Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1876 — Page 6

AJN v * Anl ILIC cUUI v BjUIVAPI • emneen. ' ™u»a.

ft <**»■>>; Tb« aiMr.hfeM grace that marked ite prime. Than crowned wi’Vloom o’earller day«; For etaMefh year* lave only made More winaome all her look* and wapm.i to tier voice! Waa o'er a tone See fill! o teudor love and truth? wr O’ the gleet time tilr o’ youth? Wbat though tta light hat n«d. If In Ita calm blue depth* I see A heaven of peace and Joy instead? Bot eunnv locka-yaa th*, are changed, Tot etllf 1 bow to Ume'a beheat. , j For though the rogue baa stole the oold, I love, I love the silver beet. What could become that fair meek brow Like those smooth, lustrous bands of white? I touch them reverently, as one , Might touch an angel's crown of light; For life’s Inevitable storms— Its waves of grief, its clouds of care. Its many trials bravely borne, , Have made these treueea what they are; But praise to Him who rules the world! Good smiles beside each frowning ill— The storms, dear wife, that bleached thy locks Have made thy spirit whiter still. If thou didst seem a flower before. For sportive days of sunshine given, Thon smllest on my pathway now, The star that lights a clouded heaven. What though the lengthening shadows fall That show me near my day's decline, I fear no doom. I dread no change. While thy dear hand la clasped tn mine. Ah! they who name the women treat Know not what tboa hast been to me! One Being, on ly One. can know The holy strength I’ve learned from thee. All cares were sweet, ail burdens light, AH crosses crowns while thou wert nigh! Thv love bath taught me how to live; I'hy smile shall teach me how to die. —Sherman Smith.

A LOST LETTER.

Wk must eater the fashionable church of a properous country town. On this particular Sunday, and contrary to the usual arrangement, Alice Lahnman, the contralto, and Arthur Gilbert, the tenor, sat together on one side of the organist, Mattel Strickland and Herbert Stacy, oprano.and basso, on the other. Of these four persons, Alice Lahnman and Herbert Stacy gave the usual amount of attention to their duties; and nothing save the small coquetries and whispered flatteries common to voluntary, ana perhaps to other, choirs, interrupted their enjoyment of their own and their mental criticism of the others’ performance. With Miss Strickland and Mr. Gilbert all was different. Miss Strickland probably could not have looked plain if she had tried, but she approached it as nearly to-day as Heaven had made it possible. In Arthur Gilbert a change had taken place since his entrance into the church, which could not have escaped the observation of his companions, had they not been entirely taken up with themselves. His manner then had been radiant with such a glad, bright hojiefalness that it ought to have been a pleasure merely to look at him. On taking his usual seat beside Miss Strickland, he had leaned forward and spoken to her in a whisper—an ardent whisper, it would have seemed —received in return the frieldly B[>okeu and very distinctly audible monosyllable “ No.” A hurt and hurried remonstrance had then been answered by the lady’s crossing over and taking the seat usually occupied by Miss Lahnman. Since then she had not glanced toward him. Amazement sat at first alone upon his brow; but its place was soon divided with die indignation of feeling causelessly outraged. During the whole service he waged with himself a terrible warfare. To leave her to a long repentance—bitter enough he knew it would be—was the resolution constantly combated by the belter determination to make at least one attempt to understand her conduct. At last the service approached its close. The solemn benediction was pronounced over the bowed heads of the congregation. The people slowly dispersed. Miss Lahninan paused to arrange her ribbons, and to permit Mr. Etacy to join her, it such should be his pleasure. With downcast eyes Miss Strickland passed quickly down stairs, evidently’ desiring solitude for a companion. But after a thousand struggles with pride, Mr. Gilbert had conquered himself. He met her at the foot of the stairs, and would have walked beside her. She paused with decision. “ Do you not intend to allow me to walk with you, Mabel?” Mr. Gilbert asked, in a voice of suppressed emotion; but already’he was growing angry again. “lam much obliged, but prefer to be alone,’’ said Miss Strickland, Is it true, then, that you-were wounded so deeply? Is it possible, Mabel, that you have not yet forgiven me?” “ I have forgiven you so fully,” replied Miss Strickland, slowly and coldly, “that I have forgotten both Hie offense and the offender, Be kind enough, if you please, to let me pass.” He stepped back a little, looking at her iu wonder; but ne spoke once more, in a intense by deep feeling. • Think one moment, Mabel. Do you tea I ize what you are doing ?” “ I quite realize that no gentleman, detains a lady against her will. When it is your pleasurb to allow me I shall be glad

to go on.” “And this is our farewell?” “That has already been spoken. I hoped it had beep final.” Mr. Gilbert bowed profoundly and stepped aside. Her face was an emotionless mask; but upon his, amazement, pain and anger were plainly painted. Before Miss Strickland reaches home a very few words will throw light upon the reason—or unreason —of her conduct to her betrothed lover. A lover’s quarrel had begun, as such quarrels usually do, about a trifle. Unhappily, in this instance, the impetuosity of the gentleman, irritated by the cola pride of'the lady, had widened the breach until it had grown to formidable dimensions, each dwelling upon their own particular grievance, and each declining to take that step that hurts—the first one. But three or four days passed in this way had plainly demonstrated to each how dear was the bond with which they were trifling. Miss Strickland waited eagerly for some token of repentance; Mr. Gilbert looked anxiously and in vain for a sign that repentance would be accepted. But, after all, he knew that the initiative was his part, and, love and generosity urginghim, he took it—in an unfortunate manner. Detained from church this morning, he sent to Miss Strickland a .note full of love and magnanimous selfblame; a note that would* have touched a very much harder heart than hers. But she never received it. Sitting in her place in the choir, before service, she saw doe—the unhappy wight who blew the or-gan-coming up the steps with a note in his hand, and upon his countenance, shining with the redent application of brown soap, a look of unusual perturbation. Joe had played Mercury ere this. Miss Strickland smllai with outward encouragement and a thrill of secret Joy,' and held out her hand. Joe blushed underneath ail hii tan and freckles, became confaapd, and stamuwred something. “Why, J* it not tor me?” said Miss drawing lack her hand as if aht'had touched a burning coal. Ho, ma’am. This !n* ain’t. This is ' ,l"*brTl" Mr. Arthur Gil- ' seat thia 'n' to her ”

This wm a piece of gratuitous mendacity, caused by Joe’s embarrassment. The note was indeed for Miss Lahnman, for, by an unfortunate coincidence, Joe had had confided to his care a communication for each of the two ladies. He had lost the note for Miss Strickland, and having no Intention of confessing the fact, jumbled np names in this peculiarly undesirable manner. Counseled by angeri Miss Strickland believed him. She saw\Misß Lahnman read the note —saw her shiile and blush. After that she saw very little more during the day. And Mr. Gilbert’s words at the church door seemed, to her no more than a gratuitous insult. ‘ Four weeks passed after that Sunday without a word of explanation. Nor did she once see her lover. Time forgot bis wings, and crept on leaden feet. Mias Strickland’s face grew noticeably paler and thinner; a look of expectancy became almost habitual to her eyes and lips. The postman’s ring startled her. A sudden voice, a step quicker than usual, cent a rapid flush into her cheeks, which, fading, left her paler than before. Instead of saddening, however, she* was even gayer and more vivacious than was usual or perhaps even natural with her. But her health sank under the effort, despite her courage, and at length her mother, becoming alarmed, proposed a sojourn among the mountains. So to the mountains they' went. But now, weakened a little by ill-health from which all her pride could not shield her, Mabel beggtd for quiet—some pleasant farm-house, not the great, crowded, noisy hotel. Money can find almost anything, and they discovered the farm-house, the ideal farm-house, large, pleasant, beautifully situated, and containing, as their hostess told them, but three or four boarders beside themselves. “It would be perfect,” said Mabel, sinking on the couch when the landlady had left them—“ it would be perfect, if there was nobody, mamma, but just you and me.”

The day following their arrival Miss Strickland was too unwell to go down stairs at all; but the next evening, feeling better. she went down to tea. Mrs. Kittrell, the landlady,, casually remarked that two of her boarders had walked that afternoon to the top of a hill famous for its view. Miss Strickland, she added would find them very pleasant, lively people, and she hoped would like them. “ Oh, no doubt of it ” said Miss Strickland, with languid politeness. “ What arc their names, Mrs. Kittrell?” “ The two that I have been speaking of are from your city, too. How pleasant if you should happen to know them! They are Mr. Arthur Gilbert and Miss Alice Lahnman.” There was a scarcely perceptible pause. Miss Stickland brushed something from her shoulder. ” “I beg your pardon, Mrs. Kittrell. I know Miss Lahnman very well indeed, and have met Mr. Gilbert several times, also, though so casually I can scarcely call him an acquaintance.” Then the poor girl seemed to think it necessary to resume her old mask of gayety, though, save the two mentioned, there was not a soul within a hundred miles of her who could have imagined anything of her affairs. After tea, Miss Strickland stood a moment alone on the gallery. She noticed a narrow, grass-grown foot-path leading down the hill-side. It jvas quite lost from view among the trees at the bottom of the hill, and bending an attentive ear, she thought she heard the soft sound of running water. The shadows, the solitude, the beauty promised, tempted her. Drawing her shawl close around her, Miss Strickland walked down the path unnoticed, and seated herself upon a stone at the foot of a great tree. This solitude, these sweet sounds and vague forest odors, had all the delight of novelty.

“Ah, delicious!” she murmured. “ Here it would be possible to be almost happy!” She was quite wrapped in her own thoughts. And not until they were just crossing the brook did she notice the approaching figures of Mr. Gilbert and Miss Lahuman; they were then within two or three yards of her. Too late to retreat, she could only hope that they would pass without observing her. Arthur was talking in a lowered voice, rapidly and fervently, Miss Lahnman listening with downcast eyes and attentive, interested face. Two or three phrases 'reached Miss Strickland’s ear. “ If I have offended you,” he said, in a voice of pleading, “ still you can forgive me; because you know—you must know —that my heart belongs to .you as absolutely as my soul to its Maker.” Ah me! Miss Strickland had some glaring faults, which you have perceived ere this; but her sense of honor was real, and not worn for show. Unable to nyove away, she lifted her fingers and stopped her ears. And never was sense of honor more unhappily obeyed than in this instance. For see how it was. During these months Miss Lahnman’s comedy had had a tragic conclusion. Mr. Stacy had left for newer charms. The coquette’s heart was not much wounded, but her vanity was sorely hurt, and she was ready for any thing that would help to reinstate her good opinion of her own fascinations. By an accident she had happened upon poor Arthur’s retreat during the summer. Something she knew of the estrangement which he suffered, and more she guessed. Arthur was decidedly a catch. She made use of her beauty, her Madonna eyes, her aureole of hair. Arthur, like other sensible, candid men, was in some respects very near a fool, lie believed all her expressions and glances and timidities perfectly natural. Every day she looked prettier than the day before; the logical conclusion was, of course, that so much beauty indicated every moral excellence. Then they had been much together in happier days, and he could utter the beloved name to one who knew its wearer. All this Miss Lalinman quite approved, having no doubt heard the wise proverb respecting confidantes.

This afternoon a step had been taken which, slje felt, was leagues long. Simple Arthur had told her the whole story. And just as they had reached the brook, with a man’s egregious egotism, he even repeated the unfortunate note which he had written, and which Mabel had never received. “If Lhave offended you, still you can forgive me; because you know—you must know—that my heart belongs to you as absolutely as my soul to its Maker.” Here, as you know, Miss Strickland stopped her ears. Arthur paused a minute. Miss Lahnman lifted her blue eyes, swimming with tender pity. “ Even that," he said, “ did not move her. Ido not blame her—Heaven bless her!—but I still must think I had done all that I could do!” “Ah! how could she?” cried Alice Lahnman. Her white hand rested for one brief minute in mute sympathy upon his arm. Then she blushed and looted down. It is really true that some women can blush at will. And though Miss Strickland could not hear, she could see. She somehow did not or cculd not turn her eyes away. “Uh, pardon me!” murmured Miss Lahnman, with confusion as natural as her blushes. “ But I feel so sorry for you! If she ever had loved you how could she have treated you so!” “That is Just what I say,” said poor Arthur, very disconsolately—he had never strhl it at all, by the way, for he knew that she had loved him well. 4 ‘l think, alter all, that she may have mistaken herself. It was possible, was ft not, Alice ?”

Arthur, who had long ago worn out resentment and anger, merely wished to hear himself contradicted; a pleasure he did not enjoy. He had no weapon lo match the untaught subtlety of mademoiselle, lhe born cbquette. They did not stop above three minutes beside the brook. When they were well out of earshpt, Miss Strickland released her hearing from prison. Al this moment she did not look like a proud woman. She sank back listlessly against the tree near which she had placed herself, and covered her face with her hands; a few tears trickled fthrongh her fingers. All nerveless, her altitude spoke more eloquently than words. She knew at last that her hope had not been dead, but sleeping, for now its death-throes rent her bosom. But effort and resolution accomplish miracles yet. The days.rolled on, and autumn was past; Christmas drew near Miss StricKland had long since returned home, and to herself; she recognized the fact that the grace and bloom of. life were gone for her; and also she recognized the more important fact that life’s uses aud duties remained. The feverish gayety that had marked her conduct for awhile was gone. In its place shone a steadier light—the cheerful acceptance of things as she found them. She went into society as much as ever; was perhaps more than ever admirCfl there. And it is certain that her mother and herself were drawn nearer together than ever before. In the performance of certain routine duties Miss Strickland found hersClf at the church the day before Christmas eve. The ladies of St. James took infinite pride in their Christmas decorations, and half the feminine congregation were gathered on this occasion, with a slight sprinkling of the less ornamental but perhaps more efficient sex. Mrs. Grey, the rector’s wife, was there —a little woman, chirrupy as a bird, selfimportant as a honey-bee queen; well liked, pretty, and full of suggestions more poetical than practical. Miss Lahnman was there, Arthur Gilbert, Herbert Etacy, Joe—the dirtful spring of woes unnumbered—aud fifty more, with whom we have nothing to do. “There!” said Mrs. Grey, finally, turning to the group about her. “ I think, al last, that it promises to be really beautiful.” All agreed with her. There was quite a chorus of satisfaction, with some looking toward the door, for it was growing

late. ‘ r There is one thing more that must be done, however—that certainly must be done," said Mrs. Grey, with her usual dainty emphatic utterance. “Poor Joe’s bench must be furbished up a little. The cushion must have new material. As it is, it is simply disgraceful.” “ But, dear Mrs. Grey, what does it matter? It doesn’t show’.” Thus remonstrated a practical one. “ We must not make clean only the outside of the cup and platter,” returned Mrs. Grey, smilingly, but still feeling herself the rector’s wife. “Mr. Gilbert, will you loosen the old covering for me ?” As in duty bound, Mr. Gilbert would turn upholsterer with much pleasure. “Here is a hammer—heavy, but I think you can use it.” —lt strained Mrs.—Grey’s muscles, and, you perceive, she thought those of Her cules would have been tense beneath the weight. Arthur, laughing, took the weighty affair, averring that he thought he could wield it by the exercise of all his strength. He went up stairs. “Or no. Miss Strickland, pray be kind enough to take him this one. The one he has has no—l don’t know the name - nothing to take out tacks witlf.” —777Miss Strickland did not seem to hear. “ I will take it, dear Mrs. Grey,” said Miss Lahnman, with great obligingness. But this little lady always preferred her own arrangements, however trivial. “No,” she answered. “I want your sweet taste about the placing of the calla lilies. You will oblige me, Miss Strickland, will you not?” “ I will, take it to Mr. Gilbert, since you wish it,” said Miss Strickland, not without annoyance. “ Thank you. Come, Alice, my dear. Joe, come and help me lift the vases.” Miss Btrikland walked up the steps very slowly. She hoped that Mr. Gilbert’s task would be accomplished before she could reach the top. For, in addition to other objections, she elt her errand rather ridiculous. But he did really experience some vexatious hindrance through lack of the proper instrument, and was swearing a little, very softly and unconsciously, under his breath, when Miss Strickland said, just beside him: “ Here is a better hammer, Mr. Gilbert. Mrs. Grey told me to bring it to

you.” “Thank you,” he answered, coldly. “ I am much -obliged to Mrs. Grey, and of course to you, also, Miss Strickland.” “Not at all to me. I would not have brought it but that she insisted.” It was only about a hammer and a piece of green cloth. But so oddly is life compounded that this was the most overpowering moment of their lives. Never since that fatal Sunday had they stood one moment alone together. Never since then had either spoken one voluntary sentence to the other. I have not the art to tell all that filled their hearts as they stood silent. For silently they uia stand a moment. Miss Strickland-had tried to turn and go down stairs-again, but bor hnad was n little giddy, and, raging at herself for her unnecessary agitation, she still found if would be wisdom to remain an instant where she was. Mr. Gilbert did not glance toward her again. He was afraid to do so. She stood so near him! Her dress touched him. That meaningless contact thrilled to his very soul. He, too, called himself a fool, and invoked inaudible anathemas upon himself. But his heart was ■ one wild pain. He took the hammer she had brought, lifted it _with pnaecssary force; and brought it down—upon his own fingers. “Oh!” cried Miss Strickland. It was hardly more than a breath, but the tender monosyllable, surprised from her lips, spoke so much! She stretched out her baud instinctively, and drew it back with a painful blush. “It is no matter,” said Arthur “It did mot hurt me.” And indeed he scarcely felt it. He used the hammer oqge more, with better effect, loosening an odd, roughlooking piece of wood that held the faded cloth. The cloth fell down, and a little cloud of dust rose. Something rustled and fell on the floor at his feet. “Ah!” said he, “ here is an old letter. How long has it been there, I wonder? It is yellow with age.” He was thankful to the letter for being there. It gave him something to say. But it was only with dust it was yellow. Eight months had it lain there, holding its little secret against the time of disclosure. And the time had come. He glanced at the address, and saw, in his own bandwriting, Mabel's name. He opened the note without speaking. V \ I don’t suppose it ever did really happen that a man’s heart stood still—until it stood still forever—or that a man’s living blood ran ice. But ice and fire seemed in his veins for a moment. His look frightened Miss Strickland. “ What is it?” she said, forgetting herself. “Do you remember,” he said, in a voice that was not Arthur's voice—“do you remember the last Sunday that we' sang together?” “Yes, I remember. Oh—” “Didyou have a note from me that

morning?” he asked, in the same strange voice. “I? A note? Oh no!" “ Here Is the note that I sent you that day. Will you read it now?" What do wc there? That taste of heaven—more, that taste of heaven after a black and bitter draught—belongs to them alone. Every body down stairs forgot them, except Miss Lahnman. Fifteen minutes passed. Then Miss Lahnman, not being innately a lady, and no longer able to curb her curiosity and her jealousy, came softly up the stabs. “ What an age it takes to remove a piece of cloth!” she cried, as she came up. Some of the sweetness was out of her voice. Irony and apprehension did not tune it well. “We want your opinion about the wreaths fpr the chancel. Was the second hammer a success?” This she added as she turned the corner and came in sight of them. “ Entirely a success,” Artnur answered. “ It has been worth its weight, not in gold, but in diamonds.” He was sitting on Joe’s bench, with somewhat such an air as if it had been an imperial throne. Miss Strickland was replacing some hair-pins, and her face was that of the goddess of morning—celestial, rosy red. Some time after this, Mr. Gilbert enjoyed the pleasure of an explanatory interview with the ingenuous “blower.” Without alarming his inventive powers by any reference to the lost note, he contrived to Jparn from that qrtless youth one or two facts which threw some light upon its fate. “Awhile ago,” said Joe, “that ’ere piece o’ cloth —no sense anyhow—got loose and tripped me up a time or two. And down I came—bang! once, when Mr. Grey was a-prayin’. I didn’t catch it then, I guess! Oh, no! he never said a cross word in his life. He wouldn’t." But these eulogies were explained and commented upon by appropriate expressions, which left no doubt that his remarks were entirely ironical. He further stated that, in a zealous mood, he had then improved tire condition of his bench hy nailing the cloth fast, and by nailing over it a strip of wood to hold it down. All unconscious of the letter that had slipped from his pocket between the cloth ana the cushion, he had thus locked up for a little while this key to two destinies. Joe was surprised at the conation which rewarded thia .information. But still it obtained his entire approval. This was a mode of expressing approbation of his merits which he understood and appreciated.—Harper’s Weekly.

Mrs. Potts’ Dissipated Husband.

One night during the recent troubles in the Pennsylvania coal regions- Judge Potts’s brother, Thomas Potts, was round at a meeting of mine-owners, and afterthe aajournment he stepped into a tavern. While there he met some old friends, and in the course of an hour or two he got very intoxicated. On his way home he lost his hat, and a miner who knew him, feeling compassion for him, clapped on his head a miner’s hat; and in order to make the dark street look brighter he lighted the lamp in front oft the hat. When Potts reached the house his wife had gone tty bed and the lights were out; but Potts felt certain the lamp was burr ing in the hall, but he couldn’t for the lift of him tell where it was. He looked at the regular lamp and it seemed to be out; then hunted in every direction for the light, but he was unable to find it, although it seemed to shine brightly wherever he went. Presently he happened to stop in front of the mirror in ,the hat-rack, and then he saw precisely Where tire light was. After a brief objurgation upon Mrs. Potts for leaving a light in such a place, he went up to the mirror and tried to blow it out. He blew and blew, but somehow the flame burned as steadily as before. “That,” said Potts, “is the most extraor’nary lamp's ever been my misfortune t’encounter.” Then he took off his coat, and holding it in front of him crept cautiously up to the mirror, and tried to crush the coat over the lamp which still burned brightly. He said: “That’s cer’inly very extro’nary! moz ’stonishin’ circumstanz ever come un’er my obzervation. Don’no how t’count for it!” It occurred to him that perhaps he might smash the lamp with an umbrella. Seizing the weapon he went up to the hatrack, and, aiming a terrible blow at the light he brought the umbrella down. He missed, and smashed his Sunday hat into chaos. He took aim again, and caught the umbrella in the lamp overhead, bringing it down with a crash. Then he tried a third time, and plunged the ferrule ot the umbrella through the mirror, smashing it to atoms; he felt exultant for a moment as the light disappeared from his vision, but lie was perplexed to find there was another light somewhere, he did not know exactly where. So he sat down on the stairs ana remarked: “Moz’ ’stonishin’ circumstanz ever come un’er my._.Qhzervatiom Whaten thunder doz it mean an’how?” Light’s gone, an’ yet it’s shinin’! Perfectly incompre’nsibler Wish t’gracious Mrs. Potts ’d wake up an’ ’splain it. Dura ’f I know what I had bet’er do. ” Then Potts took off his hat to scratch his head in the hope that he might scare up aa idea, and the truth flashed upon him. Gazing at the hntfp for a moment, until he drank in a full conception of the tntuble it had caused him, he suddenly smashed it down on the floor in a rage, and extinguished it after covering two yards of carpet with grease. Then he went t<s bed, and in the. morning Mrs. Potts informed him that som? of those awful miners had broken into the house the night before and left one of their hats with a lamp. Potts turned over in bed so that she could not see his face, and said if the stern band of the law wasn’t laid upon those ruffians soon nobody’s life would be safe. — Green, Mountain Freeman.

They Were Taken In.

Yesterday afternoon two young men named John Cameron and Thomas Fran zier arrived in this city from Boston on their way to California. They put up at the Hatch House, and started out to view the town. Near the Board of Tradebuild ing they were joined by a gentlenpanly individual, who asked them the way to the tunnel. Of course they “ gave themselves away” by stating that they were strangers, and another equally fascinating young man coming up, the four strolled along: The strangers asked the Boston representatives if they had money, and being an>. swered in the affirmative, suggested that it would be well to change their greenbacks for gold. The verdants fell in with the idea, and, when one of the amateur philanthropists mentioned that he was a clerk in a bank and could get the transfer made without expense, they immediately handed over SIOO, alTthey had, to their new-found friend. The latter entered a building near the corner of Clark and Washington streets, and when the Massachusetts men had waited about half an hour for his return they became alarmed, and notified the police. As they were compelled to leave on the evening trains all that could be done was to give a description of the bunko men, and the two deluded ones, who fortunately had through tickets to California, will strike that favored State without a cent either in cash or currency.— Chicago Inter-Ocean. Among new food products may be noticed the condensed cottage cheese now offered upon a Commercial scale in the New York market. It has been received with favor by the cheese trade.

Mind In Plants.

’TI» iny faith that every flower —-T Knjoya the air 11 breathea." So wrote Wordsworth long ago, and very often the poet's prophetic spirit anticipates result* which slowly-demonstra-ting Science arrives at only after many years of patient observation and logical deduction, is it possible that Wordsworth's faith in the capacity of vegetation to enjoy was really such an anticipation, that lite consciousness which enjoyment presupposes is in any degree a function of plants* —r- - There is certainly a growing disposition" on the part of scientific men to accept such a position, and the evidence Jn support of it has already become too abundant to be overlooked or despised. As Dr. Forbes Winslow has remarked, vegetable life is so universally assumed to be, as a matter of course, unconscious, that it appears to many a-mere foilv to express a doubt of the correctness of the assumption. But, he continues, let a close observer and admirer of flowers watch carefully their proceedings on the assumption that they not only feel but enjoy life, and lie will be struck with the immense array of facts which may be adduced in support of it. Endow them hypothetically with consciousness, and they appear in a new and altogether different aspect. Ilis conclusion Is that they are undoubtedly in the same categoryTn fins’ respect with the lower forms of animal life, respecting which it is impossible to determine whether they have conscious’ness or not. Dr. Lander Lindsay goes further, and regards mind and all its essential or concomitant phenomena as common in various senses to plants, the lower animals and man; and he backs his belief with a cogent array of evidence, which, while it fails to demonstrate absolutely his position, shows very clearly the drift of scientifle opinion. Dr. Asa Gray, after speaking of the transmission of the excitability of sensitive plants from one part of the plant to another, the renewal of excitability by repose, and the power which the organs of plants have to surmount obstacles to positions favorable to the proper exercise of their functions, goes on to say that, when we consider in this connection the still more striking cases of spontaneous motion which the lower algae exhibit, and that all these motions are arrested by narcotic or other -poisons—the narcotic and acid poisons producing ejects upon vegetables respectively analogous to their effects upon the animal economy—we cannot avoid attributing to plants a vitality and U power of making movements toward a determinate end, not differing in nature, perhaps, from those of the lower animals. Probably, he adds with characteristic cautiousness’ life is essentially the same in the two kingdoms; and to' vegetable life faculties are superadded in the lower animals, some of which are here and there indistinctly foreshadow'ed in plants. Darwin has observed in the arosera rot undifolia a faculty for selecting its food, which in animals would certainly be attributed to volition. Mrs. Treat has described the same trait in the plant. On being deceived by means of a piece of chalk, the drosera curved its stalk glands toward it, but immediately discovering its mistake, withdrew them. The plant would bend toward a fly held within reach, enfold it, and suck its juices; but would disregard the bait if out of reach, showing not only purposive movement (or a refusal to move, as the case might warrant), but also a certain power of estimating distance. —:—--

Again, Darwin has shown that the more perfect tendril bearers among climbing plants bend toward or from the light, or disregard it, as may be most advantageous. Also,"that the tendrils of various climbers frequently attached themselves to objects presented to them experimentally, but soon withdrew on finding the support unsuitable. He says of the bignonia capreolata that its tendrils “soon recoiled.with what I can only call disgust," from a glass tube or a zinc plate, and straightened themselves. Of another bignonia, he says that the terminal part of the tendril exhibits an odd habit, which in an animal would be called an instinct, for it continually searches for any little dark hole in which to insert itself. The same tendril would frequently withdraw from one hole and insert its point in another. In like manner, spirally twining plants seem to search for proper supports, rejecting those not suitable. Speaking of phenomena of this sort, Dr. Lindsay makes this strong remark: “In carnivorous and climbing plants, there Is a choice or alternative between action or inaction, acceptance or refusal; and the choice made is not always judicious. There may be an error, and the error may be corrected; but in order to such correction, there must surely be some kind of consciousness or perception that a mistake has been committed: an exercise of will in making further efforts at success, and a knowledge of means to an end, with their proper adaptation or application.” According to Prof. Laycock, organic memory is common to both animals and plants, and certain lianas seem to exhibit in it a marked degree in their antipathy to certain trees. The botanist Brown has remarked that the trejgs which the lianas refuse to coil round are physically incapable of supporting the climbers. And not only do many plants act, as sne-might say, rwassmably,. hut .so me exhibit the opposite quality. In his “ Vegetable Physiology,” Prof. Lawson speaks of the eccentric movements of the side leaflets of hedysarwm gyrans, which make it appear as though the whole plant were actuated by a feeling of canrice. In many cases observers are, no doubt, self-deceived, and mistake a mechanical and wholly unconscious mimicry of intelligent action for an actual exhibition of intelligence; still such men as Dr. Gray and Mr, Darwin are not apt to be deluded by mimicry or figures of speech ; and however much it may run counter to popular notions of what is proper to plant life, the hypothesis that intelligence does not end with animal life seems by no means inconsistent with a multitude of trustworthy observations. - Scientific American

Over a Thousand Shots a Minute.

Th 6 history of the Gatling gun is familiar to all, but a stock company is now being organized in this city to provide for placing upon the markets of the world a military machine that is capable of firing over a thousand shots per minute, and Can sweep a field from right to left or vice verta without having the position of the carriage shifted, There are six barrels (as with tbe Gatling gun) but they revolve and are discharged by the turning of a crank which propels the hammer. The cartridges are strung on a strap, sev-enty-five on each. When one is exhausted it can be replaced by simply slipping a hook. But one man is needed to operate tbe murderous weapon, and if perchance the enemy should storm the works, and the operator should see that he could not destroy or delay the advancing columns until reinforced, he could disable the gun by sin’ply taking out the lock and putting it in his pocket as he fled the field. This would prevent his own gun being turned upon him—a decided improvement over the common cannon^— which have to be spiked. The inventor is Mt. T. L. Bailey, late of Shelby County. He has letters patent from Washington on the gun, and a special patent on the lock, and has applied to the great powers of Europe for patents. The model now on exhibition has been tested by the Mavy and by the principal manufacturers of

uurms in the East. Liberal propositions to manufacture the gun to fill any responsible foreign or borne order have tieen made by the leading manufacturers in this line. It is the plan of the inventor to form a Joint stock company of $250,000 and take subscriptions of $50,000 to pay for the making <>f two machines and the introduction of the engine in Europe and elsewhere where the population is to be reduced by civilized warfare.—lncbianapolie Sentinel.

A. Persecuted Candidate.

■“No, sir, I'tt never run for office again,” said Judge Pitman, just after the last election in our State. “ You know when they came and asked me if I’d accept a nomination to the Legislature, they told me that the whole community wanted me to run, and that I was certain to be elected because 1 was‘a man whose character .was so good that nobody could find fault with it. I thought so myself, and I agreed to run; and accordingly they nominated me. Well, sir, the very next morning the Argus came out with an assertion that I had been detected in stealing chickens, and it gave a full history of the case, together with pictures of the chickens, and after darkly hinting that since abandoning chicken stealing I had been continually engaged in other forms of robbery, it asked if the people of this State wanted to see a chicken-thief making laws for them. And the mischief of it was that I did hook a couple of chickens from my grandmother’s coop when I was a small boy, but how’n the thunder they ever found it out beats me. It was fifty-two years ago. “ Now look at my nose! 'Taint much of a nose for beauty, is it ? ’ 1 know well enough that it’s crooked. But nobody ever alluded to it until I was nominated, and then the Argus said that there was a tradition that 1 bad the nose mashed around sideways during my career as a prize-fighter, although some people insisted that ! had run it hard against a door while I was drunk. And then all the illustrated papers in the State began to publish pictures of me with a nose like the jib-sheet of an oyster sloop, only twisted around sideways, until I looked as if I was tied to half a ton of crooked proboscis, and one ot them said that when 1 sneezed on the front porch the concussion acted like a boomerang and blew the back door open. —. “And then they tackled me about my war record. You know I was out with the militia. And the Argus published a. letter from a man who said that during the battle of Gettysburg I was hid in a refrigerator in a cellar in the town pretending that I wits ordered there to mount guard over some rations of cold beef. And the Argus asserted tnat the only miltary maneuver I was ever good a't was falling back; that •whenever the enemy was expected to be approaching I always made a bee-line for Nova Scotia, and never turned up until after the light but once, and then we were surprised, and I fired my musket so wildly that. I shot our own Colonel in the leg and surrendered to an Irishman who belonged to our regiment and who came up to me to borrow a plug of tobacco. To tell the truth, I wasn't much of a fighting man, but how in the mischief they found out about that refrigerator gets me. Awful, isn’t it? I wouldn’t have minded it so much only they got up a poster and stuck it around the streets, and headed it * Pitman’s War Record,’ and put on it a picture of me with a monstrous, lopsided nose, sitting inside that refrigerator gnawing at a bone out of the roast beef.

“And then, as the campaign went along, they accused me of having delirium tremens, of beating my wife, of wiping my nose on my sleeve, of robbing a bank, of selling my dead aunt to a medical college, and of holding the doctrine that the whale didn’t swallow Jonah, and that when Moses crossed the Red Sea he paddied over in a boat. The Argus said that if my wife dared to tell how I treated her the community would be filled with horror, but anybody might see for themselves who would notice that her back hair was all thinned out, and it said that I had a wen on my leg that unfitted me for active duty anyhow, even if I had not forfeited all claim to public confidence by turning my grandfather out of doors when he was dying of consumption, and then setting my dog on him and making the aged man roost in a mulberry tree on the coldest night last winter for fear of being eaten up. “People began to avoid me on the street. The general impression prevailed that 1 was a desperate and hardened villain. I might have stood that, but you know the way they levied on me for expenses was awful. There was that brass band. 1 kept that band in luxury for three months; and it used to come around and serenade me three nights in the week, and wake all the babies in the neighborhood. I lost 200 votes in consequence of those wakened babies. Then the clubs would come and call me out for a speech, and when I would get through I would have to ask them in to a feed, and they would stay there and howl until four o’clock in the morning, and get drunk, and tight, and smash the furniture, and bleed over the carpets. Then they would assess me for a mass meeting, and adjourn. I handed out cash for posters, and rum, and brass bands, and barbecues, and fireworks, and torch-light processions, and transparencies, and for flags, and the Argf/s all the time accusing ,me of buy ing up votesand having repeaters in my pay. “ The night of the election the brass band and the club came around to congratulate me on my success, and after having a final spree and a concluding riot in the parlor, I went to bed, glad 1 had won anyhow. The first thing 1 saw in the Argus in the morning was the announcement that the hoary-headed chick-en-stealer had been beaten by 2,000 majority, and would have to keep his eccentric nose at home-, and spend his time in reflecting that a free people would never elect to a responsible ortico a man who would tree his consumptive grandfather and traffic in the remains of his aunt. So that lets me out in politics. When I run for office again, you chuck me right into an insane asylum.”— .Wax Adeler, in If. Y. Weekly.

Uncle Daniel’s Sharp Son-in-Law.

Mn. Drew had a daughter who was a widow and very rich. Her father was trustee, and had the handling ot her money. He kept her money with his own and it was all mixed up financially and speculatively. The lady married a minister, and the father did not object, supposing that a simple-hearted minister wouldn’t look very closely into the manner in which his wife’s money was invested. He had a rich wife, and that was enough. The man had an eye to business, and as soon as the honeymoon was over he began to overlook his wife’s estate. He did not believe that it was wise or safe that a woman’s property should be floating about the street. He called Mr. Drew’s attention to the matter, demanding an accounting, and insisted that his wife’s property should be immediately and safely invested. The great bear was astonished and indignant, and reminded the minister that he had better attend to his own affairs. He thought that rescm ing his wife’s property from the maelstiom of speculation, and guarding her against bankruptcy and want, was apart of his business. He pressed the matter till his point was carried, and now the schedule of Mr. Drew’s debts does not embrace a million or two .due to his daughter—2V. Y. Cor. Bottom Journal. Great Britain imported $3,000,000 worth of potatoes last year. J «

A Remarkable Eruption.

At the foot of Sugar-Eoaf Mountain, on the east aide of the Htidson, near the northern entrance to the Highlands, is the handsome summer residence of the Widow Wade. Opposite in the Hudson is Pollipell’s Island. The ground on which the Wade mansion is located ih 800 or 1,000 feet above the level of the river, the background being Sugar Loaf Mountain, 1,000 feet hijdier. A strange occurrence took place within a thousand ieet of the house yesterday afternoon. / While James McManus, the railroad flagman, was in the reek out north at three p. in., he heard a sipghlur noise, a sort of rattling or crackling. To use his own words: “I thought the Btorm King was tumbling.” Jn a minute afterward there was another rumbling and rattling louder than the first, almost Immediately followed by a third report. Said he: “I - have heard powder explosions and sharp claps of thunder, but I never beard such a noise as that." He ran .south to ascertain the cause, and found the railroad track for 500 feet covered with stones and bowlders, and sunflsh and perch. He looked up the hill and saw a hole 300 feet in width and fifty feet in depth, and from it fully 50,000 tons of dirt and sand had, to al’ appearances, been lifted up ami hurled into and across tlie cove.below. The cove is 500 feet in width, and the avalanche swept through it and over it to the Hudson River Railroad track, tearing down fences and covering the track six inches deep with stones, dirt and fish. Huge trees were hurled in every direction, and the water the entire length of the cove was disturbed. At seven o’clock in the evening there was another report, and another mass of earth was hurled to the cove below. A eight o’clock yesterday morning there were two more reports, and more dirt was displaced. What is stranger still, almost immediately after the last reports, a torrent of water burst from the bottom* of the cavern, from where the-earth had been hurled, and plunged down the side of the hill, cutting a ravine five feet deep in less than no time, and the volume of water is increasing hourly. When the fact is stated that there is no pond oi stream near the spot, except one a mile back of Sugar Loaf, the sudden appearance of so large a stream of water from the bottom of a cavern fifty feet below the surface of the ground is remarkable. Trees thirty feet in height were carried to a distance of 1,000 feet. Scores of people visited the spot to-day, but could not satisfactorily explain the occurrence. It was not a land-slide. It certainly looked like an eruption, for to all appearances the thousands of tons of earth must have been forced upward and outward to the cove below. The result of this upheaval can be easily seen from the Windows of passing trains. All around the chasm the ground was undisturbed except where the immense mass of earth stuck to it as it tumbled into the river. The indications are that »here will soon be another upheaval there, and the trackmen are watching the track closely. The occurrence has revealed tons of the finest sand where it was thought no sand existed. — Poughkeepsie (N. Y.) Cor.N. Y. Sun.

Admission Tickets to the Centennial.

The tickets of admission to the Centcn nial Exhibition will be but Of two kinds, complimentary and those for exhibitors, persons employed in the exhibition and the press. In the issuing of the former it is especially noted that it is not intended to compliment persons, but only the offices of trust or honor which they may happen to hold. These tickets, therefore, will only be issued to public officers. They will be printed on heavy bond paper in square note-size sheets The design will be, on the first page, a female figure of America, seated on a globe, with a palm branch in her hand and by her side a cornucopia. Beneath will be the words “ United States International Exhibition, Philadelphia, opening May 10, closing November 10, 1870. Complimentary.” They will be signed by the President of the Board of Finance, tlte President of the Commission and the Director-General. On the third page there will oe a request to the holder that he will deposit his card on entrance as a basis for future statistics of the Exhibition. The tickets for exhibitors, the press, etc., will be on fine card, in the form of a twoleaved book. Round the center space on the inner pages will be a border of geometrical lathework cutting, while around that will be three rows of numerals, corresponding in number with the number of days the Exhibition will be open. Around these again is another lathework border. It is intended that one of these numbers shall be punched on the first daily entrance of the holder. Each time he leaves the ground after his first entrance he will receive a pass or return check. This is noted on the left leaf ot the ticket. On the right inner page there will be an oval in the center surrounded by stars and ornamental lathework. In this oval the holder will be required to insert liis photograph before Ist June, and he is reminded of this by the words in this space, “Not good atter June 1 unless the regulation photograph of the holder be inserted in this place." Under the photograph space are tho words, “Not transferrable, forfeited if presented by any but the proper owner,” On. the first or title-page outside will be.the title, “International Exhibition,” with the holder’s name, his class, his country and serial number. On the fourth or last page there will be a lathework medallion with the warning, “This ticket will not be renewed if lost." The border on these two pages, as well as on the inner pages, will be elaborate lathework. Arrangements have been made by the committee having charge of the to have the photographs taken bj’ the photographic company on the grounds and a number ot other photographers outside, at a reduced rate. — Philadelphia Press.

Coptic Weddings.

A gentleman who witnessed a Coptic wedding in Cairo sayS that when the two brides entered the room they were guided to their places. There was not the slightest sign of recognition between them and their respective bridegrooms, and from the beginning to the end there was no more slim of life in them than if they had been two mummies. There was a great deal of swinging of censors, and the priests, one after the other, read and spelled a ceremony in Coptic, a language that is little understood even by the Copts themselves; but it was not until the service drew to a close that anything was said to the two couples, when an embroidered scarf of some Hch texture was handed to the officiating clergyman, and this he bound round the head of the bridegroom, and then passing it directly from the crown of his head repeated tbe process of winding it about the head of the bride. After this the priest placed a kind of crown or frontal aiadem of gold on the head of each person, which was worn until the conclusion of the ceremony. The priest also received and blessed two rings in each case, for the bridegroom and bride, and then, after what appeared to be an exhortation, the brides were ledjaway by their attendants, and the two bridegrooms descended to attend the entertainment of their, gdesta. . JIt is never too late for amule to serve his country. An ahimal of the kind, thirty-eight years old, kicked a thief to death in Georgiatrrthe other night, and fifteen 1 dollars has already been subscribed as a sinking fund.to buy oats. "