! my heart, be fctill! You have had your dream oi lovo Whv murmur because it is done? Othr hearts htve been broken, ou'rc not the only one! 'Now, Dorothv. listen: Your sister" I frowned at this word "has heard us say how fond you are of the sea, and, by some magic, has secured you an invita tion to go down to Hastings with some relatives of hers next week." "3Ir. and Mrs. Shirley, with their two sons and daughters, Frank, Blanch and Svdney, mv uncle and aunt of Belford Hall and their family. I think Dorothy, you have heard ine speak of them," said my sister-in-law. "Yes. I have heard of them, and I am much obliged for the invitation, but I do not wish to go. Oulv a life that lc empty, Devoid of pleasure or Joy; Full of wild, bitter longings, And riel, without alloy Only fomo bitter mera'Wes That wiil come Minilng nnck, Along the hills aud vall'Va Of Time's relentless tract. Onlv a bundle of loMer?,'' Tied with a ribbon, blue; Letters tlmt drifted lntoiny life, And caused me to think him tiue. Only a heart thai is breaking, That Is, if hearts can brok; Only a life that is blighted. All lor a man's sweet sake! titan t you, was She wants to A FAIR EXCHANGE. "So your brother George and his bride have rteurned home from their honeymoon. How do you like her?" And as she spoke my old friend and schoolmate, Nellie Cranbrook, leaned toward me, and whispored the pronoun in a low, mysterious voice. It was a lovely summer afternoon. Nellie had come over to have a long gos sip with me. Wo were sitting under the trees on the lawn that sloped from the front of the house to the river brother had gone out to visit some pa tient. His wife accompanied him for a drive. My two younger brothers were off on a fishing expedition; so we had the house and grounds to ourselves for some time to come. "LikeherV" I answered, crossly; "like my brother's wife? Not at all. Has she not robbed me of my brother taken away all that made lifcprecious, and left me homeless?" "Homeless!" echoed Nellie, aghast. "Why, will sho not allow you and Johunv to live here still? Where will ? Arthur is going to Edinburgh, go you I hear?" "Oh, ves no doubt we may still here, 1 answered. My brother is our guardian. He must keep us here or find us somewhere else to live. But I don't call it home with that hateful woman in it. I shall be polite to her, of course, for George's sake, but she will always be my onemv "Is she so very horrid, then?" asked "Don't the boys get on with Nellie, her?" "Oh, yes, very well indeed. That is partly what I have to complain of," I re plied, with a bitter laugh. "She has ev idently made up her mind to tike every body's love away from me. You know George always promised that I should keep house for him when I left school. I have looked forward to that ever since paj)a died and left us in his six years ago. Well, of course, it was a great blow to me his getting married, but I put up with that. I knew quite well that I should never have left him for any man, but still I was patient, and submitted. But I did not think it would be so dreadful. She has only been home a week. George seems to worship her, and the boys really like her hotter than me, and leave me for her.' "How unkind! I can hardly believe it!" "It is true, nevertheless. Only this morning I asked them to go to the town my ungracious answer. get rid of mo now," I thought. "Not wish to go ? Why, Dorothy, what an absurd, changeable girl you are!" said George. "Last yeav you were aw fully disappointed because I could not take you, and because we could not find any one else that was going. I thought you would have been overjoyed at this prospect." "I do not wish to go away with strang ers," I answered, pettishly. And George got almost angry because I so persistently refused the invitation, and for the first time in his life, spoke hastily to me. After dinner I went to my room, that I might be alone with my own melancholy feelings. "It is quite plain to me George, too, wants me to go away. He has a wife whom lfe loves. He is happy with her, and I am in the way. Well, I will grant their wish. I will go to these people; I can't be more unhappy than I am here, and when niy visit to the seaside is end ed, I will go away altogether. I will not live where mv presence is only a re- ri rv straint upon the happiness of others." J -it:i n ii: t i vTitu lue&o lusuiubiuus, jl reiurnuu to my brother and Margaret, and coldly in formed them that I would accept the in vitation. k - 9 X- 3- "Why, what a book-worm you are, little cousin. Always reading reading. I see you are resolved to be one of the shining lights of the age. But may I suggest a change just now ? Will you come with me for a walk ?" And before I could object, with one hand Frank Shirley had taken my book, and with the other he had raised me from my favorite nook, the shade of a large, disused fishing vessel on the beach. I had now been with the Shirleys a week, and I could not help liking them all, though I had arrived at Hastings with the full determination that, as rela tives of my hated sister-in-law, though- they might be ever so gracious, I should never feel anything but cold indifference towards the whole family. But that was impossible. I was naturally of an affectionate disposition, and could not keep up the role I had proposed. They received me with a warm welcome, and tried to make me feel at home, and I soon thawed under their genial influence. "Cousin Margaret told us all about you how fond 3ou were of books, and how 3ou had carried oft' all the prizes at live He had seen the vexed flush that rose on my face, aud with that quick sympa thy which already made me half in love with him, he divined the unpleasant feeling of being depreciated, which the boy's hearty praise of his cousin awoke in my mind. "We were all very fond of cousin Margaret. Will you make my compli ments to her and tell her it is like her kind thoughtfulness, being unable to cheer us with the light of her counten ance, to provide us with so bright a sub stitute ?" said Norman, with a profound obeisance to me. I blushed, and the others all laughed at his florid compliment. We were soon engaged in merry bandinage, and the golden hours passed away only too swiftly. From that day I altered 1113- conduct. I exerted myself to please 1113' friends who had been so kind to me, and soon won the good opinion even of Sydnt3. I wrote long letters to Margaret, "describ ing my happy visit, and received an swers from her, full of sisterly af fection. And a sweeter happiness soon became my mine. Frank Shirley loved me; 1 read it in eveiy glance and tone, and in every pressure of his hand. And then a new fear arose would not Blanche be jealous? Sho was very fond of Frank; they had been inseparable companions. Would she not resent another girl taking her place, and ab sorbing his attention? True, there was Norman, who was unmistakably in love with her, but he was very bus- in Lon don; and could onty come down for a da3 at a time now and then. But I need not have feared. Blanche seemed pleased rather than annoyed at her brother's preference, and went off contentedly with her father and mother or Syd to leave us together. The Autumn TVoods. Ferns become every 3ear more popu lar for purposes of household decoration. Growing or cut, freshly gathered or pressed, the uses to which th03 are ap plied are numberless. It is a safe plan to gather them whenever you can get them, but those who can choose their time to do so usually prefer. August or earlv September, since at this time the ferns are in full maturity aud have not 3'et begun to fade. In going fern hunting it is wise to take a large book, such as an atlas or a music portfolio along in which to lay the more dolicate specimens as soon as thC3 are gathered; the commoner varieties such as the ordinary bracken bush, the ever green fern may be easily taken home to be pressed, by wrapping them in newspaper with a wet fold around the stems to keep them from wilting. Those which are to be dug up, roots and all, for transplanting should be placed as carefulty as possible in a basket. At the close of every excursion the ferns which are to be pressed should without loss of time be transferred to the drying pauer. heated at a con venient table the collector begins her work, her pile of ferns at one side of her and her paper at another. Plenty of piH)or and two fiat, smooth boards are the materials required. Books on the subject advise stout blotting paper, but strong, soft newspapers, such as the J hues for instance, make an excellent substitute at far less cost. Number one board is'laid down; on this several sheets of paper the more the better if paper is plentiful and on them the fern is laid out as nearly as possible in the natural position. au3' twisting into shajie which the fronds would not have as sumed in life being avoided. Over it a single sheet of paper is laid, and while s 11 -1 1 uueens college, said Juranic as Ave walked along. "Margaret told 3ou that?" I answered, surprised. "Yes; she gave us such an account of your talents, your good housekeeping, and 3'our love for 3'our brothers, that I can assure you we were almost alarmed at the thought of entertaining so talented and charming a hdy. Blanche was quite afraid of 3-011 at first." I looked up at Frank Shirley as he spoke; I felt sure he must be joking; but no, his face was serious as his tone. I felt humiliated. st have been dreadfully dis- "So 3'ou are going to be nrv cousin as well as sister," exclaimed Margaret, com ing into the room where I was sitting a few da3's after m3' return, with an open letter from Frank to my brother in her hand. "Naughty girl, why didn't 3-011 tell me all about it?" 'Oh, Margaret," I answered, "I was so ashamed of 1113 own cruel conduct to 3'ou.Will 3'ou forgive me?" "A illingh, 1113- dear little sis. I know 3'ou were jealous, but it; was 011I3 excess of love for the best brother that ever lived. Well, I took 30111 pet brother, and now you take 1113 favorite cousin so we will consider it, as Blanche sa3s, a fair with the right hand the plant is being exchange. Mark Twain on the Gold-Bearing "Water. 1 1 mi mn;f with me, and they both refused. They appointed when 1 arrived had both promised to take their jolly L" h,. 1 U1 lirm- .mR " fi A rflmv nnU.l liov fa,. as I tllOUg oring to the roots I managed of mv hair. row oeloro luncheon. Ut course she pretended to be very sorry, offering to give it up, asked me to go with them, and then tried to persuade one of them to go with me and one with her. But she only did that to make a show of self sacrifice. 1 could see; so I cut short the argument and left them, saying I would go alone. And alone I am likely to be. She has usurped my place in their hearts," and I burst into jmssionate tears. Nellie soothed me, and sympathized with me. I had represented nrysolf as an ill-used martyr, aud as such, in her faith ful friendship, she regarded me. "Poor Dorothy, I am so ver3 soriyfor 3011! I wish your brother had never seen her. here did he first meet her?" "At the Lyndons," I replied. She was governess to Nellie and Flora Lyndon." "Governess at the Lyndons!" answer ed Nellie, in a tone of great surprise. "Why, I have always heard such a good account of her! They said she was ex ceedingly clever and nice and amiable." "Oh, I dare say she was all that to them." I replied, angrily, "but that does not alter the case to me." And I returned to my complaints and refused to be either comforted or re futed. I did not want my bete noitc to white-washed by my favorite friend. "Have you told Dorothy the news, Margaret?" asked my brother, a few weeks after at dinner. "No, dear, I have not," answered sister-in-law, with what I rather nervous glance at me. She had been growing in iny two voudger brothers; George, now idolized her, as lads will do with a handsome, amiable 3oung woman some 3ears their senior, who pets and S3mpatliizes -with them. But in propor tion as she gained their hearts, I reso lutely shut her out of mino. I was scrupulously polite, but repelled all her advances at sisterly intimacy with freez ing coldness. "WelL vou have been kept out at be thought my a favor they with like 1 1 1 T- 1 1 11 at now dinerent had been mv description of his cousin to 1113- friends. We walked along almost without a word from me after that. I allowed Frank to do all the talking until we ar rived at the Lover's seat. Here we found Blanche and Sidno3 and an old college friend of Frank's. ISorman Montrose, who had just met them accidentally, of course, we were told, though Blanche's happy face re futed the idea on the beach. I was introduced to the new arrival, we all found seats, aud commenced that desultory chatter about nothing in par ticular which a company of 3oung people bent on enjoyment generally indulged in. "B3' the way," exclaimed Norman, suddenly, "where is cousin Margaret? Isn't sho spending her holidays with you this year?" I started at this question, and Blanche answered: "Why, didn't you knew she is mar ried?" "Married? No, I have not heard of it before. Where is her husband, that I may shoot him? I always meant to marry her myself! "Coxcomb! she 3011," said Frank, dramatically, with an amused smile at me. "You great stupids, do hold 3-our tongues," exclaimed Blanche, laughing. "She is married to Doctor George Ver non, and this 3'oung lad3'" indicating me "is his sister. We have not our cousin Margaret with us this year, but we have our cousin Dorotli3 instead. I call that a fair exchange. " How I thanked Blanche for that kind, graceful speech! And how mean my own conduct to Margaret seemed now! "But we have been shamefully robbed, none the less," grumbled Sidney, who was lying at full length on the ground at Blanche s feet, and throwing stones into the sea. "No one else is so jolly as cousin Mar garet; she was th i kindest, cheerfulest girl that ever livod; she could make the time fly, I warrant 3-011. Coming to the seaside is awfully duffing without her " 'toyd, do you want to lie pitched after him on let him water a him in had the through would have scorned Eden unnecessarily for the last two or I those pebbles ?" whispered Frank, stoop three hours," said my brother laughing, iitg over him, I have just seen 3011 r dispatch from San Francisco, in Saturda3's 1'Jceniny Post, about "Gold in Solution" in the Calistoga Springs, and about the proprie tor's having "extracted i?10G0 in gold of the utmost fineness from ten barrels of the water" during the past fortnight, by a process known onl3 to himself. This will surprise man3 of your readers, but it does not surprise me, for I once owned those springs nryself. What does sur prise me, however, is the falling off in the richness of the. water. In nry time the 3ield was a dollar a drpperful. I am not sa3ing ths to injure the propcrt3, in case a sale is contemplated ; I am onl3' sa3ing it in the interest of histoiy. It may be that this hotel proprietor's pro cess is an interior one that may oe the fault. Mine was to take my uncle Iliad an extra uncle at that time, on account of his parents d3ing and leaving my hands and fill him up, and stand fifteen minutes to give the chance to settle well, then insert an exhausting receiver, which eflect of sucking the gold out his pores. I have taken more than 811. 0(10 out of that old man in a tlay and a half. I should have held on to those springs but for the badness of tho roads and the difficulty of getting the gold to 'market. I consider that gold3ielding water in many respects remarkable; and 3ct not more remarkable than the gold bear air of Catgut Canj'ou. up there toward tlie head of the auriferous range. The air or this wind for it is a kind of a trade wind which blows steadily down through six hundred miles of rich quartz croppings during an hour and a quarter every da3 except Sundays, is heavily charged villi oxuisitely fine and impalpable gold. Nothing precipitates and solidifies this gold so readily as con tact with human llesh heated by passion. The time that William Abrahams was dis appointed in love, he used to step out doors when that wind was blowing, and come in again and begin to sigh, and his brother Andover J. would extract over a dollar and a half out of every sigh he sighed, right along. And the time that John Harbison and Aleck Norton quarreled about Harbison's dog, they stood there swearing at each other all the3 knew how and what U103' didn't know about swearing the3 couldn't learn from you and me, not by a good deal and at the end of every three or four minutes they had to stop and moke a divi dendif they didn't their jaws would clog up so that they couldn't get the big nine syllabled ones out at all and when the wind was done blowing the3 cleaned up just a little over sixteen hundred dol lars apiece. I know these facts to be ab solutely true, because I got them from a mau whose mother 1 Knew pei-buuuiiy. I do not suppose a person could bii3 a water privilege at Calistoga now at any price; but several good locations along the course of the Catgut Canyon Gold Bearing Trade-Wind are for sale. They are going to be stocked for the New York market. They will sell, too; tho people will swarm for them as thick as Hancock veterans in the South. Mabk Twain. Dresses are now made so short that the crossings are seldom clean. spread out. with the left the paper is be ing simultaneous smoothed over it. Immediate- a more sheets are laid over it, and the process repeated with ad ditional specimens uutil the ilo is suf ficiently high ; then it is topped with the second boa d and the bundle deposited with'a fort3 or fifty pound weight on the top of ail. Bricks make good weights, and they can be so distributed as to make the pressure bear equally on all parts at once; but any weight a large stone, for instance will do very well; or 3-011 ma3 put the boards under your trunk. If a great many ferns are to be dried, another set of boards and papers may bo used, but one is sufficient for quite 4 number. Next day the collector must change her papers. The pile is re versed, and the top board laid down on the table, with a sheet or two of dry pa per on the top of it. Then the half-limp flattened fern is carefullv transferred to it, and the process repeated until the whole of yesterda3's gatherings are once more in dry sheets, and the weight 011 top of them again. The damp paper is then laid out in the sun or suspended on a cord in the kitchen or other warm place to dry, and in a short time is rcadj for use. How often the changing of jia j)ers must be repeated, depends on the number of sheets that are interposed be tween each plant, tho state of the wea ther, the dryness of the room or the thickness of the fern leaves themselves; but, as a rule, half a dozen times are sufficient, and, if need be, the last two or three times may have an interval of two or even' three da3s between them. If tho plants malte the paper bulge out, a sheet or two of stout pasteboard inter posed here and there will smoth down their asperities and secure better dried specimens. In 11113 case, a little patience and neat-handedness are necessaiy to se cure choice specimens, and the ferns should not be taken out of the press until sure they are well dried. The best test of their being thoroughly dry istogcntlv bend back a littlo bit of the frond. If it is flexible, then it is better to give it another turn of the drying press. If, on the contrary, it breaks, all the sap has been extracted from it by the combined pressure of the stones and the absorbing power of the paper on either side of the specimen. Then transfer them ton large book and keep them there until ready to use them. Small ferns may bo pressed between the leaves of a book b3' tying a string around the volume to keep it tightly shut, but it is important in such case that tho ferns should be dry, and the book must be opened and examined from dav to dav to avoid injury both to the volume ami to the ferns. As already intimated, anyono with a large suppiy of pressed ferns has an almost limitless fund upon which to draw for household decoration. Window transparencies and fire screens are made - ., . n "II by framing tho lerns, artistically grouped SI1bject is a letter between two sheets of plate-glass. he chevne in reply to side-lights to a hall door may ue pruu.ii ornamented in the same way, only for this purpose, in order to obstruct the view, it is well to fasten the fern on fine white net. Bright hued flowers, such as pansios, morning glories, suarlet sage, etc., add much to the beauty of such transparencies and may be successfully dried between sheets of cotton waudmg placed between wooden boards. A cluster of ferns pinned on a lace cur tain where it falls apart has a very happy eflect, and we have seen -pretty window cornices made of a garland of ferns and autumn leaves. The maiden-hair fern looks extremely well arranged m a small basket, with a few dried bits of crimson coxcomb or bachelor's buttons. Indeed, the uses to which they may be applied is limited only by the taste and skill of the decorator. When a fernery is contemplated the ferns should be carefully dug up and transplanted in soil as nearly as possible like that in which they originally grew. As a rule, ferns require abundant moisture and cool shade, and the exer cise of a little ingenuity will soon pro vide these requirements for even a varied collection. With the help of a few pieces of furnace slag or other fantastic material, a rockery can bo erected in the dreariest cHy back yard. Sand not sea. but river sand should be first strewn over this, and then woods earth should bo packed into every crevice where the ferns are to grow. A very prett3 fernery may be made of an old tin tray. Paint it first with water proof paint, then make a foundation of gravel, charcoal and cinders and some sand not too much, however. Over this put your woods earth and plant the ferns with sheets of moss, carefullj' transplanted from the place where the ferns grew, covering the roots. Keep well watered, and you will have a thing of beauty all winter, constautly develop ing new beauties as tiirv ferns and wood plants spring up on the moss. For decorative purposes moss is scarce ly second to ferns, or oven flowers. In England it is much used for table deco ration, aud is gathered in summer and dried for winter use. It is a mistake to think that because moss is green it is of one color; you will find it of every hue bronzo and emerald shining, golden and dark purple green. Tho best way to collect it for decoration is to pull it in large tufts, which should be well shaken after reaching home and spread liglitly on newspapers for a day or two, and then again thoroughly shaken, to free them from loose bits and from insects. To keeiJ it for the winter tho sprays should bo dipped in water, dabbed diy on a cloth, laid fiat between two sheets of brown paper and iininediattdy ironed un til quite dry. The irons should be of the heat required to smooth linen; but do not prolong the process too much or the moss will become brittle. This process answers for the coarser mosses; more delicate cues should not be ironed, and the "maiden-hair" moss should not be placed in water, or the golden ex tinguishers ma3 wash off. Small, natur al!) nioss3 twigs ivy, oak leaves, acrons, lichens by occasionally being put out to be refreshed 03 rain, can be made to last for some time. The last need an oc casional rain soaking, as they become brittle and powdery when too diy. The littlo gypsy kettles that were so fashion able some 3'ears ago may be made into pretty centre-pieces by covering sticks and kettle alike with moss, as follows: Hold one of the sticks in tho left hand, take a turf of moss suf ficient large to wrap around it in the right hand and fold the moss around and over the end of the stick; pass a long piece of fine gar dening wire round it, securing the end firmly and pulling it tight, so that the moss conceals it; wind it round once more and then take a second tuft; let the end neatly overlap the first, and secure it in the same way; continue until the stick is cohered, keeping the moss as evenly and tiiitly rolled as possible. If too shagg3, trim it with the scissors. Secure the end of the wire when finished, and if tightty done all will remain firm. The handle of the kettle should be done tho same wa3 before doing the kettle. Tn covering the latter the upper edge of the tufts should be turned inside, under the tin for holding the flowers, and the first wiro tied around close under the to. A very few flowers, arranged in wet sand, will answer for filling the tin. Flower pots imny be covered in the same way; and fiat strawberry baskets, thus concealed, and lined with white papor, make very prett fruit dishes. A plateau of moss for holding dessert dishes is also pretty. A board of the desired size and shape is requisite; the edges ma3 be cut out for the dishes to fit into, or the3 may stand on it. The moss should be made as smooth and even as possible, and ma3 be of onlv one or of various hinds. The common feather moss is2)erhaps tho best. If liked, a border of gra3 lichen can sur round it, and outside of this a second of small leaves, trailing or ground ivyt Borders of leaves and ferns can be made for dishes, and wreaths of periwinkle runners, ny, I10II3' or bright autumn leaves. Ferns can be ironed like the moss, and will preserve their color, but the safest plan is to dry them as directed. Circles or strips of thin cardboard can bo covered with leaves and ferns for sur rounding dishes, and single ferns ar ranged in a pattern of the cloth. Infi nite variety can be made 03 giving time and thought to the matter. Philadel phia Times. Lieut. Sckwatka's Discoveries. New York, Sept. 20. The HcvahVs'Lou don special says: Schwatka's discover ies and Polar matters generally continue to be the leading topics of discussion in the English journals. Among the latest contributions to the literaturta on this from Commander in reply to an article m the blamlard. "It was not the Arctic re gions," says Commander Cheyihe, "that sent Franklin's men to the next world. They were murdered by the clontractor who supplied the expedition iith pre served meats. The same contra ctor fur nished Sir James Boss' expedition, to which I belonged, and the tins la belled 'Beef and 'Mutton' contained nothing but offal Some off the tins when opened contained nothilig but big knuckles of boue. Everythiiig belong ing to the animals was put in to the tins except the horns hoofs and Hides. The very entrails were there, audi when they ate them, having nothing elso, the3 had to hold their noses so offensive was the stench. If Sir James Ross and his part3 had been out another winte thoj- would have starved. I have repeatedly, in my lectures throughout England, denounced this contractor as a murdpr, and dared mm oring an action lor 11Del. I should ue giau to nave mm cio so. lor I could estauiisn tno trutn ot wuai say.' A good whiskey sling- tle out of the window a Sling the bnfc- ifter it is empty.