Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1891 — Page 2

THE MASTER OF THE MINE.

By RObert Buchanan.

CHAPTER XVII. A WALK ACROSS THE MOOR. ‘ Full of delight *t the unexpected ««inn, I ran down the rocks. and soon leaped down upon the beach, close to the spot where Anita was lying. She uttered a merry cry in Spanish, which caused her mistress to .look my direction. Madeline exhibited no surprise, bwt r momentary flaßee —eon* tinned her occupation, that of writing or drawing something on the sand with the point of her parasol. I walked towards her, and greeted her by name. She smiled and nodded but still continued intent upon the sand beneath her I followed the direction of her eyes, and to my astonishment read my own name, thus: High Trelawney, St. Gurlott’s. The hot blood rushed to my cheek; but fled again almost immediately, as 1 read close by the words: Georgb Redruth, Esq. Both the master’s name and my own were printed large and bold. Close by them, smaller in size and in running writing, were the incomplete letters on which she was then busy Madeline Gr But no sooner had she reached the *r’ than she glanced up at me, laughed merrily, and obliterated it all with her little daintily booted foot. “What brought you here, Mr. Trelawney P” she said. **l thought that you would have been at church.” “I thought the same of you,” I replied. smiling. •‘Then you did not follow us?” “Certainly not;j though, had 1 known, I might very possibly have done so. But who could have dreamed of finding you in this solitary, place so far from home S'" * My true home is far away indeed,” she answered; and raising her hand, she pointed right out to sea. “Yonder! Sometime I wish that, as the Scripture says, I had wings like a bird,that

I might flyback!” And I saw that her beautiful eyes were dim with tears. “Hare you relations there?” I [tasked “Or friends whom you love?’’ ‘•Neither friends or lolations. When my dear father died I was left In soli* lary. But! Itvlsl so long there, and was so happy! And Sou'.h America is so beautiful, so different from this dreary land!" I watched her nervously. “Some day perhaps, you will return?" “Perhaps—l cannot tell,” she replied sadly: and turning on her heel, she walked slowly towards the spot where An:th was lying. The girl looked up and showed her white teeth smiling; the smile broadened as her mistress spoke to her rapidly in Portuguese. “Anita is of my opinion,” said Madeline, “she thinks the English climate detestable,and she longs for palms and temples of the West. I suppose I shall have to send her back. The people think her a wild savage, because she does not understand their barbarous dialect, and she will never settle in England. : —_ ~~~~ I bad my own suspic’on that Made-

line was laughing at me and that Anita's smile had a quite different meaning; but I was to happy in tae mere presence of my darling to trouble myself on that head. Merely to stand by her side, and look into her face, and hca- htr inus.i al voice, was joy sufficient; for never had she seemed more bright and beautiful. She wore a sealskin cloak, tightly fitting, and decending to her knees; a pretty sealskin hat' to match; and the parsol she carried f was more for the use as a walking stick j th an f or a safeguard agalnst the sun! The sea-breeze had brought the color to her delicate cheek; and her ‘ eyes were unusually light and happy. For the time being 1 forgot the social gulf between us, between her wealth and my poverty, and talked freely and 1 unrestrainedly of many things. The old constraint left me, I suppose to the improvement of my manners, for Madeline seemed to look at me and listen to me with unusual i interest. ••And you?" she said presently. I "Shall you remain in this lonely Corn- ‘ wall ail your life?” The question took me by surprise, and was difficult to answer., “Who can tell?” I said. “I have often thought of trying my fortune across the ocean,but habit has kept me chained to a dull place and cheerless I occupation, Sometime, do you know. Miss Graham. I think it is all fatality. It seems so strange, for example, that I should have been here} at all, and that even so unlikely a place we two should have been once more thrown together.” “It is fortunate for me. at any rate, that you became aCornishman.'* “How so?" “Because, otherwise. I might not ha e survived to thank you for my life!" Was it gratitude,or an even tenderer sentiment,that filled her eyes with such tender meaning, and after one long look made her blush and turn her head away? I cannot tell: but the look made my heart leap, while a new thrill of rapturous hope trembled t: rough my veins. I glanced at Anita; she was basking again with closed eyes. Carried beyond myself by the inspiration of the moment I took my darling’s hand. „“Miss Graham," I said. “Madeline, may I call you again by that dear name? Ever since we parted, years ago. you have been the one memory of my life; and when we met again—" I would have continued impetuously; but gently disengaging her hand, she cried: “Anita, come! It is time to go ■home." The girl seemed to nnderstand. for •he sprang to her feet and pointed

[eagerly up the rocks. For myself, I stood stupefied and ashamed; but turning again to me with a light smile, Madeline continued: “Are you returning to the village. Mr. Trelawney? If so, let us walk together.” Something in her manner convinced me that I had better encroach no further, but make the best of my immediatechance of happiness. ~So swered eagerly that I was at her service, and the next minute I was piloting her up the rocks. The wav was ■troublesome, and she often needed and accepted the help of my hand, thrilling me through and through with her warm touch. At last we left4he rocky promontory behind us and stepped out on the open heath, We two led the way while Anita followed behind, so slowly that wo were soon left practically alone. •‘How came you to walk so far?" I inquired. “We are three or four miles, as the crow flies, from St. Gurlott‘B." “Oh, I came out early and the sunshine tempted me on, I did not think that we had wandered such a distance, Poor Anita will be tired out.” “And you?” "Oh, I love a long walk.” she replied gaily. “Even in Demarara I used to wander /Or hours and hours in the woods, and once I was nearly lost. Night came down suddenly, and I had to creep into the bole of a great tree; and I wasn’t frightened,though I could hear the tiger cats crying all round me, for the fireflies made it almost as light as day. But poor papa nearly went out of his mind, and after that would never let me enter the woods alone.” “How did they find you?” •■By beating the woods. There were about a hundred coolies carrying torches and making noise enough to wake the dead. At last, as they were passing, I popped out of my hiding place and cried, quite coolly: “Here I am, papa.” He was terribly angry, but I was soon forgiven.” “It would be a hard heart that would not forgive you anything,” I murmured tenderly. She looked at me merrily and shook her head. “Ah, you don’t know me. Poor papa, if he were alive, could tell you a different tale. I was always a spoiled child, Mr. Trelawney.” Thus lightly talking, and playing with the merest threads of conversa-

tion to avoid touching themes of more dangerous interest, we walked across the moor. Though It was winter time the air was very close and warm with sunlight, and Anita lagged more and more behind. At last we came in sight of the village and paused by the side of the moorlaud tarn where I had parted with my uncle. My eyes were . fixed earnestly on Madeline. Suddenly I saw her start and change color. Following the glance of her eyes, I caught sight of a well known figure approaching. It was George Redruth, elegantly dressed, and carrying a walking cane. He came up rapidly, and I saw by the expression of his face that he was ill-pleased. He glanced at me angrily

and contemptuously, and then addressed his cousin. “Where have you been?" he cried. “I have been looking for you everywhere. Do you know that it is three o’clock?” “I did not know it was so late,” replied Madeline quietly. & “Anita and I went wandering across the moor and down to the seaside, where we found Mr. Trelawney.” He looked at me again, and I saw ' his brow blacken more and more. | ‘ ‘Lunch was served at hal f-past one, ” ‘he muttered, “and my mother has * driven over to afternoon service. I won’t trouble Trelawney any further. Take my arm and let me see you home.” He spoke with the air of authority habitual with him. I was not surprised to see Madeline flush angrily, and decline the proffered arm. ••'There is plenty of time for that," she exclaimed. “See! poor Anita is almost exhausted—it would be a char- , ity to assist her; it is none to assist j me!” | Indeed, Anita seemed dead beat 1 She was seated on a stone, about a hundred yards behind us, resting her elbows on her knees, her chin in her hands. Redruth glanced towards her and shrugged his shoulders. ••I never go near niggers,” he retorted: *-can’t stand them. Perhaps I Trelawney is not so particular." he added, with an insufferable sneer. Our eyes met, and a sharp retort was on my tongue, when Madeline broke in, with a touch of his own out- : ting manner: ; “Anita is not what you so politely ‘ call her; and as for Mr. Trelawne, he is at least a gentleman, incapable of making coarse remarks, even at the expense of a social inferior." 'This eulogium of myself seemed to afford George Redruth intense amusement Possibly he thought the word “gentleman” had an odd sound applied ;to a person of my position. I flushed to the temples, but did not trust myself to make any observation. WithI out even looking at Redruth, I raised ’ my hat to Madeline, and walked rapi idly away. CHAPTER XVIIL I RECEIVE MI CONGE. I Absorbed as I was in my newly ' awakened love for Madeline, I failed Ito notice for some time the changes which were geing on about us; but I was soon brought from dreamland by ‘ the attitude which the young master I chose to take. It soon became clear tc me that hiresentment, from whatever source it sprang, was leveled at me; and in a short time I discovered that the innocent cause of all these eruptions was Madeline herself . George Redruth had made up his mind to woo Madeline Graham, and

Fhe honored me so far as to fear that my 1 presence in St. Gurlott’s might bo the means of preventing him winning his cousin’s hand. A marriage with Madeline would be advantageous to him, principally because his own .position was becoming very insecure, he having gambled and bet away most of his fortune, and so being in danger of losing the position which her money would restore to him. Thus it was that he watched the growing friendship between myself and his cousin with ever-increasing auger; and finddetermined, I afterwards learned to gain his ends by treachery. It was not these things, however, which I was able at this time to give my entire thoughts; other and more painful matters occured which for a time drove the young master from my mind. At home things were going very us. My uncle remained in the same desponding state, while every day fresh wrinkles appeared in my aunt’s face—the tears were often wet upon her cheek. It seemed a sin for me to be happy while so much grief remained at home; and I sometimes felt inclined to go right away, and not return until I could bring our lost one along with me. I began to wonder, too, if my uncle could be right when he said that new overseer had a hand in poor Annie's downfall. It was strange, but since the night of Annie's disappearance face had not been seen in St. Gurlott’s. I was pondering over a solution of all these mysteries when one day an event happened which threatened to bring matters to a climax indeed. I had come up from the mine after a prolonged inspection of it, and stood at tho entrance; blinded with tallow and droppings, when suddenly I heard a wild sound of voices, and turning round I saw two men facing each other and looking as if they were about to close in a deadly grip. One of the men was my unclothe other was Johnson the overseer As sight of the man who be lieved to

be his bitterest foe, all my uncle’s feebleness seemed to fall miraculously from him. He towered above the other and raised his clenched fist as if to strike. “You villain!" he cried; “you cowardly treacherous villain! Tell me, whar is my lass? Tell me. or, by the Lawd. I strike ’ee dead before me!’ In another moment the arm would have descended, for Johnson was paralyzed with fear; but I sprang forward and caught it with a cry. My uncle tried to wrench himself free. “Let gaw. Hugh!’ he cried fiercely. “I told ’ee what I’d do if I met the villain, and I’ll do’t. Look at un’, the white-faced cur; he brought trouble to to my lass! And naw, while she’s wanderin’ about the earth in misery maybe, he cooms yap to laugh at what he’s dawn!” I still held firmly, and Johnson, cur that he was, seeing that the danger was passed, recovered his presence of mind.

“Perhaps* now your a little calmer.” he said, “you’ll tell me what you’re raving about. “I will answer for him, ”, “Where is Annie Pendragon?” He shrugged his shoulders, and raised his brows. “It seems to me you are all raving lunatics together. Why do you ask me these things? What do I know of the girl?” “I don’t know where she is. I met her InFalmouth, it’s true, and spoke to her; but her being away from home was no concern o’ mine." “You are supossed to have enticed her from her home. You were seen with her in Falmouth, and you., m ust know where she is.” “It’s a lie!” dried my uncle fiercely; and again he tried to free himself from my grasp, but 1 held him firmly. “It no use," I said we shan’t mend matters with him. We must find out by some other means whether or not he is speaking the truth.” The result of all this was a serious illness, which laid my uncle low, and • for some weeks threatened his life. During this time Madeline came frequently to the cottage* accompanied by Anita, who carried little tempting things for the poor old man to eat. At last the terrible time passed, and he rose from his bed the feeble worn-out wreck of his old self. From that day forth hie intellect seemed shaken, but he clung with strange persistence to the one idea, that Johnson was in some way responsible for all that had taken place. I had my own reasons for refusing to share this belief; nevertheless, ! saw

the overseer again,and after the interI view with him. I became more firmly : convinced than ever that my unole was wrong in his (surmises. If Johnson ■ had a hand in Annie's flight, he was ■ not the real wrong-doer. I still susj pected George Redruth though as yet ‘ I had been unable to obtain absolute proof of his guilt. Meantime, having seen my uncle on the high road to recovery, 1 was compelled once more to turn my attention ito tbe mine, which grew every day : more dangerous. I had spoken to I the master of these dangers again and again, and he had taken no heed. So long as he was safe above ground it was nothing to him that the lives of the men who worked below were in dally jeopardy. Nevertheless, I knew 1 that something must be done; I reI solved to make one last appeal to him. ; and if that failed in its effect to communicate with the members of the company, who conjointly with himself, owned the property. I hal fully made up my mind to see him at home, when I was spared with pains. He strolled down to the counting-house one morning in company with Johnson. “Mr. Redruth," 1 said, approaching him, "1 should like to speak a few words to you, sir.” He looked at me from head to foot

with a cold supercilious sneer whW sent my blood up to boiling heat,as hf replied: ••Well,you can speak then—l am all attention.” I glanced at Johnson, but as that worthy made no attempt to go I proceeded. “It’s about the mine, ” ! began when he interupted me. ■•Oh, the mine!” he said impatiently, ••I think I have heard a good deal on this subject from you before?” “You have, sir; and you have taken no heed; but the time has passed for all that—reach day the danger grows, and now at any moment the sea may break in and every soul be killed!’’ While I had been speaking he had been engaged in lighting a cigar; when I had finished he removed the cigar from his mouth, puffed out a volumne of smoke, which he watched ascend, and asked quickly:

“Do the men know of the danger which you say is threatening them. “Most assuredly they do!” “And do they refuse to work?” “No; where would be the use? If they left the mine they would be thrown out of employment, and then their families would starve. Better for them to hold their own lives in their hands than to expose their wives and children to such fate!” •‘Very good; then since by your own showing you are the only discontented spirit, it’s time for you to go!” The cool way in which he uttered these words fairly took away my breath. “What do you mean?” 1 asked. “Just what I say,” he returned; “that from to-day you my consider yourself dismissed from the mine, and had better seek elsewhere for employ merit. If you are dissatisfied, other people are not, Mr. Johnson is quite contented with the state of affairs, and is willing to take your place." Seeing that resistance would be useless, I accepted my conge with as good a grace as possible, but I was determined not to resign without freely speaking my mind, so I faced George Redruth firmly and said, placing my hand upon his arm just as he was turning away. (To be continued.)

German Jokes.

Fllegende Blaetter. Photographer—Your:o i.thestuden* this picture ordered. Father—Him that is like. Has he paid for it. Photographer—Not yet. Father— Still more like him is that. Lieutenant—To Herr Bachfield comes large fortune in all things. Comrade—Has he much money made? Lieutenant—Than that much better! To me his daughter was yesterday engaged.

He—Charming are you, indeed. She—Ah! Flatter not me—already am I 30 years old. He—To eternity what are thirty years. *- ———- - Arrogant Youth—With Prof. Miller have I opinions this day exchanged? Friend- Advantage of professor you have thus taken. Poetlet—l hesitate whether to my poems burn or printed have them. Poet—The first thought is best always.

Buried the Chees

In the suburbs of Boston lives, a merchant whd is something of an epicure, and not infrequently he bringsToine with him from the city on his return from business some tid-bit or other. Not long scince he found some particularly choice Roquefort cheese, and the day being Saturday he took a piece home with him for his Sunday dinner. Arrived at the station he was met by his man with the buggy, and in driving home he put the bundle bn the bottom of the carriage, vyhere it lay forgotten until the next day. At dinner he remembered the delicacy,and sending for Patrick, he asked what he had done with the package of cheese which he left on the bottom of the buggy. “Was that chase sor?" responded Patrick, in evident surprise. “Yes of course it was cheese. What did you do with it?” “Well, upon my soul.sor.it never intered me comprehension that it was chase, It smelled that powerful, sor, that I thought shure it were dead, sor, and I wint and buried it, mainin’ no harm.”

A Rat Destroyer.

I see that James C. Jones, of Indiana, wishes to buy a ferret, writes an experienced farmer correspondent- I have had same experience with ferrets, and I will tell him of something better. First, hunt up all the old horseshoes on the farm; if there are not enough of them go to the junk shop and buy about fifty of the poorest horseshoes you can pick out. Place them at the rat hole? and runways so that the rats can not avoid going over them. A ter they have laid around for two or -three days get a dozen or two of good steel traps and set them in place of the horseshoes and whenever you catch a rut move the trap to another place. The rats will soon become disgusted and leave. A week or so will clean them all out, and then you can/hang up your traps till the\ come again.

A Ruler.

Texn»SK’ln?s. She—The man I marry must be one of the nobility, and a man who rules. He—Oh, darling, you do not know ] am a book-keeper, and I often rule.

EARLY FLATBOATING.

Life on Western Waters in the Anti- * Steamboat Days. Ind tanapolte News. ' , . There is no business, probably, that has undergone greater changes than the carrying trade on the Western rivers, and old river men delight to talk of the days gone by, when there was no fast freights or lightening express trains. Last evening a reporter found one of the old timers, and plied him with questions concerning early days on the rivers. - ~ “The changes on the Western rivers have. indeed, been many T ” said he. • ‘The first steamboat on the Mississippi *was, I think, in 1811. Prior to that time, and for many years after, for that matter, the river commerce was carried on in keels and flatboats. A keelboat starting from Pittsburg would reach New Orleans in about sixty days, with from thirty to fifty tons of freight. Some of them carried passengers, families, travelers,, hunters and others going down the river frequently taking passage on the keel. “The keelboats were light, longand narrow, sharp at both ends and roundbottomed. They were rigged with one or two sweeps on a side for propelling purposes, and,a ‘sweep’ on one end for use as a rudder. These sweeps or bars were usually made of small trees about 30 feet long, and hung to the side of the boat on iron pins. The big end of the tree was ‘inboard.’ or on deck. The small or outer end had an inch board, about 1 foot wide and 8 feet long, nailed diagonally across it to form the blade of the oar. These ‘sweeps’ were used in still water and for working the boat out of bends in the river, out of eddies and making crossings and landings. To work the sweep the boatman would take the pole against one shoulder, and quartering across the breast, would push, not pull, with a walk up about 15 feet, carrying it back to get another bold in the water. It was extremely hard work and very trying on clothes and shoe leather. The boats were also rigged with a mast and square sail, and often carried a small cannon for protection against Indians and lower river pirates. A keeiboat would be from three to six months on the return trip from New Orleans to Pittsburg. Down the river with the current was slow enought, but against the. currant was tough sailing. Where bottom could ba reached poles were used, but in deep, swift water, ‘warping’ or ‘Cordelia’ was the motive power. To •warp’ is to run a line ahead and fasten it to a tree on the bank, and then all hands haul on the line, to ‘Cordelia’ was to take a rope ashore and all hands get hold and haul or tow the boat —a very slow, hard job. “Assteamboats become more numerous the keelboats dropped out of use and the flatboat came into service; A flatboat would make the run down the

river in about the same time as a keelboat, but they never returned, their owners selling then at their destination for little or nothing. The purchaser generally broke up the boat and used the lumber for building purposes. They were rigged and manned about the same as a keelboat, but were differently constructed .They were what the name implies—flat—especially bn the bottom. The deck or the ‘roof’ was slightly crowning athwartship. The boat was from 80 120 feet long. 18 to 20 feet bou,m, square at both ends above water, with a short ‘rake’ or run at each end from the bottom to the deep-water line. They would carry from 100 to 150 tons freight,and their kind was. known by the cargo they carried as ‘whisky boat,” ‘pork boat,’ •hay boat,’ -corn boat,’ ‘live hog boat,’ •pumpkin boat,’ ‘hoop-pole boat,’ from Posey County, Indiana: ‘chicken boat,’ from Wabash and White rivers; ‘salt boats,’ from the Big Kanawa River,and ‘coal boats,’ from Pittsburg. The points of destination, were Memphis, Vicksburg, Natchez and New Orleans, mostly the latter. I have seen at the levee in New Orleans as many as 200 flatboats at one time. It was nothing uncommon to pass twenty or thirty ot them a day on a steamboat trip down the river. Some of them would be tied up to the banks, some at anchor, others drifting along with oars at rest, a jug of whisky and a tin cup on deck and the crew having a] jolifleation. As soon as a flatbout was landed at New Orleans the entire crew except one man, was paid off. and as they had no opportunity on the trip to spend their money, they got their wages all in a ‘pile.’ Then they would start out for a high old time, and have it, too. The canalboat men the News spoke about a few weeks ago were angels compared with the flatboat men. They would usually remain in -Orleans’ until thqir money was gone, or at least all buienough to pay their passage up the river, and as they generally took deck passage, which was only $2.50 or |3,they didn’t require much of a surplus Sometimes 150 or 200 flatboatmen would be on one steamer, and woe would be to the boat when the clerk attempted to collect the fare. They would not only refuse to pay, but would often take possession of the lower deck. “I was a passenger on the General Pike when there was just such a gang on board. When the clerk tailed on them they gathered on the after part of the boat and refused to pay a cent. Not only did they refuse to pay, but they nearly killed the unlucky cleik Tne boat was landed at a wood yard and the crew, armed with clubs, attempted to make the flatboatmen p i v or go ashore. The roughs were armed with knives, and the most terrible fight in the history of the river took place. The crew was driven for’ard to the fo’castle deck, the lines were cut and the boat set adrift and, taking full possession of the boat, the engineers were compelled to send the steamer up the river. Two of the crew were killed, and the mate so badly injurad that he did not leave his room* I

f until we reached Cincinnati. A' Natchez the captain got assistance an/ half the rowdies were put ashore. Ths balance paid their fare.” ••Did you ever flatboat it?” asked the reporter. “I never made but one trip. I shipped as supercargo on a boat from Cincinnati loaded with perk, hams, lard, flour and apples to run ?for a market. Our crew consisted of six men, and we shoved out from tha landing at C neiunati on the Ist day of February, 1844. My arrangements with th® owner of the boat were that I was to be treated the same as a passenger; that is. I was to have nothing to do with the- management of the boat except to order landings and departures. It was also stipulated in our contract that I was to pull at a sweep in a pinch; i. e., in case of an emergency, in pulling out a sharp bend, making a dangerous crossing. or in any place where the pilot considered ih j boat in a ‘pinch.’ I don’t think there ever was a boat in as many ‘pinches’ as our was. I learned afterward that we pulled headway nearly the entire distance fromCincin. nati to Cairo. 600 miles and I, being green in the flalboat business, worked all the time. Above Cairo we lauded alongside a “whisky boat.’ also from Cincinnati, This gave us twelve men and two pilots for a crew. When we struck the. Mississippi River, 1 congratulated myself that there would be no more of this everlasting ‘pinch’ business,and going to the cab n -turned in.’ Some time in the night I heard a rapi ping on the steering oar over my head. This 1 knew was a signal for all hands :to turn_ou L-and-in a few secunds, the I crew had sprung to Hie oars. A few I minutes latter the signal was given ■ that the boat was again in a ‘pinch.’ As it was raining very hard I concluded that I would rather pay for the blanked boat that turn out in such weather. My bunk was situated on the starbord b side and fore and aft of the boat. Ln less than five minutes from the time I ’ got I was pitched headfirst out of bed across the cabin My bunk fireplace, the cook’s galley and wardrobe and one corner of the boat above i the water was carried away by the snag which projected from the bank. I crawled on deck from the wreck and was soon at one oar helping to work out of the bend. W e landed at Memphis to repair damages, and finally landed at New Orleans, twentyninp days from Cincinnati, the fastest trip on record. I found that I had worn out three coats, two vests, two pair of boots and one pair of shoes working at a flatboat oar in a -pinch.’

SOMEWHAT CURIOUS.

There are one thousand unclaimed Christmas presents In tho New York postoflice because of the-sonders’ carelessness. In London one woman in every twenty is a pauper, one in every thirteen is illiterate,and one in every sixty is a gin drinker. i Some Manitoba Indians last summer sacrificed an Indian boy to secure good luck in hunting. He was lied to a tree and shot. High heels, it is said, owe their origin to Persia, where they were introduced to raise the feet from the burning sands of that country. In Lake county, Tennessee, a short time since, tr young man of twentyseven married a widow of forty-nine, who has seventeen living children. The widest plank on earth is on exhibition at Humboldt, Cal, It is sixteen feet in width and it will be among the Humboldt exhibits at the World’s Fair. There are now a number of places in New York where they will mend your shoes while you wait. At one of them soling and heeling is done in twenty minutes, and heeling in eight ' minutes. Hedgehogs are occasionally canniballßtic, the larger ones, when hard up for a dinner, chasing the smaller ones at a wonderful rate, and devouring them without sauce or mercy when caught and conquered. A man in Jonesboro. Me., is the proud owner of a plow that has been in use for sixty-three years, and only three new points have been bought for it in that time. Its owner says it is as good as new now. It is generally supposed that the life of a bird is not very long, but a pet yellow bird belonging to Mrs. E. R. Haynes, of Monson, Me., that recently died, was taken from its nest in the field in the summer of-1877, I The London Standard says that nearly all the funds belonging to the Roman Catholic Church are now invested in English securities or real estate. Even the reserved treasure of the Papacy is lodged there. A resident of Antelope valley, Nevada, reports thousands of wild horses ranging on the mountain plateau no: r his home. It is almost impossible < raise a band of tame animals in tl e section, as th< y soon join the wi d herd. The cockatoos of Queerisland, when plundering a cornfield, post sentinels to give an alarm. If one bird is shot the others, instead of taking to flight, hover screaming over their com rade until many of them share the same fate. Charlie Griffith, of Athens, ,Ga., has a curiosty in tho shape of a pipe. Tue bowl of the pipe is fashioned out Of a costly variety of briarwood, while the stem was taken from the leg of so ne ■jOHl" gobbler of the days of long ago. Blankets are loaned to the poor,during the winter months, free of cost, by a kind hearted citizen in Brunswick, Germany. They are stamped, to pre* vein them from being sold or pawned, and they are returned at the close of the cold weather.