Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1884 — Page 2

Mmlo^Tnweet'little spot In a doll little room— Kudo «aw et little spot tor o dap and an boar. *1 tIOD Veil, Uttie till, whet's the fete of e flower? The blossoms she save him—indeed, they were f*tr: Bnt 1 tuink that the least of the giving was there. In that \esc by the window—the look in her face—(Her lender, end yo -thful, end delicate grace— The voice that Ji st trembled In gentle replies. The look and the light in her uplifted eyes— Ah! these, to my thinking, were d arer by far . Then ever the 1 drest of May-blossoms are. The blossoms shegave him—you ask, little Lil, With a lip that is quivering and bine eyes that fill— IT they faded? 1 hey aid—no occasion to cry ! For they bios-omed again where I can’t have them die— Theee ros ate tints on your soft little oheek, In a manner mysterious certainly speak Of a bunch of pink blossoms, fresh tom from the tree. That in eighteen and sixty your mother gave me. A PLKA FOR SALAD. Make me a lobster salad, lhe last of the summer's make; And make It Ut to tempt a man Whose heart Is about to break. For the end of the season is on ns. And the bitter days have come When the beer gives place to the calid Scotch, And the hot, hot, hot spiced rum. And the chill of the coming winter Makes heavy the autumn air. And the sparrow twitters upon the branch That is bleak and brown and bare. The Joy of summer ts over. The gladness of sea and sky. And nature weeps o’er the season gone. She weeps—and so do L So me a lobster salad. Sweet memories back to bring; For lobster salad in winter time Is a dead, oold, clammy thing. -Puck.

HIDDEN STRENGTH.

In one of the prairie town, of North•ern Ohio, where the Illinois Central Kailroad now passes from Dubuque to Sioux City, lived a woman whose experience repeats the truth that inherent forces, ready to be developed, are waiting for the emergencies that life may bring. She was born and “brought up" in New England. With the advantages of a country school, and a few terms in a neighboring city, she became a fair scholar, not at all remarkable. She was married . t twentv--one to a young 1 aimer, poor, but intelligent and ambitious. In ten years, after the death of their parents, they -emigrated to lowa, and invested their money in land that bade fair to increase in value, but far away from neighbors. Here they lived, a happy family, for five years, when he died, leaving her at the age of thirty-five, with four boys, the eldest nearly fourteen and the youngest nine. The blow came suddenly, and at first was overwhelming. Alone, in what seemed almost a wilderness, she had no thought of giving up the farm. It was home. They must stay and do the best they could. The prospect of a railroad passing near them, in time, was good; then some of the land might be sold. A little money ad been laid by—nothing that she ought to touch for the present. Daniel, the hired man, who had come out with them, and who was a devoted friend and servant, she determined to keep—his judgment was excellent in farm matters. Hitherto the boys had gone regularly to school, a mile or two away; for a settlement in lowa was never witnout a school-house. They were bright and quick to learn. Their father bad been eager and willing to encourage them. Newspapers, magazines, and now *nd then a good book, had found their way into this household. Though very fond of reading herself, with the care of the house she had drifted along, as so many do, until the discipline of study or any special application had been almost forgotten. It was the ambition of both parents that their sous should be well educated. Now Jerry and Thede, the two eldest,. must be kept at home during the summer to work. Nate and Johnny •could help at night and morning. The boys had always been trained to habits -of obedience. They were affectionate, and she knew < hat she could depend upon their love. One evening, alone in her bed-room, she overheard some part of a conversation. as the children were sitting together around the fireplace. “I don’t mind the work,” said Theodore, “if I could only be learning too. Father used to’say he wanted me to be a civil engineer." “If father was here,” said elevenyear old Nate, “you could , study evenings and recite to him. I wish mother could help; bat, then, I guess that’s mother’s—" “Help how?” she heard Jerry ask, sharply, before Nate could finish the sentence, and she knew at once that the boy was jealons for her. “Isn’t she the best mother in the world ?” “Yes, she is, and she likes stories, too; bnt I was thinking, now that you -ean’t go to school, if she only knew a lot about everything, why she could tell you.” “Well,” replied Jerry, with all the ■gravity of a man, “we must just take hold and help all we can; it’s going to be hard enough for mother. I just hate to give up school and pitch into work. Thede, yon shall go next winter. anyway." “Shan’t we be lonesome ‘next winter?” cried Uttie Johnny, who had taken no part in the conversation until bow; “won’tmother be afraid? I want my father back,” and withont a word of warning he burst into tears. Head silence for a few minutes. The eutfmrst was so sudden; she knew they were all weeping. It was Jerry again who spoke first : “Don’t let mother see us crying. Come, Johnny, let’s take Hone and all go down to the trap and she heard them pass out of the Deesolation fell upon (he poor woman lor the next hour. Like a knife Hate’s remark had passed through her heart. “Father could have helped!” Couldn’t she help her boys, for whom •he was ready to die? Was she dnly “mother," who prepared their meals and took care of their clothes? She wanted a part of the very best part of their lives. She thought it all over

sitting up far into the night If she could create an interest in some study should bifid them all together, and in which she could lead I Was she too old to begin? Never had the . desire’to become the vary center of interest to them taken suoh a hold upon her. A few weeks after, she said one morning at the breakfast table: “Boys, I’ve been thinking that we might begin geology this Bummer and study it, all of us together. I have found a text-book; by and by Thede can draw a chart, perhaps. Jerry will take hold, I know, and Nate and Johnny'can hunt for specimens. We have an hour or two every night.” The children's interest awoke in a flash, and that very evening the question discussed was one brought by Nate:

“What is the difference between limestone and granite?” A simple one, but it opened the way for her, and the first meeting proved a success. She had to study each day to be ready and wide awake for her class. They lived in a limestone region. Different forms of coral abounded, and other fossils were plenty. An old cupboard in the Bhed was turned into a cabinet. One day. Nate, who had wandered two or three miles, brought home a piece of rock, where curious fingershaped creatures were embedded. Great was the delight of all to find them described as orthocoratites, and an excursion to the place was planned for the next holiday. Question after question led them back to the origin of the earth. She found the nebular hipothesis, and hardly slept one night trying to comprehend it clearly enough to put before others in a simple fashion. Her book was always on hand. By and by they classified each specimen, and the best of their kind was taken to shelves in the sitting-room. Her own enthusiasm in study aroused, and far from hardship, it now became a delight. Her spirit Was contageons. The boys, always fond of “mother” wondered what new life possessed her, but they accepted the change all the same. She found that she could teach and also inspire her pupils. They heard of a gully five or six miles away where crystals had been found. Making a holiday, for which the boys worked like Trojons, they took their lunch in farm wagons and rode to the spot; and, if the search was not altogether successful, it left them the memory of a very happy time. In the meanwhile the farm prospered. She did all the work in the house, and all the sewing; going out, too, in the garden, where she raised a few flowers and helped to gather a few vegetables. DaDiel and the boys were bitterly opposed to her helping them. “Mother,” said Jerry, “if you won’t ever think you must go out, I’ll do anything to make up. I don’t want you to look like these women we see sometimes in the fields.!! .....

She generally yielded; her work was enough for one pair of hands. Through it all ran the thought that her children were all growing up; they would become educated men; she would not let them go ahead, not so as to pass her entirely. Winter came. Now Daniel could see to the work; but these habits of study were not to be broken. “Boys, let us form a history club,” was the proposition; “it shan’t interfere with your lessons at school." They took the history of the United States, which the young children were studying. Beginning with the New England settlements, and being six in number, they called each other for the time after the six States, persuading old Daniel to take his native Rhode Island. “That woman beats all creation,” he was heard to exclaim, “the way she works all day and goes on at night over her books." The mother said she hardly knew if she were any older than her boys when they were trying to trip each other with questions. The teacher of the district school came over one Saturday afternoon. _

“I never had such pupils,” said he, “as your sons in history; and indeed, they want te look into everything.” Afterward he heard with delight the story of her evening’s work. The deep snows often shut them in, bnt the red light shone clearly and bright from that sitting-room window, and a merry group was gathered around th > table. Every two weeks an evening was given to some journey. It was laid out in advance and faithfully studied. Once, Theodore remembers, a shout of laughter was raised when 9 o’clock came, by Jerry’s exclaimation: ,p Oh, mother, don’t go home; we are all having such a good time!" Five years they lived iff this way. and almost entirely by themselves. They studied botany. She knew the name of every tree and shrub for miles around. The boys made a collection of birds’ eggs, and then began to watch closely the habits of the birds. It was a pure simple life. It would have been too wild and lonely but for the charms of this devoted mother. Her hours of loneliness were hidden from them, but she learned in an unusn&l degree to throw every energy into the day’s work of study, and create, as it were, a fresh enthusiasm for the present hour. Her loving sacrifice was rewarded. Each child made her his peculiar confidant. She became the inspiration of his life. English history opened a wide field to this family. One afternoon she brought in Shakespeare to prove some historical question. It was a rainy day and the boys were all at home. Jerry began to read "Hamlet” aloud; it proved a treasure that brought them into a new world of delight. Sometimes they took different characters for representation, and the evening ended in a frolic, for good-natured mirth was never repressed. First of all preparation had been made for the Sabbath. There was a church in this town, bnt at a distanoe several miles, and during many day* roads were not passable. She had leaned upon Infinite strength, gathering wisdom through all their experiences. The secret of many a promise had been revealed to‘her understanding, and above everything she desired -that the Scriptures might become pre-

K*..'.l- ■ . - 1 cious to her children. Sho took up the Bible characters, bringing to bear the same vivid interest, the seine power of making them < realities. These lesaains were varied by little sketches, or reports of one Sunday to be read aloud the next. Of this Nate took hold with special tost None of this family ocjuld sing, bnt she thought of a substitute. They learned the Psalms, much of Isaiah, and many hymns, repeating them in 'concert, learning to count upon this hour around the fire as others do upon the music. How many of those times came to her in after .life —a vision of the bright faces of her boys as they clustered affectionately around her. Time tolled bv. A railroad passed through. A village sprang up and the land was ready to sell. She could keep enough for her own use and the boys could prepare for college. Thede and Nate went away to school. The old home was kept bright and plead&nt; friends, new settlerß came in, and now there was visiting and social life. Jerry stayed on the farm; Thedore became an engineer; Nate a minister; Johnny went ihto business. Thedore used to say: “Mother, as I travel about, ail the stones and flowers make me think of you. I catch sight of some rock and stop to laugh over those blessed times.” 7

Nate said: “Mother, when I am reading f psalm in the pulpit, there always come to me a picture of those evenings, with you in the rocking-chair by the firelight, and I hear all your voices again.” - ' Johnny wrote: “Mother, I think everything I have has come to me through you.” When Jerry, who had remained faithful as always, had listened to his brothers, he put his arm around her, saying tenderly, “There will never be any one like mother to me.” She died at sixty-five, very suddenly. Only a few hours before, she had exclaimed, as her children all came home together: “There were never such good boys as mine. You have repaid me a thousandfold. God grant you all happy homes.” They bore her coffin to the grave themselves. They would not let any other person touch it. In the evening they gathered around the old hearthstone in the sitting-room, and drew their chairs together. No one spoke until Nate said: “Boys, let us pray.” And then, all kneeling around her vacant chair, he prayed that the mantle of their mother might fall on them. They could ask nothing more than .that _.7: , .

Correction Lines.

Tlie law establishing our system of Government surveys, while it requires that the north and south lines shall be true meridians, also requires that the townships shall each bo six miles square. To fulfill both of these conditions is physically impossible, for the figure of the earth causes the meridians to converge toward the pole, thus making the north line of each township shorter than its south line, an inequality becoming more and more marked the higher the latitude of the surveys. Provision is therefore made for correcting the errors thus caused, by fixing what are called correction lines, which are parallels boundiug a line of townships on the north when lying north of the principal base, or on the south when lying south of the principal base, from which the surveys as they are continued are laid out anew, the range lines again starting at correct distances from the principal meridian. These correction lines are placed at difterent intervals in different States, sometimes being repeated at every fifteen townships, sometimes at every tenth, or other distances. Each range of townships must be made as much over six miles in width on each base and correction line as it will fall short of the same width where it oloses on to the next correction lino nortn, and wherever the exterior line of the townships shall exceed or shall not extend six miles, the excess or deficiency must be added to or be deducted from the western or northwestern sections or half-sections in such township, according as the error may be in running the lines from east to west or from north to south. In order to throw the excess or deficiencies on the north and on the west sides of the township it is necessary to survey the section lines from south to north on a true meridian, leaving the results in the north line of the township to be governed by the convexity of the earth and the converging of the meridian.— lnter Ocean.

Mental Phenomena Reduced to Figures.

Any physician, we apprehend, will consider it quite within the bounds of probability that 1 per cent, of the population of the country is snbjeot to remarkably vivid dreams, illusions, visions, etc. This will make half a million people in the United States. Each of these persons may be supposed to have fifty friends or relations, of whom 1 per annum dies. If they are subject to a dream or vision once a week, there is one chance out of seven that they have one on the same day that the friend dies. Let ns suppose that it takes a combination of eight separate and independent points of resemblance, between the vision and the ciroumstanee attending the death of the friend, to constitute a remarkable coincidence, and that each of these has a probability 6f one-half. We shall have, in one case ont of 256, a remarkable eombination of coincidences. Putting these results together, we may infer that, as a matter of f&ot, some extraordinary coincidence between the circumstances of death and the dream or vision by a friend of tbe dying person does occur somewhere in the conn try nearly every day in the year.— Science. A prize of 2,000 t is offered by the Temperance Society of l*aris for the best work on drinks, both alcoholic and other. The sulqect may be treated with regard to the action on the body of the liquors or theilr composition. £_J : A well-known Baltimore physician, has been very successful in the cure of cases of St. Yitns’ danoe by a tea made of the herb called skullcap—a wine-glassful given three times a* day for one month.

FARO.

Something About the Early History of the Game-lla Career in New York. s, “Have yob any idea by whom or when the game of faro Was invented ?” asked a reporter for the CommercialAdvertiser, a few days ago, while talking with Charles Gunn, the wellknown gambler. The question was asked in the course of a conversation about gaming in general, and particularly about the prevalence of it in the city. Dunn had previously said that there was more gambling going on at present, within the precincts of the devoted city, than at any other time in its history. “Well, that is a question,” replied Dunn, crossing his legs with a grunt of supreme comfort, and lighting another cigar. “Faro, my boy, dates back to the inventers of almost all the games that require thought. It was invented, I have heard, by the Pharaohs, after they had got tired of playing chess and backgammon, and all the other innocent little games which brought them so rqfich enjoyment. But the new invention was the ruination of the Pharaohs, for they gambled so much that finally the shepherd kings went for them and pulverized them, as we say now-a-days; so faro was temporarily forgotten. The Ptolemys revived it, and then it went over into Italy, where Mosaics in the ruins of Pompeii have been found representing two players deeply absorbed in the primitive game. No, I’m not joking. I never joke about any such serious matter as faro. But, honestly, no one knows when the game was really invented. It was one of these things which partook of the nature of Topsy, and 'simply grow'd.’

“The earliest record we have of the game is in the fourteenth century, when it had assumed considerable popularity in Italy and France. lam inclined to think it is of Italian origin. From the Italian we got the ‘parlee,’ which is used in the game now, and means to let the stake lie and double. The Italian original is paroli. To make paroli, as it was originally called, a player was required to bend one corner of the preferred card over. It was always bis right to withdraw a bet alter tlie time when he had won his first stake, but previously to that he had to let his money remain. At that time there were no lay-outs.’ Every player had his own pack, and made his bets on the cards that he himself turned. When he won he simply showed his card to the dealer, and lie was paid. A century ago no box was used. The dealer dealt out his hands, and so ran a great chance of showing most of the cards. The box is a great protection against the inquisitive, and it is really the only protection the player has against any possible manipulation on the part of the dealer. If faro was dealt out of hand, as it was in former times, there would be a decided number of shootings in this police-ridden city. “It is hard to say when faro was introduced into this country. The probabilities are that it was introduced into England long before any one ever dreamed of colonizing the new world. We know that it was played in Virginia long before the Revolution. The old planters were not chary about betting their slaves on the turn of a card, and had none of the Puritan narrow-mind-edness which kept faro out of England. The game was played at that time without a box, the players chose their cards from their own decks, and had ample opportunity to manipulate it as they pleased. They got no benefit from a split—that is, when two cards of like denomination are turned up and the stakes are equally divided between the player and the bank. They didn’t even have the advantage of a ‘cue-box’ to check off the cards that had been dealt. Of course, there was rash betting in consequence, and manipulation was common on the part of the bank and of the player, and yon may be sure both took advantage of their chances to the best of their ability-” “Have their been any recent changes in the game?” “I should think so. And they have all had a tendency to make the game much fairer than it was originally. Thirty years ago 1 remember that it was the rule tha: if a man put a bet down on the table he was compelled to leave it there until he had lost or won its equivalent. Now he is able to change his bets as many tknes as he chooses. At that time there wasn’t any suoh a thing as a copper; now a man can copper the ace and bet that it will lose and still win on a losing card. Then there is considerable difference in the way faro is played in the West. If a man puts his chips at the corner of the king heading to the duce, in this city, the bet takes in the king and the duce only; bnt out . West such a bet would mean the king, queen, aee, and duce. Checks have only been used during the last fifty years. Previous to the ivory disks which represent so much money, coin was used, and oftentimes the faro table would be strewn with gold and silver as the game went on. The first time faro was publicly played in New York was in 1827. It increased to an alarming extent until 1834, before the great fire, when that calamity left the city almost without money. The distress of the following two or three years almost killed the game, but as business revived and money again became plenty, faro arose from the ashes as it were and resumed its Bway. In about 1840 the Legislature passed a bill declaring faro to be illegal gambling, and thenceforth whenever a man wanted to ‘buck the tiger’ he had to do it on the sly. Virginia took aotion forbidding the game in the last century. In 1750 she passed a law reqniring ‘the subjects of the King to refrain from playing the game of faro.’ The penalties for breaking this old law were very severe, including heavy fines and a long term of imprisonment. —New York CommercialAdvertiser. . *

Elephantine Intelligence.

On one occasion I arranged with a mahout to bring np his elephant to where I was standing, that I might indicate the work to be done, the mahont to be absolutely silent Standing by a six-foot leg, I beckoned to the mahont, and np came the elephant Arrived at the spot, and being irithont chains, he

most have opined that dragging was not intended. There remained then, pushing or carrying, the latter opera--tion being the onewhifife tog creature saw was inteiiaed, for he proceeded at onto with awkward preparations for carrying it away. Throughout this test the mahout liras absolutely silent, and, as far as I could quite passive. The result of it was that the elephant divined what I, a stranger, wished to do, and did it. . On another occasion I applied the test to a difficult object, an eighteeninch cube of teak, which the dear old fellow at once arranged to carry off; but how to do it he could not at first determine. As his tusk's diverged more than eighteen indies, they were no support, and the many sharp corners of the tube severely tried> the delicate trunk. After some failures, he managed to seize the fragment by the center, and then raise it np below the tusks his lower lip. As he had virtually accomplished the task, I discontinued the experiment, expressing my satisfaction and delight to the manager, who somewhat damped my ardor by informing me that the mahout while abstaining from the use of voice or stick, might have conveyed his wishes to the elephant by pressure with his heels.

But a moments reflection increased my admiration for the elephant’s intelligence, for allowing that the mahout’s heels had pressed his side, how could such pressure inform him that he was neither to push nor drag, but carry ? Surely the mahout could not have possessed a code of pressure-signals with which he had indoctrinated the Alepliant, in prospect of curious visitors. If he had, then it must have included voice and stick signaling as well, to either of which I might have resorted. No; I believe that the elephant acted independently of signals and reasoned ou what he had to do by what was laid before him.*—Chambers’ Journal.

Wilson, the Ornithologist.

In connection with the early history of the enterprise of the elder Clarks and thread making the interesting fact is mentioned that Alexander ’Wilson, the father of American ornithology, used to be employed by them in the days when he was unknown and unappreciated. It was then that Wilson indulged those vain dreams of his of emulating Burns, and did so much aimless wandering on the banks of the then unpolluted Cart, seeking an inspiration that never came to him in its pure force and brooding much upon the wrongs of the people, of whose cause he was always the fearless champion. Little wonder that his fellow-workmen regarded him as a “lazy sort of fellow,” and left him to the fate proverbial to the prophet in his own country. How much he despised his human surroundings may be gathered from an extract Irom his journal of this time, in which he rhapsodizes thug upon the beauties of the Scottish scenery: “These are pleasures which the groveling sons of interest and the grubs of this world know as little of as the miserable spirits doomed to everlasting darkness know of the glorious regions and eternal delights of paradise.” Here it was that he gave forth his “Groans form the Loom,” a poem in which he exalted the claims of labor and deprecated the tyranny of the capitalist; here it was that he published a satire in the Scottish dialect, directed against a Paisley manufacturer, and for that act had to undergo a short term of imprisonment and burn the libel with his own hand at the town cross of Paisley. Not long after this AVilson said “good-bv” to his native town and began life afresh in the new world, where he took up the study of ornithology with an earnestness and ability that brought him fame if not profit. He never returned to Paisley, but his memory lingers as a kindly radiance over one anoient corner of the Seedhills factories, and in the town square his statue has been erected, occupying there a position of equal prominence with that of Tannahill, the poet, who was also a native of Paisley. —London Society .

Policemen in Germany.

What sort of a man is the average German policeman ? Well, he is not very handsome policemen generally are not noted for their beauty anywhere. He is straight in figure, muscular in build, and is evidently selected on account of his physical powers and athletic qualities. Though why he should be required to have these attributes is not very clear, because no man ever thinks of resisting a policeman in Germany—even the few drunken men not being fighters. It is amusing to see a German policeman taking a prisoner through the streets to the lockup. The prisoner neVer thinks of handcuffing his man, nor even grasping him by the collar or arm, and rudely pushing or shoving him along to the stone-house. Such an expenditure of strength and energy on the officer’s part would be useless. For the prisoner leaves all hope behind him when he falls into the clutches of the faithful guardian of the peace, and would no more think of taking to his heels and escape than he would of flying to the moon. So the officer walks along on the sidewalk buried in thought and apparently takes no sort of notioe of his prisoner, who trots along, generally in the middle of the road, perfectly resigned to his fate. The police uniform, too, in Germany, is a striking one. Like everything else, it partakes a good deal of the military character. The head covering is a heavy leathern helmet trimmed with brass around the edges, ornamented in front with a large brass sun and rays, and bearing on its snmmit a brass, knob—the abbreviated spike which graces the top of the military helmet. The clothing of the officers is of darkbine cloth, the coat being cut like the legendary clerical coat, high neck with a standing cellar ornamented with gold or silver lace, according to rank. Brass buttons confine it closely to the body Irom the chin to the hips, and are displaye4 on the large turn-up cuffs and on the rather long skirts, so that the police officer is rather brilliant when the son shines on him. It was Voltaire who said of the English that though they have twenty-four religions they have bnt one sauce. -In France the proportion is reversed.

Warriors’ Homes—Requirments For Admission.

So mush of interest centers in the Soldiers Homes throughput the country that the following, from a* circular relative to them, is given. The branches are located as follows: Central Branch, near Dayton, Ohio; Eastern Branch, near Augusta, Maine; Northwestern Branch, near Milwankee, Wisconsin; Southern Branch, near Fortress Monroe, Virginia. The requirmehts for admission are: 1. An honorable discharge from the volunteer service. 2. Disability by wounds received, or sickness contracted in the line of duty. 3. Applicants for admission will be required to stipulate and agree to abide by all the rules and regulations made by the Board of Managers, or by them order; to perform all duties required of them, and to obey all the lawful orders of the officers of the Home. Attention is called to the fact that by the act of Congress establishing the Home, the inmates are ■fhatle subject to the Buies and Articles of War. and will be governed thereby in the same manner as if they were in the army of the United States.

4. A soldier entitled, or having a pension, must forward with his application for admission, his discharge paper and pension certificate, or receipt therefor, before his application is considered, which papers will be retained at the branch to which the application is admitted, to be kept there for him, and returned to him when he is discharged. This rule is adopted to prevent the loss of such papers and certificates, and to hinder fraudulent practices. On admission he must also transfer his pension certificate to the home, and the moneys secured thereby, and empower the Treasurer of the home to draw said moneys, and to hold and dispose of the same, subject to laws of Congress and tbe rules, regulations, and orders which have been, or may hereafter be made by the Board of Managers of said National Home for disabled A r olunteer Soldiers. The managers of the National Home are, the President of the United States, the Chief Justice, the Secretary of War, exofficials; General "William H. Franklin, President, Hartford, Connecticut; Colonel Lenoard A. Harris, First Vice President, Cincinnati, Ohio: General John A. Martin, Second Vice President, Atchison, Kansas; General Martin T. McMahon, Secretary, No. 93 Nassau Street, New York City: Major David G. Fulton, Hudson, Wisconsin; General George B. McClellan, Orange, New Jersey; General John M. Palmer, Springfield, Illinois; Generar Charles AY. Roberts, Bangor, Maine; General James S. Negley, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania A __

Story of a Death Certificate.

Daring a quarrel a peasant in the province of Novgorod was struck in the chest with an axe, fracturing several ribs and wounding the lungs. He was in an extremely critical condition, and a doctor from the nearest town, sixty miles distant, was sent for. The surgeon. as is customary in Russia, took his time, and reached his patient by the slowest stages. The man by this time had nearly succumbed to his injuries and stood very little chance of recovery. The doctor made an examination and pronounced the wound as fatal. He waited several hours thiuking that the man in the Meantime would die; but things did not turn out as be expected, so, in order to facilitate matters and save him the trouble of again visiting his patient, he made out a death certificate and started home. For some reason or other the man took it into his head to get well, and he began to get better until lie recovered entirely. The authorities, learning of the strange proceeding, demanded the return of the death certificate, whioh was refused, and now the man walks about in full possession of the consolation that he is legally dead, and that his body lies buried in the village churchyard, according to*his death certificate. — London Echo.

A Romantic Girl.

Captain and Mrs. Burrell are here. The former related an amusing adventure which happened to him at Newcastle, where he was quartered.' He had a severe attack of smallpox, and was confined to his bed at the hotel. During his illness a young lady, with her carriage and servants, of fashionable appearance, arrived there intending to stay for one night only; baton hearing that a young officer was dangerously ill in the same house, she expressed great interest, and instead of leaving next morning, she announced her intention of remaining a few days, constantly repeating her inquiries las to the state of the sick man. Captain Burrell was extremely touched at her romantic conduct, which he took as a personal compliment, bnt when recovering, the ddetors announcing that he was safe, and the lady being informed of the fact, Bhe ordered her carriage, after telling the waiter that she was “much disappointed, as her object in stopping was to see a millitary funeral.” —Lord Malmesbury’s Memoirs.

A Hungry Pelican.

A celebrated American actor once accepted an invitation to dine with a gentleman who, while making a great show of hospitality, was very stingy. The host did not set out any wine at dinner, giving as an excuse that the key of the wine cellar had been lest, a misfortune which he lamented very much. After the frugal meal was concluded the host showed his half-famished guest over the house, pointing out the most remarkable artioles, and among them a stuffed pelican. “If I was in your place,’’ said the actor to the he3t, “I’d have that pelican out open and searched.” "For what purpose ?” “The pelioan, my dear sir, is a very voracious bird, and wiU swallow almost anvthing, even pieces of iron. I dare say that stuffed pelican swallowed the key to your wine cellar. Have him searched by all means.” —Texas Siftings. There te nothing a man can do which wiU pay a larger interest upon the investment than to be a gentleman.