Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1879 — Page 4

ODDS AND ENDS.

The Oneida community cleared $78,000 on 700 acre* of land Met year. Skw atob Call's wife la aald to be the moot beautiful woman In Washington. It coat Herr Krapp $50,000 to entertain hie guests at the reoenf trial of his Mg guns. OiCE hundred and sixty-three letter carrears are employed in the Chicago poet office. The mackerel fishing in the Bay of Panday this season is reported to be a complete failure. The profits from a two acre oyster bed are larger than from an avearge farm of 160 acres. San Francisco manufacturers shipped 27,000 machine-made doors to Australia last month.

Mbs. Ann Glanvillk of Devonshire, England, the champion female rower of the world, is 90 years old. Red snow, which is usually found only in Artie latitudes, is seen dt a lofty summit near Mount Stanford, in the Sierra Nevadas. The reunion of late prisoners of. war, in Toledo, October 1 and 2. next, promises to be the largest convention of prisoners ever held. In certain towns of Germany lads uuder 16 are now forbidden to smoke i the street, the offense being punishable by fine or imprisonment, An English nobleman predicts, in a communication to the London Truth, that the aristocracy of England will soon be as poor as that of Italy. Thirty of the Duke of Portland’s tenants have declined to take farms next season on acount of the small returns of this year, and Lord Willougby iias thirteen idle farms. A single Missouri horse thief named Cole rescued four companions who were guarded by six officers, but the whole country turned out and shot era down, not before he had wounded two of them, however. It Is believed that fully 1,000 silk operatives have arived in Paterson, N. J., this year from English, French, German and Italian cities, attracted by the reports of the prosperity of the industry in that city. • Glass rails for tramways and railroads are being tested in Dresden, thus far with very gratifying results. They are not as strong as iron, but resist friction better, are cheaper, and are practically indestructable. The Boston Globe Theater is owned in sections by several persons, and one of them, disgusted by failure tp agree with the others, is putting up a wall at the edge of his portion. Tnis cuts off a third of the stage and part of the auditorium.

Ax English paper relates that in a i farm house at Kukcaldy a tempting ham huDg from one of the rafters, and rat, with rare instinct, gnawed a hole in the woodwork directly over it, and, descending, ate its way into the interior of the sweet morsel. One day the housewife started to take the ham down, when out bolted the depredator and up through its hole. The ham was a perfect shell, skin and bone only remaining to show its form, while the rat had begun to build a nest in it.

NEWS NOTES,

“Stricken” Memphis was sligbly shaken up by an earthquake the other night. ’ • The first snow fall of the season occurred in Eastern Canada, on Thursday morning, Sept, 25th. The first horse race that has ever taken place by the illumination of the track by the electric light, was witnessed at Peoria, 1)1., the other night. It was an entire success, and witnessed by 10,000 people. <

Owing to the serious labor troubles in Englaud, the government is seriously contemplating summoning Parliament early in November. The Belgian Bishops have added to the intensity of the struggle between church and state by instructing the priests to refuse absolution to parents whose children attend the public schools., * , New plans are being perfected at Washington for a large increase in the postal, service the coming year,in Ohio and Indiana, and some of the Southern States. The Kingdom of Greece, according to a recent census, has a population of 1,679,775, being an increase of 221,771 since 1870. The city of Athens has a popoulation of 74,000. Since the liberation of Greece from Turkish rule in 1837, when her population was only 850,000, she has doubled her numbers. An extraordinary railway disaster occurred near Port Cortes, Mexico, recently. A train was blown “higher than a kite” by the explosion of 400 kegs of gunpowder which was on board the train. A(1 the passengers (ten in number), were “literally blown to pieces,” and the cars were demolished. Those who raised a good crop of hops this year will probably receive good prices for it. The hop crop in England is a failure, and they will need all we can send them. A war to the bitter end is in prospect between Turkey and Greece over the controversy of the geographical boundary. In the meantime efforts are on foot for an alliance between those inveterate, foes, Russia and Turkey.

The volume of railroad traffic, and its prospective increase, is indicated by the announcement that the Pennsylvania Company has contracted for one thousand freight cars of twenty tons capacity each, being about double that 06 those now in use. Arrangements are making for holding an “All-Wo rid Sunday School Convention" in London next year, in connection with the Raikes cen ten nary. The Church of England Sunday School Institute and the Wesleyan and Old Bailey Sunday School Unions

have matters in charge. It is intended to hold services at St. Paul's Cathedral, the City Road Chapel and" Mr. Spurgeon's Tabernacle, lfam meetings wffl be held in Albert Hall and elsewhere. The Treasury Department is in receipt of letters from the west complaining of a scarcity of notes of small denominations, and asking that a supply of such notes be sent to the several sub-treasuries with directions to pay out in exchange for notes of larger de-

nominations. The assistant treasuries, with their limited clerical force, can not undertake to exchange one denomination for another, but the Treasurer of the United States will furnish new notes of such denominations as may be desired, at New York. Ireland and portions of England are working up a prodigious popular excitement against the extortionate rent rates demanded of the hard-work-ing farm-tenants by the land owners Hie tenants, being unable to “make both ends meet," are openly resisting the payment of the high rates imposed upon them, and the prospect is that if the landlords do not make voluntary concessions, then* will ere long be one of the most formidable revolutionary movements that Great Britain has ever witnessed. During the month of July, the exports of petroleum from the various ports of the United States were 50,032,280 gallons, valued at $4,238,461. tp to the close of last week the exports oi this article from Philadelphia duiing the present year, were 49,762,5 3 gallons, against 36,674,484 gallons during the same period of last year. On Monday last there were forty-two vessels in that port loading with petroleum, with clearances for nearly all the leading European ports.

INDIANA STATE ITEMS

A BIBLE in Fulton county bears the printing date of 1748. A towel 115 years old was exhibited at the recent Miami county fair. A choral society, wlthsixty members, was recently organized at Muncie. . A Farmer near Angola has a peartree that blossomed three times, this season. The coal oil inspector is abroad in Fulton county, having failed entirely to enter an appearance there. TfiE North west Indiana conference will not admit any young mau into the ministry who uses tobacco. A vethran of the war of 1812, aged 104 years, attended the soldiers’ reunion in Steuben county, held recently. Kosciusko county is out of debtdoes not owe a dollar—and has $30,000 on hand to vard the erection of the new court house.

Warren township, St. Joseph county, has had a bloody tragedy. A twelve year old lad shot a man who was assailing his father. Six misbehaving young men were taken from their beds by a mob at Wesley Chapel, tied to a fence in a row, and whipped almost to death. On a recent Sunday at Dunreith, nineteen of the Smith family were engaged in pitching horse shoes, and it is said that they were not missed from the family circle. Five members of the Elkhart county Anti-Drive-Well Association recently paid $440 of judgements and costs arrising from their war with the driven well patentees. The Union District Agricultural Association, which includes the the counties of Marion, Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Morgan and Hendricks, under the management of colored people, have filled articlesof nssbeiatisn.- , . Esquire Demuth, while intoxicated, attempted to mount his horse at Ferdinand, Dubois county, when the animal gave a sudden spring, throwing him to the ground and causing his death by fracture of the skull. He* was a prominent citizen of that section of the country. . A Harvest-home festival was held in the Episcopal church at LaPorte, on a recent Sunday. The edifice was decorated in the most, attractive manner with agricultural products of all kinds, and the exercises were extremely interesting, the musical programme being one of the principal features of the festival.

Elisha Grimes said in a praye meeting at Little Vork, Washington county, that he was wholly prepared to die. George Jones called him out of doors a few minutes afterward, and killed him with a knife. It is conjectured that Jones thought Grimes’, professing readiness, might ss well die at once, for no other motive has been discovered. There is a “settlement” of Indian farmers in the south part of Wabash county where the laws against seining fish have heretofore been very lightly regarded by the male portion of the community. Recently a number of these men were arrested for this infraction of the law, whereupon their alarmed and disconsolate wives held a consultation which resulted in an edict of destruction against the seine as the disturber of their domeetio felicity. It was accordingly hunted up and offered as a sacrifice upon An altar of burning wood.

Incendiarism prevails to an alarming extent in the vicinity of Terre Haute. Within a recent period of seven weeks and four days, a total of 92 barn, sheds and out-houses have been burned down or so Jjadly damaged as to need entire renewing, and in the same time about 1,400 feet of fencing, two carriages, one wagon, two valuable horses, three railroad freight cars, several tons of hay, also of coal, stovewood, harness, and implements and four sleighs have been destroyed, and three dwellings have been dam-

aged. The to’al loss is very closely estimated at $25,000 - A searcher after curious information has been taking the measure of our State officials and reports aa follows: Eight of them me—uro 584 inches, being an average of six feet and one Inch. Gov. Williams takes the lead and is six feet and four inches In his stockings; Attorney General Woolen, Secretary of State Bhanklin and Adjutant General Rues are each six feet two; Superintendent of Public Instruction Smart, Supreme Court Reporter Martin and State Treasurer Fleming are each six feet; State Auditor Man son is five feet eleven inches and a half and Clerk of the Supreme Court Bchmuch is five feet ten and a half. These are certainly a lengthy set of officers.

About Fashions in General

Colored petticoats are again worn. Dark red of various shades is worn. Basques liave'not gone out of fashion. Striped hosiery is revived in new fomrs. Red stocking will be worn more than ever. The new silk stocklngshow corduroy effects. Children’s dresses entirely of red are revived. False frotfts are worn to greater excess than ever, j The Roman colors are sought for in striped hosiery. Medium sizes only in buttons are fashionable. High-heeled slippers are de rigeurer for dressy home toilets. More of the front hair is used in making the bang locks than ever. Painted silk, satin and velvet buttons are seen among new trimming goods. Japanese and oriental designs appear on many of the hansomest buttons. It is a wise railroad stock that knows its own par, nowadays.—[Whitehall Times. Red or scarlet sashes look best with white cashmere or flannel dresses on children. The prettiest fall dress for a child is of white flannel, or cashmere with colored sashes.

Embroideries or lace clockings cover the instep of all fancy, hosiery* that is not striped. The fashion of wearing large Alsatian bows on the top of the head is on the increase. Jet headed passemerteric ornamen ts are to be used t>n rich dresses as well as on the dressiest wraps. Long looped bows falling in a cascade from under the long point of Vandyked corsages are very much worn. The straight band across the forehead is still the moot faeionable style of cut and arrangement for young girls’ hair. The most fashionable arrangement of the back hair is narrow, in braids or torsades falling on the nape of the neck. Fancy and plain ribbons are both used for loops, and in some cases form a complete cascade down the front of the dress. . - India and valley cashmere shawls are revived as the most appropriate wraps to be worn with the new French India cashmere costumes.

The Farmer’s Joke.

Tramp! tramp! tramp! and a farmer with solid, old fashioned feet, and hands big enough to cover a Sundayschool excursion, came into the editorial rooms of this newspaper to say: * “Howdy? I’ve walked down from market to give ye the particulars of a good joke.” “All right—proceed.” “You know them lightning-rod fellers,” observed the old man as he dropped into a chair. •‘Yes—heard of them ” “Well, you know they’re a purty tuff set. Been after me for more’n twenty years. I’ve got signs out all along the road warning ’em to keep off the place, but t’other day one of the chaps driv right up to the gate big as life.” “Did, eh ?” “Yes he did, and ’fore I could get my tongue to going he had about 1,000 feet of rod out of the wagon and was ready to put it on the barn.” “What cheek!” “Guess t’was; but purty soon I went for him. I had my mind made up to kill him right there. The old woman she came out and sailed in with me, and the two hired men supported me on the flanks.”

“And you jammed him all to pieces, of course?” “That’s where thehull fun comesin,” answered the old man. “That ’ere feller squared off, shed his coat, and licked the hull four of us in less’n two minutes by wig-wag clock!” “Did, eh?” “You bet he did, and drunk upahull pan of milk, and drove off whistling ‘YankeeDoodle Dum.’ Whenlgotoft the catnip, whar’. he piled me, and saw one o’ the men with his nose mashed flat, the ’tother with three teeth knocked out, and the old won an jist crawlin’ out from under the old bobsled, I begun lafflng, and didn’t stop till midnight. I—I—!” He slapped his leg and uttered a “Haw! haw! haw!” which echoed clear to to Canada, and in his coritortim he broke the back of his chair. “But the joke was on you,” said the perplexed journalist. “Bartin—sartin, but I am not such a dod-rotted idiot that I can’t lass at the way we four sailed in on him, calkerlating to mop him a over the barn yard, and lass harder yet at the way we started in on the Lord’s prayer before he had fairly got the rust off his elbows. When I saw Hannah clawing up from among the bobs, I—I—” And he went off in another lit, and choked and gasped till he went down stairs with his collar hanging by a single button.

Enterprise in Leadville.

Ernest Ingeraoll, in the October Hcrlbner. Among the first in Leadville there happened to be a merchant who once handled a wholesale business of three millions a year as a grocer in New °rk City. Failing there, he came to Leadville penniless. But his sagacity seized upon this opportunity, andgetting together sufficient funds, he built a vast shed of slabs and filled It with rows of bunks, two tiers high, capable of accommodating 600 sleepers nightly. His mattresses were thick and soft, his

sheets clean, his coverings warm, the place well ventilated through the thousand cracks that gaped between the unseasoned boards. The proprietor was a man of large size and seveie mien. He furnished a bed for fifty cents, and posted his rules: No talkirg or laughing, or singing, or drinking. If a man cared to sleep himself and let others sleep, be was sure of a good night's rest; if he made a noise he was soon ejected and without redresß. Of course the Mammoth Sleeping Pahu e made money, as it deserved to. 1

MARY’S LESSON.

“No, Lacy, never make a lovematch," said young Mrs. Strong to an old school friend who was paying her an afternoon visit. “Maury for money for interest—for anything but love. I have tried that, and made a failure such as It would break my heart to see you make." Lumr Moore listened silently, a thougbful shadow on her fair young fsce. * “Is it indeed true?" she said. “I grieve to hear it. How well I remember your wedding day, Mary. How handsome and noble he looked! How bright and happy were you! Oh!surely he loved you very dearly then?" “He thought he cud, and so did V' said Mrs. Strong, with a half-choked sob. “But ft did not last long, Lucy. We have been married just two years to-day. He left me this morning without a kiss, as he always does. He will come back to dinner in the same way, and after it is over he will go out to his dub, orsome other place, and never come home until I have gone to bed. And yet I have been a good, faithful and careful wife to him. I have studied his comfort in every way, and this is my reward!” She hid her face in her hands as she spoke. Lucy Moore bent over her and whispered: “In every way save one, my dear Mary." Mrs. Strong looked up. - “What do you mean?” '•Promise not to be angry and I will .-••you.” 4 Go on." “Your husband asa young man was very found of music. Do you ever play or sing .to him of an evening now?" “Oh, no We gave that up long enough ago." “But why?" “I am sure I can’t tell. It was such bore to practice." “Do you ever read aloud to him or have him read to you?” “No. I used to; but somehow that 1$ given up too." “And your dress; shall you change It before ne comes to dinner?"

Mrs. Strong shook her her head. She wore a dingy, flounced delaine, no collar or cuffe, and her hair was rough and untidy; her whole look one of carelessness. “He would not notice it if I did. Where Is the use.Lucv? It is all too l^e.” “No, it is not too late. But it may he soon," said Lucy, earnestly. “Mary, some one ought to tell you. No one dares to hut me. Your husband does not go to his club of an evening. He goes to Mrs. Wylie’s. You know her; you have heard her name—‘The Queen of Flirts.’ Mary, she is a dangerous woman. She lives but for admiration ahd that she means to have. Your husband gives her admiration now; take care that he gives her no more—his love!" Mrs. Strong burst into tears. “What can I do?" she asked. “I know that woman too well. What chance have I against her?” “Give yourself a chance,” said Lucy, with a kiss. “Let your husband find a Sleasant welcome from a wife neatly ressed, Mary. Forgive the hint. You have beauty and grace. Do not neglect them longer. Sing to him, Mary, play to him, charm and fascinate him. You have done it once. Try again, and save him from the ‘Queen of Flirts.’ ”

She stole softly from the room. It had not been a pleasant lesson to receive; it might not have been a pleasant one to give; who shall say? But Mrs. Strong was a sensible, as well as a pretty woman, and five minutes after Lucy Moore had gone she went to her own room, acknowledging that her friend had spoken but the truth. That evenimr, just after the street lamps were lighted, Mr. Strong came carelessly toward his home. Carelessly ? Yes, that was the word. The house was fast becoming to him only a place to eat, sleep and dress in—a place for which he nad to pay rent and taxes, but iu'which he took no comfort or pleasure, if the truth must be told. “Never mind, I’ll go to Grace Wylie’s as soon as dinner is over, and she will make it up to me, bless her bright eyes!” thought Mr. Strong, as he opened the frontdoor with his latch key and strode across the hall. Only half-way, however, for there

before him, at the foot of the stairs, stood a graceful, pretty woman, with satin smooth brown hair and ©right blue eyes, and cheeks as red as roses, wearing a pretty evening dress of darkblue silk, and shining ornaments upon her snowy neck and arms. “Welcome home, dear James!” she said, with a heavenly smile. “It is the second anniversary of our wed-ding-day. Won’t you spend this evening withime, dear?” His only answer was a cold embrace and a sudden kiss. Her eyes were dim as he sped up stairs to his own room to prepare for dinner. “Brute, fool that I have been!” he thought to himself. And after dinner, on the plea of smoking one cigar, he went into Bond street, and returned with a pretty gold watch and chain as a present to r his wife. Ah, it was not too late. He loved her still, and she had saved him and their happy home. The lesson was not lost upon her. From tnat day she has never grown careless—never ceased to strive to keep her husband’s as she once tried to win her lover’s love.

Life History of a Mosquito.

Sunday Magazine. Like the dragon-flies, mosquitoes are inhabitants of the water during their early stages of existence, and are denizens of the air and land when they have attained their wings. Now, the eggs or the gnat must float cm the water, or they could not be hatched, and as they are of exceeding minuteness, they could be liable to destruction if simply dropped into the water and left to themselves. 80, taught by that divine impulse, or in spiratlon, which we call instinct, and which is entirely independent of reason, the gnat, when she is about to lay

her eggs, seeks the water and places herself on the edge of a floating leaf or some similar support, to which she dings bv her fore legs, while the long, slender hind legs are stretched as far as possible over the water, and crossed near their extremities. These legs form a guide for the eggs, which are shaped very much like skittles, one end being rather larger than the other. One by one they are deposited and arranged side by side with the larger end

downward, and fastened together with a peculiar waterproof secretion. They are not set exactly upright, but have a slight slope outward, so that if thev were deposited in rows of equal number they would form a shallow trough open at the ends. But, with the help of the hind legs, tile gnat arranges them so that, instead of a hollow trough, they form a sort of boat pointed and curved upward at each end. If an orange were divided longitudinally into six pieces, the peel of one of the divisions would be a tolerable imitation of the egg-boat. Indeed, our modern life-boats are built on nearly the same lines as the egg-boats of the gnat.

nMwJs not the least difficulty in obtaining these boats for examination. Plenty of them can be found along the edge of every pond, and In almost every rain water butt. They are necessarily very small, but they cannot be mistaken for any other obfeots. Their capability of seLf-hs lance Is perfectly wonderful, and the best life boat of the present day Is not nearly so capable of righting itself when upset ash the egg-boat of the gnat. You mgy dash it into the water as bard as you like, you may push it below the surface, you may pour water upon it, but you cannot swamp ft. In a very short time the warmth of the sun has developed the young gnats within the eggs, and at the proper season they force out the lower end of the egg shell, fall into the water, and swim away. In point of fact there is a little hollow tube, nearly at the end of the tail, which communicates with the breath-

ing apparatus. At tbeupper end ofthe tube is a radiating tuft of naira, arranged something like the ribs of an expanded umbrella. When the creature is under water, the hairs close over the orifice, and prevent the water from entering the air tube. But, when ft rests or wishes to breathe, it rises so that only the tip of the tube appears. The coronet of hairs then expands, and by its means the insect can remain suspended as it were, without moving. Hundreds of these gnat lane may be seen in this attitude on the surface of any rainwater butt. Their mode of swimming is as peculiar as their form. They curl themselves round so as to bring the tail close to the head, with a movement almost exactly that of closing the hand: and by rhythmical curving ana straightening the body, make a tolerably rapid, though rather devious course through the water, If one of these little creatures be taken up in a teaspoon, and examined with a magnifying glass, the whole course of the breathing apparatus can be clearly seen through the transparent skin.

In this state, the future gnat corresponds with the caterpillar of the moth or butterfly, and is called the larvse. It has yet to pass through another s'age of existence, that of the pupa, before it can attain its wiUged state, and become a gnat. As is the case with larvse generally, those of the gnat change tneir skin several times, becoming quiescent and ceasing to feed for some little time before each molt. All silk worm breeders must be familiar with this molt, or “sickness,” as it is popularly called. Just before its last molt, the gnat larvse seems to he in a dying state. It does not swim about as it used to do, but remains at the surface of the water. Presen Ily the skin burets, and forth issues the mosquito.

He Suspected Everybody.

Some said he was naturally suspicious. This may be partly true. But others say that in early life some unfortunate affairs had an unhappy effect on his moods and tempers. If a felony was committed in hto neighborhood,, and there hung a mystery over the question of the perpetrator, our hero looked wise, and seemed to hint that he knew the man. In this way he once came to be seriously suspected of being an accessory after the fact. But he was wholly innocent.

One day he was walking dowu the street and saw some men talking and laughing. Occasionally they looked up th& street. By the time he reached the group his face was very red. He looked vexed. He supposed their laughter was in some Way at his expense. Fortunately, he paused long enough to find that they were making merry over the sayings and doings of a political meeting of their own party. One lentjhim a book which had been read with care, and several passages were marked with a pencil. He supposed the owner of the book intended to hurt his feelings by calling special attention to certain clauses, and yet it was a fact that the owner did not know that there was a pencil mark on any page. In friend often suspected some evil intention In the kindest acts of his best friends. A strange minister once delineated in the pulpit the character of a litigous man. Our friend went home silent, if not surly, and complained of personalities in the pulpit. His life was full of uneasiness without cause, except as found in his undue sensibility and suspiciousness. Thing said in a general way he, with a strange perversity, applied to himself. He trusted few, if any. He had an astonishing facility for giving a bad turn to all that was said.

His influence was not good. His children caught his spirit. At school they often considered themselves slighted. Thus familv feuds were engendered. It would be slander to say that on*J could not speak to him. But his suspicions threw him into jealousy. At times his opuntenence indicated malignity. His unhappy turn of thoughts had made him shy of his pastor, stiff towards his family physician, and awkward towards all. Even his wife-was the worse for his evil surmisings. Of course he was unhappy—miserable. The signs of his conscious wretcheduess were infallible. All this was quite unuecessarv. He was his own tormentor. If he should read this paper, he would say: “The author of that piece misunderstood me. Why will not people mind their own business, and let others alone?” He has no enemy who does him as much disservice, or inflicts on him as much pain as he brings on himself. If his nervous system were shattered, one would make many excuses for him. But he seems to have fine health, and certainly he eats as much as is good for him. ,

Sunday in Germany.

Prof. Von Schnlte, in Contemporary Review. The observance of Sunday and of holidays in Germany mast strike the Englishman very strangely. By sa w work is forbidden on these days, at least such work as would be disturbing to others. Till the year 1878, however in many places (for instance in the Catholic province of the Rhine)Sundays and holidays were the days on which the largest business was done in the shops. After the attack upon the life Ofvthe Emperor, the police regulations were paade more strict, and during the principal seryices of the day, from 9 to 11 a. m. and 2 to 3 p. m., all shops

everywhere were ordered to be shut* but there are only a few States ami towns where the shops are not allowed to be open at all. The postal service is limited to shorter hours; letters and parcels are not delivered so often as on other days; and there are similar restrictions on the telegraph service. On the other hand, the railway traffic is left quite free; and not only do the trains run as on other dayß, but by almost every line there are also extra trains for the convenience of the holiday makers. For example, the Rhine Railway runs every Sunday and holiday, lrorn May 15 to October, three extra trains in the afternoon; and other lines do the same. In many places, especially in Austria, companies choose Sundays and holidays for their great excursions; extra trains are put on

lar concerts, efc., are axed almost exclusively for these days. This is cspwfially the case in places where the population to chiefly dathoUe. la the prorlaoe of the Rhine, in Bavaria and Austria, the better class avoid making dxeurslons on Sundays or holidays, not because they wish to observe the days more strictly, but because the throng Is so great In fine weather at all the spots of beauty, and wherever refreshments can m had. Any one who wants to - see the light hearted nature of the Rhinelander, and Btill more of the Franconian, and the way in which the “old Bavarian” enjoys himself, must visit someplace of recreation on a Sunday or holiday. Hie church festivals, which are usually on Sundays, are opportunities for the clergy to meet at the house of the parish priest for high feeding and hard drinking till a late hour in the evening; the people amuse themselves with dancing, with rope dancers, carousals, eating, drinking, etc. Quarrels,which among the genuine Catholic old Bavarians often end with mortal blows or stabs with the knife, form the practical application of the specially fine sermon for the Saint’s Day. Triumphal arches, banners, shooting with little mortars, etc., attest the good Catholicity of the town. Of work, as a rule, there is none, unless there be here and there a poor tailor, seamstress or servant, who is glad to turn to account the Sunday rest. In this respect, however, many of the public offices set a bad example, for it is by no means an exceptional thing for woik to be carried on as usual in the Government and municipal offices, and this is not only in times of special pressure. Everywhere the inns ana taverns do moat business on Sundays and holidays, because the people have more leisure. The further west and south we get, the more do we find the above description verified, especially in the towns, and the places where the countrymen, after attending afternoon service, walks quietly out into the fields to rejoice in the blessing of a heaven, must be sought chiefly in Westphalia and the north. If, on the whole, the Protestants are more observant of Sunday rest than the Catholics, the reason is without doubt to he found in the fact: First, that the Protestant population belongs for the most part to the colder and quieter branches of the. German family; and second, that the Protestant worship is not at all exciting to the senses, and is peculiarly somber as compared with the Catholic ritual.

Five Female Forms.

Five young women in neatly fitting bathing suits stood timidly upou the float iu front of Raun’s swimming baths, at the foot of East Sixty-fltth street, yesterday ‘ afternoon. They were the Misses Carrie Ryan, Emma Renner, Clara Friend. Mary Steinberg, and Julia Hezmau, anxiously awaiting the boat that was to take them out into the middle of thest ream, where thev were to swim a race of 4<H) yards. When the craft came, however, one and ail refused to go, fearing the gaze of the multitudes that, lined the shores, and those who were paddling about in row boats. Holtz, their teacher, for whose benefit this and other races bad been arranged, argued with them for a long time, aiid finally with some success. “I’ll go if you will, Mary,” said Miss Clara Friend to a tall dark complexioned young woman in a pretty blue costume. The latter hesitated a moment, looked intently at the mass of spectators, and then exclaimed as she sprang from her seat: “Very well, I’ll go. Come girls let’s all go!” The enthusiasm of the last speaker had a magic effect upon the faltering, frightened girls. One after another they sprang into the boat aud were rowed out into the stream.

“Are you ready?” said Mr. Holtz, when they had reached a point miJway between the t *ro shores. “Yes,” they answered. All sprang upon the thwarts and seats of the boats. “Then go!” said Holtz. At the .word, five symmetrical female forms sprang into the a’r, turned half a somersault, and pierced the smooth waters like as many arrows. The tide was on the first of the ebb, and the current was running fully six knots an hour. In some places the whirling eddies indicated tne meeting of counter currents. These were carefully avoided by the swimmers. Miss Ryan had a touch of cramp wheu nearing the first quarter. She at once turned over on her back and floated. Her action and the expression of pain upon her face was signal enough lor Mr. Holtz, who rowed alongside and took her aboard Miss Ryan is said to be a very plucky swimmer, and had it not been for this accident would have stood a good chance of winning the race. Her companions, with Miss Steinberg at their head, struok out sturdily for the stake boat. Miss Hezman tried the hand-over-hand stroke, and seemed at intervals to almost spring out of the water. Miss Emma Kenner, who was just ahead of her, was swimming with a graceful side action, having first one shoulder and then the other submerged. Toward the goal. Miss Friend, and exceedingly grreeful swimmer, made a fine effort to overtake Miss Steinberg, who was leading her by about three lengths. Near the stake boat the pair, throwing water from their mouths and spouting like porpoises, were almost abreast. Then Miss Steinberg, who had not been doing her best, made a dash for the goal, and touched it about one lenghth ahead. Time, 1:40 j. A gold medal was given her.—(.New York Sun.

Wisconsin Paper Plant.

A curious plant has been discovered in Wisconsin, which .produces a kind of cotton and flax from the same stalk. It has already been woven into fabrics, and as an article that will make as good cloth as can be made from this plant will make good paper, it has been called the paper plant. It can be planted in the spring and cut in the fall or winter. It bleaches itself white as it stands, and will yield at least three or four tons, to the acre. From a single plant that was transplanted last spring grew twenty large stalks, with 305 pods (containing the cotton), with at feast p ixty seeds in each. From its root was obtained seven ounces of pure cotton and over half a pound of flax. It is a very heavy plant and grows from six to seven feet nigh.

Mrs. Ezra Estes, of Rantoul, Ills., and her three children, were badly poisoned on Saturday. She was given, by a mistake of the druggist, extract of belladonna, instead of extract of dandelion. They all partook of the deadly poison, mid for hoars lay in convulsions, having to te held down by force. Dobing the first twelve weeks of the current fiscal year, embracing the period from July 1 to September 20, the imports of specie at New York exceeded the exports by $25,806,314. . Green sage put in a closet will clear it of red Mite.

AGRICULTURAL.

Wild peppermint scattered arouua the walls and floors of a bam to said to drive away rats and mice. H%ve yott a meadow that you want to keep in heart another year. Top drees it immediately. You will see the benefit in the next grass crop, »«»f when 1 broken up for other crops, you will continue to see what manure will doT; . ---•/ The acreage of corn planted this year in Wisconsin, in comparison with tbs' year 1878, shows an increase of 4 per cent. The increase of tobacco planting to 23 per cent.; of potatoes 4 per cent. The clip of wool sho;w6 an increase of 9 per cent. - i The Ohio Farmer says that land plowed from one to two months before seeding time is very much mote likely to produce a good crop of wheat than if plowed later. Correct: provided the crop that springs up in the meantime is kept from rendering the ground trashy. Oats are justly advocated as the grain above all others adapted to horses, and it to true that for young horses, and those used on the road, there to probably nothing equal to oats, but they ought to be crushed or bruised, and not ground. In tact, all grains are better fed in this way. The Live Stock Journal, London, gives the following account of a prolific breeder; Mr. Wm. Mathieson, Banchory, is the fortunate possessor of a breeding sow which, during the period uflts existence (ten years), has presented him with the enormous number of 304 pigs, viz., nineteen litters averaging sixteen each litter. One thing about turnips—nb farmer can afford to be without them in winter. All my stock—horses, hogs, cattle and fouls—have them daily. I do not think there to any fat in them, but tney aid very materially In other ways. I tried an experiment with my cows this winter. II took the turnips from her and added an equivalent in meals for one week, and the result was a less yield of milk and her food not digested.

HOUSEHOLD.

Dysentery. —Parch brown a table spoonful of rice; put into a cup of cold water and let it come to a hard boil; sweeten a little. i r• -,f. j- »• i \ j ' Potato Noodles. —Grate one dozen of boiled potatoes, add two eggs, a little salt, half a cupful of milk, enough flour to knead stiff, then cut in small pieces, then roll long und round, one inch thick; fry in plenty of lard to a nice brown.

Two eggs, cup aud half cup of sugar, two-thirds cup butter or fara, one cup currants, one teaspoonful each of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, one teaspoonful of soda. Roll out like cookies; roll the currants in flour, sprinkle sugar on top before baking. r . Take one pint of sour milk, one-half pint of sweet milk, one teacupful of molasses, one-half teacupful of butter, two teaspoonfuls of salaratus, one large teaspoouful of salt, three eggs, one pint of wheat flour, one quart of yellow Indian meal; bake in a deep tin basin in an oven of same heat as for cake, for one and a half hours. An Odd Scrap Basket. —Take a peach basket and paint it black on the outside, paste, on scrap pictures to suit your taste; cover the handle and line the inside with red flannel, putting a box plaiting of the same around the edge. Lemon Jelly. —Take a paper of gelatine and let soak in a pint of cold water for one, hour, but the longer it is soaked the better. Then add to it a quart of boiling wafer, the juice of two or three lemons and a pint and a hal f of sugar. Set it away without cooking at all. in a form to cool, and an excellent article of jelly will be the result. Roast Capons. —Roast two fat capons, dish them with a small boiled tongue between them, pour over them a perigord sauce, and garnish them with boiled cups of new turnips, filled with boiled cups of new turnips, filled with olives or green carrots and green peas alternately. Cup Fruit Cake,— One cup of* butter, two cups of raisins seeded and chopped fine, four cups flour, two cups brown sugar, one cup sour cream, three eggs well beaten, one teaspoonful of soda, one of cloves,,four of cinnamon . Bake slowly, aud serve hot or cold, with sauce. J Napkins.— A new way of ornamenting table napkins is by drawing designs upon them in indelible ink. A clump of reeds with a stork; a mingling of flowers aud vines, or a tiny comic figure may be placed in one corner with very good effect. Erabrodiery is more artistic, but requires more time and does not display any more inventiveness. ~ ■■4%*- ]% To Boil Chickens without Burning Them. —Remove occasionally from the fire, and baste them with a gravy prepared as follows: Simmer together one half cup of vinegar, a piece of but- * ter the size of an egg, and salt and pepper to the taste. Keep it hot to use. Sick Headache. —This distressing complaint can generally be relieved by soaking the feet in very warm water in which a spoonful of powdered mus tard has been stirred. Soak as longa possible, or till the water gets cool; i draws the blood from the head.

First Look in a Mirror.

| The effect which thesudden seeing of themselves as others see them had upon several Siamese women is narrated by a lady: A few weeks ago a company of Siamese women came to see and to look at my house. They consider it a great treat if I invite them through my rooms, and let them look at my bed. my table, my chairs, my pictures and knick-nacks, and especially if they can get a look at themselves in the mirror on my bureau. One or two of those who came had been before, and they were telling of how they looked in the glass, till the others were all anxious to see too, so they gathered in a crowd and stood before the mirror. One quick look and then a surprised, startled cry. and some of them hid their feces, others ju sped away, and some looked about to see who was really there. They had never seen themselves before, and did not know how miserably they looked, with their Mack teeth and naked bodies. They drew their carts over their breasts, and tried to hides from the sight of themselves. One turned and said to me: “Weare very hateful-looking; don’t you think * so?” I did not tell them I always thought so, but I said: •‘Now, since you know how you look, Is it any wonder that we always tell you to wear more clothes, and to quit chewing bet&?” Some of tnem would not be induced to look the second time, while others stood and looked. Welted stripes are seen in the new hosiery.