Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1874 — Page 3

RENSSELAER UNION. JAMES * HEALEY, Proprietors. L—RENSSELAER, - INDIANA.

BETWEEN THE POPPY AND THE ROSE. „.Ho.w..tlre.<li.._..Ei”ht hours of rackingJEfirfc—- — With sOarp vexations shot between! Scant wages and lew kindly words , How gloomy the whole dtiy has been! But here is home. Its garden shines, And over it the soft air flows; A mist of chastened glorv hangs Between lhe poppy and the rose. The. pop; y red aArti'by'Ts.' ,V The rose paid pink, full-blown, and set Midmost the darknch leaves that form The strong vine's royal coronet; And half-way o’er from this to that, In a charmed focus of repose. Two rare young faces, lit with love. Between the poppy and the rose'. Sweet little Jessie, two years old. Dear little mamma, twenty-four, Together in the garden walk .While evening eun-streams round them potir. List! Mamma murtnurs baby-talk!. Hush! Jessie's talk to laughter glows! They both Took heavenly sweet to me, Between the poppy and the rose. Two flakes of sunshine in deep shade, Two diamonds set in roughest stone, Two songs with harp accompaniment Across a houseless desert blownNo, nothing like this vision is. How* deep its innocent influence goes— Sweeter than song or power or fame—Between the poppy and the rose. BeTween ha- poppy and the rose A bud and blossom Shining fair—--A, child-like mother and a child Whose own my very heart-throbs are! Oh! life is sweet, they make it so, Its work is lighter than repose; Home anything, so they bloom on, Between- the poppy and the rose. —J. Maurice Thompson, in N. Y. Independent.

MISS SABRINA’S RAG-BAG.

Why Miss Sabrina Clarkson left her snug little house under the great elms at Lapley’s Corner, few people knew. Her taxes Were paid punctually, and her garden was aAhing to be, proud of. Even the crabbed Treasurer of the County Horticultural Society smiled when he beheld the fruit and vegetables “ raised by a woman,’’ and his smile grew into a broad grin when he was invited there during strawberry time. Solomon Peering said in town meeting that Sabrina Clarkson had more money than some, folks he could name who h&ld their heads very high. Solomon knew all about it; it was a trick of his to know everybody’s affairs better than the individuals themselves. = He surprised the Widow Perkins one day by telling her how many shares she held in the Boston A Maine Railroad, a little secret, she had faithfully kept ever since her rich brother in California had purchased them. It was Solomon Peering, too, who followed Janie Parsons when she stole softly away for a farewell walk with her old playfellow Maurice, the night before he went to college. What a stir it made, to be sure! The young people knew how cordially Maurice’s father hated every member of the Parsons family; they knew he had forbidden his son calling there, but they remembered the old days before Janie’s father died and Maurice lost his mother! How happy they all were! What delightful family parties they made, and Maurice would call Janie his wife. That was before the paper was lost, something about some pine lands which the elders held jointly in a distant State. It disappeared mysteriously during sickness and trouble in the family, and no efforts of the good people to find it resulted favorably. Of late the elder Henderson Trad fancied it "Cbncealed somewhere, for the benefit of his old friend’s family, and to his pecuniary injury. This fancy had sprung up suddenly, prompted by some malicious adviser, after his good wife died; and Mr. Henderson could not or would not believe the widow of his old friend entirely innocent. Poor children! life seemed full of trouble to them then, ana it grew harder to bear when Maurice was ibrbidden to enter the “ second home,” as he had called Mrs. Parsons’ house from a child. “ Yau must come down to the ‘ Willows’ to-night and bid me good-by,” was written uh a bit of lhejiy-leaf to “ Watts’ Psalms and Hymns,” and handed across the vestry to Janie. Solomon Peering saw the movement, and he chuckled with delight. “ There is mischief afloat,” said he, “ and I’ll find out what it is. - ’ If you ask me why Solomon Peering, with a heart professedly full of his dear Master, could suddenly have a head full of schemes to destroy the pleasure of two innocent young people who had never injured him, 1 cannot tell you. If you ask me why a man full of years, “in good and regular standing” in a Christian church, should spend his time in hunting up or concocting bits of scandal, to the injury of his fellowtravelers, I am still unable to answer. I am afraid the field for home-missionary labor is closer than we think; however, I must tell about Janie’s farewell, and then pass on to Miss Sabrina, who is so mtxqd up with all that pertains to the little village at Lapley’s Corner, and Shelbyville proper, that it seems impossible to relate a story without her. You may not think it, but these women known as “old maids” could teach us much about love and romance—we married, comfortable, motherly people, I mean. _ But about Janie. She went home that night, and, like a sensible girl, showed the note to her mother. “Would it be proper, mamma?’t Mrs. Parsons sighed, and thought for a moment. They were only children, like brother and sister. Mary and she had • promised to look after them, if one mother went home before the other; the boy might go away with a tenderer thought of home, which in the hereafter would keep him from temptation. Janie saw tears in her 'mother’s eyes, and sprang toward her for a cares.s. “ Don’t mind, darling,” she said. I —l don’t care very much, and you and I are so happy, mother dear.” She put. her curly head close to her mother’s pale cheek, and made a pretty picture for Solomon Peering's benefit, as. he looked in from his perch behind a pillar of the piazza. And then Mrs. Parsons told her daughter all her thoughts, sad and otherwise* and in return Janie showed her a little housewife filled with thread,, needles and pins, which she had made for a farewell gift to Maurice. If mothers would only learn to .give confidence they would be more, likely to receive it. Youth is exacting, and seldom gives without an equivalent. / After a little talk Mrs. .Parsons took down her shawl and went out with her daughter. Just before they reached the long, shady path known as the Willows, she said Now, daughter, impress on him

the necessity for obedience to his father’s wishes; tell him not to mind the injustice, but hope on until his education is complete, and' if h£ ever needs help in any trouble to remember his second mother.” 't “You must come too,” said Janie, “indeed you must; Maurice will be so sorry!” * , “No, child; I will walk slowly back and do you go on, and may you speak some word that may cheer him to do his duty bravely and make us all happy.” Solomon Peering caught the last words as he stepped cautiously behind a tree. “Oh, yes; make us all happy, no doubt,” he muttered. “You haven’t any designs on the ’Squire’s money-bags, oh, • no!”

Airs. Parsons walked on, and Janie went slowly down the path. On a stump close by the water sat Maurice, snapping a willow switch in and out. impatiently; he did not see Janie until she called his name, then lie threw down the rod and sprang to meet her. “ You’re a jewel,” he said, in his old, off-hand manner. “ Why didn’t auntie come too?” “I have just left her; shall we walk after her?” “ No,” said Maurice sadly, “it might cause more trouble; nobody minds your running around at night—you have done it ever since I could remember, and no one ever dared trouble you.” “ I am never afraid,” said Janie; “ it is one of father’s old tricks, and my best thoughts come to me at night.” “Pretty talk, that,” said Solomon to himself. The young people went on, and the pious follower dogged their steps. ----- “You must not go farther,” said Maurice; “ those tiresome French scholars will be enough for you to-morrow, and we will sit down here on ‘ mother’s chair.’” Years before the two mothers had made it a place of rest when the little ones could walk but a short distance. “Now, pet, tell me all your plans for the future, and I will tell you mine. I must be in when the bell rings, for father has been making new rules of late.” Solomon Peering stepped-into a mudhole just then, and came very near discovering himself by uttering “his favorite expression of “ criminy.” “ I thought I heard some one.” sard Janie. “You must talk lower, Maurice.” ■ ' “Nothing init a turtle jumping into the water,” he answered. “ And we never say anything a third party might not hear.”

“ Oh, don’t you?” said Solomon, and he looked out just in time to see Maurice take Janle’s hand in his. It was hard work for Solomon, standing on one foot in a miry spot, but his zeal never flagged with curiosity to feed on. Presently he heard Maurice say, in an angry tone :~ “ I can’t, and I won’t, Janie. My dead mother is more to me than my Jiving father, and you must let me write to you. If he turns me out of doors for loving you, I will be turned out; that is all!” Solomon stole from his hiding-place carefully, and went swiftly to ’Squire Henderson’s house. The dampness of his listening gallery had given him a twinge of rheumatism, and he found himself compelled to halt half way up the hill. “It is tough work,” said he,|“but I’ll teach those young creeturs obejunce to parents. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,” he added, “ do it;” and he gave the door-bell a pull that startled the ’Squire’s housekeeper from her evening nap. The’Squire himself appeared. " Good evening, Deacon.” “ I say, 'Squire, you jist put on your hat, you know, anfi come along o’ me if you want to see how sharper than a serpent’s tooth, etc., etc., as our blessed book says; such cooing and billing I never did see.” ’Squire Henderson’s face flushed, and he took from the hat-rack his beaver with its heavy band of crape. Why did not some good angel remind him of her for whom he wore it and plead for her child? No tender memories haunted him and he strode out after Solomon, who puffed and blowed vigorously. When they reached the place the guide put up a warning linger and bade him listen. Janie was speaking: “She begs you to obey your father’s wishes and hope on until your education is complete.” “ I won’t obey,” said the boy, roused by his sense of wrong to a fury. “He knows I never disobeyed him in anything else; he knows my sainted mother told me to watch over and love you; he knows your father asked me on his death-bed" to be father and brother to you, and, God helping me, I will. I would do anything to make father happy. I know it is dreadful without her; it is so hard for me sometimes I want to run away or, hang myself, but I don’t do it, for father’s sake. Don’t I love you just as well as he ever loved mother; don’t I? He never thinks of that; and if my mother could speak, she would beg him to make us happy. I wish she could speak! ” exclaimed Jhe, passionately. Did she? What was it that started great drops of sweat on ’Squire Henderson’s brow? The night was cool, but he was very warm and trembling. He seemed to hear his Mary saying, “ Dear John, dear John.” It couldn’t be! He listened! Little Janie Parsons was speaking in a choked voice: “Don’t, Maurice, dear Maurice; it is our last night together, and it will all come out right. We must not make our parents unhappy, they are both so lonely now.” “ There, I told you so,” said Solomon; “ the girl’s well enough ; it’s that redheaded boy of yours makes the trouble! ” He croaked in a hoarse whisper, but suddenly shrieked with pain when ’Squire Henderson seized him by the arm. The young couple looked around and saw' in the moonlight the discomfited Solomon receiving a severe shaking. “ What is it, father?” asked Maurice, eagerly. * “Nothing, only this villain had better Stop troubling himself about my affairs.” The’Squire talked in a jerky way ; his recent exercise was unusual. The old gentleman wiped his brow, while Maurice in his own brave w r ay said: “Father, I asked Janie to meet me here for the purpose of bidding her fare- ; whatever 1 have said to her I am quite willing to repeat. I could not awpy without a good-by for my old playmate and my mother’s little pet.” ( Janie stood under the willow twigs during this little speech, looking from one to the other, ami dreading the outburst which she felt sure would come. When it came her blue eybs sparkled with delight. “ Solomon Peering, doypu leave for home as soon as possible, and. hereafter show a little of your zeal in

overcoming some of your prying curiosity, and not aH in words during churchmeeting.” Peering walked up the foad utterly cast down and dismayed. I dare sayhecomforted himself with some quotation Horn Scripture. Such persons have made precious promises answer their own sordid ends. “ Now, my boy,” said the ’Squire, “ I did heqr part of your conversation; and, if this young lady will take my arm, we will walk home and talk over matters in the library.” Was Mauricq dreaming? Had ’Squire Henderson become insane? Was it pos sible that Janie -and he were really walking with his own father? If Solomon Peering had done evil and all this good had come of it, he wanted •to run after him and get-down on his knees to the meddling old hypocrite who for once had made people happy. It was all true! Maurice had touched the right chord, and Janie’s voice had done the rest, and three happy people went home that night. What a stir it made, and how many people stared, when Airs. Parsons and Janie rode down with the ’Squire to see Alaurice off the next morning! Three weeks after Solomon Peering said, in the Postoffice, “ that he had been the means of reconciling the parties,” and added, as he took a satisfactory whiff of his pipe, “ Blessed are the peacemakers.” But the lost paper was not found, although the widow prayed daily that it might be, and the ’Squire* begged her not to give it a thought—the children would have enough without it. No one was more pleased than Sabrina Clarkson when Janie told her with tears and smiles about the making up. “ It was too dreadful, my dear, at first, but how lovely the sunshine is after your cloudy weather. Yes,yes; I shall help dress a pretty bride some day.” One night after Alaurice had gone back to college (and the vacation had been all too short) Gracie Warren, Janie, and young Turner, the organist, were walking home from choir meeting, when they came upon Aliss Sabrina trundling a wheelbarrow filled with boxes and bags. .“ Why, Aliss Sabrina!” said both girls at once, “ where-are you going?” ■ “ Aloving,” was the laconic reply. “And left the elms, and the strawberry patch, and the old well ? How could you ?” asked thoughtless Gracie. Miss Sabrina coughed a little and was silent. “Any trouble, dear?” asked Janie, in her sweet voice. Janie petted everything and everybody that came in her way, so she said “ dear” to Aliss Sabrina as the other girls never dared to. “ A pretty fuss over an old maid,” said Bert Turner to himself. “No trouble to speak of, child; leastways, not mine all alone; but when it comes to one of us I reckon it kinder touches all of us, or it ought to. I don’t mind telling you, Janie, for your heart is that good you wouldn’t sleep if you thought a living soul was worried.” . Bert Turner looked at Janie and half resolved to cut Alaurice Henderson out, believing fully in' his masculine power to do so. “I’m going up to the minister’s,” said Aliss Sabrina; “she is all alone, poor thing, and nigh broken-hearted without him. I can’t help wishing the Lord would take both, and not leave one so miserable. There is your mother, half of her alive, half dead; ’Squire Henderson the same; and now here is that poor minister’s wife left with five children and no sort of health; it’s mysterious. If it had been her that was calied we wouldn't have been surprised, but him to be cut down with a fever, a great, hearty, healthy man, too, it’s dreadful for her.” “But.what will you do?”asked Gracie, still curious.

“ Oh, I’vO let the Elms conditionally for five years; the income will help that biggest boy to finish his studies, and if Mrs. Reaper is a. mind to put up with a tormenting old maid I s’pose we shall get on somehow.” “What a good soul you are,” said (iracie, and Bert Turner wished “ the good soul” miles away. “I am so glad. Miss Sabrina,” said Janie; “it is just like you; one of these days I mean to write a book about single women and tell all the world how much good they do, and you shall be in it.” “Nonsense, child,” said Miss Sabrina, and she stooped to take up her load. “ Won’t you roll it for her, Mr. Turne r?” asked Gracie; “41 isso he a vy.” Bert elevated his nose and asked to be excused. “Y ou will please excuse us from your society then,” said Gracie quickly; and' while she spoke Janie had taken the handlesand was trundling, it over the walk. The three women walked on together. “ Why didn’t you have an expressman, Miss Sabrina?.” > • - “ I wanted to go up quietly all by mysel|”’was the reply; “folks talk enough, anyway.” Janie’s small arms gave out soon, and Gracie relieved her. By and by they all sat down to rest, and Gracie spied a long, dark bag on the top of the load. “What is that, Miss Sabrina—your ragbag?” _______ “Like enough,” was the answer; “it has tore to pieces some of my old narrow ideas about things, and made rags of plenty of prejudices.” The old lady looked at the girls slyly, and then added in a softer tone: “ You see, Janie, when I went up to your house to help take care of your pa, none, of us thought the professor was so near his end, and one day he sez, in his soft, kind way, ‘ Sabrina, is there anything of mine you would like after I am gone?’ It struck me all in a heap for a minute, and then I sez, ‘lf you wouldn’t mind letting me have a sermon or used to preach, I should like ’em.’ You ought to have seen his smile, Janie, when he said:— * Bless you, my good woman, there is a bag full of them in that closet, which I put there years ago; take the whole of them, and if you find a decent one now and then save jt ; for my wife and little Janie.’ r’Five years ago, Janie, and you are seventeen —well, I began at the first one and read- slowly. I am only half way down yet, but,. I’ve found some rich treasures ; and as fast-as I do I tie them up and mark them for you, dear.” “If you would only let me read them with you,” said Janie, “ I should like it. Mamma could bear them now, I think; she has plenty of his later ones, but those were written when he was first engaged to her, I have heard her say.” Miss Sabrina took up her burden now and went on; at the door of the little parsonage she paused and gave the bag to Janie. “You take it, dear, and every Sunday evening I’ll come to hear a daughter read her father’s words; that is, if your ma is willing; she doesn’t mind my crankiness the least mite?’

i Gracie and Janie went* home holding i the bag between them, and chatting meri riiy about Air. Turner, while the subject .of their conversation was engaged in ' smoking and cursing himself for his folly. How much good Aliss Sabrina did the overworked woman at the parsonage, how Charlie Reaper studied hard and blessed the “dear old maid,” how comfortable the children were, and how carefully all “crankiness” was kept out of sight, must be told hereafter; but Shelbyville never ceased to wonder why Sabrina left her home and took upon herself a life of toil for others. All sorts of reasons were assigned, even to the i malicious one of suggesting her attachment to the dead clergyman previous to his marriage, which invention of the enemy was a powerful freak of the imagYnation, seeing Aliss Sabrina and Shelbyville had never heard of him until he came with a wife and three babies to minister unto them.

Everybody acknowledged her to be a “good woman,” a few called her “peculiar,” and others a “queer old maid,” but the slowness of the human species to admit the possibility of downright, unselfish kindness is remarkable; a cynic might ’ say the kindness is remarkable; but, dear reader, I am not a cynic, and do believe heartily in unselfish souls who lead a life of denial and die unappreciated; the class is larger than you think, especially among women. Aliss Sabrina was a true-hearted New England woman, hating wrong, but tender tb the wrong-doer; despising sin, but secretly or openly working for the sinner; strong mentally and physically, with a mother-love in her heart that would shame many a modern matron who caresses fl! lap-dog and leaves her innocent children to the mercy of a hireling. | The Sunday evening readings were regular and profitable; gradually the little circle was extended, and even ’Squire Henderson asked permission to join them. Of course it was granted, and more than once he was heard to say: “ Just like him, dear old Prof.,” which proved to Airs. Parsons her mistake in supposing him for a moment intention--ally-eruel to his old college -friend. One night, when Maurice and his father came in, Janie brought down the bag and Aliss Sabrina put in her hand. as usual for the manuscript. As she drew ly forward; Airs. Parsons and the young people begged to know “what was the matter?” There in ’Squire Henderson’s hand was the long-lost paper, and poor Airs. Parsons’ prayers were answered! Dignified senior as Alaurice was hekissed Miss Sabrina on either cheek and told her she was a blessing to the world. For years the paper had rested quietly, surrounded by grave discussions and learned articles, and but for the wheelbarrow load and Grade’s careless remark it might have remained undiscovered for years, for I question much if Aliss Sabrina would have found it without the aid of more rapid readers, especially as the good woman found time for everything for others and little leisure for herself. There was a grand wedding in Shelbyville last autumn, and conspicuous among the presents was Aliss Sabrina’s Rag-bag.— American Homa for September.

Agricultural Ants.

Such marvelous stories are told of the sagacity of ants that one is prepared to hear almost anything concerning their intellectual achievements; but wlien we. are told that there is a species living down in Texas that actually sows, reaps, and hives grain for its winter use, the statement is almost too much for human credulity. However, we have it on the authority of Dr. Gideon Lincecum, a student of science whose observations are accepted by the savants as. careful and trustworthy. In a recent paper communicated by him to the Smithsonian Institute, and published by permission of Prof. Henry in the Naturalist, there are many interesting particulars of this singular ant, which, from its devotion to husbandry, is termed the Agricultural Ant. Its scientific name is Myrmica, molefaciens. ; This ant lives in populous communities, builds paved cities, constructs roads, and sustains large military forces ! For the first year and a half after a colony is lounded its operations are conducted underground. The ants then begin to appear above the surface, and begin to build their public works and cultivate their estates. All grass, herbage and other obstructions are cleared away to the distance of three or four feet around the entrance to their city; and a circular pavement, consisting, of a pretty hard crust about half an inch thick, is constructed of coarse sand and grit. This pavemefit is sometimes fifteen feet in diameter. To avoid the inundation which would be" likely to overflow this pavement in the rainy season, “at least six months previous to the coming of the rain” they commence the erection of a mound or pyramid, which rises a foot or more from the center of the pavement.

The mound is occupied with neatlyconstructed cells in which the “eggs, young ones and their stores of grain are carried in time of rainy seasons.” The pavement is kept clear of every growing herb except a grain-bearing grass, the Aristida strida. When ripe, this grain is harvested, the chaff removed, and then it is stored in the dry cells. The" grain from several other species of grass as well as seeds' frdtn various kinds of herbaceous plants” is also gathered and garnered. Dr. Lincecum declares that the ants even sow the grain of the Aristida strida, which he calls ant-rice. Despite their precautions, he says sometimes during rainy seasons the ground about their city becomes saturated, and the water penetrates into their granaries and sets their seeds to sprouting. Then there is a turmoil in the colony. All the damaged grain is brought out the first fine day and exposed to the sun. When night eomes every seed that has not actually sprouted is taken in‘again. Dr. Lincecum states -that one day he saw these ants ‘‘have out on a flat rock as much as a gallon of wheat, sunning.” He watched the operation of its return to the cells again, which the ants accomplished at nightfall in just five minutes. When Dr. Lincecum first went, in 1848, to Long Point, Tex —the place where he has studied these ants—there was but one of their cities within a mile of the town. —This was situated on the summit of % nearly barren knoll, where there was but scanty vegetation to interfere with the’peculiar industry of the little agriculturist. Their plantations of ant-rice were flourishing in a regular cir cle inside the pavement, and sthere were ‘‘patches of the same grass scattered around On a little glade, which had doubtless been planted there by some experienced atft, for it had nearly been

I cleared of all other vegetables.” The I country surrounding Long Point was I everywhere but in this single spot cov- , « red with a rich, black soil, Which bore f a heavy turf of grass, through which the ants could not travel, and they were therefore confined to their single city. But when, in the course of a couple of yearsl, a path passing near their pavement had got well trodden, they were able to run over it, and erect new cities op its borders. Three years after their cities were seen rising at intervals of eighty yards for the distance of a mile along this path. As we have said, for the first eighteen months.after a city is begun, its builders keep themselves hid from their enemies. At the end of that time they have gained suflicienL strength to sustain themselves in the struggle for existence with other tribes of their race, and dare announce their intentions in the above. When the ants wish to send off a new colony, they assemble in swarms from the surrounding cities and celebrate a grand marriage-festival, which continues for three or four hours. The Queen of the colony then spreads her wings and flies with the wind until she is tired, or is thrown to the ground by a countercurrent. She now runs about ip eager haste to select a proper location where to lay the foundations of the city. This she does by digging a small hole, from which, after it has reached a certain depth, she withdraws and deliberately bites off her wings with her sharp delihles. She then renews her digging until she has made an excavation of six or seven inches deep, with a small cell at the bottom, in which she ensconces herself, closes the aperture, and deposits twenty or thirty eggs. The inmates of these eggs are all workers, and when they have reached maturity they set about the labors of their lives. The Queen keeps them constantly employed, while she adds to their numbers. When her colony is numerous enough they commence their outer fortifications and the cultivation of their fields of grain.— Chicago Tribune.

Logging in the Redwoods.

Tffe choppers, especially, must be men of intelligence and experience. A great deal more than mere strength to swing the ax for eleven hours a day is required to make a good chopper. After the tree is selected- the ground needs careful looking after, as a stump or fallen tree, or any inequality of the earth, would, as a gentleman of the profession remarked, “ Knock the biggest on ’em into smithereens.” It is a peculiarity of redwood to split into long and profitless thin strips upon small provocation, and the inexperienced eye, glancing over the ground that bristles with all sorts of obstacles, sees little hope of any tree escaping destruction. And it is only the extreme skill of the choppers that makes the disaster uncommon. They can drive a stake with the biggest tree in the forest when the ground is clear. When there is not sufficient opening in a direct line? a common expedient is to fell the tree so that it will strike, in its descent, the trunk of another. Calculating the bounce well marks an accomplished chopper. Felling a seven or eight foot tree i half a day’s work for three men. Th choppers stand some six or eight feet from the ground, each on a narrow bit of board, one end of which is thrust into a notch in the bark, and this unsteady footing is all they have, while they hack away with their long axes hour after hour. When a ten or fifteen footer is encountered, a platform of bark, with the standing-boards for support, is built, and an extra chopper put on. Two cuts are made in the tree,; that on the side on which the monster is to fall being much larger and somewhat lower than the one on the other side. Thus the weight of the tree is made to serve for its own overthrow. It is tremendously hard work, and wears the strongest man out in from three to four years. When the tree begins to “ complain,” as the shrill, vibrating, cracking noise is aptly called, the choppers give a long, warning wail, that sends all the' workmen in the neighborhood scampering to a safe distance. A second cry tells that the tree is wavering, and the choppers themselves leap from their perches and run for it. The giant yields slowly and with a mighty grumbling. Then, in spite of himself, he leans over painfully, and with a frightsome booming and crackling sweeps to the trembling earth, the -foliage-whistling and screaming like the rigging of a ship in a hurricane. The shock is terrific, and resembles nothing so much as an earthquake. Clouds of dust, mingled kith flying fragments, are thrown into the air. Every branch is snapped off and broken to splinters. The thud is heard and felt miles away.—Oakland (Cal.) Real Estate Reporter.

Interesting Mint Statistics.

Dr. Linderman, Director of the Mint, has submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury his reports of the operations of the mints and assay offices for the fiscal year ending June 30 of the present year, from which it appears that the gold deposits were $68,861,565; silver deposits and purchases, $15,125,151. Deducting the re-deposits of bars made and issued by one institution and deposited at another, the deposits were: Gold, $49,142,511; silver, $11,485,678. The amount in bars transmitted from the New York assay office to the mint at Philadelphia for coinage during the fiscal year was: Gold, $18,704,101; silver, $2,613,636; total, $21,317,737. Compared-with the previous year there was an increase of $8,924,165 in the amount of gold operated upon; $2,880,761 in silver were received and operated upon; $15,193,352 in gold coinage; $3,037,085 in silver coinage, and $10,815,086 in bars prepared at the mints and assay offices. The distribution of bullion deposited and purchased, including receipts, was as follows: Philadelphia mint, $22,947,282; San Francisco, $24,934,789; Carsop, $5,088,159; Denver," $989,773; assay office, New York, $24,900,721; assay office, Charlotte, N. C., $8,763; assay office, Boise City, $114,258. • The increase over the operations of 1872 is as follows: In gold bars operated upon, about 115 per cent.; silver operated upon, 397; in gold coinage, 121; silver coinage, 369; tine gold, 369; fine gold bars, 226; imported gold bars, 340; fine silver bars, 619, and imported silver bars, 60 • The loss by abrasion was but little over one half of 1 per cent. The renovation of gold coins js now about complete except as to those in circulation on the Pa cific coast. The Director recommends the withdrawal and renovating of these before the resumption of specie payment? During the past year the reduction in the weight of coin for fraudulent purposes has not been carried on to any extent. . ! Applications have been made- for the

execution of certain coinage by two foreign Governments, and are now under consideration by the proper authority. A portion of the funds of the Treasury Department has been kept in'the form of stamped mint-bars which can at anytime be converted into half and quarter eagles should the exigencies of the people require inem. The most of the goid coinage in circulation at present consists of double eagles, but should specie payment bp resumed coins of a smaller denoniination would be required. The Director" says that the denominations of gold coin are too numerous and recommends the discontinuance of the three-dollar piece and the gold dollar, the former because it so nearly approximates the quarter eagle in value and the latter because it suffers more from abrasion than the larger pieces. The coinage of trade dollars during the fiscal year amounted to $3,588,900, the greater portion of which were exported to China, where they found a ready market and grow in favor for trade and exchange purposes. The mint had not been afcte to meet the demand for these coins, but the increased capacity of the new mint at San Francisco he thought would soon enable the department to meet all requirements.

To remove the difficulty of making change in Texas and on the Pacific coast, where the five-cent nickel-copper coins do not circulate, the Director recommends the issue of a twenty-cent coin. The Director refers at length to the subject of the course of silver bullion, and states that the Government can at any time, unless there should be a material advance in the value of silver, or depreciation in the gold value of the paper dollar, supply itself with such an amount of subsidiary silver coin as it may require to pay out at its nominal value at about the same terms as a corresponding sum in paper currency could be obtained by the sale of gold coins. The demand for the coins appears to come from Texas and the Pacific coast, where they circulate as money. The first effect of any considerable issue of subsidiary silver coin would.be the disappearance in the New York market of the difference between the bullion and., market value of these coins. They would next be sent to the Pacific coast and Texas in such amounts as to compel merchants and others to avail themselves of the provisions of law limiting the legal tenderofsuch coins tofivedollars. After a time they would begin to enter more or less into general circulation in other sections of the Union, and, as the paper money approached parity with gold, gradually expel the fractional notes. The amount of specie in this country is stated to be on the 30th of June last $167,000,000. The estimate shows a gain in specie and bullion in the last two fiscal years of $38,500,000, The amount of gold and silver coin and bullion in the world is estimated at from ten to twelve thousand millions. The present rate of production is—silver $80,000,000, and gold $100,000,000; the two together being an annual addition of about per cent, to the existing stock of specie.

PHUNNYGRAMS.

—“ Thou rainest in this bosom,” was the remark of a Lothario when his fair one threw a basin of water over him for “ caterwauling” under her chamber window. —“I tell you what,” said a Troy widower, as he spit out of the window, “it seems awful jyhen I think Sary’s down in the ground instead of being around fixing to dry apples.” —-A Chicago woman dipped her feet in the Mississippi River, at St. Louis, the other day, and the effect was noticed as far down as Alemphis, where the water rose several inches.— Brooklyn Argus. —“ Well, how do you get along?” inquired a country landlord, one rainy morning, of a guest whom he had put in a top-floor room under a leaky roof. “Oh, swimmingly,” was the reply —A Alaine paper is publishing a list of all the accidents by drowning during the last forty or fifty years; and the little boys are greatly impressed by it, and frequently read the sad chronicle while waiting for their hair to dry after they have come out of the river. —“ I hope, Airs. Giles,” said a lady who was canvassing for a.choir at the village church, “ you will persuade your husband to join us! lam told he has a very sonorous voice.” “A sonorous voice, maim!” said Airs. Giles. “ Ah! you should hear it coming out of his nose when he’s asleep.” —The other day a minister offered prayer at the laying of a corner-stone. A brisk young reporter bustled up and said: “Iwish you would give me the manuscript of that prayer.” “I never write out my prayers,” replied the preacher. “ Well,” said the reporter, “ I couldn’t hear a word you said.” “Z wasn't praying to you," quickly responded the parson. —A fellow rushed into an office one morning with the interrogation: “ What’s the difference between the mice that have just been eating my greenbacks and the epistles of Paul?” All present subsided, and he gasped: “They’re both scripchewers!” and then rapidly proceeded to the door. —Justice Bartholomew Lynch, of New Orleans, is one of the judicial notabilities of that city. After listening to a two-hour argument by Lawyer Hagan, the other day, Jie raised himself slowly in his chair and inquired very mildly: “ Are ye through, Alister Hagan?" “ Y’es, sir.” “Are ye sure you’re through?” “Yes, sir; quite sure.” “Well, sir,” remaiked Lynch, “ your argument has had ho more effect upon the Court than a spoonful of water on the back of a duck. There’s been judgment entered up against ye for an hour or more.” —The Detroit Free Press records the following touching incident: “Sunday night a policeman on Baker street; passing a certain house about ten o’clock, saw a man drop from a window and heard smothered cries inside. He seized the man for a burglar, but soon found that he had the owner of the house in his clutches. “Well,” said the- officer, “it looks suspicious to see you drop out of a Window that way.” “ the man, heaving a sigh, “ when tnwld woman gets her dander up I ain’t particular about what road I take to get out of the house.”

Pickled Plums.—Seven pounds sweet blue plums, four pounds brown sugar, two,ounces 1 stick cinnamon, two ounces whole cloves, one quart vinegar. Put a layer of plums and spice alternately. Scald the vinegar and the sugar together; pour it on the plums; repeat for two or three -days, the last time scalding plums and sirup together.