Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1874 — Page 8

A Boy Snake-Charmer.

Ok Nineteenth street, near the C., D. & M. Railroad track, stands a small frame house, off to itself in rather a des-olate-looking locality. A family named Vallandingham occupies this house, and among them is a boy named Maurice, aged ten years. Yesterday morning our reporter was informed that this boy had a collection of thirteen snakes, comprising several different kinds, and one full-grown rattlesnake, which he handled fearlessly without drawing the fangs. The story seemed so improbable that a representative of the Telegraph was sent up to interview this youthful prodig}’ and his collection of snakes. With some little difficulty the Telegraph messenger found the house, situated as above described, and inquired for the snake-charmer. He was directed to a crowd of boys playing on the railroad track, and informed that he would find Maurice there. Approaching the boys, our reporter discovered one of the number seated alone a short distance from the balance of the crowd, and apparently taking no interest whatever in their play. He appeared moody and silent, rather avoiding than aeeking any notice whatever. Upon being asked if he was Maurice, the snake-charmer, he rather languidly and indifferently said “yes.” The Telegraph man then expressed a desire to see -him handle his snakes, which was ably seconded by all the boys, who urged Maurice to bring out his pets. He positively refused to go to the house for the snakes, but when some of the boys volunteered to go for the slimv, ugly pets he agreed to display his skill in taming and handling them. Half a dozen boys ran over to the house and returned, each bringing in his hands several snakes from one to three feet in length, darting their forked tongues out as if in a terrible rage. Maurice handled the snakes as carelessly and indifferently as if they were strings; winding several of them around his neck, putting his fingers into the mouths of the venomous serpents, etc. He would actually take any one of them by the neck, and holding the snake’s head close to his mouth thrust out and withdraw his tongue, which would be immediately imitated by the snake. The performances of this'boy are truly wonderful and thrilling, actually excelling all the feuts of snake-charming performed by traveling showmen with long and hard-sounding names. With the sight is experienced naturally a degree of disgust at the familiarity of snakes, so abhorrent to all, with a human being. Maurice claims that he learned the art of snake-charming about a year ago from a man named Walton, who resides in the country near this city. The boy’s first attempt was with a rattlesnake which he found in the woods near Walton's house. He placed his foot on the neck of the serpent, so as to hold it down and leave the head free. Naturally the king of all snakes resented this insult with a fierce sound from his rattles and rapid movement of his tongue; but the boy looked the snake steadily in the eye for a moment, when the rattling and motion of the tongue ceased. He then stooped down, caught the snake just below the h-ad with his hands, and, raising the head to a level withhis face, looked steadih into his eyes for about one minute, wo-u all indication of anger on the part ot the serpent ceased, and the boy handled it as he pleased from that time! until Uay before yesterday, when it got j hurt and he killed it. This snake had eight rattles and was over three feet in length. Since that time the boy makes a sport of catching snakes. Last Saturday, in company with several boys about his own age, he went into the swamp above the fair-grounds, where he caught about one dozen snakes, which he now has. Not only does he tame the serpents so that he can handle them himself, but so completely does lie overcome the naturallv venomous instill cis and remove all warlike or resentful feelings from them that any person can handle them with perfect safety ever afterward. Yesterday there were about a dozen boys around Maurice, who seem to be his*little clan. He is both leader and supreme ruler in that crowd. Without the least exertion on his part he commands implicit obedience from his little hepchmen, who seem to regard him with a kind of awe. He has but to order to be obeyed with alacrity, and his little followers seem to feel a pleasure in recognizing one who has such unusual powers as leader; He docs not seem to value the power that renders him superior to other boys, and when exhibiting that power does it rather as a duty or punishment than pleasure; at least this was the manner in which he appeared yesterday. He sometimes decides to kill a certain snake among the number, and -all the persuasion and simple logic that his little i followers can produce fail to alter that j decision. He sometimes exhibits his snakes and his power over them for five j cents, and no doubt a small amount of money will readily overcome his objec- j tion to “bring out "the snakes” (as the j boys say) any time. —Dubuque (Iowa) Tel j egraph. e I

Leprosy in Canada.

In the Arcadian village of Tracadie, near the mouth of the Miramichi River, says the Toronto Globe. there have been lepers for the last eighty or ninety years. A hospital for their benefit is supported by the local government. A corre- i spondent of the ChurcJt'Jvurnal. who has : recently made a visit to the establish- 1 ment, says the lazaretto, though well kept as far as it goes, is much too small to furnish the requisite- accommodation. | The sexes are kept apart, and everything is done for the comfort of the unfortunates that is possible with the means placed at the disposal of those who manage the institution. The leprosy from which they sutler is j elephantiagis gmcorum, so called from its tendency to make the limbs swell to elephantine proportions. The disease is understood to have been brought there by a French vessel, which, on its return voyage from Smyrna, touched at the Island of Mitylene, and took in a large quantity of clothing and other stores, and on her way to Beanbaris Island—a French military port —she "was wrecked near the mouth of the Miramichi. The people in the neighborhood played the part of wreckers, and helped themselves to the clothes cast ashore, which, it is supposed, were tainted with leprosy, the consequence of which was that the disease soon broke out among them. Another account is, that the vessel in question brought two lepers from St. Maloes, and that every leper known in Tracadie descended from one or the other of these \ men. The prevailing opinion there is that the disease is not contagious, but simply hereditarv. The people have no dread of it, an 1 persons engaged about the lepers for vears never contract the disease. Not only do the lepers marry

among themselves, but such is the feeling among the poor French in Traeadic that there is-no repugnance in many cases among perfectly healthy people to taking lepers for husbands or wives. The taint generally manifests itself in every alternate generation. In this way the disease has become permanently seated in the locality, while the general poverty and not very cleanly habits of the French population tend to extend and intensify it. It shows itself in the form of small white spots on the breast; then the face assumes a puffy appearance, and there is much pain, languor and, drowsiness. The fingers become crooked, the neck swells, the limbs show all the symptoms of dropsy, the nails fall off, and at last the throat and lungs are attacked, and the sufferer dies, a mere mass of, loathsome disease. Its duration varies from five to twenty years, according to the strength of constitution.

The Jewish Passover.

Thk observance of this festival is prescribed in Exodus xxiii. (See also Leviticus xxiii., and Deuteronomy xvi.) Itoccurs in the Jewish month of Abib (Nisan), usually about the latter part of March or the beginning of April in the calendar year, and lasts strictly seven days, although the more orthodox observe elgbt.yowing to- an uncertainty which once arose about the almanac and froifl which in all these many centuries they have not recovered. The first day and the last are sacred, and are marked by a total suspension of work. There are services in the synagogues of unusual length and solemnity, at which persons attend who do not observe a Sabbath in the whole year. They close their shops everywhere; dwellers in the country where there are no Jewish communities repair to the city and put up with friends, or at Jewish inns, until the week is over, travelers return to their homes, and in fine every stray orthodox lamb puts in an appearance. An unusual amount of friendliness and benevolence is prevalent and the enjoyment is general. But, after all, these lire not the distinguishing features of the Passover. All the festivals are marked more or less in this way. Its real characteristic is its unleavened food, and the operation which this peculiar diet has upon Jewish tables. All leavened food and fermented drink are prohibited, and everything containing any mixture of either, such matter being known by its Hebrew name, chometz. With respect to this the festival is observed with extraordinary strictness. By noon the day before the Passover sets in every house is completely cleaned. All the table and kitchen utensils, dishes of every description, knives forks, table-covers, wine glasses—every thing, in fine, that has even the remotest connection with the preparation or consumption of food or drink, besides, of course, all unconsumed groceries—are removed to the attic or some other distant anti unoccupied quarter of the house. In place of all this house,warean equally complete array, which has never been used except for the unleavened food of this festival, is brought down from the attic and arrayed for a week’s brief service. Each little Israclitish lamb lias probably its own private Passover mug, the gift perhaps of some friend or relative ; and how the youngsters rejoice over their familiar favorites as they are taken from their year’s confinement! While these dishes are used the greatest care is taken to prevent their contact with chometz. Should such collision accidentally happen, the contaminated utensil in thoroughly orthodox households is sundered from the rest of the Passover ware, and thereafter is doomed to perpetual associat ion with the plebeian crockery up-stairs. —OaUxxy far November.

Truth Stranger Than Fiction.

Is it or is it not for the interest of writers of romance to have the reading public convinced that truth is stranger than fiction? As a justification of their seeming vagaries and exaggerations perhaps it is; but as its ultimate tendency would be to spoil the market for fiction and create an exclusive demand for plain fact, perhaps it is not. Such a consummation would compel all writers who have been earning their bread by spinning yarns out of their inner consciousness to turn themselves into amateur vagabonds and casuals, etc., to prowl arouhd after abnormal and hideous facts. They would be besieging their political friends to get them places on the police force; they would be candidates for coroner; they would open private morgues and lunatic asylums; they would go out to service as waitresses and chambermaids, carrying tablets in their pockets; they would make believe bankrupt to study the effect on their friends, and note down the facts; they would get places as captains of steamboats, landlords of hotels and pastors unchurches for the sole purpose of viewing life at some unusual advantage or society in some special phase, and thus put themselves in training for startling achievements in the line of truth. These remarks have been suggested by several incidents that have lately come to our knowledge which we know to be true, and which would be confidently pronounced mere exaggeration and caricature if set forth in a novel. A boy recently called at the door of a most respectable lady in this city in comfortable circumstances with a package on w hich was a charge of four dollars and ninety-nine cents. The lady produced a five-dollar bill, but the boy did not have the cent for change. She then sent a messenger with the bill to the top story of the house to get it changed, but unsuccessfully. She then sent to the end of t the house, still Finally she called her husband and bade him put on his hat and go out and get the bill changed, which he did There are some old people living in the interior of New Jersey—two sisters and a brother —svho practice an economy not recorded of any of the famous misers. They have a comfortable house and are especially rich in bedclothes made by the hands of the sisters and accumulated through many veals. But they habitually sit up and sleep in their chairs so as not to wear out the bedding. A rich man, of more than ordinary intelligence. who had made his fortune by life-long industry, had contracted withal a habit "of haggling at prices. He met with some losses and determined upon suicide. „ Going to buy the pistol with which an hour later he ended his life, he made a determined effort to “ beat down” its price ; and probably the last sensation that passed through liis brain before it was scattered by the bullet was a pang that he had obtained no discount on the instrument of destruction! — Appleton's Journal. . r —The lay of the land—Egg-plants.

Finger-Rings.

Ornaments of various kinds have been worn from all ages, both by civilized and uncivilized nations, but it would probably be impossible to point to any single ornament connected with which so much interest attaches,as to the finger-ring. It is of great antiquity, and during centuries of years has been associated with the most important concerns of life, both in matters of ceremony and affairs of the heart. It has been used as a mqans of recognition, as a credential, and as a form of introduction which insured hospitality to the bearer of it. Royal edicts were promulgated through its medium, and power was transferred by its means. When Pharaoh committed the government of Egypt to Joseph be took his ring from his finger and gave it to the young Israelite as a token of the authority he bestowed upon him. So also when Ahasuerus agreed to Hainan's cruel scheme of killing the Jews in all the King’s provinces, he took the ring off his hand and gave it to Human as his warrant, and afterward, when he commanded Mordecai to write letters annulling the former decree, he ordered them to be sealed with his ring. A ring formerly marked the rank and authority of a man, and the King’s ring was as important a part of the insignia of royalty as his scepter or liis crown. Finger-rings are mentioned in the first book of the Bible, and they appear to have been much worn by the Jews in all ages. The ladies oi Palestine adorned their hands with glittering rings, and chiefly valued those which were set with rubies, emeralds and chrysolites. Among the Jews the middle or little finger of the right hand was that upon which the ring was worn, and the signet was always upon the right hand, as appears by the passage in Jeremiah, “As I live, saitli the Lord, though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, were the signet on my right hand, yet would I pluck thee hence.” Bishops, probably following Biblical precedent, wore tneir official rings upon the right hand. This, however, was opposed to the practice of the Egyptians, who considered the fourth finger of the left hand as the ring-finger. Still they did not confine themselves to that finger, for there is a woman in a mummy case in the British Museum in which the fingers and thumbs of both hands are covered with rings. The Pope’s seal-ring is not worn by him, but has been used for sealing briefs apostolic from the fifteenth century. Prior to that period it was employed for the private letters of the Popes. The ring of the fisherman, a signet-ring of steel, is in the keeping of the Cardinal Chamberlain, or chancellor, and is broken with a golden hammer on the death of every Pope, and a new one made for the new Pope. The use of the ring was granted to Cardinals about the twelth century. A Cardinal’s ring is set with sapphire, to denote the high priesthood, and is given when a title is assigned to him. The gift, however, is not free, for the new prince of the church has to pay a large fine on receiving it. The Cardinals w’ear their rings at all times, but on Good Friday they lay them aside, as a sign of the mourning in which the church is placed for her spouse.—lt-was-the custom to bury the Cardinal with his ring on his finger, as was done with the King and other great men. When tombs have been opened the ring has usually been found on the finger of the defunct. Thus it was with our Henry 11., Richard 11. and Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror; and in France the body of Childeric was discovered with his regalia and coronation ring. Graves w ere sometimes violated by robbers in order to obtain the treasures within, and assaults were even made upon the corpse as it was carried to be buried. Most ornaments have at different times come under the ban of the religious as vanities and snares, but rings have always been looked upon with favor by the church. Whatever may have been the origin of the wedding-ring the church took care that it should be considered a holy thing. The “Doctrine of the Masse Booke” (1554) contains a form for the “ halowing of the woman’s ring at w’edding,” in w hich are the follow ing prayers: Thon maker and conserve!’ of mankind, giver of spiritual grace and grannter of eternal salvation. Lord send thy blessing upon this ring, that she which shall weare it mare he armed wyth the vertue of the heavenly defence, and that it may profit her to eternal salvation thorowe Christ, etc. Halow thou Lord this ring which we blesse in thy holye name; that what woman soever shall weare it may stand fast in thy peace and continue in thy wyl and live and grow and wave old in thy love. etc. Hqlv water was then to be sprinkled upon the ring. —British Quarterly Review.

Large or Small Farms.

The strongest argument, in our opinion. in favor of large farms is. that they can be worked more economically by the employment of labor-saving machinery than small ones. Farm labor lias become so high-priced, and at the same time so inefficient, that farming can only be made profitable by substituting as far as possible iron and wood, in the form of machinery, propelled bv blind, insensate or brute force, for muscles moved by human intelligence. A farmer cannot afford to use machinery unless it will save labor enough to pay interest on cost, repairs and wear, !or depreciation in value from use. If S lie has but a few acres of grain to drill in, ! a few acres of corn and potatoes to plant and cultivate, a few acres of grass to mow, rake up and draw into the barn; a few acres of grain to reap, etc., etc., he cannot afford to keep grain drills, corn and potato planters, sulky cultivators, mowers, sulky rakes, and horse forks, reapers and other expensive machinery, for they would not save to him labor enough to compensate for the cost of keeping them. But if a farm is so large that the breadth som n to grain, for instance. M ill keep a i drill employed during the entire season of soM ing, and a reaper employed during the entire season of reaping, the saving in labor in a single season might go far toMrard paying the cost of those machines. Perhaps it would not be exaggerating to say that a farmer on 200 acres, raising ordinary farm crops, will hajdlv require t more help to do has work, in addition to the machinery he would be warranted in keeping, than would a farmer on eighty ; acres, "without the labor-saving ma- ; chinery. The only way small farmers can avail | themselves of the advantages of laborsaving machinery is by co-operating. If three or four small farmers would unite and purchase all necessary machinery to be used in soMing, cultivating and bar- ! vesting crops, they would remove one of the strongest economical 'objections ; against small farms. In our opinion the most important con- ] siderations in favor of small farms are of ; a social ana political nature. Small farms bring fanners into proximity so J that they can enjoy that neighborly in-

tercourse so pleasant and so necessary to the development of many of man’s higher qualities. They make small school districts and large schools, and many other social advantages which cannot be enjoyed in a sparsely-settled rural district. . f * Not the least among the beneficent effects of, small f Jrms is their tendency to make pat riots. A hireling who possesses no real estate, no home of his own, has less attachment to country, less interest in a good, stable government, than one 'who has a home and property that must be unfavorably affected by unjust and oppressive laws, or by riots and disorders in society. > „ To sum up the matter we shall have, in our opinion, the highest ideal of rural society when our country is divided up into small farms, and those farms are owned and worked by an educated, moral and patriotic yeomanry, with sense enough to unite and co-operate for their mutual interests. —American Rural Home. . '/ ,

The Good-Natured Dog.

Ouk Newfoundland dog’s name is Donatello; which, again, is shortened to Don in common parlance. Ke has all the affectionate and excellent qualities of his race. He is the most goodnatured creature I ever saw. Nothing provokes him. Little dogs may yelp at him, the cat OT kTt" tens may snarl and spit at him; he pays no attention to them. A little dog climbs on his back and lies down there; one of the cats will lie between his legs. But at night, when he is on guard, no one can approach the house unchallenged-- ——- But his affection for the family is very great. To be allowed to come into the house and lie down niar us is his chief happiness. He is very fond of my son E , who played with him a good deal, and when the young man went away during the war with a three-months’ regiment Don was much distressed by his absence. He walked dotyn regularly to the station, and stood there till a train of cars came in, and w’hen his friend did not arrive in it he fwent back, with a melancholy air. to the house. But at last the young man returned. It was in Jhe evening, and Don was lying on the piazza. As soon as he saw his friend his exultation knew no bounds. He leaped upon him, and ran round him, barking and showing the wildest signs of delight. All at Once he 1 arneil and ran up into the garden and came back, bringing an apple, which he laid down at the feet of his young master. It was the only thing he could think of to do for him —and this sign of his affection was quite pathetic. The reason why Don thought of the apple was probably this; Wc had taught him to go and get an apple for the horse when so directed. We would say : “ Go, Don, get an apple for poor Ruby;” then he would run up into the garden and bring an apple, and hold it up to the horse: and perhaps, when the horse tried to take it, he would pull it away. After doing this a few times he would finally lie down on his back under the horse’s nose, and allow the latter to take the apple from his mouth. He would also kiss the horse on being told to do so. When we said: “Don, kiss poor Ruby,” he leaped up and kissed the horse’s nose.— James Freeman Clarke , in October Atlantic

"Doing” an American.

An American relates the following^ “ Four years ago 1 came over from New York to superintend the English busy ness of the firm to which I belonged. As my residence was likely to be a long one I looked out for a house within a convenient distance of London; for I am a family man and I like my children to have the run of the fields when I can manage it. I hate to see them dressed up fine —and what’s one of those squares to play in? Well, I got just the thing to suit me—nice garden; farms-all around; half an hour’s railway ride from my office. The rent was stiff for a yearly moderation which was so-so —two hundred for a yearly tenancy, one hundred and fifty if I took a seven-year lease. I reckoned that I should want it for a good ten years: so I decided for the lease, especially as the agent told me I should be sure to underlet it if I wanted to. When I got to know my neighbors and compared notes l found that I was paying at a much higher rate tnan any of them were. However, that did not vex me so long as I could live there. But after two years certain changes took place which made it necessary that I should go live at Liverpool. So I had to move again and tried to underlet my house. I could not do it for some time, because I stood out for the rent I paid myself, but at last 1 grew tired of the dead-loss, and told the agent to get the best he could. So he let the place for ninety, and that has been goings on for foug years, so that the lease is nearly up. But I never kpewtill last year Mho my tenant M’as. Who do you think?” “ I cannot guess.” “ Why, my landlord. I have been paying the cuss sixty'pounds a year for living in his own house all this time. It’s a fact.” —Once a Week. . *

Garments Made Water-Proof.

A Mriter in an English paper says: " By the Way, speaking of water-proofs, I think I can give travelers a valuable hint or two. For many years I have M’orn india-rubber water-proofs, but will buy no more, for I have learned that good Sco tish tMeed can be made entirely impervious to rain, and, moreover, I have learned boM- to make it so; and, for the benefit of your readers, I will give the recipe: g^--“In a bucket of soft water put half a pound of sugar of lead and half a pound of poM’dered alum; stir this at intervals until it becomes clear; pour it off into another bucket and put the garment therein, and let it be in for twenty-four hours and then hang it up to dry M'ithout wringing it. “ Two of my party —a lady and gentleman —have worn garments thus made in 1 the Mildest storms of wind and rain M'ithout getting wet. The rain hangs : upon the cloth in globules. In short, I they were really water-proof. The gentleman, a fortnight ago, Malked fiine miles in a storm of rain and wind such as you rarely see in the south, and when he slipped on his overcoat his underwear was as dry as when he put them on. This is, I think, a secret worth knowing; for cloth, if it can be made to keep o'ut wet, is in every wav better than what we know as most water-proofs.” Sevekal hundred horses have died within a month or two in Monterey County, Cal., from the effect of eating a poisonous plant called “ rattleweed,” which produces symptoms similar to those of insanity.

Prison Discipline In Great Britain.

The least term of penal servitude to which a contfict is sentenced in England is jive years, and, according to the offense committed, six, 9even, eight, ten, and so op to twenty-five, the limit terminating ! with the man’s life; and it would be well to bear in mind that the word “conyict,” in England, is only applied to persons sentenced to terms of penal servitude, i There are in Great Britain ten convict- ! prisons for men and three for women, j The malg convict-prisons provide ac- ! commodation for 9,891 persons; the female for 1,391; and the grand total of persons who can be received in these convict-prisons is 11,282. All these are Government convict establishments, managed under the. Secretary of State for the Home Department by a board of four i Directors, of which Col. Du Cane, C. 8., is the Chairman, who visit every con-vict-prison once monthly, at least, to see that the orders given are carried out, that no irregularities are permitted, to hear appeals or requests from tfie prisoners, and to act magisterially in trying charges brought against them by the wardens and prison officials. In England a sentence of penal servison subjected to it. After sentence the convict is sent either to Millbank or Pentonville, which are what are termed “close prisons,” and where he must remain, under any circumstances, tor nine months, passing the whole of this time —except, of course, that allotted to chapel and exercise—in his cell. This term of probationary isolation is intended to work upon the mind of the prisoner and to-make him feel the serious penalties —only now beginning to be enforced —attaching to wrong-doing. The hard labor exacted from him is oakum-pick-ing and crank-turning in Millbank, which tude is, in its main features, and so far as concerns the punishment carried out, on exactly the same system to every perdiffers in this respect from Pentonville, where more remunerative labor is most in vogue, in the shape of matmaking, weaving, tailoring, and shoemaking. Each cell iin these prisons contains a rough wooden bed on the floor, a tin and basin, a couple of blankets and pair of sheets, a crank machine, and little else. A slit in the cell wall or an opening in the door enables the warder to look in unawares upon the prisoner, and see that he is safe and wellbehaved. Here the convicts work twelve hours a day, exclusive of meals—three pounds of oakum being required to be picked, or 14,500 revolutions of the crank, with a pressure of fourteen pounds, to be made, at full labor, any interval of spare time being spent in the neverfailing and wearying work of oakumpicking. The dress of all convicts in the “ close prisons,” except those-sent up from other prisons for good conduct at the expiration of sentence, is a rough,, brown-fustian shirt and breeches, stamped all over with the Government mark of the “ broad arrow," blue wooleu stockings with red stripes, shoes, and a brownfustian Scotch cap. This uniform is only changed as a man advances in work and is promoted to another Class. At Pentonville or Millbank, then—both of which are built on the same general plan—paying dearly for the one false step, or previous course of crime, by the dull monotony of their every-day life, the hard work, scanty fare, unceasing supervision, and wretched feeling of despair which must be the lot of some, the convicts in England work out their terms of probation. On a given day, before the expiration of this first year, handcuffed and linked together by chains, the convicts who have served out their probationary terms are sent off to one of the “ public-works prisons” at Chatham, Portland, or Portsmouth; or, if in indifferent health, and incapable of hard labor, to one of the light-labor prisons at Dartmouth, Parkhurst, Brixton, or Woking. From this time, it may be said, the convict really commences his term of penal servitude, by working at hard labor on Government works, and by falling into that system of “ marks” which we shall now explain, and which will be seen to have a material effect both on the man’s condition in prison and his future prospects at leaving oh the expiration of his sentence.

Every convict in England during the term of his imprisonment is required to pass through the following classes, viz.; Probation class, one year, during M'hich lie must earn on public works 720 marks. Third class, one year, during which he Tnust eam onpuble- works 2 ; 920. Second class, one year, during which he must earn 2,920 marks, alter which he is eligible for promotion to the first class. Every convict is thus required to remain in tlm probation class for a minimum period of oncyciu-reckoiied from the date of conviction, nine months of which are passed in separate confinement. Prisoners in this class can earn no gratuity, a 9 in the other classes; are not permitted to receive visits, nor to write or receive letters from friends, except one letter on release from separate confinement; and are only allowed one period of exercise on Sundays. Good conduct and industry having, in the governor’s opinion, qualified the convict for advancement to the third class, he lias black facings, as a distinctive badge, added to his * convict-dress, and obtains the follou-ing privileges: Permission to earn a gratuity of twelve shillings, being at the rate of one shilling per month for tM*elve months, by marks; to receive a visit of twenty minutes’ duration once in six months; and both to receive and M'rite a letter once in six months; and to be allowed one period of exercise on Sundays ; all this.supposing that his conduct has been good. Promotion to the second class is followed by the substitution of yellow for black facings in the convict’s uniform, and by the following privileges: Permission to receive a visit ol twenty minutes’ duration, and both to receive and wifte a letter once in four months; j to earn a gratuity of eighteen shillings, being at the rate of one shilling and sixpence per month for twelve months, by marks: to be allowed choice of tea and two ounces of additional bread instead of gruel, a privilege, let it be told, most highly prized' by convicts in the English prisons; and to have two periods of e*r ercise on Sundays. The convict still going on well, advances, in the next year, to the first class, when he changes Ms yellow for more i honorable blue facings, and obtains ad- ! ditional privileges, as follows: Permission I to receive a visit of half an hour and J both to receive and write a letter once in j three months; to earn a gratuity of thirty shillings, being at the rate of ttfo shil lings and sixpence per month for twelve months, by marks, until three pounds have been"earned altogether; to be eligible. if his conduct and industry are good, and it special circumstances should render it desirable, to be recommended on discharge from prison for a further gratuity not exceeding three pounds; to be

allowed the choice of tea and bread instead of gruel, and baked instead of boiled meat, and three periods of exercise on Sundays. After this again comes a special class, in which the convict his brown convict suit for a blue and where he is eligible for an extra remission of sentence, and for employment in the general service of the prison—in the bakery, kitchen, etc. By the lhw of England every convict has it in his power, by good conduct and industry in prison, to earn a remission of one-fourth of his sentence calculated from the day he leaves separate confinement. This ticket-of-leave system was introduced when the Australian colonies protested against any further transportation of convicts; and, although it operates as an inducement to good conduct and due performance of hard labor in prison, it yet operates as a part of the penal-servitude system outside by retaining a hold on the convict until the whole period of his sentence has expired.— Appleton's Journal.

Learn to Forge Your Own Tools.

Many mechanics have an idea that after they have mastered the more legitimate duties of the workshop they have learned all that is necessary, and can undertake anything in their line of business. Machinists particularly are prone to this error—a common one, by the way—and think that a knowledge of fitting and turning, once acquired, makes up for all other deficiencies.. In reality, the self-styled finished mechanic is, paradoxically, the unfinished one; for he who acknowledges his shortcomings, and tries to correct them by obtaining all the information he can, will acquire a more thorough knowledge of his profession. Comparatively few machinists are competent to dress their own tools, or, indeed, handle the blacksmith’s hammer on any work. How many times such knowledge would have been invaluable we leave individuals to decide from their own experience. A simple weld, which they were unable to make, a faculty for dressing chisels without putting "their own eyes in danger by striking the anvil 1 instead of the tool, would assuredly have stood persons, ignorant of such details, in good service in time of need. Apprentices who go to the tool-dresser to’ have the edges of their chisels or other instruments renewed wifi db well to observe the process and inform themselves of it, instead-of throwing coal at the helpers, or otherwise conducting themselves in an unruly manner. Observation and’ experience are twins, and no’ youth, or, indeed, any adult, can hope toattaineminence or proficiency without paying some attention tb the matters herein alluded to. —Newark Manufacturer.

The Red Currant.

Nex to the apple, for every-day wear,, cuffis the red currant. They are allmost az necessary and common for sweet-meats in all well regulated familys az hash iz for brekfasst. They grow on a low hush, and they gro thik that yu couldn’t stik another one on without knocking off two. They are about the size ov a dubble i?' shot, and when they are ripe they are az red az the eye of a M'ild pigeon. They are az sour az the blood ov a lemon, but plenty of wffiite sugar cures them ov this malady. One pint ov ripe currants for teav well pikt over and washed off gently with ice water, and mixt up with about az mutchlite brown sugar az thare iz currants, are just about az free from guile az any; nourishment i.kno ov. ■ . Currants are good green, half ripe, or dead ripe, and are cheaper than herring, and a good deal freer from bones. Currants make a.good pi too, and. the man who liaint et them mutch, and often, haz lived a good deal in vain, Ripe currants, rite opli from, the bush are az healthy to eat az lice iz, and the man who don’t- luv them, either raM r or cooked, iz no gentleman. Thare iz a grate menny things i had rather do, in a hot day, tlian/to pik currants, but i have dun it all day,, when i ; waz a boy, and got a nine pence at night for the job,. I am more than haff a century oldi noM’, but i kan look bak, andi remember just how bright and how big one ov them ninepences used to be. A hundred dollars now ain’t haff s©> mutch munny az they waz then. I M’ish i waz a boy again, and knu. ov life what i kno now, iM ould bind myself, if i could allwuss be a., boy, to pik currants for a nine-pence a day, az long az the currants held out. Currant jelly iz another smart thing that currants can do. This delikasy iz az well known az the 10 commandments, and iz a good deal better relished bi menny folks. —Josh Billings , in N. T. Weekly.

Plain Diet.

This is what children, ought on every account to be accustomed to from the first ; it is vastly more for their present health and comfort than little nice things with which fond parents are so often apt to vitiate their appetites, and it will save them, a great deal of mortification in after life." If you make it a point to give them the best o of everything; to pamper them with rich cakes, sweetmeats and sugar plums; if you allow them to say with a scowl, “ I don’t like this or that,” “ I eanf eat that, u and then go away and make them a little toast, or kill a chicken for their dainty palates—depend uponfit you are doing a great injury, not only on the score of denying a full musele and rosy cheek, but of forming one of the most inconvenient habits that they can, carry along with them in after life. When they come to leave you they will not half the time find anything they can eat —and thus you will prepare them to go chafing and grumbling through life, the veriest slaves almost in the world. Mothers, listen and be warned in time, for the time will come yvhen you will repent ; seeing your sons and daughters make their homes miserable by complaint, and raising their children up in the same way-.— Rural Neu> Yorker. —A start has been made in the construction of #167611 miles of portable railway at Finconning Bay, Mich. It is built in the following manner: There i are first twelve to sixteen foot logs laid ; crossways about six feet apart. Grains ! are cut in these logs and fitted timber ! laid in these grains to prevent the road : from spreading. The ties that cross the stringers are of two-inch hemlock plank from six to twelve inches wide, and are let down even with the stringer to prevent ! its rolling. On the curves iron rails are 1 used; otherwise the rails are of hard maple. The road is operated with locomotive oower, and the cost of building, without rolling stock, is about $2,000 per mile.