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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1875)
I 2 WILLAMETTE FARMER. i hi I Ji- Tfjc HE Circle. The Golden Side. There Is many i rest on the road of life, If we onl y would atop to tike It; And many a tone from the better Und, If tHe querulous heart would wake It. To the sunny soul that la full of hope, And whose beautiful trust ne'er falleth. The gnus Is green and the flowers are bright, Though the m lntry storm prevalleth. Better to hope, though the clouda hang low, And to keep the eyes still lifted; For the sweet b'ue sky will soon peep through, When the ominous clouds are rifted. There was never a night without a day, Nor an evening without a morning: And the darkest hour, the proverb goes, Is the hour beforo the dawning. There is many a gem in the path of life, Which we pass in our idle pleasure. That is richer far than the Jewelled crown Or the miser's boarded treasure; It may be the loie of a little child, Or a mother's prayer to Heaven, Or only a beggar's grateful thanks For a cup of water given. Better to weavo in the web of life A brlaht and golden filling, And to do Ood's will with a ready heart, And hands that are swift and willing, Than to snap the delicate silver threads Of our curious lives asunder; And then Heav'n blame for the tangled ends, And sit to grieve and wonder. Riverside. Graphic Description ol Climate, Resources, etc. Rivebsside, April 3, 1875. Mb. Cabby Evand Dkab Sib: Yon will see by this heading that I have Come Down hear to see what your prospects are hear well Carry the facts are just this I payed my old Friends a vissit last winter at Ft Wayne after living here on this side of the mountains in Nev and I cant sutch a bad cold I was forste to a warm- mer Climate eaven then Keno Nev to find relief Well I read that littee Book of yours or the one yon gave me and I thought I would go and see what you had their so I took the cars and went to San Francisco and found the old Captain Saywood and he told me whare to find the New Colllney and I came on down and here I find our Wothy friend Henery Rudlcal whitch was a source of mutch relief to me as I have an ex aulted opinion of Henery. and I am here yet and I do not know when I nhal leave here as I have not been here long aknuff for the climate to have mutch effect yet on one of your Indiana Colds The facts are Carry If l nod ot stayed tneir an winter l would of hev Dead Before to Day, Well I now suppose you are iutores in knowing what I think of ?our Colony I think it one of the Fleasantest 'laoes in the World and the heltheet I guess the Foot mus been donn here when he wrote these verces disenbeing the Celebtial World Whare he snys no chilling winds or Posinois brentb ecr roach that helthful shore Nor Sick ness nor Sorrow pain aud woe is fell and heard no more I think this country down here comes the nearest to that Happy Jjaurt ascribed by tho Poet Carry after liveing utmost fony year in the Hoosier state aud beering of the Purity of the air aud the many advantages of the cli mate to assist man on bis journey of life I quit the states to find a home eomewhure that I conld live in and not shake with the ague all anmer aud Frees all Winter so now I find my self down in southern Cnl Wbare all these dliucaltys is over com The Climate here is the most Butifull of any I ever saw the sun shines always here Everything you Plant out here never stop growing x run trees grow twelve month here wharo in Iud Four or five month is all the time they havo to grow and you hato always to wait and eaven the winters line so changed as to not alow the Peach tree to grow aud the finest of appels are most all killed out by tho Deep Fioits of the winter whitch is every year gitting worse. I find Peopel here from every state in the union and what is the most eingnler thior is no one home side all are as huppy as Larks I think I slml chango the name ot this Mew Col lony to tho Valley ot II ippynes as the little New homes of settlers are all at work Planting all sorts of trees from a RoBebush to the lofty Ceeder I hao often thaugh in my hours of rest How I would Umo a cautery mad to suit my Faucoy. Well Carry I have not in all my thaughts begun to think of one half so pleas ant as tlio one I have found here With so may Earthely Blessing the first anil Greatest of all is Helth and to escape the Cold Dreary Winters wbitoh always wind out with ltain and mud so Disagrable to a Person not accustom to it the Feopol all have one thing to mourn about and that is they (eel sorry to think they havo left some Good Brother or Fiiend Behind them but like the parable of the inun who was so unfortunate as to git into Hell he asked of the Lord to send speiial agent to warn his Brothers of sutch a Uorribal Pluoe that he had five Brothers wbitoh he was afiraid mite put of the hour of repeutats uulile it was everlastingly to late But the Lord told them of Eliga aud the Propbetts who was their as a liveing Proof ot all tho facta laid down in that Book of all Book But the Facts are Cary Evans the People have been so fooled bv desineing and Lieiug men that if one Bhould from the Dead ho would hardley be believed Now let me Bay to those of Poor'health aud wishing to find a healthy warm climate to embrace tho Best chanse ever off to the world you know now it is going in to the Southern Stabs whare all those fatal and dreaded Feev. ors exist all the year eutoh a thing as yellow Feavrr or Billions Feaver is never known on this side of the Hockey mountains you have uothiug to fear here of the Feavera that is so fatal in the Atlantick States 1 must eav somethiug about the Hot weather hear it is a different heat from any Part of the Atlantic yestourday the Theometer stood at Eighty iu the shade and their wag no complain ing with Hot weather The nites .are just cool kmiff to sleep good you gee their U all ways a cost wind that helps to make up tho butitts of. this Place and drive awny the heat the heat of the scorching gun When you Ditoh is doue and the Farmers have all this Butiful Valley yellow with Oranges and leniena and Tropbloal fruits Fecular to this climate and the Grape in full bareing and keeps us all at work to Prepare the Juoe for mans use then I will look for the oouuing of ohrist havelng flu ished his inishion on earth and gave It up to the Father!!!. the wicked to be sent to the atlantiok states -whare their is weeaping and walling and huu and cold 1 1 1. Now Carry for fear of being sent Book. I have become very sober and thought full, and I hope you will go and do likewise. The good is to be left hear on this cost. Head quarters at Riverside or Lossngeles. I cannot tell whitch Eather will do me 11 1. What wonld Ft. Wayne man say to look at eather o( these valleys I think if ne was a Preying man he would prey to be left here as his Happyneas would be grater here than any Place he could think off. Now carry ,1 have been savins a good deal, but I have not asked you how your belth is I hope you are well write soon as yon set this and let me kuow whathar yon can read his bad spelling and broken composition I will write von at length next time Good bye From yovr Friend Geo. P. Small. F. S. I do not want yon to sell all of these lota off ontill I Ret some of my Ind. folks oat hear. Fort Wayne News. The Perfection of Nature. Everything in nature is just as positive and definite as the multiplication table, which, could you reach a distant star you must find them teaching tbe children, just as we do in our village schools on this little speck of earth. The laws of the nniverse must be uniform and constant, and the smallest drop of water has its rounded form and center of gravity, the same as the world itself. Perfec tion in any direction cannot be more than ner- ieci in tne limit oi whatever its special cntirac- ter may be. The notion of infinite ability in nature is positively untrue, though in our limited knowledge, and as regards variety and application, we may so consider it, but not as to tbe laws and principles on which it acts. But "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, To smooth the Ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow, or with taper light To seek the beiuteouseyaot heaven to garnish. Is wasteful and ridiculous excess." A truly good man could not be more than truly good. To suppose, therefore, a being of infinite goodness is as foolish as to suppose his face and figure might be infinitely beautiful; for every special virtue, form or kind of beauty must be definite and limited; and if we speak of infinite folly, we simply mean that it is ex tended in quantity over the world or society, for all facts in nature are bound by laws and principles which do not admit of indefinite ac tion, except as variety in application: and even this is not infinite, though practically the notes of mnsio may be so regarded from the extent aud nnmber of possible combinations; just as in respect to words in relation to ideas. How They Kill 'em. All manner of expedients are employed to ex terminate the grasshoppers, which work such terrible destruction to the farms of the Mis souri and Mississippi vallejs. They travel so closely together, in battalions as it were, that in some places the people are enabled to drive them into long trenches and cover them np with earth; in others they are burnt by millions, after being driven npon straw faggots. Where circumstances are favorable they have been de stroyed in immense numbers by being rolled to death under ordinary field rollers. Somebody has desoribed, as follows, the man ner in which they are killed in the wheat fields of Colorado, without at the same time dsstroy ing the grain: "Suppose you were to ride by a farm and see a man moving back and forth across his wheat field with a string of fire about twelve or fifteen feet wide, suspended on runners two and a half inches above tho earth; what would you think he was doing? That he was crazy or purposely destroying his crop? That is the way farmers around here are killing grasshop pers, and tho only successful way they have yet discovered. It is a novel Bight, but makes one feel good all over to see the everlasting little nuisances hum up. It does not destroy the wheat as one would suppose. If the farm ers had known about it at the start, they could have saved tlieir entire crop." If every man would do what he reasonably could to destroy these pests, they wonld not be permitted to perpetuate themselves, or at least they could only do so in such small numbers that their ravages would be greatly diminished. To CBOCHET A BbKAEFAST Siuwi. Malta a chain corresponding in length to the desired size of the shawl around the neck. Crochet n row of double stitch on this chain, putting a stitch in each loop of the chain. Between the first and second stitches of this row attach three double stitches; between the fourth and fifth, three; between the seventh and eighth, three. Continue in tho same manner until the middle of the chain is reached where bix stitches should be made. The last half of the row is to be crocheted like the first half. The work will now appear divided into clusters of three stitches each. For the next row crotchet three stitches between the first and second stitches of the first cluster, three after it and every succeeding cluster, six between the two clusters that mark the middle, and three be tween the last two stitches of the last cluster. Eaoh remaining row to be worked iu the same manner, taking care tdways to work one cluster between the two stitches at each end of the row, and two clusters exactly in the middle. Widened in this way the bottom of the shawl will describe the two equal sides of a right angled triangle. X. 1). 8. Pronunciation. When repetition has ren dered one mode of utterance liabitual, it be comes dlflloult or impossible to pronounce otherwise. A Frenchman who has learned EngliBh subsequent to childhood, almost iu variably says "mout" in place of "mouth;' and not one in a hundred Englishmen can pro nounce the French vowel u. Neither training nor drilling, except in a few educational cases, can eradicate tbeso habits. On the same prin ciple is to be explained the invincible per versity of Cockney aspiration, and of provin cial utterance. Notwithstanding Dr. Samuel Johnsoq'a long residence in London, and his great attainments in tne .English language, (of which in his day he was veritable diotator), he retained a few Litchfield words to the last. In good natured mimicry of him, Garrlck uBed, when,squoezing a lemon into the punch bowl, to call out, "Who's for poonchf" Even Gar rick, too, notwithstanding all his accomplish ments as an actor, and his careful training in pronunciation, was never altogether able to get rid of his provincialisms; he always said "shupreme" and "shuperioT." Ladt Souool Supkbintkndknt. A widow is a candidate for the position of Sobool Super intendent of San Diego county, and will prob ably be elected; the two newspapers represent ing both political parties agee in urging her claims. The Legislature, at its last session, passed an Act providing that women, over the age of twenty-one years, are eligible to all edu cational offices in this State, except those from which they, are excluded by the Constitution, That document, referring to the State Superin tendent, speaks of "his duties," as if the offl. oer must be a man, but it oertainly does not exclude women from the position of Oonnty Superintendent or School Trustee. We do not hear of any other feminine candidates for school offlocs, though many might fill the plaoes better than they are filled now. Ex. A Bams Ciscuhstamcs. Two lives rarely ran so oloaely parallel as those of Robert and Mary Essery, who had lived for many years at Orchard Hill farm, near Biddetord, England. They had been married sixty-five years when the husband fell ill. His wife attended to him assldnonaly, and when he died she exclaimed, "Thank God, be has gons before me I" It was not long, however, for tbe old lady sank back exhausted, and died within five honn. Bath of them war verging on ninety years of age. Courtesies to Parents. Parents lean npon their children and espe cially their sons much earlier than either of them imagine. Their love is a constant in spiration, a perennial fountain of delight, from which our lips may quaff and be comforted thereby. It may be that the mother has been left a widow, depending on her only con for support. He gives her a comfortable home, sees that she is well clad, and allows no debts to accumulate, and that is all. It is consider able, more even than many sons do; but there is a lack. He seldom thinks it worth while to give her a caress; he has forgotten all those affectionate ways that keep the wrinkles from her face, and make her look so much younger than her years; he is ready to pnt his hand in his pocket to gratify her slightest request; but to give of the abundance of his heart in another thing entirely. He loves his mother, Ul course he does. Are there not proofs enough of bis filial regard? Is he not continually making sacrifices for her benefit? What more could any reasonable woman ask? Abl but it is the mother heart that craves an occasional kiss, the support of your youthful arm, tne little attentions and Kindly courtesies of life, that smooth down so many of its asper ities and make the ionrnev less wearisome. Material aid is good, so far as it goes, but it has not that sustaining power which the loving sympathetic Heart bestows upou lis onjeci. You think she has outgrown these little weak nesses and follies, and is content with the crust that is left; but you are mistaken. Every little offer of attention, your escort to church or con cert, or for a quiet walk, bring back the youth of her heart; her cheeks glow and her eyes sparkle with pleasure, and ohl how proud she is of her son. Even the father, occupied and absorbed as he may be, is not wholly indifferent to these filial expressions of devoted love. He may pretend to care very little for them, but having faith in their sincerity, it wonld give him seri ous pain were they entirely withheld. Fathers need their sons quite as much as tbe sons need their fathers; but in how many deplorable in stances do they fail to find in them a staff for their deolining years! My son, are you a sweetener of life? You may disappoint the ambition of your parents; may be unable to so distinguish yourself as they fondly hoped; may find your intellectual strength inadequate to your own desires, but let none oi tnese tilings move you from a deter mination to be a son of whose moral character they need never be ashamed. Begin early to cultivate a habit of thought fulness and consid eration for others, especially those whom you are commanded to honor. Can yon begrudge a few extra steps for tbe mother who never stopped to number those you demanded in your helpless infancy? Have you the heart to slight her requests or treat her remarks with indifference, when you cannot begin to measure the patient devotion with which she bore with your peculiarities? Anticipate her wants, in vito her confidence, be prompt to ofter assist ance, express your affection as you did when a child, that the mother may never grieve in secret for her eon she has lost. Rural New Yorker. A New Cause of Trichina) in Pork. Some new cases of deaths, due to the eating of pork infested with Trichince, which are being quoted in Western journals, should be the means of directing publio attention anew to the horrible disease of swine called trichinosis, and to the fact that when once the parasite at tacks a human being, the result is prolonged suffering, and in a multiplicity of instances, death. The worm existing iu the pork literally bores its way out of the stomach and into the muscles. It has lately been found that, swine may be come infested with triobintB through eating carrion, or even decayed vegetable substances. This is a point worth consideration by farmers, who incline to the belief that dead chickens, putrid swill, or any other filth about the place is legitimate food for the pig. The animal is not dainty in bis tastes, and will lunch off his dead relatives with infinite gusto, but it is the poorest economy to permit him to assume the role of scavenger. No milk dealer will allow his cows to eat garlic if he can help it, though the brutes are crazily fond of the odoriferous weed; and there is certainly more reason for the farmer to see that his porkers have no access to unclean food. In the one case, if precaution be neglected, the taste of the milk fa affected; in the other, the entire flesh is ren dered poisonous and dangerous food. A SoNHp Face. How sweet in infanoy, how lovely in youth, how pleasing in agel There aro a few noble natures whose very presence carries sunshine with them wherever they go; a sunshine which means pity for the poor, Bjmpathy for tbe suffering, help for the unfor tunate, and benignity toward all. How such a face enlivens every other face it meets, and carries into every company vivacity and joy and gladness! But the bcowI and frown, be gotten in a selfish heart, and manifesting itself iu aany, h not hourly iretiuinesg, complaining, iauii-nnaing, angry criticisms, spiteful com ments on the motives aud actions of others. how they thin the cheek, shtivel Ihe face, sour and sadden the conntenancel No joy in the heart, no nobility in the soul, no generosity in the nature; Ihe whole character as cold as an iceberg, as hard as Alpine rock, as arid as the wastes of Sahara! Reader) which of these countenances are you cultivating? If you find yoursen losing an your confidence In buman nature, you are nearing an old age of vinegar. of wormwood, and of gall; aud not a mourner will follow your solitary bier, not one teardrop Bnaii ever tan on your lorgotten grave. Women of Pluck. A man of much tact came to New York from Maine and made a handsome fortune. One day he came home out of sorts. He was restless at night awoke early in the morning, and was evidentlv in trouble. His wife said: "Husband, what is the matter with you r" "I am in trouble, and dare not tell you what the matter is." "Have you committed murder or some great crime ?" "Oh 1 no; no crime at all. I am afraid I shall have to fail." "Is that all? Why don't you fail then ? It can't hurt yon to suspend pay ment when no one pays you. We began with nothing, and we can start again. When times are better you will make money, and then no one can prevent you from paying your debts." "Do you feel like that ? Then I can take heart and begin anew." Even now he is on the fair way to success. Men who make business the great thing, and not simply the getting ot money, have a resouroe that never fails. A Good Example. It is mentioned as an in teresting fact, that numerous instances have recently ooonrred all over the country of the continuation of tbe husband's business by tbe widow. It shows that woman is making mate rial advanoe toward an independent position in society. The latest case is that of Mrs. 0. F. Wells, relict of 8. B. Wells, the phrenological and reform publisher, who has taken np the work where her husband left it and will con Unas the publication as tbe leading partner. Mrs. Wells was a sister of Mr. Fowler, the former partner of Mr. Walls, and haradnnatlnn has been suoh as to folly qualify her for the task aha has undertaken. Sun Worship. There is more than idle fancy in the old sun worship of the Persian and of the Mexican, the inhabitants of two regions with the diame ter of the globe between them, bnt where kin dred climate gave birth to kindred instincts. There, with the snn powerful and beneficent above them, at the touch of whose rays earth seemed to blush with bloom, like attendants upon which the winds came laden with per fume and delicious warmth, with whose reign life resolved into a mere pleasure of existence, under suoh circumstances, and with no reve lation of another form of religion, it was not wonderful that to these people the sun seemed to be the splendid shroud of a divine power dwelling within it. They saw the sun the center of the nniverse, and all things seeming to revolve around him. They saw the seed lying, for eons it might be, in the bosom of the mother earth, but never springing into life till touched by the fructify' ing power of the sun. They saw those portions of the earth remotest from bis InUnenoe wrap ped in ice and frigidness, desolation and dark ness, while between such parallels as lay per petually beneath him a prodigious vegetation and life and beauty revelled; and they felt that behind their creative power the creator himself must be ensphered the creator, the friend, the benefactor, the father of all, who when he came brought hope and joy with him, and when he went loft darkness and doubt and fear to creep in behind him. After all, it was at once the simplest and the most beautiful of the ancient and heathen reli gions. It had none of the complexity of the Grecian paganism that, a natural offshoot un der JEgean winds and skies and the artistio fancy indigenous here, beoame an utterly artificial manufacture when transplanted into the Roman atmosphere. It bad in its early form none of the mysticism of the Hindoatanee, none of the barbarity of the Polynesian and its related re ligions. It was the idea that must have sug gested itself at once to the reason and imagina tion of the primitive man in a happy and comfortable condition. It cumbered itself with no personalities, and it perplexed itself with no dogmas. Before the revelation of the truth, of a religion of self-sacrice and endeavor, nothing could have been purer or more joyous than this worship of the sun. Ex. Califobnia has a reputation of raising some large crops, but, to use a vnlgar expression, she has "been put to her stumps" by a Missouri man who recently sent a box to a physician of Los Angeles, on which was marked "Product of Missouri; one hundred and fifty bushels to tne acre; can California beat it ? " The Doc tor was anxious to see what would grow in Mis souri at the rate of one hundred and fifty bush els to tne acre, and hastened to open the box, which he was astonished to find filled with emaciated grasshoppers. Some Spells. The inconsistencies in onr orthography are something fearful to contem plate. T-o-n-g-n-e spells "tongue," and the man that first spelled it should have been hongue. A-c-h-e spells "ache," and that's all you can mache out of it. E-i-g-h-t spells "eight," no matter how von denreceicht the idea; and that a-i-s-1-o should spell "aisle," and f-e-i-g-n "feign" is enough to make any body smaisle, if the effort were not too peign ful. Tbe criminal authorities in Belgium have made a treaty with a distinguished prisoner to remit three years of his penalty in virtue of his disclosure of various methods of getting out of prison. His disclosures induced them to change all the locks on their prisoners; but why he didn't pick his way out at once and re fuse to trade his secrets for three years is per haps a Stite secret. As an indication of the aavancement that science has made recently, it might be stated that a gentleman at one of the city markets, the othor day, saw half a bushel of white turnips run through a cider mill, and half an hour thereafter saw the same article, bottled and on sale, and labeled "Pure Grated Horse radish." A wife's love is the golden chain which unites her to her husband. It has a thousand links forged by sympathy, self-respect and mutual confidence; sever but one of them and tbe chain is as completely broken as though a hundred were destroyed. The Truth Seeker states that the circulation of Beecher's paper, the Christian Union, has fallen from 125,000 to 24,000. It is not long since it was reported that the circulation had gone np to 200,000. Some difference in the two stories nearly as much as in the testimony in the Tilton case. Gold ever shines the brightest under the greatest friction. So the soul is made purer by me greatest mouisiion. What it Will Amount To. Few people have an idea, unless they have had ocoasion to look into the matter, of the sum to which a regular saving, however small, each day will amount to in a term of years when in vested at compound interest. The following table shows what would be the result at the end of fifty years, by saving a certain amount each day, and putting it at interest at the low rate of six per cent. Dally saving. The result. One cent $ 950 00 Ten cents 9,504 00 Twenty cents 19,008 00 Thirty cents 28,812 00 Forty cents.,., 33,015 00 Fifty cent 47,520 00 Slaty cents..., 57,024 00 Seventy cents 66,528 00 Eighty cents 76,03 00 Ninety cents , 85,537 00 One dollar 95,041 00 Five Dollars 475,203 00 At the average rats of interest paid by our California savings banks, these sums would be nearly doubled. This table is worthy of oareful study. It oonveys a very important lesson to everybody, and especially to the young men of the present age. Fob tbi Hobsis. A patent has recently been granted for a method of refreshing horses while in harness, which consists in making the bit hollow, and having perforations in it. A rubber tube extends from one side of the bit to the carriage, and by pressing a rnbber bag which contains water, the driver is enable refresh his horse whenever he chooses withont stopping. For saddle horses the water bag is r- --' w uu mw.dv iwv, ur uuua sue pommel of the saddle. "No eetin appuls in school ours," reads a sign on the blackboard of a school house in enlightened old Massachusetts, where education is supposed to sit on the top rail and make faces at ignorance. Ax old Udy reoently directed tbe attention "ST J noeband to pair 0f twins, remarking as sha did so, "How much those two children do look alike, especially the one this way." Yoityq Polks' Coulptl. The Ten Commandments in Verse. Thou no Gods shalt have but He; Before no idol bend the kneej Take not the name of God In vain: Dare not the Sabbath day profane; Olve thy parenta honor due; Take heed that thou no murder do; Abstain from words and deeds unclean Steal not, for thou by God art seen; Tell not a willful lie, nor love It; What Is thy neighbor's do not covet. With all thy aoul love God above, And as thyself thy neighbor love. A Little Teacher. "Oh, dear I it is so bad, and I did want to go so much, too." "What is it, Bessie ?" said Aunt Julia, seating the little weeping girl npon her knee. "Well, Anntie, you see, I wanted to go to Sallie Brown's doll's party so bad; and Ruby was all dressed in her party dress, ready to go; bnt when I went to ask mother she said I couldn't go, for it was going to rain, and there hasn't a single drop fallen yet, for I've watched not a single drop yet, Auntie." "That may be all true, Bessie, yet a great many drops may fall between this and night. Your mother knows best, dear. Go and get Ruby, and let me see how beautiful she looks in her party dress." So Miss Ruby Rose was brought, and after receiving a great many compliments, Anntie said: "Now, let Ruby He in your arms while you lie in mine, and let's talk. Look out. of the window, quick. Did you see that great big moth hovering over that flower." "Yes, Anntie, I caught one once, andthonght it wa9 a humming bird, bnt it wasn't. How still it is now, hardly moves." "Bessie, that little fluttering thing has oome to teach you a lesson. It says, 'Little girl sip the sweets. There are plenty of sweets in this world; take these, and let the bitter draft alone.' There, it's gone, bnt tbe leBson is left behind. It means, don't think so much of your troubles, and forget your good things; don't hang on disagreeable events of life, bnt sip the sweets of the pleasant fragrant flowers, for they are all aronnd us if we only look for them. But see that great raindrop; and here comes another and another here thev come, a whole army." "I'm glad I didn't go, Anntie; I staid and sipped some sweets too, didn't I ?" "Yes, darling, I hope you did, and Auntie trusts that all through life you will remember that roses may have their thorns, but they have their sweets also," Rats in the Mines. A Eureka paper has the following: Every tniuo in this township of any size and age has a large number of rats in it. The writer of this has often seen hundreds of them congregated to hear whistling or singing or to get the crumbs left by the miners after their dinners. These rats are not poor, weakly things, but are large and fat and show that tbey live on the fat of the land that is the odds and ends of candles and the remains of dinners. We once secreted several candles at the beginning of the shaft, in order to save the trouble of carrying them with us, but what was our astonishment on going to get one, to find them all gone, ex cept a small bit of wick. The rats had smelt them out and had a grand meal over our prop erty. We levied an assessment on the boss to replenish the loss. The miners never injure a rat, in fact they will protect them very zeal ously. This amounts almost to a su perstition, similar to that of the sailors. Frequently they have been tamed. Tho Eureka boys had a white one that was bob-tailed, and which used to come out very boldly and sit in the middle of a group of men upon its haunches and munch the tender bits thrown it like a squirrel would. It was a great pet of the men either one of whom would have whipped the man who wonld dare to at tempt to molest it. The rats underground ore far more fortunate and favored than their sur face cousins, for they have plenty to eat. with no fear of cats or traps, and while the surface one is either freezing or melting, the "miner rat" is enjoying an even, cool atmosphere. They, by eating np the stray bits, prevent them from decomposing, and when we think of the amount that necessarily falls from the miners' meals, this is an important item, for it helps to keep the atmosphere pure. Cheap Amethysts. There is no necessity of wearing violet colored pieces of glass made to imitate amethyst jew elry, as the genuine article is now quite oheap. The large number of amethysts that haye been thrown into the market since 1872, from Brazil, has caused a great depreciation in their value. The first lots sent to Europe brought from $500 to $600 perarroba, of thirty-two pounds weight; but as the quantity increased the price rapidly receded, and finally decreased to absolutely nothing. At present no offer can be obtained for any lots on hand. The glass imitation loses its polish very soon, and thus shows its utter worthlessness, while the real article, consisting as it does of quartz crystals colored by manganese, is so hard that it will never lose its polish. Perhaps some of our readers would like to know how to recognize the genuine from the imitation: look at the stone through a magnify ing glass, and it you see tbe least air bubble, it is glass. No real gem of whatever kind ever shows an air bubble. If there is no air bubble, it may be taken as genuine. However as there are sometimes small pieces of glass withont air bubbles, a decisive test is necessary. This consists in the use of a pieoe of an old file: if this will scratch the gem it is glass, if it does not scratch it, it is amethyst, as this is harder than steel, while glass is always softer. To Remove a Tight Finqib-Rino, In ease a finger-ring becomes too tight to pass the joint of the finger, tbe finger should be first held In cold water toreduoe any swelling or inflamma tion. Then wrap a rag soaked in hot water around the ring to expand the metal, and lastly soak the finger. A needle threaded with strong silk can then be passed between the ring and finger, and a person holding the two ends and pulling the silk, while sliding it around tho periphery of the ring, will remove the latter. Another method is to piss a niiua nf uin silk under the ring, and wind the thread in pretty close spirals and closely around the fin ger to the end that below the ring and begin unwinding. " j-fi,?" "dnB quite plentiful in the Walla Walla market. There aw also a few cherries. In addition to other vegetables, new potatoes and peas are coming in in small quantities. But all early fruits and vegetables M1wkortwoUtr " than they S'coMV9 "" hTlDg "1 f