Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1875 — Page 8

An Innocent Man Hung by Lynchers

A MOST painfolly interesting story cant into my poaseisioa recently, which I send to yon witK nome hesitation, for fear friends may not desire the matter made public. An Stowe or less publicity has been given it in some quarters, how -ever, and a» there to no disgrace attach* ing to the victim of the murder, I give it *8 I learned it in my peregrinations through the West. Many of the oldest citteens of Illinois will remember Thomas Ford, one of the old lawyers of that State, who was elected Governor some time back in the ‘‘forties.’’ Gov. Ford was reckoned one of the “ big” man of the State, albeit he was possessed of an overweening modesty that retarded his advancement and kept him poor. When he died he left a number of children and no property, excepting a history of Illinois, in manuscript. This, Gen. James Shields, now a resident of Missouri, had published, and the proceeds were divided among the children. The children were adopted by different citizens—the youngest, Thomas, with whom we have to do in this sketch, being adopted by the late Hon. Thomas E. Moore, of Peoria, DI., and assumed that gentleman’s name. Tom served in the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Illinois Infantry, and there made many friends, and was accounted a good soldier. Upon his return he entered the artillery service and did g<» d duty there for a year. Then he return. d to Peoria, and for a short time was engaged in writing squibs for the Transcript, the leading paper in Peoria. In the fall of 1871 young Ford, or Moore (he always wrote his name Thomas Ford Moore), became dissatisfied with Peoria and determined to go to the far West to seek his fortune. His older brother was somewhere in the vicinity of Wachita, Kan., and thither Tom shaped his course and arrived in due time. For a number of months Tom and his brother wandered up and down the plains of Kansas, now joining a hunting party for the West, now helping to bring huge droves of Texas cattle from the South. Sometimes he was in company with his brother, at other times he went alone. At this time excitement was running unusually high in regard to horse-steal-ing. It was near the close of a beautiful day in July that voung Ford for the first time approached State Creek Ranche, situated in Sumner Countv, near the town of Caldwell. He bad walked all day, coming from the southeast, and looked forward with joyful anticipations to the rest and food he should obtain at the 'ranche previous to pushing on to Caldwell six miles further, whither he was bound. Just before reaching the ranche he became cognizant of the fact that two men were following him, but he had a revolver, and, supposing if the men inter sered with him it would be for the purpose of robbery, he had no fears of them. He soon arrived at the ranche, where he refreshed himself with meat and drink for half an hour, and then started for Caldwell His journey lay through a w-oods of scattered trees and abundant brush. He had gone scarcely a mile when three men suddenly sprang upon him from a haze copse. So sudden was the attack that he had no time to draw a weapon, no time to make any defense. The three men were quickly joined by three others, and the leader informed their captive that "he was exceedingly happy to have succeeded in capturing him so easily. “ For," said he, “we have been watching you for several hours past." Tom inquired for what they had arrested him. At first 'he could get no satisfaction, but at length he was informed that he was! arrested for horsestealing. The horror of his situation then forced itself upon the young man. He realized that be was in the hands of a mob who knew no law but that of Judge Lynch, in whose court they were jurors, judge, witnesses, attorneys and executioners. Though a thousand times innocent, he knew lie would die if he could not fully convince these men of his innocence. He knew that some of the loudest and most active of those vigilants were the real horse-thieves, who would not hesitate to hang an innocent man to divert suspicion from their guilty selves, and he knew that if the present party were of that number he would certainly perish. « Thev asked him his name, and he told them Thomas Moore, and then informed them that he was the son of Thomas Ford, former Governor of Illinois. "How can your name be Moore, then," said the leader, “if you are the son of a Governor named Ford?' The young man, amid the shout of derision that followed, attempted to explain. He was dragged along. “ Shut up your cackle,” says one burly ruffian, striking him in the face with his fist. A rope was here brought in view. “Take him to yonder tree,” said the leader. “ My God, gentlemen,” protested the unfortunate youth, “ are you going to hang me upon bare suspicion? Before God, I am innocent of the crime, and if Tou will give me time and opportunity can prove it." “We have all the proof we want," said the leader. "If you’ve got any prayers to say, make them short, for we have so many of you fellows to attend to that we haven’t much time to give each of you.” - -t ... “In God’s name, men, is there no chance for life? Must I die like a dog for nothing? Give me some chance for my life, and, if you will take it, don’t murder me in such a cowardly manner." Vain were the words of the poor boy. They attempted to bind him, but with all the young strength of a well-built frame, intensified and augmented by desperation, he threw them off. Again and again they threw themselves upon him, but in his despair he hurled them from him. But what must be the result of this? What could be the only result? They were six to one. He was exhausted, overpowered, thrown down and his hands and feet securely bound. Then a rope being passed over the fork of a tree, and the other end placed about his neck, he was asked if he had any confession to make. “No,” said he; “my chief consolation in this moment of my death is that I am innocent. I never stole a horse. You doubt my stories. I have letters in my pocket to prove that I am who I say I am. For God’s sake, look at them.” “ We’ll hang you first and look at your letters afterward,” shouted one of the ruffians. " Pull away, boys, and let us get away with this business.” “ Oh, give him a minute to pray,” said the toader. “Here, young man, you may liaye two minutes to pray in, but make ’em short.” The rope was slacked up, and the

doomed boy fell upon his knees and engaged in silent prayer. The two minutes over, the cruel hands at the other end of the rope pulled it taut and with another Jerk the poor innocent youth was dangling between heaven and earth. A few moments and the dark transaction was done. After he was dead the men examined the pockets and found letters and papers proving his identity and also proving his innocence. The villains had literally hung their man first and heard his defense afterward. One of them expressed the fear that they had been engaged in a bad job. The facts of the murder came out nearly or quite as above detailed and occasioned no little feeling in the vicinity. It was months before even a rumor of the sad fate of the young man reached his friends in Peoria and elsewhere. They knew him to be out upon the borders of civilization and did not expect frequent letters from him. The news was first brought back by a rough character who heard it ih Kansas, but whose word was not believed. It was not until lately that the matter was put finally to rest and the dreadful truth forced itself upon the minds of his friends.—Leavenworth (Kan.) Cor. Cincinnati Commercial.

Teaching Hints.

Teaching school and keeping school are two widely-different affairs. A popular teacher is not always a good teacher, nor an unpopular teacher a poor one. Whipping is the fruitful parent of most school disorders. Ventilation tends to secure pure blood, sound body, active brain and good lessons. School fires should be built a little previous to a quarter to nine o’clock. If teachers arrive at school later than pupils it seems as though the pupils were the most interested. School-houses were not built for playhouses—notice recesses and mornings. Teachers should try to associate with the people among whom they teach. Remember that reading, spelling, writing and ciphering are the topics we shall use most and consequently ought to know best. Order is said to be Heaven’s first law. but it would seem to be the fast law of some teachers. Schools may be spoiled by too much kindness as well as by too much vigor. Teachers should prepare each lesson as regularly as pupils should. Six hours’ work per day is the school day of lazy teachers only. , Why do many pupils “gothrough" text-books many times and then not know their contents? A well-recited lesson is not always a well-known lesson. The moral nature of pupils is as worthy of cultivation as the intellectual. Industrious, orderly, civil teachers usually find the same qualities in their pupils, for “as the teacher, so is the pupil.” Written work should be required in every branch of study. Some teachers expect their pupils to progress, but make, no effort to progress themselves. A reading exercise is something more than a pronouncing exercise, a pause exercise or an inflection exercise, and requires as much study as any other school task. Lazy pupils always like concert recitations—they call them splendid. Teachers who use the text-book at every recitation really say by actions that they do not know the lesson they are hearing. Never fail to inspect all written work unless you wish the next poorly done. Our best teachers are the best subscribers to educational works—poor teachers don’t need them. The art of questioning properly is known to few* teachers and practiced by fewer. A tidy school-room is an honor to the teacher. "Study your leesone Jive times” generally secures its study one-fifth of a time. Many educational ladders have the lower rounds missing. Not “ how much” but “how well” is the motto of a good teacher and the foundation of good scholarship. If teachers could “ see ourselves as others see us” fewer bad habits would be copied by pupils.— Baraboo (BTs.) Be publi<an.

Quaint Anniversary Customs.

On the anniversary of the battle of Blenheim each year a gentleman may be seen getting off "the train at Windsor and carrying a white flag up to the castle, depositing it into the hands of some court official with great solemnity and ceremony. On the anniversary of Waterloo another gentleman proceeds to the same place, also with a flag, though this time the bunting is a tricolor. On a certain day in every October, should you happen to be in the office of Her Majesty's “ Remembrancer," in London, you would see three very dignified gentlemen, with heavy watch-seals and bristling sidewhiskers, diligently engaged in splitting fagots of wood and counting some horse shoes and hobnails. Such are a few of the lingering relics of the poetry of feudalism in England. Blenheim was given to the great Duke of Marlborough and Strathfieldsaye, to the greater Duke of Wellington, on condition that the ceremony detailed above should be performed annually forever. The city of London holds possessions in the shire of Salop so long as certain officials make woodchoppers and nail-reckoners of themselves once every year. What would occur if these flags did not arrive at Windsor, or those nails were not counted, is as mysterious as the consequences of “naming a member" in the House of Commons. It pray at least be taken for granted that some worthy old Tories would be heard to deplore the fact that England was “ going to the "dogs." Nobody—except, perhaps, Bradlkugh and a few others of his sort—thinks of abolishing these absurd though not unpicturesque performances. Even Temple Bar is allowed to totter on its feeble foundation, though it threatens to fall on the heads of passers-by any hour of the day; and here seems "to be the limit passed between a harmless keeping alive of quaint old customs and the dangerous preservation of what is old simply on account of ' its age.— Appleton s Journal. —Ladies owning lap-dogs will please take notice: The Michigan Southern Road has decided that only a lap-dog “ in the arms of its mistress” will be admitted into the passenger coaches. All other dogs must travel in the baggage-car at the rate of twenty-five cents for the first 100 miles and ten cents for each subsequent 100. Baby-wagons are charged the same price as dogs.

On Skates.

“ You see,” said my friend Reglet, as he cut a “ pigeon’s-wing” on the glassy Surface at the rink, went off on one foot and came circling around on the other—- “ you see, it is an exercise which brings all the muscles into play and must be healthy. In fact Dio Lewis says it is .better than riding on horseback." It looked so easy and so nice that I winked at the boy who had skates to lend and he came over. “That’s right, old boy!” called Reglet, as he sailed around with a handsome £irl on each-arm and a lovely blonde hanging to his coat-tails —“ I’ll bet a hundred dollars you’ll learn all the flourishes within an hour.” I was highly gratified at this expression of confidence in my ability and I kept hurrying up the 1 boy as he fastened on the skates. The impudent sauce-box said I’d better strap a pillow on the back of my head before I started out, but I passed the insinuation by in silent contempt. “Nowthen," said Reglet, circling up with a dozen French flourishes, “the main thing is to have confidence in yourself. Strike right out, like a pioneer getting away from a troop of wolves, and I’ll bet a hundred to one you’ll make a skater.” I struck out. I struck in several other directions besides out. One foot went to the left, the other to the right, and I whirled around and sat down. The blofide young lady came up and said that I had made a capital hit and the other two said that I was certain to combine grace with muscular effort when I got fairly started. I didn’t feel much like starting out again, but I had to do it. Reglet helped me up, said that he could already see an improvement in my health, and he w r arned me to shove my feet as I saw him do. I obeyed. The left foot shot out, leaving the right some rods in the rear, and in trying to even up the race a little something struck the ice. It was myself. The back of my head struck first’ and there were five distinct shocks before the whole of my body got down. Reglet sailed up and said he never saw that beaten, and the blonde declared her belief that I was an old skater, and was just playing off on them. The rink danced round and round as I sat up, and the small boy who was grinning at me appeared to my vision like eight or nine small boys and eight or nine grins. “Come, old boy, this exercise will brighten your cheek until your own wife won’t know you,” called Reglet, offering to help me up. I wanted to go home and sit down behind the coal stove and ponder and reflect. but he dragged me to my feet and the blonde wanted to know if I wouldn’t please give them “ the Prince of Wales flourish.” I glanced at her and tried to smile, and they all edged off to give me a fair show. “Come, dart right off!” yelled Reglet, and I carefully started my feet out on an exploring voyage. They hadn’t traveled over six inches before they got ahead of my body. I reached out for something to support me, clawed around, and the back of my head dug a hole in the ice. I thought the roof of the rink had fallen in, and that twenty-eight tons of boards and shingles had struck me in a heap, but I was deceived. “You struck an air-bubble or you’d have made a splendid show,” said Reglet as he pulled at me. The blonde said that I had come within a hair’s breadth of cutting one of the grandest flourishes known on ice, and they wanted me to try once more. I told ’em I had got to go to a funeral and that I would be back in half an hour, but it was no use. “See how easy it is,” exclaimed Reglet as he pushed out and swung one leg around. I pushed out and swung one leg. I couldn’t pull it back. I tried to and I yelled to Reglet that I’d give him fifty dollars to grab me. He was too late. I clawed and waved and tottered and fell, and when I came to my senses again Reglet said that if I would go through the same performance every day lor two months he’d warrant me that I could eat a hundred hot biscuit jwr day and never have a touch of the dyspepsia. I am in bed yet, and a friend has written this from dictation. The doctor says that two ribs bn the left side are fractured, the collar bone is broken, the bones of one elbow smashed and the spinal column is three inches out of true, but he is laboring away in hopes of mending me up by spring.— M. Quad, in Fireside Friend. ——

Production of Ice in Mild Winters.

It is suggested that, by filling suitablyconstructed sheet-iron vessels to the depth of about an irich with water, it will soon freeze, even when the temperature is but little below the freezing point, and that, by repeating the addition of water as the first portions become frozen, blocks of the clearest ice, six inches thick, may be formed during a night; and when the temperature by day is suitable, a single laborer will be able to fill a large ice-house in a short time.' By pouring water which has been cooled in the vessels nearly to the freezing point over the ice after it has been packed, at suitable intervals, when the temperature of the air is below the freezing point, a compact mass of ice may be formed of more value for use than a much larger quantity loosely packed. Even in winters favorable to the production of ice the above method may be found the most convenient and cheapest for filling jeehouses.—AT. Y. Observer.

About Hair.

A correspondent of the Philadelphia Press writes: “I have recently learned some interesting facts respecting a manufacture in which every female head throughout the land is interested, namely, the preparation of human hair and its transformation into switches, ringlets, etc. The largest establishment of this nature in the world exists in Germany. It is situated in a town called Wetzlar, in the valley of the Lahn. .It is the depot to which the traveling collectors of hair bring their wares to dispose of. and so extensive are its transactions that their wares are arranged in bales, each containing three and four hundred pounds of hair. These bales each contain a heterogeneous mass of human locks of every "shade and texture, from raven black to flaxen?* blonde, from horsehair coarseness to silken fineness. This s the material in the rough, and very dirty and disgusting are often the peas-ant-grown tresses when brought into the factory. But fear nothing/ladies fair, respecting the cleanliness of your alien jocks; all the hair is thoroughly boiled before being placed in the hands of the work-girls, of whom 600 are employed in thia establishment. The hair, -1 • ■ ■

when dried and smoothed, is then carefully sorted according to color and length. Good brown hair of average length is worth about $75 a pound; the highest-priced hair is pure white, long tresses of which are sold, not by the Eound but by the single hair, each hair eing valued at about half a cent. The most valuable of the natural hues is pale gold; a switch of that color was displayed valued at nearly SIOO, even in that wholesale mart. The greatest curiosity there was a switch of light brown hair measuring six feet in length, and for which SIOO had been paid to the original owner thereof; this unparalleled braid is not to be sold, but is to be reserved for exhibition at our Centennial.”

Grain Farming.

The intelligent proprietor of a grain farm aims to select such land as will be properly adapted to the crops which he proposes to cultivate. If the object is to cultivate only a few of the cereals —say wheat, barley, oats and Indian corn—the soil selected will consist largely of loam or be composed of alluvion, in which argulaceous and calcareous material abounds. In many instances there will be no opportunity for a choice of land, as every tillable acre will consist of heavy clay or a mixture of different kinds of soil forming heavy land, which is well adapted to the production of the sorts of grain alluded to. In grain farming the aim is, as far as may be practicable, to adapt the system of management, the mode of culture and the kind of crops to the soil rather than to attempt the injudicious experiment of adapting the soil to the crops. Every product of the farm should be favored with a congenial soil —indeed, this is eminently essential—whenever the farmer desires to produce the largest maximum yield per acre. A fair crop of excellent wheat may be produced on a light sandy soil; but such land will not furnish a congenial sub-bed for growing wheat. Barley, for example, may be raised on light mucky soils; but some other crops may be produced on such land with far more profit, as a mucky and peaty soil is deficient in tho|e elements of fertility which make a congenial soil for barley As all soils are spoken of by working farmers as either heavy or light, the proprietor of a grain farm will always select land that is neither too heavy qor too light. There is a grade of soils between the heavier and the light which it is always desirable to secure. Yet, where the choice lies between light and very heavy it will be more satisfactory in every respect to choose the heavy land, as such ground will be found more congenial to a larger number of crop plants than the light soil. Besides this, the heavy soil is susceptible of being brought to a higher state of fertility than the very light land, and the fertility can be maintained from year to year with less labor and fertilizing material than where the soil is so light and porous that the elements of fertility are not retained for the use of growing plants. When a supplv of phosphatic, nitrogenous, or other fertilizing matter is incdrporafed with a heavy soil, larger than is essential to meet the requirements of the growing plants, the adhesive, argillaceous portion of the seed-bed envelops the valuable elements of fertility and retains the minute atoms until the numerous spongioles of crop plants, spread, through the soil the succeeding season, lay hold of and appropriate the rich pabulum that has long been held in store. The intelligent proprietor of a grain farm, if he has adopted a system of progressive agriculture, chooses rotation of crops. Here also the important principle of adaptation must be strictly observed. On the heavier kinds of lands the following rotation system will be found quite satisfactory in nearly every respect, namely: Indian corn, barley, oats, wheat and red clover. The crop of red clover should be plowed under the next year after seeding. On some grain farms the system of rotation is varied from the foregoing, thus: Indian corn, oats, rye and red clover. In some locations rye straw is. so valuable at markets in certain cities that certain farmers prefer to raise rye instead of wheat, as the remunerative price received for the straw, together with the returns for the grain, will greatly preponderate over the profits of a crop of wheat on the same ground. Besides this there is no other crop among the cereals with which the seed of red clover can be sown with the same assurance that there will be “ a good catch” as with rye. A crop of clover in a judicious rotation is more valuable and more important than a crop of rye or wheat. Red clover .will „ catch” satisfactorily in some instances with wheat, oats or barley. But as oats and barley are so liable to yield such a heavy and dense burden of leaves near the ground the young clover is often in danger of being smothered to a ruinous extent. — N. Y. Herald.

Litigation Extraordinary.

John H. Gonzales) while getting off at Mount Vernon from an up passenger train on the New York & Harlem Railroad, on the 25th of November, 1864, was killed by a down express train. His widow sued the company and obtained a verdict for $5,000. The Court of Appeals reversed the judgment on the ground that Gonzales was guilty of contributory negligence in getting off on the west side, where there was no platform. Then the case was tried over, and at the close of the plaintiff’s case a motion to dismiss the complaint on the ground of contributory negligence by Gonzales was granted. The Court of Appeals held the non-suit improper, and again granted a new trial. The railroad company was characterized as guilty of gross negligence in so arranging the time-table as to have an express train thundering by a station within one minute of the stoppage of an accommodation train, and the company was held bound to have a platform on both sides of the road. On the third trial Mrs. Gonzales again secured a verdict, which, on appeal, tne General Term set aside on the ground that the Judge who tried it should have granted the motion for a non suit. The case went for the third time to the Court of Appeals, and there the appeal was dismissed. The fourth trial, which was begun some days ago before Judge Freedman, was concluded yesterday, the Court directing a verdict in favor of the railroad company, on the ground that Gonzales, by the reasonable and ordinary use of his organs of hearing, could have been warned of the approach of the express train. The case will again go to the Court of Appeals. While the highest recovery possible under the laws of New York is only $5,000, the accrued costs amount to many times that sum. —ln the Hawaiian language every vowel is sounded. That would make it Kal-a-ka-u-a—five syllables. However, don’t let’s fight about it.

Hints to Amateur Florists.

There are many who are investing in plants who have had little or no experience, and to such a few hints may not come amiss. 1. Plants taken from the warm, moist air of a propagating house should be wrapped in thin, soft paper, left open at the top until they have become acclimated to the change. Hie leaves should be sprinkled on the under and upper sides with awisp broom, studiously avoiding cold draughts of air. 2. The best time for watering plants is toward evening, as in the summer time the evaporation is not so rapid during the night ; whereas if watered only in the morning they so soon dry off that they do not get the full benefit of the evaporation process which supplies the place of dew, and they will look more fresh and vigorous. 3. The idea entertained by almost every amateur flower-grower that a large amount of earth is required for the health and vigor of the plant is very erroneous, and is called by experienced florists over-potting, and is< laden many times with serious results to plant life; for the soil in pots, boxes, tubs, etc., does not have the action of the element to neutralize the acid or equalize the chemical compounds that are used up or generated to excess when thus confined, as the soil often becomes sour and sodden, and necessitates the speedy removal of the plant into fresh soil, to prevent decay of the roots. Soil best adapted to nearly every plant grown in pats is good sandy loam. Good garden soil that has been enriched until it is soft -nd mellow will answer every purpose; but if neither of these can be obtained, procure leaf-mold from the woods, swamp muck and sand, equal darts thoroughly mixed, and this will make a most desirable compost. The addition of a small quantity of wood ashes or lime will destroy and prevent worms. 4] 4. In repotting, care should be taken not to injure the roots. To prevent this, set the pan into a pot of water until the ball of earth around the roots is saturated; then place the hand over the top of the pot, turn bottom upward, rap the rim of the pot on the .bench or stand, and the whole will fall out. Have ready another pot, one or two sizes larger, and turn into, it the plant, supplying sufficient soil to fill up again, carefully shaking so that the roots nex't to the sides of the pot will be supplied. This process only needs repeating from once to twice a year; but if you want flowers you must keep your plants root-bound in a measure. This your judgment must decide. 5. Plants kept in a sitting-room where frequent sweeping has to be done should be covered until the dust has settled, as dust upon the foliage injures the plant by retarding its growth and bloom, as leaves are to plant life what lungs are to animal life. 6. Where scale or red spider have accumulated, as they will in warm, dry atmosphere or in dark situations, whaleoil soap suds showered over the leaves, and sponged off on the under side, or turning the bottom up and dipping the whole down into the decoction, will re move the pests. Where plants are crowded into too small space, they will generate the aphis or green fly, and the thrip and mealy bug. Smoking or washing the plants thoroughly will destroy these also. 7. Above all give your plants plenty of fresh air and all the sunshine possible. But few plants will grow in the shade, and this class, is mostly confined to the Begonia family and a few varieties of vines; among them are the smilax and common ivy.— Cor. The Farmer (England).

Care of the Ear.

The Scientific American thinks that the ear is quite as liable to injury from drafts of air as from cold Water. The modern style of cutting the hair in men and of arranging the hair of women is much to be deprecated, because it was intended by nature that the hair should fall over the ear and form thus a protection to it. But as we cannot throw down so great a goddess as fashion, we must use care and artificial means for the preservation of this delicate organ. If sitting in a draft is unavoidable, the handkerchief should be applied to the ear exposed or a pledget of cotton inserted within it. The ordinary manner of washing the face does no harm to the ear because t\e canal leading to the drum of the ear is partially protected by wax and water does not penetrate far; but all the swabbing of the ear, whether with dry cloth or lint moistened with hot or cold water, or other fluid, is by no means to be advised, as it removes the wax, the necessary safeguard to the internal ear.

Way to Hoe Understandingly.

Let us study the course of that intelligent young farmer to whom farming is an art. He examines critically his tool before purchasing; for the quality of the steel he requires the label of some respectable firms; for the rest he is his own judge. His selection is an implement not over wide, having fine and sharp angles, and so mounted on the handle as to require as little stooping as possible. He selects a handle of hard wood (the momentum gained by which being more than an offset to the extra weight), straight grained and rather longer than the average. The handle having been well oiled to prevent its cracking, our farmer is ready for the field. Now study him at work. With many, hoeing is merely a rising and falling of the implement, or what may be called a chopping stroke, with force sufficient to cut up weeds. Our farmer has not only an up-and-doWn stroke, but a swinging, half circular stroke, that-from its effects may be called a cutting or knife stroke; and, moreover, his chopping strokes are made at an angle varying with the kind and size of the weeds. Here is a capital axiom that he has adopted—that weed hoeing has two ends in view, viz., to kill the weeds then growing and to do this in such a manner as to prevent, so far as can be, the seed in tne ground from germinating. AJI tillage soil,” he says, “ has the seed of weeds scattered through it as deep as it is tilled, say for a foot in depth; some of them retain their vegetating powers many years—some only one year. Now, my object in weed hoeing should« be—while destroying the weeds on the present surface, not to make a new surface from which a new crop may start.” He therefore disturbs the surface only enough to kill the weeds; his work presents none of the roughness of the bungler, who wastes vast amounts of strength in rough chopping that takes up weeds by the roots in front of him, but to leave them replanted in the rear of him, while he so disturbs the nnder soil that the seeds therein are brought

sufficiently near the. surface to germinate. If some one should ask, Is not one great object to loosen the soil? he replies: “Certainly, at times; but we are now discussing hoeing as a mere weeding .process.”— Agricola, in New York Heraid.

Some of Uncle Sam’s Smugglers.

Perhaps the officers of the CustomHouse are more vigilant than formerly in guarding Uncle Sam’s treasure-box, or, it may be, smuggling has become a fashionable epidemic—like hysteric-, for instance—but it is certain that the beauties who migrate like birds at stated seasons to foreign climes, returning in bright, new plumage, are subjected to much annoyance by the revenue officials, who insist that ladies—whether operasingers or modistes—shall not evade the payment of duties; and if the residents of New York’s Faubourg St. Germain or Philadelphia’s Walnut street desire to shine resplendent in Maitre Worth’s robes de Paris or envelop their beautiful forms in point de Alencon they must first render tribute to Caesar in the shape of a high ad valorem tariff. Scarcely had the scandal of one of Philadelphia’s young millionaires died away, with the luxury of Aladdin’s palace contained in the trunks seized by the authorities, than Mlle. Leoni hove in sight, like one of Cleopatra’s barges with silken sails all set. The craft was freighted with the luxuries of the Indies. Almost every family on Murray Hill had some interest in the precious cargo, if the names upon the manifest were any guide; there were laces of Valenciennes; soft, filmy webs, with designs of flowers inwrought, that came from the deft looms of Bruxelles; there were bright cachemires des Indeaf and silks of Lyons, perfumes of the Orient, objets de luxe from Vienna, and all the dainty adjuncts to dangerous coquetry. This precious cargo is how in custody of the United States, and the fair captive-cap-tain will be tried for smuggling. No sooner had Mdlle. Leoni transferred her case to the United States Court than another pretty smuggler appeared. By her asseverations she was but an innocent St. Louis belle traveling in search of pleasure, yet she had two suspicious trunks—not hose —liable to CustomHouse duty,.J)ut the wharfingers insisted upon handling them. Her name was -—. A card (her own) was tacked in a suspicious way over other cards, and so clumsily that the lynx-eyed detectives discovered duplicity. Her affidavit set forth that the wearing apparel was all her own—for her proper use and disposition—and not intended for the use of any other person or persons whatsoever. When her articles were seized, however, it was discovered that there were divers spoils of the seas and sinful sophistications of fashion and folly which might be classed ~ under dutiable articles. The belle of St. Louis, upon being closely pressed, made a clean breast of it and stated that the articles were in reality brought to these free shores with the hope and expectation that no seizure would be made, and that the trousseaus of the brides would, in all gallantry, bf permitted to pass without examination and duty. Bride No. 1 hailed from Annapolis, of blessed schoolship’memory; bride No. 2 from Florida, that land of orange blossoms; but as the officers of the customs insisted on examination and exposure, the St. Louis belle washed her hands of the whole affair and relegated the responsibility where it belonged. Such was the first lesson. Piled up in the rooms of the seizure department in the granite building in Wall street are bales and boxes, strongly strapped cases, and dainty parcels which could a tale unfold that would harrow up the soul of many a belle and beau who, desiring to shine in the magic circle of the jeunesse doree, do not hesitate to defraud the revenue in compassing their ambition. — New York Herald.

Unfortunate Coasters.

William B. Chandler, merchant, aged thirty-five; Arthur Shirley, district school-teacher, aged forty, and several other residents of Whitesboro, were seriously injured last evening while coasting down the Hampton Hill road. From time immemorial this road has been the most tempting coasting route in the vicinity of Whitestown. The length of the coasting ground is about three-quarters of a mile. The road crosses the Erie Canal over an iron bridge but a short distance from the main street of Whitesboro. The coasting vehicle is a joint stock concern, in which the old and young men of the village are equally interested. It consists of a pair of light bob-sleighs connected together by a plank sixteen feet in length. The steersman of the craft lies upon the plank and directs its course by moving the forward bob with his hands. The remainder of the load sit upon the plank “spoon fashion” to the number of twenty-five or thirty, and wjth a'load like this the Hampton Hill coasters ride over the three-quarters of a mile from the top of the route to Main street in forty seconds. Everything depends upon the steersman who handles the forward bob. Numberless accidents have occurred to persons enjoying this sport, but last night’s accident is the most serious upon record. The coasting route was flooded yesterday, and its surface Was like a sheet of silver. About 6:30 p. m. twenty-three men, nearly all over the age of thirty, got upon the bobs. W. B. Chandler was steering, and the others occupied places behind him. About half way down the hill, just when the vehicle was moving with the velocity of the wind, the king-bolt of the steering bob broke and Chandler lost control of the sleigh. The sleigh collided with the eastern abutment of the iron bridge, and the whole load was thrown forward with tremendous force. Mr. Chandler had his collar-bone broken, his right ear was almost torn from his head, his left leg was hurt, and he is suffering from severe internal injuries. He was carried home and attended by Dr. James. Arthur Shirley, teacher of the district school and son of Trustee Shirley, had his left leg broken above the knee and was badly bruised. Drs. Baker and James cared for him. John Haynes suffered the most complicated injuries. His left leg was broken in three places, once below the knee and twice above it. Of the twenty others, William Cole and Charles Williams were bruised about the limbs and Michael Landers suffers about the ribs. The remainder of the load narrowly escaped falling into the canal.— Utica (V. K.J Herald. —A man died in Venango County, Pa., recently, after having been confined to hi| bed for thirteen years with disease of the spine, caused by severe punishment received from a school-teacher when he was a boy.