L "J
The Golden Days Departed.
O voices still beneath the churchyard sod,
Bright eyes that glistened from behind long
lashes.
Warm beauty early given back to God,
Bed lips that now are ashes!
Ah, so it is! all that hath ever been
Experienced by the spirit is immortal;
Each hope andjoy and grief is hid 'within
The memory's sacred portal.
And yet the soft glow ot midnight hour,
A strain of haunting music sweet and olden,
A dream, a bird, a bee, a leaf, a flower,
A sunset rich and golden
Can fling that portal open ; and beyond
Appears the record of each earlier feeling ;
All hopes, all joys, all fears, all musings fond,
In infinite revealing.
Till all the present passes from the sight
Its cares and woes that make us weary
hearted, ,
And leaves us basking in the holy light
Of golden days departed.
MARIETTE'S HAUL
Little Marietta had long yellow hair
It was so long that it fell almost to
her knees whenever she pulled her
comb from it and tossed her head, like
a bird shaking its plumes. It was as
yellow as ripened grain and showed
golden lights that made one imagine
that it had caught and imprisoned the
light of the morning sun whose rays
had indiscreetly lingered to kis3 her
white shoulders as she braided her
hair before the window. Ah, the
beautiful tresse3 of Mariette! Many
youthful gallants dreamed of them.
Among these was Jean, a young man
of twenty, and one fine day Jean and
Mariette were married.
Jean was a clever, merry youth, who
looked upon life as if it were a good
farce. He was gifted by nature with
a talent for drawing. It was by this
talent he expected to make his way in
the world.
Well, Mariette and Jean were mar
ried. "Why? Because they loved each
other, of course. Jean, who treated
Mariette as a comrade, carried his
heart in his hand. One evening, when
they had clasped hands for a longer
time than usual, Mariette found his
heart in her little palm. The giddy
headed Jean had forgotten it To
punish him, Mariette kept it. That is
the whole story.
The day after their marriage Jean,
after searching his pockets, found
three francs.
"They will not last us very long,
he said.
They hardly lasted until dinner,
which was somewhat abridged. Jean
and Mariette, however, recovered
themselves at supper a supper of fond
caresses and kisses.
Two days afterward Jean was sur
prised by the receipt of five hundred
francs. An uncle who lived in the
provinces had sent it to him as a wed
ding gift. After having pinched each
other to assure themselves that they
were not dreaming, the couple began
to lay their plans, and talked of buy
ing everything in Paris. Mariette
was the first to become serious.
"Give me the money," she said. "I
will take care of the cash box. It is
necessary for us to economize and
think of the future."
Jean', with a royal gesture, handed
her the bank notes, and took no more
thought of the money. One thought
only troubled him a little. When he
went'into the street and saw himself
in the large glasses of the store win
dows he found that he had a bourgeois
appearance and he was constantly ex
amining himself to see if he had not
reduced his obesity somewhat. Then,
in order to make himself slender, he
would run about Paris searching for
work.
At the end of a fortnight Mariette
began to experience great uneasiness.
It could hardly be believed the 500
francs were nearly exhausted. Was it
possible? Was there not some magic
under it all? Mariette became grave
and reflected a long time.
"You know," she said to Jean in the
evening, "it is eight days since you
have had work."
"I know that very well," he replied.
'But why that serious air? Have we
no more money ?"
"Yes, yes," she answered, "only a
man ought not to be doing nothing.'
"You are right. I will look for
Work, but it is not easy to find."
Eight days later Mariette became
very anxious. She could no longer
conceal from herself the fact that star
vation was at hand. She said nothing
to Jean, knowing that he was doing
his best to find work. She tried to
imagine what would be the end of this J
terrible misery. She began to prac
tice the most extreme economy.
At the end of a week Mariette had
become a most prudent as well as a
most clever manager.
One morning, as Jean was about to
depart, Mariette was seized with a fit
of weeping. One hundred sous only
one hundred sous were left only
enough to last two days and then!
Decidedly everything looked black.
She made her toilet, however, but not
without sighing. As she was putting
up her hair before the glass she found
that she had no hairpins left
"Another expensel" she groaned.
When she went into the street she
entered the shop of the hairdresser at
the corner to buy a package of hairpins
for two sous. The hairdresser was
busy in a corner of his shop braiding a
plait of blonde hair which was fastened
by a nail to a wooden head.
"You have no need of that," he said,
glancing toward Mariette's hair.
"No; fortunately not," replied Mari
ette, "for that must be dear."
"Oh, it costs twenty-five francs."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, for the labor of arranging it,
you know, brings a good price."
"To be sure! But the hair alonet
that is worth something?"
"Indeed it is! This now is worth fif
teen francs."
"Fifteen francs! How much would
mine be worth on my head?"
"Let me see it."
Mariette drew out her comb, and, as
she shook her head, her luxuriant hair
fell about her.
"Ah," exclaimed the hair dresser, "a
beautiful head of hair."
Then, suddenly restraining his en
thusiasm as he scented business, he
added:
That . is worth well, a hundred
francs would pay you well for it Do
you wish to sell it?"
"Not to-day," replied Mariette, as
she put up her hair, "but one of these
days, perhaps. For some time it has
tired my head very much."
"But we could arrange not to cut it
all at once. I would buy it by the
piece.
"That will be a good idea. Well, we
will see."
And Mariette went homeward in a
thoughtful mood. Jean had just re"
turned for dinner.
"Jean," said Mariette, with a little
laugh, "do you know what the hair
dresser below has just proposed to me ?"
"No."
"He wishes to give me a hundred
francs for my hair."
"What an absurd idea "
"Oli, I don't know! When our money
gives out that would be a resource
worth thinking of."
Jean suddenly worked himself into
an angry passion, saying that if ever
she did such a thing Well, what
would he do? He did not know, but
Well, anyway, only a woman could
have thought of such an absurd idea.
Mariette made no reply. A fort
night later as she wa3 combing her
hair, Jean, who had forgotten some
thing, hastily entered the room.
"Goodby," he said, embracing his
wife.
Then he suddenly paused.
"Look here! This is strange. One
would say your hair was falling out'
"Do you think so?" answered Mari
ette, drawing her hair through her
hands. "Yes, it has seemed to me for
some time past that it has been falling
out somewhat."
"Then buy a hair restorative."
"Bah! they are worthless."
Eight days afterward, as he leaned
over the bed to say goodby to Mariette,
who was rather lazy that morning,
Jean said:
"Decidedly, your hair is becoming
thin; you have not nearly so much as
formerly."
"Yes, yes," replied Mariette, sinking
back and burying her neck in her pil
low; "it falls out continually. Well,
when I have none left you will no
longer love me!"
"You deserve not to be loved for
saying so. But be patient If I con
clude my negotiations to-day we will
bring back your hair. I promise you
that"
At mid-day Jean returned, entering
the room so hurriedly that he failed
to close the door behind him.
"There," he cried, "the bargain is
concluded. It appears that I have
talent, talent enough. I am engaged
for 300 francs a month Peru and
Golconda! And to begin with, I have
received pay for half a month in ad
vance. Look at that! I am rolling in
wealth 1'
And the triumphant Jean threw five
Louis on the table.
Mariette, astonished, looked at him
with s dmiration.
"But" said she suddenly, "why have
you all those bottles?"
To restore your hair, madame," re
plied Jean. "I have a dozen bottles of
the best hair restorative. I have rifled
all the perfumers."
"And for that?"
"Yes. I paid only fifty francs; no
more.
Mariette almost fell to the floor.
"Ah! you have done a fine thing!"
she exclaimed.
"How so?"
"Why, my hair is not falling out.
Here, look at it"
And, taking her hair in both hands,
she pulled it without moving a muscle.
Then, as her astonished husband
stared at her, with open mouth, she
broke into a hearty laugh.
But Jean suddenly approached her,
and, seizing her hands, thrust them
aside. '
'It is not possible!" he said, in a
changed tone.
"Why not possible?" answered Mari
ette.
"Cut! You have cut yo'ir hair?"
"Well, it was necessary to live, as
we were out of money a month ago."
Jean for a moment remained silent
and motionless. Then he tenderly
pressed his wife to his bosom and
kissed her forehead.
As she let him do this without say
ing a word, Mariette perceived two
large tears fall upon her hair.
"Ah, foolish fellow!" she said, "be
reasonable. My hair will grow again
have no fear for those two tears will
do it more good than your dozen bot
tles of restorative." Joseph Montet,
Strange Antipathies.
The following are a few of the more
striking manifestations of that unac
countable feeling of antipathy to cer
tain objects to which so many persons
are subject, and with instances of
which in a modified form, perhaps
most people are acquainted:
Erasmus, though a native of Rotter
dam, had such an aversion to fish that
the smell of it threw him into a fever.
Ambrose Pare mentions a gentleman
who never could see an eel without
fainting.
There is an account of another gen
tleman who would fall into convul
sions at the sight of a carp.
A lady, a native of France, always
fainted on seeing boiled lobsters. Other
persons from the same country experi
enced the same inconvenience from
the smell of roses, though particularly
partial to the odor of jonquils or tube
roses. Joseph Scaliger and Peter Abono
never could drink milk.
Cardan was particularly disgusted
at the sight of eggs.
Uladislaus, King of Poland, could
not bear to see apples.
If an apple was shown to Chesne,
secretary to Francis I., he bled at the
nose.
A gentleman in the court of Emper
or Ferdinand would bleed at the nose
on hearing the mewing of a cat, how
ever great the distance might be from
him.
Henry III., of France, could never
sit in a room with a cat.
The Duke of Schomburg had the
same aversion.
M. Vangheim, a great huntsman in
Hanover, would faint, or, if he had
sufficient; time, would run away at the
sight of a roasted pig.
John Eol, a gentleman in Alcantara,
would swoon on hearing the word
lana, wool, although his cloak was
woolen.
The philosophical Boyle could not
conquer a strong aversion to the
sound of water running through a
pipe.
Lo Mothe le Vayer could not endure
the sound of musical instruments,
though he experienced a lively pleas
ure whenever it thundered. Glasgow
Times.
The Germans are steadily increas
ing their navy. They have lately add
ed 25 torpedo boats, and many larger
vessels are now in course of construc
tion. ' It is estimated that one voter in
seven cannot write.
FISHING FOR PORPOISES.
An Industry Which Recently
Sprung into Existence.
How the Porpoises are Caught and Their
Carcasses UtiL'zei
A new industry which has been
prosecuted with a fair measure of suc
cess during the summer, and gives
great promise of developing into a
large and prosperous business in the
near future, is the catching of por
poises in the Delaware Bay. The idea
was conceived by a number of Wil
mington fishermen.
A seine is used, which is necessarily
very large, extensive and cumbersome.
It is about 1000 yards long and is con
structed in three separate sections,
which, when in the water, forms the
section of a circle, .the shore making
the connecting cord. The net is deep
enough to almost reach the sea bot
tom. The whole structure forms a
bag, the limits of which are contract
ed as the haul is made.
The school is surrounded by the pon
derous seine, and men then grasp it at
each end, and tug it ashore, slowly and
cautiously. The fish, feeling them
selves being drawn to the beach, strug
gle frantically and desperately for life.
They plunge with violence into the
meshes of their netted pen, and in wa
ter with depth enough to admit of
their swimming strongly, they usually
break their way through the heavy
ropes, and go bellowing into the deep
water.
The scare among them and the ex
citement is intense. They lash the wa
ter into a foam, and savagely plunge
at the net or aim to leap over its
corks, snort . blow and bellow like
mad creatures. When excited and
aroused, the lazy, sleepy creatures are
possessed of wonderful strength and
animation. Perhaps in one haul twen
ty fish may be netted, but it is infre
quent that more than 25 per cent of
the haul is landed.
However powerful in the water, the
fish are absolutely helpless, and practi
cally dead, the instant they are landed
on the beach. As soon as they are
ashore the "sticker," with his large,
sharp butcher-knife, appears upon the
scene, and inflicts a deep wound in the
porpoise's neck, much in the same
manner as a pig would be butchered.
The carcass is taken directly to the
boiling houses, where they are skin
ned. The blubber, which is the most
valuable part of the fish, comes from
the carcass with the skin. It is, in
the average, about an inch in thick
ness. This is scraped from th3 skin
into tubs, and dried out into oil. Each
fish, in condition, will yield from
twelve to fourteen gallons of excellent
oil, for which there is always a ready
market at from eighty-five cents to $1
per gallon. A very valuable and fine
oil, which is used on watches and deli
cate machinery, is extracted from the
head of the fish. It is worth about
$8 per gallon, and each head yields
about two ounces.
The skin after being cleansed of the
blubber is ready for the tanner, and
they readily bring $5 each. Out of
porpoise hide very fine leather is made,
a quality that takes color nicely, dress
es beautifully, and is employed in mak
ing some of the finest novelties. The
carcasses are not put to any use as yet
they simply being prepared as a fertili
zer. Experiments with the fiesh of
the porpoise go to show that it is very
good for food, being both tender and
palatable. In some respects it resem
bles beef, and some who ate heartily
of it aver that it is quite as enjoyable
as a rib roast. It has a slight gamey
flavor, something like venison,- and
there is an entire absence of the fishy
taste.
Two cents per pound has already
been offered for all carcasses of the
catch by New York parties, who in
tend preparing it-for mince meat,
which will divest mince pies of their
repulsive mystery. Occasional orders
have been filled for good cuts of the
fish from Philadelphia and New York
restaurants, and it is probable that
in a short time there will be a demand
for all the fish caught. ;
Each porpoise is estimated to be
worth $20 per head. - The aggregate
value of five week's result was $3740.
The outlay, including all the expenses
for the same time, was less than $1000.
Philadelphia Press.
Two Peeps at Slam.
It is not a long circuit from the gate
of the Captain's garden to that of the
famous temple, but even that short
distance shows us a few sights which
would be sufficiently amazing in any
other part oi the world. A native
house is gravely coming up the river
by itself, the father steering it with a
long oar, while the children watch its
progress from the steps of the ladder
leading down into the water from the
veranda. Under the shade of a hug
banyan tree, half a dozen bare-limbed,"
desky Siamese boatmen are playing a
kind of aboriginal lawn-tennis, using
their feet instead of their hands to keep
up the ball. Just beyond them a small,
native child, with nothing on but the
ornamental wreath which encircles the
bristly tuft of black hair surmounting:
its otherwise shaven head, is admiring
a magnificent butterfly, almost as large
as a sparrow. A little farther on, a
group of amphibious youngsters are
playing in the thick, greasy, soap-colored
water, as Western children might
play on land, while just across the riv
er we espy a flotilla of light canoes,
laden with fruit and vegetables, and
manned by Siamese market women,
who keep up a perpetual clamor ot bar
gaining as shrill as a chorus of angry
parrots.
But the moment we pass the deep
lowbrowed gateway all this bustle of
busy life vanishes as if it had never
been. With one stride we go from the
present to the past. The mighty ruins
that start up through masses of cling
ing foliage in the gloomy depths of the
Java forests, could hardly look more
lonely and forsaken than this strange
old fortress of Eastern superstition.
Upon every foot of its damp, slimy
courtyard, its gaffed, crumbling walls
and storm-worn pillars, its dark tomb
like galleries," its voiceless cells and
shattered images, lies the brand of
grim and irrevocable desolation.
Red Cloud's Speech.
Red Cloud, the well-known Sioux
chief, visited the government school
for Indians at Carlisle, Pa., and ad
dressed the scholars in his own lan
guage. A prize of three dollars was
offered for the best translation of this
speech. We give a portion of the suc
cessful report, made by Luther Standing-Bear:
"You seem like my grandchildren;
and now I went pass through the
shops and saw what you can be done.
I saw the shoe-maker, harness-maker,,
tailor, carpenter, tinner, blacksmiths
and they all doing well. Here you-
se9 I wear aboots which is you make it
I was surprise that the blacksmith
doing very good. Also the girls can -washing
clothes and sewing. AlsoI
went pass through the schoolrooms
and I saw some of you can write very
fast, and read, and I was glad. Now
this is the thing what we send you
here for, to learn white men's way
There is two roads, one is good and
one is what we call a devil road. An
other thing is, you know, if who do
nothing, just put his hand on his back
and lie down, so any dime not come to
in his pocket itself, so you must do
something with your hands. Now
you must not home-sick any; but you
must try to be good and happier." St.
Nicholas.
Autumn Leaves.
Maple and oak are most desirable;
sumac and ivy must be gathered after
the first slight fiost or the leaflets will
fall from the stem. Ferns may be
gathered at any time. The leaves
when gathered should be placed in a
large book; this may be made of com
mon newswpapers with pasteboard
covers. Immediately after gathering ,
take a moderately warm iron, rub
white wax over it, and apply to the
surface of each leaf. Do not press,
the leaves with the iron too long, or
they will become perfectly flat. Very
pretty transparencies are made by
placing a bouquet of autumn leaves
between two pieces of bolrinet lace,
which are kept in shape by bonnet
wire, and bound with bright-colored
ribbon. A bird cage of autumn leaves -with
a stuffed bird in it is a pretty or
nament for a winter room, though a .
live bird in a wire cage would be in
some respects more desirable.
Off the Gulf coast of Texas is the
Padre Island, containing 350,000 acres, '
and owned by no one knows whom.
There are scores of claimants to the
title, some of whom have already in
duced credulous Englishmen to sink
$100,000 in ideal schemes of improve- CY
ment. , :